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Note: This session continues a topic first opened in Michael Speaks: Dreams and Symbols (Part 1 of 3). Part 1 was presented in March 1999, which Michael refers to in the session below. September 2, 1999 Troy Tolley, Channel Dreams and Symbols 2 of 3 Note from Otterly aka Troy Tolley: The chats no longer include the “Energy Weather Report”. They are channeled the night before and posted to the TrueView List. This allows more time for Q & A on the Energy Report and for the Topic. [Michael_Entity] Hello to all of you. We are here. One moment. We will open by taking questions from you in regard to our posted Energy Report. If there are any questions or comments, we will respond now. [La] You mentioned clear goals for the East and West Coasts, but what of the rest of the country… Do we not have such definitive geographic goals, or should we identify with one Coast or the other? [Michael_Entity] When we speak of the “east” or “west” it is the channel who adds in “Coast”. We mean to differentiate more or less as a division in three parts: The River known as the Mississippi and East would be “East”. Santa Fe as a marker, more or less running an imaginary line North and South, on over West would be “West”. All between, marked mainly by the width of the State known as Texas, is a mixing of energy. From these basic references you might be able to define your geographical location and which influences are strongest for you. DREAMS & SYMBOLS: Part 2 [Michael_Entity] We define the Topic in two terms because they are not limited to any partitions you may believe experienced. What is termed “dreams” may easily be experienced in certain forms while meditating or simply noting your environment (including body) while in waking state. “Symbols” are important on all planes up through and including the Causal. As you approach your waking state in as meaningful a manner of interpretation as you would a “dream”, much is gained. We began this topic in March 1999, this year, so we will not cover the basics again at this point, but we will continue. Tonight we will cover the Instinctive Levels/Symbolic. Whether in Waking State or in what is termed actual “dreaming” (the biological relinquishing of presence), Symbols play an important and integral part of your realities. At this point we will describe the three levels of Symbols. We correct the channeling here by referring to “levels” instead as “facets”. The three facets of Symbolism are familiar as the axis the Overleaf system is based on. There are Expressive, Inspirational, and Action, with Assimilation not acting as a facet, but rather the comprehension of the original Symbol. The three facets are consistent in “dreams” or waking state. Since “dreaming” can occur in either Waking State or Sleep State, we will use Sleep or Waking to differentiate from here. The EXPRESSIVE facet, related to the Intellectual Center, is anything in your environment that is truly an extension of you. This would include the state of your immediate environment, the clothes you choose, your style of hair, and your mannerisms. This facet is usually regarded as the “most important” personally. By this we mean that if it is interfered with in any way, there is usually a sense of imposition, fear, reaction, defense, etc. This is the facet reflecting what you see as “you”. The INSPIRATIONAL facet, related to the Emotional Center, is what might be termed the “messages” received around you; omens, the traditional usage of symbols, anything standing out as a distraction in your usual or expected environment or self, any discrepancies. This includes illnesses, extraordinary experiences, conversations of some intensity or surprise, lying, revelations, etc. The ACTION facet, related to the Moving Center, is the literal action taken in response to any stimulation, including your reactions, your excitement, anything connecting one point to another. This is also the facet that is usually considered your “feelings” since what are usually accepted as “feelings” are Moving Centered. The symbolism from this facet can include the motivation behind the actions. As in many of our online chats with you, we realize we are limited in your time. We will pause now for questions in regard to these facets before moving on. [bn] I had a dream where I was leaving my military life behind for good even though I had been out of the military for over a year. I have the feeling that I was transitioning a level of the 4th internal monad instead. Can Michael verify if I moved ahead a level in the completion of the 4th IM? [Michael_Entity] We will make some time following the basics for personal dream analysis. We will look into this as we progress though. Any questions about the facets. We will continue then. [M6] What is meant by “the biological relinquishing of presence”? [Michael_Entity] In response to M6: In order to “dream”, in either sleep or waking state, we would consider this the biological relinquishing of presence, in that no need for or want for focus externally is experienced. “You” are no longer present. Your body simply acts as a “bookmarker” for your reality as you at some point “return”. We speak to this more metaphorically than literally. We will continue. While in waking state, at any moment, you can choose to observe your environment (this includes your body) as a means for utilizing symbols. Treating waking state as you would a dream, determining the facet the symbol reflects, and “listening” to the messages, can be quite liberating. At this very moment your environment is no different than in sleep state, except in its apparent solidity. Looking around you, it is clear what is “you” (the EXPRESSIVE facet), what is “not you” (the INSPIRATIONAL facet) and what you are going to do in response (the ACTION facet). It is the same in sleeping state. There will always be areas that are “you”, “not you” and the actions as a metaphor. The comprehension (as a reminder) in either case, whether sleeping or waking, is the ASSIMILATIVE facet. In the case of Barry: The “Military Life” is the EXPRESSIVE facet, the “leaving” is ACTION, while the discrepancy in the time of leaving was the INSPIRATIONAL. The message here can be seen in the apparent “delay” of progress internally that needed to be addressed; “life was moving on” without some internal progress being registered. This can lead to overwhelm when internal and external do not “match”, and the dream state helped to align these levels of self. The symbolic leaving of the Military internally is an indication that you have released final influences INTERNALLY carried from the experience, even if before you had ceased to EXTERNALLY be affected. While we say, “released” we mean more accurately that you integrated what works and released what does not. [bn] During the dream I had intense feeling of release or finally being free…. [Michael_Entity] That would be expected, in this case. To BN: do you see the symbolism and the facets clearly? [bn] Yes. So it didn't have to do with moving on in the 4th IM but dropping the military personality finally… I didn't realize I was holding onto it that much…. [Michael_Entity] We did not say that. We were merely responding to the level of symbolism as it applied. The more personal application can be extracted from there. You determine your progress through the Internal Monads. We do not. We will comment on that progress at a later date, if asked, but your own assessment seems to be accurate. Questions? To help bring the practical applications of this information to bear, we will take any personal questions as well, in regard to dreams. Be brief in your descriptions. [LE] Could you just use the symbols to clue into your internal progress so as to help bring balance between both the waking and dream worlds? [Michael_Entity] In response to LE: While there are many times when sleeping dreams and symbols are left resting in subconsciousness, the waking state can always lend you clues. This method of utilizing your visual or experiential environment as a means for comprehension is empowering and valid. This can then bring what your refer to as “balance”. In further response to LE, we realize you have placed the word “just” in your question. Utilizing only one or the other, the sleeping or waking state as a means for comprehension will always be difficult. It is much more efficient to utilize both worlds, though yes, seeking the symbols in one world as the other seems less accessible can bring balance as well. [Fg] I'm wondering about people from my past, usually high school showing up in my dreams. Many I didn't know personally. [Michael_Entity] Yes FG. You have not asked a question. [Fg] They usually play some role in helping me do something I'm trying to accomplish within the dream (or work against me). I'm wondering why this type of symbol is used, especially in the case when I didn't know them [Michael_Entity] We will walk through this to help in application: The characters involved would be from the EXPRESSIVE facet in that they represent a time in your life and people who comprised that time in your life. That you did not “know” many whom are “helping” in the dream is the INSPIRATIONAL facet, the message. The shared focus, what you are “trying to accomplish”, would be the ACTION facet. We do see this as stemming from what we would refer to as the ASTRAL LEVEL of dreaming (which we have covered in the past, but tonight will not). The characters involved here in your dream are mere aspects of self, represented in part by “strangers” and some recognized individuals. FG, you have long suppressed aspects of yourself stemming from your teens and this dreaming experience helps to bring some aspects of self, in the past disregarded, into conjunction with common interests, internally. The “strangers” are aspects of present self, partially, and aspects of other Personalities from other lives, symbolically represented in the recognized High School environment. They are recognized, yet distant. You have never required intimacy as a factor for receiving collaboration. Therefore these aspects can work together and not necessarily need intimacy fully realized. Next. Aa. [Aa] I wanted to I wanted to ask what a ghost in a dream might symbolize? They've been showing up a lot in mine. Also, is the notion of the different levels of a house correlating with the conscious, subconscious etc. correct?? [Michael_Entity] In response to the first part: A “ghost” in most respects symbolizes the template created and left unfulfilled by a fragment. These “ghosts” can be of templates created by present self or other Personalities. In your case, Aa, you attract those which retained a template or imprint in their life, but feel it is unfulfilled. Those seeking resolution visit you regularly. In response to the latter part of the question: We ask first if you mean this as in having multiple floors in a dwelling? [Aa] yes [Michael_Entity] Yes, this would be symbolic. They would only correlate to “subconscious” or “conscious” if you chose to imbue them with that symbology. Most “levels” in a dwelling are indicative symbolically of the largest or most used space on that landing. The bedroom level could be said to be the “subconscious” then, but that must be individually determined. The levels and their meaning will need to be explored personally, if there is differentiation of levels at all. Next. La. [la] What's the meaning of recurring dreams in which I am trying to escape a huge, towering tidal wave, sometimes a female friend or child is with me? [Michael_Entity] To walk through for La: The characters with you are EXPRESSIVE facets, the tidal wave is the INSPIRATIONAL facet, and the escaping is the ACTION facet. This dream is simply indicative of your want for protection of aspects of self that you feel have been brought against their will into highly charged, emotional “tidal waves” in your life. You are seeing these aspects of you (the young girl) as needing direction while the one aspect is in a position to act as guide (your present self), fully knowing the enormity of emotion that is swelling and engulfing you. This is a dream reflecting an on-going procession of healing between your present self, and a couple of past selves. You have always reached across time to encourage or seek support for self from self. This leads us to a final important note needed for the Symbolic level. When in sleeping state, it is not always convenient to follow through with the symbols as they have been presented, once in waking state. It is the task then to take what you remember and follow it through in your imagination. In La’s case, it would be to turn and allow the tidal wave to wash over, standing strong, creating strength and trust against what was originally seen as only motivating “escape”. In most dreams remembered upon awakening, if there is a sense of symbolism and need for follow through, it is on the ACTION facet that you will direct the imagination. The sleeping dream state on the Symbolic Level gives you an indication as to where you stand presently in your life in most cases, while the utilization of that information upon awakening can actually change the impact of the experiences originally symbolized in the dream. This is all simply another tool, though one usually only taken up by late mature and older souls. Last question: Ka [Ka] I have a recurring image in my dreams, of a cat that talks and has some kind of superior wisdom or knowledge that I and the other around me do not have. What does this mean? [Michael_Entity] This also stems from the Astral, by the way. This is a “familiar” of yours and a vehicle of expression, personified in a cat, used by your Essence as a conduit for messages from your own entity. Though your Essence has the final effect on your receipt of information, the source stems from accessing your discarnate entity members. This symbol is drawn from your lives working with large felines as symbolically representing higher wisdom. There are quite a few of you as our students who place great emphasis on this species. This is partially due to their easy access to off-planet incarnated species as well; they are excellent conduits of various energies. We will continue the next chat exploring the Astral Levels. We suggest taking in your environment, from sleep and waking, through the understanding of those facets discussed here. We will summarize again: The EXPRESSION facet is what you see as “you”, the INSPIRATIONAL as what is “not you” (taken as messages) and the ACTION facet is how you respond to any stimuli. We will conclude here. Goodnight.

OMW - May 19, 2012 - Accepting The Unacceptable Channel: Troy Tolley The Preliminary Set-up/Preparation [CocteauBoy] ONE. Write down three things that you find unacceptable. There may be more than that, but pick three very clear things that you find difficult to accept. Make sure these are things that you come across a lot, too. Not something abstract and horrific that is obviously, universally difficult to accept, like child sex rings (unless that is directly relevant to you), but something relevant to you. [CocteauBoy] Take a moment to do that. (Note: Use syntax of "I find it unacceptable that . . .") [CocteauBoy] "Unacceptable" here means "something or someone who prompts negative (as in, constricting) reactions in you in a way that you feel you have trouble recovering from." [CocteauBoy] That "something or someone" can be yourself, too. [CocteauBoy] TWO. Okay, so here's part two: [CocteauBoy] List one thing that is unacceptable to you in each of these categories: The World; Other People; Myself. However you want to interpret those. Sort your original list to see if it fills these, but if not, make sure you pick a new one for that category without one. [CocteauBoy] IF you did name names, you have to translate that into what it is that bothers you about that person. Note: This is ONE list of up to six items, but can be less due to overlapping items. Beginning of Channeled Michael [MEntity] Keeping your list in mind, we will share with you what we think might be helpful for "accepting the unacceptable," what it means to accept, what the path is to true acceptance, and whether it is always the valid choice to make. [MEntity] To begin any discussion on Acceptance, we must discuss the elements involved with Acceptance. [MEntity] Acceptance is a Higher Intellectual function. It is the "highest" functioning Center of the body, and is the gateway for Essence to move into the high planes over its evolution and return to Tao. [MEntity] However, True Agape, or True Acceptance, requires all elements, or Centers (or Chakras) to be functioning in the Positive Poles for that state to be achieved. [MEntity] This is nearly impossible while Human, or while in a Body. There is almost always a Center teetering toward the Negative Pole, even on the best of days, as there is a spectrum involved in the living of life, and there is no need for one to exist only in the Positive Poles. The Negative Poles are important and useful. [MEntity] This is why we encourage the aim for Agape, but we also know that it is rare to experience it. To truly Love is not what most know as Love, or Agape. [MEntity] However, the aim for Agape is a valid aim, even if rare in reaching it, because the aim for Agape means that every single layer of your life is then aiming higher, aiming for wholeness, aiming for health, aiming for prosperity, aiming for whatever has been deemed beneficial. That single aim affects everything. [MEntity] Aiming toward Agape ensures that every aspect of you, both the most "negative" and the most "positive" are aiming in the same direction, and including everything known and unknown in the life. [MEntity] Aiming for Agape is also the most effortless direction to aim, despite the rarity and difficulty of experiencing it at the highest levels. Agape is the gravity that will take you "home." [MEntity] It is our most natural state. [MEntity] But it is also the most buried and remote in our consciousness so that we must work through the layers to unfurl it, so to speak. [Maureen] Michael -- wouldn't Agape (Acceptance) be associated with the Higher Emotional Center rather than the Higher intellectual? Am I missing something? [MEntity] In our system, it is an Cardinal, Expressive Overleaf that resonates to the Higher Intellectual Center, or Truth. There is a reason you may find resonance with the Emotional element, which what we will speak to now. [MEntity] Love is the Highest Truth. [MEntity] Regardless of one's Goal and overleaves, Acceptance will still be a part of the life. It may not be emphasized as the challenge, but it will be a part of the life. In the same way that one will grow, even if Growth is not the Goal, so will one Accept, even if that is not the emphasis. [MEntity] So what we will do today is speak to the most pervasive element involved in the hurdle to Acceptance. [MEntity] For most, this would be the Emotional "element" or the Emotional Center. [MEntity] This is because one can know the truth of something or someone and still not Love, or not Accept, because of the Emotional Centering's pull into Sentimentality vs Perception. [MEntity] The Intellect can often grasp the truth of something while the Emotions cannot make sense of it. We think each of you know of this experience. [MEntity] This is because the Intellect, when functioning properly, simplfies, reduces, and synopsizes events, people, and self so that the bare bones or structures are all that are necessary for understanding and accepting. The rest is unnecessary. [MEntity] The Intellectual Centers, both Lower and Higher, can sort through everything to find that structure or core and this is known as Insight and Truth, when they are in the positive poles. [MEntity] This is not to say that the Intellect is immune to issues, but in the context of our workshop today regarding "accepting the unacceptable," the Intellect can often already be on board, while the Emotions are not in any mood to accept what the Intellect has accepted. [MEntity] This is because the Intellects use a linear language, or linear understanding, such as words, for its processing. The Emotions have no words, nothing linear, and its language is highly symbolic. [MEntity] This world of symbolism is highly effective when it is in the Positive Pole of Perception. This is the capacity for one to "know" something based upon perceiving, and bypassing all logic or intellect. It is holistic in its processing, so that all components or aspects of a situation, person, or self are comprehended in a moment. [MEntity] In the same way that a swatch of color can convey much more than a single English letter, so can Emotions convey whole concepts. The world of dreams is an Emotional world in that way. The Astral Plane, or Emotional Plane, is the same. [MEntity] Perception is the immediate comprehension of that symbolic language. [MEntity] It is also the allowance for shift in that symbolic language. [MEntity] All language is dynamic, and if not allowed for nuances and variations, it can become useless and ineffective. [MEntity] Sentimentality, then, is the attachment to symbols, or the attachment to symbols, or the attachment of meaning to symbols. [MEntity] As a simplistic example, the color RED is often immediately meaningful in one way or another, such as meaning STOP, or HALT, AGITATION, EXCITEMENT or WARNING, or it may mean PASSION, LOVE, ANGER, or it may mean REWARD, such as the red of harvested fruits, etc. [MEntity] For one to truly grasp the meaning of a symbol, the larger context must be considered. [MEntity] When walking through a red apple orchard, one does not see STOP, WARNING, AGITATION, as one might see on a road with many Stop Signs, and one does not see PASSION, INTIMACY, LOVE, as one might find while walking through a red rose garden, etc. [MEntity] You would see apples. Fruit. Harvesting, Reward. [MEntity] So while the color has powerful meaning in itself, the context clarifies that meaning. [MEntity] But when Sentimentality becomes involved, one begins to attach rigid meaning to the symbols of life. [MEntity] So your meaning of Red will mean RED in any circumstance. [MEntity] This is what happens when you have come across the unacceptable. You are seeing your Red, and its meaning, alone. [MEntity] You have turned the event, person, or aspect of yourself into a symbol that has no room for new meaning. [MEntity] Or for alternative meaning, at least. [MEntity] So the greatest pitfall in your efforts toward increasing Love in your life tends to be where you have locked down the symbolic meaning of events, people, or self in a way that you feel justified in keeping locked down. [MEntity] Before we move on, is everyone following this, and does this ring valid for you? Do you have any questions so far? [Janet] I think it rings true. I am trying to figure how it applies to some items on my list. [Maureen] Great so far Michael [Bobby] yes [MEntity] Your lists will come in handy as we continue. [GeraldineB] I had a "bingo!" on the difference between intellectual or linear and emotional symbolism being perception -- will need to chew on it [MEntity] We will continue now. [MEntity] For greater understanding of your Emotional navigation, imagine that it is your way of moving about in life with no eyes. [MEntity] Your Emotions, then, need to reach out, to touch, to feel. This is simplistic, but effective in making our point. [MEntity] When you feel something that "feels good," it is an immediate knowing that it feels good, and it is often embraced. When you feel something that does not feel good, it is an immediate knowing that it may be dangerous and you might push it away. [MEntity] Knowing that something feels good, or not, is not the truth, though. [MEntity] The fur of a Grizzly bear may feel amazing, but it will not keep your skull from being chewed. The burn on your hand from the hot skillet while you cooked has no bearing on the quality of the meal you will consume after. [MEntity] In short: YOUR FEELINGS ARE NEVER THE TRUTH. [MEntity] Or rather: never the whole truth. [MEntity] Your feelings are what you experience ABOUT the truth, but they are not the truth. [MEntity] Consider any important relationship in your life: one day, you may not feel close at all, and another day, you cannot imagine your life without that person. Your feelings change. They are not the same thing as the truth. [MEntity] Good days, bad days, good relationships, bad relationships, are determined by your feelings about those things, not by those things, themselves. [MEntity] This is why one person can find such agitation with something or someone, but another person finds no charge at all, because the symbols are different, and the feelings generated are different. [MEntity] The actual situation can be exactly the same, but the feelings vary wildly. [MEntity] This is also why "the truth" is often so slippery, because many are referring only to their feelings as a basis for what is true, and not the truth, itself. [MEntity] What we are sharing with you today is not just about your list, but about your list as it reflects you. Because our discussion with you today is about the ultimate aim: Self-Love. Everything that is experienced internally or externally in terms of being "unacceptable," are clues as to where and how you will want to aim your capacity for Self-Love. [MEntity] We realize it has come to be cliche, that "one can only love another if one has learned to love oneself," but we will clarify this as being true that one can only love or accept another to the extent that one can love or accept oneself. The extent to which one is incapable of loving oneself can often be revealed in those areas where one cannot accept. [MEntity] So we will state here that Self-Love is built upon one's capacity for accepting all of the fluctuations in the Emotions that make up how you know yourself at any given moment. [MEntity] In other words, it is vital that you allow room for ALL of you. DEFINITIONS [MEntity] We will go further here to expand on some terms: [MEntity] Perception might be defined as that part of you that can transcend the confines of Space, Time, and Logic to grasp the essential and nuanced nature of the self, another person, experience, or event. [MEntity] Sentimentality might be defined as that part of you that remains attached to the definitions already determined for yourself, another person, experience, or event, often determined only by your own past. [MEntity[ Perception is based in a state of NOW, if you will, while Sentimentality is rooted in comparisons that takes one outside of Now. For instance, Perception knows that if you are sad right now, it is okay because another "now" comes along, and you know you are not always sad. Sentimentality compares sadness to happiness and seeks to escape Now by longing for the past when happy, or the hope for a future when happy again. [MEntity] It is not in the comparisons that there can be trouble, but in use of comparison as the distraction away from the self, relationship, experience, or event. [MEntity] Perception allows you to avoid being trapped by symbolism. It knows that just because you are feeling sad, that it does not mean you are sad. You are experiencing Sadness. That is all. You also know that when you are Happy, it is not permanent; you will still have bad days. Perception "knows" this. [MEntity] You are incarnating for the point of Being, and that means you would naturally include a spectrum of Being, not one end or the other, if there is such a thing. [MEntity] To that end, whatever you feel, is a PART of who you are, right now. It is not the entirety of who you are. It is not the truth of who you are. [MEntity] And so it is that what you find unacceptable is only a PART of whatever is unacceptable. It is not the truth, nor is it the entirety of that which is unacceptable. [MEntity] There is so much more. [MEntity] If you wish to accept that which is unacceptable, then, you must start with yourself in that experience, and with your feelings in that experience, and know that you cannot accept the unacceptable until you allow yourself NOT to accept it. [MEntity] Accepting the unacceptable starts with accepting your lack of capacity to accept. [MEntity] This irony is a quick short-circuiting of the wheel that can perpetuate terrible feelings in unacceptability. [MEntity] When you accept your own lack of capacity to accept, your energy can shift toward expansion, rather than defense. [Maureen] Acceptance of your own Un-Acceptance leads to "eventual" Acceptance? [GeraldineB] Well, at least to your perception of your unacceptance [Maureen] yes [JanaK] because in that you are accepting yourself (not accepting) [GeraldineB falls off her chair howling with laughter] [JanaK] lol [Maureen] :) [MEntity] Yes, but naturally, not magically. [MEntity] This is because at the heart of this element where acceptability can get trapped is the capacity for compassion and empathy, and one must generate compassion and empathy for the self before extending that to another. [Bobby] This rings true to some degree like the mode of passion does. I see things that I don't like/accept but I don't have to take them personally. [MEntity] For example, many who suffer loss may focus on trying to accept that loss, but the key is not in aiming toward accepting the loss, but in aiming toward accepting your struggle to accept the loss. This may seem a fine line, but it is not. [MEntity] This goes back to the symbolism of the Emotional Center. [MEntity] The Emotional Center, when Sentimental, cannot differentiate very well between the self and the symbol, and it can cause great agitation, grief, and reaction if the symbols do not behave within the confines of how they have been defined. [MEntity] In other words, The World should behave in certain ways because that is how you determined your world should be. Other People should behave in certain ways because this is how you presume you will show up for others. You must, yourself, behave in certain ways that fulfill your symbolic identity. [Maureen] It can get really tricky [MEntity] But in the same way that you will have good days and bad days and ALL of those are yours, so will there be "good" people and "bad" people, but they are your people. There will be challenging people and harmonious people, because you are those things, as well. There is a spectrum, not a fence to cross, or to herd everyone over. [MEntity] What tends to perpetuate a lack of acceptability is the lack of effort to Be Present. [MEntity] This is because it is considered a threat to the self if the symbol is given any validity, especially if that symbol is behaving outside of what you have deemed acceptable. [MEntity] For instance, to Be Present to the fact that there will be people at war, even if you prefer Peace, means that you feel you would have to, essentially, accept war. [MEntity] But the key here is in accepting that there will be people at war, not in accepting war, itself. [MEntity] There will be people behaving badly around you, based on your standards, and they will exist with or without your accepting them. [MEntity] To Be Present, however, does not mean you have to remain in an uncomfortable or painful situation, but that you accept that there are people who are okay with what you are not, and that you have the right and the capacity to choose not to be a part of it. [Janet] Ok, now I think I'm getting it. [MEntity] To Be Present simply means that you bring your consciousness to the moment and can make a choice from there. Being Present is a first step toward Intimacy, and is a form of it, in itself. [MEntity] And Intimacy is the first step toward Essence Recognition, which is often the key to freeing one another from the symbols that bind you. [MEntity] Essence Recognition is the stripping away of all symbols, including the current body and Personality, to resonate with the Essence of another. It is the truth. The whole truth. It is Love. [MEntity] Keeping in mind that Love, and Essence are spectrums, so that Essence Recognition is inclusive of that spectrum. The unacceptable is included. And this, paradoxically, generates a kind of acceptance that can undo any reactionary cycles of defense that were previously in place against the unacceptable. [MEntity] For example: [MEntity] We have said this before, but one does not have to remain in a burning house to learn how to love it. [MEntity] Being Present means being able to make the choice to step outside of the danger or impact that can very well harm you. It is not a denial, avoidance, reaction, rejection, or a confusion between the house and the fire. [MEntity] The Fire is a PART of the experience of the House, but is not the entirety of the House. [MEntity] Making the choice not to burn with the house is not the same thing as not accepting the fire, or not accepting the house. [MEntity] You accept that you wish not to burn, but that the fire exists, and that the house is being transformed by it. This is acceptance. [MEntity] It is allowing room for all of these symbols to dance, to move, to change, to interact, and to BE. Being is not defined by predetermined meaning, but by context, creativity, and evolution. [MEntity] When you look at your list of unacceptable things, then, these are areas of your life looking for new meaning, new freedom, new perceptions. [MEntity] These are your blind spots. [MEntity] These are the things you have touched and determined are "bad" only because of how they felt in the dark, so to speak. [MEntity] Your feelings matter, but they are not the whole truth. Your life reflects you, but it reflects everything, not just you. It is the whole truth, not just the pretty parts. [MEntity] Bring our consciousness to the equation, make your choices in how to navigate these difficult challenges, but make room for more than the symbolic conclusions. [MEntity] To put the final empowerment into place for accepting the unacceptable, we will say that if you still deem something unacceptable, it will be helpful for you to know that you are right. You will always be right. No one can take that away from you. No matter how awful you have determined something to be, or how wonderful, you are right. Because it is your experience. [MEntity] And when you change your mind, or change your heart, you will be right again then, too. [MEntity] Giving yourself that freedom to be right can help you to remove the necessity for recruiting others to support your condemnation of a symbol, or to justify your not being accepting of something or something. [MEntity] If you are already right, then the only thing left to do is to navigate. But as soon as you bring in your presence, your consciousness, your navigation begins to include a greater context, and when a greater context is included, your ideas of "right" begin to expand and become more inclusive. It is not a sad day when you realize that "everyone is right." QUESTIONS and REMARKS [MEntity] Before we conclude with a clear synopsis, and offer suggestions for how to move the unacceptable into being acceptable, we will take your questions about what has been shared, so far. [MEntity] If that is a possibility, and your choice, of course. Acceptance is not dependent upon what is possible, or in what you should do, or not do, but in your capacity to allow for that which IS, even as it may be compared to what it should be, or was. [MEntity] Acceptance is not apathy. [Janet] That's what I was getting to. Thanks. [Bobby] I would add the question: why do we care so much what others think about things we either do or don't do? [MEntity] For example, we know our channel is highly passionate about Animal Rights, and this has made his list of "unacceptable" things in The World. Accepting that there are violations and suffering imposed upon the innocent is not the same thing as resigning from making a difference. The acceptance removes the reactionary, defensive element, and allows for conscious choices, which are far more effective, such as through education and exemplifying alternatives. [Janet] That's understandable. Mine was Fox News. And fear-based politics in general. [MEntity] Accepting that this "news" exists does not mean that it is your news, or that it is the truth about the world. It simply means that you allow room for it for those who want it and need it. They want to be as right as you do. [Janet] And I accept that. :-) [MEntity] Accepting that it exists does not mean resigning from countering it, or making known a more fact-based resources. [MEntity] It simply means that it no longer triggers you, causes defense, or reactionary divisions that cannot allow for it to exist. This is a part of the world that does not reflect you in any obvious way, but we can say that its spectrum between gullibility and some feverish impulses to condemn may be familiar from within yourself. [Janet] Yes, I am finding that most things that set me off have some connection to things I do myself. [MEntity] This is what we meant by the Emotions feeling the surface and rejecting the content. On the surface, this prickly subject is obviously unappealing and has no bearing, but beneath that is the innocence that you feel is exploited, and that you wish to heal from your own past. [MEntity] This is often the core of most of what is unacceptable when it comes to the Older Soul: the healing of, and return to, Innocence. [Maureen] My husband doesn’t do the dishes – “when” I want him to. This seems so silly -- but it drives me crazy. [JanaK] you have just spoken for millions of people [MEntity] The Old Soul is the Infant Soul, exalted. The tantrums are more refined and justified, but that which "drives one crazy" is often used as permission for tantrums. [MEntity] The unacceptable is often built from the need To Be Right, and is a rejection of Innocence in some way, both of which need serious attention and healing in most cases. [MEntity] Your husband is Innocent. It is simply not as important to him as it is to you. You have blurred him into your symbolism for who you are, and it is not his job to symbolize you. [Maureen] I can see that - LOL [MEntity] Accepting that his priority for doing dishes is different from yours does not mean that you lose your own, but that you now have a choice: allow him to do so on his own, or do it when you want to do it. No one is out to hurt the other by being oneself. [Maureen] So funny -- he's told me as much Michael SUGGESTIONS [MEntity] Here are some suggestions for each of you to use in your days and weeks ahead when working with the unacceptable: [MEntity] Beyond bringing your own Presence into the equation, practice "realizing" the presence of others. In other words, return them to being people, to being real, to having their own pasts, their own ideals, their own validity; return them back to themselves. Remind yourself that this person cares about something, too. It may not be the same as you, but he or she cares. Remember that this person tries to love someone, too, and that he or she struggles with letting himself or herself be loved. [MEntity] Remember that you feel the way you do because you care, too. And because you try to love, and to be loved, as well. You matter. They matter. So return them from the land of symbolism and give them back to themselves, as you must do for parts of yourself, too. [MEntity] This helps return your Perception back to a bigger picture, not just the tunnel-vision of reaction and condemnation. [MEntity] Another suggestion is to extend this "realizing" into what we call "practicing vividry." [MEntity] This is simply the enhancement of the moment of experience into a moment of awe. [MEntity] It will not matter what you are doing, or where, but it is the sudden realization that you are present, that your skin exists, that there is light on your face, that there are textures touching you, and that there is a temperature, and that you have a face that has a tongue and mouth and eyes, and that your hands and arms exist, etc. It is the filling up of everything within "reach" with your conscious awareness. [MEntity] Bringing you and your environment to life through vividry is a powerful way of comprehending just how sleepy you may get in your movement through your days. [MEntity] One need not be consciously and constantly aware like this at all times, of course, but for you to be able to call upon that at any moment is vital for moving your into Self-Love and acceptance of others. [MEntity] This is because one can have a very difficult time accepting the unacceptable if one is asleep, as it is much like being in a dream where one feels that the symbols happen without rhyme or reason, and that there is not much one can do but to report on them. Waking up changes this. [MEntity] And finally, if you were to do this "waking up" before going to bed at night, it can carry over into your days in even more natural ways. Practicing Vividry just before retiring into sleep can help remind you that your day was a specrum that supported everything that is You. [MEntity] That would include the unacceptable. [MEntity] Extend this vividry to beyond the moment so that there is a realization that your bed, your linens, your home, and everything in it came from "somewhere," and that a lot of effort and creativity and generosity and even pain and suffering went into all that is a part of your days that you take for granted. [MEntity] You will not know what went into everything that got to your home tonight, but it is there now, and it is a part of your days, your nights, your comforts, your challenges, etc. [MEntity] Accepting that these things are in your home does not mean that you cannot deal with them effectively, help transform them, or even remove them. [MEntity] And that is how the unacceptable is in your life, as well. It is a part of the package of what your life is, and accepting that does not mean that you cannot deal with them effectively, help transform them, or remove them. [MEntity] We do have much more to say on this topic, of course, but we think this is a start in helping each of you to, at least, soften the effects of the unacceptable, and then to begin the efforts of accepting from there, all the while aiming for Agape and Self-Love. [MEntity] We must conclude here for now. [MEntity] Good day to each of you.

It is so awesome to see Michael's concept that "feelings are not the truth" make its way into mainstream insight!

This question was originally posted by Leela on 1/12/09. I have a question for Michael, but also would like to hear other peoples' answers to it: What happens when one leaves behind sentimentality? What lies on the other side of it? Without sentimentality, is there still intensity? Feelings? Without sentimentality, does one live more in the present? Is one more productive? FROM MICHAEL: We would never suggest "leaving behind" Sentimentality as it is a natural part of life and the experience of Emotion. It is part of the spectrum of Emotion. Without it, one would not learn; one would not experience some of the more glorious experiences of longing, loss, nostalgia, the past, etc. We have our system designed to understand the Poles of such things as Emotions, but we remind you that we do not encourage the rejection or neglect of one for the other, but simply the awareness that both exist. However, there is a beautiful irony in the fact that as one utilizes any Positive Pole, it will INCLUDE the Negative Pole, whereas the Negative Pole's myopic position loses sight of the Positive Pole. In other words, in terms of Emotion, the Positive Pole of PERCEPTION will allow for the experiences of SENTIMENT, while not losing clarity. Intensity is a Moving Centered energy. Most of what are considered "feelings" are actually products of the Moving Center; the physical processing of intellect or emotion. Intensity could be said to be of the Negative Pole of the Moving Center, along with such words as Frustration and Frenetic, while the Positive Pole is Productive. In light of this, we can answer that if one were to restrict Emotion to Sentimentality, it could lead to Intensity (or feelings of intensity; "feelings" is not synonymous with "intense"), and if one were to move toward Perception (even while including Sentiment), this could then prove far more Productive. The movement of any Overleaf toward a Positive Pole can tend to move others in the same direction.

December 6, 2001 Troy Tolley, Channel Centers and Body Types Note from Janet: Although the intent for the topic was Centers and Body Types, no discussion of Body Types occurred. [Michael_Entity] We are here. Hello to all of you. We will begin with the Energy Report as we see it for the weeks of December 9 through the 22nd. It is, of course, not a coincidence that many of you have begun discussing the properties and personal experiences of the Centers, as many of you are shifting into next year’s basic Centering at this time. Though a year’s “Overleaves” are not defined entirely and are not static at any given time, there is an overall set that does appear to have influence over varying levels of consciousness, at least symbolically. In the case of Older Souls, that set of influences can begin to take place in the few months before the new year. We will also note an unusual phenomenon that is occurring for all of you: currently, in such a short time span between them, another larger Nexus Shift occurs. It is not uncommon for great shifts to occur throughout a year, but another shift is beginning on the 10th, and another in January/February, while this is all following the large shift in November. These shifts with little “breaks” between them are creating a great amount of shifting in levels of Energy among your Overleaves and your ability to participate in the world. There appear to be distinct days when your energy seems quite inspired and above normal, while the next few will find you seeming to be locked in an infinite stream of constricting thoughts and low energy. For some this will feel like “limbo,” while for others this can feel “manic.” The Center for the next year, at this time, appears to be Moving, with bursts of Higher Moving. Unless you are Moving Centered, yourself, this is going to begin to feel like a time of shifting into OBVIOUS manifestations of what you are DOING. (We remind you that our Energy Reports are not predictions, they are merely comments on patterns and how you might be able to use them or dismiss them.) Having a field of Moving Centered Energy as the context for a period of time can mean a great deal of attention would be coming to the body and its relationship to its environment. We are speaking of its Physical environment, which can translate into a range from its sources of stimulation, affection, and activity, to its ability to use the finer energies that make up and create the Physical Plane. Some of you may begin to pull out your old copies of teachings which focus on the concepts of “creating your own reality” and take a more active approach to reality than usual. While others may begin to feel overwhelmed by the “responsibility” that the Moving Centers imply while Physical. Besides the fact of what you call “the holidays,” a stronger and stronger desire to be with those whom you care for and feel part of will begin to be a priority. If these basic trends continues and the next year continues with the Moving Centered theme, we will be able to comment more accurately on how it might manifest. For now, a primary theme appears to be those points we just mentioned, along with a heightened awareness of your food intake and ability to literally move (health). We will conclude the report here and take any questions about it before we discuss the Centers. [Kathryn] Many of us, myself included, have been feeling very drained and tired or just down lately. Is this the reaction to this energy report influence? [Michael_Entity] We don't believe the Energy Report itself has any influence as such, but the Energy, itself, we are reporting about may very well be what you are responding/reacting to. For those who have any kind of health deficiencies, however minute, the Moving Center will markedly “force” the body into a position that is more inclined to facilitate recovery. This can be sleep, mental distraction, high activity, anger, etc., but it’s point is to facilitate recovery. Another important factor to consider is the inherent nature of any Nexus having a sedating effect on the Human body as realities shift and creativity on another level is affecting the body. You do “create reality,” and that still uses energy. Most of the time, that energy is being held preciously by the Personality for reasons it doesn't even understand. The sedation and “tired phase” allows the “grip” to loosen and your reality can then free up some energy for changes to be made. Most of you have your Personalities quite in charge of your lives, even if it doesn't quite “know” what to do. When a shift is needed and the Personality is choosing to work with Essence, the Personality will gladly concede and “take a nap.” At some point, in some lifetime, a shift will happen wherein the Personality and Essence are aligned enough that control is not shifted from one to the other, but is shared. If there are no other questions on the Energy Report, we will discuss CENTERING. We feel there is no need to introduce the Centering to you, as many of you are already fairly studied in this area of our teaching. We will, however, respond to all of your questions about this area so as to clarify and help with the application of the information. [MaryBV] How does centering affect memory? [Michael_Entity] ALL Centers have their form of Memory in storage and retrieval. The Intellect stores and retrieves memory in the form of Thoughts, Ideas, and is Visually interpreted. The Emotional memories are stored and retrieved in the form what are commonly understood as Feelings, Emotions, and are Aurally interpreted. The Moving stores and retrieves its memories in the forms of Health, Activity, and are Sensually interpreted. Each Center does affect how events are remembered; especially in the mixture of the Centering with the Part. The Intellect affects the memory with its level of beliefs and justifications; the Emotions affect memory with its sentimentality and attachments; the Moving affects the memory through its levels of vitality and productivity at the time. For each of these examples above, they are only part of how each Center may affect memory, and those factors always stem from the PRESENT (retrieval), not how or what was stored. Each Center is involved in Memory, of course, but the habitual Centering will affect how a fragment's memory is used habitually. Each Ordinal Center is referencing memory of the current lifetime and physicality. If more information outside of that realm is required or resonating, it is then drawn through the Higher of that Center. The Instinctive Center is the communication medium between the Cardinal and Ordinal. Since the Instinct/Assimilation is usually maintaining the task of protection of the body, most memory filtered there is decidedly fearful or not. This is why most long-standing memories are either decidedly joyful or painful. We can continue to extrapolate on this topic, but we will ask if we are answering your question appropriate to your intent. [MaryBV] Well, I should have asked also how the role plays into this, but that is probably a topic for a whole discussion. [Michael_Entity] The Roles play little part in how memory is used or affected, since each lifetime sets a new design for the body and the Body/Personality is the tool for memory. The Essence's choice of Overleaves is the most direct impact. Since Time is not a factor for Essence, it does not have the need for “memory” as it is experienced on the Physical Plane. [MaryBV] I see, so what accounts for smell/taste, etc., in memory? [Michael_Entity] Every Cell and Atom in your body has the ability to “remember,” which means it has the ability to re-create. When the Personality or Body calls on a memory to be reconstructed, it will call on these minute parts of self to participate. It is of no mystery that you can recall a scene in a movie, which is Visual, but it is no more a mystery for the other senses to have that ability to reconstruct, as well. [WickedBear] Could you discuss the fundamental differences between the two action centers? [Michael_Entity] The most fundamental difference is in that the Ordinal pertains to the immediate environment of the Personality and Body, while the Cardinal pertains to all that encompasses that. The Moving Center, then, would govern and process the events of the actual, Physical Body and its health, activity, manipulation of environment, etc. The Higher Moving Center would then govern and process those similar things, but as they pertain to larger patterns that include everything pertaining to the Essence. It could be said that the Moving Center is the manifestation/expression of that particular Personality's part in the Higher Moving tapestry of the Essence. [Elf] Is the Part of Center chosen about the same time as the Centering? And what is most influential in that choice? [Michael_Entity] Centering is chosen by the age of 3 in most cases, while the Part/Trap is a habit by the age of 7 (approximately). The most influential aspect of that choice is in the major theme then settled on for the lifetime as to how to process events. The Center/Part becomes the Body's primary strength and challenge, and sets the stage for relationships, health, and beliefs for the majority of the life. Depending on your Centering and Part, you will find that your PART/TRAP becomes the defining obstacle to hurdle in coming to peace with a lifetime. If the balance can be called upon for any Center, regardless of habit, then a great freedom is experienced within the lifetime. The first examination of this is in the 4th Internal Monad when the Part is either simply a Part, or continues to be the Trap. Most will find as the life progresses that the Part becomes the Trap, the more they ignore the need for that third Center to be incorporated. As part of the process for finding that balance, the neglected Center will eventually require attention. For those lacking in the Moving Center, then health, prosperity, material security, physical need for affection and validation can become stages for its balance. For those lacking in the Intellectual Center, then over-questioning, overwhelm, isolation, indecisiveness, and unacknowledged dependence on others for direction are examples of where the imbalance can show up. For those lacking in the Emotional Center, then alienation, hypercriticism, unacknowledged issues of rejection, can tend to be some of the arenas for balance. [Elf] Thank you. So the Part/Trap of Center is then somewhat a part of the Life Task? [Michael_Entity] Yes, the Centering/Part are intrinsically linked to the Tasks of the Life. Centering habits tend to define how the Personality uses its 4 “pillars,” of which the Life Task (True Work), is one of those pillars. Your True Rest is directly linked to the use of your neglected Center. Your True Work is directly relating to the Goal. The Centering/Part is not inherently a challenge to your Life Task, but it is a powerful definition of the path. And with that, we will conclude. Good Night.

ENERGY REPORT August 2015 2015 OVERLEAVES ROLE: Scholar (emphasized all year) CENTER: H. Moving (default to Moving) (emphasized all year) GOAL: Submission (emphasized Jan - Mar) MODE: Caution (emphasized Apr - Jun) ATTITUDE: Stoic (emphasized Jul - Sep) CHIEF FEATURES: Stubbornness/Greed (emphasized Oct - Dec) AUGUST moves into the shift between the Negative Pole of Stoic and toward the potential of the Positive Pole, a precarious shift between Resignation and Tranquility. We say “precarious” because that shift away from Resignation may tend to come only after you “hit rock bottom,” or when you have exhausted your capacity to make excuses for yourself, for justifying your lack of effort, or your repetitive, fruitless efforts. For some, this may mean remaining trapped in Resignation, but for others, it means prompting a complete overhaul in Attitude, a shift toward an awakening in how your inner fuel is used. “Feelings” are not just emotional, not just of the body, but intellectual, as well. Feelings begin with thoughts, are reinforced by emotions, and then are felt in the body. This is part of why we have always said that the Attitude is key to the relief from your Chief Features. If you can change your Attitude, you can change everything. In other words, if you can change your thoughts (intellectual/attitude), you change how you see things and relate (emotions/mode), which can change what you do and how you feel (moving/goal). How you feel about a person, about life, about plans, about the future, the past, about anything is an indication of how you use your Attitude. Your “feelings” are not information. They are byproducts. They are results. This is not to say that feelings are not helpful, but we know that many of our students have been taught to “trust their feelings,” which can often translate into “what I have decided is true must be true.” We have said this before, and will say it again here: FEELINGS ARE NEVER THE TRUTH. Feelings are how you feel about the truth. Feelings are how you react to the truth. Feelings are how you navigate the truth. Feelings tell you how you feel. Feelings tell you the story of you in relation to the truth. Nothing else. To a great extent, then, feelings can be very helpful, but only when they are understood as YOUR STORY, NOT THE TRUTH. This is why it is important to trust your feelings. Because you benefit from learning your story. You benefit from understanding your story. You benefit from seeing the results of your processes and navigation of thoughts, emotions, and actions. But when you let feelings stand as indications of the truth, of fact, of any reality beyond you, then you fall prey to the negative poles of you that then trigger your Chief Features. Again, your feelings are beneficial and there for a reason. They show you the sum of your thoughts, emotions, and actions/reactions. But they are not the truth. If this is difficult to understand, consider these scenarios: A mother discovers that her child is gay. Her child “comes out” and frees himself from the fears imposed by society. She is devastated. She feels her son has betrayed her. She feels he has condemned her life, and his. Is this true? Has his choice caused all of these things? No. Of course, not. These feelings are merely the reflection of her story. Not the truth, and nothing to do with her son’s choices. It is how she feels about the truth, but her feelings are not the truth. Her feelings are as valid as anyone’s, but they are hers. A son “comes out” as gay, and his mother is devastated. She rejects him. She decides that she cannot accept him. He loses his mother. He feels the loss, the pain, and the sadness of all of this. Are his feelings fair? Do these feelings seem more justified than his mother’s? Of course they seem to be, but they are not. They are of the same stuff. They are his feelings about the truth, but they are not the truth. In other words, his feelings are a result of processing his mother’s choices, but they are not the truth about his worth, his value, his choice. His feelings are no indication of what he should or should not have done. They are his story. They are valid. Years later, the mother has a change of heart, an awakening, a realization, and embraces her son. He accepts this reunion and is relieved. Both are truly happy. Both feel happy, closer than ever, and inspired. Are these feelings the truth? No more than the pain of disappointment and shock. No more than the pain of rejection. “Good” feelings are still just your story. They are how you feel about the truth. They are never the truth. When the mother rejected the child, the truth was that he was gay. It was nothing more than that. When the son felt the pain and lost in the rejection, the truth was that his mother did not have the capacity to comprehend a truth. When both were elated with joy at their reunion, the feelings were about the truth of that reunion. The reunion was the truth, but how they felt about that was still their own stories. In each of the scenarios above, the truths can remain the same, and the feelings have been completely different. No feelings would have changed the truths. Feelings would have only told each about their part in the story. However, it is important to note: the more negative and restricted a feeling, the more it indicates that you have either rejected the truth, wish to change the truth, or do not understand the truth. Negative feelings are not bad. If you feel bad, you have rejected the truth, wish to change the truth, or do not have the whole truth. On the other side of this, if you feel good, you have accepted a truth, or some part of the truth, embrace that truth, or some part of it, and have a greater understanding of the truth, or some great part of it. And this brings us back to the Attitude of this year. The shift away from Resignation and toward Tranquility can only come with an acceptance of some truth, or some next part of a truth, can only come with the embrace of a truth, or some greater part of a truth, can only come as you gain a better understanding of the truth. What “the truth” is can be tricky to separate out from your feelings, but it is there, and it is often very simple. The truth is never very complicated. The truth can be complex, but not complicated. There is a difference. For many of our students, then, August is a month of picking through the rubble and jumble of feelings to find the simple truth, and begin the process of differentiating one’s story from the truth, of differentiating one’s feelings from the truth, so that the acceptance, change, and understanding can come, bringing with it the Tranquility. DATES OF INTEREST: August 7 - 11 -- ENERGY SHIFT - ACUTE FOCUS - For many of our students, this energy shift brings with it a highly-focused and intense look at something relevant to each. It looks as if it is a window where something that requires this kind of focus is allowed to have that focus, or the demand for that focus is high. August 14 -- NEXUS - CONVERGENCE - A set of “straggling” parallels appear to be on their way to returning to “this” parallel. These appear to be versions of you that “gave up” at one point, and stopped trying because of some hardships, obstacles, or struggles. Those parallels have gained momentum in healing and effort, and are merging into “this” parallel. The collective momentum may begin to be felt as your own effort, enthusiasm, and energy amplify. HELPFUL THOUGHTS OVER AUGUST: YOUR STORY IS YOUR STORY - Your feelings are not the truth. Your story is not the truth. It is your unique and wonderful and painful and terrifying interpretation of the truth. Listen to your story, but know that you are writing it. You can change your story. The story is yours. THE TRUTH IS SIMPLE - No matter how complicated your feelings, no matter how complicated your story, no matter how wonderful or painful your feelings, the truth that is involved is simple. If you are looking for the truth around which you tell your story, look for it in its simplicity.

ENERGY REPORTFebruary 20162016 OVERLEAVESROLE: Server (emphasized all year)CENTER: Moving (emphasized all year)GOAL: Discrimination (emphasized Jan - Mar)MODE: Caution (emphasized Apr - Jun)ATTITUDE: Cynic (emphasized Jul - Sep)CHIEF FEATURES: Self-destruction (emphasized Oct - Dec)FEBRUARY carries forward the high sensitivity that accompanies the Server qualities of the year. This sensitivity is either the undoing of your days or the strength that you use for addressing areas in your life crying out for greater nurturing. This is part of how the Server energies works. When there is resistance to the nature to nurture and care for the self and/or others then there grows a recoiling, a weariness, exhaustion, resentment, and then the sensitivity that was there to help you care becomes a burden (to self and others). When there is an embrace of the nature to nurture and care for the self and/or others then there grows an openness, enthusiasm, energy and kindness, and then the sensitivity that was there to help you care becomes a strength (to self and others).If you find that your year has started out with recoil and resentment, you may be rejecting being responsible for the nurture that is necessary in your life in some way, some area, some relationship.If you find that your year has started out with openness and enthusiasm, you are either already nurturing your life in ways that require little extra attention, or you understand that there are areas that require more of you, more of your nurturing, and more of your care.For many of our students the above may be difficult to sort out if your year has started from within the processes of Grief, but even then the above is helpful because Grief is a separate process from the insight that nurture is needed in your life. In fact, if Grief has been a part of your year, it is even more important to take a moment and note that nurture cannot be compromised when one is grieving. One of the behaviors that extends the process of grief far beyond its natural cycles is the rejection of nurturing and the recoiling from responsibility of caring.Servers know this dance all too well. The dance between the desire to care and the recoiling from the responsibilities that come with caring. Of all Roles, the Server can be of the most effective and caring of souls and of the most apathetic and shut down of souls.In a year where Server is the underpinning of the energy for the year, you may find a wide array of behaviors that range between caring “too much” and caring too little. When there is “too much” care it is usually no longer a matter of caring, but a matter of controlling. One cannot truly care too much, but one can care to an extent that the care distorts into wishing to control that which is the focus of care. But one can care too little. One can disengage, refuse, and reject because the caring is too hard, too inconvenient, too much work, too much energy, too much of something. And then the solution seems practical to simply shut down, enlist apathy or begrudging bitterness until someone else does the work that you could help do.Caring too little, and caring “too much” are the two most effective ways to inadvertently nurture the experience of loneliness.Loneliness is the conscious or subconscious refusal to care appropriately. You have decided that your state of caring is what matters more than the state of caring that is needed. So you care too much or too little and then you are lonely. Humans are of the loneliest creatures of reason in any known Sentient species because of the love/hate relationship with Server energy. Loneliness dissolves as one learns better how to manage the caring side of the self.We will discuss this quality over the year to help our students understand this in useful ways because it will be a factor for the entire year.In addition to the Server qualities of the year, there will also be the emphasis on the Moving Center. This is not a popular Center among our students, so many of our students may find the emphasis brings with it anxiety, agitation, heightened sexual activity or plummeting energy as you reject the Moving Center altogether.This is a year when your Bodies need to be included. In many years the body can be “carried along with you,” but in a Moving Centered year, you ARE your body. Your body will reflect more quickly and effectively exactly where you are with your processes. If you are upset, so will your body be. If you are shutting down, so will your body. If you are angry, your body will react as an extension of this. Your tempers may be high. Your sadnesses may be deep. Your bliss may be amazing. In short, your “feelings” are going to be “all over the place.”Most fragments think of “feelings” as emotions, but they are not. Feelings are by-products of emotion, but they are what you DO with emotional energy. What most people “do” with emotional energy is redirect it into the body and then this is what becomes “feelings.” So you love, and instead of that being a state of informative emotion, it becomes a feeling. You hate, and instead of this being a state of informative emotion, it becomes a feeling. You are angry, and instead of this being an informative emotion, it becomes a feeling. In other words, because emotion is so misunderstood and distrusted because of its amorphous qualities, Humans have learned to immediately give form to emotion in the processes of the body. And this is “feelings.” And this is why “feelings” then are never the truth and cannot be trusted in the same way that intuition can be trusted, even as “feelings” and “intuition” are often mistaken for one another.We will discuss this further with our students over the year, as well. For now, it can be helpful to start with your directing your “feelings” into something grounding, meaningful, and productive. If you are upset, go for a walk. If you are sad, hug a pillow. If you are angry, dance. DO something and allow those feelings to move through you so that your Moving Center can stay clear, clean, and balanced for more effective responses to events and relationships.February brings with it a deeper dive into Discrimination as the Goal for the year. For February, we will simply say that you will either get better at the above or dig deeper into resistance. Because Discrimination is a Goal that emphasizes the practice, art, and skill of Choice, we will only say that it is up to you. It is your choice. Your choice is always important, and it remains important in this case where you may find yourself recoiling further or embracing the care and kindness in the world around and with you.DATES OF INTEREST (dates are approximate):February 06 - 09 -- ENERGY SHIFT - COMPLETIONS/BEGINNINGS - a shift of energy here seems to be all about a sense of endings and a launch into beginnings. This can be experienced a relief, enthusiasm, and refreshing perspective and energy, or it can be experienced as dread, sadness, and overwhelm. The difference in experience is relative to your method of caring. If it is “too much” it may be that you wish to control more than you realize. If it is not caring enough, it may be because you do not want the responsibility of caring. It may be time to learn better how to care, and this is another chance.February 08 - 17 -- NEXUS - DIVERGENCE - This is one of the more major parallel shifts of the year, lasting approximately 10 days or more. This parallel shift involves planetary shifts toward more humanitarian and peaceful paths or toward more turbulent and disruptive paths, or toward more “of the same.” These patterns are already well underway and in momentum. There is nothing more for you to do and various “you’s” will likely explore all directions, but as you pass through this Nexus, you may feel the effects of letting go of directions that “this you” has no interest in, and a renewed focus on the direction of conscious intention.HELPFUL THOUGHTS OVER FEBRUARY:LONELINESS IS AN INVITATION TO CARE DIFFERENTLY - If you experience loneliness, it is not a punishment or permanent state, but a part of you longing to care differently. Loneliness can mean that you would rather control outcomes than to care, or to avoid responsibility rather than care. It may be time for you to surrender and open yourself to possibilities outside of your limited expectations, and/or to stand up, brush yourself off, take a deep breath, and reach out again. And again. And again. Until you retrain your energy and your world to reach back with kindness.YOUR BODIES ARE YOU - It is true that your Physical Body does not carry with you when you die, but until then, it is a part of you. In fact, while Physical, it is fair to say that it IS you. It was never separate from you. It was never hosting you. You were never carrying it. You ARE it. Your Essence loves you and all variations of you. One of the most important experiences you learn as a Personality is how to then love the body that is you, and all of its variations. And by “variations” we mean its states of health, its missteps, its beauty, its ugliness, its distortions, its fluctuations of weight, strengths, and weaknesses, and its aging. Your body is not dying, it is doing. It is doing what it does. Just as you do what you do. Everything you do contributes to your evolution and expansion, and everything that your body is does the same for you. It is a beautiful and symbiotic relationship that stretches across dimensions. Your Astral Body is not shamed or rejected for its processes of Emotion, and your Causal Body is not shamed for its processes of Intellect, and so it goes that your Physical Body requires no shame or rejection for its processes of Action. One of the most important things you can ever do in a lifetime is to evolve your affection and care for your body because it is not a burden. It is your entire arena of this life.