Why is change so hard?

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

           foliage

          I am sure you are familiar with the famous saying “the only constant is change”. This month, with fall upon us and change in the air, I am wondering what this really means in our lives. Just recently, I went for a walk through a park. It was one of the last days of summer. The sun was bright, the temperature warm, birds were singing. At first glance, it did not seem as one of the last days of summer. It could have been a cool summer day. Then I noticed something – a tree. I think it was a Japanese maple tree. Its leaves had started turning red. When those leaves turn red, it is a certain sign that fall is coming. Fall foliage is a sure sign of autumn and certainly a sign of the end of summer.

           The change of seasons is a natural change you might say. You might also say that you have no problem with this kind of change. When temperatures drop, you just change your wardrobe. When summer activities seize, you simply move indoors. You might also look back in agony and wish that summer would never end. You might try to resist this change. I belong to the second group. Change is hard for me. Why can’t we, as human beings, not simply accept it as our Mother Nature does? Mother Nature does not hold on to the leaves. She lets them go. Why? Because she knows that the tree needs to rest so the new leaves, which are still hidden, can grow once spring comes. One could also say something similar about the oak tree. From an acorn mighty oak trees grow. This saying is a good reminder of how much good can come from this change and something so little if we just trust and give it time to grow.

           Change can be many different things. It can be sudden; it can be gradual; it can be joyful and hoped for; and it can be hurtful and literally depressing. I believe that change can seem scary because the future is uncertain. However, if you look at nature, nothing is uncertain there. Everything is already planned and ready to be born when the time is right. Out of something old, something new comes. Out of something little, something big is born. This is the law of nature. Take a small, unknown town in the countryside which wants to grow. Add an attraction, a museum, offer something unique. Polish it up, get the word out. Do what you can to put that place on the map. Don’t look back into the past and how great this place once was. Embrace change and create its future. Plant an acorn today. Change can be hurtful for a while. Take a relationship with a colleague, who leaves the company you work at for example. How many tears have I shed already when I liked my colleague very much? Uncertain about whether we would ever see each other again, we hug and say our good-byes. Such a change is hard. I usually miss my beloved colleagues terribly. However, when we meet again, I realize why this change had to happen – so we could change and become friends for life and not only coworkers from 9 to 5. Our acorn developed into an oak tree, which will stand and continue to grow for a long, long time.

          You see, I still think that change is hard. However, with faith that something good comes out of every change, I take change for what it is. It is not a loss of any kind. It is just a sign of life that something new, and perhaps something even greater, is about to be born.

 Love, Barbara

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Photo credit: Barbara Bullock 2014

Have you seen my twin flame?

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

Dear friends,

I recently experienced something which made me think about the term twin flame. I understand a twin flame as a spiritual, new age name of a soul which split into two parts at some point. Many people these days are opening up to this kind of consciousness and awareness. Since I was born I have always known that there is more than what we can see in our physical world. In recent years, I have been reading tons of books about spirituality, new age concepts as well as ancient knowledge. I find that the more I learn, the more I open up to new possibilities.

Although I have many reasons to be content and grateful in my life, I had always felt that something or someone is missing in my life. Then one day, I looked into your eyes. When our paths crossed, I felt a sense of completeness beyond my human understanding. Suddenly, in a split of a second, my longing was gone. Although a cold winter day, an inexplicable sensation of warmth overcame my physical body, my heart filled with unconditional love, and my spirit was elevated. When I looked at you, immeasurable unconditional love for you emerged from the bottom of my heart. I realized that my heart loves yours more than mine. I also realized that I love you more than there are stars in the sky. I felt at home. I knew that you would understand me. I knew that, finally, I was complete. I came to the conclusion that I would never ever have to miss anything or anyone anymore. Although I had fallen deeply in love before, I knew instantly that this was not about falling in love. This felt differently. You seemed so familiar to me. All my fears and doubts were gone. Although I did not know you as person, I felt like as if I did know you from somewhere, from sometime. All it took was looking into your beautiful eyes.

Then you left.

Ever since you left, I miss you. There is an emptiness is my heart that only you can fill. I miss you because I feel you are a part of my soul. I miss you because you are a part of me. You give me strength; you give me courage; you are the magnificence of our universe personified. You are everything I am not. You are like the phoenix that rose from her ashes shining in all her glory while I struggle like a candle in the wind barely staying alive. When I look at you, I see love, beauty and divine grace. When I look at myself, I see fears, doubts, and insecurity. Why can’t I just accept and love myself? Perhaps all my love is with you.

I recently read that twin flames can be reunited. When they meet again, it feels like a soul recognition all over again – the inexplicable warmth, the unconditional love, the realization of an eternal bond between souls. We recognize each other as if we have never been separated in the first place. Out of the depths of my deepest despair arises the greatest love of all. As I look closer, I see something familiar. No, it’s not you. It’s me. You are me and I am you. Together we are us. We are twin flames. We are one.

I also read recently, that on a soul level we are always united. I try to remember that when I miss you. And finally, after realizing this, I feel complete and loved again. By the way, looking into your eyes is the best thing that ever happened to me. I pray that we are reunited soon. My twin flame, I love you. Unconditionally. Eternally.

Love, Barb

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Love Within Beyond – a review

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

LOVE WITHIN

BEYOND

Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye

Dear friends, 

                  Ever since the first Beyond CD release I have been one of the greatest admirers of the Beyond projects. Since the beginning I felt that these projects are really extraordinary and God sent into our world at this time. Divine timing is not always understood by us humble and sometimes impatient human beings, yet our mysterious universe knows exactly when the time is right. I feel that humanity has recently entered a new level of consciousness. More and more people around the world are opening up to the idea of the subconscious level. Many people these days are realizing that we do not always depend on outside factors to have peace and tolerance in our world. Instead, each of us can contribute to it. Millions of people around the world are literally searching for tools to help themselves to become more aware of the world they live in and how to improve their lives. I feel that the Beyond projects remind us of likely some of the first and foremost virtues of life – love and faith. The Beyond projects help me to realize how simple a solution to our problems of daily life can be. The message is clear to me. The tool for their teachings is the universal language of music.

          Love Within contains prayers in different forms from Christian, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Prayers have had powerful forces in the most positive way for eternity. Deep inside of us, we all pray. Some of us pray to higher powers, following a very specific approach of a particular world religion, others rather by themselves in their own ways. As different as those paths and ways may seem, at the end of the day we are all the same – human beings. All traditions and forms teach love. And yet, our world news is filled with wars and violence which roots are often based in religious conflicts. While we cannot change our world into a more positive one in one day, I believe we can all contribute something for more peace and tolerance in our world.

          This is exactly the message of Love Within and all Beyond projects for me. Through the harmonious combination and collaboration of the four female singers, Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye, we, the listeners, are taught to go within. As we do so, we rediscover our often forgotten core values such as patience, tolerance, forgiveness, understanding, and unconditional love towards all living beings. We also discover the mother within ourselves. In philosophical and spiritual terms, a mother is often considered as positive, loving and caring form of energy inside of every person. I believe that, when we tap into this energy, we are able to express the love and care for others and ourselves. We are able to give and receive unconditional love as a true mother does. Many cultures also suggest religious figures one can worship as a mother. This can be a goddess, an angel, a deity, saint or a more general form of higher power or higher intelligence to find that unconditional love. Regardless of its name, I believe that it is a form of energy, which protects and loves us unconditionally. I believe that a true mother is someone who loves, teaches, inspires, and cares for others. We all have these qualities inside of us whether we choose to practice them in our world or not. However, I believe that when we do, we share that unconditional motherly love and help create a better world and better lives for everyone.

How do you do that?

          There are various ways to show us how to tap into this motherly energy. I believe we all come from unconditional love, that we are made of unconditional love and so we are unconditional love. I also believe that great people are born to share and teach this unconditional love for a better world. In my heart I believe that Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye are such earth angels. They were sent to us to share and teach their unconditional love to the rest of us. Their alliance reminds me of the possibility of harmonization of different faiths, different cultures, and different generations.

          For those familiar with the Beyond projects, Love Within introduces new, exotic music with Sawani Shende-Sathaye coming from a rich culture and history, while providing familiar angelic sounds by Regula Curti and Tibetan chants by Dechen Shak-Dagsay. Nothing could be more proper in our global world than bringing different cultures together. To me their angelic voices touch my heart and soul in a way that helps me connect to this form of unconditional love. Each singer speaks to my heart in her own way; yet is a reminder that we are all the same. By the time Tina Turner joins the choir, I have tears in my eyes. Tina (Anna Mae as I like to call her as I like to think of the human being behind the stage persona), confirms this with her soft yet strong and voice. She reminds us that it is the music in our hearts, which keeps us going. Deep emotions of love emerge from the depths of my heart when I listen to these wise words. I feel the love of an Earth Mother, who shares her unconditional love which has supported her through her own struggles and pain. Not diminished by her trials and tribulations but filled with love and female power, she once again shows us the way to the Beyond. By returning to her roots of Gospel, I believe that she invites us into her heart to share what kept her strong and able to look beyond her life experiences and sufferings. I hear your message loud and clear. When I hear your voice and teachings, I go deep inside of me where I find the unconditional love for myself and others you talk about. When we sing Amazing Grace together and pray together, I feel the love that I have often thought I lacked in my life. Now I know that, no matter what happens in my life, I am love and I am loved. Love is essential to survive and live happy lives, to grow and to prosper. Love is the answer to a better, more peaceful world. Unconditional love is the way.

          My spirits are elevated, my faith is renewed. My fears and doubts dissolve as if by singing to me Regula, Dechen, Sawani and Tina (Anna Mae) reach out their hands and welcome me into their realms of unconditional motherly love. Once I have reached these heightened levels of awareness for myself, I am ready to go out into the world and reach out my hand to someone in need.

With Love Within, the Beyond projects just got another pair of wings to fly and share the message of Beyond. May Love Within sing into many hearts, lift many spirits and share unconditional love around the world. May we all be mothers within.

Love and peace,

Barbara

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Work cited:

Love Within – Beyond

http: http://www.beyond-foundation.org/love_within.php

Published 2014 by Beyond Foundation, under exclusive license to Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin, A UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPANY.