How to Deal with Tsunamis and Earthquakes

We are living in very interesting times. It is no accident, literally or figuratively! We are living in the most divinely appointed, critical time since the beginning of time. We are living through a time of crisis: wars, rumors of wars, revolutions, fighting for freedom, human rights abuses, tsunamis in Thailand and Japan, and huge earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Christchurch, and Japan. Now there are smaller, stranger earthquakes on the east coast, hurricane Irene moving unnaturally far north, weird weather changes everywhere, an economic crisis, healthcare crisis, exposure of lies and hidden corruption in governments/corporations/institutions/powers that be, increased stress from uncertainty, and the breakdown of familiar structures and paradigms. The familiar, safe, comfortable world seems to be threatened. A STORM is definitely coming, and is NOW HERE.

Crisis is a time of great DANGER and great OPPORTUNITY (both/and). Like everything else in this world, there are two sides to this crisis. There is one coin with two different looking sides. Crisis is no different from a simple coin. There is a positive side/pole and a negative side/pole. The golden opportunity is often clothed by the danger or fear. The golden opportunity is often concealed by the darkness of the lead. As in alchemy, a catalyst is needed to transmute the darkness to light, or the lead to gold. The opportunity of the “storms” of life (the inner and outer tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, floods, fires, etc) is that they are a catalyst for change. Fire and Wind are described as ministers or messengers in the Psalms. The danger aspect of a crisis includes not being prepared for the challenge with the proper plan and disaster kit. An approaching storm stirs up dark emotions of fear, anxiety, and maybe even panic or hysteria.  We feel threatened by a lack of safety and security, and the lack of ability to control our world and lives. We realize we are powerless against 9.0 earthquakes and 50 foot waves, or a nuclear reactor exploding. When the storm is approaching, or now here, we realize that we do not have a bomb shelter in place, no storm shelter to go into, not enough resources, no disaster kit, no antidote such as iodine pills, no radiation detector to detect the silent enemy or killer, no protective suit to protect us from invisible radiation, and worst of all no plan.

So we get to ask the big questions. “Why is this happening?” is not the question to ask, as there is never an absolute answer to why. It is different for different people, who are at different stages of development, different stages of spiritual growth, and at different levels of understanding. Do not waste your time and energy asking why there is suffering or why there are disasters or why me? Why not me? The question to ask is HOW are we going to face the inevitable life challenges. How are we going to deal with the crisis, challenge, problem, disease, death, or the inevitable changes of life?

Right now we are presented with the golden opportunity to learn how to prepare, to gather the necessary resources, and develop a plan. Bad things can and do happen to “good” people. Bad things come disguised as negativity, suffering, pain, or darkness. The darkness conceals the hidden light. The mud at the bottom of the mine-shaft conceals the hidden gold. The darkened coal conceals the hidden diamond. The alchemist’s lead is concealing the hidden, unrevealed gold. The suffering and chaos in the aftermath of a crisis conceals the hidden opportunity. The darkness conceals the divine order and the hidden splendor or hidden treasure of God.

The Light of Spirit comes into the world to reveal the darkness, so the hidden light of the world can be revealed. The earth cracks, and the heart breaks, to let the Light into the cracks of your heart so you can SEE your own hidden darkness that is concealing the even deeper, hidden light!!! The opportunity that is being presented right now to everyone in the world as a disguised gift or an unwelcome visitor, is to literally and figuratively SEE THE LIGHT, to change your perspective, to change your perception, to allow yourself to be taken to a higher view, to step into a NEW PARADIGM. The golden opportunity is knocking at your door!

So what are we to do when the warning sirens sound? What are we to do when we see the storm coming? What are we to do when we are told to go inside and not come out until the nuclear crisis is handled? What are we to do when we are faced with a challenge? What are we to do when we are given a dark diagnosis of a terminal illness with a negative prognosis? What are we to do when our neighbor starts talking doomsday and apocalypse? What are we to do when the media is reporting fear? What are we to do when the dark clouds of emotion and distorted thoughts threaten us with depression, worry, fear, helplessness, hopelessness, powerlessness, or panic?

The answer that was given to me is to STOP, DROP, and ROLL. This is the old disaster instructions I was given in school at a very early age in Decorah, Iowa, my home town. There were a lot of tornadoes in Iowa, as well as nuclear bomb scares, and this was the plan we were given to put into action when the warning sirens went off. The Holy Spirit gave me this old plan again after the latest crisis in Japan with the triple threat of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. I was given three words for the plan, and the TRINITY of God for the solution; the Source of the resources needed in time of crisis. Let me explain the simple plan to Stop, Drop, and Roll:

1. STOP

When a disaster is coming, when the sirens go off as a warning or alert that danger is approaching or now here: STOP. When you first feel or see or hear or sense trouble, when you first feel a negative emotion, think a distorted thought, feel the pain of a rejection, lack of love, not being accepted, dissed, misunderstood, or not seen or heard: STOP.

Pay attention, be watchful and alert. Notice the darkness. Notice what is happening right now, here in the present moment. Sometimes we are so accustomed to the pain and suffering in this world that we are numb to the new wound or pain. We want to turn off the television and not watch the bad news, or we just mindlessly, passively watch the news and become more jaded, cynical (or sin-ical!), numb, or pessimistic. STOP and NOTICE the “ouch”, the sting of the hurt, pain or heart-break. Sometimes we are so used to the pain that we don’t even notice when we are being re-wounded in our psyche, heart or soul. Stop and notice what you are experiencing and Breathe!!! Take slow, deep, whole body breaths, consciously and deliberately.

Feel the pain of the “ouch” and disengage. Do not enter the drama, do not enter the conflict, do not enter the dark cloud of emotion that is starting to envelope your mind. Do not follow the cloud into the darkness. Disengage and stop right there. Stop everything by literally saying “stop” to your thoughts, emotions,  or beliefs about what this means, or the story you are about to make up about the situation to control the darkening, ominously threatening fear or emotions. STOP by saying out loud, or in your mind, “cancel that”, or just “stop”. You can even use a song lyric to sing to yourself when you are triggered. May I suggest “Stop in the Name of Love” as one that I have used that has helped me remember the truth and has brought me right out of the darkness and raised my vibrations.

The lyrics are: “STOP, in the name of Love, before you BREAK my HEART…. THINK it OVER!” If you let the darkness in, and especially if you let it take root, your heart will be burdened and darkened, and your vibration will decrease, plunging you into even deeper darkness. All life is determined by the issues of your heart. The heart is critical to either your misery or happiness. Keep guard over your heart and what you let in. In the last round of the so-called reality show “The Bachelorette”, there was a contestant named Casey who wanted to “guard and protect” the bachelorette’s heart. He even went to the extreme measure of tattooing “guard and protect your heart” on his body! It seemed over the top but the truth is you really do need to guard and protect your heart from the storms and darkness of life, for your life flows out of the springs of the heart. As the heart goes, so goes your life!

You need to pay attention, be mindful, and think it over, or change your thoughts about it. Stop the old thoughts, cancel the old thoughts, and redo! Even more complete than changing your thoughts or mind, is to go even deeper for the solution. You must change your perception, or way of seeing the situation. You must change your consciousness. You can change your consciousness by “putting on the mind of Christ”. You can transform your mind by renewing your mind by taking every thought captive, and raising your consciousness to Christ consciousness. Do not conform your mind to the world’s consensus trance mind. In secular terms, you must identify with something higher or greater than the ego. You change your identification or attachment to physical lower consciousness to identify with your higher Self, the highest expression of being a human. In Jesus’ terms, you identify with the Father; to be one with the Father as Jesus was one with the Father. As a human being, you identify with Christ. You take on the nature and likeness of Christ.

You choose to stop your human reaction and choose instead to respond to the crisis from a higher vantage point. You choose to go to higher ground before the tsunami hits. You choose to climb the mountain to higher consciousness or higher perception before the 50 foot wave hits you. You stop and “Be still and know that I am God”.

You can disengage with your thoughts, negative emotions, stories, and TURN within to tap into your inner resources, your higher self, and your higher power by doing the next step:

2. DROP

The next step is to enter the bomb shelter or storm shelter. Drop your awareness into your heart shelter. Literally drop your attention and awareness into the area in the middle of your chest, the heart center or chakra (Sanskrit word for energy vortex, wheel, or center). This is where you meet with your hidden resources, the deeper wisdom, greater understanding, and meet your guide to get you through the darkness until your own lamp is able to be lit and held high. Science has determined that the heart has neurons. The heart has a mind, and it is more powerful, and has a greater electromagnetic field than the brain! Here, in the deeper heart, is where you meet your higher Self, the Divine Father protector, the Divine Mother comforter, and the Holy Spirit guidance. Here is where you find light, energy, power, and strength in the sacred, secret heart. The sacred heart is the secret storm shelter you didn’t even know you had!

Here in the heart shelter you turn away from the senses and worldly challenges. Here in the heart center you turn towards God. Here in the heart you drop from the triple threat to the triple trinity of divine help. The outer known Trinity, the inner trinity of the psyche, and the higher, deeper MYSTERY or UNKNOWN invisible Trinity. The trinity solution to every problem is: a) Higher Consciousness that is the Father and Deeper Wisdom that is the Mother, b) Empowerment through the Holy Spirit, the energy of God (prana-qi-ki), the guide, counselor, teacher, comforter, remember-er, and POWER to heal, overcome, conquer, and WIN (as Charlie Sheen would say: WINNING!), and c) See the Light by allowing the Son/Sun to enter into your physical darkness of matter/physical body. The light enters the darkness of your physical body and raises it up to be transfigured by seeing with a new higher consciousness, viewing the problem with a new higher perception, and changing your story first from a tragedy to a comedy, and then finally to an inspirational, heart-warming, true life story of overcoming all obstacles, a hero story, a transformation from darkness to light, tragedy to triumph, suffering to joy, unease to peace, conflict to harmony, and division to unity and oneness. You change your story, from a negative, sad story to a positive, happier story, until you can let go of the story all together. When you let go and let God, you begin to live an authentic, light filled, Spirit filled life as your unique, individualized Self that is an aspect of the One God!

The biggest thing you need to do at this step is to LISTEN to your inner guidance system: your inner GPS or God positioning system! Don’t think you do not need to ask for directions (that is the old way, men do you relate to this?). ASK for a GPS or turn on the GPS and then listen for the guidance and directions in the stillness of your heart. When you are in the distractions of the mind you cannot hear or discern the message of the still small voice over the cacophony of the ego dissonance. Drop into your heart and sit on the banks of the still lake of your peaceful spiritual heart. Here the world will be perfectly reflected as it really is, without the distortion of the clouded mind.

3. ROLL

The next step after listening to the guidance is to “roll” with it. Put the guidance into ACTION. Go with it! Roll with it by getting into the flow of the river of living water of the Holy Spirit. Let yourself get soaking wet in the river of living water! Let it cleanse you of any dark thoughts or emotions, let it clear away the dark clouds that are threatening you and starting to darken your mood. Submerge yourself in the healing water to be cleared, cleansed, healed, transformed, transmuted, renewed, restored, rebuilt, and regenerated by the washing of the Holy Spirit. Then allow yourself to fill with the life force, the life energy of the Holy Spirit. Let your being be strengthened and empowered. When the Sun rises with healing in its wings, soak up the sun! Let your being fill with the light of God.

Once you are filled with the energy of the Spirit, overflowing with the light of the Son/Sun, and filled with the gratitude and appreciation of being in the shelter of the Most High, and empowered with the teaching and guidance of the Father/Mother, then, and only then are you ready to leave the storm shelter and go boldly, confidently, and powerfully into the world, BEING the light. Carry your lamp high so it can illumine the darkness that still conceals the Light of God in the physical, observable world that is still suffering and in the dark. You leave the mountain of higher divine consciousness and enter the valley of ego lower consciousness to be a catalyst for all to find the mountain of God and to help every person to stop, drop, and roll to go from darkness to light!

As the light spreads, the darkness is not overcome, it DISAPPEARS, as the light enters! The darkness was never really there in the first place. You find that you merely needed to turn on the light. It is SIMPLE and we have made it very hard, struggling against the darkness, and fearing the darkness, even fighting and battling the darkness. The illusory darkness was just a cloak or veil that temporarily concealed the light hidden underneath. It was the accumulation of dirt and grunge from our wrong thinking, wrong stories, and limited, negative beliefs that built up over the years and merely needed to be washed to reveal the sparkling, brilliant, shining, glorious, magnificent, luminous LIGHT that was underneath it all the time!!!

When the storms of life come, when the skies grow dark and ominous, when you feel the rain start to fall, the wind pick up, the change in the weather, the conflict arising, the distorted emotions rising………STOP, DROP, and ROLL. As a line in the movie “Clueless” said, “I am rolling with my ‘homies’ [home-ies]” Home is where the heart is. The heart is where the home is. The heart is where God is. God is everywhere present. Remove the veil. Remove the dark cloak that is concealing the light. Turn on the lights. Be the light. Be the One you have been waiting for. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be still and know that I am God.  Be still and know. Be still. Just be!!!

When the skies grow dark, the stars come out to shine!!!

I was outside this morning at sunrise for my meditation/devotions. At a certain point there was a sudden change, as the sun that was warming me and shining bright light on my journal writing, was obscured by the dark clouds that started to roll in. I started to feel a few rain drops, so I was forced to come inside and BAM! WHAM! the inspiration of God came like a light bulb over my head, and the revelation for the message was delivered to me from the soil of the change and challenges I have faced in my life, and were mirrored by the changeable weather and recent earth-shaking changes in Japan and other places.

I have just finished this message and BAM! WHAM! ZOWIE! the SUN is NOW SHINING!!! The skies are now clear and blue, and my mood is looking UP as I have lifted my eyes to the sky. I have lived this message, inside and out! Art imitates life. Life imitates God!

Life is GOOD and VERY GOOD! and the BEST is yet to come! (unless you choose to imitate/identify with the opposite of God!). The best is yet to come AND is already here! Both, And. Depending on where your consciousness is, what level of spiritual development you are, who and what you identify with, how surrendered you are, what spiritual gifts you have been given, or how much GRACE you are willing to accept and receive, the best is yet to come AND IS HERE NOW!

This is not the end of the world; it is the beginning of a new day, a new age, a new heaven on earth!!!