Mental Virus

/ Tunnel Vision 8
May each day bring you a little less under the sway of the fears, inhibitions, and lies that are certainly the heritage of your individual and collective past, yet in which (consciously or unconsciously) you still indulge in the present. And may each day bring you more and more surrender to freedom and love. – Jean-Yves Leloup

I am working more intensely with my mind and thoughts. About a month ago, I thought my mind had a mental virus. My mind created jealously, insecurity, and negative thoughts. I told myself, “If I don’t control my thoughts, I’m in big trouble.”

Thankfully, I have restored my peaceful mind. I think turbulence in my marriage sparked the “mental virus.” The crisis in our marriage led us to build a stronger marriage. My husband and I reconnected with the help of a book called, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman. I highly recommend this book.

My imagination is what got me in trouble. I played scenarios, in my mind, that were not true. Jean-Yves Leloup says, “It is our imagination that needs to be healed.”

I tried many things to control my mind. I tried to push away images, but they would return. The best way, I have found, to let go of negative thoughts is to say to myself, “Please forgive my thoughts.”

Another way to redirect my mind is to ask myself, “What do I want to focus on?” Sometimes it’s best to put on blinders like blinkers on a horse. Sometimes I need tunnel vision!

Meditation can help me control my mind. If I have too many thoughts, I use a mantra during my meditation. I like using “Sat Nam” (true identity) or “Om So Hum” (I am that). I noticed that I need to meditate every morning – it prepares my mind for the rest of the day.

To settle my anxious mind, I need to remind myself that I will be okay no matter what. I need to trust God and the Universe. There are some things I can’t control – it’s a wake up call to bring nonattachment, equanimity, and peace within myself.

To go forward with my peaceful mind, I am using the concept of “out of sight, out of mind.” I can do this by staying in the present moment and being careful about what I allow into my senses (what I watch, listen to, and participate in). Also, I must remember information on the Internet can bring me down the “rabbit hole” – places I may not want to go.

To keep a pure mind and heart, I must learn to create a sense of peace inside and outside of myself. If I want to evolve into higher consciousness, I need to connect with the higher vibration of love and gratitude. I am thankful for so many things!

And lastly, I must forgive myself. I need to give myself compassion and love. I learned a lot about my mind. It’s a gift to have this self-realization.

Namaste.

I Am Changing

/ Tunnel Vision 8

A few nights ago, during a dream, I looked into the mirror and said, “I am changing.” I can feel that I am changing on the inside and out.

I am changing on the outside. I am keenly aware that I am getting older. Part of me needs to grieve that my youth is gone and I am entering a new phase in my life. I am working on feeling secure inside and value my accumulated talents and abilities.

I am thinking about going gray. I’ve earned my gray hair. I realize that if I let my hair go gray, I might look older. Most of my friends and family tell me to color my hair. I realize society pushes women to look younger.

I read that most women feel powerful when they go gray. Interestingly, people say men look distinguished when they go gray. Society says it’s okay for men to feel distinguished and powerful, but women should only strive to be young and beautiful.

Right now, we live in a patriarchal society (false yang) – a society where men are making the rules. I think most women want to have natural hair. It is time for women to take their power back and live in a society where we can be ourselves.

Remember, according to Taoism, the twin forces (yin and yang) are in combat seeking to overcome each other – it’s out of balance. However, if we want to transcend into a balanced society, we must value and respect each other.

Together these two forces are locked in perpetual combat seeking to overcome each other. But this is impossible, for each carries the seed of the other within it. – The Jesus Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Scrolls of Taoist Christianity, by Martin Palmer

I’m not sure, yet, if I will go gray or not. I’m going to let it grow out and see what I think. I am tired of dying my hair, and the chemicals are not good for my health or for the environment

Namaste.

The New Human

/ Tunnel Vision 8

Humans are awakening up to their divinity. A new awakening is arising – just like the sun.

The new humanity will follow in the footsteps of Buddha and Jesus. “The vocation of servant leadership is a call to become as he was in the world – the new humanity, hetero pacificus – the peacemakers whom Jesus called ‘blessed’ in his catalogue of the truly happy people,” Bennett J. Sims said in his book, Servanthood: Leadership in the Third Millennium.

We must strive to become peacemakers with an enlightened mind. “This is meditation. Not taking anything for granted. I mean, we should be grateful and think how fortunate we are that we have this fascinating experience. I call it the laboratory of mind and body. But it seems that though this mind and body are so close to us, they are in many ways so very far away,” Godwin Samararatne said in his book, Discovering Meditation.

Lately, I’ve felt a touch of emptiness in my life. At first, I felt afraid of it. But then, during my meditation, I realized that when something is empty, there’s an opportunity to fill it with something new. I want to fill that space with love, peace, mindfulness, and equanimity.

“So this place of meeting our edge, of accepting the present moment and the unknown, is a very powerful place for those who wish to awaken and open their heart and mind,” a quote by Pema Chodron.

The new human understands impermanence and attachment. I am working on having less attachment in my life. In the last month or so, I’ve had a few challenges in my marriage, and I can see how much attachment I have to my husband.

Every day I remind myself to let love guide me, not fear. I am afraid of losing my husband. But, in reality, everything is impermeant – even my marriage. However, I want to learn more about my relationship with my husband, and I’m grateful that we both want to work on our marriage.

“Buddha’s doctrine: Man suffers because of his craving to possess and keep forever things which are essentially impermanent. This frustration of the desire to possess is the immediate cause of suffering,” a quote by Alan Watts.

The new human has a lot of work to do! But we can transform ourselves into hetero pacificus. To transcend into peacemakers, we need a peaceful and enlightened mind, live in the present moment, understand impermanence, and live every day with love in our hearts.

Namaste.

Cup of Life

/ Tunnel Vision 8
Cup of Life – Pencil drawing by GG

I think the world should ask the woman what she wants with her reproduction. Why? Because she holds the chalice. She decides when to drink from the cup of life.

The womb is sacred. It sits deep into the pelvic girdle – where the sacral and root chakra spin.

All life is a gift from God, and all humans are divine. But God gifted the chalice to women.

Female issues have been on my mind lately. And I think it’s because of the collective energy surrounding Roe v. Wade. I had so much energy that I needed to draw (and I usually don’t draw anything).

Now I understand that there’s an awakening happening with the female body. For so many years, we didn’t question the female reproductive system.

New revelations are coming out about our true Origin. It is time for women to take back their personal and collective power. However, this time women and men will find balance.

We can move toward Heaven on Earth – this is our destiny. Twin forces that come together!

Each child born to a woman who says yes to life has the greatest gift of all – a chance to live in a new awareness and new love.

We must love each other. It is the only way.

Yin, Yang, and the Gateway – Pencil drawing by GG
The Holy Grail – The Chalice

Namaste.

Healing Yin & Yang

/ Tunnel Vision 8
Sacred Geometry: Interlocked rings and the Chakras

Today during my meditation practice, I received a message about yin, yang, and the chakras. I saw an image, and I knew the meaning right away (see the picture above). We can heal our yin (feminine energy) and yang (masculine energy) by working with the chakras.

The two interlocked rings symbolize unity. The hole in the center of the ring is a gateway or a door. The left side (yin) is earth, and the right side (yang) is heaven.

According to Wikipedia, the vesica piscis is a mathematical shape formed by the intersection of two disks with the same radius, intersecting at the center of each disk lies on the perimeter of the other.

The vesica piscis (intersecting disks) create the Flower of Life – which holds the most significant and sacred patterns of the Universe. It depicts how all life comes from one singular source (the Origin/Shakti).

The Flower of Life

There’s a lot of symbolism, but I want to focus on the chakras. Here are the healing chakras (energy systems):

1st Chakra (Red/Root) – Heal your tribal beliefs (family, culture, society, etc.). What are your unconscious drivers? Reconnect with your family. Heal your deep roots, and work with your fears.

2nd Chakra (Orange/Sacral) – Heal your relationship with your significant other or partner. Relationships are like a garden. What do you want to plant and tend to?

3rd Chakra (Yellow/Solar Plexus) – Heal yourself. Be secure inside. Know your personal power. How do you nurture yourself?

4th Chakra (Green/Heart) – Heal the love in your heart. Give and receive love. If you spell “LOVE” backward, it spells “EVOL” – like EVOLVE. We must evolve to our true nature which is a compassionate being. True compassion is manifested through the heart.

5th Chakra (Blue/Throat) – Heal your power. You are a manifesting machine. Be a person of conscious power.

6th Chakra (Violet/Third Eye) – Heal your beliefs about yourself and the world. Beliefs create reality. How do you see the world? Change unconscious beliefs to conscious choices.

7th Chakra (Purple/Crown) – Heal your connection to the Divine/spirit world. See the world in energetic terms. Live mindfully.

The Flower of Life with the Seven Chakras

May all living beings be well, happy, skillful, and peaceful. Namaste.

Love Yourself

/ Tunnel Vision 8
I am broken but not divided. – Sr. Lucy Bruskiewicz

About fifteen years ago, when I was going through my divorce, I felt lonely and depressed. I remember standing in my kitchen with my good friend and mentor, Sister Lucy Bruskiewicz. I told her I missed someone holding me. Sister Lucy then took my arms and put them around me – I was hugging myself. She told me to love myself.

No one is perfect. We are all broken by hardships in life – but not divided. We are together, as fellow human beings, on this journey.

I have learned through the years to reach out to my friends during troubling times. I am so grateful to have friends that I can call any time.

When I feel anxiety, I remind myself to stay in the present moment. When I let my imagination drift into the future, I feel scared and unbalanced. I know that one of the secrets of life is to be mindful of the present moment.

Here is a mantra to help you love yourself:

(83) OM SO HUM | Choir Version | 1008 Times – YouTube

As you sing “OM SO” – focus on your heart.

As you sing “HUM” – focus on your throat.

You are who you are, you are that, you are pure consciousness.

Namaste.

Sister Lucy’s Light (Poem)

/ Tunnel Vision 8
Sr. Lucy’s nursing home took photos of residents holding up messages to give hope to people during the pandemic.

I wrote a poem to honor and remember my friend and mentor, Sister Lucy Bruskiewicz. She died on Monday, March 28, 2022.

Sister Lucy’s Light
March 2022

Sister Lucy’s heart is beauty and light.
She gives and gives to her divine delight.
The light will continue in the hearts of many.
Her spiritual work endures a plenty.

Honoring many paths, making each bright.
She holds the candle with intuitive sight.
With God walking by her side,
A path of light illuminates her stride.

Sister Lucy’s light guides you and me.
Her presence shows us how to be free.
She has loving light in her eyes.
That’s because she’s eternally wise.

- GG

Ocean Sand

/ Tunnel Vision 8
Photo by Gina M. Gafford

When I was in Florida, my husband and I went to New Smyrna Beach. It was cooler that day, but the ocean water was warm. I walked into the ocean – almost up to my knees. As I stood still and closed my eyes, I could feel my feet steady on the sand. But as the waves rolled back, my feet sank into the sand.

I think life is a lot like the sand – it’s always changing. When I think I’m stable, something happens in my life to create instability. I know the only way to accept this change is to embrace love and impermanence.

As a spiritual person, I think I have gained spiritual wisdom. But then, when I have a challenge in my life, I am reminded of how much work I still have to do. It’s okay to keep learning. I need a good dose of self-compassion.

The ocean is vast – and it keeps moving. I need to keep moving and growing too. I need to accept who I am – a spiritual being with ocean water running in my veins.

Today I am wet sand, and tomorrow I will be dry sand.

Trust the Universe.

Namaste.

God Bless Your Marriage (Poem)

/ Tunnel Vision 8

My husband and I attended my best friend’s wedding in Florida a few days ago. I wrote a poem for her and her new husband.

As I wrote the poem, I realized how it applies to all marriages. The poem tells us we can start something new. It’s never too late to forgive and try again. The most important part is to show how much we’ve grown.

No marriage can last without integrity. Integrity means being honest and having high moral principles. Love is the way to purify the heart. Meditation can purify the mind.

Marriage is challenging – but it can offer many opportunities for spiritual growth. Each person is responsible for themselves. But, as a couple, it’s crucial to show love, commitment, and support.

Here is the poem:

God Bless Your Marriage
A Poem for Sarah & Dan
March 2022

Love gives you another chance.
Embrace each other for life’s dance.
Play your cards right.
Keep integrity in sight.

Create something new.
Let it show how much you grew.

With gentle love,
And with God’s help above,
Step into your faithful carriage 
Because God will bless your marriage.

- GG

Winter Blues (Poem)

/ Tunnel Vision 8 
Winter Blues

During my winter blues,
I dream of something new.
I see the ocean tide;
My heart can no longer hide.

The deep blue sea,
Calls to me.
My mind opens to the water,
Because I am her daughter.

Winter, I grab you by sight;
My eyes see only white.
Someday the ocean will flow.
But, for now, it is frozen in glittery snow.

- GG