Jed Shlackman, Contributor
Waking Times

The concept of spiritual energy is as ancient as humanity, with nearly every culture having beliefs and practices related to tapping into a spiritual source for energy and well-being. Spirit refers to the essence of life, the active consciousness that flows throughout all things in the Universe. The Taoists have referred to this prime essence as the Tao, and its expression as the energy of life as qi or chi. Yogis have understood that the energy of life they refer to as prana comes from a spiritual source. Christians engaged in spiritual healing speak of the “holy spirit” and may see the Christ as the conduit or Source of healing power. In Western occult traditions there is the idea of the 5th element or quintessence, the spiritual source from which all the perceived elements of the Universe have arisen. Hollywood producer George Lucas brought these ideas into his epic Star Wars saga as an exploration of the workings of “The Force.”

As you journey through you Earth-plane existence, be aware of your soul and its movement.  During your encounters with other souls, tread lightly.  This does not mean ‘walking on eggshells’….it simply means moving softly through your life.  If you have to shove past, step over, step on, use guile to get what you want or take from another, it is not the way of The Universe.  Be true to yourself, but also be very aware of how you are allowing yourself to be perceived.  You can choose…..you can always choose. ~ Creator

There is always a joy or a blessing that can be found in any situation. And as you become the seeker of the blessings that always exist, you will notice that they become easier and easier to find. You will have shifted energetically to the point where extreme contrast is no longer required to help you define what you wish to experience. From there you will find your path smooths out, that it becomes calmer, more comfortable, more consistently enjoyable. You will have your own oasis of peace, no matter what storms others may need to create for their own self definition. You will be creating consciously by choice, which is always a far more enjoyable experience. ~Archangel Gabriel

We’re all guilty. Every day from the moment we wake up, we live our lives caring what other people think of us.

We accept the status quo for what it is because everyone around us does. We tip toe our way through life by doing things in order to please others, not because it’s what we believe in. Eventually our actions, appearances, and lives become molded by how we think other people perceive us. How are these pants going to make me look? What will my colleagues think if I spoke out? Are those people talking shit behind my back? If I take this job, what will my friends and family think of me?

Just writing that paragraph alone gave me a headache. It’s exhausting. It’s dreadful...