If close to a foundation it can damage it, so yes. And if not break it then grow around it, thus still negating the negativity of its presence? Humans are more quickly growing/evolving than trees and this is universal.

How would you folks say I communicate in text?

• Fine.
• Well enough.
• Very well.
• Certainly well enough for most.
• You make the effort to ensure your meaning has been received clearly.

According to medicine I should be virtually illiterate. I have suffered brain damage to what they call the “encoding” center of my brain. I shouldn’t be able to link abstract symbols to language well at all, but I am not a machine. I am in no way a fixed entity and my desire was to read. So I learned to read and write well enough despite “mechanics“. Anyone here a fixed object?

No, however the programming can sometimes seem very hard coded. It is just attention patterns. The brain is very efficient. This is why the mechanism of forgetting exists at all, and recent research has shown that the idea that neurons don’t heal was false, but what they don’t do is assume the old pattern. But what does this mean? To regret, you must attend to a memory you label a regret, yes? What would happen if none of your capacity for attention was given to this regret?

It would have no power. Yes. The event would have a presence, because all sensory stimuli have presence. This is how the brain works naturally and is the healthy state, but it goes further. If you don’t lock the memory into a regret pattern, the encoded stimuli/memories get caught up in another amazing process of the brain. Anyone know what that process is?

The brain is very, very efficient, and although a single neuron may have been responsible for encoding your internal stress reaction to a “bad” experience, the same neuron is not locked into a regret pattern and will use the same stimuli for response patterns also. If there is clarity of mind, then the response pattern will be well informed and action will be very constructive. I think they call this “learning”, but it’s all founded not on your thinking, which is of its nature arbitrary, but instead on your quality of attention.

This thing called thinking has also struck me as a really confusing and shallow process. Being “autistic” it was a challenge to acquire, but I did because due to human insistence it had survival value if just to preserve my sanity. But the mind is capable of very much more than the “stupid pet tricks” we are taught to make it do.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

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True, but what if the outcome is not in keeping with the intention? That is the confusing area, and I will attack that in a bit.

I don’t often experience regret. When I do it is usually very transitory. I find myself looking back and evaluating. Asking myself if I could have possibly done anything differently to change the outcome, and if I could have, would I have? This is a very clear minded view. For most people, self reflection is shallow if they even do it very much at all.

So why do we regret anything? The source of our regret is not failed outcomes, it’s false identification. We look at outcomes and incorrectly interpret them as a reflection of self, and declare that “we failed” rather than seeing the intended outcome as just not yet achieved.

It becomes about “who we are” instead of something that is happening outside us? Yes, and regret makes us evaluate our internal resources in an entirely incorrect manner.

The other aspect of this false identification that feeds regret, is when we fail to achieve our outcome, we often create an oppositional relationship with one or more entities, people, God, life, the world. This relationship exists only in our heads.

But isn’t the outside world at least to an extent a reflection of our inner worlds? The outside world is very much a reflection of the inner world, but the quality of peoples meta-cognitive (or if you prefer reflective) awareness is generally poor.

When we fail in our goals it means that some aspect of our methods should be modified, in that sense failure is simple a resting place for re-evaluation? Only if it’s identified as such. In everyone’s experience, they recognize they have fluctuating energy levels, fluctuating moods, and given time a more “desirable” state will arise, but most often they don’t see this in the process of the action/intention cycle.

You have enduring traits, we all do. We only experience regret when we feel those enduring traits have somehow been compromised, like when someone suffers crippling injury they often spiral deeply into regrets.

Yes, when something can’t be fixed. Otherwise they don’t have time for regret, and just sink into what is usually a half blind intent/action cycle, often repeating the circumstances that lead to the first injury. Ever notice some people seem much more accident prone after an accident even if their cognitive functions aren’t impaired?

Their confidence has been shaken. They doubt themselves. This should never be done.

I’ve noticed with myself that I can get clutzy and it seems to grow for a bit. Yes, but it is the mental trap. The event functions like a hypnotic suggestion.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

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Spiritually are you white, black, or grey? Would you say you are a lightsider spiritually, a darksider or somewhere in the middle?

• Zebra. You would be grey then.
• I’d say grey.
• White.
• I tend to move along the spectrum both ways, so that would make me a grey.
• I strive for the lighter side, but am constantly aware that things draw us to the dark. Also bearing in mind there is not much point to light if there is no dark to make the contrast clear, but I’ll go for light.
• You would seem more like black to me. Closely attuned with death and darkness. I don’t see it as a bad thing. Nor do I. It’s part of what allows you to find the insights you share.

I will say we have all three types here, and will explain my point. I will not use destructive examples of the types for this comparison.

If you are dealing with a darksider, you are dealing with a person who sees the glass as half empty. They are not unhappy. They will clam up quickly if you say they are, but they see things as ending. They are most comfortable on the bottom line. They like to see things levelled.

If you are dealing with a lightsider, you are seeing someone who is focused on what can be done. What can be created. What new thing can start, and yes, they like to know what they have to work with so they are also realists.

Some of the biggest business people are lightsiders, very successful people and not out of touch. Some of the most famous scientists are darksiders, also not out of touch. But if you get this business person and the scientist together, they often can’t communicate with each other. Why is this? Both are functional people and they both likely want “life affirmative” goals.

• They don’t appreciate the dynamic?
• Concrete vs. abstract?
• Fear of the unknown? Fear of being judged?

That is a big part. They see the logic in each others views, but feel unequipped to measure up.

I can’t create if someone isn’t knocking something apart so I have the pieces. You bring up a valid point. Both light and dark are weak without the other. But still, if you are a darksider, how do you measure up to lights logic or vice versa? It’s not by trying to fake that you are what you are not.

Is it a requirement to do so? All constructive action plays out between the two, so no. But if you would smooth the path, then yes.

Help them see how your step will aid theirs? True, but the way lies in being fully what you are. Be as well versed in your side as they are in theirs, and though you would seem opposed, you will be on the same level and can be on the same page even.

Ah, pro you instead of anti them? Yes, exactly.

There is one scenario where I think it becomes critical to communicate with others. Society abhors extremes and quickly rectifies it in its various ways; disengagement, incarceration, envy/hate, etc. Also true. It’s a constructive skill, but there are those who balance out in the middle and can get just as lost. Is this not so friends?

Isn’t it confusing in the middle? How do you create focus? That’s not impossible or even hard with insight, but the same applies to black and white. The grey person needs to see they walk the infrastructure.

I guess you have to focus on the fact that no choice will be a wrong one if you are in the middle? Actually, there is a choice that’s in the middle, and to a grey type it will always seem the clearest choice.

Grey is the connecter? Yes.

No choice? No, a third choice.

There is light, dark, and stealthed light, and stealthed dark appearing as grey and then finally there’s grey. True, and even stealthier grey focused on light or dark, but the grey needs to mediate life to feel comfortable. There is as much depth in that mediation as there is in being a darksider or a lightsider. Be as versed in mediation with the purpose of clarity, and you will be able to communicate easily with dark and light. Get stuck in sophistry and relativistic thinking, and you will find you function very poorly. The devils advocate often chokes on his or her tongue if she has no clear vision.

Meditation helps all three sectors. It can help a lightsider have empathy. Help a darksider find self control, and help a grey find self acceptance.

If you are dealing with a troubled darksider, more often then drawing them out of themselves, help them go further in to get oriented. This can give them a peace that no amount of contrast to their views would. Likewise, don’t spit in the face of a lightsiders ideals, but help them see (if need be) where they sacrifice one good for another. Help them see all the sides. If they are truly a lightsider, or if the are a natural darksider, they will want this peace and balance. We all like to make informed decisions.

If you can’t be “good”, be good at it.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

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A metaphor comes to mind. The trees of the garden of Eden, but imagine them very far from each other and no longer in the garden. Some people eat from the Holy Tree, and know its wisdom. Some eat from the Forbidden Tree, and either self destruct or gain its wisdom. According to the original story, Adam and Eve self destructed.

The tree of life was the Holy Tree and Adam and Eve were free to eat of it, but when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge, specifically the knowledge of good and evil, they lost their awareness of God. We commit self sabotage in a lot of ways. Simplest would be rejecting the love of a sincere heart.

But there is more, it’s explained somewhat in many schools of mysticism, but I will simplify. When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they were not permanently cut off. A way was made for them and their descendants, but it was not an easy way. The way was barred by angels in that story. It was known as the Path of the Flaming Sword. This sword is also known as the sword that turns in all directions.

To bring this down to earth, it isn’t that darkness is evil. It’s just hard, and when people suffer in darkness it’s not because they are in it. It’s because they haven’t gone far enough. They haven’t gone to “all directions”, because whatever evil you are suffering exists in the context of myriad evils.

And when not having gone far enough, act out in irrational and often violent ways. They don’t have the wisdom of the darkness. They only have fear of it.

How do I go deeper? Every dark, scary, undesirable thing is a part of a universal pattern, and if you see the whole pattern you can see how they plug into what is really just the one life, but it’s like being right or left handed. You are likely light or dark sided, but what makes for wisdom is awareness. Sobriety if you will, not getting drunk with the power of the spirit you favour.

How can we dance with it? How to dance… The world itself is dancing, tides of darkness and light. Every joy you feel has a shadow in your world. Every sorrow shines a light. It’s like surfing. If a stormy wave comes, that’s the darkness. You can ride it and not be it. When the water is warm and inviting, that’s the light, but you have to remember that warm water also brings red tide. You can be poisoned with your light. You can hurt another quite easily in the name of helping them, and in seeking what you judge is wisdom, fall into deep ignorance.

How do we get away from the red tide? You get away from the red tide by not drinking the water. By not buying into the idea that the light is what “should be” in exclusion of the darkness.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a relativist. Darkness has clear qualities and so does light, and whatever you choose you also choose its consequences. Pitying a denizen of darkness is no more wise than pitying an “enlightened one”. But your sense of balance is neither here nor there, and your place is to live at that balance point. All that you think, feel, say, and do, will have its real power when you have that balance.

What is necessary to find your balance is forgiveness. Seeing your part in the negative side of light or darkness, and acceptance of it. Without forgiving yourself for your failings, you will forever struggle and run in circles.

What if we are in the middle? If you are in the middle, then you likely bounce back and forth a lot. Like an ambidextrous person using one hand or the other, and in that case you have to make allowance for how you fall short in both because you will be spread out. Accepting this grey state is just as valid as accepting darkness or light.

Should people in the middle pick one over the other? No. For some people a more abstract realm is their center, and if they try to side at all it only weakens them. I have witnessed “unfeeling” people get very anxious because they didn’t get all the emotional stuff, but they have their part to share too. They are just as important.

They can actually help provide great clarity at times. Just not “depth”, unless you seek a deep middle ground.

Is rejection the same as not forgiving yourself? Yes, rejection is the same as not forgiving yourself.

How about for the opposite, feeling emotional all the time? Feeling emotional all the time is valid.

To where your moods feel like they are on a rollercoaster? That is imbalance, and might arise from self rejection.

Or be that mood swing illness. Bi-polar disorder, yes and in that case it isn’t a character defect. It is a health issue.

I expect the medical profession today always jumps to the health issue without first considering it as an imbalance. Yes, medicate everything because people are just machines. That is their view.

I see so many being diagnosed and told they’re sick “just because”, when it’s obvious they have deep spiritual pain. Materialism in one of its greater evils.

They just want you to spend money on drugs you don’t need. Yes, be dull witted and still emotionally suffer.

Asking what’s wrong can be done for free and so can listening. The “they“ do not even have diagnostic tools, let alone thinking along this line. But people go along with it, because as you said, they won’t go into the dark fully because they fear it. The dark could save their life, but otherwise they will run themselves to an early grave.

How do you do it when heavy medicated? Your brain still works. Do as much as you understand to do. You may find, despite having a pickled brain, if you do some work, whatever you know to do, it will strengthen the brains ability to cope with the drug.

So the drugs aren’t all harmful? They are. It‘s more a question of the degree of harm.

Can I get off them? That I can’t say, but you can become more functional.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

Related Insights:

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Life seen from the point of view of the “not alive” looks differently. It’s hard to feel betrayed when some support is withdrawn, or feel especially blessed when some support is gained or offered, and you tend to see everything as part of a single level. It has been said death is the great leveller. Maybe it has a hand even before the death of the body.

Is that because you feel disassociated? It is in part, but it feels like it runs deeper. It doesn’t make me hate life or being alive. If anything, I think I can appreciate it in some ways better than a more vital person.

When you do or do not feel this way is that your general modus operandi? I am almost always running on neither here nor there too. I think it has to do with my neurology. I suspect so in both our cases. For me it started at birth, but I have noticed two sides of it. The seemingly dimmed world, the less vital world of greater memory than activity, and a more numinous realm.

Would you agree this is about pushing the limits too far, too fast? Yes and no, mostly no. I have dealt with the struggle of trying to rectify a deep seated sense of being unwhole, and that struggle has been draining at times. But even at my peaceful moments, I find I just resonate more with the “end” phase of life than the beginning. One thing I find is being immersed in this end phase and sensitive to the process of death/closure, I find I am sensitive to the start of new life as well. It seems the deeper I sense the end, the deeper I sense the beginning as well.

How does darkness fit into this? Well, it’s like a door. I don’t feel like I will die, quite the opposite, it feels like death is a grey thing and not the inevitable weight. I can linger on the living side of the door more easily. In part because the “poisons” of life do not frighten me. No fear of life’s evils = no damage from the fear of life’s evils.

To contemplate the end is to be at the yang side of the cycle. Wanting balance swings us over to the yin or beginning. Yin and yang not used well, but just said to illustrate the principle of that unity. So the deeper we go, say, to the light, the more intensely we can know the dark too. Also true, so the positive side of darkness is the mirror image of the dark side of the light.

But to elaborate more on a point (though I don’t know why I am), this nexus phase of life, sort of a ground state it seems, has two sides. Like a coin, a numinous brightly lit state, much as some people who have near death experience’s report seeing, and a shadowy, by comparison slower/heavier state. The numinous state seems to have qualities much like Buddhists connect to liberation.

When do you have this? Any time of day, or you can call on, or it visits you? I go to it inside. It is like I have a surface self and then a core, and the surface self consumes a lot of energy.

I think it does that for all of us. It’s that upper space we do a lot in. Stronger with people who have a stronger inner dissonance, so I do try to balance those.

Perhaps you are two people then? I don’t experience the two people as having separate identities. The outer self feels artificial, but what I do find is this: Being in darkness so often brings a form of clarity, and when I experience other peoples darkness I’m not moved by it. It’s like reading a road sign, easily intelligible, and I can often help them get to where they want to be inside.

That is a state of mind where you are not being triggered by anothers pain. I do that all the time. It does make me far better suited to counsel for instance. Yes, but also by my own focus and seeming natural point of spiritual gravity or point of balance.

So using the logic of darkness, the whole world can be seen in a way that allows for deep insight. When I am in that state, I feel an “instinct” for an energy to die, like their sorrow. I am not so much seeking to comfort as I am seeking to end a disturbance, and often they don’t like my drive to make their sorrow die.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

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Mix of light and dark? That too. The state of Archmagus only comes about after what they call the dark night of the soul. It doesn’t mean leaving the light, but does mean learning to navigate both sides of the great energy.

I would imagine people are wary of them? They are notoriously scary all throughout recorded history. Merlin would have been one and there are lineages of them across the entire world. I’m certain Hawaii has lineages and a better reckoning of them than we do. Those who move beyond kahuna. Though part of why this is hard to talk about it is illustrated by what is mentioned of the avatars in India. Those who are it aren’t moved to talk about it.

A lineage, and hierarchy if you will, of the various phases, states of being that mirror us anyway, and vice versa. We have names for them in Hawaii. We have protocol for observing. Certain kinds of invocation bring in their own objects of consideration.

About hierarchy, people get angry at that. But I think having a sense of who is where is more like recognizing that if we are all walking the same road, and I have taken three steps and you have taken one, that I am further down that road than you. Your thoughts?

Sure. There is displaced thinking about that word due to its history of it being used to abuse. Just as you illustrated, and in other ways too, protocol and hierarchy have their place in the scheme of things. They are essential ingredients of being. Just as a hunk of matter has its parts, it’s hierarchy if you will, so do we as being simply a composite of that matter. Electron shells in an atom. The electrons are centered on the nucleus, but not unimportant either.

As pieces of a greater whole. Yes, exactly. What makes an atom able to bond to other atoms is the electrons. More like the spiritual equivalent of atomic weight.

So when we say protocol and hierarchy, we are not talking about the rights of a particular class of people and I hope to lead people to “see“ what Kilioe was in the spiritual sense. Audiences tend to worship though, and forget how to listen.

A good leader knows that she has taken the reigns of service. Real leaders serve the people, and even more so they serve the greater way of things. Leader is sort of literal. It could also be considered a scout. Figure out where people are going, and get ahead of them.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~

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Dragon Intuitive
~science,spirituality,mysticism~

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3. Guided Grace Meditation, Mar 7 »  Guided Grace meditation recorded on Reflection Island in Second Life. Let the stress and tension drain out of you. Come into balance. As your energy cacoon strengthens around your body, imagine yourself in colours....