Achieving clarity involves seeing the larger picture, a longer time frame, a bigger perspective. The larger your view, the clearer you can be. The ability of a great master to know the purpose of a soul in this lifetime brings clarity of vision and advice. How can you develop this kind of clarity in your own life?

Most of you are in a time frame that involves thinking of weeks and days, rather than years, rather than looking from the perspective of your entire life span, of your time here on earth. If you are willing to look at yourself as a whole, you can begin to find different levels of clarity around the present moment.

It does not mean you need to know the form or where you are going. It means that the larger the picture you hold of who you are, the clearer you can be. If you were to go into the future and look back at today, you could gain a new perspective of who you are, for clarity is brought about by the changing of perspective. Most of you have certain ways you think certain habits and patterns. Every time you break free and find a new way of thinking, you increase clarity.

Clarity is not something that you reach and have from then on. It is an ongoing refinement of your picture. Imagine a boat trying to find a place to land near the shore. There is heavy fog, and the people in the boat cannot see anything, so they do not leave the boat nor do they take any action. As the fog lifts and they continue to look, they begin to see the fuzzy outline of the horizon and the shore. But still, they do not know what is there, so they do not take any action.

Pretty soon, as the fog begins to dissolve, the picture becomes clear. They now know what lies ahead, and so they prepare for action. It is the same process with clarity. At first, ideas seem vague and foggy, for that is the way essence becomes form. As the perceptual process begins, a new idea or a new way of looking at things emerges, vague in form.

Often it is only a sense that something you have now is not right. It may start as an uncomfortable feeling, for the process of gaining clarity is also the process of letting go of confusion. Things do not usually suddenly become clear, as there is an ongoing process to clarity.

Your life purpose is the most important thing you can get clear on. Clarity of purpose will direct clear energy into every other area of your life. You may say, “What is life purpose, in essence?” It is that deepest desire within you, that which gives you the most joy, that which you think of, fantasize about all the time. It is that deep soul-level urge, that motivation; it is the dream that you hold within you.

The next level of clarity after the level of life purpose is clarity of intent. How do you intend to carry out your life purpose? Even more importantly, do you intend to do it? Clarity of intent is the picture, the vision you are creating. When you intend to do something, you may or may not have a clear picture of the end-product of the goal. Clarity of intent in one sense is a picture of where you are going or the process you want to experience in getting there. You may simply want to create a happy life, or to be clear in your intent to get something done.

After clarity of intent comes clarity of motivation. What is your motivation for doing something? Whatever action you take, you will want to be clear on why you are doing it. What do you see as the gain? What do you want out of it? A lack of clarity is often perceived after an action is taken, and what is gained is not what is expected.

Other levels of clarity are clarity of agreements and of communication with others. Many of you start with clarity of action, and yet it is clarity of purpose that is the starting point. When you are clear on your purpose, intent, motivation, agreements, and communications, clear action can flow.

Light Play: Clarity
If you want more clarity about your life purpose, or about any personal situation, use the process below.

1. Start by thinking of the area about which you would like clarity and vision.

2 Imagine you are going upward into your soul and spirit. Picture it as fine, light energy.

3. Ask your soul to assist you in having clarity of vision in this area.

4. Picture the light of your soul flowing through to your mind, literally cleaning house, rearranging your thoughts into a pattern that allows you to create a light and joyful future.

5. Feel the energy coming all the way down through your body until all of your bodies – mental, emotional, and physical – are aligned.

6. Imagine your soul dissolving any fog so that you have clear vision in this area.

7. Close your eyes and let a symbol emerge that represents the highest resolution of this problem.

8. Imagine you are placing this symbol upon your heart; ask for clarity, understanding and vision. Pay attention and listen to any inner messages.

A. What insights are you receiving about how to act or think?

B. What beliefs do you have about the outcome? Do these need to be changed to a higher, more positive view?

C. What choices do you have? Think of at least three.

D. What do you intend to do?

Book excerpt adapted from Living with Joy, by Sanaya Roman.

– Anonymous

Imagine your Higher Self (HS) to reside about eight inches above the top of your head. I mention this as a point of reference because sometimes you’ll feel energy coming down through the top of your head from your HS to varoius parts of your body when doing the meditation. I am not asking you to leave your body and place your awareness with your HS, however. Instead, I’d like you to place your awareness in your heart area.

To begin, you’ll want to sit in a quiet location if possible, wtih your back straight. Connect to your breath, slowing it down until it is quiet and steady. Settle into this state for a few minutes.

Say to yourself this sentence: I ask my Higher Self to please send healing to [XXX ISSUE, for example: 'my fear of flying'] and I pray for insight.

Repeat this sentence like a mantra for ten minutes or so. You’ll most likely feel some movement in your chakras while repeating this meditation. Once you get a sense of knowing about the insight given to you by your HS, you can stop until you need the meditation again.

It can take a month or two of regular practice to know that you received the insight, so don’t be discouraged if that “knowing” doesn’t happen right away. Just keep practicing for 10 minutes at a time whenever you think of it and are able to take the time out.

–from Annie B. Bond, author of Home Enlightenment and other books.

– Anonymous

Express your soul’s will to love by spreading goodwill wherever you go. Make a soul connection with people you meet by sensing your own soul, and then sensing the other person’s soul. It does not matter if you feel you are just making it up; having the intent to contact your soul and the soul of the other person is all that is necessary to establish a soul connection.

Be a ray of sunshine bringing love to everyone you meet. Radiate love to strangers and casual acquaintances as well as to loved ones. Express love through your words and actions no matter how others act or treat you. Smile without needing others to smile back.

Feel your soul’s love so you can love people no matter how they act. If people speak or think unkindly of you, practice thinking of them lovingly. Forgive them for their behavior and be generous with your love. Realize that people who act in unloving ways are often under great tension or strain, or are experiencing problems that they are not yet able to handle with peace. If people seem bad or harmful, do not focus on these qualities. Instead, focus on what is light and good within them. You might even thank people who are hard to love for coming into your life, for they give you new ways to experience your soul’s will to love and to awaken your heart centers. Speak positively, and uplift those around you with your words and deeds. Enjoy spreading love, for all that you give will come back to you multiplied. Acknowledge what a loving person you are, and how often you already offer love and goodwill to others.

Another quality of your soul’s will to love is its softness. Its love flows out softly, offering and inviting rather than pushing and controlling. Your soul is always gentle and kind. Watch how you use your will on yourself during the next few hours or days. If you catch yourself forcing or pushing yourself to do something, stop! You do not need to force yourself to do things or to act in certain ways. Treat yourself tenderly, and with respect and love.

Book excerpt from Soul Love, by Sanaya Roman.

Just recently, we received an urgent plea from Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Carrier of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman Peace Pipe, reminding us of the great prophecies of his peoples, and the white animal mysteries of the Earth which are occurring worldwide, confirming it is time we collectively enter in prayers for the well being of this great planet and all living beings upon it. He asks us to continue our prayers, and sacred ceremonies, especially honoring the World Peace and Sacred Sites Day on June 21, Summer Solstice (World Peace Day is, also, Sept 21, another international day of honoring.)

And, just last month, I was honored with the presence of Grandmother Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, a 27th Generation Wisdom Carrier of the great teachings of the Pale Prophet of Cherokee wisdom, who lived and taught Luminous Body practices 2860 years ago, which spread across North America. She reminds us of the impact of cosmic waves from the heart of the galaxy, and the “Heart behind that Heart,” as well as the alignment with the great “Sacred Heart of the Galaxy,” the “Heart of the Earth,” and the human heart. This comes at a time that modern science is confirming unexplained phenomena of particle waves arising from the center of the galaxy, as well as a ‘wall’ of energy emitting light phenomena.

By simply focusing on these hearts of universal wisdom (the “Heart of the Earth,” the “Heart of the Galaxy,” and our own heart, simultaneously, however we imagine them to exist) in alignment with each other, Venerable says we come into Harmony with All Life. We find it is more than language will easily communicate. In the least, it is a powerful practice. Try it, allowing your body’s own wisdom to understand this extraordinary and powerful alignment. Your Wisdom Body understands all that your intelligent mind may not be able to grasp, for we each hold all wisdom within our inherent nature, even in the memory of our cells and DNA. We contain All Knowing, each of us.

Let us know how you experience this practice. Just sit with it for 10-20 minutes, first, entering deep spaciousness within your own heart, then imagining the “Heart of the Galaxy,” the spiral arms of the stars spinning around it, arising in that space, and the “Heart of the Earth,” beneath you, all arising in harmonious Being.

Each of us are able to contribute in these small ways, creating simple prayers from our heart, engaging with the living and sentient beings of life on this planet, holding wakefulness, watchfulness, mindfulness, and wisdom, awakening our own luminous selves. Then, sending our prayers and thoughts, our bounty, and good seed, into this fertile soil, re-enlivening it with our own prayers and intentions, in harmony with All Life, Universal Wisdom, and the origin Seeds of Creation.

Many are of speaking of 2012.

The work is not about another time or place. It is not about the end of the world, the end of time, or leaving the Earth to enter another state. The work is about calling forward our own power and authenticity, our own wholeness and Divinity. It is claiming our birthright here on Earth, as living, awakened beings of luminous light, fully embodying the multi-dimensional aspects of our Divine self in its fullness, fully supporting and claiming our right and authority to co-create, to collaborate with the very Heart of Creation, by living in alignment with that “Heart,” through our own heart.

To come into full awakening, we must become fully present in ourselves, Here. Now.

Zacciah Blackburn, PhD, is an acclaimed intuitive teacher and guide in sound healing and esoteric awareness practices for true awakening of consciousness. He has worked in the field for over three decades, offers a three year program in therapeutic sound healing practices, and teaches internationally a variety of esoteric trainings in consciousness and earth healing practices.
He is Director of Education for the International Sound Healing Network. Learn more at www.TheCenterofLight.Net

Kabat-Zinn says that in order to use “mindfulness practice or meditative awareness,” you must be open and receptive to learning by doing the following:

* Be nonjudging and patient.

*  Nurture the beginners’ mind–as though you are seeing everything for the first time.

*  Learn to trust yourself and your feelings.

*  Let your mind take you where it wants to go.

*  Be accepting; he calls this “creating the precondition for healing.” Take each moment as it comes and be open and receptive to whatever happens.

*  Let go. Just be and accept things as they are.

Stephen Levine says we should be mindful of our difficulties so that we are aware. Without awareness, we would not be able to correct the problem. He uses anger as an example. “Work with anger is to be as mindful as possible as soon as possible when we notice the first wave, the first ripple of anger.” Of course, you must first identify the behavior you would like to change so that you can be aware of making a change.

Adapted from Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myfascial Pain, by Celeste Cooper, R.N. et. al (Healing Arts Press, 2010).

Our minds are constantly active, even chattering away when we aren’t focusing on anything. So the first part of the meditation is to quiet the mind. Every spiritual tradition has meditations or practices to quiet the mind, allow it to settle down into quietude, so that deeper awareness can dawn. As we learn to go to ever quieter levels within, deeper awareness increases. Deeper awareness is also broader: it takes into account more than we usually see about ourself or the world around us. It also connects us with others at a deep level.

The second part of this kind of meditation is that our body and mind come back to the surface as stresses of the day and old stresses are released. We come off onto thoughts or sensations. This release of stress is helpful to our health and well-being.

By regularly practicing deep meditation we gradually have more of that deeper, broader awareness and connection even when we are intensely focused at work, and we live stress-reduced lives.

PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS:
• Think of a one- or two-syllable sound that is easy to say and doesn’t necessarily mean anything to you, or choose what you consider to be a name of God (e.g., God, Jesus, Allah, Shiva). Use this sound every time you meditate.
• Find a quiet, undisturbed, comfortable place to sit with your eyes closed.
• Choose a length of time to meditate. Many people find 20 or 30 minutes is a good length of time. 15 minutes is the minimum in almost every tradition.
• Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Allow yourself to relax for about 30 seconds. If you have trouble relaxing, simply pay attention to your breathing. Don’t try to make your breathing change in any way, just quietly notice as your breath comes in and goes out. You might notice your chest or abdomen moving, or the sound of your breathing, or the temperature of the air coming in and going out. (It can take a number of times until this awareness-of-breathing technique is easy to do and relaxes you.)
• Gently, quietly inside, begin to repeat the sound you chose. Intend for the sound to continue repeating, but allow the sound to repeat or to fade away. Intend and allow. Eventually it will fade away and you’ll realize that you’re off on thoughts or noticing sensations. Whenever you notice that you are off on thoughts or sensations, gently, quietly, favor allowing your sound to arise again and to repeat itself – and then maybe fade away again. In this meditation practice you will often be going back and forth between beginning the sound and allowing it to repeat itself, and being off on thoughts or sensatins. Just remember to favor gently returning to the sound when you notice you’re off on thoughts. It’s that simple.
• When your time is up, take a full minute or two to come out. Breath a little more fully, wiggle your toes and fingers, stretch, smile, take your time, and finally open your eyes.

UNDERSTANDING:
When you allow the same, simple sound to repeat itself (not forcing it or pushing it), the process will allow your mind to settle down to ever deeper levels inside, much deeper than relaxation. By going deep inside mentally, the body deeply relaxes and reacts by releasing some recent or old stresses. Releasing stresses cause thoughts or sensations to arise in the mind. When the process of releasing stresses dies down enough for you to realize that you’ve been off on thoughts, you can usually come back to your sound easily and gently, and allow it to repeat itself so that you go deep inside again. Sometimes just one mention of the sound brings up the release of stress and thoughts; sometimes you can be going deep inside for minutes at a time until stresses are released.

Note: the content or meaning of your thoughts are irrelevant in this process. Thoughts are simply an indication that your body has been releasing some old stresses. When this process dies down enough for you to be aware of being off on thoughts, instead of continuing the thoughts (you can do that any other time), allow yourself to go deeper again by picking up your sound and allowing it to repeat itself.

As your mind and body get used to diving deeply inside during meditation, you will find this depth gradually, increasingly being embedded in your daily life.

Len Tischler has meditated for about 40 years and has taught hundreds of people to meditate. He has written and given talks about spirituality and meditation in the business world. Send your meditation questions to asklen [at] greenchicafe [dot] com for individual help. Stay tuned for The Daily Practice newsletter.

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