We’ve all been there—moments in your life that defy definition. This is one of those moments in my life, and I will attempt to tell this story. Many of you will think it is a tall tale. That’s okay—I’ll let you determine if it is. I firmly believe tall tales are sometimes more real than our supposed reality.
APRIL 8TH, 2024: The total eclipse of the sun…or was it?
I arrived at my girlfriend’s home in Northwest Arkansas on April 7th. We were both excited about viewing the total eclipse for the first time. The sky would be clear for this event. Armed with cheap “special” sunglasses, we ventured out to the front lawn to witness this cosmic event.
She lives in a neighborhood of heavily forested properties. I expect a bear or wolf to attack me every time I visit. I’m only half kidding about that. One never knows what strange creatures are hiding out in these woods. Hmm…I think a new book could be in my future.
The moment the sun disappeared and the day became night, I was out of body, timeless, soaring towards this heavenly display. I was no longer interested in this strange marriage of the sun and moon. Instead, my attention was drawn to Mother Earth. I felt the power of love like never before. In honesty, it was overwhelming.
Then, realizing the gift I was receiving stunned me and shook me to the core. This planet I was observing wasn’t just a big rock with all types of living beings on it. Earth was love. Everything that exists throughout the universes and inner planes is love. All of life is love and was created because God is love. We are love—not these human frames we toy around with in many incarnations until we realize what we are—soul, a co-worker with God.
The subsequent realization blew my mind. God learns from us. He needs us to trip, fall, love, hate, live, and die. Why? Because he learns and grows through our experiences the same way we do—like any good parent who discovers the greater meaning of love through raising children. And like any good parent, God is always there to help.
This gift, granted to me, answered many questions that hounded me for decades. Why is there so much suffering on Earth? Why would a loving God create such an environment?
Because we, as souls, never feel pain, suffering, or loss. We are eternal and have Godlike qualities. But just like a human infant who has no idea it is human, a new soul has no idea it is a child of God. Hence, we need to learn to be love in the harshest of environments. It is a crucial factor required to experience the immensity of love.
Since that day, I’ve contemplated this often. My life has changed in ways I never would have expected. I attract more love by simply being a vehicle for divine love. Like attracts like. I see every obstacle in my life now as an opportunity for spiritual growth, to trust in the process, and, to put it simply, to be more aware. My gratitude for this gift is boundless.
Naiche was a mischievous teen Sewing wild oats while creating a scene To the chagrin of his father, Chief Cochise Cochise determined it was time to intervene
He led the boy to the highest peak of Dził Nchaa Si’an It is time my son for you to comprehend The gifts you’ve failed to apprehend Into the stars, we’ll ascend
Both father and son entered a trance Through the use of the holiest of chants Their spirits soared into the never-ending expanse Every particle of their being was enhanced
The silence between stars surprised Naiche You are greater than the stars, said Cochise As humans we are incomplete As souls, we have a window seat
To Ussen’s magnificent creation To gift you with an undeniable affirmation That we are simply stewards of his heavenly plantation And to immerse ourselves in his spiritual libation
Grieving is Soul at play, or more specifically, soul surfing. As Soul, we ride the waves of grief among its crests and valleys. We immerse ourselves in the thrill of it and rejoice in the immensity of love crashing in upon us. As well as the overwhelming emotional pain that consumes us. We are tossed like ragdolls from our celestial surfboards, gasping for air as we try to survive the pounding surf. All the while learning to let go of fear.
Eventually, we become surfing champions, able to ride the waves to shore. We grow stronger having gained the knowledge and understanding of what love is. It becomes apparent to us we need to pass that love unto others. We all become grief counselors.
Grief is another powerful step for us as souls in becoming spiritual masters. Grief helps us learn the immense power and depth of divine love. It is incumbent upon us to share this knowledge. It is the reason why we exist.
89.9% of humans cry at birth. Noncrying after birth had 100% sensitivity for nonbreathing infants after birth. Taking this into account it is highly prevalent for humans to cry at birth when we survive it.
WHY?
Because the physical is extraordinarily harsh compared to any of the higher planes. What simile could I use to express this? I’ll let you determine this. Think of the happiest, most joyful event in your life. Relish in it. Now do the same for the worst moment in your life. And that is nothing compared to what we experience at birth.
Now there is an important reason for this. The physical plane is where we as souls choose to visit. Why would we do this? There are multiple reasons for this decision. The prime reason is so we can burn off karma quickly, allowing us to attain higher states of consciousness more rapidly. Did you catch that? We made this choice.
Why would we be that stupid?
Because as souls we know this is just an illusion. This life is no different than a child playing with a doll. It doesn’t matter in the least what this physical body does or doesn’t accomplish beyond learning to become a vehicle for divine love. That is why humans struggle throughout their lifetimes. They have forgotten they are souls. A soul brighter than ten thousand suns. A coworker with God.
What happens when we become a vehicle for divine love?
The world becomes a better place. Not that anything changed. You changed. You see love all around you. And everything from the tiniest molecule to the tallest mountain feeds off this divine energy you share without even being aware of it. People smile more when they are with you. They become aware something is happening to them, but they can’t quite explain it. Without their knowledge, they become vehicles for this divine love. They may smile more. Be more loving. Enjoy the simple treasures life on earth has to offer.
Max and Mandy fell in love at first sight On the school playground at the age of six Sharing their M&M’s candy with delight Mandy bold enough to kiss Max on the lips
They married young, at twenty-one Two months passed and Max went to war Ten months later Mandy birthed their son Night after night she paced the floor
Six months went by without a word She searched for answers with no avail Sending daily letters, she was undeterred Max suffered injuries on a German forest trail
He came home to her a wounded soul Having witnessed the worst of mankind Doing her best at damage control She patched him back towards peace of mind
Many years have passed, their hair grown gray Still holding hands as they gingerly walk the park Sitting on “their” bench on a lovely October day Comfortable in knowing they will soon embark
On a glorious journey that will end their pains Where the Light and Sound will light their paths As their undying love brings more spiritual gains Going home, home at last
Born in spring, a new life begins A baby boy born of woman Inheriting his ancestor’s sins Crying over once again being human
Summer
Youth manifests its boundless energy Sun rays bake skin golden brown Playing, prancing, light and fancy-free With energy that knows no bounds
Autumn
Tree leaves that fill Van Gogh with jealousy Love blossoms within expectant hearts Lover’s bodies meld zealously A lifetime ahead for these sweethearts
Winter
The icy cold clatters these aged bones Heartbroken by Death’s finality The flag I fly is skull and crossbones My body, icy cold, stiff, shivering
But Then…A New Mysterious Season
An angel of mercy graced my threshold Tossed aside my insistent futility Gently, she removed my blindfold Now spending eternity exploring infinity
I have had the privilege of sharing great love all my life. When my wife died in May of 2021 I never thought I would feel a deep, loving connection again. But God took pity on me and sent me an angel disguised as a woman. That was rather sneaky of IT as I wanted no part of this earthly existence anymore. I am forever grateful. I just wonder what IT expects in return. Whatever it may be it should be very interesting indeed.
Fighting to find fleeting memories Like ghosts, they pervade her dreams They escape when she awakes Leaving her nothing left to claim
Left alone with her imagination Exploring her heart for any inspiration Finding dissatisfaction in every action Desperately seeking a spiritual transaction
Disturbing to her that she received so selfishly Gifts provided prophetically Granted by God for her spiritual benefit She’s become an imperfect perfectionist
Her days of delightfully dancing departed The reward she earned, brokenhearted The days, they fade away In a web of disappointing ways
As a child, I dreamed I wanted to be Superman, The Flash, Spiderman, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Zeus, Davy Crockett, Tarzan, Zorro, Paul McCartney, and others. It is my firm belief that I was not unusual. There is nothing like a child’s imagination when it comes to creating fantasies. Or is there?
Then we leap into the world of teen madness. The Twilight Zone, where children’s dreams go to die. Yes, the brave new world where that horrible word responsibility enters our vocabulary. I am a firm believer that the average life span of a human should be twelve years. Yes. I know. There would be fertility issues.
As a teen, I wanted to be…uh-hmm, hell if I know. Though I was a good athlete, I was not going to get drafted by the Yankees. I was average. I managed to get good grades without trying. I was socially adequate without trying. I found girls attractive. But not enough to have to convince me it was worth the effort. The greatest achievement I attained in high school was having a modicum of success without trying.
Realizing this I began to ask myself challenging questions. What’s the point of all this? Why am I here? What am I missing? It certainly was not love. I lived with and was part of a loving family. I was not destitute. My family was typical middle-class. Back when that meant something. So, I decided to go on a mission in my junior year.
A spiritual exploration. I was raised Catholic even though my parents seldom went to mass. Did I believe Jesus was the Son of God? Well…yes. But no more than any of us. I considered him and his message to be from a highly enlightened soul who chose to be a coworker with God and make the supreme effort to share his spiritual knowledge with the world. Not unlike many such souls that have walked this earth since the beginning of time and continue to this day to work behind the scenes to help us all.
I and a good friend of mine explored Buddhism for some time. I began to see a common thread. Highly evolved souls that incarnate on earth do not seek earthly rewards. If they do attain material riches they are not attached to them. In Buddha’s case, he walked away from great wealth and influence as a prince to live the life of a beggar taking charity from others. This raised an interesting question in my mind. Does one have to give up the pursuit of material things to reach spiritual enlightenment?
Then one day I was in a bookstore exploring the spirituality section and came across a book written by Brad Steiger, In My Soul I Am Free. In it, the author spends many hours with Paul Twitchell who was the modern-day founder of Eckankar. It delves into the life of Paul and discusses in length the teachings of soul travel and so much more. It has come to light through the years that Steiger was being Steiger and some of what he relates in the book is rubbish. But in the end, the result was bringing to light a most important message to the world. We are souls and we don’t have to die to experience it.
I was given a gift that day in 1972. The most precious of gifts. The realization that I am soul. Not that I have a soul. I am soul. Temporarily using this body. This changed my life in so many ways. It began to slowly sink into my thick skull that it was not an accident I happened to be in that bookstore on that day. That my life was about to drastically change. Scary stuff for a nineteen-year-old. Finally, I had something worth trying.
This all led me to my exploratory years. Those young adult years when everything is on the table. College, sex, drugs, alcohol, travel, work. It was a busy, exciting, life-altering, period of my life. During all of this I had read In My Soul I Am Free several times. Each time brought more moments of enlightenment. Was it the book? Or was I awakening to the fact I am soul? Or both? I can’t really say. In the end, it doesn’t matter. It all led to a most amazing life.
A life filled with great love, adventure, misadventures, and a greater understanding as to why I have been so blessed in this life. It really is a simple formula. It goes like this. Love God (by any name). Share God’s love.
In good times and bad times. All the time. Realize you are soul using a body to accelerate your learning curve. We learn the most from the lessons that test us. Each lesson is just a step toward graduation. There are always teachers guiding us, placing us in positions that test our resolve that eventually open us up to greater understanding. Most often we lack the awareness of their most generous guidance.
How does one gain that awareness? Do you remember when you first learned to drive? Your parents or driver-ed teachers guided you and helped you master what would become an amazing world-changing event. Your outlook and understanding of the world around you grew exponentially. You traveled to places you had never been to.
It is no different when traveling the inner worlds. Spiritual guides help us maneuver through amazing, consciousness-raising experiences throughout higher planes that exist for the benefit of our enlightenment. Most often this is done in the dream state. Why do they choose this task? Love. And so one day we may follow in their footsteps.
On earth, as it is in heaven.
So often throughout human history ignorance and misunderstanding of the role these advanced souls play in our journey home have shined a light on the purpose we are all here for. To learn to rise above ignorance, prejudice, and hate. We will continue to return to the physical plane for countless lifetimes until we learn the only lesson worth learning.
LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE. BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW. THE REWARDS FOR THIS? INDESCRIBABLE SPIRITUAL AWE.
I realize this piece will have different effects on those that read this. I apologize if this article offends you in any way. It is not intended to do so. Things of a spiritual nature always affect others in unique ways. Each of us is on our own personal journey and like the title of this article states you can only be you. And how wonderful is that? The path we walk toward God-realization is uniquely ours. We have eternity to get there.
