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May the itch of wanting
to know what's
around each bend
always nag you
may your bearings
you never fail
to find,
and a pleasant calm
drift over you
and usher tranquil sleep
each night 'till rise and shine
may your soul
always be
at peace
when life takes
you far from home,
may you follow
in the footsteps
of your Father
in whichever
world you choose
to roam
may you be wise enough
not be saddened
by the embers' fading glow,
but have the wit
to build your own fire
whenever cold winds blow. ~Eric Vance Walton~
Our consciousness is the conjuror
of many contradictions,
this world
in which we live
is a lavish stage
of grand illusion, each act is filled
with sharp edges
and serene softness,
twisted knots,
and breathless beauty, reality is nothing
but our soul's mirror,
it takes such courage
to gaze into it,
and admit our thoughts
create everything we see but sometimes
it's not bravery at all,
sometimes we're just tired
of being broken and
simply have no more
tears left to cry.
~Eric Vance Walton~
Do you remember what an incredible feeling it was to believe in Santa Claus or Superman? There was a certain comfort and hope as a child believing that there were really no limits, not everything could be explained, and that some element of magic was part of everyday life. When we were young the line between magic and reality, as we know it, was blurred. As a child you knew there was something beyond what your five senses could perceive. For all its great contributions over the last hundred years science has indirectly taken something immensely valuable away from humanity. Science has imposed false limits that have held us hostage in accordance to our level of intelligence. Our egos lull us into believing that nothing more than we currently think is scientifically possible can be real.
I’m not knocking science, it’s not the main culprit but our egos most definitely are. We must understand that science’s system of so-called absolutes is limited by our level of intelligence and sophistication of our tools. Science is only the ability to measure our uppermost understanding of reality. It’s important not to confuse a system of measure with absolute truth.
We must never think we “know it all” or lose our hunger to evolve into a greater version of ourselves. To give into the ego is the lazy path and although it might seem easy at first it only brings suffering in the end. This causes mental and spiritual stagnation and will prevent us from growing to solve problems that, on the surface, appear to be trying to bring about our demise.
As we’ve seen in the brief snapshot of the last hundred years as our intellect grows we realize things science once told us were impossible are, in fact, possible. Albert Einstein searched but never was able to find the elusive Unified Theory, the theory of everything that tied all of his other theories together. As the sophistication of our tools have grown many physicists are theorizing that consciousness itself is the golden string that ties everything together. What amazing power we possess if this turns out to be the case.
As I’ve progressed down the path of meditation in the last twenty years my sense of reality has drastically changed. In some ways it has come full circle. As my consciousness has expanded through meditation an inextinguishable sense of wonder and hope have returned. I’ve come to realize that “I’m” just one tiny drop in a vast ocean of consciousness.
Meditation taught me that the Universe is an interactive web that presents each of us with lessons, in real time, as we’re meant to learn them. We are students and our job is to merely pay attention and to learn. Life will teach you everything you need to know. Until you grasp the meaning of the lessons you can bet they will be repeated, again and again until you get the message. The Universe is like the proverbial nun that cracks you across the knuckles with a ruler if you don’t get the message. This is happening to a lot of people but they don’t realize why.
I’ve been cracked across the knuckles by the Universe more times than I dare to admit. There has been great struggle in my life but I’ve also experienced magic, many things that I once believed were impossible. The severity of the struggle can be far less the more quickly we learn our lessons. I’m convinced that the purpose of this physical life is to learn, to love, and to evolve into that greater version of yourself. I have no doubt this is one reason I’ve connected so much with the Choose Yourself movement because they share this same philosophy.
I truly believe consciousness is humanity’s next great frontier to explore and it makes me ecstatic to think of the possibilities. After I’ve seen what meditation has done for me I have no doubt that, if practiced on a global scale, it would spark the next phase of humanity’s evolution. Meditation is the single most powerful evolutionary tool we have at our disposal.
Imagine waking up each day with a sense of wonder and that you're beginning a wonderful new adventure. To do this we must only invest a few minutes of our day to venture inward with a daily meditation practice. If you do so one thing will quickly become apparent, we have only scratched the surface of our superpowers. $h!t happens in life but so do miracles and these miracles occur every single moment. The real question is...are you awake enough to notice?
~Eric Vance Walton~
----------------------------- About the author: Eric Vance Walton is a novelist, poet, traveler, and tea junkie. He invites you to follow his unfolding story by "liking" his Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/EricVanceWaltonAuthor for updates and promotions on his current and upcoming projects. You can find Eric's new book One Word At A Time: Finding Your Way as an Indie Author, on Amazon in print or as an ebook. Article © 2015 Eric Vance Walton
Just this morning a coworker told me about her recent vacation to a family lakeside cabin in mountains of Pennsylvania. She said her favorite memory of the whole trip was picking huckleberries that grow wild around the lake. Her family fashioned a metal pail with a shoestring from the handle so they can hang the pail around their necks. This way have both hands free to pick berries. With the most serene expression on her face she said picking those huckleberries for an hour was the best therapy in the world. These moments, to me, are like visiting a secret garden inside your own head that only you can access. The time spent in this garden is special and it is sacred. Our world today is so demanding that to stay balanced we need access to the garden more than we realize. We need the visit the garden as much as we need to breathe oxygen. For most people a trip to this garden is can be triggered by some external thing or memory (most often connected to childhood). When discovered, this trigger can act as a magical pathway to that wondrous place.
When we were young it was easy. We could find the garden instantaneously. Our lives were uncomplicated, we still believed in magic, our heads weren't filled with excuses of why we couldn't do things. Somewhere between childhood and where we are today our worlds became a lot less a land of laughs and magic and much more of a scary and dangerous place. A small portion of this scariness is real but most of this is false perception, propaganda, and conditioning. These false perceptions keep us from achieving our best life.
It’s easy to see that we don’t have to live each moment of our lives in fear once we find our way to the garden. The trick, as a lost and stressed-out adult is rediscover our triggers that we once could so easily access. Ask yourself...what made me happiest as a child? Once you have the answer to that question think how this can be integrated back into your life as an adult, even if it’s silly. The sillier the better, we need more silliness!
As I child during summer vacation my feet rarely touched the ground. Except for meals I was on my black Huffy BMX bike from sun up until the streetlights came on. As an adult I can still spend hours not only riding my bike but also restoring them. My father taught me how to fully dismantle a bike and restore it by the age of eight. My latest project was a 1958 Raleigh three speed bicycle and it’s a gem. Any time spent with or on a bike transports me instantly to the garden.
One major hurdle to finding our triggers is technology. You must put your mobile phone on airplane mode and ignore it for a while. As useful technology can be, it occupies all of our attention and robs us of our chances to experience these sacred moments. It's difficult to calm our minds and be present when we're constantly connected. In all reality have you ever paid attention to how many times you check your mobile device in an hour? It’s astonishing. Anything that keeps your ears from tuning in to the music of life is a roadblock to the garden and the music I'm speaking of can't be found on iTunes.
What are your triggers? I urge you to delve into your deepest of memories and answer this simple question. Once you find your triggers I urge you incorporate these things back into your routine and see how quickly your life changes.
Do you know someone who needs their own trip to the garden? If so please share this post with them. By all means, after you revisit your garden come back and let us know how it felt. I guarantee the world will seem like a better place.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Vance Walton is a novelist, poet, aspiring world traveler, and tea junkie. He invites you to follow his unfolding story by "liking" his Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/EricVanceWaltonAuthor for updates and promotions on his current and upcoming projects. You can find Eric's new book One Word At A Time: Finding Your Way as an Indie Author, on Amazon in print or as an ebook. Article © 2015 Eric Vance Walton
Thousands of years reside in each
of our moments
we are the
derivative of all those
who came before us
each smile
they ever smiled,
each mile
they ever traveled,
each idea
they ever thought,
each tear
they ever cried,
every struggle
they ever fought
you are a link
in this kinetic chain
that builds upon
the story of humanity,
one experience at a time
face your fears
live your dreams
fulfill your curiosities
listen to your heart
be your best self
interject yourself
into the narrative of
the Universe
this might be
the best way,
the only way
to give a proper
thank you to
the many who lived
and died for
you to enjoy
this very breath.
~Eric Vance Walton~
I don't promote this book much anymore. It's not because I don't like it but it's already been in print now for a decade and I'm more focused on writing fiction now. I still believe in it. More importantly, I believe in the incredible power of meditation. A little about this book:
Did you ever wish that life came with a pause button? The secret is that it does!
With three months of dedicated practice and journaling you will learn how meditation can greatly improve the quality of your life by:
• Easing and improving your ability to handle stress. • Allowing you to sleep more restfully. • Teaching you to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.
The Perfect Pause is a clear, concise meditation guide, and journal that will give you the basic tools necessary to discover life's "pause button". Included in the book is a three-month journal to chart your progress. This comprehensive guide provides a reboot to the rigors of our modern life!
How lucid is your soul tonightas guards are put to rest? When not one is stirring ‘round you and the sun is setting West,
your true being is emerging as facades yield one by one you long to merge with oneness and to greet the golden sun,
free from inhibitions imposed by the mind you call your own freedom from the past mistakes, these karmic seeds you've sown,
cross-legged, in the lotus you begin to clear your wearied mind wishing for a sliver of a moment to leave the struggle far behind
your pulse begins to slow as the void becomes your breath your heart begins to soothe you ever-beating in your chest,
dancing somewhere in the stillness breaking shadows far and near where a worry’s no longer a worry and a tear is not a tear,
a wave is all consuming a bright beam breaks clouds above you reach your precious goal and for a moment become Love.
~Eric Vance Walton~
You think you know mebut do you really?
You’ve savored me before like the last taste of summer wine and you have ignored me like some troubled stranger asking for your last dime
Do you remember?
I call to you softly in your time of greatest need to offer solace and love, without condition I am a steady presence who is here to ground you in times of chaos
Are you listening?
I place no blame, you were built to be a stranger to yourself in a world where the only goal is to discover who it is you really are
Will you love me?
There is no leap of logic that can bring you closer to me there is only one way, an unfolding of your heart.
I am waiting and will be here forever, I will replace doubt with deep faith I am your soul.
~Eric Vance Walton~
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Summer Reading FLASH SALE! Get 20% off on all of my books through June 30th!
Please use code: JFS20 at checkout. As always, thanks for your support!
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What if all that we've been taught is wrong?What if we live in a world where vanity is a kind of virtue?
A place where confidence and Self-love are the first steps In opening up your heart To the miracle that exists Within you
What if reality, as we know, it isn't truth at all but its antithesis?
Comprised of falsehoods that serve all but the greater good, Bars to keep us imprisoned so that we May never know the true power of our souls.
How lucid is your soul tonightas guards are put to rest? When not one is stirring ‘round you and the sun is setting West,
your true being is emerging as facades yield one by one you long to merge with oneness and to greet the golden sun,
free from inhibitions imposed by the mind you call your own freedom from the past mistakes, these karmic seeds you've sown,
cross-legged, in the lotus you begin to clear your wearied mind wishing for a sliver of a moment to leave the struggle far behind
your pulse begins to slow as the void becomes your breath your heart begins to soothe you ever-beating in your chest,
dancing somewhere in the stillness breaking shadows far and near where a worry’s no longer a worry and a tear is not a tear,
a wave is all consuming a bright beam breaks clouds above you reach your precious goal and for a moment become Love.
I consider myself a peaceful and easy going individual most of the time, I've meditated and practiced yoga for almost twenty years. There are few things anymore that rile me up but one of them is bad drivers. When I'm driving something transformative happens that reduces the level of my patience nearly to zero. It seems that drivers, more than ever, have their minds on anything and everything but driving. Rules of the road to them are mere "suggestions" and this would include lane markers, signs and traffic lights. Yes, I admit was one of those horn-beeping, finger-flipping barbarians who would call you out for cutting me off, running a red light or drifting into my lane and coming just a few inches from sideswiping me. My cure came in the most unassuming way. Just recently I bought a used 2010 Honda Fit. This car is perfect for me in every way and inadvertently has ended my decade long, love/hate relationship with driving. I believe what this car has taught me could possibly cure road rage altogether, worldwide.
I'll never forget the first day I discovered it. It was just a regular day and I was on the way to work. From the other direction someone turned left in front of me, nearly shearing off the first few inches of the front of my "new" car. I was furious and instinctively slammed my palm into the center of the steering wheel and then it happened, "eeeeeeeeep". Just as a succession of four letter words was about to leave my lips I laughed instead, the horn reminded me of the one on my old 1983 Tomos moped, if the battery were dying. The sound was embarrassingly dreadful and actually the antithesis of what a horn should be.
Just like that I'm a changed man. Years of anger wiped clean. All it took was a wimpy horn.
My meditation book (eBook version) is now only $1.99 for a limited time. Newly revised and expanded edition! Did you ever wish that life came with a pause button? The secret is that it does! With this book discover the key to making life more manageable. With three months of dedicated practice and journaling you will learn how meditation can greatly improve the quality of your life by:
• Easing and improving your ability to handle stress.
• Allowing you to sleep more restfully.
• Teaching you to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.
The Perfect Pause is a clear, concise meditation guide and journal that will give you the basic tools necessary to discover life's "pause button". Included in the book is a three-month journal to chart your progress. This comprehensive guide provides the reader with a launch pad for a fulfilling lifelong spiritual journey!
Here's the link -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/eric-vance-walton/the-perfect-pause/ebook/product-17534486.html
shiftless moods breed certain fools
who lose their way when darkness falls
wandering souls who’ve lost their way
and fall from grace when duty calls
away they run to foreign lands
that call them so invitingly
to begin the cycle once again
until a problem arises, then they’ll flee
until their woes weigh them down
and begin to slow their tired feet
their heads are buried in their hands
their tired eyes filled with deceit
for all their lives they’ve been a fugitive
running from an awful ghost
this apparition that dwells inside them
they are almost sure to boast
is the source of all they’re problems
all their ills and woes
but they are not caused by this apparition
but by a far greater foe
this beast that dwells inside them
and their soul, he’s surely bought
this fierce and ugly beast
is none other than negative thought
how lucid is your soul tonightas guards are put to rest? When not one is stirring ‘round you and the sun is setting west,
your true being is emerging as facades yield one by one as you long to merge with oneness and to greet the golden sun,
free from inhibitions imposed by the mind you call your own freedom from the past mistakes that haunts your Earthly home,
cross-legged, in the lotus you begin to clear your wearied mind wishing for a sliver of a moment to leave the struggle far behind
your pulse begins to slow as the void becomes your breath your heart begins to soothe you ever-beating in your chest,
dancing somewhere in the stillness breaking shadows far and near where a worry’s no longer a worry and a tear is not a tear,
a wave is all consuming a bright beam breaks clouds above you reach your precious goal and for a moment become Love.
