Tag Archives: journey

Why Do We Climb Mountains?

To understand our lives. It is one of the most simple and exquisitely beautiful things we will ever touch on our journey. When achieved we will stand in amazement as its meaning washes over us and the bars of our self built cages will break and set us free.

All of life is a cycle, whether it be our first time at something and the nervousness and fear of facing up to it, to our very laid back approach because we have now faced those things and now understand them because of those experiences, slowly building a confidence each time they are faced.

First time at a sport, driving a car, climbing mountains, singing (ok, it never was my forte 😀 ), being a Mother or Father, and on and on with those many, many things that we face through life to eventually be better, more understanding and even a pride at achieving those many things.

And life is that very thing, to dream, to attempt, experience and achieve so many parts that are of this world. And even some of these things will be a bit rough around the edges, like my singing, because it will not be our forte, but we will have attempted it in their doing. And as each and every bit is added to the mix of understanding a wisdom is achieved, an acceptance of who we are because we do understand our limitations and excellence in all that we do.

But in the beginning this world is very conditional with all of these many things that we have never faced. And as we have been taught from birth by those we love and looked up to, that those very people are struggling with ‘their’ early experiences, not fully understanding as yet that wisdom achieved from many years of experience and unintentionally ‘passing on’ those early understandings that are woven with many conditions as they struggle to find that nirvana that never seems to be achieved as each mountain peak is climbed.

Like that first job, all nerves and afraid to do it wrong, we will face life exactly the same way, slowly building an emotional understanding and confidence and be tested in many ways as time goes by. And when we feel that we have failed at something it leaves us disappointed, a mark on us that keeps niggling us to look and see why. A dent in our emotional armor for all to see.

And slowly that ache inside that holds us will keep entering our lives because it never seems to be resolved, the pain of it a reminder of some inability within ourselves that never seems to break free and become that love and happiness that we always seek.

But it is asking of us to find the key, with many hints of what this pain is built of, but never seeing it for what it really is. Even to the point of asking us to look deeper because a particularly traumatic time asks us to uncover that pain once more, see if we can break through ‘this time’ and finally understand. It can be such a painful journey but the very thing we seek at those mountain tops requires it of us. An appreciation of something that it has taken our lives to find and understand. That last peak, the big one that will finally be the tallest so that we can ‘see’ all around and appreciate what it has taken to achieve this wondrous view…finally seeing the forest…because of the tree’s.

Without the struggle it has no meaning, as all cycles have a beginning and an end. No part can be achieved without what went before. That understanding and appreciation of love ‘because of’ the pain, anger, struggle and fear that we have faced to achieve it. All those emotions brought about because of what we each individually needed to face to fine tune that understanding. And like that last step to the summit, an appreciation of what went before.

It is no small feat. A lifetime of trying to break free of this ‘thing’ that will not let us go until we understand. Fine tune each step so that whenever it holds us in its thrall we slowly understand that what went before was not that key we have been looking for so we try again. Sometimes blocking because we are not ready yet.

But one day all of those paths come together, all of those experiences and the wisdom that we have gained will push us to do the unknown, step beyond what we think we can do and like all masters challenge our beliefs to step where no man/woman has gone before…a belief beyond what had held us for so, so long and finally ‘see’ that what we have held in our hearts had great purpose. To ‘see’ that stairway leading up the mountain in all its glory, to understand that we had to follow our own paths exactly as we have to achieve that very understanding. To ‘see’ that by doing exactly as we have, trips, stumbles and falls guiding us to that very key to open a lock within to a beauty almost beyond belief as it shows us how it has all been done exactly as it is so that we can ‘see’ and appreciate that love like no other. There is no ‘wrong’ as each and every step has only one thing in its purpose, to guide, give understanding and find that thing we always seek. It is the only path or we would never finally ‘feel’ its beauty in our understanding of that path.

Climb my friends and understand that even if you do fall down, know that beneath it has great purpose, because behind it all is a love like no other. It wishes to show you someone, a someone who does know how to struggle, does believe enough of themselves to take that next step, and in doing so will find that nirvana of love and happiness that they looked for, for so long, is really there waiting for them.

Believe in you…climb and be free ❤

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Merry Christmas To All!

Still here guys, just still a little sidetracked with some healing, my own and others 😀
I tried to individually give a little Merry Christmas message to everyone I follow on the reader but as I have followed in the hundreds that soon became ridiculous 😀
So hopefully this will still post and go out to the one and all beautiful people on this blog world and give a little cheer to join the many heart lights that this world brings ❤
Thank you all for a very interesting year to say the least, and to those magical people who's caring and love is always to the fore for each and every soul on here, and especially to those whose care towards my 'journey' showed that love also, thank you! ❤
May the blessings of the season be returned in kind to everyone, show the beauty that a helping, guiding light can bring, and the love that is within us all shine on that path to our happiness ❤

A New Year beckons a new journey, may yours be built on that love! ❤

Mark xox

Our Nakedness!

I am walking down the middle of the main street of my town, many people on both sides. Each step I take shows me a different part of the street, a new shop, different people…even the energy can be felt at levels never before touched. I have started at the beginning of the street, slowly making my way along its length and the people are quite loud. It is laughter and becoming quite distinct, and for some reason I’m really affected by it, squirming at each step and afraid that it is at me.

Then I realise why…I’m naked…exposed physically and emotionally, and totally at odds with the environment and bringing myself to the attention of one and all. There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide…I just have to keep walking. At each step I begin to hear voices now, but they are no longer laughing, they are now voicing their concerns, branding me with their shock at what I am doing, letting me know that this is not acceptable. Many emotions can now be distinguished, laughter becoming embarrassment, raised voices becoming more stern and touching on anger as their judgement comes to the fore. I try to disappear in plain sight but regardless of my direction I must face what is happening.

And in that humdrum of noise it is my turn to be shocked, and strengthened by a lone voice, one of praise for daring the un-darable and standing in the nakedness of my truth, no longer masked by my fears. It puts another brick into the foundation of the path I am walking.

I have almost reached the end of the street and an overpowering urge to stop and look back overcomes me. And in that moment I finally ‘see’ where I have been and realise this is my life’s path. Many judgements from all around, reinforcing beliefs that were never mine, but locking me into their owners. All of these built on the fears that they held from that very same process I now tread.

My walk has taken quite a long time and I now realise that as each step gives me these understandings my nakedness no longer matters, and in fact has built a quiet strength as my belief in self grows. The people back at the beginning of my walk have forgotten me and moved on. I can see everything that has been directed at me was only coming from their fears, their embarrassment, their inability to deal with a moment because of where ‘they’ were at within themselves as they deal with their own ‘naked’ walk.

 

So, what does this all mean. No, I didn’t dream the above, it was shown to me after a little wander into my own main street that lives within each of us. In fact spirit has taken me on a guided tour ‘back’, and I mean ‘way back’ into my past, the beginning of my walk up that same main street to a time of my childhood to where my fears of rejection were really being ‘locked in’ at around that tender time of 9 years old.

That rejection I felt was a lack of love from my father and my attempts at gaining it by doing so many things to please and being knocked back each time until a coping strategy was put in place to deal with its pain. A wall of fear. And each time I faced that rejection in the future it would raise its head.

I thought I had faced that life fear over the last couple of years and understood that journey…and I had as an adult…but that 9 year old was still lost and needed to touch that understanding and the reassurance that it brings.

Over the last couple of years I had met this very nice lady that had an incredible energy that always gives me a signal that something is about to happen. But as the years went by nothing seemed to be occurring so I thought that it was just something in the ‘connection’ and it was doing its thing. Little did I know I was being prepared for that event.

I have visited this ladies home out in the country a few times now, each time to mind her home while she was away or on a mercy errand to help with a healing with her animals. And to be truthful, an enjoyable re-connection with her and my childhood love of nature growing up in a similar place.

But on the second last visit she had given me some Bowen Therapy that released something very powerful within me. And as I was minding her home while she was away at a workshop I was left to fend for myself, not realising I was about to re-enact those childhood fears in a big way.

When I was a child in those moments of rejection I would go out into the nearby forest, lay down in the long grass and just close down and hear the nature all around me, wind blowing through the tree’s, and an intense loneliness would envelop me. The first night at this ladies home after the Bowen Therapy felt exactly like those moments in the forest. Her home buffs against a state forest, so wind in the tree’s, birds and other animals calling…and that loneliness descended like a blanket, to a point that I was almost in shock because of my reaction.

At first I wasn’t sure of what it meant, an emotion that seemed to touch me and leave me drained, but with no understanding to follow. But the next journey to her home months later now finally opened that door, allowed that 9 year old to touch a missing link but with the wisdom of that hindsight above, and look back into my journey to ‘see’ a time traveled and why I reacted as I did.

I’ve seen that my dad had also been treated that very same way by his father and it was all he knew. He could only be what he had become on that journey, given to him by those he loved and looked up to, just as I had through my life. But understanding changes us, and that wind in the tree’s showed me that I have come a long way indeed, so far that I can now see, forgive, release and become the nakedness of my truth, no longer held back by thinking it was ‘others’ and uncovering those things that I had buried through fear.

It was a raw touch of those past feelings of a 9 year old, but for that 9 year old to see those truths and finally understand them released a way of being that had held him for way too long, no longer stealing life by living within those shackles that we mold because of our journey.

The road has cleared a little more, the light is extending further on my path, and an acceptance of myself has shown me that even though these paths are pretty rough, beneath them all is a love like no other, under those muddy steps there really is a yellow brick road for us all. The peace that has descended on me is quite profound, even though I feel I am still in shock dealing with these understandings. So much so that on arriving ‘home’ I feel very disjointed like I no longer live here and feel that I’m in a strange place. But the overall feeling is one of change, the releasing of the old so that a new path can be built. No longer ‘reacting’ to life but one of building a future of wherever I wish to go.

There may be more to add to this story yet as time goes by but its like going through any event, when we look back we see it with new eyes and understand it in its different pieces until an acceptance of who and what we have become because of it settles into place.

And in fact, and to be totally honest…at the moment I just feel like sitting in the sun and eating an ice cream…I wonder where that 9 year old really is right now, do we ever really leave them behind, no longer a part of what we have become? 😀

The People In Our Lives!

People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty…

To provide you with guidance and support…

To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually…

They may seem like they are a godsend, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die…

Sometimes they walk away…

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand….

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled…

Their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has now been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON.

Because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons.

Things you must build upon to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life…

Whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime

~ Unknown author ~

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They are guiding us towards that self love those many people in our lives…the good ones, bad and in between…they each show us…us!
May those that you meet see the truth and beauty that those before encouraged us to stand in ❤

Tree’s!

I read these words by Ram Dass over on Grief Happens blog, and like her I thought it appropriate for the season too…

 

‘When you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees.

And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever.

And you look at the tree and you allow it.

You see why it is the way it is.

You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way.

And you don’t get all emotional about it.

You just allow it.

You appreciate the tree.

The minute you get near humans, you lose all that.

And you are constantly saying ‘You’re too this, or I’m too this.’

That judging mind comes in.

And so I practice turning people into trees.

Which means appreciating them just the way they are’

 

And at the bottom of her post she simply says…

‘Who are you turning into a tree this holiday season?’ 😀

Compassion!

The lovely Barbara Franken at ‘Me My Magnificent Self’ has asked me to do a guest post on compassion at her website.

To which I firstly say thank you for thinking of me to contribute, and secondly for your site, a wellspring of so much positivity and love with an attitude of finding our own hearts so that we can bless those around us by being the healing and blessing that this discovery brings.

And of course in that discovery is found much compassion as it blossoms from within because we have now understood the meaning of those fears in our lives, and in breaking through them we realise what others are still going through. And in now understanding each side of the equation of fear and compassion, it now opens that love within, for ourselves and in our dealings with those around us.

To this day it still amazes me just how powerful our love and compassion is, for the strength and courage it has taken to step past many painful things in our lives. But the biggest wonder I ever see, is that beautiful recognition I see in the eyes of another as that understanding reaches its final destination…their hearts. The tears begin to flow in an acceptance of exactly who they are as the walls come tumbling down, and a glow like no other begins to shine from within.

To read this guest post on compassion at Barbara’s site, please click here… ‘Compassion!’

And thank you Barbara for allowing me to share my journey on your lovely site, and be a part of that compassion you share with all.

Namaste ❤

Reflections of Life!

And eventually we do put ourselves first…not as we normally do in life, forcefully…but by understanding our fears, and giving a love to ourselves that we initially did not dare because of how we felt about ourselves. It is in putting us first instead of our fears.

Our fears have to be lived to be understood, and in their outcome is the wisdom of that love. We always give from where we are at. And that is mirrored back to us in our lives by those around us. And as we grow up we give from those fears, a place where we feel unloved and unwanted. Each time we give a flower or argue with a friend, those actions are reflected back to us so that we can ‘see’ where our hearts are, giving out a curved version of who we are because of the expectations of ourselves built from those walls of fear.

And we can never see or understand our fears for many years because we avoid them because of their pain…but as life goes on, those around us keep reflecting back who we are, so that we can ‘see’ where we truly are inside. You know, those situations in relationships that always seem to keep repeating themselves, leaving you totally amazed at how these events keep happening. Making you feel like the universe is picking on you. Until you reach that point where ‘I can’t do this anymore’ becomes your mantra.

But once the fear is understood, it loses its power, and we then see that it has only been us that is blocking our love for ourselves…because we didn’t feel worthy of it.

Our negativities and low self worth from childhood hold those walls up until we are forced to step through them. As we have done by going through the many ups and downs within our life. Slowly we have been able to ‘see’ those walls and with great courage and strength, dared those fears to find that belief of who we really are within and become that love we always seek in our lives, that happiness that we look for but never seem to find.

It is there, gently waiting, prodding us to take the next step, to at last find that love, and be that true freedom within. And to be totally happy, for we have finally found what we have been seeking all our lives…to love ourselves unconditionally. For those fears ARE the conditions we had placed on our journey, and in defeating them we totally appreciate what it has taken to break through and find who we really are within.

And in doing so, we are finally free. Because that happiness is the love we dared to give ourselves, releasing the conditions that held us in chains, to find an unconditional that will leave you in tears…tears of love and gratitude because of what you have now found within.

May your journey dare those fears, for through them is a light like no other, and a beauty beyond measure…….your light   ❤

To Live!

As many would know, spirit spoke to me about 5 years ago and said that I would die when I was 60. And as everything else that spirit spoke to me about has come true, I had no doubt that it would happen.
This left me to face some very big and entrenched fears in my life, and in doing so, thankfully, I have climbed and removed many walls in my life, understood the reasons behind those fears so that I am now free from their tyranny.
Don’t get me wrong, they have a very important part in our lives. In living them and enduring their pain, it shows us compassion and the ability to love ourselves as nothing else can.
So I find myself in a beautiful place in my life…so spirit decided it was time to look a little deeper…much deeper.
Spirit came to me and said (and I wasn’t even thinking of death or anything even associated with it)…’Who said you would not live again!’ And that was it.
It was so out of nowhere that I wondered if I hadn’t ‘seen’ something after all that death had so far shown me.

1. Would I literally die, but come alive again. Like those stories you hear about people dying on the operating table but ‘coming back’?
2. Would I truthfully ‘live again’ in the spirit world.
3. Or would I ‘live again’ in another lifetime.

I have thought about it for a while and the one thing that it showed me promise for on my journey is…it doesn’t matter. And in realising that I’m comfortable that it no longer ‘holds me back’.
Maybe that was what it was for…to ‘see’ that we will all be alive again…once our walls come down ❤

My Very First Post – #MyFirstPostRevisited

A tag started by a blogger/writer called Sarah Brentyn, asking us to revisit our first ever blog posts! ❤

I have been very nicely asked by my friend Carolina to visit my first ever post…and after 3 minutes of scrolling down the page…ta daaaa!

Here is my very first Blog Post:

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THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN!

Ok, I've created a few pages, rearranged a few things , and now getting used to WordPress and its particulars. The first four pages are up, The Journey, The Heart, The Beginning, The Reverse and these will be followed by The Fear, The Love, The Truth, The Dreaming and The Death (I hope to complete these over the next few weeks). And maybe more as I do this wander through life and the urge to 'live' and feel some of the most incredible things. I become more amazed as spirit shows me some of life's 'realities' under our day to day life that we all lead.

For many years it has been a slog, as it is for most all of us initially, but that is only to show us one side of the coin, a familiar track that has been taught to us by our parents, family and friends and of course, let us not forget the 'system' of schools, law and community. Now I'm not being derogatory by the previous statement as they are needed very much to assist in the creation of who we all are. A lesson in this very physical world showing us how to live and be a part of this world we live in.

It's when we reach those places in our life where we realise 'there has to be more', and then we start to look, to search, and try to understand just what it is we are missing. It can be frustrating just trying to come to terms, with what it is, that we seem to be trying to achieve. So the hunt begins. A clue here, a hint there, and sometimes we lock onto something that appears to be what we are after but it doesn't quite fill the void. So we keep looking. And looking.

And then one day after some serious searching throughout your life, you finally begin to realise that the most happiest times in your life have been when you have actually given to yourself. Released any expectations of yourself, and just been in the moment with something you have enjoyed doing. Whether it was an occasion with family or friends or something you enjoy doing for yourself. After doing this it leaves you with a smile, even if not so much an external one, but one that you feel within.

It is then that you begin to realise that the more you give to yourself, the more you give from that place. The more happier you are within, the more you radiate that out from where you are at. The important bit is to be that Truth, live that way on a day to day basis. If you do this with integrity, and not selfishly, everything begins to change. You begin to change, and all those negative things that you seem to attract to you before, change to a more positive and happier outcome.

Yes, life can still throw things in your direction but the more you follow this path the more you realise that ninety nine percent of the time we keep this 'what if' going in our heads and ninety nine percent of the time…none of it happens. And the reality is you always put your best foot forward anyway. Tell me when you've deliberately done something wrong? Made mistakes yes, sometimes some doozies (me too), but never deliberately. Learn, take in the wisdom that it taught you, and let it go. The lesson is for you, no one else, just you.

It takes time, but hey, you've got the rest of your life to do it. Don't make it a chore, just take one day at a time. Live now and let the world take care of itself. It will, and with that new attitude begin to love the most important person in that world. You are more important than you realise. You are starting a new you. You are beginning the realisation that you are a part of the most incredibly beautiful creation that ever existed, and ever will.

It all begins…with a smile…and another…and before long it just comes naturally!

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Here we come to the rules:

Obvious rules:

No cheating. (It must be your first post. Not your second post, not one you love…first post only.)

Link back to the person who tagged you (thank them if you feel like it or, if not, curse them with a plague of ladybugs).

Other rules:

Cut and paste your old post into a new post or reblog your own bad self. (Either way is fine but NO editing.)

Put the hashtag #MyFirstPostRevisited in your title.

Tag…um…tentwotwelve five (5) other bloggers to take up this challenge.

Notify your tags in the comment section of their blog (don’t just hope they notice a pingback somewhere in their spam).

Feel free to cut and paste the badge to use in your post.

Include “the rules” in your post.

Completely silly rules that I’m making up as I type:

Transmute yourself from wherever you are to a nice tropical island for a two week stay at absolutely no cost,
and force yourself to enjoy it! 😀

Here there are my tag choices:

Amanda

Pam

Anne-Marie

You are by no mean obligated to participate but if you do would be a fun way to look at your Blog growth and transformation!

My thanks to Carolina at Yesterdayafter for including me in her Tag, and it was fun to look back to the beginning and see where my blog’s travel began!

Love and light to you all!

Mark

P.S. No, I normally do not do any awards or such, but for only the second time since I’ve been on WordPress, I have dared, simply as it was different and ‘touched’ what I needed to see! 😀

The Waters of Life!

Life and all its hardships, the rivers we do dare
Traveling dangerous waters, captaining its glare
The mastering of the winds, the swells of our pride
The holding of our tiller, for there is nowhere else to hide
But if I could but show, the beauty that dwells within
The reality in this path, built from where we’ve been
We see so much in our wake, but only through our fear
All the while on lookout, glancing to the rear
So grab that tiller firmer, know through this gale we go
That the sails of this journey, need this truth to blow
Find the hearts compass, point it as a guide
Hold it with gratitude, for in there you know you’ve tried
So seek out all your glory, venture to every port above
For within that travel far and wide, is a journey full of love

Happy New Year everyone, may it be full of adventure, beautiful waters and much love! ❤

Mark