OMTimes Magazine February 2023 Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dr. Jude Currivan: The Story of Gaia, Interview

26

3 Surefire Ways to Beat Anemia

52

Tips to Make Your Fasting Easier

60

The Energy Within – Releasing Drama

66

Follow Your Soul Path

72 The Bipolar Manifestations of the Mind

120

The Joy of Giving

132

The Crisis of Homelessness and a Call for Love

140

Know: A Spiritual Wake-up Call

146

82

How to Find Creative Solutions by Emptying Your Mind Platonic Relationships According To Experts: Definition and Examples

94

The Spiritual Law of Engaging in Relationships, No One Talks About

102

Meta Spirituality's Alternative to Life Lessons

112

OMTIMES.COM February| 2023

Opening New Paths OMTimes February 5, 2023, Edition spotlights another remarkable Polymath, Dr. Jude Currivan. Dr. Jude Currivan is a cosmologist, planetary healer, futurist, author, previously one of the most senior businesswomen in the UK, and co-founder of WholeWorld-View.

In an exclusive interview with Sandra Sedgbeer, Dr. Jude Currivan discussed the last book, "THE STORY OF GAIA, The Big Breath and the Evolutionary Journey of our Conscious Planet, a groundbreaking work on bringing to light the broader Evolutionary Journey of our Universe, our role as Humans and our progressed future.

OMTIMES.COM|FEBRUARY 2023

Looking to connect with the Conscious Community?

Let OMTimes point the way!

omtimes.com/advertise

February 2023

Of Gaia With me today, to shed a powerful light on that no longer, the radical reality is Cosmologist planetary healer, futurist author, and co-founder of wholeworldview.org, Dr. Jude Currivan who's traveled the world for more than two decades in service to planetary healing. The author of seven non-fiction books currently available in 16 languages in 26 countries. Dr. Jude Currivan joins me to discuss her latest book, The Story of Gaia: the Big Breath and the Evolutionary Journey of Our Conscious Planet.

The French philosopher and mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said that “someday we should harness the energies of love. And then, for a second time in the history of the world, humanity will have discovered fire. That someday is here.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Now, you studied archeology, ancient cosmologies, and quantum physics at the University of Redding and at Oxford. I want to know what inspired your interest in those subjects.

And now, as we wake up to the radical reality of a unitive narrative, we would also discover, as a species and perhaps for the first time, who we really and truly are and whom we can evolve to become.”

Interview by Sandie Sedgbeer OMTimess| February 2023

the Big Breath and the Evolutionary Journey of Our Conscious Planet.

Dr Jude Currivan is a cosmologist, planetary healer, futurist, author, previously one of the most senior business women in the UK and co-founder of WholeWorld-View.

J

ude Currivan: It's a very long and very scenic route.

When I was very young, from the age of about four or so, I started to have

especially those of India and Egypt. So, it began a lifelong journey of curiosity in terms of the ancient insights, because what I was experiencing accorded far more closely with what I was reading about the what we might call insights of the ancients. So that multidimensional experiences. fascinated me because I could I'm sure many, many children find a resonance there. I could do. And fortunately for me, I didn't tell anybody about them. find some validation in what I was experiencing. But also, at So, nobody said this was nonsense. And I was having so the same time, I was so curious as to what leading-edge science much fun, I just carried on. was telling us because it So, from that very earliest seemed that, with the 20thstage, I was fascinated by the century revolutions of quantum natural reality because what I physics and relativity, we were was experiencing was beyond being given the same insights what seemed to be our physical these ancient sages had.

Universe. At the same time, I was also fascinated by the And yet that was not what I was snippets I came across of being taught. So, I thought, ancient wisdom teachings, right. Two flows here.

One, the ancient wisdom, and two, what is leading edge science about? And might it find its way forward to more closely reflect what the ancients perceived and what I was experiencing directly.

So I did a master's degree in physics at Oxford University, specializing in quantum physics and cosmology when I was 18.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

FEB 2023

And I found that all those threads have now converged; they've all become a tapestry with the latest science confirming that ancient wisdom and those direct experiences that have happened for people since time immemorial.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Isn't it interesting how we find how it all converges later in life?

Jude Currivan: I think it was Søren Aabye Kierkegaard that said, we live life forward, so we understand it backward.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So when you were studying, were you the only female amongst the group of men?

Jude Currivan: Well, back in the early 1970s, when I was doing my master's degree at Oxford, I think six women and 200 men were in the faculty.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So how did the men relate to you?

Jude Currivan: Actually, it was fine. They were fine because I'm a bit of a boy myself, I was a tomboy when I was a kid.

So I sort of settled in as pals with them. And I was very fortunate because one of the professors there, Dennis Sharma, who had been Steven Hawkins's mentor at Cambridge, came over to Oxford and became a mentor for me. And he just loved people who were curious and open minded.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

And he gave me some brilliant advice, supported my curiosity, and realized that I needed to go beyond what I was taught there at Oxford.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Your new book is just full of science and research. And also some quotes from ancient texts.

How did the ancients know this? I mean, it's taken us this long to get to a point where we're probably using a lot of technology they didn't have. So how did they know this?

Jude Currivan: We now understand that our Universe exists and evolves as non-locally unified entities from its very beginning through its entire lifetime. So although there is a speed limit within space-time, which enables a sort of flow of time from the very beginning, a causation from the very beginning within space-time, our Universe knows itself in its entirety all through that process.

So we, as microcosms of our Universe's intelligence, also have that ability to tap into deeper, multidimensional levels of awareness. That's what spiritual seekers have done throughout the story of being human. That's what the ancient sages did. That's what shamans do. That's what, seers do. So we have that ability that isn't a requisite of technology. It's a natural attribute of our innate awareness as part of a universe that itself is innately aware.

And I think what we've done over the last few hundred years - and I'm not putting any judgment on this - we've separated ourselves from that natural ability. And now we're beginning to remember that. But in the meantime, of course, that journey away from that wholeness or perceived wholeness, but it is whole, came along a line of technology. So as you say, our technologies are remarkable. We couldn't be having this conversation without them. And yet almost because and as a result of that technology and that perceived separation, we've learned, again, technologically what our ancestors intuitively knew because it is our innate way of being.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So the technology itself, which has divided us, is also bringing us back to unification.

Jude Currivan: Exactly. It's extraordinary. And you know, when we talk about holograms, high definition, and information, this is the language of leading-edge science.

But, still, it's also aligning and converging now with those ancient spiritual teachings. So it's using a different language but the same perception of the unified nature reality.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Sandie Sedgbeer: It's refreshing to hear something positive about technology.

We hear how it's destroying everything, so, it's nice to know. It confirms what we need to remember.

Jude Currivan: I think so, and technology, certainly the technologies we're talking about, are neutral. It's how we use them. It's our level of consciousness, isn't it? Our level of awareness as to how we put them into use.

So, if we still have a paradigm as a collective awareness of separation, and not yet fully waking up to the realization we're inseparable, then how we use our technologies, and the technological potential will be coming from that paradigm.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Absolutely. So, in the book, you give us all the science that the Universe did not begin with the Big Bang theory, as many think, but with a fine-tuned, ongoing, and very meaningful breath. So, how does technology tell us this?

Jude Currivan: We have telescopes that can actually look far out into space. And, of course, because the speed of light is a finite cosmic speed limit, as we look out, we look backward.

So if we look out, say, 600 light years, and a light year is a distance that light travels in a year, we're looking back 600 years. So we are able to go back for billions upon billions of years and realize that our Universe did - Indeed, the best evidence we have says that our Universe began a finite amount of time ago.

The best estimate we have is 13.8 billion years since it began the tiniest tiny state. And the Big Bang was always facetious because it was always known that It began in a small state, but not as a bang, not as implied chaos or randomness. We now know from those same measurements and many others that our Universe began in an incredibly ordered state and also incredibly fine-tuned. When we look at the constants of the laws of physics.

You know, the estimate is that if they were different by something like one in a thousand trillion, trillion, then we wouldn't be here. Our Universe would've stalled before it started. So incredibly fine-tuned, incredibly small, and, therefore, much more likely to be a deep breath than a Big Bang.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So that leads to the question: Who's breath?

Jude Currivan: Indeed! And the question is, what? By what name do we choose to call the Cosmic mind, you know, the infinite and eternal cosmic mind. Do we choose cosmic mind, which was a term that Einstein used? Do we choose God? Do we choose Allah?

Do we choose Great Spirit or Great Mystery? The ancient Vedic traditions talked about the breath of Brahman, breathing our Universe into being. But we're part of that. It's not this idea that somehow a creator breathed our Universe into being and then went away to something else. Everything, in reality, is that creation—everything in that reality.

Sir James Hopwood Jeans, whom you may know, was known as an Edwardian philosopher who, over a hundred years or so ago, spoke about Universe being more a great thought than a great thing (1).

And indeed, this is what we're realizing.

This is the ancient Indian teaching, which says mind and consciousness aren't what we have. They are what we and the whole world are. And our Universe is a great finite thought in the infinite and eternal mind of the cosmos.

Sandie Sedgbeer: You make it very clear in the book that it's not just the fact that it was a big breath. It was a very meaningful breath. So, tell us a little about the evolutionary purpose and the meaning of all of this.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Jude Currivan: Well, what we're finding, and again, these are across all scales of existence and across many different fields of research - not just cosmology and physics but biology and the study of human systems. So, across many fields, from the smallest of the whole Universe, we see the same mathematical patterns of relationships. So yeah, those patterns are dynamic, and they're evolving, but those patterns are innately relational. They scale up and scale down.

And their core fractals. There are other patterns.

But fractals are a great example, and they are universal. And we find them from the way electrons cluster around atoms. The electrons cluster in these patterns when they change their properties from insulators to metal. We find them in plants. We find them in river systems, coastlines, clouds, and ecosystems.

We find them at the level of the orbits of our planets in our solar system. We find them in our galaxy. We find them in the relic radiations, those left over from a very early era of our Universe in the patterns that fill the whole space. And we find them in collective human behaviors.

So, we see these patterns everywhere, indicative of a unified universe. There is no separation. Secondly, a profoundly relational Universe.

And because they're not random patterns, they're not random. They are exquisitely resonant, harmonic, and relational. So, that's where the meaning comes in.

And we went down even deeper and found that our Universe embeds that meaning using just two letters. We talk about our language, 26 letters with no meaning, then words and sentences, poetry, and songs.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Our Universe creates the entirety of its appearance, including us using two digital letters, digitized letters, ones, and zeros.

levels of complexity and diversity and individuated self-awareness. So that's what I mean by meaning and purpose. Embodied.

And from that, at the tiniest scale, which is way smaller than an atom, it creates everything from atoms and molecules to planets, plants, and people over billions of years. So, there's innate meaning embodied. And when we go back to that first moment, it was as simplest as it could be, but no simpler. And because those patterns are not just static, they're related. They're not just relational and static.

They're dynamic, and they're evolutionary.

So, our Universe has undertaken this incredible journey, this evolutionary journey from simplicity to ever greater

Sandie Sedgbeer: You start some of your chapters in Gaia's voice, as she's telling her own story. Were you connecting with Gaia and channeling those pieces, or did you just use that as a device?

Jude Currivan: No, it was not a device. I feel, first of all, the book wrote me, and that Gaia wrote the books through me. So, I was in service to her sentience and all her children. And so, it was a very profound experience for me because although I started writing the book with an enormous love OMTIMES MAGAZINE

and respect for Gaia, what I discovered in writing was just so extraordinary, so incredible that I completed the book almost lost of words. For an author to say, ‘I was almost lost for words because of my love and respect.’ She's adamant, you know, this whole Universe and Gaia are just extraordinarily adamant in that embodiment of their evolutionary impulse, which flows through us too.

So, I felt incredibly privileged to be in a position to be able to be some form of a channel of this understanding.

Sandie Sedgbeer: It is the most incredible story. And we can only look at some key points here.

But one of the things I wanted to talk about, which is something all of us really need to comprehend is that

there's ever-increasing evidence that mind and consciousness aren't something we have, but rather that we and the entire world fundamentally are. That's the bottom line, isn't it? And from that, everything else has to change.

Jude Currivan: Yes, exactly. Because the old paradigm we are taught at school that our societies are structured around is a worldview of solely Materialism and Separation. And our worldviews guide our behaviors. They're our mindset.

They're how we perceive ourselves, the world around us, and each other. And we now have the evidence. It's not just an idea; we have absolute evidence.

And that's why the book is full of that evidence.

Because without it, I don't think the gauge would be shifted because this is a radical misunderstanding of who we really are. And although spiritual traditions and religion have taught us this, our secular world has peripheralized this and basically said, no, no.

Now that secular worldview is being turned completely on its head by evidence, as I say it.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So why are so many scientists saying no to this? Why are they arguing against it when the evidence is there?

Graham Hancock has just done a new series on Netflix, and I read the most vicious piece about it, saying how stupid it was and how crazy everyone is for making this such a popular program. Why can't people accept this knowledge?

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Jude Currivan: To be honest, as both a cosmologist and an archeologist, that has not been my experience of archeology. What archeologists seek to do, as any good scientist would seek, is to follow the evidence.

And where there is good evidence in the main, I feel archeologists have been willing to accept that. So, for example, Göbekli Tepe, which I visited, is one of the most ancient, monumental, extraordinary sites. It's archeologists that have excavated that. And the archeologists have said it's eleven-and-a-half thousand years old.

Work that's been done in Malta, in terms of the alignment of virtually all the Maltese temples to the star Sirius… I think the difficulty is where there's a mix of lack of evidence in the main, and then a lot of speculations come into it.

And in my experience, and certainly, my own journey, my mentor Dennis Sharma at Oxford gave me the best guidance I've ever been given.

He said: "Jude, it may not make you popular, but follow the evidence wherever it leads." And that's what I've sought to do. And I think with these ancient discoveries, we still have so much we don't know.

But if we can get the evidence, a lot of it is likely to be under the sea; then, I feel there will be more acceptance of that part of our past.

But just coming to the more generic point now, in terms of what I'm sharing, this emergent cosmology of a conscious and evolutionary universe, the Nobel Prize in physics this year was given to three researchers, all of whom have been fundamental in enabling this understanding to come forward. And there's a new book out on black holes by Professor Brian Cox and Professor Jeffrey Robert Forshaw concluding that our Universe's appearance arises from deeper and non-physical levels of causation. They don't know how, but they conclude this because this is where the evidence is.

I'm saying this is evidence, not just cosmologically and from black holes. This is the evidence of all scales of existence in our Universe. Its appearance of energy matters.

Space-time does indeed emerge from deeper levels of causation. And that causation is essentially cosmic consciousness that expresses itself as meaningful information, digitized in-formation from which builds up all of the appearances of our Universe.

So, we're on that road, and as the evidence moves forward, sure, there will be people who cling to our paradigm. But just as when quantum physics and relativity physics came through, they also came under a huge amount of criticism. But the evidence was able to overcome those because it was so powerful.

And the evidence, now, this is the direction of travel. Whether anyone likes it or not, this is what has repeatedly shown the Universe to be.

It's the fundamental reality.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So what implications does this have on religion?

Jude Currivan: I feel it honors that because all religions and spiritual traditions really speak to the appearance of our world emerging from what's sometimes called spiritual realms or multidimensional realms or the ground of all beings.

We talk about God and Allah and a great mystery. This shows that we are inseparable from God, from Allah, from great mystery, because some religions support a sort of a God out there or a deity. And here, this says, we are intrinsic microcosms of the wholeness of being.

So, therefore, there is no deity God outside of us. And we are not the whole Godhead, but we are microcosmic co-creators. And it's the innate meaning and evolutionary purpose and ineffable being.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Sandie Sedgbeer: And that means that we have a responsibility.

Jude Currivan: We do. And we have an invitation.

Sandie Sedgbeer: In the story of Gaia, you do an enthralling job of telling us how all of this came into being. You also raised the ultimate question, which is ‘why?’. So what is the answer? What is the ‘why?’

Jude Currivan: I can only respond from my own perspective of how I felt after feeling through that incredible journey of our evolutionary Universe.

And I asked the question, ‘why?’ up front. Because right up front, you realize the incredible way our Universe came into being - incredibly hot, black, minute, and yet filled with potential. And then to take that whole journey of that potential unfolding from simplicity to complexity.

And so I came to the perspective that our Universe is a great thought of an infinite cosmos, come into being to explore itself and to experience itself and to do so both in its wholeness, but also in its minute, microcosmic diversity and complexity. When we look at how atoms move to elements and then into Stardust clouds and then into planets, and then into biological organisms. And how, for each of the ongoing evolutionary journeys of the emergence of complexity, at each point where there was a leap forward, everything was in a relationship, is in relationship with everything else, OMTIMES MAGAZINE

everything collaborates with everything else. Those leaps forward required cooperation, greater levels of collective cooperation, and synergistic action. And, I think that's, that's the journey.

So, as microcosmic co-creators, we are both our planetary home Gaia and the entire Universe. It's both a responsibility and an invitation; It seems to me that because we are in an unsustainable situation, our worldview of Separation, no blame, no shame, has brought us to this point. We've individuated ourselves to a great extent, and now we have the evidence and the ability to remember we are inseparable and to cooperate. And this, it seems, is our moment of choice to evolve consciously.

These are moments of choice that Gaia has come to before. You know, when the initial cells didn't have nuclei, they couldn't sort of breathe in oxygen.

But for hundreds of millions of years, those two things came about through cooperation. And then those single cells that are still with us could cooperate further to become multicellular and a 37 trillion community that is us. So, each of us is a 37 trillion cellular community that isn't just human cells. It's also fungi, viruses, and bacteria. And I think every time that cooperative emergence happens, in every moment, the Universe is learning more about itself and its potentiality and, therefore, its exploration of consciousness.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Sandie Sedgbeer: So, we talk about the Universe, but there are multiple universes.

And you say that our Universe is not infinite.

It's finite. Could you tell me a bit more about that? Does that mean our Universe is going to disappear?

Jude Currivan: Well, yes. Think of it as a great thought. When each of us has a thought, that thought begins, it takes us where it takes us, and then it comes to an end. So, as a great thought, but a great finite thought in the infinite and eternal cosmos, yes. And the reason I can say this with a fair amount of perspective for a number of reasons. First of all, we know that our Universe came into its life cycle a finite amount of time ago. And it came into being at a finite scale, a minute scale, but nonetheless finite.

And there is a law of physics that says in a contained system that, the temperature is what's called inversely proportional to informational content. So, from that beginning, the lowest information content, and highest temperature, moving now to the lowest temperature at the end of its life cycle, thought cycle, and highest information content. So, we have a universe, a great thought, that at some point, maybe tens of billions of years ahead, but not infinitely ahead, the temperature of our Universe drops to pretty much zero.

There is nothing within space-time that is infinite. Everything that manifests within space-time is infinite and yet finite expressions of an infinite cosmos, a cosmic planner. We also know through the whole processes that I write about in the story of Gaia how our Universe began in its hottest form, called the plant scale temperature, hugely hot, and its lowest informational content.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Zero degrees Kelvin; at that time. What will happen? I don't know, but I suspect that rather like a bubble growing, growing, growing, and it comes to its endpoint, it just disperses into the air. Then, perhaps, all the accumulated informational experience of our Universe is then again released back into the mind of the cosmos to settle until other universes come forward.

And there are possibly likely to be many universes.

We don't know that we're speculating that, but it would make sense.

Sandie Sedgbeer: I imagine some people hearing this would say, well then, what is the point of us trying to protect the planet if our Universe is going to disappear?

Jude Currivan: What's the point of having children and caring, for one day they're going to die? You know, we lose every aspect of meaning if we ask that question in a way, because it then completely takes all the meaning out of the experience, of love.

So I'm sharing the story of Gaia and the cosmic hologram before that, which is of a unified universe that is a loving universe.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Do you believe the Universe has a soul?

Jude Currivan: It's a really interesting point because I write it as a universe soul (UniverSoul) because our tradition is that beyond our incarnated consciousness as humans, or, as I'd like to invite us to term ourselves, as Gaians, other aspects of our consciousness are discarnate.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

So, you know, that sense of an ongoing soul that continues beyond the demise of our physical being. And so, in a sense, by naming our Universe as our "UniverSoul," it encompasses and embodies everything in its journey. And at the end of that journey, our demise, our consciousness continues. That bubble of our Universe, in some way or other, continues within the infinite, eternal plan of the cosmic mind.

Sandie Sedgbeer: You started writing the story of Gaia in early 2020, just as we were going into lockdown, as you say, at the same moment as the oldest and smallest of Gaia's organic offspring of virus inserted itself into the collective body of humanity. Do you think that that was, um, purposeful, that the virus occurred for a reason?

Jude Currivan: I actually do and for a number of reasons. First of all, this understanding, this evidence-based perspective of a living and evolutionary multidimensional Universe, which is innately meaningful and inherently purposeful, at its heart is a fundamental underpinning and framing. And so, in that sense, and all through my life in many other ways, I've seen a purpose that perhaps has been hidden. It's been beneath the surface.

I'm a scuba diver. And when you look at the surface of an ocean, you see the waves, which can look incredibly turbulent. But when you dive beneath, this massive, vast environment cannot be seen from the surface.

So there's so much that is under our awareness. And I do feel, I write in the book, that viruses have been changing agents throughout Gaia's story. So, for example, there's so-called horizontal gene transfer, which is when there's been a catastrophic environmental collapse, primarily because a

particular arc of that evolutionary wave has come to its endpoint.

Alongside that breakdown, there is a breakthrough to higher levels of complexity. And that breakthrough and horizontal gene transfer are incredibly rapid and wide-ranging. And viruses play a key part in that, as we're now discovering they may well do in the processes of metamorphosis. So the idea of the virus being a change agent, a potential change agent for us, has great merit. And what else stopped us in our tracks? I sense that it brought forward our potential for conscious evolution for quite some time.

Sandie Sedgbeer: I've studied astrology for years, and when you see how everything has come together at the right time, just as astrology is also telling us this, you have to believe there are no accidents.

Jude Currivan: I don't feel there are, and you know, I'm an astrologer and astronomer. And, of course, in the ancient traditions, they were complementary. In this perspective, they're also complementary because the entirety of our Universe is innately intelligent and conscious. . And also holographic. We haven't quite hit that mind-blowing perspective yet. But, being holographic as cosmologists are becoming more and more to perceive means that the whole of our Universe is expressed in each part. And as we scale up the sort of complexity, it's called holons (2) into what's called holarchy (3), we still scale up just as atoms and molecules and organs and ecosystems,

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

bodies and ecosystems. So our solar system, in this understanding of innate consciousness, is a matrix of consciousness. So astrology has a natural validation through this emergent cosmology of a living and evolving universe.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So how do we move from the illusion of Separation into the whole worldview of unity?

Jude Currivan: I think it begins with each and every one of us. I believe it begins from an inner to an outer.

I'm very clear that information doesn't change hearts and minds' emotions. Do I suspect that you know the unsustainable of where we're at? Although it's a huge challenge, there's an enormous amount of grief, sadness, and anger around it. Suppose we can at least understand what we are sharing today, that we are meaningful, purposeful microcosms of our Universe and our planetary home’s evolutionary impulse. In that case, I hope that gives us an underpinning and a framing to respond to that perhaps in a different way. I know that we need to clean up our collective trauma from the illusion of Separation, that's for sure. But suppose we actually perceive that what this evidence is offering us is authentic hope. In that case, it's offering us an invitation to remember that we're inseparable. And if that invite even empowers us to take one step into this journey of remembering and wholeness, then so be it. And I think that the reality is that this is a universe of love. This is a universe that I believe is inviting us to grow up, wake up, clean up, link up, and lift up together.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Last month, the United Nations held its 27th conference on climate change, and this month the COP 15 Conference takes place in Montreal, which is more geared towards looking at ecosystems and the protection of animals. Do these conferences ever invite people like you along to speak?

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Jude Currivan: Well, I actually did speak at Cop 26 last year. I did so, basically being asked for my views on how to transform a death economy, which is one based on Separation and materiality, into a life economy.

And I've spoken at G20 meetings in the past. But I think what's really helpful, and it's not by any means an easy situation, is that the United Nations, for the first time in its 77-year history, has just formally adopted what's called a thematic cluster, which is a formal body that's able to touch, point, and influence and get involved in all of the discussions based on unity.

So it's based on unity, in diversity. And that came from 200 change-makers and thought leaders who realized that without such a perspective of a unitive narrative, there was no chance that the sustainable development goals, agenda 2030, or anything coming from the COPS would really be able to “transformationally” change our world.

So it's happening, Sandie. And the more we can do to share this understanding and invitation because it is evidence-based - this is the point: it really adds validation and authenticity to this hope - I feel that we can move enormously fast because, somehow, this is what the Universe is brilliant at. It's not just slow steps of interaction.

There can be a collective wake-up, a collective "Aha" moment for our entire species.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Now, what about the theory of the multiverse and parallel universes? If it's true that with every choice we make, we are creating another parallel universe every time we make a decision -. And it's just a theory, then clearly, in some universe, we will make the right decision.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

Jude Currivan: Yeah. It's not a theory.

It's an incredibly speculative premise.

It doesn't even go far enough as a hypothesis. And it came forward because the researchers who came forward with it did not want to accept that consciousness is fundamental.

They came from a materialist separation perspective. And when the evidence shows the incredible level of fine-tuning of our Universe, it asks one of two questions.

If everything's random, there have to be possibly infinite universes, parallel universes where every quantum choice speeds off into a different universe.

Or do we have to bring consciousness, mind, and consciousness into a fundamental reappraisal of nature's reality?

I'm sharing the evidence for that view of parallel universes. I could go into a long discussion about this. There's no evidence for it. It's wholly speculative. It really doesn't make any sense from what's

called Occam's razor, which is as simple as it can be but no simpler. It is incredibly disempowering. It was something that came up and had a brief moment in the eighties and nineties.

I don't know anybody with any credibility that's speaking of it now. Because it just doesn't hang together.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Let's talk about the third book in this trilogy you're writing "The Transformation Trilogy – which is called "Many Voices, One Heart." What will that book contain?

Jude Currivan: The story of us and the potential for us. Because the story of Gaia, of course, is the story of Gaia. It's the story of our entire Universe. But humans arrive right at the end of the story of Gaia and in a way that I hope my readers can acknowledge themselves as being Gaian and really, by the time they've completed the book, have a deeper perspective of their relationship with themselves and us together as members of our planetary consciousness.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

The first book is the understanding of all of the soul cosmology and the evidence for our Universe's existence and evolution as a unified identity.

The second book, the story of Gaia, is about the evolutionary impulse that's so profound running throughout the whole story. And then the third book is, is us; what part do we play? What opportunities do we have? What is this potential for us to evolve?

So it will be going into multidimensional consciousness, but it will be very much an invitation to us.

Sandie Sedgbeer: So if we've come along, as you say, very late in the day. Are we the epitome of expression? Could there be something more, an even better expression than us?

Jude Currivan: For sure. When we look out beyond our solar system, and again, going back to amazing technologies, we now know that beyond our solar system, there are probably more planets than stars in our galaxy. And nothing to say that wouldn't be the case for every galaxy throughout the whole Universe. We also now can actually see from the planets we've already studied that there's an estimate of around 11 million earth-sized planets, Gaia size planets, orbiting their suns in what's called the habitable zone of liquid water.

So when we look at that absolute abundance of potential, the chances are that there are many other self-aware species that are at least as evolved as we are, if not more so.

But the question is what happens when a species gets to the point where we can consciously evolve or destroy ourselves and, in destroying ourselves, destroy a lot of our planetary home's ability to nurture other biological life forms?

That's our choice. So it seems to me that we either will choose that - we will choose love, or we will choose to come together to link up and lift up; we will choose to repair and heal our relationships within ourselves, within each other, with Gaia and all her children - or we won't.

And if we don't, if we stay in that illusion of Separation, the fear-based perspectives that it naturally supports, then Gaia has a good history of deciding when "enough is enough." And who would blame her? But I do believe that both Gaia and our Universe and our collective yearning are calling us to wake up, to remember we're inseparable.

Sandie Sedgbeer: That's the hard one for many people to get their heads around. I think we've done a very good number on ourselves re materialistic thinking. And it's very hard for people to change that view.

Jude Currivan: It is, but it's not impossible.

It's our urgent moment of choice to do that. And there's so much help. We're not alone in this. It seems to me we have so much help. If we can be with her if we can actually be out - I don't tend to use the word nature because it still has this sense of Separation - but to be with Gaia and to really love her because she loves us.

Without a doubt, the love she has for us is extraordinary.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

And, I just hope that enough of us, and all of us, wake up so that we may grow up, and link up, lift up together in love.

In love.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Absolutely. Dr. Jude Currivan. I wish we could talk more, but we are out of time. Thank you so much for joining us.

The Story of Gaia, the Big Breath, and the Evolutionary Journey of Our Conscious Planet by Dr. Jude Currivan, which is published by Inner Traditions, is a must-read for anyone wanting to see the big picture of how humanity arrived at where we are today and our cocreative potential for conscious evolution. For more information about Jude Currivan's work, book unified reality, and her Ubiquity University course on decoding life, visit JudeCurrivan.com and whole worldview.org.

(1) The stream of knowledge is heading toward a nonmechanical reality; the Universe begins to look more like a great thought than a great machine.

Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter... we ought rather to hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter. —James Jeans in The Mysterious Universe (2) A holon (Greek: holos, 'whole' and -, -on, 'part') is something that is simultaneously a whole in and of itself, as well as a part of a larger whole (3) A holarchy is a connection between holons, where a holon is both a whole and a part itself.

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL

at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, (Himalayas), India

MARCH 8-14, 2023 Sadhvi Abha Saraswatiji

Dr. Tony Nader

Dr. Vandana Gurmukh Gurushabd Seane Corn Shiva Kaur Khalsa Singh Khalsa

Anand Mehrotra

Sivamani

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji

Welcome All

Welcome Home Kia Miller

Tommy Rosen

Laura Plumb

Dr. Smita Naram

HS Arun

Stewart Gilchrist

Mohan Bhandari

Janet Attwood

...and more presenters from around the world

REGISTER TODAY!

WWW.INTERNATIONALYOGAFESTIVAL.ORG The world-famous International Yoga Festival is a truly historic celebration of yoga -Total Wellness and Oneness. Join us this year from March 8-14, 2023, for another incredible celebration with the world’s leading yogis on the banks of the sacred River Ganga, in the lap of the Himalayas.

/IntlYogaFest /InternationalYogaFestival

#IYF2023 #IYFPARMARTH

Health & Wellness

Innovative new approaches to Healing as well as holistic methods for dealing with health issues and personal growth

3 Surefire Ways to Beat Anemia

L

by Ginger McBride

earn three ways to beat

striving for a well-balanced life.

anemia so that we can feel more energized, less tired,

We can be quick to ignore what ails

and sore, and continue

us. We may think that we simply

OM TIMES | February 2023

didn’t get enough rest, or perhaps

Other causes may look like excessive

it’s just part of the aging process,

blood loss, low red blood cell

or we take pride in the ability to

production, or even high red blood

tough it out. Something as simple

cell destruction. People who often

as fatigue could have a multitude of

donate blood, or even have trouble

causes. One of those causes may be

absorbing iron need to be aware of

anemia. It’s important that we pay

this as it can affect them as well.

attention to our bodies and identify the root causes. If we can’t keep

We must supply it with more

our cars running without proper

iron to give our bodies a fighting

maintenance, how can we expect our

chance. We can do this through diet

bodies to do so?

changes, supplements, and lifestyle changes.

Anemia sneaks up on us and it can come in many forms with many root

DIET CHANGES

causes. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute,

If we are able to take a more natural

it affects more than three million

route of treatment it is always

Americans with numbers like these,

advisable. We can find iron-rich

we have to be on the lookout. The

foods in red meats especially, as well

most basic type can leave us feeling

as pork, poultry, and even seafood

weak, dizzy, lightheaded, with cold

too. In fact, seaweed and kelp

hands and feet, and maybe with

are excellent sources of iron. We

chest pains and irregular heartbeat.

can also find help through beans and dried f ruit. These simple diet

Hemoglobin plays an important

changes can help us improve our

part in fighting this, and it's protein-

iron intake in hopes that we may

packed with iron. Its job is to carry

begin to feel better soon.

oxygen f rom the lungs to the rest of the body. If we are low in iron then

SUPPLEMENTS

the hemoglobin doesn’t have what it needs to do its job properly, and we,

If for whatever reason, we don’t

unfortunately, welcome the list of

start feeling better through

symptoms to our misfortune.

dietary changes alone we can add

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

supplements into the mix. We must

medications may affect our iron,

be aware not to overdo it and pay

and even how we exercise while we

attention to the daily requirements

combat our anemia.

that are advised to us. We can find supplements as easily as over the

If we drink alcohol heavily this can

counter as well as prescriptions from

affect the round shape of our red

a trusted doctor. We can also try to

blood cells as it also affects iron

boost our absorption of iron through

metabolism, possibly leading to

vitamin C supplements.

deficiencies. If we are having a celebration of some kind or just

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

need a night out f rom our busy lives just keep in mind some

Certain lifestyle edits may be

moderation as we continue to

necessary particularly including

support our bodies with what they

alcohol, watching how certain

need to thrive.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Certain medications can also have

may tire out faster than normal. We

side effects regarding anemia

can try easing into our workouts

by sending defense signals in

rather than throwing ourselves

attacking the red blood cells to be

into intense regimes. Exercises like

broken down prematurely. Please

yoga or walking are both excellent

be aware of the medications that

choices. We need to pay attention

we are taking and know all possible

to what our bodies are telling us. If

side effects.

we need a break in order to keep on going it is a hundred percent

And lastly, because we may be

okay that we do so and taking note

facing anemia and have a lack of

of when we are most energized will

oxygen traveling to our muscles we

just help us further.

OM TIMES | February 2023

CONCLUSION

Learn three ways to beat anemia so

We have to stay aware of how we are

tired, and sore, and continue striving

feeling in our bodies, find the root

for a well-balanced life.

that we can feel more energized, less

causes and begin to take action if necessary. If we are in fact anemic

About the Author:

and aren’t feeling a hundred percent

Ginger is a wellness writer with a

then we can supply our hemoglobin

passion for health, wellness, and

with more iron through dietary

creating a peaceful life. She enjoys

changes, supplements, and lifestyle

helping others with their healthy

changes that will better our bodies

life through motivation and

and ultimately our lives.

education!

OM TIMES | February 2023

Tips to Make Your Fasting Easier

D

by Rachelle Wilber

id you know that Chai Tea

ways. Here are just a few ways that

has many health benefits?

Chai Tea can benefit healing.

Chai Tea has many more health benefits than coffee

Fasting is often a difficult thing to do,

because many wonderful herbs in Chai

especially if you need to get used to

Tea will benefit the body in powerful

it. Whether preparing for a religious

OM TIMES | February 2023

holiday, aiming to lose weight, or

tea, or lemonade; avoid drinks

just wanting a break from food for

high in caffeine because they will

a day, fasting can get messy and

make you feel jittery and nauseous

stressful without proper planning

during your fast. If you are sensitive

and preparation. But fret not; we've

to caffeine, try decaffeinated tea or

got your back with these helpful

a cup of plain water for a temporary

tips that will make fasting easier

caffeine-free break f rom coffee and

every time!

energy drinks.

1. KEEP FASTING PERIODS SHORT

3. USE A SUPPLEMENT If you don't have time to make

When you're just starting to fast,

breakfast before you start your day,

it may be tempting to go for a full

using a natural fasting supplement

day, but don't do this. Instead, try

powder can give you a little boost

and break your fast after about 6

before you head out the door.

hours. Of course, you can always

They are great for those who find

prolong your fasting time a little

themselves eating late or working

if you need to, but remember that

into the night and help with weight

fasting for more than 18 hours

loss and detoxification.

might cause your body to start breaking down muscle tissue; this is not a good thing because it will

4. GO FOR WALKS OR MEDITATE

reduce the overall calorie-burning You will likely feel a little groggy

effect of your short fasts.

2. DRINK LOTS OF WATER

and foggy-headed during your fast, so go for a walk or take some time to meditate. Doing gentle

During your fast, you need to

exercises like yoga poses, walking,

drink lots of water. It will help

or stretching will help blood and

to keep you hydrated, and it will

oxygen circulate better throughout

also keep your digestive system

your body, promoting clarity

running smoothly. Stick with clear

and focus. This can help you get

beverages like water, unflavored

through your fast much more

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

easily. Another great way to pass the time is by listening to audiobooks or podcasts; with any luck, you'll

6. SUPPLEMENT YOUR DIET WITH NATURAL SOURCES OF ENERGY

finish your fast feeling refreshed and If you are used to eating a high-

energized!

5. EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN

carbohydrate diet or if you have diabetes, fasting might be harder for you at first. However, supplementing your

It would be best if you never went

diet with natural energy sources such as

hungry during any fast, but your

chia seeds, coconut oil, and maca can

body needs some protein to get

help you easily get through your fast.

you through a longer period. Eating enough fiber and carbohydrates;

Fasting is a great way to get in touch

eating the right foods can help

with your body, think clearly, and feel

you feel less irritable, help you

rejuvenated. Try and practice these tips

sleep better, and speed up your

the next time you need a cleanse or

metabolism.

detox.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Simply Spiritual To perceive reality from a different perspective is to open oneself to the wonders and unlimited wealth of creation. Simply Spiritual offers the opportunity to visit new places, new methods, and different ways to perceive the vast human knowledge of our Universe.

The Energy Within – Releasing Drama (Conflict) and Control

W

by Judi Lynch

e may have been

there are many colorful ideas and

taught to see

solutions to our existence we may

everything in black

not have considered. This is why it is

and white when

so important to form our own view

OM TIMES | February 2023

of everything this life has to offer

A person operating f rom a parent

us, not be persuaded by what has

ego-state can exhibit aggressive

always been done.

behaviors, being an interrogator or intimidator. Another who comes

Throughout our lives, we are tested

f rom the child ego-state can show

in our interactions with others.

a passive 'poor me' or aloof-type

What we carry with us as we go

personality who continually plays the

through life makes a difference

victim. When we can acknowledge

in how we respond and react to

these behaviors in ourselves, our

drama and conflict. We can release

parents, or those around us, we

negative reactions when we

can consciously work to heal and

understand our early life and how

overcome blatant negative energies.

our parents' interactions affected

We must learn to trust ourselves

our mindset. We can learn new

and our opinions in moving forward

techniques to help us rise above

through life with unconditional

fear, neglect, criticism, sibling

love for ourselves and others.

rivalry, and the need to control

Taking away the judgments and

others by vying for energy.

criticisms helps us with acceptance and accountability of Spirit. When

We can fill our inner void by letting

we know we are all still learning,

go of the need for approval and

growing, processing, and evolving, it

attention. When seeking success

is an incredible "lift" to the energy we

in any way, we can learn how our

take in, and we are able to share this

belief in ourselves comes from

with others without depletion.

our universal connections to the endless source of healing energy.

As adults, we can learn not to

We learn that instead of taking

blame our childhood or others.

energy f rom others, we can share

Those who manipulated and

energy and replenish it anytime

tried to control us, thus affecting

through our spiritual beliefs and

our current state of mind and

practices. Others who try to take

energy levels. The behaviors based

our energy will be recognized and

on fear can be replaced with

deflected when we can identify the

determination, curiosity, information

control drama taking place.

uplift, and positive expression.

OM TIMES | February 2023

We will always encounter others

great accomplishment. We take

who are argumentative, critical,

control of whatever happens without

unappreciative, and downright toxic

blame, resentment, and negativity.

to be near. We can engage with

When doing this, we help to release

them, going around in circles forever,

fear and anxiety over situations that

or we can find solutions to coexist

cause us to lose our connections to

and protect our personal energy

the energy source we have available.

fields.

We no longer need the drama boost f rom others and rely on our abilities

As we release our need to control, we

to connect with Spirit and endless

set the stage to be able to accept the

healing energy.

outcomes of our actions with grace and understanding. If we want to

Opening our minds to other

be successful, we know that there

possibilities is so helpful in

will be times of disappointment and

processing life options. We may

loss, as well as moments of joy and

have been taught to see everything

OM TIMES | February 2023

in black and white when there are

weight of negativity. We can thrive in

many colorful ideas and solutions

the experience of life, and all that is

to our existence we may not have

possible.

considered. This is why it is so important to form our own view

Judi Lynch is a psychic medium,

of everything this life has to offer

intuitive counselor, healing

us, not be persuaded by what has

channel, and author. She is

always been done. We learn to create

president of the Crystal Healing

new paths for ourselves to walk on,

Foundation, Inc., a 501(c) spiritual

to leave the past behind without

charity, and a writer for OMTimes

having to live through it again. To

Magazine. She has authored two

understand that others are on their

books, Friends with Lights and

own Journey. It is not our place to

Conscious Ascension, and has

enlighten or control their decisions

read to clients worldwide. To learn

and actions. When we can do this,

more or contact me for a session,

we are f ree from limitations and the

see judilynch.com

OM TIMES | February 2023

Follow Your Soul Path

By John Holland

OM TIMES | February 2023

D

o you belong to a

or feeling these things, it's a good

spiritual or like-minded

indicator that you're like me - one of

tribe? A group where

the "different ones." If you think about

the relationships are all

it, are we really different, or are we just

about sharing, giving, and receiving

more "awake" or "aware" than others?

energetically from each other? Do you know what it means to follow your soul

I've met thousands of people at

path...the path of your soul?

workshops and events who are from all walks of life and from all over the

People who travel a spiritual path

world, and many have one thing in

or who are just being awakened

common: They are all on a spiritual

spiritually often find it difficult to

quest to find their soul and their

follow their souls' paths alone. Some

purpose. I so enjoy watching people

people feel like they are different in

come together, become friends

their family or different from some of

(sometimes for life), and feel they can

the people in their lives now. What do

express themselves with one another

I truly mean by different? Let me try to

in a positive way. They no longer feel

explain.

alone or feel like a different one. They have found members of their tribe.

HOW GROUPS HELP TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SOUL PATH If you're the type of person who

FINDING SOUL AND SPIRITUAL LIKENESS WITH YOUR TRIBE

constantly questions if there's more to life than what appears to be directly

When I say "tribe," I mean like-minded

in front of you, you're a little different

souls who are drawn to each other.

from the norm. It may be that you've

People who have similar interests, who

had your own spiritual experiences,

accept you, who will push you to be all

and you're now drawn to Metaphysics

that you can be, who encourage you to

New Age, or you just have a keen

reach for your goals and dreams. Those

interest in the psychic phenomenon.

who challenge you, who understand

Equally, it may be that you know your

your point of view, and who help you

soul is reaching out for you to follow

to possibly expand your mind and

its guidance. If you're experiencing

consciousness. They are the people

OM TIMES | February 2023

who are members of your tribe. All of

being in an oil painting class for some

us have the fundamental human need

wouldn't be considered spiritual, but

to belong.

for me, it is. I'm with like-minded people, and we all have one thing in

I recently joined an 8-week oil painting

common … art!

class. I kept saying to myself: "I HAVE to take an art class!" The time was

The teacher is amazing, and the talent

never right, or maybe I was making

of my fellow students is inspiring.

excuses because I was busy doing life.

When I'm in the class studying,

But this year, my soul kept pushing me

painting, and letting my creative

and pushing me until I finally signed

juices show themselves on the

up for a class in oil painting – and

canvas, I am no longer John Holland,

my schedule allowed me to attend

medium teacher. I'm a student in art

the whole eight weeks. Now maybe

like everyone else there, and I so look

OM TIMES | February 2023

forward to the class each and every

who understands, then please think

week. It gives me a chance to get out

again. Your people are out there. I

of my head and into my creative mind.

always say, "Like attracts like!" You just

The class is spiritual to me because

have to believe it, keep following your

it is meditative, and I'm learning life

spiritual practices, and your souls will

lessons. Like, if you make a mistake

come together. When this happens,

with the painting – no worries - start

you will feel that you have known

again. Also, let go and have fun! There

these people your whole life!

are many more lessons I'm learning from the class - and I'm not alone. I'm

JOHN'S LESSON

with my art tribe!

You can't meet your tribe if you're If you feel you are not part of a tribe,

constantly sitting at home. Is there a

or if you believe no one is out there

certain activity you like - perhaps an

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

art class, meditation group, yoga, or

your help? I find that animal people

even a book club?

have a bonding experience that can only be shared with other animal

Many people enjoy each other's

people.

company, especially when they're all in sync with a commonly shared activity.

These are just a few suggestions

It may be that when you identify the

to discover your soul path. But

activity you most want to participate

remember, the more spiritual you

in, you'll discover you've become part

become, the greater the possibility

of a tribe simply by joining something

that some friends may fall away. It's

that nurtures your soul, as well as your

as if your vibrations are no longer in

mind and body!

sync. Please know that it doesn't mean they are bad people – it's just that you

Are You Actively Walking Your Soul

may find they cannot relate to your

Path?

journey. Please take heart because, for every person who leaves, a new tribe

Try asking your neighbor if there's a

member will soon appear and step

certain event coming up that fits the

into the void.

activity that you like or enjoy.

You have to know and believe that Is there an online community where

our thoughts attract, and the same

you can share your thoughts?

goes for like-minded people somehow finding each other! Sometimes your

Maybe there are certain friends you

tribe becomes your soul family. Reach

know now who have similar interests,

out and explore your soul path. Don't

but you've never acted on them. You

let life live you – you live life! Trust and

could even be the leader and form

have fun!

something new!

About the Author Is there a class or workshop that keeps

John Holland is an artist,

grabbing your attention?

author, public speaker, and psychic medium. To learn

If you're a lover of animals, is there a

more about John Holland, visit

local animal shelter that could use

www.johnholland.com.

OM TIMES | February 2023

OMTimes Magazine Relax…

Let your worries drift away into the moment…

OMTimes is a free publication and can be delivered right to your inbox…

Subscribe at: Free OMTimes Subscription Visit our website at: www.omtimes.com

OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle

How to Find Creative Solutions

by Emptying Your Mind

I

By Ronald Alexander

’ve always been fascinated by

mind where the download of core

how creative artists describe

creativity can happen. I know painters

their process. Inevitably, they talk

who sit in front of a blank canvas

about being in a state of open

staring at it and guitarists who will sit

OM TIMES | February 2023

looking at the ocean, guitar at their

Band said, “The creative process

side, waiting for an idea to appear.

catches you off guard. You write about what you know, where you

Actor and writer Cody Fern

have been, who you knew and

say that setting the state to be

know… Creativity comes from the

receptive to new creative ideas

womb of emptiness.”

looks like “silence and clearing, getting really quiet, saving the

What are you surrendering to

reserves of energy.” He doesn’t

when you experience a downflow

let himself think too much about

of core creativity? Many people

how he might approach his work,

believe that ideas can come

which would distract him from

from what Carl Jung called the

what his non-rational brain is

collective unconscious. Here, the

communicating to him.

archetypes of stories, themes, and characters are said to reside,

In a 2015 Hemispheres magazine

seeping into our conscious and

interview, James Taylor said, “Given

unconscious and influencing our

enough empty time, the songs

perceptions about ourselves and

show up. I’ve often said that it’s

our lives. Of course, you can tap

an unconscious and mysterious

into your personal unconscious.

process, my type of songwriting.

Still, some would say that you can

You are just waiting to hear it, and

also access what’s in the collective

you have to be in a place where

unconscious.

you can receive the song more than generating it. There’s just

Mindfulness meditation —

something about songwriting.

whether sitting silently and

It’s like a musical puzzle or a

clearing the mind, walking

math problem. When you solve

in nature, or shifting into

it, it’s like you’re being surprised

“absorption” whereby you sit still

by your subconscious. That’s an

and observe — can take you out

unparalleled delight.”

of overthinking and into the mind state of receptivity. The stillness

In the documentary Once We Were

and focus in meditation alter your

Brothers, Robbie Robertson of the

brainwaves and, therefore, your

OM TIMES | February 2023

mental state. Distraction-free time

Practice this “No-Self” Meditation

can lead you to an open mind as you

to let go of your ego and become

remain present.

curious, receptive, and free to access your core creativity:

Both core creativity and intuitive wisdom and knowledge can be

Begin by quieting your thoughts.

accessed in an open-mind state —

Allow yourself to become receptive

not because you have an open mind

to something beyond the distracting

or are trying to be open-minded,

chatter of your generating mind.

but because you’re in a state of pure

Notice what you’re experiencing

receptivity that evolves naturally after

without generating thoughts. If

giving yourself over to emptiness.

thoughts do arise, let them float

OM TIMES | February 2023

away like clouds. After your string of

should unfold to disappear. Let

distracting thoughts has slowed or

thoughts arise, exist, and fade away

even stopped, remain present in a

without intervening to hold onto

feeling of receptivity and absorption

them. You’ll find yourself not in

for at least a minute or two.

your ego mind, fixated on what you think you know, but instead feeling

Allow yourself to experience “no

curious and open to receiving and

self.” Here, your identity drops away

discovering.

as you experience being present.

Let yourself disappear, allowing all

Enter the pristine emptiness.

fixed and limited notions of who

Recognize that you have entered

you are or how your creative project

The Void. Remain here even if it’s

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

When you’re ready, end the meditation. You may want to write down any impressions, ideas, or insights that came to you.

Use the No-Self Meditation to partake in a “clear the desk” experience that allows you to enhance your intuitive abilities and access core creativity.

Ronald A. Alexander, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, mindfulness trainer, and creativity, business, and leadership coach. He has private psychotherapy and executive coaching practice in Santa Monica, California. In addition, somewhat uncomfortable because

he’s the executive director of the

you’ll soon notice that this void

OpenMind® Training Program,

is actually a fertile one, revealing

which offers personal and

itself to be filled with ideas, images,

professional training programs

pictures, colors, textures, stillness,

in mindfulness-based mind-

and possibility. Allow yourself to

body therapies, transformational

absorb and take in whatever you

leadership, and meditation. He’s

need, and let it download into you

the author of the highly acclaimed

while knowing you can work with

book Wise Mind, Open Mind:

this energy of possibility to make

Finding Purpose and Meaning in

it manifest into form. As you do,

Times of Crisis, Loss, and Change

you’re downloading core creativity.

(2008) and the new book Core

Be fully present in this experience,

Creativity: The Mindful Way to

observing it, noting what you’re

Unlock Your Creative Self (Rowman

feeling, understanding, hearing, and

& Littlefield, June 21, 2022). Learn

seeing in your mind’s eye.

more at www.CoreCreativity.com.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Relationships The interconnectiveness among all human beings and, consequently, the relationships among us are the focus of this section. The dynamics of the web of connections we make is one of the most prominent aspects of human existence: how we interlace with each other’s existence in a meaningful way.

Platonic Relationships According To Experts: Definition and Examples

W

by Linda Bunnell

hat makes you

question might include details

attracted to a

about their character and qualities.

person? The

After knowing about someone's

answer to this

personality, bond-making is a bit

OM TIMES | February 2023

easier and desired if you are fond

intimating relationship, then you

of it. Some people prefer making

have a platonic relationship. It is love

emotional bonds rather than having

without a physical relationship. The

sexual affairs. There is a term coined

meaning of a platonic relationship

by the Greek philosopher Plato,

implies having a super deeper

"platonic relationship," for this

connection with your friend in

ultra-spiritual relationship. Platonic

which you enjoy their company,

connection emphasizes a level of

love spending time, like wandering

closeness and affection. You may not

around, and every moment is

be attracted to physical appearance,

joyous for you. Platonic f riendship

but you tend to get attracted by their

is distinctive; believe me; it could be

soul and inner beauty. Plato believed

the best thing ever. It's so fortunate

platonic f riendship could bring

to have a partner who loves the way

people closure ideally. Nowadays, the

you are and your character.

meaning of a platonic relationship is perceived as becoming close friends.

There might be a lot of reasons why a romantic or nonplatonic

A platonic relationship is

relationship does not work out. A

contradictory to a romantic

study has found that psychological

relationship. You could have a

health has a significant impact on

platonic f riendship with the same

relationships. Having a platonic

gender, not necessarily the opposite

relationship is the solution to hectic

gender. The impact of such a

and full of insecurity romantic

relationship is supposed to be

relationships. It is a relationship in

more meaningful and emotionally

which your companion genuinely

satisfactory, eliminating romantic

cares for you, respects, and likes you.

elements.

You develop the best understanding WHAT IS A PLATONIC

with your companion, as you

RELATIONSHIP?

have plenty of time to discern or recognize each other. You have

When you prioritize a friendly

the opportunity to grab unique

relationship with your companion,

experiences or memories with your

suppressing or neglecting a sexually

f riend, as said by Sabrina Romanoff,

OM TIMES | February 2023

PsyD, a clinical psychologist. It would

relationship meaning is "more than

be absolute freedom if you were

f riends" but not being romantic.

not tied by any obligation of a

It could be a very supportive

nonplatonic or romantic relationship.

relationship if you want to make it.

I would strongly suggest things

Sometimes, this could be annoying

are comparatively more sorted,

to hear "we're just friends" or "we're

undemanding, and unsophisticated

not more than f riends" you or your

in platonic friendship.

f riend might not be expecting this.

Therefore, finding out whether you're

SIGNS OF PLATONIC LOVE:

in a platonic relationship is necessary.

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

Gladly, we have numerous signs

BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND

that separate platonic relationships

ROMANTIC INTEREST

f rom other types of relationships.

You should know about those signs

A platonic relationship is no less

that imply whether you have a

important or loving when compared

platonic relationship or a romantic

to a romantic relationship. Platonic

relationship:

OM TIMES | February 2023

Frankly talkative

satisfying. You will love spending

Openness to speak with someone

quiet time with a platonic friend.

you like the most is enjoyable. It could be the benefit of having a platonic

Acceptance and understanding

relationship that you will feel an

Platonic relationships are easy, as

abundance of topics.

the connection is deepened with acceptance and understanding.

Sense of humor

Both persons feel secure and

When you have a platonic partner, you

recognize their potent roles in

want to share everything in your mind

each other's life.

with them. Your companion would be able to get even your weirdest talks or

You can check out some more

jokes, which others couldn't.

signs here.

Silence is comforting

Types of Love Platonic

If you have nothing to speak about,

I must say a platonic relationship

silence can be more pleasant and

could be the best one you could

OM TIMES | February 2023

ever have in your life if you realize it

Bromance

and know how to sustain it. You can

This word means a non-sexual

also go for a platonic date, which

relationship between two males who

may be convertible into a romantic

are affectionate for each other.

relationship. Don't get confused with a "f riends with benefits

Womance

relationship"; a platonic romance is

It is an emotional and spiritual

entirely different from it.

relationship between two females.

Nowadays, various terms are

Colleagues

introduced to describe the

You can also develop a non-romantic

different types of platonic

relationship with co-workers at your

relationships. These are:

workplace OM TIMES | February 2023

PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP

romance. A platonic relationship can

EXAMPLES

be very joyous if you are mindful, trustworthy, and maintain healthy

According to an extensive 2010

boundaries. But you need to be

review, a platonic relationship could

highly active as it may ruin your

help you to develop strong social

relationship with your spouse. When

connections and the likelihood of

you start spending more time with

living longer. It is all about loyalty,

a platonic f riend, your partner

respect, and honesty. You can have

might suspect you. Couples tend

a platonic relationship with a best

to part ways when they don't feel

friend, colleague, cousin, workout

salvageable.

partner, or any person you care about and value for. You will be curious

If you are attracted to your platonic

to know that about two-thirds of

partner, it becomes difficult to

couples begin having a platonic

maintain the same connection

friendship and maintaining it for a

with them. It's impossible to have a

longer period, according to research.

platonic relationship with someone

A platonic relationship defines

you have a sexual desire with. If you

having a partner with whom you feel

are married, don't even compare

caref ree and supported; it gives such

your platonic friend with them. It will

chilling vibes.

ultimately raise conflicts. This is the major risk associated with a platonic

How to Prevent Platonic

relationship that can ruin your life.

Relationships from Ruining Your Life A platonic relationship is different

A platonic relationship defines a

from a romantic relationship; you

close, intense bond like a close

remain stress-free about how you

f riendship. This relationship is more

look, how much your partner is

open, honest, pure, and trustworthy

committed to you, and what you

than any other form of relationship.

expect f rom each other. It could last

You could platonically fall in love

longer if you are obeying the ground

with someone you like the most.

rules. It is safer to have a platonically

If you wish, developing a platonic

intimate relationship with someone;

relationship could lead you to feel the

you could continue it without

essence of love.

OM TIMES | February 2023

The Spiritual Law of Engaging in Relationship, No One Talks About

T

by Rene' Schooler

here is nothing more

All relationships are spiritual and are

spiritual for our time here

about soul union, a coming together

as a human than being

with our soul group to expand, grow

involved in relationships.

and heal our soul wounds. However,

OM TIMES | February 2023

an intimate relationship is at the

unexplained feeling. That what is

top of the iceberg regarding what

happening is this soulmate of ours,

it offers us on our spiritual path of

and we are not fully aligned for

evolution.

our best life path, and another is awaiting us.

Now some might say, then why am I single? While others may wonder

So often, I hear people speaking

what they are to learn from all the

and even teaching that you have

break-ups and heartache of not

only one soulmate, and then you

finding "the one." And here is the

hear the tails of twin flames and

thing that we have to understand…

the passion between the two. This is only partially true, beautiful,

There is no such thing as "the one."

exciting, and scary. However, in

We have the right person for that

the land of soulmate romance,

season of our lives, healing, and

bonding, and life partnership,

evolution. We can choose to be

we must understand that we

with someone or not - that is our

are in soul groups here on this

free will and theirs, but you must

Earth, learning f rom each other

know that when we choose to not

and expanding. We are here to

be with someone that felt so much

help each other heal. Our perfect

like home and our twin flame or

soulmate for any time frame is the

soulmate - that it does not mean

person who comes into our lives

that we are lost, too broken to ever

that we feel this bond with or draw

have that depth of love or missed

toward without reason and seems

the spiritual boat on love and

to meet our needs at that moment.

romance. And it certainly does not

Once united with this person, we

mean that this other person was not

are blessed to grow with their help

our soulmate.

through constant challenges and triggering often. We wonder how

Not at all, in truth! The reality here

someone we felt so attracted to, in

is that, for whatever reason, the two

love with, and seen by can also be

souls chose not to walk together

the one who gets under our skin

on this Journey when there is so

with such ease or seems to now not

much soul chemistry, love, and this

understand us at all.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Our best soulmates challenge us

Then we coaches/educators teach

because they mirror the aspects of

people how to develop themselves

ourselves that we are unconscious

to be a better them. Instead of trying

about and struggle to see,

to fix things that are not broken to

appreciate, understand or accept

appear a certain way, we encourage

within ourselves.

people to grow themselves and learn more about who they are as an

Often in the dating, mating, and

individual. This is vitally important

relating world, we speak about

if we want to manifest into our lives

becoming the match to the "the one."

the soulmate relationship that can

OM TIMES | February 2023

withstand time - which requires both

and for any time f rame, is part of

souls to have done deeper work on

our soul group, here to assist our

loving, appreciating, and knowing

soul evolution and healing, and we

themselves.

are theirs. Through these dynamic, empowering relationships, we are

THIS IS THE SPIRITUAL LAW OF BECOMING THE ONE

given multiple opportunities to refine ourselves and heal our wounding.

As we become more conscious

Every person we are intimate with,

of our coupling experiences,

in relationship within any fashion

we begin to enter relationships

OM TIMES | February 2023

with this awareness. It creates

with our core, where we need to

enthusiasm around personal

learn our boundaries and values

growth and what can come from

more. Then, when we are awake

the experience instead of a fear of

to relationships' true purpose in

losing a relationship and creating

our lives, we can start to make

a toxic container of stagnation,

the links to why we have drawn in

manipulation, and insecurity.

this other person and understand why we react to them in the ways

When we view our intimate

that we do, giving us the ability

relationships from this space of

to move f rom the victim state of

becoming the one, we can ask

consciousness and reaction to

ourselves to pay close attention

the proactive co-creator state of

to where we are out of integrity

conscious responding.

OM TIMES | February 2023

AND HERE IS WHERE THE MAGIC OF SOULMATE UNION HAPPENS

characteristics of that other soul that you are triggered by or feel uncertain about, let down about. Meditate on these things as to where they

Take a moment today to quickly

perhaps may reside within yourself in

write down your last three to five

some fashion or format. Realize that

relationships (intimate or other)

these challenging areas are most

that have not turned out the way

likely unconscious to you right now.

you had thought or wanted or

However, simply ask yourself, "Where

where you feel challenged and

is the mirror of this inside of me?"

triggered in some fashion and

You will start to lift a veil to your inner

cannot figure out why. Now look

world and heal at levels you never

at these relationships and list the

imagined possible.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Metaphysics

How often have we heard the notion that life is a school and we are here to learn lessons prescribed to us by some higher forces?

How often have we succumbed to the illusion that life is like going through an endless series of tests with rewards if we succeed and punishment if we fail?

As spiritual seekers, we have been conditioned to believe that lessons are crucial to our personal development. It isn't easy to imagine otherwise.

But Meta Spirituality, a new spiritual tradition gaining a lot of traction in the United States, is advocating different perspectives on mainstream spirituality's beliefs and the belief in "life lessons" in particular.

By Nina Verkoeyen

"Life is not a school, nor do we have to pass tests or receive rewards or punishments from the higher forces. We are not students of life, but The Creators of it." explains Nina Verkoeyen, the founder of Meta Spirituality, who brought to selfrealization thousands of people worldwide.

OMTimes.com

"No one prescribes lessons to us. No one judges if we fail or succeed. We prescribe all "lessons" to ourselves - their duration and intensity. And we can change, shift in time, or eliminate the lessons that are no longer needed when we decide they are not. There are no obligatory lessons we need to go through because nothing is obligatory for our true self of the Creator in the world of our creation".

In Meta Spirituality, real personal growth starts with understanding our true identity of The Creator, rather than relying on external sources, signs, and "lessons" for guidance.

This shift in identity is crucial for the realization that comes next.

The Conditions for Learning As long as we continue to see tough life lessons as the only means to grow and believe that we must go through difficulties to gain wisdom or improve ourselves - we unconsciously attract and create more conditions for learning in our life scenario, thus perpetuating struggle and external problems.

This realization alone - if we grasp it - will change our life.

We will stop creating an external crisis to feel progress on our spiritual path.

OMTimes.com| February 2023

We will start taking ownership of our decisions and actions.

We become aware of the fact that everything begins with us!

We will recognize our potential and power instead of trying to please some unseen force.

Meta Spirituality teaches us that we need only look within ourselves for answers – without relying on conventional wisdom or external "lessons" to gain wisdom and find fulfillment.

The New Way In the new light of this understanding, life lessons can now be seen not as an integral part of personal growth and improvement but for what they are a symptom of our false perception of being

separate from The Creator and a false belief in gain and reward, fear and punishment.

Meta Spirituality encourages us to move away from focusing on learning and improving through lessons, instead advocating for the realization of our true identity as The Creator.

By understanding our true identity and embracing it, we can break out of this cycle and start living a more fulfilling life.

Growing from adversity is now seen as an old way of learning and progressing.

While the next step of our spiritual evolution is to let go of this old belief and realize that we can grow not from tough life lessons, but from knowing and expressing who we are", - says Nina Verkoeyen. "

Creating Our Reality To make real progress in our journey, instead of asking, "what can we learn from this experience?"

OMTimes.com| February 2023

we can ask ourselves, "what do we want from this experience?" Rejecting limiting beliefs about what we should be doing will help us embrace our potential as the Creator of our reality – because only then can we start designing the world around us as we wish it to be.

Seeing ourselves for who we truly are, seeing the lessons for what they are, will make us one day say to the harsh life lessons: enough is enough! And that will be precisely the moment when the hard lessons we are going through will no longer be needed and will start to disappear from our visible reality.

Understanding that life is not a school but something created by each individual's free will can open up new possibilities in manifesting our dreams!

Nina Verkoeyen is the founder of Meta Spirituality, a groundbreaking spiritual tradition and movement that has attracted many followers worldwide and is transforming the spiritual field in America. Following Nina's teachings can expand your consciousness and increase your awareness. Visit her website to access a complimentary "Introduction to Meta Spirituality" masterclass.

https://www.meta-spirituality.org

https://www.instagram.com/nina.verkoeyen

OMTimes.com| February 2023

Personal Growth & Development

We grow as individuals as we face challenges and overcome life’s obstacles. This section is dedicated to helping you chart your course

Attachment and Repulsion: The Bipolar Manifestations of The Mind

by Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari

OM TIMES | February 2023

W

e continue our

a condition or film in our minds. This

journey through

thick coating never allows the mind

the Five Afflictions

to see its natural brilliance without

of Mind, which

contamination or coloration.

cause our greatest suffering as defined by the great Rishi Patanjali.

Our ego is the foundation of

Here we discuss Affliction Three or

attachment. When we feed our

Attachment, and Affliction Four,

attachments, we multiply them

Rejection and Repulsion.

without knowing it. That which we desire causes things to happen.

TRANSFORMING WORLDLY ATTACHMENTS

The universe, however, has its own

Attachment, according to Patanjali,

from which the blows of our life will

is the third affliction of the mind.

come.

sublime teaching methods. Whatever we are attached to, that is the place

Attachment to certain people, situations, outcomes, and objects is

We are all enrolled in the university of

external. However, we also have inner

life. Whether we realize it or not, we

attachments to certain thoughts,

are constantly being groomed and

concepts, philosophies, and

taught every moment. The instant we

ideologies.

get caught up in worldly attachments, that clinging immediately results

Invariably the depth of worldly

in a miserable state of mind. It is

attraction and attachment takes

a negative force akin to gravity,

deep root in the subconscious layers

instantly attracting blows from

of the mind. Each of us develops

outside. Then we have our lesson.

our own preferences and priorities, which, when violated, can lead to an

Material attachment, however, is

immediate sharp emotional reaction.

a stepping-stone to higher levels of consciousness; it prepares the

Attachment conditions our mind,

ground for a higher life, the life of

gripping it tightly, making it difficult

the divine attachment. Suppose we

to get away f rom its clutch. We cling

have not realized the futility, fragility,

to concepts and ideas that become

and pain involved in materialistic

OM TIMES | February 2023

attachments. In that case, we do

opposite of attachment: rejection

not graduate to the higher realms

and repulsion. If we are attached to

of unconditional divine love.

something, we are inevitably going

Nevertheless, it alone paves the way

to receive a blow concerning it. We

for true f reedom from all forms of

object to and are repulsed by all that

bondage and agony.

is counter to that to which we have

REJECTION AND REPULSION

become identified and attached.

Attraction and repulsion are bipolar manifestations of the mind. We all

According to Patanjali, the fourth

swing between the two extremes

affliction of the mind is the

of these manifestations of the mind OM TIMES | February 2023

like a pendulum. We can go through

can rob the mind of its stable

the book of our own lives to see this

state of equanimity. If we allow

truth. The source of our greatest

the intensifying energies of the

happiness is the source of our

mind in attachment and the lower,

deepest insecurity and unhappiness.

debasing energies of the mind to play freely, havoc rules.

When the mind is allowed to play of its own accord between these

We must practice living in a

fields, we are not really conscious.

universal consciousness rather than

Without proper training to manage

an ego consciousness. We need

the mind, anything that happens

to practice living in a state of love

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

and compassion rather than mere

things only get worse. At that

attachment to the physical or

point, the best thing is to distance

superficial, never nurturing hatred

ourselves a little, to witness the

towards others.

whole situation with a deep sense of trust in the universal design. We

PRACTICING DETACHMENT: OFFERING ALL OUTCOMES TO THE DIVINE

let go, without muddling, and let time, the healer, settle it.

After all, we are only seeking

How do we gain release from the

happiness and peace. Yet,

stubborn grip of attachment? We

we create miseries with our

begin with a keen awareness of the

expectations. Fortunately, we all

anxiety and misery it causes, not

are in the meditation class of the

only to ourselves but to those we

universe. Mother Nature teaches

love, robbing us of peace of mind.

us. Eventually, we learn. When we

Then we begin to understand

expect nothing and offer ourselves

the importance of letting go. The

and all outcomes to God, we are

instant we realize we are in an

flooded with peace and joy.

attachment to a certain outcome, we let go of our demand that life

About the Author:

fit our limited expectations.

Bodhi (Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari, India) is a globally

Each attachment and expectation

acclaimed spiritual teacher with

is a seed that we sow to reap

40 years of meditation experience,

future unhappiness. There is such

author, and visionary social

beauty in this divine design! At

advocate; he founded Lokenath

certain times, sometimes in short

Divine Life Mission serving

intervals, we will be given shock

thousands of poverty-stricken

treatments to help us understand

individuals. Received Lifetime

that it is not good to expect.

Achievement Award, House of Lords, UK, 2015. Author: Living with

If life does not meet our

My Himalayan Master. YouTube

expectations, we may try too hard

Channel: Bodhi Shuddhaanandaa.

to fix it; if we force the situation,

www.courseinmindfulness.com

OM TIMES | February 2023

When you look at the view of Earth from space, you are immediately in awe of what you do see: the incredible beauty of Creation. It is not until you look closer that you realize what you do not see.

You do not see lines partitioning countries.

You do not see separation between races.

You do not see division between religions.

You do not see the walls people build to isolate themselves from each other.

There is only One Planet. There is only One Humanity.

This section is dedicated to introducing thoughts and ideas to foster a greater understanding of Humanity’s interdependence.

World Vision

The Joy of Giving

T

by Darshan Goswami

e more you give of yourself,

inner joy comes f rom helping others

the more you find of

to better their lives.

yourself.

Giving is a joy. Truly giving from

We all know how great it feels to

the heart fills your life with joy and

receive gifts. However, the joy of

nourishes your soul. Moreover, giving

getting is short-lived. Our lives are

provides an intrinsic reward far more

richer when we share, and that great

valuable than the gift.

OM TIMES | February 2023

As Mahatma Gandhi said, "To

karma accrued from the lives we

find yourself, lose yourself in the

lived. Hence, we must reevaluate the

service of others." Giving takes you

drastic measures we take and the

out of yourself and allows you to

stress we go through to acquire more

expand beyond earthly limitations.

and more fleeting wealth.

[1]

True joy lies in giving without the expectation of receiving something

When asked why they give, the

in return.

readiest answers include: God wants me to; I feel better about myself;

Academic research and thousands

others need, and I have; I want to

of years of human history

share; it's only right.

confirm that achieving meaning, fulfillment, and happiness in life

The question I would ask is, how

comes f rom making others happy

did you feel? I imagine you felt very

and not being self-centered.

pleased with yourself and happy inside. My experience has been that

Mother Teresa is a famous example.

when you're focused on giving to

She found fulfillment in giving

others, you're less likely to become

herself to others. She helped

consumed by your concerns and

change the expression on dying

challenges.

people's faces from distress and fear to calmness and serenity. She

Giving allows us to look beyond our

made their undeniable pain a little

world and see the bigger picture. A

easier to bear.

great perspective can be achieved by stepping out of our own world

Why Give?

and venturing into the world of other people. Your worries and challenges

We can take nothing with us when

may not seem as significant

we leave this Earth. We expend

compared to other people's

so much time, mental energy,

situations.

and physical energy to acquire material possessions. Yet, we come

The act of giving kindles self-esteem

into this world with nothing, and

and brings happiness. Scientists have

we leave with nothing, but the

discovered that happiness is related

OM TIMES | February 2023

to how much gratitude you show.

The Power of Giving

The giving itself becomes its own Giving is a joy. We think we will be

reward.

happy if we get this or get that. But After several years of soul searching,

that happiness is transient. The

I discovered that my unhappiness

pleasure you get from a dress you wore

was due to my want for things to

once or some appliance you just "had

fill the void of loneliness. My search

to have" is minimal. Yet, take those

for inner happiness led me toward

clothes or appliances to a homeless

gratitude. During this process of

shelter; donate them to someone in

self-realization, I also discovered The

need – you will then know real joy, the

Purpose of Living. Yes, I believe that

joy of having given to someone else.

giving thanks makes you happier.

This is a joy that will last. It will stay with

But don't take my word for it—try it

you and never fade. In fact, it will inspire

out yourself.

you to give even more.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Giving is one of the best investments

neuroscience, is that it feels good. A

to achieve genuine happiness. True

Chinese proverb says: "If you always

giving comes from the heart, with no

give, you will always have."

expectation of reciprocation. You'll find that the more you give, the more

A famous American author and

you'll receive.

management expert, Ken Blanchard, declared, "The more I give away, the

The power of giving is manifested in

more comes back."

the kindness and generosity that you bestow on someone else.

If you find yourself feeling unhappy, try making someone else happy and

When you give to another unselfishly,

see what happens. If you're feeling

the vibrational energy emitting f rom

empty and unfulfilled, try doing

your subconscious is at its strongest.

some meaningful and worthwhile

The power of giving, according to

work and see how you feel.

OM TIMES | February 2023

The catch is that we must do this work

in 1965, Mr. Roy has committed to

with passion and enthusiasm. Many

serving the poor and helping rural

organizations, institutions, and people

communities become self-sufficient.

are engaged in exemplary works of

The Barefoot College education

giving.

program encourages learning-bydoing, such as training grandmothers

Narayanan Krishnan is a management

from Africa and the Himalayan

graduate from Madurai, India, who

region to be solar engineers so they

gave up his career as a chef with a

can bring electricity to their remote

five-star hotel when he saw a man so

villages.

hungry that he was feeding on his own excrement. From there on, Krishnan

The joy and love we extend to others

started his noble initiative to feed

brings true happiness or union with

thousands of destitute and homeless

God.

people in his state—free of cost.

When we give, we reap the joy of Another example of giving is Sanjit

seeing a bright smile, laughter, tears

"Bunker" Roy, founder of Barefoot

of joy, and gratitude for life. We

College. Since graduating from college

know that if people give just a little

OM TIMES | February 2023

more—of their time, skills, knowledge,

Darshan Goswami has more

wisdom, compassion, wealth, and

than 40 years of experience in

love—the world would be a more

the energy field. He worked as a

peaceful and healthier place. The

Project Manager for Renewable

rewards of giving are priceless.

Energy, Micro-grid, and Smart Grid projects at the United States

If we want to have happiness, we need

Department of Energy (DOE)

to give happiness. If we want love, we

in Pittsburgh. Mr. Goswami

need to give love. It is only in giving

is a registered Professional

that we receive.

Engineer (PE) with a passion and commitment to promote,

No matter what our circumstances in

develop and deploy Renewable

life are, we can give. I encourage all to

Energy and the Hydrogen

look for opportunities where we can

Economy. In dedication to his

give and help others. The gift of joy will

life serving humanity and poor

come to us when we give of ourselves

people, the author supports the

to others. That's what life is all about.

India Foundation for Children

Let's practice and commit our lives to

Education and Care, Inc.

give joy. Try it! It works!

(www.ifcare.org).

OM TIMES | February 2023

The Crisis of Homelessness and a Call for Love

W

by Barbara Ann Briggs

e are in the midst

and shelter. This pitiable situation

of a massive crisis

has been caused by wars, terrorism,

of homelessness.

governmental failures, famines, and a

Countless refugees

lack of social cohesion.

are roaming the earth, homeless, needy, and in need of food, clothing,

What is the solution?

OM TIMES | February 2023

The solution is contained in this one

heart. When there is real love, one

ancient aphorism from the Manu

doesn’t even feel one is giving. The

Smritis:

heart just overflows with love. This is the quality so needed in today’s conflict-ridden world. We must awaken

“The world is my family.”

to the reality that if anyone is suffering, If only people could emerge from

I am also suffering because suffering

the imprisoning mindset of “me and

anywhere affects all of us. No one exists

mine,” the problem of homelessness

in isolation. Each person is a part of the

could be eradicated. There are enough

whole. The ache in a finger affects the

millionaires in the world who could

entire body. War in Ukraine affects the

contribute to building shelters for

world as a whole. A refugee in agony

the homeless. Unfortunately, New

in a filthy room sends shivers through

York, a city of billionaires, is facing a

the whole fabric of humanity. We are

humanitarian crisis because so many

responsible in an indirect way.

migrants are sleeping in the streets!

I remember studying at New York

The only way to end this deplorable

University in Greenwich Village in

situation is to open our hearts to love.

Manhattan. One morning on my way to

Love is the most powerful force in the

class, I saw a man lying stretched out

universe. It can conquer hate, violence,

on the ground in Washington Square

distrust, fear, and every emotion

Park. He looked like he was dead!

detrimental to life. It can shatter all

People were just passing by without

illusions. So open wide the prism

even glancing at him. I felt like I was

windows of your soul and breathe

going to faint. I couldn’t bear the pain

the fresh morning winds that stir a

I felt when I saw this man on the street.

renewal of life into all living beings. Be

I had to hold onto the gate to steady

awake to everything around you. Let

myself.

the light of your inner being guide you to actions that can heal the earth.

Yet many years later, even today, many more are in the same situation in so

Plant seeds of compassion in the

many countries in the world. People

garden. Plant roses of joy and tulips of

are seeing without eyes. Hearing but

caring and saplings of peace. The earth

without ears. Feeling but without the

is our common home. It is given to us

OM TIMES | February 2023

OM TIMES | February 2023

to share, care for and nurture. It is our

“If I can stop one heart from

common inheritance.

breaking,

These verses from The Great Provider

I shall not live in vain.

encapsulate this idea: If I can ease one life, the aching, “The sun shines for others, Or cool one pain, The trees bear fruit for others, Or help one fainting robin The rivers flow for the good of others,

Unto his nest again,

The cows yield milk for others.

I shall not live in vain.”

Human birth is, likewise, meant

May our work to solve the crisis of homelessness is completed soon.

For doing good to others.

May all beings live in harmony and We have a most important

peace.

And compelling work to do...”

May no one suffer?

This poem by Emily Dickenson also

May all enjoy health, happiness, and

echoes these sentiments:

fulfillment together.

OM TIMES | February 2023

Books

Know: A Spiritual Wake-up Call All people hunger to discover who they really are, resolve issues preventing a life of joy, purposefulness and empowerment.

Know: A Spiritual Wake-up Call not only explains Royce Morales'

profoundly transformative, inner-development discoveries, it offers ways to apply them in everyday life. It does not offer techniques to “act as if,” or to "fake it" better through life.

Rather, the information escorts the reader through an epic inner adventure that can shift consciousness from the roots.

By detailing how the subconscious mind is programmed, Know provides an empowering way to understand reactiveness and repetitious patterns. Laced with personal accounts, along with experiential, inner exercises, this book can help you shift stuck situations and endless self-sabotage.

This book provides the author's four decades of radically transforming lives by discovering and resolving sources of subconscious, programmed barriers. Core transformation naturally gives birth to higher consciousness, authentic selfacceptance and intuitive, empowered, purposeful life choices.

Whether starting out or already on a spiritual journey, Know is an empowering path of awakening to self, deeply and permanently.

For more information, or to purchase the book, click the cover or visit: Amazon.com

OMTimes Media, Inc. PO Box 1333 Oil City, PA 16301 (571)-2OM-TIMES ©2009-2023 OMTimes Media

All Rights Reserved MMXXIII

Please review the

OMTimes Reprint Policy Contact our Advertisement Team:

advertise@omtimes.com