Wind & Wings
5
Friday, January 17, 1997
© Copyright 1997 by NewHeavenNewEarth
"ANOTHER
thought-provoking exploration
of the extraordinary times in which we live."
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CONTENTS:
=================
QUOTABLE:
The Whole Person
CENTERS FOR TRANSFORMATION
David Sunfellow
THE PROCESS OF MANIFESTATION
Dottie Titus
TRANSFORMATIONAL DREAMWORK
Gillian Holloway
RECIPE FOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
INGREDIENT #3: "FREEDOM"
Linda O'Keefe & Lance Botthof
************************
QUOTABLE:
THE WHOLE PERSON
"The cure of many diseases remains unknown to the physicians of Greece because
they do not study the whole person."
---Socrates (470-399 BC)
************************
CENTERS FOR TRANSFORMATION
By David Sunfellow
Dannion Brinkley is one of the most remarkable people on the planet today. Not
only is his story unusually inspiring, but the man himself is something of a
legend. James Redfield, the author of THE CELESTINE PROPHECY and a close friend
of Brinkley's, describes him this way:
"Dannion's main theme is this: If we can dispel our fear of death, we can
dispel our fear of life, our fear of living up to our fullest, most spiritual
potential. Key to ending fear, he believes, is training people to help make the
transition to death a loving, gentle, and normal experience. The people at several
hospice associations tell me that he has already recruited more hospice volunteers
than anyone in their histories.
"My own opinion, however, is that Dannion's contribution is even wider than
that, for in spite of the fact that he is often loud and boisterous and casts
into trees too much when fishing, the man is a model. Here in the 1990s, we are
moving from a theoretical understanding of spirituality to actually living what
we know, which can be very difficult. Somehow we have to understand and follow
our intuitions, stay connected with our sense of mission, discern how and when
to intervene in people's lives, and, above all, portray ourselves honestly to
others whether they are skeptical or not. In this, Dannion has no equal. He spends
much of his time on a variety of talk shows, bantering with professional debunkers,
and he never retreats for a moment. 'You only have to kill me a couple times
and I get the message,' he is fond of saying. 'We are great and powerful spiritual
beings. And we are all beginning to realize it."
Who is Dannion Brinkley? And what makes him so special?
In 1994 Dannion Brinkley published a book detailing two remarkable near-death
experiences. Called, "Saved by the Light," Brinkley's first book became
a national best-seller and established him as one of the most original, enigmatic
and thought-provoking people ever to appear in the human potential movement.
While a growing number of people are reporting near-death experiences, Brinkley's
story contained several aspects that placed him in a category all by himself.
In addition to passing through the classic phases associated with near-death
experiences (see NHNE NEWS BRIEF 2), Brinkley also received a series of 117 dramatic
predictions (see NHNE NEWS BRIEFS 1,2,7,8,9) -- and an unusual mission:
"The Being let me know what I was supposed to do back on Earth. I was to
build centers where people could come to reduce stress in their lives. Through
this reduction of stress, said the Being, humans would come to realize, 'as we
do,' that they are higher spiritual beings. They would become less fearful and
more loving of their fellow man." Brinkley felt that these centers could
potentially change some of the dire predictions he received -- or, if not change
them, at least help people gracefully pass through them.
In "Saved by the Light" Brinkley described the center he
was being called to build. It consisted of seven rooms, and eight steps.
The seven rooms
were:
1. A therapy room in which people come together and talk to each other;
2. A massage room where people are massaged, and also massage others;
3. A sensory-deprivation chamber, which allowed people to relax and go deep within
themselves;
4. A biofeedback room, where biofeedback machines let people see the extent to
which they can control their emotions;
5. A room where psychic readings are done to provide people with personal insights;
6. A room with a "Klini" bed whose musical components relax
a person
so deeply that they can actually leave their body;
7. A reflection chamber made of polished steel or copper on the inside and shaped
in such a way that the person inside can't see his own reflection.
After experiencing all seven rooms, the eighth and final step in Brinkley's process
involved sending the person back to the Klini bed and reconnecting them to biofeedback
instruments. Once a deep stage of relaxation had been reached, the person is
then guided to a spiritual realm, while the biofeedback instruments help them
realize the feelings required to reach the spiritual realm on their own.
Brinkley spent years recovering from his first near-death experience,
which was precipitated by being struck by lightning. While slowly regaining
his strength
and mobility, Brinkley was regularly visited in his dreams by Beings that taught
him how to build the center described above. The Klini bed, which Brinkley said
was especially difficult to build, was the most important component of his stress-reduction
centers. In "Saved by the Light" Brinkley said he eventually created
a working model of the Klini bed. He also outlined plans to establish his first
fully functional center in South Carolina.
In 1995 Brinkley published his second book, "At Peace in the Light." That
book described how Brinkley spent two years living with Dr. Raymond Moody helping
Moody with his "Theater of the Mind" project, which has many similarities
to Brinkley's Center. Moody, author of "Life After Life" and "Reunions," is
regarded as the world's foremost authority on near-death experiences. He became
close friends with Brinkley in 1976 shortly after Brinkley's first near-death
experience. Among other things, Moody claims to have heard Brinkley's predictions
before any of them came true and witnessed, first hand, Brinkley's unnerving
ability to read minds and accurately predict the future (gifts his near-death
experience left him with). Brinkley, meanwhile, not only credits Moody with helping
him salvage his life after his first near-death experience, but also with convincing
him to undergo an operation that saved his life just prior to his second near-death
experience.
Moody's Theater of the Mind arose out of an attempt to understand how
a person can reach the spirit world without having to be dead or near
dead. The most publicized
aspect of Moody's Theater of the Mind is a special room called a "Psychomanteum." Moody's
Psychomanteum is a room that is designed to help people contact spiritual forces,
especially the spirits of those who have died. Similar to the reflection chamber
that Brinkley described, the centerpiece of Moody's Psychomanteum is a mirror
that has been carefully placed in a dark room. The mirror has been subtly lighted
in a way that tends to alter normal perception. Similar techniques, involving
pools of water, crystal balls and other reflective surfaces were used in ancient
times.
After his two-year stay with Moody, Brinkley returned home to South
Carolina and created his first fully functioning center. According
to "At Peace in
the Light," Brinkley's second center, a public one, is supposed to be completed
in 1997.
While Brinkley and Moody have been busy creating sacred places that will allow
people to get in touch with the more spiritual aspects of themselves, and life
in general, others have also been busy. Started by Tom Dodd, THE SYNERGY CENTER
has incorporated many of the components that Brinkley envisioned in his healing
center. Originally a small, one-story hospital, Dodd transformed the old hospital
building into a cutting-edge center for personal transformation. Along with massage
therapy, Reiki healing, cranial-sacral alignment, chakra balancing, hypnotherapy,
steam and dry-heat saunas, vegetarian meals, 45 acres of walking trails, wildlife,
and a natural lake, and a bookstore that carries everything from books and tapes
to Edgar Cayce remedies, THE SYNERGY CENTER also offers Brinkley's Klini bed,
Moody's Psychomanteum, a floatation tank and a special mandala room.
Joby Brown, a woman who describes herself as "an ordinary grandmother," recently
visited THE SYNERGY CENTER and shared her experience on Brinkley's Klini bed:
"For a few minutes I just seemed to enjoy the music, ordinary thoughts came
and went. Then gradually I seemed to be getting glimpses of other times, other
places. I had the feeling these were 'clips' of my former incarnations. Part
of my mind focused on trying to remember everything I was 'seeing.' There were
scenes from every part of the world except Japan/China. I guess I never lived
there. There were scenes where I was male, female, young, old, every kind of
possibility. There must have 25 or 30 fleeting glimpses. I was an Eskimo, a camel
driver, an African princess. At one point I was an enormous blue whale.
"At no time did I lose awareness of my body. It was like I was seeing myself
in these pictures rather than actually being there. Then I became a colossal
rainbow, shimmering and glowing. I was a cosmic goddess, strewing stars about
the universe like rose petals. I was the ocean. I was swirls of energy making
colored patterns throughout all creation. I was a creator, shaping a planet out
of a ball of luminous clay. Then I became a brilliant point of light, floating
around like a butterfly from star to star; whirling, dancing in eternity. I could
feel the music in every cell. The part of me that was trying to 'record' everything
was on overload. It was wonderful.
"The music changed then to piano and/or harp. I saw myself as a young girl,
dancing in the moonlight. I was wearing a simple tunic of white, or maybe silver.
I moved slowly from flower to tree, in love with everything around me. As I danced,
I began to float up into the clouds. I was filled such joy, my heart light as
a feather.
"Gradually I began to realize that angels were gathering all around me.
Soon there were dozens of them, all looking at me with total love. I was surrounded
and enfolded with absolute acceptance, I felt their true joy to be with me, to
see me, to be able to share unconditional absolute 'belongingness.'
"I was still aware of my physical body on the bed, but I was also immersed
in the glory that was happening around me. My physical body sobbed and shook
and tears ran down into my ears and soaked my foam ear plugs. The sweetness and
beauty were indescribable, and the emotion just kept getting more and more intense,
and I knew that this was called spiritual ecstasy, and it was the most glorious
feeling I have ever experienced. The music started to change a little, and the
angels began fading away. The last thing I heard was a soft voice saying 'This
is what life is supposed to feel like. This is LOVE.'" [For a complete description
of Brown's THE SYNERGY CENTER experiences, you can visit <http://www.synergycenter.com/syn.html>,
or email her at: "sunflower@pnx.com"]
While not everyone has experiences like the one described by Brown, extraordinary
experiences do seem to be the order of the day. Believers and sceptics alike
have reported profound experiences using Brinkley's Klini bed, Moody's Psychomanteum
and many of the other innovative personal growth systems mentioned in this article.
More profound, however, may be the fact that these new personal growth systems
are rapidly spreading, helping spawn a growing number of holistic healing centers
like those envisioned by Brinkley. Where will it all end? Will the remaining
global upheavals predicted by Brinkley be eased or averted by the new breed of
stress-reduction centers? Will the breakthroughs in consciousness being reported
by people using these new medias have any kind of long-term affect on their personal
lives and, by extension, the planet as a whole?
The only thing that is certain at this point is that another major
force for spiritual awakening is quickly gaining ground. What began
a few years ago with
a bolt of lightning (in Brinkley's case), and decades before with dreams, visions
and psychic readings (in the case of other visionaries like Edgar Cayce), is
now a reality that is rapidly catching fire and spreading. As Brinkley points
out in "At Peace in the Light":
"I have come to realize that I am not the only one who has received information
about The Centers. During the course of the last twenty years, my path has crossed
with many people who have had inspirations that relate to the centers. I have
talked to people who have had spiritual experiences in which they were instructed
to build centers similar to the one I was instructed to build. I have even talked
to people who have developed beds for the same purpose as the one the Spirit
Beings indicated to me. It was almost as though the Spirit Beings shot-gunned
the information to people all around the world and then left us to find each
other."
In future issues of WIND & WINGS, Mary Dodd, co-founder of THE
SYNERGY CENTER, will be discussing various aspects of this remarkably
important work.
DANNION BRINKLEY
Saved by the Light
P.O. Box 13255
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
WWW: http://www.harpercollins.com/releases/peaceh.htm
THE SYNERGY CENTER
911 S. Helen St
Overton Texas 75684
Phone: 903-834-4258
eMail: tom@synergycenter.com
WWW: http://www.synergycenter.com
************************
THE PROCESS OF MANIFESTATION
By Dottie Titus
Pathwork Lecture #169
"The Masculine & Feminine Principles in the Creative Process"
In this lecture, the Pathwork Guide gets very specific about how important recognition
of our creative abilities is and about how we create. The Guide says that human
beings not only possess the universal creative power but also express it. "Coming
into your own means the deliberate, conscious, purposeful use of the creative
power which you are and which emanates from you. For, unconsciously and unknowingly,
without realizing it, you constantly create your life circumstances with this
power. What you think and feel, what you believe and conceive of, what you secretly
wish and fear -- all of this shapes and determines creative substance. And all
of this IS the motor force of this power."
The lecture says that the self-realized individual knows exactly how
he creates
his life and that there comes a point when "man connects with his unconscious
blocks and subsequently comprehends his obstructions and unhappiness in life.
This is a great moment, when an individual suddenly understands that he has done
it, how he has done it and what is the secret attitude that has produced the
unwelcome fate, so that it is no longer blind fate and he can connect cause and
effect. From that moment on, man ceases to be helpless. He has never been helpless
in regard to any force or power outside himself. But he is helpless against his
own inner processes until he recognizes and changes them." This, then, is
why it is so important for us to take responsibility for the life we have created,
for the situations we have endured. We ARE responsible for them. With this knowledge
comes the power to change and make our lives happier, more fulfilling.
How do we create? There are two basic aspects to the creative process:
The first is activation, and the second is letting it happen. As the
Guide says, "First,
you activate, then you get 'out of the way' and let it happen. This creative
principle exists throughout the entire universe and manifests in everything in
your life..." If what we create is constructive, joyful, pleasurable, then
we have used these principles, or aspects, in a harmonious way. If our creation
is destructive and painful, then these two aspects do not function harmoniously
in us.
What is activation? "To activate means that the conscious entity
deliberately issues, claims, sets in motion, moves toward, causes,
determines, makes happen,
uses purposefully, the forces at his disposal. He does so by knowing of these
forces and calling them into action... by removing all possible obstruction and
by doing himself whatever is necessary. Effort and endeavor are an integral part
of setting the creative forces in motion... this represents the masculine principle
in creation."
Letting it be takes the form of being receptive and waiting. "It
is also a movement, for nothing that is alive can possibly be not moving,
but the type
of movement is a very different one from the movement of the activating principle.
The activating principle moves itself out toward another state; the spirit of
letting it be is a movement within itself. It is a pulsating, involuntary movement,
while the movement of activation is deliberate and self-determining... The consciousness
of the attitude of letting it be is one of patience, of trustful waiting, of
letting a ripening process come to fruition, one of surrender to a force set
in motion. This may be called the feminine principle in creation."
When we create painful situations, we are distorting the rightful use
of these forces. We distort the activation aspect when we become forcing,
when we try
to "make it happen" or when we use rage or violence to get what we
want. We distort the letting it happen aspect when we become passive and refuse
to take self-responsibility, when we let others be responsible for us or blame
others for our lives.
For most of us, there are some areas of our lives where we create beautifully.
Think about these and see how the active and receptive principles function there.
Then think about areas of your life that are not working so well, and again consider
how you may be distorting these principles. To create harmoniously is a matter,
for me, of deciding what I want (active), putting out into the universe my heartfelt
desire for it (active), then waiting in trust for it to happen (receptive) and
being open to it happening in a way totally different from what I expect (receptive).
One of the most useful ways to work with this is to think of an area where you
are not fulfilled despite your belief that you want it with all your heart. Focus
on your desire for the outcome for several minutes; feel your longing. Then imagine
it happening exactly as you wish it to. As you do this, don't go into daydreams
or fantasies. Do it consciously, and note what feelings come up. Odds are that
you will find resistance to the outcome you believe you want or you will find
feelings coming up that are not helpful in this process. When I tried this in
relation to a period in my life of not earning enough money, I was amazed to
discover my resistance to abundance was because I would have to give up my view
of myself as a victim. I had recently freed myself from that image in an important
part of my life, and it found another part of my life to attach to -- my money
or lack thereof. Within just a month of seeing this distortion and resistance,
my income began to increase and is now nearly double what it was then. This process
really works!!!
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Dottie Titus is the Director of the SEVENOAKS PATHWORK CENTER in Madison, Virginia.
Having completed the five-year Pathwork Transformation Program and the four-year
Pathwork Helper Training Program at SEVENOAKS, Dottie is also a Pathwork Counselor.
In addition, she facilitates a Pathwork study group online. If you would like
to join the Pathwork study group, you can write Dottie at: pathwork@aol.com.
If you would like to find out more about Eva Pierrakos and the Pathwork lectures,
an NHNE Special Report on the subject is available in the database section of
the NHNE web site:
http://nen.sedona.net/nhne/pathwork.html
THE PATHWORK NEW YORK REGION also has a Web site at:
http://www.pathwork.org
************************
TRANSFORMATIONAL DREAMWORK
By Gillian Holloway
Many people find recurring dreams annoying and perplexing, particularly those
involving actions and settings that make no rational sense. Crashing elevators,
endless high school exams or forgetting to wear clothes to work are not events
most of us encounter. Why then does the mind fix on a melodrama, or absurd situation
and present it with compelling intensity again and again?
Generally recurring dreams reflect the psyche's attempt to create closure
with an emotional dilemma, or to digest and assimilate insight from
life experiences.
Long feared to be a sign of hidden trauma or mental illness, recurring dreams
are actually often a sign of healthy struggle toward balance and understanding.
Conscious recognition of the metaphor in a dream often brings its hidden gifts
to light and eliminates the "need" for the dream to return. High achievers
recognize themselves in the tested teenager and learn to balance their drive
for perfection. Reticent souls who always lose their teeth in dreams find the
time and place to speak their truth, and delight in discovering they have "outgrown" their
dental nightmares.
But sometimes it isn't possible to recognize the real life counterpart of your
evening drama. The dream is clear enough, but the subject matter is not, though
the sense of urgency behind the dream is undeniable. In such cases you can still
become an active partner with your dream and help create the balance it seeks.
Transformation Dreamwork is a technique for rewriting scary or frustrating dreams,
and healing the pain they represent. While it appears simple and even fun, for
many been it has been a potent source of resolution and joy.
Using the dream as a starting point, begin to create a new version of the same
drama, but this time add whatever will resolve the problem or heal the crisis
(wisdom, courage, forgiveness, rescue, or perfect love). Most people write their
new drama, although some prefer to paint, draw, sculpt or work with a sand tray.
Any medium of representation will work, but it is important to create an external
production of the resolved dream story.
Don't think of the artistic medium involved. It is an inner art you're creating,
and its alchemy is not impacted merely by visual qualities, but by your own connection
with the meaning you give the work. Do anything necessary to insure you find
satisfaction in the story line. Permit yourself any degree of corny heroism and
whatever superhuman powers you require. Draw upon miraculous support: a passing
genius, talking animals, or a host of angels. Just make sure you are involved
in a hearty resolution of the dreams' drama. Once you have revamped the story,
and created an emotionally satisfying resolution, set your dream production aside
for awhile.
At three or four different times throughout the day, return to the
transformed dream and re-imagine it. Some day-dream in a meditative
state, some find it important
to speak aloud the new story, while still others re-enact the drama with puppet-like
symbols of various kinds. A non-critical focus, and the willingness to embrace
heroic possibilities are all you need. Do as many repetitions as you like, for
as many days as you like. Most people find that doing three sessions per day
leaves them feeling "complete" in one to three days. Using this technique,
you will likely notice the original dream either disappears or is quite altered
and improved if it arises again.
This is not a way to eliminate dreams you "don't like" for
trivial reasons, but a powerful method to rework the constructs that
gave rise to the
recurring dream. We have all had a turn at being haunted by something that would
not show its face, yet refused to go away. This is one approach to heal, forgive,
and release that specter, which can work effectively whether or not you ever
know its name.
------------
Gillian Holloway, Ph.D., is a Dream Analyst with a comprehensive World Wide Web
site dedicated to dreams and dreamwork. Called, "LIFETREKS: DREAM INTERPRETATION
SERVICES & RESOURCES," Gillian's site is full of valuable information,
insights and resources concerning dreams. Along with creating and maintaining
a Web site, Gillian is also a dream author, lecturer and counselor. If you have
any interesting dreams you would like to share, Gillian's site also has a section
dedicated to the "Dream of the Month."
eMail: gholloway@lifetreks.com
WWW: http://www.lifetreks.com/~dreams
************************
RECIPE FOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
INGREDIENT #3: "FREEDOM"
Linda O'Keefe & Lance Botthof
What is freedom? Good question. A movie we recently saw summed it up for us as "that
out of the park home run over the fence, reach for the stars, bigger than life" kind
of feeling we get when we're just being ourselves -- and it's alright just because.
So how do we create that feeling of freedom in our relationships with others?
Another good question. Although easier to write and talk about than to integrate
into our behavior, the answer is probably already on the tip of your tongue.
Right?
If you're anything like us (and you probably are since we are all in
this relationship thing together) you undoubtedly spend a good part
of your day dealing with the
demands and reactions of others. But how often do we honestly allow ourselves
to say "no" or just become aware that we are putting the requests or
demands of others ahead of our own needs. There are some fairly fancy words for
this, but suffice it to say that most of us bleed off a lot of our energy in
the pursuit of making others happy. We're not suggesting that you tell your boss
or your aunt Sarah or your spouse to take a flying leap. To the contrary, much
like you would balance on a log while crossing a fast moving stream, we must
all learn how to assert what's important to us without dishonoring the other
person with whom we are in relationship. Some logs are skinnier than others,
but with awareness and practice we can make a self empowering stand for ourselves,
while at the same time respecting the ability of others to do the same thing.
Imagine being in a relationship with another human being who is trying
their hand at the same sort of self care. The result can create true
miracles. Suddenly,
we don't feel blamed because we no longer have a reason to blame others. We feel
safe because we're able to share ourselves honestly and hopefully listen to others
while they are doing the same. We are getting a real taste of "being" who
we are and eliciting the support of others to follow our lead.
As we've said in previous columns, most of us didn't experience this
kind of role modeling when we were growing up. Therefore, it entails
learning some new
behavior dictated by a strong desire to live/be in life more fully. Once we realize
and experience our ability to express and "care for" ourselves emotionally,
even before we witness the same in others, we will feel a freedom that is unparalleled.
------------
Linda O'Keefe and Lance Botthof together have nearly 20 years of personal recovery
and counseling experience. Their marriage partnership is founded in a deep commitment
to continued personal growth. They seek to share their inspiration with others
interested in discovering the power of relationships. Their "Options For
Growth" site on the World Wide Web is dedicated to empowering others towards
this end. Included therein, is information on a "Relationship Help Line",
designed to help callers with relationship concerns and "Life Shift",
a two to four day personal & spiritual growth intensive held in Sedona, Arizona.
Linda and Lance can be reached at the following:
OPTIONS FOR GROWTH
P.O. Box 65145
Tucson, AZ, USA 85728-5145
Phone: (520) 615-1449
eMail: options@rtd.com
WWW: http://nen.sedona.net/options
************************
EDITOR & PUBLISHER:
David Sunfellow
REGULAR COLUMNISTS:
Gillian Holloway
Linda O'Keefe & Lance Botthof
Dottie Titus
Mary Dodd
Bob Manrodt
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NHNE
MISSION STATEMENT, CREDITS & CONTACT INFORMATION
The
mission of NewHeavenNewEarth (NHNE) is to answer humankind's oldest,
most perplexing questions: Who are we? Where are we from? What is
the origin and purpose of life? Instead of relying on ancient or
contemporary wisdom, or the knowledge of isolated experts, we are
building a global network of seekers from all walks of life, from
all parts of the world, lay people and professionals alike, that
can pool talents, experience, and resources to unravel life's great
mysteries.
We
also believe that our planet is passing through a time of profound
change and are seeking to create a global community of like-minded
people that can safely pass through whatever changes may come our
way and help give birth to a new way of life on our planet.
------------
NewHeavenNewEarth
(NHNE)
a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
P.O. Box 2242
Sedona, AZ USA 86339
eMail:
nhne@nhne.com
NHNE Website: http://www.nhne.com/
Phone: (928) 282-6120
Fax: (815) 346-1492
NHNE
Wind & Wings Archive
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