True Self True World - Alexander Rice

According to an old Native American legend, one day there was a big fire in the forest. All the animals fled in terror in all directions, because it was a very violent fire. Suddenly, the jaguar saw a hummingbird pass over his head, but in the opposite direction. The hummingbird flew towards the fire! Whatever happened, he wouldn't stop. Moments later, the jaguar saw him pass again, this time in the same direction as the jaguar was walking. He could observe this coming and going, until he decided to ask the bird about it, because it seemed very bizarre behavior. "What are you doing, hummingbird?" he asked. "I am going to the lake," he answered, "I drink water with my beak and throw it on the fire to extinguish it." The jaguar laughed. 'Are you crazy? Do you really think that you can put out that big fire on your own with your very small beak?' 'No,' said the hummingbird, 'I know I can't. But the forest is my home. It feeds me, it shelters me and my family. I am very grateful for that. And I help the forest grow by pollinating its flowers. I am part of her and the forest is part of me. I know I can't put out the fire, but I must do my part.' At that moment, the forest spirits, who listened to the hummingbird, were moved by the birdie and its devotion to the forest. And miraculously they sent a torrential downpour, which put an end to the great fire. The Native American grandmothers would occasionally tell this story to their grandchildren, then conclude with, "Do you want to attract miracles into your life? Do your part. “You have no responsibility to save the world or find the solutions to all problems—but to attend to your particular personal corner of the universe. As each person does that, the world saves itself.’" ~ Source Unknown

I am pleased to announce that the next gathering/seminar will be taking place on Saturday 25th March at the usual London location (The Halley - Haggerston). I consider the Spring Equinox as the start of the New Year, so I find it quite fitting that this event is held only a few days later. I can't think of a better way to celebrate renewal than with like-minds and kindred spirits. This month's theme is 'The Architects of Destiny'. We are all endowed with immense creative power, which can either be used to fashion a brighter future or which can be manipulated by opportunistic and power hungry forces, whom wish to steer us toward more nefarious ends. This seminar explores the mechanisms of reality creation, demonstrating how can we can break free from outside influence and become the architects of our own destiny. As usual the seminars are designed to stimulate discussion among guests, which gives everyone a chance to learn from each other, learn about one another and ultimately grow together. Everyone has the freedom to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas, in a safe and understanding space. Besides from the seminar presentation, the rest of the time is simply free-flowing and a chance for guests to interact and get to know each other. Here is a more detailed look at the topics that will feature in this months’ theme: Intro: ~ The link between our inner and outer worlds and the importance of balance ~ Free-will vs determinism ... Part One: Reality Manipulation ~ Subliminal programming - how the subconscious mind is influenced subliminally through hidden symbols/messages ~ Self-fulfilling prophecies - how we are subconsciously creating our own reality ~ The weaponisation of fear ~ Understanding collective consciousness (inc. the collective unconscious) ~ The formation of a global hive-mind ~ The watered down version of the law of attraction ... Part Two: Forging Our Own Future ~ Breaking free from the global hive-mind ~ Overcoming fear ~ Utilising the power of the imagination ~ The role of belief in reality creation ~ The real 'law of attraction' ~ Balancing action with surrender ('The Flow') ~ The trap of the revolutionary mind - the futility of trying to ‘fight the system’ ... Part Three: Divine Guidance ~ The role of synchronicity as a guiding force ~ Positive vs negative synchronicities and how to discern between the two ~ Connecting to intuition ~ Moving from the head to the heart ~ Surrendering to divine will To those who are interested in attending, the link is in the comments below. I look forward to meeting new and familiar faces.

I have read countless extracts outlining the importance of balancing both inner and outer work, but this piece (by Eva Pierrakos) is without a doubt the most concise and profound... .... First let me speak about the relationship between your inner and outer life. A lot of confusion exists among people about this topic. There are those who claim only the inner life is important. They prohibit the inevitable movement from the inner to the outer life because they do not see the limitation and actual falsity of this idea. If unification and divine process are truly in movement, the inner content must express itself in outer form. In short, the outer life must mirror the inner life in every possible respect. But if your consciousness ignores this truth, or even strongly embraces the opposite belief that the outer does not matter, then you prohibit the flow of the whole process. If this happens, the more radiant energetic matter cannot express itself on the levels of coarser matter and thereby refine it. The false concept that the outer level does not matter encases the inner spiritual truth and beauty behind a wall, separating it from the material reality. The individual with this false concept begins to see a dichotomy between the two which are really one. Many movements and spiritual schools of thought preach asceticism and the denial of the outer life under the guise that this furthers inner spiritual life. This distortion is a reaction to the equally distorted opposite extreme, which position claims that outer form is more important than inner content, and may even negate that an inner reality or content exists at all. Instead, it asserts that only outer form matters. True inner growth must eventually also manifest outwardly, though not necessarily with the speed designated by the outer-oriented person, who in expecting an instant change is making mistakes in judgment. It is certainly possible to express outer form without it being a direct expression of inner content. You must therefore be careful in your evaluations. These two distortions are faulty counter-reactions, each one attempting to eliminate the other by misunderstanding its own. This phenomenon can occur on all subjects as long as consciousness is entrapped in dualistic illusion. During different eras and civilizations, and under different cultural conditions, one of these opposite distortions may be adopted until the pendulum swings to the other. Only a truly connected, self-actualizing and unified person expresses outer form as an inevitable sequence of inner content. When the outer form exists without the inner content, it is a temporary cover that must break down, even though it resembles the glorious perfection of divine reality and its expressions. Again, this is a process that repeats itself in many areas throughout human development. However, it is an ongoing law that all false covers must crack and crumble. When outer form exists unconnected with an organic inner content, it must disintegrate. If it exists on faulty premises based on appearance, on confusing the outer life with the inner, then the outer form must first crumble before it can be rebuilt as an organic expression of the inner movement and content. Only when the outer form has crashed and the inner chaos been exposed and thoroughly eliminated, can inner beauty build outer beauty, inner harmony build outer harmony, and the inner abundance build outer abundance. A clear vision of this principle is also necessary for creating a visualization of your own movement which can then manifest in your outer life as a result of your inner process. ~ Eve Pierrakos

“Exposing the hidden mechinations of organized malevolence can also be part of a healthy desire to understand ourselves better in relation to the world. It can be a way of seeing more clearly our complicity with, and consent to, the malevolence in the world, but also our distinctness from it: how we are not of the world we find ourselves in. This is very different from scapegoating - even the opposite of it - and potentially it can be the means to heal a split that was both caused by the world, and that is the cause of the state the world is currently in.” ~ Jasun Horsely

"We can begin only by reforming ourselves. To make general demands for social and political reform is fruitless. It is easy to say how other people should be, but students of esoteric knowledge must work in the depths and not on the surface. It would, therefore, be quite wrong to connect the demands of esoteric schooling with any external demand for reform or even political change. The education of the spirit has nothing to do with such things. Political activists generally know what to ask of other people, but they hardly ever talk about asking anything of themselves. As esoteric students, we must find the middle ground between following the demands of the world and doing what we see as the right thing to do. We must not force upon others something that they cannot understand, but at the same time we must be free of the urge to do only what those around us recognize and approve of. Only the inner voice of the soul, as it honestly strives for higher knowledge, can confirm our truths. Yet we must also learn as much as possible about our environment and find out what is useful and good for it. And, if we do so, we will develop within ourselves what esoteric science calls “the spiritual scales” or the “balance”—on one of whose trays lies a helpful heart, open to the needs of the world, and on the other, inner firmness and unshakable endurance." - Rudolf Steiner

‘’It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.’’ ~ Gandalf “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ~ Gandalf ‘‘The reason of my waking mind tells me that great evil has befallen and we stand at the end of days. But my heart says nay; and all my limbs are light, and a hope and joy are come to me that no reason can deny.’’ ~ Faramir Your time will come. You will face the same Evil, and you will defeat it.” ~ Arwen

‘I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going, because they were holding on to something. Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam? Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.’ ~ The Lord of The Rings .... “Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way. Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. Pippin: What? Gandalf? See what? Gandalf: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise. Pippin: Well, that isn't so bad. Gandalf: No. No, it isn't.” ..... “From within you must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths.” ~ Gandalf ‘’It is not the strength of the body, but the strength of the spirit.’’ ~ J.R.R. Tolkien ‘’Maybe the paths that you each shall tread are already laid before your feet, though you do not see them.’’ ~ Lady Galadriel ‘’It is useless to meet revenge with revenge: it will heal nothing.’’ ~ Frodo Baggins “The wise speak only of what they know.” ~ Gandalf ‘War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.’ ~ Faramir “Not all those who wander are lost” ~ Bilbo Baggins ‘’The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.’’ ~ Haldir to the Fellowship “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” - Queen Galadriel “Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” ~ Elrond “But do not despise the lore that has come down from distant years; for oft it may chance that old wives keep in memory word of things that once were needful for the wise to know’’ ~ J.R.R. Tolkien ‘’A time may come soon ... when none will return. Then there will be need of valour without renown, for none shall remember the deeds that are done in the last defence of your homes. Yet the deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.’’ ~ Aragorn “‘Why was I chosen?’ ‘Such questions cannot be answered,’ said Gandalf. ‘You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess: not for power or wisdom, at any rate. But you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.’” ~ Gandalf “And Gandalf said: "This is your realm, and the heart of the greater realm that shall be. The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what must be preserved. For though much has been saved, much must now pass away. ~ Gandalf Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread through shadows to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight. ~ J. R. R. Tolkien “Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. ~ The Hobbit

If you have not read (or at least watched) J.R.R Tolkien’s seminal fantasy novels; ‘The Lord of The Rings’ and The Hobbit’, then now is as good time as ever. These stories are a metaphor for our time. Tolkien knew of the evil in the world and was aware of the potential future that would await humanity should we continue on the trajectory we were on. He wrote the books as a warning, but most importantly as a way to inspire courage in the face of adversity. In the novels we learn the importance of bravery, friendship, loyalty, generosity and resilience. We also learn about the nature of evil, the depths of darkness and the poisonous nature of ambition and desire for power. There are such deeply profound messages embedded throughout the novels, which can serve as a useful ally in our current time. I have personally benefited greatly from these stories and return to them if ever I feel a loss of hope or faith. Below are some of my favourite words from The Lord of The Rings trilogy and The Hobbit:

Thank you to everyone who came today. The day was everything I could have hoped for and more! I was blown away by the synergy of everyone in the room. It was amazing to see the ease and comfort in which everyone was interacting. Once again, it was almost hard to believe that many people in the room were meeting for the very first time! This shows that there are deeper soul connections, which transcend both space and time. Whilst we all had such unique stories and experiences to share with each other, the common thread woven between us, is our pursuit of truth, unity and freedom. For me personally, there is nothing more rewarding than helping to facilitate connections between like minds and kindred spirits. When all is said and done, it is the depth of our raw human connection which will ultimately be our saving grace. Nothing can beat the raw and visceral experience of meeting in person with those who we are aligned with at a deeper soul level, where we are able to truly be ourselves, without fear of reprisal or judgement. The path can be lonely at times, but know that with patience and trust, our timelines will converge. It was interesting to hear the stories from a few of the guests today who told me how they synchronistically stumbled across this mornings event, at his the right time. This is testament to the fact that there are hidden forces at work, which are working to unite kindred spirits. To those who weren’t able to make it today and would like to join us for the next one, I am planning to organise the next event at some time in mid-March, either at this same London location or possibly a fresh venue. I am yet to decide on the theme and am open to suggestions from anyone who may have a particular topic of interest they would like to delve more deeply into. I am also planning to do the same event at a northern location. I have had quite a few people (especially those aboard) ask if I am open to do an online version of the two seminars that have been held so far. It is looking very likely that I will host a webinar (via Zoom) on Sunday 12th February, the format of which will be as close as possible to the in-person event. I will announce this officially in the coming days, with an outline of the topics of focus. For those in the UK, as we enter spring and summer, I am planning to organise some outdoor meet-ups, whether that be walks/hikes, camping trips, mini retreats etc. Whilst it is great to gather at a cozy indoor refuge in the colder months, as it warms up and brightens up, there truly is no better place to gather than in the heart of nature. If you would like to keep updated on all future events (including online) then please feel free to join the FB group (True Self True World), which I have posted in the comments below. I look forward to getting to know more of you on a more personal level and uniting in our pursuit for a better world.

Final reminder of tomorrow’s London gathering. If you are feeling spontaneous and yearning for like-minded connection, then please join us for a mind and heart expanding morning at a cosy and warm indoor venue in East London. Above all, this is about the facilitation of like-minded community, which will be our greatest ally in the years ahead. The path of the initiate can be lonely and overwhelming at times, which is why I am organising these meet-ups, in order to connect kindred spirits. As part of this event, I will be doing a seminar presentation, which I have purposely designed to be as interactive and inspiring as possible. The theme this month is ‘The Dark Side of Light’. A full outline of the presentation topics can be found at this link: darksideoflight.eventbrite.com Tickets are available via the above link. Alternatively, there will be tickets on the door (£20 cash). I look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces tomorrow and getting to know you all better. ~ Alexander

Thoughts issued from the Goetheanum, with reference to the above extract from Steiner ~ In the age of Natural Science, since about the middle of the nineteenth century, the civilised activities of mankind are gradually sliding downward, not only into the lowest regions of Nature, but even beneath Nature. Technical Science and Industry become Sub-Nature. ~ This makes it urgent for man to find in conscious experience a knowledge of the Spirit, wherein he will rise as high above Nature as in his sub-natural technical activities he sinks beneath her. He will thus create within him the inner strength not to go under. ~ A past conception of Nature still bore within it the Spirit with which the source of all human evolution is connected. By degrees, this Spirit vanished altogether from man's theory of Nature. The purely Ahrimanic spirit has entered in its place, and passed from theory of Nature into the technical civilisation of mankind.

Rudolf Steiner was a true visionary, who could foresee the dangers that confronted earth and the human race. The piece below (written in 1925), titled; 'From Nature to Sub Nature' warns of the dangers of the technological age and the consequences that arise from humanity's separation from nature and spirit. It can be seen as a kind of preview of what was to come in the 21st Century. There is no mistake that this was one of the last things that Steiner wrote and published, before his death in 1925. He clearly saw this as a matter of great urgency and wished to sound the alarm bells before he passed on. ~ From Nature to Sub-Nature ~ 'With his conceptions and ideas, man still lives in Nature, even if he carries the mechanical habit of thought into his Nature-theories. (..) By far the greater part of that which works in modern civilisation through technical Science and Industry — wherein the life of man is so intensely interwoven — is not Nature at all, but Sub-Nature. It is a world which emancipates itself from Nature — emancipates itself in a downward direction. (…) Man needed this relation to the purely earthly for the unfolding of his Spiritual Soul. Thus in the most recent times there has arisen a strong tendency to realise in all things, and even in the life of action, this element into which man must enter for his evolution. Entering the purely earthly element, he strikes upon the Ahrimanic realm. With his own being he must now acquire a right relation to the Ahrimanic. But in the age of Technical Science hitherto, the possibility of finding a true relationship to the Ahrimanic civilisation has escaped man. He must find the strength, the inner force of knowledge, in order not to be overcome by Ahriman in this technical civilisation. He must understand Sub-Nature for what it really is. This he can only do if he rises, in spiritual knowledge, at least as far into extra-earthly Super-Nature as he has descended, in technical Sciences, into Sub-Nature. The age requires a knowledge transcending Nature, because in its inner life it must come to grips with a life-content which has sunk far beneath Nature — a life-content whose influence is perilous. Needless to say, there can be no question here of advocating a return to earlier states of civilisation. The point is that man shall find the way to bring the conditions of modern civilisation into their true relationship-to himself and to the Cosmos. There are very few as yet who even feel the greatness of the spiritual tasks approaching man in this direction. Electricity, for instance, celebrated since its discovery as the very soul of Nature's existence, must be recognised in its true character — in its peculiar power of leading down from Nature to Sub Nature. Only man himself must beware lest he slide downward with it. In the age when there was not yet a technical industry independent of true Nature, man found the Spirit within his view of Nature. But the technical processes, emancipating themselves from Nature, caused him to stare more and more fixedly at the mechanical-material, which now became for him the really scientific realm. In this mechanical-material domain, all the Divine-Spiritual Being connected with the origin of human evolution, is completely absent. The purely Ahrimanic dominates this sphere. In the Science of the Spirit, we now create another sphere in which there is no Ahrimanic element. It is just by receiving in Knowledge this spirituality to which the Ahrimanic powers have no access, that man is strengthened to confront Ahriman within the world.'

Just a reminder that I am hosting the next community gathering on Saturday 28th January, at an indoor venue in East London. If you are looking to forge lasting friendships with kindred spirits, then I welcome you to join us. It pleased me greatly to hear such positive feedback from the opening event last month. Minds were expanded, souls nourished and new alliances forged. It’s great to see so many of the guests back again for this next one and i’m looking forward to meeting new faces, including those who I’ve been connected to here on FB for a while. Wherever possible, I want to bring people together in real world scenarios, away from the screen. Whist social media is a useful tool for discovery, nothing can beat the visceral feeling that comes from direct face-to-face exchanges. Each event has a core theme, which is essentially a focus for discussion throughout the morning. This includes a seminar presentation, which I have purposely designed to initiate stimulating dialogue among guests. This worked really well at the last event, with everyone getting involved and giving their input. The Theme The theme for the event is ‘The Dark Side of Light’. This explores the dark side of spirituality, the ‘false light’ and the corrupted New Age movement, which distorts and corrupts ‘true’ spirituality, with the aim of vectoring individuals away from their true evolutionary path. This is a deeply fascinating and important topic, which includes the following: Part One: The Black Magicians > How mainstream ‘law of attraction’ is purposely designed to mislead and disempower individuals on their spiritual journey > How the acclaimed pop-spirituality book ‘The Secret’ can actually cause more harm than good > The REAL ‘law of attraction’ and how it works > How black magic is unknowingly being practiced by everyday people on an everyday basis > How black magic ties into the laws of karma > How the notion of ‘abundance’ is distorted, in order to move people into a destructive Service-To-Self orientation of consciousness > The difference between forced growth and organic growth > The importance of working within universal law ….. Part Two: A Critical Look At Spiritual Practice > The unspoken truth behind sleep-paralysis and astral projection > The dangers of forcefully inducing an astral projection, especially when one is untrained and unequipped to navigate the unseen realms > How hidden forces work through plant medicine to infiltrate the consciousness of untrained and unguarded spiritual seekers > The consequences of using external aids to shortcut one’s development > How the western commodification of meditation and yoga has distorted these sacred practices > The distortion and over-sexualisation of tantra and the impact this has upon the practitioners ….. Part Three: The Balance of Light and Dark > The trap of spiritual bypassing - ignoring all darkness (both internally and externally) and focusing only on ‘love and light’ > How to face the darkness (both internally and externally) without being consumed by it > How to navigate through fear and transmute it into a force for good > How suffering can be used as a springboard for development > Throwing the baby out with the bathwater - the trap of seeing all spirituality and spiritual practice as ‘false-light’ and over-polarising toward the darkness in the process > The synthesis of light and dark …. If you are interested in attending, the link for tickets can be found here: darksideoflight.eventbrite.com

Conforming to an excessively rigorous exercise regime in the winter unnecessarily depletes calories (energy), which could be used for more productive endeavours and keeps the body working in overdrive in an effort to maintain homeostasis (balance). Over-exercise is one the biggest elephants in the room, when it comes to ill health. Whilst reasonable daily exercise is important to keep blood flowing, optimise mental wellness and burn surplus calories, an excess can lead to physical weakness (caused by excess muscle & fat depletion), mental weakness (caused by hormonal imbalance) and tiredness (due to over-expenditure of energy and adrenal fatigue). Loss of appetite, irritability, brain-fog, concentration problems, mood-swings and muscle/joint pain are all symptoms of over-exercising and over-working. Both ultimately lead to a loss of valuable vitality and energy, which is particularly noticeable in the colder months. When we are feeling weighed down, this is a sign that it is time to slow down, be gentle with ourselves and allow the currents of life to carry us, rather than constantly trying to make an imprint on the world. As we approach the warmer months, with more frequent rays of sunlight permeating through into our every cell, we are bestowed with a greater amount of life-force, which can be used to take increasing action in the world. An absence of action does not always imply laziness, a falsehood that is propagated in order to keep people serving as perpetual cogs in the wheel of the machine, which requires endless ‘productivity’ to stay afloat. In fact it takes a greater amount of discipline to slow down and surrender in a world of constant demands and distractions. We should not feel guilty for taking our foot off the peddle temporarily and giving ourselves time to relax. ‘Doing nothing’ is better than forcing something. We are often too hard on ourselves and place unnecessary demands upon our fragile shoulders. Slowing down and turning one’s attention inward can lead to a more subtle kind of ‘progression’, which may be not be visible to the onlooker, but which is of equal (if not greater) importance, than the demonstrable ‘successes’ that are displayed outwardly in the world. I wish you all a very happy and restful start of the year. ~ Alexander Rice