Posts Tagged ‘love’

To discuss the topic of love is akin to defining the cosmos – where to begin and who knows where it ends. Perhaps the best we can do is discuss love at the current level and vibration in which are are cognizant of it, measured by our ability to receive and reciprocate this vibrational energy. This would offer an explanation as to why love is experienced so differently by each person and can not completely be defined.

My favorite philosophical thought on love is a quote by Deepak Chopra: “The love you seek is seeking you at the moment. Your longing, your deep fantasies about being loved are the mere shadows of the melting sweetness that makes spirit want to love you. Be honest about seeking and be alert to the moments when love is showing itself to you…The messages of love may not be clear to anyone else around you, even those most intimate to you.  That doesn’t matter, they are meant for you and you alone.”

Deepak expresses the universal power of love, which is greater than we may have imagined, as well as making the point that it is in our inherent destiny to love and be loved. Whether you are experiencing this love in your life at this time is not as important. What is important is the recognition that you are love, are worthy of love and love is waiting for you.

On an existential path, we can understand and embrace this concept and certainly agree. But like most things that we work to understand and activate here on the earth plane, we could use some guidance.

This brings us gentle reader to gift number eight in the 12 Days-12 Gifts of Enlightenment for the metaphysically inclined in your life.
Gift number eight is: Give the Gift of Love.

In The Soulmate Path: Find the Love You Want and Strengthen the Love You Have, authors Monte Farber and Amy Zerner share tips from their personal relationship including how they met and fell in love, to how they’ve managed to create and run a successful business together for over three decades. I’ve had the opportunity to read a review copy of their book, which will be available in January 2010 through Red Wheel/Weiser. Their 36 inspired and loving lessons include -  how to attract a loving partner, to dealing with stress in current relationships. Whether you’re in a long term relationship and want to rekindle that fire this winter or are ready to manifest a new love in your life this spring, Monte and Amy take you by the hand and lead you step by step into their enchanted world, inspiring you to fall in love all over again. Juicy, poignant and inspired, this book truly provides the path to creating and living in love and light.  In February 2010, Amy and Monte will join me on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show to discuss their new book, just in time for the biggest day of the year dedicated to love, Valentines Day.

Proving that when the time is right, love will find you, author Arielle Ford shares in her book The SoulMate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction, her journey of meeting her soulmate at the age of 44. Arielle was my guest on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show where we discussed her SoulMate Secret book, with topics including:  how to release past relationships so you are ready to receive love, how to prepare for the arrival of your life partner and how to attract love. My interview with her can be listened to in the Explore Your Spirit Show Archives.

As the metaphysically inclined Beatles sang, “All You Need is Love, Love, Love, Love is All You Need“. With this in mind, give the gift of love this holiday by creating a goody bag packed with inspirational books, music, chocolate, candles, and a beautiful rose quartz to stimulate the energy of love. If you’ve already found your special love, consider creating a “love nest” in your home, somewhere private and intimate where the two of you can spend time together, to recreate the feeling of just the two of you in the world, basking in love for each other.

Looking for a great last minute gift idea: How about -  Buy an iPod and purchase a dozen love songs on iTunes and upload on the Ipod. After wrapping it up, write on the card, Dedicated to the One I Love. Another idea is to make gift coupons, redeemable for massages, back scratches, and a we’ll do whatever you’d like to do day. The possibilities surrounding this gift idea are wide open, so be creative and give your loved one a gift not found in stores anywhere.

Tune in tomorrow as we explore Enlightenment Gift Number Nine. If you’ve missed Gift’s One, Two, Three, Four, Five Six, or Seven, click on the links here to visit the articles and click on the subscribe button on the top section of this page, where you’ll be notified via email each time a new article by yours truly appears.

Floating on a sea of love with the universe and the stars,
*~Kala~*

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s include Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

The journey continues as we seek seek out talented artisans who are designing unique heartfelt products and designs. This summer on the Bohemian Blog, we focus on art, fashion and design which nourishes, harmonizes and enhances the body, mind and spirit. Next up, we have Kathy Morawski, a well known equine and collage artist with works in many collections worldwide, so relax and get comfy as we spend some time with Kathy here on the Bohemian Blog, which as always is dedicated to “Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love”.

Kala: Hi Kathy, Thanks for joining us here on Explore Your Spirit with Kala’s Bohemian Blog. This summer, we’re featuring Fashion and Artistic Designs for the Body, Mind and Spirit. I discovered your work online and was touched by your use of natural elements to express strong heart-centric expressions of love and joy. Tell us, how did the inspiration begin for Love Rocks?

Photo caption: A selection from the Love Rocks series

Kathy: It’s great to be here, Kala! I’m honored you were touched by the Love Rocks. Their inspiration initially started in the aftermath of my mother’s sudden death. I began encountering angel and heart references seemingly everywhere and wasn’t sure of the source of these synchronicities but they were comforting. Then I started finding heart shaped rocks on my walks and began collecting them. It wasn’t until I was preparing for an art exhibit and acting on a spontaneous whim, I made a music themed collage titled “Love Rocks!” featuring sheet music and some of these rocks. Since most of my work incorporates words, for my next show I wanted to use the rocks in more of a text based way, but in a simpler format than a collage. I edited down as much as possible, substituting the letter O with a heart shaped rock and thus the Love Rock plaques were born!

Kala: You’re a talented artist, (mixed media collages, black and white and color pencil portraits) with a sincere love for horses. Your painted ponies jump off the cover and I connect deeply with the colored pencil horse portait. Your eye for detail is inspiring. How did your career in art begin?

Kathy: Thank you. I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember and my favorite subject was horses. I was always attracted to details and rendering them myself, so the fact I’m a Virgo seems appropriate! I was also incredibly lucky to have parents that nourished my art and called me “the artist of the family”. As a kid I painted on rocks and took orders for drawings from classmates on the school bus. I studied art and then worked professionally with an amazing art director who expanded my knowledge and took me to a level I would not have obtained otherwise. Over the years I continued creating my art and commissions while working my way up to being an art director myself in the publishing field. It was at this point when my mom passed away prompting a reassessment of my own life and I left the corporate cubicle world to do my art full time. It was a huge leap of faith but I knew I was loved and protected so I jumped.

Photo caption: Colored pencil horse portrait drawing

Kala: In many ancient wisdom teachings, it is said there are four animals who are here with the purpose to be of service and connect deeply with humanity. They are the horse, the cow, the dog and the cat. With this in mind, how have horses touched and inspired you in your life?

Kathy: Well, there’s no doubt which animal I resonate most closely with! Looking back at the many horse references in my life it’s obvious that horses are my totem animal. I was born in the Chinese Year of the Horse in a state claiming the horse as its state animal and my high school mascot was a horse. I got my first horse in another Year of the Horse and was invited to create a horse sculpture for a national art project during yet another Year of the Horse. The horse in my life now, Skip, is a true inspiration and helped me to open my heart again after the death of my mother. He was an older horse who’s owner had just died and no one wanted him. Initially thinking he was too old, I didn’t want to put myself through the possibility of getting attached only to lose him too. But he taught me that wasn’t a way to live and constantly amazes me in how two completely different species can clearly communicate with each other. Horses have the ability to mirror us  – you can’t hide, lie or B.S. a horse, they’ll call you out on it every time. Riding and trusting my horse with my life is an honor as it means he trusts me as well. Recently I began volunteering for a therapeutic riding program and am witnessing yet another aspect as to how horses enhance our lives. Horses truly help us in so many ways, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Kala: I was born in the Year of the Horse too and agree horses have so much to teach us and to share with humanity. I can see your love for horses in your work, tell me more about your inspired “Quarter Horse’’ design…

Kathy: I remember first encountering the life sized painted horse sculptures on display for an art for charity program called Horse Power New Mexico (later to be known as the Trail of Painted Ponies). It was July 2001 and I was standing on a Santa Fe sidewalk when suddenly the words “I want to do this!” came unconsciously flying out of my mouth. After returning home I started working on sketches but when the events of 9-11 occurred, I set them aside as now designing a horse specifically for America became my creative outlet to deal with the confusing times. After weeks of many new ideas and sketches still nothing felt quite right. Then one night I had a dream in which I was reading a newspaper article about a woman creating a new design for the American quarter and woke up wondering why I was dreaming about coin designs when my problem was coming up with a horse design. I immediately gathered a bunch of quarters, cleared my mind and stared at them. One quarter with a dark tarnished patina caught my attention so I began experimenting, focusing on the eagle and selected words of the reverse side of the coin. The discovery of the opportunity to reflect a theme of national allegiance and unity hit me. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. That was one of most memorable inspired Ah-ha! moments I ever had.
Photo caption: Detail of original Quarter Horse sculpture created for the Trail of Painted Ponies

Kala: Your latest creation is Love Rocks. I love how many words you’ve worked the rocks into… love, hope, yoga, om, joy, and many others. When I look at them, I see the stone… as being strong, enduring, and long lasting and the clay plaques as being of earth, warm, fragile, and encompassing. Together, they hold love. Perhaps the two things most needed during this time on earth is love and kindness. What do you wish for each piece as you create it and what are your hopes for the world?

Kathy: I love your take on this! For me they are also like condensed versions of affirmations. Many times they are often messages or reminders I need for myself. Since words conjure up different meanings and reactions in people I think their simplicity has a pure essence. It’s also interesting to see how people, especially children, are instinctively attracted to the rocks. There is something grounding and reassuring about rocks. The words aren’t set in stone, rather the stone is set in the words and the heart shaped rocks only help to reinforce the words. I want to share and remind others that we are all loved with the idea that the heart shaped rocks are angelic offerings echoing my own hopes for the world to include love, peace and respect for the Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Kala: You also work in mixed media and an author, I enjoyed your Food for Thought design. As a creative person, you’ve found many outlets to share your talents with the world. How do they differ and how are they the same when you are expressing yourself?

Photo caption: Food For Thought, mixed media collage
Kathy: I’ve accepted that I have many interests and facets to my personality and need various ways to express them. My collages are always intuition and process based and made from found and recycled materials. I literally will start with one object that captures my attention and then build a piece entirely around that, often inserting words or hidden messages in them. I have absolutely no idea what the end result will be and the entire process is a dance of the divine, with me constantly asking, getting out of the way and letting the inspiration guide me. The way I work on them is a great reminder and metaphor for how I try to live life. The horse portraits are more straight forward as they are mostly representational commissioned pieces and I generally have an idea of what the desired end result is. But these drawings are the most meditative to work on and I love being able to capture the essence of the horses and why their owners love them. The Love Rocks are my most restrictive pieces as the words must fit in my predetermined plaque sizes and contain a letter O which can be replaced with a heart shaped rock. Sometimes too many choices or options can overwhelm the creative process so working within narrowed parameters allows simplicity to emerge. These are also the pieces where I am most out of the way as they speak for themselves and people will extract their own personal meaning from them. But the spirit of love is literally embedded in each one.

Kala: Do you accept custom orders for your art and for love rocks? What has been your favorite piece that you have designed thus far?

Kathy: Yes, I have done and do accept custom orders and commissions for all of the variety of my art forms. The Quarter Horse figurine is retired from production but I do have a very limited supply of special editions available for collectors. It’s difficult to say which piece has been my favorite as I love them all for different reasons. But I have a special affinity for the works made as a result of being outraged about something and consider them my art activist pieces. I’m a firm believer in that energy flows where attention goes so I’m very mindful of my creative intentions. I don’t want to make angry negative art, so I try to step back to see the bigger picture and focus on what I perceive a positive outcome to be. A piece called 50 States of an American Dream, featuring 50 positive words, or states of being, was created during the heat of the last presidential election and another piece titled Paradise was my response to an environmental issue. These pieces represent my way of enacting Peter F. Drucker’s quote, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Photo caption: 50 States of an American Dream, rubbing drawing on architectural paper

Kala: Who is Kathy Morawski? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Kathy: This is great because as for the answers I actually posed these questions to my friends! Though my family is no longer physically here, they always said I was talented and smart and I loved my grandmother telling me I had the Midas touch. My polled friends said I’m compassionate, have a good sense of humor, and am a good friend and offered some responses that were surprising in their depth: Kathy embraces the scared sensuousness of life and is able to tap on a creativity that exists outside of the box while still being able to communicate to the rest of the world in an enlightening, entertaining and expressive way. Kathy is free spirited with a daredevil quality that inspires others and is extraordinarily creative and wonderfully adept at gathering her creativity to make significant visual contributions to the world. Wow!

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their creative side?

Kathy: First of all, I believe everyone is creative, and anything can be done in a creative fashion. Just thinking about how to do something differently than you usually do it is being creative. Immersing yourself in activities you enjoy and learning new ones is a great kick start to creativity as is discovering what other creative people are doing. I’d also suggest slowing down to be aware and open up to intuition by asking and allowing yourself to receive answers in whatever form they may arrive. I find looking for the humor in situations makes life more fun and creativity breeds when you’re in a lighter state of mind. And when you get an idea, instead of dismissing it, act on it!

Kala: Beyond your artistic creations here Kathy, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Kathy: I also believe spirit and inspiration can reside in anything, it’s the connection that counts. Some things I’m inspired by are music, nature, beauty, truth, books, dreams, great minds that explore the blend of science and spirituality, and words which includes quotes, song lyrics and even catchy lines on junk mail! I’m also moved by moments when humanity bands together to make a difference or help others. Methods that help keep me in that state of being include spending time with my horse, going for walks, listening to music, yoga, traveling, learning new things and spending time with good friends and being grateful for all of it.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Kathy. Looking forward to seeing more of your work and best wishes for your continued success.

Kathy: Thank you so much, Kala, the pleasure’s been all mine. I look forward to keeping up with you on your work as well! It’s inspiring people like yourself who help raise the consciousness of the planet.

Photo caption: Kathy with her horse, Skip. Photo by Susan Kozlowski
Artist Kathy Morawski is known for her articulate assemblages featuring found objects taken out of context and placed in unique perspectives, encouraging the viewer to look at them in a new way or to find hidden meanings. She also expresses her life long love of horses with her equine portraits and is an official artist of the Trail of Painted Ponies. Her current Love Rocks series is part of her recent work exploring life experiences and the clues that cross her path. More information on the artist and her work can be found at www.kathymorawski.com.

You would think it verged on the impossible that any male cat, even a thoughtful one like our little shaman, Zane, could teach anyone anything about chivalry and true love and, until tonight, I would have agreed with you. Tonight was one of those rare times when my three favorite things – Amy, Zane, and my psychic gift – came together and produced this most special teaching.

I wish I could say with complete certainty that I can psychically hear Zane’s thoughts but my ability to understand what he’s trying to communicate seems to be largely the result of my simply paying attention to him and expecting him to try to express himself. I think all young cats living with humans try. No cat, however loving and smart, suffers fools gladly and their lack of patience is legendary. They soon stop trying if their attempts to interact are met by the ignor-ance of humans who are not trying to decipher their cat’s signals.

Amy and I have tried to treat Zane as a thinking being since the first moment we set eyes on him as a kitten back in May of 2001. We’ve now learned that he should have still been with his mother – eight weeks is now considered too early to separate them – and perhaps that is why he didn’t want to be picked up or held. And so we didn’t.

Zane has never been a lap cat. Living with him is like living with a noble, gentle, wise and wild animal who deigns come in his cat door to sleep and eat and come get me to go out and walk with him. It’s one of my favorite things in the world, both the walk and the fact that he’ll come get me and rub against my boots to show me he wants to go walking.

So I suit up no matter what the weather – he loves the rain and cold and tolerates the snow – in my glow-in-the-dark hat and jacket. I also wear a headlamp whose LED’s glow either white or red. Unless I need to see something clearly I prefer to use the red light because it enables me to see Zane’s eyes and that of the many other creatures walking around our country neighborhood at night – other cats, dogs, and the occasional raccoon, possum, deer, or fox. My night vision is quite good thanks to our nightly excursions and the red light doesn’t interfere with it. And the stars are so bright here at the eastern end of Long Island, one of the few places on the east coast dark enough for a person to be able to see the Milky Way – so gorgeous!

Not so gorgeous is the fact that practically everyone we meet tells Amy and me that we are the only happily married couple they have ever known, especially since we’ve been together since 1975 and were married in 1978. We are so obviously in love with each other, including the more than occasional public display of affection (PDA), that those who meet us for the first time assume that we are in the first blush of our romance or newlyweds on their second or third marriage who’ve finally gotten in right.

We have a few theories about how we got it right the first time. We put just about everything we know about dating, mating, and relating into our book “Love, Light, and Laughter: Relationship Secrets of the Enchanted Couple,” published by RedWheel/Weiser/Conari Press. One of the few things I forgot to include was what Zane taught me tonight on our walk.

Although I’m a sensitive New Age guy, I was born in Brooklyn, NY, in the 1950’s. It was not a good time to be a sensitive guy. Like almost every male who grew up there and then, I was set upon by groups of surly teenagers from before I was even ten years old. I survived mainly by using my brains, my sense of humor, my father being a NYPD cop, and by my being big for my age. If that failed – especially the cop for a father part – I knew I was dealing with someone so stupid and dangerous that I had to defend myself as best I could and try not to hurt anyone too much – my father would have not liked that! I also defended a few unlucky people who had violence done to them but did not have my skills, size and attitude and he didn’t like that, either.

Those days are decades behind me but for Zane, like our brave soldiers in harm’s way and totally on adrenaline-fueled guard right this second, it’s his moment-to-moment  experience to be on guard against the many critters, people, and cars that might do him harm. Lucky for us, he is very wary of human animals so the chance of some serial-killer-in-training of a young person hurting him or worse is very small. I detest cruelty to animals and have often intervened to prevent it, restraining myself from expressing myself physically. I know myself well enough to know that I would not restrain myself if someone harmed Zane and so I’m doubly grateful that he stays away from humans as much as possible.

Zane is quite gentle and respectful of us and allows us to cuddle and kiss him – he smells so good! Though he, like every healthy cat, is a perfect delivery system for claws and teeth, he never bites or scratches us or even anyone at the vet, where he’s known as a sweet and healthy boy.

But Zane is not so sanguine when it comes to other animals. I’ve seen him run straight at a raccoon to scare him off. The local bluejays – mean birds, no lie – give Zane room because he’s taken them off the bird feeder or in mid flight when they’ve attacked him! I’ve seen him go rocketing out of his cat door right at an offending dog who’d wandered through our back yard, sending the dog to the ground exposing his neck in the universal animal sign of surrender. Animals are smarter and nicer than humans that way. They have so much to teach us, if we’d just take the time to watch, listen and learn, so much that Amy and I were inspired to create our “Animal Powers Meditation Kit,” complete with a CD of very cool meditations inspired by various animals and set to original music by maestro Luigi G. Colorullo – it’s our “Peter & the Wolf.” You can find it on our shelves in the Spirituality section of almost every Barnes & Noble store in the USA. Or you can buy it online in several places, including from our Enchanted World website. Here’s the URL

http://www.theenchantedworld.com/productshowcase/productshowcase.php?Subpage_ID=29005&Section_ID=10&Subsection_ID=9&Bucket=Enchantments&Product_Detail=1&Product_ID=4301&Ecards=

I so enjoy the peace and love that we wrap ourselves in every day here in our Enchanted World, especially because my life was not always so tranquil. I recall getting attacked when I was in the sixth grade by someone old enough to be in high school, getting him down and making him promise to stop if I let him up (and breathe), only to have him really go to town on me once I had foolishly taken him at his word. That’s a lesson you don’t forget.

So when we’re out walking I’m often aware that though Zane has been neutered, he has not lost his male cat’s sense of territorial pride. I could have used the word “macho” but I have an issue with it. In fact, that issue is at the heart of this teaching of Zane.

My understanding of what it is to be a man is quite simple. So simple, in fact, that it is written as one sentence on the side of every Los Angeles police car, “To protect and serve.” It is a man’s job to protect those he cares about and to serve them as he sees fit, sure, but also to serve them as they ask to be served.

I certainly serve Amy and Zane. I serve Zane his food where he sits. I know, that’s spoiling him, but he enjoys it and I enjoy seeing Zane and Amy enjoy anything and everything. Life is indeed brutal and short, as Zane reminded us today when he brought in a chipmunk as our Wedding Anniversary present – he usually only brings in live animals and birds to our great distress (for his captives). We got the chipmunk out the door before Zane hurt it. Sometimes they don’t make it. To serve and protect those we care about is a noble job and one that I love.

So does Zane. I was once arguing loudly with a man who had done the worst job imaginable tiling our kitchen floor. He was getting really weird – as weird as he looked – and just as the thought crossed my mind that I might have to defend myself against this nut job in burst Zane and put his little body, all 15 pounds of him, in between me and the crazy guy. He was scared, of course, just like me and every person who knows that push has, indeed, come to shove and it’s time to go Brooklyn. He couldn’t look the guy in the eye and he hid behind me but came right back. I was astonished. I was so consumed with love for Zane and surprised admiration for his courage in the face of real danger that I immediately diffused the situation and got the guy out of my house so I could pet Zane and tell Amy what a brave little man we were lucky enough to be sharing our lives with.

Zane also has a very special relationship with Amy. He curls up with her every night. He won’t go near me in the bed unless Amy is not there. He kneads her like a kitten kneads his mother. Seeing them together is one of the greatest joys in my life. I know that all is well and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. What is better than that?

So last night, when Zane came to get me for our walk, I had the psychic hit that Amy should come along with us. This has only happened a couple of times in all these years. She has always left it to me and Zane to have our special meditation time together, as she likes to work on her art or her fashions for Bergdorf Goodman at that time of the evening. It was such a beautiful night that Amy said yes to take a break, and off we went, the three of us.

Suddenly, I noticed something that was so different in Zane’s behavior that I was as shocked as I was when he came in to defend me. You see, although I say that Zane and I go walking every night, a good part of my time is spent standing around. Zane likes to sit on a couple of large decorative rocks that our neighbors have on their lawns, probably absorbing what heat they’ve stored during the day. But I do most of my standing around in the middle of the road with my red light on my head hoping the neighbors understand what I’m doing while Zane goes walking up their driveway and all around their property, especially if they have pets. It’s like I have the genetic propensity to be a constable on patrol (cop) like my father, walking my street with my partner, officer Zane, checking every house.

Only tonight Zane didn’t check any houses. In fact, his paws didn’t once leave the asphalt of the road. I had seen that he was happy that Amy was joining us. But what I realized after he very uncharacteristically walked past two of his favorite houses was that he was following Amy with a purpose. He did not take his eyes off her for one minute during the entirety of our walk! Our little warrior cat was guarding her as best he could and I am very glad that no animals decided to challenge us on our walk, for their sakes.

To protect and serve. Here was this little cat showing me and everyone who was willing to do the work of paying attention to him what being a man is all about. Too many men pervert the notion of being macho and, instead of using their defensive skills to protect and serve those they love, selfishly turn this noble energy into aggression against the very people they should be serving and protecting. It’s a true perversion of a most basic and noble human attribute. Or should I simply call it a basic attribute of all caring beings, like our Mr. Zane.

I know a little bit about martial arts, mainly from books and, from when I was in my twenties and my friend Jay Abramson, a karate black belt sparred with me/beat me up to stay in shape while he lived with me in Brooklyn before going into the Navy as a carrier pilot. I have even used my size and attitude to do security work during my time in the movie business, quoting the masters to keep the black belts from killing each other on the set of “The Last Dragon,” doing the security for the filming of the movie “A Chorus Line,” and even being Michael J. Fox’s bodyguard during the filming of “The Secret of My Success.”

Every martial artist aspires to be like a cat because they are the epitome of grace, speed, and accuracy when striking. And no animal comes close to them when it comes to balance and the economy of motion. If they knew about Zane, he’d be the cat that they’d all aspire to be like, as I do. So next time some jerk calls you a pussy, just smile and say “Thank you.”

Listen to the interview with Kala, Monte Farber and Amy Zerner on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show.

The show airs on August 7th, 2009.

More About Monte Farber and Amy Zerner:

Internationally known self-help author Monte Farber’s inspiring guidance and empathic insights impact everyone he encounters. Amy Zerner’s exquisite, one-of-a-kind spiritual couture creations and collaged fabric paintings exude her profound intuition and deep connection with archetypal stories and healing energies. For more than thirty years they’ve combined their deep love for each other with the work of inner exploration and self-discovery to build The Enchanted World of Amy Zerner and Monte Farber: popular books, card decks, and oracles that have helped millions answer questions, find deeper meaning, and follow their own spiritual paths.

Together they’ve made their love for each other a work of art and their art the work of their lives, with over two million books in print in fourteen languages. Their other best-selling titles include The Chakra Meditation Kit, The Tarot Discovery Kit, Karma Cards, The Enchanted Spellboard, Secrets of the Fortune Bell, Little Reminders: Love & Relationships, Little Reminders: The Law of Attraction, Goddess, Guide Me!, The Animal Powers Meditation Kit, Astrology Gems, True Love Tarot, The Instant Tarot Reader, The Psychic Circle, Wish Upon A Star, The Pathfinder Psychic Talking Board, The Truth Fairy, Spirit of the Ancestors Altar Kit, Vibe-Away!, The Mystic Messenger, The Breathe Easy Deck, The Healing Deck, and The Ghostwriter Automatic Writing Kit.  More info at: www.TheEnchantedWorld.com

What comes to light through the numerous spiritual experiences possible in our time – particularly the NDEs (http://www.iands.org/nde_index.php) – is a defining experience of the reality of our higher self and of that “love that surpasses all understanding.” The ordinary ego, ensnared, defined, and imprisoned in the dimension of the shadow, both aspires to and dreads, as an ultimate annihilation, the step of recognition of our deeper essence in the spirit. The higher self—some challenges us—is more foreign to us in our daily lives than any other human being on Earth.

To the ego, all other human beings stand as competitors that it tries to overcome or dim. This unspoken Darwinian struggle for the survival of the fittest, illusion though it may be, colors much of ordinary life, and the full recognition of our shadow is, as a rule, feared and avoided. Competition and fear are the grounds upon which the ego ordinarily operates, until it decides consciously to let the higher self educate it. The dramatic recognition of our higher self is accompanied by the realization of the divine love that supports us. People who have reached this stage, especially if consciously, can burn the “residues” of their lower ego in the light and love that emanates from the spirit.

We could say—although in a very schematic fashion—that the path of individuation spans the spectrum between fear and love. At one end the ego, wholly identified with its shadow, lives in a continuous state of fear. This fear is confronted in degrees on the path of encounter with our shadow, and fully overcome in the full experience of our higher self in the spirit. However, all of us can let ourselves be guided and inspired to take the path of personal growth and love even before we reach this goal as a personal experience.

The ego that needs to be overcome and transformed is the essential instrument that ties us to life on Earth, that gives us certainty and assurance while we are more or less cut off from the spirit. Therefore it is a stage that cannot be bypassed in order to reach a higher consciousness. More and more tools have emerged in the last century that allow us to chip away at the resistances of the ego, and to do so at larger and larger levels (http://www.humanspiritcircles.com/pages/experiential.html)

What Pre birth Experiences (http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Light-Sarah-Hinze/dp/0671001590), near Death Experiences, previous-life memories, and other threshold experiences are showing us is the working of destiny and karma. The factor of context is the link with the idea of human destiny that can lead to a new understanding of karma and repeated earthly lives. Those who have had positive experiences often puzzle over why they were “chosen.” The case of Dannion Brinkley (See Saved by the Light) (http://www.dannion.com/books.htm) is a good example. Why, as he says himself, did this experience befall an individual who had painted such a poor picture in his present life? Could it be that grace from previous lives rewarded him for what he had not yet accomplished in the present? Isn’t this the same grace that gives him the strength to atone for his shortcomings? For those who manage to come to terms with these experiences, given an understanding of the spiritual background, the path of integration is likely to be much easier and shorter.

Global culture works in tandem with the examples of personal spiritual experiences we have outlined. Individual consciousness mirrors global consciousness. The personal experience of spiritual abundance is preceded by a personal encounter with the shadow, the personal abyss, everything that wants to define a world of scarcity and fear and deny the existence of hope, compassion, and love. It is a stage that takes time, tolerance, and dedication to overcome, and that leads us to believe that there will be no light at the end of the tunnel. The encounter with the Light of love, or Christ, is the experience to which humanity can aspire in its future. In near-death-like experiences, more and more individuals emerge refreshed and newly motivated, knowing the reality of love and of an abundance that can fill all dimensions of our lives. But we do not need to experience it firsthand to embrace its message and walk in its footsteps. We all stand before this epoch-making choice in our lives.

Civilization is going through this worldwide set of choices—a culture of fear accompanied by scarcity of resources, mounting terrorism, and insecurity; or a gradual shift towards the embodiment of a sustainable economic development that supports personal growth, compassion, and all the highest human aspirations. (http://www.humanspiritcircles.com/pages/trisector.html) The choice lies between a culture of exclusion, antagonism, and competition and a new way of looking at “the other” as the indispensable complement that allows us to overcome isolation, separateness, and loss of meaning. Instead of the old dualism of good and evil, right or wrong, good or bad, we can make room for a new philosophy—one of reconciliation in which relative evil, or imbalance, is not fought and overcome, but rather understood, integrated, and transformed, whether at the personal or the collective level.

Luigi Morelli will be on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show this Fall. Check back for the official show date coming soon.

More about Luigi Morelli…

Luigi articulates a clear, cultural-spiritual vision of social change that encompasses political activism, and gives it a new meaning. He promotes a vision in which modern Civil Society can embrace the tools of experiential spirituality for a fresher understanding of universal truths, and the creation of  a new culture, free from dogma, racial and social biases. An author and trainer, Luigi has trained extensively in Non-Violent Communication (NVC), coaching and mediation. His writings incorporate the themes of spirituality and social change, part of which is inspired from the history, myths and legends of the American continent. In addition to A Revolution of Hope, Luigi’s other books and essays include Hidden America, Spiritual Turning Points of North American History and Black Elk’s Universal Mission. Visit Luigi’s website at www.humanspiritcircles.com (* Based on Nonviolent Communication as developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph. D)

It is February – the month of Love and chocolate. That should be every month – should it not? I pause a moment to reflect upon what Love means to me. I realize that my definition of it has evolved since the days of my youth. Thank goodness! I have discovered, along the way that Love is not an emotion that is trapped in the chest. It is more than a feeling – it is an awareness of ourselves and others. It is inclusive rather than exclusive. I think now that – Love is not fully Love until it is allowed to express itself. Love is action – an outward affirmation of God within Us. It has many faces – some are passionate, some may even be fierce, and others are soft in repose. Love comes in many forms but it only has one Heart. And, we have never been separate from it.

It seems ironic that we live in the era coined the “Information Age”, yet we accept so much disinformation as truth. It is time for a collective “Heart-ware” change. I think that we have become confused, not by Love itself but by our vision of it. On subtle and not so subtle levels, we have been led to believe that the love portrayed in childhood fairy tales, in romance novels, or in the sensation driven dramas of TV and tabloids are real. With these as references for love, it is no wonder that many of us perceive ourselves as lacking, unlovable, alone, and/or not perfect enough. To add to this disconnect, the word Love has been relegated to mean almost anything – a crush, a happy feeling, a rush of desire, and a myriad of other emotions. Love has even been used as a weapon, an obligatory and empty statement of affection, and as a standard closing on a letter.

We want to know what Love is! Intuitively, all of us know that there is something more to it. Our Souls yearn for something deeper and more meaningful. We are a bit like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz – seeking the magic outside ourselves that never really left us. Dorothy, after quite a journey, made it home on her own with a bit of encouragement and faith. All of us are seekers searching for the Love that feels home. Like Dorothy, we will discover that Love has been here, all along. It is the wisdom of our Hearts, God, and our spiritual DNA.

We sometimes fail to recognize Love, as it comes in unfamiliar packaging and sometimes on unfamiliar ground. This Love asks us to know ourselves and to fully participate in the human experience – to embrace the gifts and the lessons of the light and the shadow.

Carter Heyward in a Passion for Justice eloquently defines this higher octave of Love:

“….Love is a choice — not simply, or necessarily, a rational choice, but rather a willingness to be present to others without pretense or guile. Love is a conversion to humanity — a willingness to participate with others in the healing of a broken world and broken lives. Love is the choice to experience life as a member of the human family, a partner in the Dance of Life, rather than as an alien in the world or as a deity above the world, aloof and apart from human flesh.”

I admit that it is challenging to love the world in its current state of affairs, just as it is challenging to love unconditionally. Real Love means to love ourselves and others unsplit off from our frailties, flaws, and gifts. It takes a great deal of courage, honesty, understanding, and forgiveness to be present for that level of Loving.  Are we ready to commit to Love in the higher octave? I believe so. We are already on the Path.

Wishing you Higher Love! Diana

More about Diana Harris….

Diana Harris is a nationally recognized workshop facilitator, spiritual counselor and psychic medium. She travels regularly to conduct transformational workshops and is often featured in the media. Most recently, Diana has appeared as a contributing author to Spirit Side magazine in the Jan and Feb 09 editions. http://www.bmse.net/bmse2008/spiritside . Her current creative projects include an animal oracle deck and her first book.   More info at: http://www.sacredspiraldance.com

Listen to Kala’s interview with Diana Harris on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show here: http://exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows2.shtml#HARRISTOTEM