True Tales of Enlightenment

In the last episode in the True Tales of Enlightenment podcast series, I talk about how we can develop a direct relationship with God through communion with him. Next year I will be launching a new podcast called "Abide In Me - A.I.M" and hope this will help others to seek and find the spiritual connection and wisdom they are seeking. Click on the image to see all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I ask, "What's the harm?" We often ask this question when we try to disguise our complacency as decency; yet our apathy has consequences. Click on image to view all resources related to this podcast >>

In this week's podcast, I talk about the difference between New Age spiritualism and being led by the Holy Spirit. I explain how reading the Bible on three different levels: literal, metaphorical and metaphysical, can lead to a deeper and more fulfilling understanding of the scriptures and whether we need a transcendent moral reality to keep us from doing wrong. Click on the image to access the resources for this podcast.

We are seeing the world reforming in front of our eyes. The question is, do we like what we see? Reformation of any kind causes disruption to the old order as new truths are brought to light. Will we continue to play it safe and believe the narrative that we are weak and powerless? Or will we make an effort to seek the truth, call out hypocrisy and lies, and take action to build our lives anew?

"It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." Mark Twain In this week's podcast I talk about Kaleidoscopic Consciousness; a multi-faceted, everychanging lens that we need to activate whenever we are trying to make sense of something.  It is only when you have looked at something from multiple perspective that you can even begin to see the truth. In today's polarised environment, it is easy to get caught up in narratives that keep us divided against each other, especially when our emotions are played on by the media. Click on the image to view the resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about how we can adapt to the limitations being placed on all us right now, as we surrender to circumstances beyond our control. At the end of this podcast I have added the audio from the "New Earth Meditation" I recorded in 2018. Use it before you go to sleep to reduce anxiety and help you envision a positive future for us all. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I share a personal mystical experience brought on by reading Thomas Merton's book, Ascent to Truth. This book illumintates the path towards contemplation and mystical communion. It is the path laid down by the mystic Saint John of the Cross, who wrote about the dark night of the soul. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about evil and it's expression in the world. Some say that evil doesn't exist. Some say the field of psychology can explain why people do evil things. But is that true? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about the nature of and reason for suffering in the world. Is there an answer to this age old question that can help give meaning to our lives? Can spiritual teachings and stories sustain us through our pain? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

Some call epiphanies, God breaking through. They are the a-ha moments that put us on a different track and bring new information to light. Higher consciousness is accessed through the mind and linked to our intuition, not our emotions. As our feelings are continually triggered, we need to learn how to calm our emotions so the truth can shine through. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about the personal myths we create to comfort us and why these stories need to be examined when new information becomes available. By looking through the lens of both Christian and Buddhist teachings, I ask if subjective truth and morality is enough to keep us stable during times of need? Or do we need objective truths to stand on in order to make sense of the world and our place in it? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about the spiritual discipline of forgiveness and how we can practice this in our lives. Often, we find it difficult to forgive others because they haven't confessed, apologised and atoned for what they have done. The act of confession relieves us of our burdens and cleanses our soul. It helps us to steer clear of the corruption that leads to much of our misfortune. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

Abraham Maslow coined the term "Jonah Complex" to describe a fear of our own greatness. It refers to the biblical story of Jonah who runs from the purpose that God has laid out for him and ends up in the belly of a whale contemplating his fate and asking for assistance. How many times have you felt as if you were in the belly of the whale? What can we do to stop ourselves sabotaging our own transcendent purpose? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I ask why self-help is the number one selling genre in literature and why we are so clueless about being human. Our ability to self-sustain dwindles with every piece of advice sought from another. So how can we learn to sustain ourselves in times of need? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I ask how many of our beliefs are based on conspiracy theories? With the death of, 'sex trafficker for the elites', Jeffrey Epstein many people have been drawn into this conspiratorial way of thinking, in one person's words, "We've all become Alex Jones." It's time we looked more deeply into how the mainstream narratives we believe to be true were initiated and whether conspiracy theories provide the underpinning of many of our most accepted beliefs. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I ask, Is "love" the answer? Can it save us from psychic attack and manipulation? Will it "beat Trump", as Marianne Williamson has said? Let us remember that love is blind. It does not help us to discern the truth and that is what spirituality is all about. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

Astrology, Numerology and the Enneagram personality system use archetypes and the vibrational frequency of numbers to determine our character, our strengths and weaknesses, as well as our reason for being here on earth. While this may be difficult to understand logically, if we put reason aside for a moment and engage the right-side of our brain, we will begin to see the importance that words and numbers have on our lives. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about censorship and intolerance. As this is being normalised and even welcomed by some, we need to be aware of our own reaction to it. Whose ideas are we unwilling to tolerate and why? What new truths are you afraid to accept? Are you willing to take the risk of thinking for yourself? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about the need to develop our critical thinking capabilities so we can better understand the problems we face - both personally and collectively - and the often well-meaning solutions being offered by politicians and activist groups. Many of these ideas deserve some scrutiny rather than blind acceptance. Thought provoking criticism should not be censored simply because some find it offensive. Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about creativity, intelligence and austism. In the Maori language the word used to describe austism is ‘Takiwātanga’, which translated means "My/his/her own time and space." We still don't understand why austism develops, or have a clear idea of why many austistic people have exceptional creative or academic abilities. Are they able to access different levels of consciousness due to a difference in brain chemistry? Can we learn from people with autism about how to access higher intelligence and creativity? Click on the image to find all resources related to this podcast.

In this week's podcast I talk about the energy of truth that we can see seeping into so many different areas, bringing light and justice where once there was only corruption and darkness. A new dawn has come and there is no turning back. We have such a supportive and buoyant energy assisting us to become warriors; defenders of truth, protectors of those who need it the most. Visit the Resources page or contact me to book a Mentoring session.

As we look at our TVs, computer screens and phones, our consciousness moves into the second dimension and we immediately constrict our view of reality. Lowering our state of consciousness in this way eventually takes it toll and we can begin to feel more anxious and fearful. This perpetual state of fear blocks us from accessing the wisdom and clarity of the higher dimensions. Visit the Resources page or contact me to book a Mentoring session.

In this week's podcast I talk about the benefit of accessing higher dimensional consciousness. Many people like the idea of connecting with aspects of themselves or beings who live in other dimensions, but how does this actually work? Are we living in a huge, multi-layered computer simulation? How does spirituality fit into this model of reality? Visit the Resources Page for access to more resources.

"Every truth has four corners: As a teacher I give you one corner
 and it is for you to find the other three." Confucius As we begin a New Year it's important to reassess, not only our goals, but our premises about life. Are we standing on a solid foundation of truth or a pile of comfortable lies? By reviewing some of the topics from last year using Confucius' four cornered approach, we will can bring balance to our ideas. Visit the Resources Page for access to more resources.

In the last podcast of 2018, I talk in more detail about synchronicity and the nature of real spiritual experiences. Many people believe they can be willed forth through devotion to a Guru, or by following rigorous spiritual exercises; this is the psychology of the seeker based on a desire for enlightenment. However, spirit cares nothing for our human framework of cause and effect, which is why genuine spiritual experiences come out the blue. Visit the Resources page for direct links to more resources.

In this week's podcast I talk about the power of hypnosis and the psychology of the group. We are all subject to the power of certain people and ideas, that act like spells on our consciousness. Whether these spells are cast by organisations, or our nearest and dearest, we need to become aware of how to break them and assert our own will by connecting to our personal guidance.

Through my own experience with archetypal forces, I explain how these conscious symbols interact and heal us and how they were created through the perceptions of ancient humans and augmented by people throughout the ages. The collective unconscious is the store house for these symbols and can be accessed, as we would access the internet based "Cloud" today. The password is our intention, interest and readiness to explore the unknown of the universal mind.

In this week's podcast I talk about traditions, values and institutions that have been brought into disrepute in our western culture. I discuss the modern idea of marriage and how it differs from the traditional ideal, which leads on to a discussion of spiritual values, which have largely been lost in favour of a more materialistic focus. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about the importance of cultivating a direct relationship with your own spiritual consciousness through communion, which involves listening and waiting for personal revelations, large and small. This communication is often lost when we perform rituals and mantras, or follow specific spiritual programs that fulfill our egos' need for attainment, yet lead the seeker away from what lies within. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about the impediments to moving through the eye of the needle in order to reach the "kingdom of heaven". In the biblical passage it's said to be riches that block our entry, but anything that we are attached to, including dogmatic belief systems, will slow down our spiritual progress. I speak about our attachment to information and the irony that the more information we have access to the less enlightened we become. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about the tides of seemingly irrational thoughts and emotions that we can experience and how we can develop an inner community of characters to help process them. If we become too logical, we lock ourselves in a mental prison that seeks to know the ultimate truth, which is often only a fraction of the mystery that life presents us. If we allow our irrational thoughts to possess us, we invite another kind of madness that rips us from the fabric of reality and isolates us in a different way. As always, combining two sides of the same coin makes us richer. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about the Ancient Greek myth of Cassandra and the importance of consulting the archetypal stories that many modern thinkers believe are now obsolete. The story of Cassandra offers us insight into the relationship we have with our inner oracle; our intuition. Many turn their heads away from their inner knowing for fear of where it may guide them. But turning away does not remove the insight, it only distorts it and creates a black mirror through which to view life. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

When our ideals don't match our reality we become impatient with our slow rate of progress and try to find someone to blame. But real progress comes from assessing our own part in the problems and solutions, which means we all need to face our guilty conscience. As Krishnamuti said, "The moment you understand something, you are free of it." All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about spiritual nakedness. The process of stripping yourself down to your core, without any need to cling to beliefs, opinions, teachings, people or plans. A place where you can begin to rebuild your true self without fear. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways." In this week's podcast I talk about the internal emotional states that cause us to continually act out the victim/oppressor dynamic and how internal reflection helps to change the external world. Can we ever feel empowered and live without fear while clinging for dear life to our right to be victims? Are we prepared to stand out from the crowd and start telling a new story? All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In lieu of an actual reality, we rush to create our own reality. So often, what we want to happen in life is upended by actual events; it’s no wonder we project our truth onto situations that counter our internal narrative. It’s easier than accepting disappointment or acknowledging we may be wrong.

In this week's podcast, I talk about how we discern fact from fiction and why we need to balance our emotional reactions with critical thinking. Often we trust our feelings as a substitute for using our intuition, which comes from a neutral space rather than a reactionary state of consciousness. Whatever our opinion on any issue, the only way to have clarity is to delve into our own psyche and start from a position of uncertainty, or at least open-mindedness. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about nihilism and the futility of existence. Why do things matter to us, or not? Is it worth living a life that we feel is empty and meaningless, or does that attitude set us free? A lack of meaning can lead to depression, which is in itself comforting on some level as we perceive ourselves as victims. Wish fulfillment and magical thinking can seem like an easy way to combat depressive states of consciousness, but often leave us feeling unfulfilled. Wishing for a thing doesn't make it so; it's a deep examination of our values that reveals our purpose. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about our desire to speed up our natural evolution through technology and the potential problems this can cause. Elon Musk has spoken at length on the dangers of creating advanced artificial intelligence before we have understood the worst case scenarios. Our shortsightedness and failure to think through the consequences of our actions has caused us untold suffering in the past. So how can we develop the wisdom needed to evolve naturally? All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

The consequence of craving is suffering. This is one of the main teachings in Buddhism, yet it's mostly ignored by modern spiritual seekers in favour of the pursuit of inner peace. We meditate, do yoga and practice mindfulness, while turning away from the key to finding liberation; becoming free from strong desires, or attachments. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

There are many definitions of The Logos; the word, discourse, plan, truth, spirit and the divine reason implicit in the cosmos, ordering it and giving it form and meaning. Yet the words we listen to today are often far from truthful and we have come to rely upon rhetoric rather than facts. We have a new lexicon of terms that have been rinsed of all meaning and act as a safety blanket to shield us from the fallout of a crumbling system. But we have the tools to deal with our fear through the philosophical teachings of Stoicism and Buddhism. They help us develop a fierce level of compassion rather than a false sense of transcendence.

Part podcast, part meditation; this week I speak about love. Not romantic or familial love, but the unconditional love that forms our inner presence. Our presence is not the same as our energy field, which can be affected by the outer reality. Our presence is the core of unconditional love that we all carry within. This is where our power lies. Our presence is our power; our presence is our protection. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about the alchemy of change and how understanding our inner duality helps us turn lead into gold. Before we embark on examining our psyche, our view of life and ourselves is clouded by the past. This inner distortion actually blocks the natural process of change that we all undergo by virtue of being born. Mental illness can be seen as a reaction to these inner blocks and the world of denial that many of us live in. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

Following on from last week's podcast on injustice and corruption within our society, I ask why we find it necessary and even preferable, to fall into denial. This state of being thwarts change and allows the darkness to spread like a cancer within us and the collective. Presently, everything we have covered up, buried and denied will begin to awaken, so we need to decide whether to run from, or befriend, these sleeping giants in our unconscious. All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

In this week's podcast I talk about justice and corruption, with reference to miscarriages of justice and systemic abuse that we would rather not look into. The subject matter may make us feel angry and helpless, we may want to bury our heads in the sand and pretend the darkest elements of humanity don't exist, but we owe it to the victims to become informed.

As we continue to traverse the world of blinkered, polarised thinking it is important that we elevate our thought processes and begin to examine the possible origins of thought itself. How do we know where our thoughts come from? It feels like they're generated by our minds, but could that be simply because that is what we have been taught? All resources mentioned in the podcast can be found on the Resources page.

What is the benefit of developing a sense of inner neutrality and how much responsibility do we have to get involved in solving other people's problems? Often, we are the keepers of other people's secrets, or we are privy to information that may help others to make informed decisions yet we stay quiet. Why?

Wisdom is only gained by walking your own path. In this week's podcast I take some time to walk through the forest and drop beneath the swirl of chaotic energy that permeates our existence. I talk about the danger of substituting information and knowledge for wisdom and identifying too much with our intellect. The shift that many have spoken about has already happened and what we are witnessing are the death throes of a dying system. How can we develop feelings of internal support and peace while the storms rage on?

The heatwave has turned the Highlands into a jungle. It's so green and lush we could easily be in the tropics. In this week's podcast I talk briefly about Geoengineering, the latest plan to manage the climate, before delving more deeply into the subject of personality types.

In this week's podcast I talk about ancient civilisations, human origins and climate change as a way to demonstrate our desire for, and ability to digest, "A Little Bit of Knowledge". Delving deeply into topics that we believe are 'a done deal' is a foolproof way to exercise and transform our minds. Will you take up this week's challenge to investigate the opposing side of an argument you are 100% sure of?

In this week's podcast I talk about the importance and power of symbols, from corporate brands to spiritual images. We are influenced by these symbols from birth, yet we are encouraged to view life as a collection of nouns without meaning because we have lost the use of metaphorical language, which formed the worldview of our ancestors.