Dedicated to Inspired Expressions of Life's Energy
Enlightenments Path a slow simmer or a 'happy meal' by Lisa Reber Nature's Pathways - July 2010
Still Waters, Lake La Aqua Na State Park, IL
Today’s Special: 1 Enlightened Being for $ 1,500 and two hours of your time; and you don’t have to memorize or change a thing! This is the thought that goes through my mind on days I’m working with a client and they seem particularly stuck in some drama of their life that is focused on the material plane.It’s usually this same person that will tell me they are a Reiki Master/Teacher in one breath and lament their toxic relationships in the next. I’m not particularly shocked by this contradiction; after all, it is a part of our human nature and a growing condition of our society.We live in a culture of ‘quick fixes’ and we have come to expect them.From prescriptions for every possible ailment and the side effects the first one may produce, to fast meals and television on demand.We’ve trained ourselves into living the ‘happy meal’ life.This habit has even found its way into our spiritual lives as well.Everyone is in a rush to gain ‘enlightenment’ in the most efficient and quickest way possible. This has left me a bit out of touch, for I’ve prescribed to the ‘slow cooker’ approach to spiritual development.Like my brother-in-law, Carl’s, infamous pulled pork (well, infamous to our family and some people in Rhinelander); I need time to simmer in each step of the process to fully absorb the flavor. To give you a practical example of the ‘simmering’ process, I was introduced to Usui Reiki after a near death experience.My husband, daughter and I took our first Reiki class together.It was a two day class with four attunements (2 each day).What a beautiful experience it was and my spiritual journey has evolved since then to include many other spiritual practices and ways of healing.Through this I have found that slowly integrating new aspects as I go makes each experience more rewarding. One area of learning I was not fully enjoying was meditation.I can talk to a dog in Oregon without missing a beat, but I can’t ‘be still’ to allow the voice of Spirit to enter in.So, as I do when in need, I sent out a request to Spirit for the program that would work for me in this area of my journey. A few months later, I discovered Hemi-Sync.Robert Monroe created this program using binaural beats and sound vibrations to put any person into a whole brain state.Over the past 50 years this has been refined to aid people with physiological, mental and emotional issues.I, however, was drawn to the programs that expanded consciousness and would aid me on my spiritual journey. I ordered the Gateway Experience and like a meal at a 4 star restaurant, you are taken into expanding states of consciousness one slow step at a time.Learning the first step of having my ‘mind awake/body asleep’ alone has been invaluable.However, the goal of this particular experience is to know, understand and really experience yourself as more than your physical body. In the second part of the program there is an exercise in which you present a question to your ‘total self’.I had been encountering more and more people like the client I described earlier; having been Reiki attuned or taught other energy healing modalities, but have not allowed it to integrate into their lives.I discovered through conversation with many of them that they had only been given one attunement for Reiki level I.I understand the change that occurred in Reiki (who, why and when); however, I was beginning to believe that something had been lost in shortening the process. I readied myself for the second part of the Hemi-Sync Gateway Experience and after going through the steps to be with and of my total self, I presented my question/problem of the attunement process.Immediately, I received the message; ‘too quick – is the easy fix – fast food version of learning’. I then drifted about for a bit before presenting my question again for an even better answer (this is a part of the program).This time the answer I received was, ‘it takes time to integrate the energy, so it is given in parts; it’s meant to be done slowly as each part opens you more fully’. Once again I drifted about for a brief time and then presented the question again for a third time (again, this is a part of the program) for the best possible answer or solution. This time the answer astounded me! I was greeted by a very old Japanese man who had appeared.He held a mirror up to me and had me see my reflection in it.Then, he shattered the mirror into several pieces.He picked up a shard of the mirror and held it up to me and asked me to see my whole reflection in the smaller piece.I could not.He then stated, ‘One must have each part to make up the whole.’ After this experience I felt like a balloon being deflated and moved away from my total self and back into full waking consciousness with a clear picture of what I had been experiencing with clients. Since this exercise I have had many other amazing experiences using the Hemi-Sync programs to expand my consciousness.I actually look forward to my ‘meditation’ time now! The spiritual path we each choose is truly our own; it is definitely a personal journey for each of us.However, I must ask you to take some time and ponder one question as you take the next step on your path.Are you looking for the ‘quick fix’ to enlightenment or a slow, lasting change in your life?
