Spiritual Energy Archives - Page 2 of 2

November 8, 2016 By Admin

Mindful Solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux Earth Protectors

The Standing Rock Sioux earth protectors are fighting earth destruction, environmental degradation, oil profiteering, and corporate greed. Yes, I suppose finding huge reserves of crude helps many people become employed in the Dakotas. This is important. But other earth-wise activity (more solar for example) would be far more productive. As the First Nations People stand up for their water and spiritual rights, the powers of the state are encroaching on them with more and more force. Reportedly, military equipment, riot police, and attack dogs are being used against mainly unarmed indigenous people praying and demonstrating to protect their rights to clean water and the spiritual sacredness of area burial grounds. Just like much earlier in our glorious history, Americans profiteers (with their official police and sometimes the army) may end up killing American Indians over land and its underground riches. Nothing new here! It is only a matter of time before shots are fired and people die! Some say that the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline may have already violated earlier treaty obligations with The Sioux. That has NEVER prevented the dominant white culture from acting for its own financial interests in the past – nothing new here. It may be environmental racism that The Army Corp of Engineers moved the pipeline route away from Bismarck (fear of possible water contamination for mainly white folks) so it now crosses land and water of First Nations People. The marginalization and disrespect continue. Perhaps this is urban slum politics in the great rural areas of the Dakotas. Such fears regarding Bismarck simply emphasize that the technology being used is NOT completely safe and dependable. This is the FALSE PROMISE OF TECHNOLOGY. Like so many of our technological advances (the internet for example), the primacy of safety and security have been over-shadowed by the desire for free flow of commerce and thus greater profits. The core issue is that such oil extraction and use continues to threaten mother earth’s health AND OUR FUTURE AS HUMANS. Oil profiteers, using private and public security forces with armored military vehicles and attach dogs, are determined to force the Sioux off the land – perhaps off their own land. Praise to Amy Goodman for reportedly filming brutal dog attacks and releasing the video into the internet network. It is reported that many national unions (except the national AFL-CIO) have already stated their support for the Standing Rock Sioux in their fight against corporate greed (America’s #1 problem) and cultural repression (also a #1 problem – “black lives matter”). Perhaps we will witness annihilation once again (and again and again). Is this “the great American dream?” No!

If ever there was a time for OUR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT to correct a long-standing wrong, this may be that time. President Obama, as the Commander and Chief (notice the word, “chief”), this is a good time to act on the behalf of oppressed people, even if it includes acting against corporate profiteering interests.

CHANGE THE ROUTE OF THE PIPELINE NOW, AND FIND WAYS TO REIMBURSE THE DAPL CORPORATE ENTITIES THAT STAND TO FACE GREAT FINANCIAL LOSSES IF THAT IS DONE. CHANGE THE PIPELINE’S ROUTE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED – THAT IS KILLED OVER OIL! That sounds familiar.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

September 22, 2016 By Admin

Honoring First Nation-Native American Spirited-Wisdom

Honoring First Nation – Native American Spirited-Wisdom

American First Nation or Native American People (according to how they wish to be named) have a strong spiritual traditions honoring life, the earth and the heavens. Naming these wise peoples is a problem; out of respect one would call them First Nations, Native American, or a specific tribal name. Since this is a post, and since my efforts to obtain preferences have ended in the three “namings” above, I shall use First Nations. I do this out of deep respect. If my choice offends, please accept my deeply felt apology.

In this post I hope to note just a few areas of rich spiritual traditions, especially around the circles of the camp fires. In philosophical terms, First Nation Peoples followed (and follow) certain sacred practices: conservation, preservation, taking/using only what is necessary, giving back/restoring, and forever giving thanks – deep gratitude for what the earth and the heavens have provided. In today’s so-called modern, technological world of greed, “me first,” and sometimes hatred – we all could learn MUCH from these wise-minded and collective practices.

These wise people also practiced special spiritual activities to deepen their understanding of “the way things are.” Such beliefs and practices of energy balancing, sacred healing locations, long-silence, four directions/winds, vision questing, passing the pipe, talking sticks, medicine bags, sweat lodging were all part of their very rich traditions. WE, so-called dominant white people from Europe almost annihilated them; however, now we seek and deeply value many of their spiritual traditions. As an old First Nation close friend once told me: “You white people tried to completely destroy us, but now you are quite interested in how our spiritual experiences conserved our spiritual powers and identity – and you WANT to take those traditions also!” Thank you my friend Dana Pictou for reminding me! Speaking for myself, I want to take nothing BUT I do want to experience what they offer spiritually. There is no question about WHO owns these traditions. They belong to First Nation peoples.

In the central areas of British Columbia there are “medicine ways gatherings.” There, certain Tibetan Buddhist and First Nation ceremonies have been integrated to pursue earth healing and world peace. Under the facilitation of Spirit Dance Center for Spiritual Ecology, people gather to participate in ceremony and ritual around open camp fires. In fire circles they meditate, chant, drum, pass the pipe, have dyadic discussions, and personal consultations – ALL in deep respect for authentic spiritual power, and to better understand “the way things are.” Others in different parts of North America participate in body awareness concentration, cleansing breath rituals, and feather meditations. Additionally, the sacred fours are active: four directions, four winds, four seasons, and four states of the self. This last focus includes our mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional experiences of the self. I find it so, so interesting that First Nation peoples – like the Buddhists of 2,500 years ago – developed a “psychology of self” as part of their forward progressions. In Buddhist beliefs there is no concrete, independently arising, enduring SELF. It is real in a sense of mind-time, but subject to impermanence, interdependent arising, and essential emptiness. All part of illusion and delusion as we strive to experience sensory pleasure and avoid pain and suffering. These understanding – both First Nation and Buddhist – are quire complex. Mastery of them may reduce personal suffering and increase personal happiness.

So sit quietly with others at camp fire circle and practice some of these powerful ceremonies. For authenticity, consider finding a First Nation person to lead you through some of these wonderfully powerful rituals. As Joseph Campbell said “Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid…”

For more information see Cohen, K. – “Bear Hawk” (2003, 2006). Honoring the Medicine: The Essential Guide to Native American Healing. New York: Ballantine Books.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

April 20, 2015 By Admin

“Spirit Energies” May Manifest in Our Physical World:

I Have Questions

Our spiritual traditions have many sources of powerful spiritual origination: Shiva, Buddha, Jesus, Saint Francis to note just a few. The Roman thinker Seneca noted that our most feared day is our last on earth, but this is also the beginning of our eternity. As a practicing Buddhist, a secular meditation teacher, and a faculty member in higher education I am a highly spiritual person – but not a highly religious person. This reality has caused some serious detours on my own Buddhist spiritual path. I find the deep faith and speculation about past-lives, reincarnation, inter-being, and karmic causes and conditions all very fascinating. That being said, I also tend to be highly practical in my personal approach to such matters. In my final analysis, I tend to side with those who believe once you die, it all ends. My only ongoing conflict in mind, however, is what happens to my electromagnetic energy (required to keep me alive) after I die? New Physics notes that energy cannot be destroyed, so what happens to it? Since human perceptual systems are capable of registering only about 5% (some say perhaps as much as 10%) of the various energies waves in the universe – a whole lot is possible well beyond our rational understanding. This scientific question leave the doorway a bit open for other speculations related to the possibility of “the other side.” My recent read of Mark Anthony’s 2011 book, Never Letting Go: Healing Grief with Help from the Other Side. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications presented me with several unexplained realities from grieving my wife, Eleanor’s death over the past four years ago. In the final ending, we are to experience full acceptance, deep inner peace, less sorrow, while holding onto the wonderful LOVE. I will review his section about how spirits may present themselves to us in our environments. I will share some of my own experiences in these very same situations.

1) Seeing the lost person: Sometimes mourning survivors of loss see their lost loved one “as if” real. This clairvoyance did happen to me. The day after I traded in my wife’s car I was driving my own car to the dealer’s when across the road (Route 7 south in Shelburne), I saw Ellie driving her car in the opposite direction. She even looked over at me. I was shocked, and began to pull over to turn around. Then I realized that even if I caught up to the car, Ellie would not be driving it. Grieving hallucination or something from beyond? I will never really know. Pretty real and powerful, however.

2) Hearing the lost person: This clairaudience also happened to me on several occasions. Sometimes in dreams, sometimes in meditations, and sometimes in entirely random situations. I often speak to her “as if” she is here with me; she seldom responds.

3) Smelling the lost person: Yes, clairscent has happened to me also. This is more rare for me. I have experienced scents associated with Ellie several times while in our home in Monkton, Vermont. This is especially true when I sit in her favorite study looking out over the hill and woods she loved so much. Now the top of that view is home to her sacred ashes.

4) Feeling the touch of the lost person: Oh , yes. Once while taking our favorite walk but this time without her. I experienced a very strong hand-in-hand experience. It was a real touch with pressure! We often held hands on this walk. So, yes clairsentience has happened to me.

5) Seeing unexplained visual events: Yes, I have witnessed this phenomenon in association with Ellie. I have experienced this – but not as strongly as the other experiences already mentioned. They usually appear as fleeting, subtle energies moving around from place to place.

6) Visits in dreams: I have experienced this many, many times – almost always highly positive in nature. Sometimes it is a confused state.

7) Objects out of place: This has happened to me; it is a rare experience for me.

8) Electrical tingling in the body: Yes, I have experienced this encounter in the past both with Ellie and my loving mother, Lucy. After Lucy’s death I was packing up all my mother’s clothing up in the attic of her home, as I left the room and reached the bottom step I was “stunned” into a freeze position by strong, cold swirling energy all around my body. It was a warm Spring day! Freaked me out! Perhaps she was not yet ready to part with those cherished belongings. Upon recollecting on how I found Ellie near death in our bedroom after arriving home from work, I experienced a hell-chilling, freezing sensation from the pit of my stomach and lower back to the top of my head. Very, very painful emotionally.

So, there you have it. An un-believer has experienced most of the ways lost love objects are suspected to communicate with us in our own physical environment. Very interesting!

For more information refer to Anthony, M (2011). Never Letting Go: Healing Grief with Help from the Other Side. Woodbury, MN:Llewellyn Publications, pp. 61-83 and 221-261.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

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