1 - The Magician - "Choosing A Spiritual Branch"
site-JS4d4Q • May 13, 2025
1 - The Magician - Choosing a Spiritual Branch
We all carry our own magic wand that it our spine in which the energy to create our body and life journey presides. We are the magician that need only be trained in the right school for energy connection and use. The wand is honed from the tree of life, and many branches will take us back to the source of that energy – we need only choose.
A children's book called “Holes” by Stanley Yelnats, features a boy that digs endless shallow holes to find treasure. He digs holes without a plan to carefully investigate where to find treasure. If he did the research, he could then methodically and thoughtfully with focus dig one hole very deep until treasure is found. It’s the perfect analogy for a spiritual journey.
Initial investigation is shallow, even when many books have been read. This is because true spiritual presence must be experienced, not just read about. Research is important preparation to make sure of the path that most suits your instincts for the type of individuals and practice you may turn to for support, learning, inspiration and who encourages your best instincts as a human being. The right branch will bring out your highest self.
Another book called “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism” by Chögyam Trungpa, warns against a permanent state of shopping around and experimenting with every branch of religion and spirituality. One’s time is limited on Earth and to dig deep into the subject, methods and experience require daily practice. One may become knowledgeable about all the food in the grocery store but not know how to apply it to make delicious feasts without guidance, recipes and practice. To become a Master Chef, one must learn the craft and science behind food till one no longer needs recipes and can create instinctively.
So do your research and choose a branch and then further study the many limbs of philosophy and teachers that exist within that branch until you fall in love with the method you will choose to use for your life. Keep in mind that one learns about enlightenment from one who is already enlightened so be sure to choose a limb connected to a saint, guru, or advanced soul that you accept to be your teacher. When the student is ready, a teacher appears. Be conscious of signs or higher messages from one whom would like to be your teacher. Perhaps they will present themselves in a book, movie or discussion. Then plant your personal tree of life spiritual journey seed, water it daily with devotional attention and watch it grow from the light you shine upon your path.
All highest order spiritual branches have instructions for a ladder to the divine. In yoga, one climbs up the tree via 8 limbs:
- Limbs 1 & 2 are the Yamas and Nyama’s of life- things to avoid doing and things to do. Following these suggestions creates a smoother path for living with less suffering, more joy, peace and ease in the direction of higher consciousness. Once one is living by standards paving the way for one’s journey easier, energy begins to flow.
- The third limb, Asana, is knowing the correct posture for receiving and projecting energy while practicing and walking through life.
- When it flows, due to right living and posture, you begin practicing how to use and direct this energy...
through Pranayama, the fourth limb, or the breath of life.
- The fifth limb, Pratyahara, is an intense focus and discipline while practicing using and moving energy.
- Finally, the last 3 steps, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are hard to separate. This is a magical moment when you can feel the outer world becoming less dominant and your inner world is all the focus. Your energy moves away from the physical plain to the spiritual plain. All time and space disappear, and one becomes united with the highest self and an ever expanding, ever conscious, blissful universe.
While you may not be on the yoga path, your journey should also have a path towards a personal connection with this bliss within and suggestions for “right” living to arrive at this peaceful place more quickly and easily.
Can you find all the eggs? It was Easter of 2022, when in meditation I received the message. It was time to begin a series of light-art featuring chakras (energy centers within the human body). We are energy bodies more than we are physical bodies. The physical without energy is a body in permanent vegetative state. An energy body continues to exist regardless of a physical body. In the physical reality, we begin as fertilized eggs, but at a certain point, those eggs are brought to consciousness through an energy that science has yet to name, but we know as spirit, creator, God, higher power and other names. Life energy enters the medulla oblongata at the top of the spine and lower cranium. It travels down the spine energizing our nervous system and settles at the bottom of the sacrum or root chakra.
Who is Hanuman? Short description for light readers: A spiritually evolved being that reflects Gods strength and devotion for yogic breathing and meditation. More for those liking to be “In the know”... What is a Deity? Deities, like the characters in parables, teach a spiritual lesson. Found in Ancient Sacred Hindu Texts, the Deities are all “God “wearing different faces, names, and personalities. “God” is such a big and all-consuming concept. How is one supposed to wrap one’s mind on any one part? God is made more personal and relatable as these Deities fill poems, music, chants and texts with their epic adventures and antics. Endless plots and twists, explain creation, good and evil, evolution through yoga and more. Because we are made in the image of God, we share the same aspects to deities. In getting to know them we learn about the power we hold within. Then, instead of praying to God for help, we are able to help ourselves by invoking an aspect of God in form of Deity. Healing, courage, abundance, and wisdom are superpower attributes waiting to be called upon. Hanuman is one of the main characters in the Ramayana – one of 2 most important ancient Sanskrit texts. Rama, in the role of God, journeys through his creation. Hanuman, is the son of the wind God in the form of half-monkey, half-man. Sanskrit for Hanuman means broken jaw. Hanuman is one who literally transformed his body and mind to unite with God. Transforming mind and body through concentrated efforts, devotion, and a moral compass transforms spirit. The opposite of Hanuman is monkey mind. Monkey mind is often referenced in Hindu as an undisciplined, animalistic, and busy mind. Yoga provides a guide for living to overcome these challenges through meditation resulting in ever expanding, ever conscious bliss. Every aspect of yoga requires the strength, breath, devotion, and courage of Hanuman. As a young child my father endearingly nicknamed me monkey face. Unbeknownst to him, he nicknamed me with the symbol of an undisciplined mind. What a great starting point to begin my own epic saga about a spiritual journey from Money Face to Hanuman.
The " Journey Begins Tapestry and 0 - Seeker Card" is the egg 🥚 stage. If this is you, you are filled with new life, ready to be born. You are ready to break out of the shell of past and be a new version of yourself. It is the time of night just before dawn in the most still hours. There is a feeling of anticipation and hope for what is to come. You feel an impending life change. You may have seen a sign in nature like a butterfly or maybe the stag in this image is your message that the time is now. Not sure yet? See if the following reflects you... You are ready to make the aware choice to begin your spiritual journey. You have always been on the path, but now the goals you have previously sought are unsatisfying. You have exhausted all variations of the physical world to find happiness and peace and have narrowed it down to what does NOT bring this. You have a growing awareness of what brings disruptive emotions and are interested in learning how to maintain peace and have more. You seek meaning in life and giving to friends, family, community and world. You begin to ask, "Is there more to life?", "Why am I here?", "Am I more than a body that sleeps, eats, and reproduces?". "If I am more, what animates me and makes me unique?", "If matter is never destroyed upon death, but merely transforms...what does it transform into?" The many ways to explore what is beyond our physical senses is called a "spiritual" path. A spiritual path heightens our abilities and senses but must not be confused with the path itself. The path is about exploring the cause of all abilities, senses, bodies, ideas, life, death and everything in between. This series is about the "Cause" of all - creator, God, Goddess, or Universal Consciousness...that of 1000 names and the sum of all or the macro. Imagine the world in the MACRO as cosmos holding multiple universes. A universe that holds galaxies, a galaxy holding a planetary system around a star - then earth, country, community, family, then, finally-self. In the micro world, inside the "self", we are made of cells, atoms, DNA... The macro world is composed of the micro, essentially making both the micro and the macro the same elements. You may have heard we are made of star dust, and at a micro level - we really are. All atoms have the DNA information to hold the form of whatever matter they appear as. When the form is ready to disperse, the atoms disassemble but the EXPERIENTIAL information remains. In a sense, cosmos is one organism in varying forms experiencing "self" in many ways. There is a story... A group of blind people were led to a portion of an elephant and asked to describe it based on the one area they had access to. No one person was able to describe the elephant as a whole. When they changed places, they began to understand the whole of what "elephant" meant physically, emotionally and mentally. For some, it took more time because their minds would wander, thinking of things to do or troubles they had. Those who stayed focused on the task understood "elephant" the quickest. You are the one investigating the macro or creator or "the elephant" and also the reverse at the same time...the creator investigating itself through you at a micro level. It's all the same - just from different perspectives and states of awareness. That is the spiritual path...becoming aware of the whole of creation and our place in creation in the macro and the micro. In the Hindu Deity Pantheon, Ganesh is the elephant Deity stomping out distractions or obstacles keeping us from evolving. Deities represent an aspect of "God or Goddess", "The Cause of it All", "The Creator", "Highest Intelligence" or whatever name you would like to call "it". Or in other words, if you had your hand on one part of the elephant at a time, trying to identify the whole, each of the deities is one place your hand. The whole is simply too vast to explain in any one language, one name, or one description. Lifetimes are needed to consciously explore the whole or "Cause" of it all. Because the task is daunting, a GPS and help from those on the path, are helpful for your journey. A spiritual GPS works like this: Every day... have a plan for your spiritual to-do list. At the end of the day... introspect about how you did. Why? What will you do to improve? My art can help as well. Each work of art in this series has multiple areas to meditate on to get the whole of it, just like the elephant. As your consciousness expands, new parts in the art will reveal themselves to you in meaningful ways. Each artwork is accompanied by introspective questions to serve as a GPS for your journey. I encourage you to: 1. Meditate or pray 2. Look at an artwork 3. Read the introspection questions 4. Journal Introspect: Identify where you are in your journey. Where would you like to go or do next? What skills supplies or knowledge will you need? Learn to meditate or pray and ask for the Cause of it all to provide using these affirmations: I am provided with what I need today to fulfill my highest purpose. I know what I need to know, when I need to know it. People, signs or lessons come to me today for my highest purpose.
Dementia and Hypnotherapy
Are you unhappy with your body or desire a lasting lifelong healthy functional body weight? Conscious efforts you may have made in the past lacked the benefit of seeding new empowering habits and beliefs into your subconscious mind. Hypnotherapy has been used to quit smoking, trauma relief, accelerate healing, manage pain and even surgical drug-free anesthesia for a century. And Of COURSE its used for maintaining a healthy weight and body image! I am so excited to share with you this affordable, effective, accessible plan towards life-long health and loving your body. 7 sessions are paced for maximum goal achievement while providing ongoing support. Custom create your own plan to meet your needs to maintain lifelong balanced weight and health. An additional benefit of doing your hypnotherapy with me is the extra layer of success my skill set provides. With my nutrition, fitness & wellness knowledge, you will know unique seeds to plant in your subconscious to make efforts flourish. P urchasing the sessions as a package includes... A slide show introducing information & images regarding the essential and complex needs of weight management. Specially prepared guided imagery and suggestions just for these sessions. Your own home self-hypnosis routines. Prepared notes so you do not miss a word of valuable information. Accelerator’s for between sessions and for life-long goals to achieve ever improving lifestyle habits.
With Easter approaching it's time for family get togethers. With vaccines more prevalent, families may gather more "in-person".
Every day is a new spring day to start fresh thinking. Clear out the clutter and start fresh! Do you sometimes ungracefully trip on unexpected emotions with family, co-workers, or friends and wonder, “Where did that come from?” or “What was I thinking?” Imagine your subconscious mind as an inner space holding your childhood room...
Almost everyone has some experience with Cancer. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to those that may benefit from its information. I often hear how frustrating and trite it sounds when a chronically ill person receives the advice to “think positively”. This advice is often more difficult to follow than those words verbally suggest. Imagine any daily turmoil of a “normal” variety and how difficult it is to stay cool, calm and collected... It takes a special person indeed who in the face of life threatening circumstances can retain a state of mind opposite of the natural flight or fight response. Certified Medical Hypnotherapy works as a support to maintain mental state of mind during illness. Use it to maintain parasympathetic rest mode, controlling fears & severity of symptoms. Look at the chart below to learn how the body benefits by remaining in a parasympathetic mode during healing:
Love is the highest vibrational feeling. Most sought, is romantic love. But seeking to receive love is the last step of creating healthy happy love in your life. Doing the seeking before the other 2 steps often brings disappointment in the quality or amount of love in your life. We desire an enduring powerful non selfish all accepting love. And what we receive is far short of that. So let’s start at the beginning… Step 1…Loving yourself first... The Law of Love Correspondence: The quality & quantity of the love you receive corresponds to the quality & quantity of love in your subconscious thoughts & feelings about yourself. I often hear people saying about a past relationship, 'I gave every bit I had until I was empty.' That is true, because your own self-love was limited, you drew to yourself someone else with low self love. In trying to fill them up, you emptied yourself. When 2 people full of self-love, respect and esteem connect, love never runs empty. The poem below is often read in terms of a relationship. But read it anew applying it to yourself...
Before beginning my journey into hypnotherapy... I led meditation training, yoga classes and yoga therapy while practicing as a Massage Therapist through ayurvedic philosophy. I was trained by a brilliant Hatha teacher that focused on the foundation of yoga as much as the Asana. After yoga training I was led to become a Teacher of Mantra and trained with the Nama Deva Archarya. I discovered Paramhansa Yogananda at the same time and began the SRF teachings that eventually led to my Kriya Yoga Practice. I decided to align my massage practice with my yogic philosophy by studying the David Frawley Ayurvedic Lifestyle Certification Training. In my massage and yoga practice the most common refrain I heard from my clients while discussing or practicing meditation was… ” My mind is too busy to meditate. ” This was a close first to the yoga complaint “ I am not flexible enough to do yoga .” Most new meditators do not sit long enough or sit regularly enough to get past the busy mind stage to find peace in meditation. Even while in Sivasana, at the end of class, as good as students feel, they are already thinking of the “To Do” list. I began my exploration into Hypnotherapy during this year’s Covid Crisis, after a message during meditation to do so. After extensive training at an acclaimed Institute , I soon discovered that hypnotherapy is technically the same trance state as meditation. I also discovered that it is a wonderful precursor to meditation in that it clears up the busy mind allowing a higher union with the superconscious. I often receive wisdom via guru texts. May I suggest “Merging With Siva” By Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. The text is 365 short daily enlightenment lessons revealing the depths of Raja Yoga. I mention it specifically because the daily passages, often mention the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious mind and how to work with them while developing a state of awareness. Hypnotherapy is the science of using the knowledge of the conscious, subconscious and superconscious mind to empower one to create their life's fullest potential. I have found enormous gratification in realizing that hypnotherapy is often an answer for the struggling meditator that needs to weed out the subconscious weeds blocking the light of the superconscious before they can fully appreciate or make real progress while meditating. Here are a few passages from Subramuniyaswami that you may find interesting… Lesson 141: “It is to waste the guru’s time to give training in meditation and contemplation before the heart has been softened through Bhakti. The patient guru will wait until this has happened within the devotee. Otherwise any accomplishment attained through intense Raja Yoga practices will not be sustained ” ….Hypnotherapy helps to establish healthy lifestyles that produce harmony in self and towards others. “The guru will then have to act as the psychiatrist to solve the problems arising from the forced awakening. Whereas a mature bhaktar takes such problems, or negative karma, which are sometimes aroused because of deep meditation, to the temple of Deities, placing them at their fee to be dissolved. This will not happen for the devotee who has not experienced living in the state of Bhakti, because the relationship has not yet been established between himself and the Gods. Therefore the wise guru starts his devotees at the beginning of the path, not in the middle. That path begins with charya, getting to know the Gods and developing a relationship with them through service. Charya is Karma yoga” …Hypnotherapy helps to bring awareness of karmic patterns and make a break from self-defeating thoughts and habits to clear the road for healthy karma and habits. “Then Kriya is experienced. Kriya is bhakti yoga. Once bhakti yoga has melted the heart, then the deep yoga concepts and meditation techniques of raja yoga may be practiced. They are to be understood within the internal mind, not just memorized. The wise guru will never teach deep meditation techniques to angry, jealous, fearful devotees…” ….Hypnotherapy helps to bring awareness to unhealthy emotions and dissolve them creating the opportunity to feel love and connection with others beginning the path towards union with all. Lesson 142: “Many Hindu teachers in the West teach purely Advaitic meditation, with no theism or religious practice, but most who have come to the West from India were raised in Hindu homes. They have within them a firm religious, cultural foundation for yoga. Many do not pass the religious culture on to their Western devotees. In an orthodox Hindu community they would most likely teach in a more traditional way. Advaita philosophy is appealing to the Westerner. It does not require a change in lifestyle. The nondual, Advaita-based meditations do bring the devotees out of the conscious mind, but often lead them into the subconscious. It is here, within the subconscious, that unresolved problems with family and one’s own personal ego begin to appear. Without a proper religious-cultural background and traditional Hindu belief system, these problems are difficult to handle. This turmoil is certainly not the purpose of Advaitic meditation, but it is a by-product.” …Hypnotherapy helps to adjust subconscious programming, developed before the age of 11 years old in Western homes. A client can their subconscious to new beliefs that are symbiotic with ayurvedic lifestyle and traditions in mind body spirit that have not been the foundation for an aspiring Western potential yogi. What hypnotherapy is… …a natural relaxed trance state where selective focus is established. Additionally, quite often the same process of deep breathing and relaxing are incorporated while encouraging a state of attention. The differences…. Additional practices in hypnotherapy include: • Color therapy on aura, and chakra • Healing or learning to move and control the prana and energy of one’s body • Awareness of the language in which the superconscious speaks through the subconscious- better facilitating communication • A beginning practice of awareness and looking inward • Developing a daily self- hypnotherapy practice that naturally evolves into a daily meditation practice as the subconscious mind clears. • Creating the behavioral traits and habits in oneself that will create an environment for higher growth, karma, and joy. • Helping one discover the higher Purpose of One’s Life as a motivating source of change. • Creating harmony within relationships in small and large universal ways often initiating forgiveness and compassion. • A development of self-esteem and empowerment of one’s own abilities while opening a door to see oneself as an extension of an unlimited source of potential. Hypnotherapy is a tool just like other careers I have endeavored in…I have been an artist, art teacher, nanny, framer, concierge, massage therapist, nutritionist, yoga instructor, meditation teacher, speaker, tarot card reader, author, and more. Each has been used as an opportunity to facilitate my purpose to bridge a gap of divine wisdom: healing, teaching, and serving - creating a space, business, or opportunity that develops higher purpose for myself and others.