TRUTH & KNOWLEDGE
On your journey to align the mind, body, and spirit you become empowered when you focus on yourself and living in the moment. Here are some self-help articles that can assist you on your journey to align the trinity.
New Study Finds That Marijuana Users Are Happier and More Successful in Life
by Tyler Durden
The future of marijuana is looking particularly bright. As more states in the country continue to legalize cannabis and the industry steadily thrives, the perception about the plant is fast changing.
Those who smoke weed already know how good it is and the extent to which it helps the body, soul, and mind to smoke, eat, or vape it. The great news is that now, science is backing up what marijuana users have always known. A new study by BDS Analytics has debunked the cannabis consumer stereotype while revealing how weed improves a person’s life and well-being. The study surveyed weed users and abstainers across a variety of financial, mental, and social factors. They included employment, satisfaction levels, and perspective about parenting data.
According to the study, marijuana consumers are more successful and happier than most. That, however, doesn’t come as a surprise to those who take weed: Americans who love marijuana tend to have more money and better lives. According to the groundbreaking study, Californians who use cannabis earn almost $24,000 more annually. Perhaps this is attributed to the fact that 20 percent of weed consumers in California have a master’s degree in comparison to just 12 percent of abstainers. These statistics definitely beat the cliché that pot smokers cannot hold a job, are uneducated, and lazy. In fact, the reverse is true; cannabis consumers are not just satisfied but also more successful in life.
Marijuana Lovers Love Life
On average, weed lovers have more money. Researchers found that 64 percent of pot users in Colorado have full-time jobs compared to 54 percent of non-smokers. Thirty-six percent of cannabis users reported to being very social compared to 28 percent of those who avoid marijuana. It’s no wonder. Pot makes you more friendly and talkative. It also widens your social network.
When you are happy, you are more likely to give back. That may be the reason 40 percent of cannabis consumers in California consider themselves as nurturing individuals whereas only 25 percent of weed rejecters think so. And it shows. Californian smokers, in their spare time, volunteer in their communities.
Pot users are not only happy at home and at work, but they also enjoy spending time at the beach, camping, or hiking. In California, cannabis consumers say they enjoy outdoor entertainment.
In regards to satisfaction in life, about five in ten pot lovers in Colorado agreed to being more content with life presently than they were 12 months ago, compared to nearly four in ten among non-users.
What Does All This Mean?
The data suggests that cannabis consumers are, by various metrics, wealthier, more accomplished, have a more positive view of their circumstance, and enjoy a better quality of life.
These results by BDS are just the tip of the iceberg. The company is planning on carrying out more research on cannabis trends. If their results continue in the same vein, the notion of go-nowhere, apathetic pothead will no doubt disappear fast from the imagination of the masses.
Cannabis: The Gateway to Higher Consciousness
For many years people have been using cannabis to “get high” however there has not been much education, teaching people to harness and understand the power and potential of what is actually happening to us when we reach these elevated states.
In my 20+ years of exploring human potential, I have been using cannabis as a tool to increasingly understand the mysteries of our existence. As a result, I believe that many of us are missing the most vital ways to use this plant to truly activate our potential to heal and be free from the chains that bind us both mentally and physically.
This is why I have embodied the Cannabis Priestess archetype, I have been called to this mission to educate people on how to connect with the Spirit of Cannabis in a way that activates the wisdom of our deepest truth and expression of our most authentic self.
When we can go beyond the “self” and truly connect with our infinite potential, we have the ability to bypass our own mind and the blockages that stand in our way. As part of this education, I have created a guide that teaches people how to begin to activate the wisdom of Cannabis within. The following is a highlight of this guide, let us begin, shall we!
Step #1 - Setting your Intention
Your state of being when you consume Cannabis is vital especially when THC is involved.
Begin by setting a clear intention from a place of an empty mind and an open heart. If you are consumed with overwhelming thoughts that typically cause you stress or anxiety, THC can and likely will amplify what you are feeling.
Choose a time of day where you know you will be undisturbed during your process and you can take the necessary time to clear your mind and settle into your body.
Setting your intention prior to consumption allows you to stay focused and relaxed.
For example:
If your intention is to understand the root of a specific challenge, and your mind begins to wander, you will become more aware of which thoughts are aligning with your intention and which are making you drift.
Notice this, observe and release the thoughts that no longer serve you by imagining them flee your mind.
Now return back to your focused intention.
The key to self-exploration, is to consistently be the observer of your thoughts rather than just allowing your mind to spiral. You become increasingly aware of the source of your challenges and thus begin to realize that the power to heal resides in you and your self-awareness.
SET AND SETTING
Cannabis can enhance many experiences. Your senses are heightened so preparing your intentional space will contribute to receiving the most beneficial outcome from your inward journey.
Where you are, and the people you are with, will have a direct impact on your experience. If you are seeking inner guidance, then it is best to be in a place where you feel at ease in order to remain grounded in your body and not distracted by outside influences.
Here are some tips to create an inviting space for your communion with Cannabis:
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Make sure you are comfortable and relaxed whether you are inside or outside
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Determine how long you want to practice and then remove all outside disturbances (yes this includes social media, kids and pets)
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Sage yourself and the space to clear any unwanted energies
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Essential oils and candles definitely enhance relaxation
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Choose a good playlist ahead of time so you are not concerned about the next song
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Make sure the climate is comfortable and you have layers you can remove or add as your body temperature may fluctuate
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If you enjoy working with crystals you may feel called to have them near you
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Keep a journal next to you, so you can write down your thoughts
MEETING THE MEDICINE
When you begin your journey with Cannabis it is typical to desire an outcome that will be perceived as “positive”. However, it is important to understand when working with plant medicine, there is no positive or negative outcome.
Sometimes emotions will arise that you may see as “undesirable” like anxiety, sadness or even fear. Before you allow these emotions to take over, it is possible to shift your perspective and embrace this as a clear indication of what needs to be released.
Anxiety can be viewed as access energy due to the result of consuming too much THC. A great way to calm our nervous system is to move the energy out of our bodies. Running in place, jumping jacks, dancing, or any form of quick cardio will help bring you back to a calmer state.
When we allow our emotions to flow through us and remain aware that they are teaching us something about ourselves, we immediately drop into the present moment, creating what is called: A Sacred Pause.
You may wish to follow these steps to begin your communication with Cannabis.
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Close your eyes and breathe deeply
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Start paying attention to your body, go intently into areas in which you have not even thought of for a while; your toes, your nails, your earlobes, your cells, be aware of the details of your physical form
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It may benefit you to visualize your receptor cells receiving the cells of the plant connecting as a lock and key
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As you begin to drop more into your body you will feel more relaxed, intentionally sink deeper into that feeling.
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Allow yourself to let go and consider repeating the phrase over and over “I surrender to the wisdom of cannabis”
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When you are ready to receive ask the medicine “Show me what I need to know”
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Observe your thoughts and write down whatever comes through without judgment
Be patient with this, if you feel restless this is likely your ego resisting the process, if you feel frustrated, just continue to focus on your body.
Remember there is no positive or negative. It all just is an experience, an adventure to embark on!
Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase, after a while, you will begin to establish a conversation and a connection with a voice that eventually becomes very familiar to you. A mentor, a guide, a voice that you may have forgotten was with you this whole time.
May your journey with this sacred plant be blessed.
In loving Kindness
Sari Starr: Cannabis Priestess.
For the full guide visit www.cannabispriestess.com
Shifting Realities and Getting Free
by Zen Gardner
It appears things change more than we think – way more, and in more ways. Even when we’re aware of the underlying reality of constant change, we reference new changes by our memory and perception of old changes. And those were based on previous reference points.
We seem to often judge change by points of previous attachment, even though they continually shift. That cannot be very accurate no matter how real they were at the time. Things have shifted. And will continue to do so.
While assessing a particular situation, as my mind wandered backward to find context, I was surprised to realize how strongly and easily I was able to reference my previous “points of view”. It jolted me knowing I’m not that person any more yet it was so easily available in my consciousness. But that’s how the mind is wired. A lot of information is stored there awaiting activation depending on our perspective and awareness. Hence we often have to wade through a mire of influences whether we want to or not.
And some of these are trauma-based triggering mechanisms to steer our thinking and control our actions. A subject we need to be aware of.
The Subtle Reflex
Everything’s shifting. In shifting ways, and in a shifting perception of change. It’s an upwardly sliding crescendo of realization if we allow ourselves to pursue it. In the above instance, what I was comparing to was a sort of emotional imprint. I was looking back to different periods of time in my life in comparison to what I’m going through now, consciously conjuring up old impressions in contrast with a current experience. This isn’t my usual pattern as I see it, but this particular instance brought this patterned behavior programming to light.
I found myself doing this for whatever reason. Understanding, nostalgia, encouragement, comparison. There’s so much that flows through our minds as we seek meaning and definition.
But it really struck me. I realized how I often use old imprints to gauge comparative changes despite knowing they’re fundamentally of no real relevance. Not necessarily bad in itself as there’s no doubt something to learn from experience, but I shouldn’t compare to times in my life when I was relatively unconscious. There is virtually no basis in comparative reality once we’ve woken up to true conscious awareness, except perhaps for historical context and to learn from it. But this is all part of the process.
Being aware of these very relative relationships to ongoing change is essential. Once we’re centered in conscious reality we can observe from a non-reactive viewpoint, thus keeping us from yielding to the lower level reactive mind.
Vibrational Change Is On Our Side – Get Out of Their Web and Go With It
These current vibrational changes we’re experiencing are completely new, as are each of us by the day. However, recalling old imprints can subtly reinforce our sense of attachment to those previous limiting perspectives. Looking in relation to an old perceived set point will only let us see so far. It’s beyond even comparing apples to oranges when it comes to perception shifts. They just don’t compare as it’s a type of dimensional difference.
That’s why letting go, or detaching, is so important. Changing our surroundings can greatly aid this process, as well as jettisoning objects and other influences that “re-mind” us of those limiting emotional patterns. The less programming we’re exposed to the better. It’s not easy as they work on our subconscious level by information and sensory overload including a relentless bombardment of encoded information via advertising, logos, trigger phrases and even number sequences. What we can’t process gets dumped into the subconscious and sits there awaiting activation. Very seditious stuff. The solution is to turn it all off and get as far away from it as possible, another good reason to at least get out of cities and avoid the mass media like the plague, because it is.
Another analogy might be a rock climber who won’t fully let go of his gear attached to the lower rungs he made in his ascent. He’ll only get so far. As you go higher your perspective shifts phenomenally, but he won’t get to those really inspiring views if he won’t let go of those lower footholds that got him started.
These memory reference points are psychically embedded in emotions and memory clusters. It’s very similar to the crystalline knots a massage therapist works out of muscle tissue that then have to be flushed from the system.
Memory can be an anchor as well as a guide
Letting Go in a Shifting Reality – Beware the Feedback Loop
It’s all good if we let this shifting false reality pass and we have solid anchors in true conscious awareness and true knowledge. That’s the true shift available to all that we need to take advantage of. However, a lot of people are fighting these changes, consciously and subconsciously. We know for a fact that these major shifts are underway in many forms, most profoundly in the awakening we’re witnessing. Even on a surface level, that society is moving so rapidly towards a totalitarian dystopia is completely evident. An example of shifting on this plane is how science and technology are “advancing” at an exponential rate. Unfortunately in the current paradigm of the metricized world it’s not being used for humanity’s benefit, but for its reduction and Machiavellian control.
One huge pitfall is that as we get further into this gargantuan trap our focus tends to get fixated on the dark details and less on maintaining our conscious awareness. That’s when blinding reactive mechanisms start to kick in. A dangerous reinforcing feedback loop that leads to nowhere which is played upon by this deftly imposed matrix of deceit. The major media are masters of this, as well as some in the alternative media. You can tell by what it engenders in your heart – are we feeling empowered and more liberated, or does it reinforce the very elements we’re rejecting, using anger and fear? Do you come away dwelling on and thus reinforcing all the ugliness going on in an endless cycle that only brings a sense of futility, or is the information presented in an empowering way?
The danger we need to be aware of is to not help bring their intended reality into existence via our attention and intention. Know what’s going on but don’t feed into it.
One symptom of being in this feedback loop of trauma-based fear stimulation besides undue anger and frustration is simple confusion. When life seems to be in disarray and we’re put on the defensive, a major tactic for human control, left-brained fear and survival modes start to take control as well as whatever else has been triggered. That’s why it’s important to remember what we knew in the light as the times of darkness fall. It’s also why we should act in the light while we can still see clearly.
Now Is Always the Time
To delay is as good as to deny. Letting the house fall down around our ears and those of our loved ones while feverishly pointing to its problems is next to a subhuman reaction – too little, too late and too unconscious. Ours is to respond consciously and now. Activate and respond consciously – don’t get caught staring hypnotically into the metastasizing morass of fabricated wickedness. It’s coming at you. It’s time to act. Either do something to change the situation or move out of its way – or better yet, both!
What conscious behavior inevitably calls for is a lifestyle shift. That’s what grabs stubborn souls by the throat. If someone doesn’t budge and they keep refusing to acknowledge the evident truths of the reality around them and respond to those truths by consciously making the needed changes in their lives, it can be pretty tough. As well as very confusing and personally weakening. And it will only get tougher. These changes include continually disengaging from the system, letting go of unfruitful and hindering relationships, adopting a healthier lifestyle both physically and mentally, and preparing spiritually and practically for the increasing economic, social and spiritual storms coming our way.
And most of all staying proactive, lovingly sharing empowering information with others and participating in localized alternative solutions.
The spiritual is always supreme. Times like these can be wonderful opportunities, although harrowing for many. We can either choose to let go of the temporal and live an awakened and activated life, or we can clutch our old ways and stuff all the tighter as the storm picks up. It’s much easier to let go now by choice and move into a new paradigm than it is to be forced into one and have your attachments of all sorts ripped away from you. At that point our reactive mind kicks in and that is the definition of spiritual limitation. That’s how they run the system, keeping humanity on the defensive, and they will continue to turn up this onslaught until their whole machine blows up.
Defying the Control System
There’s really no reason not to disengage from the matrix. Just begin in stages. Those imaginary handcuffs of the mind are weaker than cooked spaghetti. It’s the habitual fear programming that keeps people from doing the obvious. That’s the design, to paralyze humanity.
The awakening cannot be thwarted, but individuals can be seriously hindered, mostly by living in virtual denial. We can’t say we understand what’s going on and not respond to the call to not only stop participating with and supporting this machine, but most of all helping to change things, beginning with ourselves.
More often than not ours is to simply defy the system programming…disobey, disconnect and disengage from anything they throw at us.
The rest will follow
And don’t worry, change will continue to happen no matter what. Just remember, you are the conscious observer, not the reactive self.
Don’t get caught in the action-reaction loop. It leads to nowhere, no matter the truth of the information. It can be more damaging than helpful if you get stuck in that system and dwell on railing against the machine. The point is to get out and away from all of those influences and operate from an enlightened viewpoint.
Make the break and stay free. Watch what you think, read, see or submit to, consciously or subconsciously. Anything can be misleading.
Stay informed, but there’s plenty of good and empowering information to dwell on rather than falling for their enticement to engage in their vampiric game.
Much love, Zen
“There’s more to life than meets the mind.” – Zen Gardner
Transcendental Shift
We are the key to the universe
by Iam Saums
Opposing Forces:
We are our greatest adversary. Our tendency is to emulate doubt, fear, indifference and self-sabotage. We demonize authenticity, accountability, integrity and purpose because we are programmed by the social dysfunctions of arrogance, egocentricity and self-righteousness. We obsessively analyze and dismiss most of our opportunities because they do not fit our desired perception of how we believe they should be. Every day we assassinate more often than empower ourselves. Our societal conditioning suppresses our consciousness, evolution and transformation.
Life in Illusion:
Reality is not real. It is an archaic social deception designed to amuse, distract, entertain and preoccupy us from becoming extraordinary beings. Every day we are beholden to abide by and sponsor the commandments of society. Yet, it is an instinctual and intellectual prison for our emotions, intuition and soul. The more we accept and conform to the parameters of reality, the more we comply and surrender to it. Eventually, we begin to believe embodying and enabling a lie is easier than creating and becoming our truth. In a world of illusion, what is true is often perceived as an inconvenience.
The Opportunity of Fear:
Fear is the destroyer of worlds. It impacts and influences us on a cellular level of being. Because we do not possess an equivalent consciousness, we are unable to conquer let alone identify our own fear. It is an inevitable dance with the enigma of our existence. One that seemingly eludes our every intention. Fear becomes a part of our nature and experience. The very thought of it passes a debilitating impression upon us long before we are aware of its presence. Fear is simply our unconscious interpretation of raw energy yet to be transformed into our personal power.
Spark to a Flame:
There are many instances in our lives when we are given opportunities to live our destined path. These occasions are happening in every moment of the present. It is our choice to acknowledge and claim them as they transpire. Though it is not feasible to fulfill on every prospect we encounter, these experiences empower and inspire us toward a life we love. They are most evident in the expression of our contentment, happiness and the difference we choose to make. The spark of our vision ignites our intention to reveal infinite possibilities for the manifestation of our purpose.
Flame to a Fire:
Our passion is the expression of our power. Whatever kindles our desire and will to evolve and transform sources our being. When our heart, mind and body are in alignment with our intention, our intuition connects us with our soul and the eternal, infinite energy of the universe. Possibility emanates from the synergy of our multi-dimensionality. How, why and who we are being is the essence of our instincts, thoughts, feelings and insights. The quality of our consciousness accelerates and expands all we express into the world. We are universal ambassadors personifying energy.
“Energy is the currency of consciousness.”
Stroke of Insight:
Revelation is the mother of transformation. When we shift our perception from the ordinary to the extraordinary, our experience is expanded by the expression of our consciousness. Freedom from our everyday life requires us to release the known of our existence and become aware of the infinite, ever-present possibilities. Everything we already understand of ourselves and the world only inhibits our full potential. Our opportunities are only as diverse as we perceive and intend them to be. We must be willing to step out of the image we portray and the reality we adopt to become multi-dimensional beings.
Power of Authenticity:
We shift our experience when we are being authentic. This is almost impossible in a superficial, social reality. Authenticity has become a pastime practiced most often in exclusive company. Yet, it is at the heart of our transformation. Personal power is not expressed by our criticism, judgment and opinion of others. True integrity and vision are found in our ability to accept ourselves and others as we are and as we are not. When we appreciate and honor our strengths and weaknesses, we empower ourselves to express consideration, kindness and understanding for all.
The Will to Serve:
Many are called, yet few are chosen. Leadership isn’t about authority, dictation or management. The true expression of how we lead is found in the measure of our service to the world and how we empower others to claim their own. There is nothing more gratifying than making a difference. This inevitably creates an enriching social reaction of evolution, goodwill and purpose, inspiring others to experience the fulfillment service provides. We are not just born to achieve our own agenda, need, want or survival. We truly thrive when we choose to share our unique contribution with the intention of transforming the consciousness of humanity.
Transcendence:
There is an energetic flow to everything at every time in every experience. The dynamics vary dependent upon our circumstance and our awareness. However, we always have an opportunity to shift our being according to the present so we may rise above the chaotic, dense and destructive frequencies to embrace those that are conscious, positive and progressive. It is not something we can encounter merely with our instinct or intellect. It is something we feel with our heart and intuit with our soul. We are always at the center of our experience. Therefore, we have the power to transcend and transform.
True Emanation:
We are a soul empowering our life through the experiences of our heart, mind and body. Our intuition is a multi-dimensional pathway that connects our consciousness with the world and the universe. We are a lightning bolt of energy expressing our soul into reality and transforming it with our creativity. We are a bridge of potentiality sourcing our experience by who we choose to be. The totality of our being is the instrument through which we cause our personal shift. All of us are developing and transitioning ourselves into our universality. Our life is an opportunity to express our soul and become who we are meant to be.
“Enlightenment is consciousness of being.”