July/August 2000
Articles on the theme "Exploring and Adventure"
The Way of the Adventurer
by Bob Gonzalez
The inspiration of the classical Greek
adventurer, Odysseus -- whom the Romans called Ulysses -- as portrayed in
Tennyson's poem "Ulysses."
Exploring with Wonder
by Kathy Houston
The adventure of life. Exploring it
with the wonder and imaginings of a child.
A Spiritual Adventure
by Rev. Pat Cross
Making a new start at any age -- an
exploration and adventure in consciousness... the ultimate eternal adventure.
Exploring the Adventure Within
by Ron Graham
The adventure of becoming One with
the universal mind of God.
Life's Adventures
by Linda Bothwell
From birth to falling in love, to Self-realization
Exploring Body/Mind Healing
by Ernesto J. Fernandez
An approach to healing that helps define
the best 'road map' and the best forms of treatment.
Exploring God as Process
by Rev. Pat Palmer
God as not only the source of everything
that is but also as the unfolding of every event that occurs.
Why Explore?
by Patrick Plaskett
How exploration helps us see the world
and ourselves differently -- and get more out of life.
Exploring the Self
by Edwina H. Holloway
The greatest adventure of all, the
excavation of our true Self.
A Learning Adventure
by Rev. Cydné Battreall
The story of a mother and daughter
in the adventure of a lifetime.
The Lure of Adventure
by Charles Larsen
What exploration and adventure consist
of. Achieving a state of mind to experience them.
Other Feature Articles
Natural Health Q & A
by Kim Gillespie
Concerning cocaine and drug abuse.
2000 & Beyond!
by David Findlay
What is... Sustainable/Organic Agriculture?
by Robert Roman
What sustainable/organic agriculture
is and why it is superior to commercial agriculture.
Minerals from Mother Earth
by Judy Power
Features stones for July and August:
jade and charoite.
Exploring the Self
by Edwina H. Holloway
Most, if not all of us, fantasize about adventures - backpacking the Himalayans, exploring the Egyptian pyramids, taking an African safari, or exploring space. Movies, magazines, books, the Internet and other media provide daily fodder for these adventures. But I'd like to talk about a different adventure here - one within the reach of all of us - the exploration of Self. All earthly adventures pale in comparison to the excavation of our true Self - our Divine Self. It is a life-long exploration beginning at birth and ending with death, when we simply begin a new adventure in another realm of existence.
When we are born, we are still conscious of our Divine Self. If you listen closely, young children often spout profound wisdom, and some demonstrate talents which are not attributable to experience in their current lifetime. Up to about age seven, it is quite common to hear children recall verifiable events from past lives or talk to beings we often label 'imaginary friends.' But it is my belief that young children are still consciously connected to their Divine Self and, as such, retain awareness of the invisible realms from which they came. When children's glimpses into these unseen worlds are ignored, discounted or worst of all ridiculed, many enter a stage of life in which they become spiritually unconscious. Some humans never regain spiritual consciousness. Yet their connection to the Divine is ever-present, waiting to be reawakened. And so our adventure now involves finding a way to awaken from our state of soul amnesia. We've forgotten who we truly are.
Let's start with an analogy of a soul in human form to a lamp. The basic requirement for a lamp to illuminate is its connection to a source (electricity). The electricity, through the physical construction of the lamp - plug, cord, light bulb, etc. - provides light. Even if the lamp is plugged into its source and structurally looks perfect, if it is missing a light bulb or equipped with a burnt-out bulb, the lamp cannot achieve its purpose to shed light. Our goal on our adventure is to excavate our Divine Self. Our adventure involves becoming aware of our Source, clearing any residue that blocks our light from shining, and finally providing illumination on Earth in our own special way. We do this by spiritually awakening, reconnecting with our Divine Self, and fulfilling our Divine purpose.
A spiritual awakening is comparable to replacing a burnt-out light or missing bulb with a new one. All of a sudden the light goes on. The potential was always there - lying dormant until the bulb was replaced. When we spiritually awaken, we realize there is more to life than our physical bodies and worldly possessions. We feel restless. We sense something missing in our lives. We become seekers of Truth.
Adventures often involve searching for a treasure. This is true of our adventure. The treasure is our Divine Self. The key to this treasure is finding our silence. It is in the quiet, when we've calmed the constant chatter of our conscious minds, that we can begin to experience our Divine Self. Whereas ropes, firearms, or lasers may be part of the Hollywood adventurer's toolkit, ours may include hiking boots, running shoes, gardening tools, a sand pail, books or music that stirs our souls. These can help us as we find silence in our unique way - trekking through the forest or mountains, jogging, gardening, beachcombing, meditating, reading or listening to music. The secret map to finding your silence involves finding those activities which bring you childlike joy and inner peace. These are the clues to your Soul's purpose - to bringing your unique light to the world. Doing what you love is the key to fulfilling your spiritual purpose.
In life, the challenges each of us faces are filled with mystery and suspense, just like any great adventure. Trust, faith, courage, persistence and even a bit of humor are important on our quest. As humans, we can't predict what's around the next bend, but our Source provides us with continuous opportunities for advancement on our adventure to discover our Divine Self. Each experience brings a gift. As we grow experientially in wisdom through our humanness, we begin to replace our spiritual light bulb with a higher wattage bulb. We become more illumined.
No adventure is complete without villains, and our shadow side provides us with plenty of these. The people who irritate us the most - who seem to be our worst enemies - often bring us the most potential for growth. They may mirror our shadow sides - those parts of us that we don't like and haven't accepted. Illuminating these darker aspects of ourselves through loving acceptance allows us to become whole. As we face our dragons and demons, they lose their power over us. Fear is replaced with love. The achievement of self-love is one of the greatest milestones on our earthly adventure. Then we can share that love with our fellow sojourners. We can begin to experience oneness with all that is. Having wiped away the dirt and grime which have dimmed our Soul's light, we can now shine more brightly and combine our light with others. We have found our treasure and can reap its rewards a life of wisdom, joy and serenity.
Edwina Holloway helps people rediscover and use their own power for
healing and creating. She is a certified hypnotherapist, writer, lecturer
and workshop facilitator. New Port Richey FL (727) 376-2780. edwinah@atlantic.net.
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