How To Expand Your Universe

How To Expand Your Universe ©2016 Joan M. Newcomb, CPC

I have relatives on the East Coast that have been having a rough time. Their conservative party is disintegrating and it feels, to them, that their essential values are being threatened.

They're really upset that their way of life may be affected by people coming from other countries and forcing those cultures on them.

As I write this, it sounds ironic to me. It's what our white immigrant ancestors did to the Natives.  It's also what our Christian missionary ancestors did around the world.

One side of my family came over on the Mayflower, in 1640, escaping religious persecution and seeking the freedom offered by the New World. Another side came from Ireland at a time when the U.S. hated the tide of Irish immigrants. The Irish were considered lowlife.

So my progenitor told everyone they were Scottish, including their offspring. We were so proud of being Scottish, and didn't discover we actually came from Sligo until the 1970s.

Oops.

Hubble 3D - NASA

Now, I was a conservative myself until my mid 30's. On election day, I was stuck home as two kids had chicken pox, and the conservative president that was up for reelection had just vetoed the Family Leave Bill. And it occurred to me that maybe politics did affect me.

So I shifted my perspective.

Spiritually, I went through years of metaphysical training that was a marvelous discipline.  I came out an energetic athlete (but only in one form of practice). I taught that training for several decades. A fundamental focus was awareness of space. A distortion of the teachings was that merging energetic space was bad.

Then I took a course with David Spangler, visionary, author and spiritual teacher, and Lorian priest.  He mentioned that each person you come into contact with expands your Universe.

'Expands your Universe'? I thought they 'invaded your space'.

Then I started to realize that, you can't truly fall in love if you cannot merge energy.

You can be aware of energy, and have your own field be clear, when you don't resist and you don't judge. When you deem something as 'bad' or 'invasive' you actually shut yourself down and lock 'negativity' into your own space.

When you are neutral, non-resistant, compassionate *and* detached, stuff you don't like passes through, doesn't stick or doesn't get attracted.

'Invading your space' creates barriers and resistance. The idea that immigrants are 'forcing' their cultures on you is a distortion.

Other cultures enrich our own. The English language is made up of many different languages. Our way of life is influenced by many different cultures. New people in our world expands our experience.

However you can't put new wine into old wineskins.

New energy, new experiences, new people to know and love, can't come into your awareness if you are closed down or defensive. If you are holding on to old thinking and perceptions.

The solution you've been looking for? The relationship you've been longing for? The dream job you've been wishing for? Could be right in front of you if your eyes are open. Could be right across the street if you broadened your horizons. Could be in your Universe if you expanded it by welcoming in change.

This week, I invite you to drop your shields, relax your boundaries, and become energetically open. Let energies pass through you like wind through a screen door.

Imagine your atoms separating and releasing whatever you've resisted. You might have been closed down and creating what you don't want, and keeping out what you truly desire.

Try this for the next seven days, and see how your reality transforms!

Death and Taxes

Death and Taxes ©2015 Joan M. Newcomb

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."  Benjamin Franklin

This may be a little premature (for both topics), but I was having a conversation with Janet, my radio show co-host about recording a show in April. She thought it could be about money, as it is tax time in the U.S. 'People are feeling taxed' she said. 'What is taxing you, how are you feeling taxed?'

And I immediately thought, 'in paying taxes I am expressing appreciation for all that the taxes are going to support!'  I like roads, and school, and healthcare, and retirement. And I may not like supporting warfare, I don't mind supporting the troups. Military spending includes supporting military families.

Two Tax Collectors, Marinus van Reymerswaele

We think of taxes as something bigger than ourselves (the Government) taking something away from us. Or we count on tax returns to give something to us. We're little, they're big.

And from the perspective of Consciousness, it's all a creation.  As the greater aspect of ourSelf, we create the reality of taxes.

If we feel like it's something happening to us, we're reacting as our body/personality.  We feel powerless, less capable, something bigger than us has control.

Stepping up to the awareness as Consciousness, we feel amused, we are in total agreement with whatever is occurring, we see the interconnectedness of it all.

As Consciousness we feel ownership, and authority.  Nothing is more powerful (and nothing is less).  There's no good nor bad as Consciousness, there's no ethics, so it's all good.  There is ultimate acceptance of what is.

"The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse everytime Congress meets."  Will Rogers

As Consciousness we've created this wonderful world of opposites and oppositions.  It's not accurate to say this is all an illusion, because it invalidates the very real, feeling experience we're having.  It's too easy to try to detach by being in denial and trying not to feel.  But then we miss the point of being here.

Taxes aren't certain, you can live without taxes.  Death may be an inevitability for the body but it's timing isn't certain.  Perhaps the biggest illusion is death.

We react to death, we feel the absence of the deceased's physical presence, but it's our grief that keeps us from sensing the aspect of them that's still alive.

If we miss someone, we may actually be experiencing what Bryon Katie calls a visitation.  They come to mind because they're there.  It triggers our body, because it feels the absence.  Bodies don't like death because they're not going to make it out of this lifetime alive.  But we will.

Consciousness doesn't die.  And that is certain.