Zoom, Telepathy and Energy Networks – Hope for the New Year

Dec 27, 2020 | Articles, Featured

With the greatest respect for the suffering, losses and anxiety caused by Covid and the lockdowns, there have nevertheless been benefits.  In particular, to the surprise of many, there have been ecological, social and spiritual benefits especially with the increased use of online meetings and communications.

I know many technophobes whose dislike of the digital world has been transformed.  

The ecological and social reasons are obvious.

Pollution has been substantially reduced by the limitations on travel and increased online meetings. I pray that our skies will remain so blue. This has been a definite green win.

Less travel has also produced another public good, which is the strengthening of local communities due to a lessening of the number of people travelling into inner cities for work.

Psychologically the blessing has been twofold. First, online meetings are far better than no meetings at all and have introduced many people, previously separated by distance or technophobia, to the connections available in the digital ecosystem. This has created new layers of community.

Second, online meetings have proved easier for many people who are introvert, shy or anxious in real-life social or work gatherings, where they may be intimidated by those who are noisy, pushy or hog the airtime. The device screen provides a filtering distance, as do the tools of mute and invisibility. There is also an equality: everyone’s image is the same size. Introvert friends have told me how comfortable they are in online meetings.

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Then there has been the pleasant surprise of those who are empathic, sensitive or psychic, particularly healers and meditators.

Historically there were always people who did distant healing and meditation and could sense the subtle connections and changes in vibration. In the online meditations, trainings and workshops now available, this sense of subtle energies has been amplified. Many of my colleagues and students have commented on how strongly they sense these energies when working online. Personally I find it easy, graceful and rewarding to work in this dimension.

It is as if the planet’s energetic network — of prana and qi — has been made more tangible. Is this an evolutionary step forward for Gaia and humanity?

Some of you may remember the core concept of Peter Russell’s book The Global Brain.

The opening paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the Global Brain reads:

‘The global brain is a neuroscience-inspired and futurological vision of the planetary information and communications technology network that interconnects all humans and their technological artifacts.  As this network stores ever more information, takes over ever more functions of coordination and communication from traditional organizations, and becomes increasingly intelligent, it increasingly plays the role of a brain for the planet Earth.’

This reflects one of the core tenets of esoteric philosophy and ancient wisdom, which suggests that our planet and solar system are beings in their own right, entities on their own paths of growth and development.

What I want to underline here, following the concept of the global brain, is that the energy network of the planet is coming more fully alive.

This approach is also shamanic and elemental.

Water is inhabited by undines. Air by sylphs. Fire by salamanders. So too the worldwide web of electromagnetic connections can be seen as vibrant with its own life —elementals of telepathy and energetic connection.

Over the last year, therefore, we could suggest that there has been a new evolutionary convergence of human consciousness with the worldwide web of electromagnetic connections.

To put this another way, the global brain is no longer just a technical artefact. It is now filled with the subtle vibrations of human consciousness.

And it is worth noting that all of this — humanity and technology — emerges from Gaia.

Perhaps Gaia knows exactly what she is doing.

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Perhaps humanity is achieving a new level of sensitivity and telepathic rapport.

But if that is the case then the global brain needs to be balanced by the heart.

The new sensitivity needs to be fully grounded in ethics and compassion  — in a dynamic dedication to green healing, inclusivity and social justice.

Then all the challenges of the last year may prove to have been a blessing in disguise.

As always, the transformation relies on and begins with us.

 

Wishing you and all beings a wonderful New Year.

I was Prince Phillip’s Body Double

Dec 26, 2020 | Articles, Featured, Recent

Just to change things up here is a bit of random autobiography.

In 1963 when I was fifteen years old I visited Buckingham Palace three times in order to pose as Prince Phillip’s body.

One of my mother’s best friends was the portrait painter, June Mendoza. I cannot recall who had commissioned her, but it was an unusually relaxed portrait compared to the usual ones in which he wore a uniform.

He did not have enough time to sit for his body, so my being a similar shape June asked if I would do her the favour of coming to the palace, putting on his clothes and posing for his body.  

I have enjoyable memories of this event.

The first is that of entertaining myself on the walk of fifty metres from the main gateway, where the tourists all stand, across the forecourt to the palace. I experimented with walking slowly, walking dignified and walking with a swagger. I knew that I was being watched. I knew that the tourists were asking Who is this important man? For a fifteen-year old with a sense of the theatrical and self-importance this was such a treat.

On the second visit, before entering, I first loitered amongst the tourists, irritating many of them. I then swaggered through the gateway. The policemen acknowledged me with a salute and I walked the fifty yards to the palace very slowly. Was I a prince of the realm?

Inside the palace I was ushered up into the Duke’s private office where I put on his jumper and sat quietly in his chair for an hour while June painted.

Another good memory is of meeting all the Queen’s corgis in one of the long corridors and then a frantic hustle as the ushers quickly shifted me into a side room so that her majesty did not encounter a stranger.

I mused that I might have By Royal Appointment tattooed on my chest.

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Several years later, when I was 23, I was riding a very beautiful chopped motorcycle across London. I came from Trafalgar Square up The Mall and then to the roundabout of the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately there was oil on the tarmac and I was possibly riding too fast.

My bike slipped and fell.

Fortunately I managed to jump off and avoid any danger, but the bike continued to slide across the road towards the crowd of tourists waiting for the changing of the guard. I froze watching this horrible scene, but the bike stopped before hitting any of them.

In a strange way it was graceful — the way I had jumped off and not fallen; the way the bike had slid to a gentle halt.

Two bored policemen were watching this whole pantomime. I looked at them wondering how they would react, but they had a sense of humour, laughed and applauded. No one was hurt.  

I pulled the bike back up and rode away.

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More poignantly years later I was told by a friend that they had seen Princess Diana coming out of a bookshop holding a copy of my book ‘Psychic Protection.’

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It is a small world.

What do spiritual teachers and leaders do when no one is looking?

Dec 18, 2020 | Articles, Featured, Spirituality

What do spiritual teachers and leaders do when no one is looking?

Out in public they lead, worship, support and teach. But what are they up to when home and alone?

Over the decades I have hosted and met many of them. From experience I know that they all do the same thing. Away from their audiences, their students and congregations, they take quiet time to connect more deeply with their spiritual source.

It does not matter what their tradition is — mainstream religion, pagan, shaman, healing, yoga, meditation, dance — they take time day by day to deepen their spiritual connection. Without exception this is done quietly and humbly, with an appreciation of how small they are in the context of the cosmos.

Yes of course, after the outbreath of public service, they need to regenerate and fuel themselves. And Yes their legitimacy as a spiritual leader comes from the authenticity of their own spiritual practice. But this is not their primary motivation for ongoing spiritual practice.

Their primary motivation is their own inner calling. The core of their spiritual lives is not public outreach, though being of service is crucial. The core is their private and internal vocation — to greater connection with all that is, more love and compassion, expanded consciousness.

Think of any spiritual teacher you like and contemplate their life at home.

Be realistic. Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, Amma, the hugging saint, is not hugging everything in sight but is quietly allowing herself to be hugged by spirit. The shaman is not continually transported by plant medicines and trance-dancing but sits quietly in landscape. The Dalai Lama spends hours in meditation. The Pope is not ceremonially processing around his apartment in robes and mitre but is in contemplation and prayer.

This was always their real calling. Release all the teaching and leadership. They are solid in their spiritual practice.  

Some of their ambitious followers and students may seek to be like them, also leading and teaching. But they may be missing the point, the essence. All the different spiritual paths and styles lead to the same thing — the individual’s personal spiritual calling and practice. Repeating myself now, that essence is:

— Deeper connection with all that is

— More compassion and love

— Expanded consciousness

Spiritual growth may sometimes happen serendipitously or with a wave of grace. In reality it requires dedication and daily perseverance, a rhythm of quiet opening and connection.

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So I wonder if for some of us there has been a silver lining in this Covid crisis. It has provided a time and focus for spiritual practice. We do the same then as all the teachers and leaders. We are called to an ever-deeper relationship with the wonder and energy, with the awe and mystery of all that is.