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Ho’oponopono

by Spiritualism

I thought would talk a little about Ho’oponopono as it’s something I found a few months ago and it has really help me. It is a traditional Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. The Hawaiian word translates into English as ‘correction’ or to make things right. It roots are in the understanding that harmony and balance are essential.  It involves bringing harmony to relationships with others, ourselves, and the world around us.

Ho’oponopono is a fascinating healing method that focuses on forgiveness and reconciliation. At the centre of it is a four step practise or prayer – “I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you”. Specifically these terms have a deeper meaning.

  • I am sorry. Remorse: Acknowledging errors or mistakes.
  • Please forgive me. Forgiveness: Offering forgiveness to oneself and others.
  • I love you Love: Fostering love and compassion for all involved.
  • Thank you: Gratitude. Express gratitude for the opportunity to heal.

The Ho’oponopono prayer is a method of forgiveness that clears blockages in your thoughts. It helps to cleanses and releases us from thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that separate us from universal energy. The teaching is that we create everything in our world, giving us the power to heal it.

When we disconnect from our divinity, we start to believe in things that are not love, such as fear, guilt, blame, judgment, and shame. This disruption in our energy flow leads to us manifesting unwanted things in our lives. As Louis Zamperini (American Olympic distance runner and a Christian Evangelist) put it, “Hate is self-destructive. If you hate somebody, you’re not hurting the person you hate. You’re hurting yourself. And that’s a healing. Actually, it’s a real healing, forgiveness”. Ho’oponopono corrects this energy disruption, returning us to wholeness, unity, and harmony.

So, Ho’oponopono invites us to take responsibility, seek forgiveness, and restore balance. It can helps release negative effects of memories and toxic energies. It allows us to find our true identity, place in the universe, and inner peace.

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Law of Divine Oneness

by Spiritualism

I wanted to talk about another of the twelve spiritual laws of the universe, namely the Law of Divine Oneness. It is an important and foundational law which states that absolutely everything in our universe is interconnected. In other words every action, choice, word, desire, and belief you have will also have an impact on the world, and on the people in your life.

Sometimes this impact will be immediate and obvious. At other times, it may be more subtle or take a while to manifest. In fact, you may never discover that it has occurred although it will have had an effect on you. Try to think of yourself as part of everything around you to live in accordance with this law. We are all one, and this awareness makes us more powerful as well as more empathetic.

The key points about this foundational law are, of course, Interconnectedness but also with view to personal growth and empathy through having this universal perspective.  

Interconnectedness.  The Law of Divine Oneness teaches us that every aspect of existence is part of a vast, interconnected web. Even if it might seem otherwise, nothing exists in isolation. One way to picture this is to imagine everything in the universe as threads woven into an immense tapestry. Each thread affecting touches many other and contributes to the whole fabric.

Impact on Perspective and Empathy.  When we understand that our thoughts, actions, and events ripple through the cosmos, we become more conscious of our impact on others and our world as a whole.

Personal Growth and Global Consciousness.  It invites us to consider how our choices resonate beyond ourselves. As we align with this universal truth, our global consciousness expands, fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility. Embracing the Law of Divine Oneness can lead to profound personal growth.

And while this is a spiritual belief, there is also a scientific foundation to it. As Erwin Schrodinger (Austrian physicist who developed the fundamentals of quantum theory), of the cat fame, said, “Quantum physics thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe”.

So, in summary, the Law of Divine Oneness invites us to recognise our interconnectedness with all of existence. By honouring this principle, we will contribute to a more harmonious and compassionate world.

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The Law of Compensation

by Spiritualism

I thought I would talk about another one of the Spiritual Laws of the Universe – The Law of Compensation. Basically, according to it, you will receive what you put in. It states that everything we do creates an outcome equal to the effort we put in. It is similar to the universal law of cause and effect or the concept of karma. It is also related to the Law of Attraction, but instead with the idea that compensation can come in many forms. So, you reap what you sow and this reminds us to be careful about how you treat others and, indeed, the planet.

This universal principle implies that we are rewarded in direct proportion to the value we contribute to the universe and to others. It suggests that our actions, thoughts, and beliefs have consequences and, so, we receive back what we put into the world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (American lecturer and philosopher) expressed this idea in his essay titled “Compensation,” which was first published in 1841. The essay is widely studied as an expression of Emerson’s philosophical beliefs about the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of living in harmony with the universe.

In it he reflects on the concept of compensation, emphasising that there is a balance or reciprocity in life. According to him, everything in the universe operates according to this principle: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is similar to Isaac Newton’s (English Mathematician, Physicist, Astronomer and Theologian) third law of motion, which states ‘when two objects interact, they exert equal and opposite forces on each other’.

Emerson said, “It is one of the beautiful compensations in this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself”. He saw compensation as a ray of divinity, a present action of the soul of the world, unencumbered by tradition. To him, it was eternal love conversing with what always was and always must be.

Those who understand and live their lives in accordance with this law experience a sense of balance and fulfilment, while those who do not may encounter frustration and disappointment. So, embrace the Law of Compensation, and recognise that your actions reverberate through the universe, shaping your reality.

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Laws of the Universe

by Spiritualism

Many people know about the law of attraction and I have written before about it before. But did you know is just one of twelve universal laws? Becoming more familiar with the other eleven can help us live a more spiritually life.

So, what are the twelve universal laws? Well, their exact origin is lost in history, but it’s thought they are intrinsic, unchanging laws of our universe that many ancient cultures realised and noted.

The laws draw on many sources including Ho’oponopono, a traditional Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. Another source is the hermetic philosophy – a religious system based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a Hellenistic mixture of the Greek god Hermes and the ancient Egyptian god Thoth). As well as Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Hinduism

Just like physical laws of the universe such as the laws of gravity, these laws were not invented but rather discovered by humans through their observations and experiences.  These ancient laws has withstood the test of time and many people around the world still work with it today.

These universal laws are always working in the world whether you are aware of them or not. So, not understanding them puts you at a disadvantage. They are like the rules of the game, so to speak. If you want to do well in the game, it helps if you know the rules. As Aldous Huxley (English writer and philosopher) put it, “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self”. People who live their lives with an awareness of these laws, and how they relate to each other, typically report feeling more confident, productive and reflective than others.

The 12 Laws of the Universe are:

  • Law of Divine Oneness,
  • Law of Vibration,
  • Law of Correspondence,
  • Law of Attraction,
  • Law of Inspired Action,
  • Law of Perpetual Transmutation of Energy,
  • Law of Cause and Effect,
  • Law of Compensation,
  • Law of Relativity,
  • Law of Polarity,
  • Law of Rhythm,
  • Law of Gender.

I intend to explore these in more detail in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have any questions then please contact me.

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Guy Ballard

by Spiritualism

I wrote recently about Mount Shasta, the spiritual place in northern California. I thought I would write a little about an interesting character called Guy Ballard who is closely linked with this place.

Living at the base of the California volcano Mount Shasta in 1930, Ballard frequently hiked on the mountain. According to Guy Ballard, while hiking on Mount Shasta, he encountered a man who introduced himself as Count of St. Germain, who is said to have started Ballard on the path to discovering the teachings that would become the “I AM” Activity religious movement.

‘It came time for lunch, and I sought a mountain spring for clear, cold water. Cup in hand, I bent down to fill it, when an electrical current passed through my body from head to foot. I looked around, and directly behind me stood a young man who, at first glance, seemed to be someone on a hike like myself. I looked more closely and realised immediately that he was no ordinary person. As this thought passed through my mind, he smiled and addressed me saying:

“My Brother, if you will hand me your cup, I will give you a much more refreshing drink than spring water.” I obeyed, and instantly the cup was filled with a creamy liquid. Handing it back to me, he said: “Drink it”.

The young man later identified himself as the Count of St. Germain. Ballard provided details of his encounters with St. Germain and other Ascended Masters in the books Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, under the pen name Godfré Ray King. 

Guy Ballard, his wife Edna, and their son Edona Eros “Donald” Ballard claimed to be the sole “accredited messengers” of Saint Germain. Their teachings constitute the original nucleus of what are today called the “Ascended Master Teachings” and are still used in “I AM” places of worship all over the world.

According to the group’s teachings, ascended masters are believed to be individuals who have left the reincarnation cycle of re-embodiment. The “I AM” Activity Movement is the original ascended master teachings religious movement founded in the early 1930s by Guy Ballard and his wife Edna Anne Wheeler Ballard. It’s an offshoot of theosophy and a major forerunner of several New Age religions. The movement had up to a million followers by the late 1930s and is still active today albeit on a smaller scale. They are Christian and believe Jesus is one of the more important ascended masters.

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Hydesville Day

by Spiritualism

Hydesville Day is celebrated on 31 March each year and is the official day for the international recognition of Spiritualism. The name comes from the small community of Hydesville in Wayne County in the state of New York and was founded in 1790. In 1848 two sisters living there first experienced strange rapping sounds, which were thought to be communications “from the other side”.

The Fox sisters, Kate aged 11 and Margaret aged 14, appear to have made a connection with the spirit of a man apparently murdered in their home some years earlier. They soon became known in the neighbourhood for their apparent dialogue with the dead, requiring their mother to write a supporting statement confirming her own observations.

This communication, along with other manifestations, seeing or hearing spirits, visions, emotional or physical reactions, other noises and more, now make up the core components of ‘spiritual channelling’.

The mid 1800s saw the emergence of Spiritualism as a popular movement and has attracted controversy ever since. It’s more a movement than an organised religion and covers a wide range of beliefs. The practice of communication with spirits, typically during a séance, spread rapidly. The first Spiritualist church in the UK opened in Keighley, Yorkshire, in 1853.

The Fox sisters quickly became world famous, going on tour with public séances across the US. They gaining critics but also followers who craved their ‘spiritual counselling’. However, in 1888, Margaret confessed the rapping sounds were created by her double-jointed big toe. Both she and Kate had begun it, Margaret said, “As a prank on their superstitious mother”. Ardent spiritualists condemned her confession as a lie, told probably for money and possibly under the influence of alcohol.

The New York Herald reported on 22 October, 1888: “There stood a black-robed, sharp-faced widow, working her big toe and solemnly declaring that it was in this way she created the excitement that has driven so many persons to suicide or insanity. One moment it was ludicrous, the next it was weird.”

At this time, Spiritualism gained one of its most celebrated devotees: Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle joined the Society for Psychical Research in 1893 and experimented with table-tipping and ‘automatic writing’ as possible methods of communicating with spirits.

Hydesville Day is marked online by churches and organisations globally, including the Spiritualists’ National Union in the UK.

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Principles of Spiritualism

by Spiritualism

I wrote recently about Spiritual literacy and that December was Spiritual Literacy month. So I thought I would talk a little more about Spiritualism and the ideas and philosophies behind it.

The Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU) is a Spiritualist organisation, founded in the United Kingdom in 1901. According to the SNU, spiritualism is based upon seven principles. These Principles are not hard and fast rules or dogma, but rather a framework of ideas and ethics to base your life upon. It’s a way to find your own path of beliefs within a culture of likeminded people. As Tom DeLonge (vocalist, and guitarist of the rock band Blink-182) put it like this, “Angels and Airwaves is a complete, pure reflection of who I am. The philosophy, the spiritualism, the esotericism, the idea of hope and space and the themes about life and grandeur… that’s all me”.

The Fatherhood of God. The core belief of Spiritualism is the acceptance of a Divine Energy. This force, whatever name you give it (Source, the Light or God), has created all there is and sustains all its creation. The ‘Spirit of God’ exists within and around everything, it is within all of us.

The Brotherhood of Man. We are all part of the universal creative force and therefore one family. True Unity throughout the world would create betterment to the lives of many, bringing equality, security and peace. Spiritualists should try to understand the needs of others and help them regardless of race, colour or creed.

The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels. Communion with divine energy is a natural and essential part of existence. Spiritualists use this ability for communication directly between those in the spirit world and ourselves. This is not regarded as supernatural; it is a normal activity. The main purpose of communication with the spirit world is to provide the guidance in this world.

The Continuous Existence of the human soul. Spirit is part of the ‘Creative Force’ and thus indestructible. This energy cannot be destroyed; it can only change its form. So, for example, after death the physical body is left behind while the soul continues to exist in the spirit world. The individual personality continues unchanged by death.

Personal Responsibility. We all have enormous potential and we can use that potential to improve our lives and those of others. We make decisions throughout our lives as we see fit. What each of us do in our life is our responsibility and no one can override that right. No other person or influence can put right our wrongdoings.

Compensation and Retribution hereafter for all the good and evil deeds done on earth. As we move through life making choices, the outcome of those choices affects our soul growth. When we leave this earthly life there will be no judgement. We will have the opportunity to reassess, take stock and decide what might have been done differently.

Eternal Progress open to every human soul. Eternity does not begin at death, instead progress is open to all now. Any action, or intent to change, to promote soul growth and progression, creates a positive reaction. There will always be the opportunity to develop and move forward.

These principles are based on the summary of faith of Emma Hardinge Britten, a pioneer for the UK’s Spiritualist Movement and have been adopted by the SNU.

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Mount Shasta 

by Spiritualism

Mount Shasta is a, potentially still active, volcano (last confirmed eruption was circa 1250) at the southern end of the Cascade mountain range in northern California. Its elevation is 14,179 feet (4,322 meters). The mountain and surrounding area are part of the Shasta–Trinity National Forest. It is the subject of a large number of myths and legends particular in relation to spiritualism and, as a result, is a place of pilgrimage.

According to local indigenous tribes it is inhabited by the spirit chief Skell, who descended from heaven to the mountain’s summit. Skell fought with the Spirit of the Below-World, Llao, who resided at Mount Mazama, (just over the border in Oregon) by throwing hot rocks and lava.

But it’s not just Native Americans who have stories about the mountain. It is also thought to be the location of a hidden Lemurian crystal city, called Telos, inhabited by advanced beings from the lost continent of Lemuria. In 1899, Frederick Spencer Oliver published his book ‘A Dweller on Two Planets’, which claimed that survivors from the sunken continent of Lemuria were living in Mount Shasta. They were to be seen occasionally walking on the surface dressed in white robes.

In 1931, Harvey Spencer Lewis wrote a book about the hidden Lemurians of Mount Shasta. In William C. Meisse’s 1993 book. ‘Mount Shasta: an annotated bibliography’ describes Lewis’s book as “responsible for the legend’s widespread popularity”.

In 1904, JC Brown a British prospector, claimed to have discovered a lost underground city beneath Mount Shasta. He had been hired by the Lord Cowdray Mining Company of England to prospect for gold in the Sierra Nevada. On his second trip to the region he discovered a cave which sloped downward for 11 miles. In the cave, he claims to have found a settlement he called “the Village” and finding among its dwellings, streets and ornate altars 27 skeletons of beings up to 10 feet in height; an embalmed king and queen. Golden shields adorned the walls and he found artefacts and statues as well. Adjoining chambers were filled with strange drawings and undecipherable hieroglyphics. Another chamber held the bones of what appeared to be more giants.

Apparently fearing his employers would lay claim to his discovery, he waited for 30 years until his retirement. And in June of 1934, he organised an 80 people strong group of prospectors in the Californian town of Stockton. But sometime in the night before the schedule departure, he mysteriously disappeared and was never heard from again. The Stockton police investigated the incident and came to the conclusion that Brown was probably kidnapped. Without Brown to serve as a guide, the expedition did not happen.

In the Spring 1953 edition of the Siskiyou Pioneer, Marcelle Masson related a legend from the Wintun Indians concerning a race of fierce giants inhabiting the caves around the mountain.

In recent times, Mount Shasta has been the site of numerous sightings of unexplained lights and UFOs. Many of the stories relating to Mount Shasta sadly lack hard evidence. Nonetheless, the volume of reports seems to suggest that there is something unusual about the area. I think Rekha Sharma (Canadian actress) puts it well when she said, “I believe there’s other forms of intelligence in the universe. I’ve seen and heard some pretty convincing UFO stuff. Besides, if we’re the most intelligent things in the universe… well, that’s just depressing”.

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Spiritual Literacy Month

by Spiritualism

December is Spiritual Literacy Month. This special month was the idea of Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, who have written several books on the idea of spirituality and the soul. It’s observed every year in December and it encourages those of us who are interested in spiritualism to expand our knowledge. It’s an opportunity to open our minds and at the same time deepen our faith and knowledge of spirituality, faith and religion.

Championing the course of educating and encouraging people to embrace their spirituality has always been important to me. Before the popularity of organised religion, there were many diverse ways that people devised to communicate with the source or their maker. And each of these may appeal to you or have some value for you.

The Indian actress and model, Tanushree Dutta, had an interesting issue with exploring spiritualism. She said, “I was always inclined towards spiritualism but was afraid that I would become a sanyasin [some who forsake all materialism] if I pursued it actively”. But this is not really a problem as you are not compelled to do anything you don’t want to. Even if you aren’t a very spiritual person, you can start a journey to connect to something bigger than yourself, and to learn more about why people believe what they do.

So why not do something to celebrate spiritual literacy month. Spiritual literacy can include many things. It can include meditation, contemplations and resolutions. All of which can transform the life of a person. Perhaps read a book about spiritualism or research an aspect that interests you. And remember spiritualism is not a religion.

I find reading about spiritualism to be quite uplifting and rejuvenating. Also, learning more about other people’s spiritual perspectives and ideals gives you a broader perspective.

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Aura Awareness Day

by Spiritualism

November 25 is International Aura Awareness Day. So, what is an aura? Well in spiritual beliefs it’s a coloured energy field said to emanation from and enclose the body of a human, animal or object. In alternative medicine, the aura of a human being is seen as part of a hidden anatomy that reflects the state of being and health, often understood to even comprise centres of vital force called chakras. As Lucian Freud (British painter, specialising in figurative art) said, “The aura given out by a person or object is as much a part of them as their flesh”.

In Latin and Ancient Greek, aura means wind, breeze or breath. It was used in old English to mean “gentle breeze”. By the end of the 19th century, the word was being used in spiritualist circles to describe a speculated subtle emanation around every creature.

Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854 to 1934) was the first to talk about auras like this. Originally a priest in the Church of England, his interest in spiritualism caused him to end his affiliation with Anglicanism in favour of the Theosophical Society. In his book “Man Visible and Invisible,” published in 1902, he illustrated man’s aura in various stages.

Auras have different colours, which can change over time. Each colour is believed to have an alternate importance. Red often depicts a fearless and passionate personality. Orange is imaginative and full of emotion. Pink is delicate and calm. White is devoted and has an uplifting positivity. Yellow has high self-esteem and is confident. Green is drawn to wildlife and nature, and are natural healers. Tan cherishes detail. Blue is caring. Purple has a richly powerful personality. These are the colours seen in different auras.

White is the rarest, indicating a high level of spirituality and purity. The white aura is linked with the crown chakra, so people with this aura colour can reach heightened states of consciousness, wisdom and intuition.

Some children and a few adults claim to see auras around others; saying auras give an understanding of an individual’s convictions, thoughts, and personality. Auras can be dark too or injured. A damaged aura demonstrates an emotional, physical or mental issue. Meditation, positive affirmations, visualisation, and energy balancing can help cleanse the aura and bring recovery when an aura is damaged.