An Agonizing Reappraisal

A Letter to the New Spirituality

By Daniel Moler

Remember in the year 2012 when everyone thought the world was either ending or ascending to some type of higher human consciousness? The world turned, wars still rage, and my rent still needs paid.

That same year, author Jonathan Talat Philips wrote a blog for The Huffington Post called "The Rise of the New Spiritual Counterculture." In it, Philips describes a societal crowd of hipsters made up of "the Whole Foods sustainability crew, Yoga Journal aficionados or New Age healers" as a "rising planetary awareness with radically practical solutions to address global challenges." Philips is associated with the Evolver Social Movement, a movement that I have been involved with myself over the years. They have published many of my articles as well as my e-book about Terence McKenna, himself a "prophet" of the psychedelic/neo-shamanic/spiritual counterculture that seems to be growing exponentially on the fringes of ordinary society.

Whereas Philips dubs this movement as a collective of pioneers engaged in spiritual activism, I have, over the years, come to disagree. Although many good things have sprung out of this cultural meme—like environmental activism and promotion of sustainable practices—there is a danger in the spiritual component attached to it . . . particularly, the hype and popular promotion of shamanic trance states  and shamanic plant medicines, otherwise known as psychedelics, as a modern panacea.

Interestingly enough I am a strong proponent of these particular spiritual traditions. However, I browse this “new spiritual counterculture” which claims to promote the concepts of shamanic practice and I see a great distortion of information.

We have turned the shamanic way of life into a fad. It’s fine that it is popular. There is, truthfully, a need for a reconnection with the natural powers of the world. But, what is being offered far differs from the philosophy and practice of an authentic shamanic life-walk. Take a look around at what the “new spiritual counterculture” has to offer: music festivals, ayahuasca retreats, and workshops promising to heal your wounds, expand your consciousness, and raise your kundalini.  We have assumed that we are spurring a revival of archaic theosophy through our tribal tattoos and drum circles; we believe we are the next evolution of neo-shaman, using our technology and hip psychology to move humanity towards spiritual progress—one  seminar at a time.

So, where is the futility in all this? (more…)

The Star Child

By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff 

Day- I

The people suffered.  Long had it been a time of fear and darkness.  All of the old ways had been tested and each failed. Greed consumed the lawmakers and Masters of Business.  Their decisions turned against them and the once great structures of finance and service lay in the ashes of burnt dreams.

After the collapse of government and halls of finance, the Generals took control and worked toward order.  Gradually, goods and services were restored. However, this system too was filled with graft and long delays.  Even under the Generals, the rich got richer and the people worked long hours to feed their family.

After the graft, little was left for the people. Their hearts cried out for deliverance and freedom from the struggle of their daily lives and empty promises.  Over time, the Masters of Religion had taken to hiding in the shadows.  Also, fearful the people would turn against them, blaming them for the chaos and destruction.  Had not the old prophecy come to pass?  Was not the world in disarray and darkness?  All could see greed and fear consumed the land. People from one sector turned against the people of another.  Nightly, mother’s cried as their children lay in their beds with swollen, empty bellies.

Lost in despair, most had forgotten the second part of the prophecy.  From the ashes, The Deliverer would appear. On an inner level, the people’s hearts called out for justice and redemption. Where was the One who would lead them from the darkness into the Light?

From the people’s heart, the Deliverer was reborn.  The people’s suffering called forth her arrival.  This was the time.  This was the place. (more…)

Give as much as you can

By Lt Col R K Langar

Bhagavad Gita says that to give is our duty. The Gita further underscores that real giving is when you do not expect any return from the receiver. It is said that joy of giving is sixteen times more than the joy of receiving. Giving elevates the giver. Giving makes you a selfless person who is ever prepared to give to others. Selflessness is a big virtue while selfishness is a great sin. A giver never gets tired of giving.

Giving has many dimensions. Giving includes sharing, caring, helping and most importantly serving others. Serving others means doing something good for the society you live in. swami Vivekananda had said those who live for others, they only live while those who live for their own sake are more dead than living. When you live in the thought of doing god to the world you attain fruit of good work out of sheer power of your thoughts without doing anything physically. When you send thought vibrations of good will and love to others from the core of  your heart, your own faults are washed away. Giving creates positive impression on the mind which neutralizes certain amount of negativity from the past samskars stored in the mind. Giving is conducive for our self evolution. The law of attraction states that what you radiate outside in thoughts feelings and mental pictures, it will come back to you because you attract the same in your life. If you send good wishes to some person good wishes will come back to you. And if you send vibrations of dislike or hatred, they shall be returned to you in the same state. You attract what you are and not what you want. To radiate something good outside, you must have abundance of goodness in you. We shall now study the art of giving under four heads as enumerated above. All four acts are interrelated. (more…)

Child of the Universe

By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff

Each of us
Is an eternal Child of the Universe.
Traveling from world to world
Living on
As Beings of conscious energy;
Creating one adventure after another.

In our present form
We are bound by physical laws.
When sickness and death enter
We forget for a time
Our individual greatness and invincibility.
Caught-up in the moment
Of pain and suffering.
Wondering why
It has to be this way?

O Child of Light
Remember this is but one port of call.
One stop of endless possibility
Along the glorious voyage Home.
Here we explore
The many aspects of Creation;
Learning, partners in the Divine Plan.

-SB

______________________

This poem appears in my new book: Beyond The River’s Gate.

To Order Your Copy Visit Amazon: http://bit.ly/bitkoffriver

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Simplify your life

By Lt Col R K Langar

Greatness lies in simplicity as great things are always simple. Simplicity aims at present day things as they are without complicating  them by showing your command over language or grammar. Simple statement and writing are easily understood and when things are clearly understood, they are well assimilated. Simplicity is directly linked with your inner life. When your inner life is anchored on virtues like Truth, love, purity,  righteousness and peace, your expression becomes simple and straight forward. Then Truth becomes centre of all your activities.  Truth becomes your guide. The life of a simple person is an open book where there is nothing to hide any thing from any one. A simple person attracts others with his inner beauties. Unless you practice moral virtues and use them in your conduct, You cannot be branded as a simple person. (more…)

The Embryo of the Tao

A Return to the womb

By Travis Edwards

In Western psychology there is a term known as the inner child which represents the most pure and innocent aspect of ourselves. In popular psychology this term 'inner child' refers to the sum of all our mental and emotional memories stored in the sub-conscious mind from conception through pre-puberty and the consensus in psychotherapy or counseling is to heal this aspect of ourselves by identifying and eliminating the dysfunctional patterns of behavior that have resulted from those sub-conscious memories.

In a deeper spiritual sense the inner child can also mean our true self or soul or likened to that of our intuition, whichever phrase is used they virtually represent the same thing. Our inner child force is linked to a higher intelligence capable of perceiving every event we undertake such as action, thought or words spoken yet it does not over think or over analyze like our so called conscious mind, it just simply perceives. The inner child depicts a state free from any torment of mind (thoughts/habitual tendencies) social conditioning, labels or concepts that typically manipulate and mislead the human psyche. (more…)

Award Winning Author Dr. Stewart Bitkoff Releases Book Beyond The River's Gate

March 2014, Pennsylvania, USA. Award winning author, Dr. Stewart Bitkoff, released his most recent book, Beyond the River’s Gate, which is available for purchase at Amazon.com. A must read for all who seek a spiritual path, it offers a unique and in-depth analysis of spirituality and religion in a way that is sure to resonate with modern-day travelers.

Through his innate ability to explain religious and spiritual complexities, Bitkoff illuminates areas in which religious teachings are helpful or lacking. Further, he explores basic concerns that people have about the differences in religious forms, the spiritual journey, and its connection to challenges in the world today.

Comprised of two parts, the first encompasses 99 questions and answers covering a vast array of spiritual and religious topics percolating the minds of many, such as, Why are there so many religions?, Which religion is really “right, if any?,” What is spiritual experience?, Is spiritual experience the same as God or “the Light?,” How do I go about finding a teacher to guide me?, How can so many strong faiths co-exist?, among numerous other questions. The second section, presents stories, verses, quotes and observations to help further explain the interrelatedness of all religions and spiritual capacity. (more…)

Right living is living with right choice

By Lt Col RK Langar

One way of looking at life is that life is unpredictable and we have no choice but to react as we face different situations. We often say that we have to do what society is doing. But when we fill up our inside by manifesting the divine virtues inherent in us (our Atma is a fraction of God) than we realize that what ever we do, it is with our choice. Even if we do a wrong act we give approval to do it and we cannot say that we were forced to do it due to outer temptations and circumstances.  When I say I am leading a life as I want to live what it means to that I have a free will to decide my course of action irrespective of outer situation, or circumstances. Free will has been bestowed upon human beings by God since we have an intellect to reflect and discriminate between right and wrong and then use our choice based on our free will to take the right course of action. That we have a free will is authenticated in Bhagavad Gita when at the end of His teachings Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that  Arjuna should reflect fully on what has been taught to him and act as he chooses. The Gita also says that in all our actions of body, speech and mind there is one non human factor called Daivam or destiny or fate over which we have no control. But that does not mean that we have no free will or choice. Our past karmas which we perform based on our choice decide where we are born- our social status whether we are born in a poor or rich family. Once we are born and grow up we have freedom of choice, based on our free will, to act as we choose. (more…)

America, Freedom & Sufism

By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff

Q: What do you think would be the correct vision to meet the spiritual thirst of American people in terms of spiritual orientation and training?

A: America is a special place; America offers the spiritual freedom, alive in each person’s heart to choose what is best for self and others. Here in this country each traveler can freely choose their own life and how they wish to live.

Our higher destiny is alignment with Ultimate Truth and helping others. Some Americans quickly forget that this country was founded by travelers who wanted to be free of the restrictions, rules and the tyranny of others. Leaving the countries of Europe, with their monarchies and religious authoritarianism, these travelers chose to find a world where they could help create a reality more like the spiritual freedom within. (more…)

Gaiam TV - A Spiritual Streaming TV Network

By Tom T. Moore - Copyright 2014

Recently I was flown to Denver, Colorado to record two, back-to-back one-hour interviews with Gaiam TV about my three The Gentle Way books and my FIRST CONTACT: Conversations with an ET book.  The first interview aired on February 4.  I thought everyone might like to know more about this streaming subscription, Internet TV network.  They will never compete for the large number of subscribers Netflix has.  Instead, they have chosen to be a niche streaming service specializing in inspirational, spiritual (not religious), paranormal, UFOs, astrology, yoga, and exercise topics. (more…)