Becoming Real by Cherry Morris

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." “Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

Isn't that lovely? What a wonderful excerpt from the book, it really does sum up living authentically. It’s also very true; we don’t become real people until we have experienced pain, loss, real love, and what we thought was love. So no matter the source of love or hurt, we become real by acknowledging our true selves in every experience.

So the Skin Horse explains this by saying that people who break easily, have sharp edges, or have to be kept carefully, don’t often become real. Looking at this and applying it to life we can see what he means. If you break easily, everything becomes painful, every new negative experience builds on the last one, and we become so disconnected from our true selves, our dreams, our hopes that it becomes difficult to see clearly.

If you have coped with life by building a wall around yourself for protection, you may keep out the hurt, but you also keep out the chance of becoming real, and recognising real love when it comes. So your edges will be sharp, from a distance you seem okay, but get closer and those edges cut, the saddest thing is that it is you who will be cut the deepest.

If your response to life has been a desire to be carefully kept, (controlling your environment) then you are living a false life. Like living on a very small life raft in a very big ocean, you are very vulnerable to being thrown around by life’s ups and downs.

When we are hurting, we don’t see it at the time but it is the perfect time to take a long hard look at ourselves. To become real (authentic) we have to acknowledge every part of ourselves. The good parts and the not so pretty parts.

You can’t mend other people when they are broken, that’s a fact, an indisputable truth. No matter what you do for them, you cannot mend them. You can help them mend themselves, but they have to truly want to change or your energy and time will be wasted.

You can mend yourself though, with or without help, and the first step is to acknowledge that you are broken.

Just two questions, if you’re really smart you’ll be asking yourself both of them:

Why am I allowing these things to happen in my life?

Why am I treating other people this way?

That’s it right there, your biggest truth, your long hard gaze in the mirror: Two simple questions.

So how do you begin to mend yourself?

It starts with how much we love and value ourselves, those who've read all of my blogs will notice a common theme in that statement. What most people who read it won’t know - is that I have learnt all of these things the hard way by experience!

So right now I will be my authentic self, sharing the one simple fact that I know, if we don’t love, honour and respect ourselves truly, why should others?

Have you ever:

Put yourself last, feeling guilty for having needs

Beat yourself up for making mistakes

Had self-destructive behaviours that stemmed from low self-worth and attracted all manner of destructive people/events into your life

Talked yourself out of doing anything worthy, told yourself that you wouldn’t be good enough

Concentrate on all your perceived shortcomings far more than all the good things you’ve achieved

Develop some habits/strategies to feel loved, get attention

I have done all of the above, and probably a lot more too at various times in my life!

So how did I change? How did I become real?

I went through a most horrendous experience that left me vulnerable and scared, but at the same time something in me snapped and made me embrace everything I was, and everything I wasn’t.

I acknowledged my weak points and made a promise to myself to sort as many of them out as possible, and to love those flawed bits of me I really couldn’t change.

By accepting yourself fully, you begin the healing process, by looking at the dark side of ourselves, as well as the light parts (much more comfortable to look at) that is the route to becoming whole.

So I am not so different from you, except that I am writing about my flaws for the world to read, and I have to tell you – that feels ok, it feels right to acknowledge that I am not perfect. The reason that it feels right is that my foundation is now built on having the love and respect for myself that I deserve.

I don’t need everyone else to love me in order to love myself

I don’t need everyone else’s permission to be happy in order to feel happiness

I am happy being me, perfectly imperfect, and in living this way, I have attracted happiness in abundance into my life that I never thought possible..

So now you know, the whole reason for creating the village of Happyshire, is to help you find peace and happiness in your life too. To give you courage to change, to get out there and create the life you’d really like.

Live positively and value yourself, take chances, take risks...just do it!

The worst that can happen can turn out to be the best you ever could have imagined

Trust me, I know, for now that my hair has fallen out, I have scars, inside and outside, my joints ache... but I am real, and I am truly loved.

You can read the whole story of the Velveteen Rabbit here..

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit.html

This article was taken from my blog http://happy-shire.blogspot.co.uk/

My name is Cherry Morris and my website is www.cherriesnaturalhealing.co.uk

All Rights Reserved 2014 

Biff Diglett New Book by Sid Wright

Check out Sids 4th book after The Contemplations of a Nobody, The Further Contemplations of a Nobody and Fancy Dress Tips for Bald Men.

Biff Digglett is a comedic piece of light reading which features 3 short stories about a young man called Biff Digglett. He has finished university with a degree in Criminology but inevitably struggles to find a job in that field. Eventually he is forced to move back home to the sleepy town of Cockermouth and he gets a temporary job as a gardener but the job turns out to be a gateway to a world of crime and murder.

Sids books are all available from his website - Biff Digglett and the Secret Gardener, Biff Digglett and the monster on Meadow Grove and Biff Digglett and the horrors of the Four Halls Hotel.



www.sidwright.co.uk 

Creating New beginnings through the Tarot Cards by Jean Redman

Creating New Beginnings through the Tarot cards

Self transformation is important if you want to be in charge of being a co-creator with in your own destiny. A Tarot reading can offer you that opportunity to be that co-creator of change. Why wait for the winds to do that, often smacking you right in the face, let’s take charge now and be the creator of your own New Beginnings. 

Often in a Tarot reading, I am ask how can I change, what do I need to change, how can I create happiness, a healthy body, a new mind set, revitalized passion for my work or for my partner, how can I have a loving relationship? We humans tend to focus more on the problem rather than the solution and you can find tools for solutions through the Tarot cards. To desire a new beginning we must first asked ourselves, why do I want to create a new beginning? In asking this question you would be able to discover what you need to let go of, what needs to die in order to be reborn. What new beginning do I want or desire. For instance, you may want a new business, a diet for a new body, a new way of looking at the world, a new romance or re-modeled and or redesign your home. 

There is a story, your story and many of us cannot let go of “our story”. This is essential to creating a new beginning. Just how can we let go? For the Tarot reading, this is the first question to ask. With five cards in a Tarot spread we can determine the how and the what, for some people they have a difficult time in seeking out the what needs to be let go of, the Tarot can pin point that, clarify what you need. For instance for those who do not know what they want to let go of, the center card of the reading is the “issue at hand” what do I need to let go of. This card could be the Ten of Wands, which would tell us that we need to look at where you feel a burden, a responsibility and or stress and hard work in your life, where it is the heaviest load. 

Perhaps you do not know how to create time for your own soul’s rest or nourishment, or the body that craves a hot bath or a spa day. Maybe you took on too many philanthropic projects and feel guilty that you cannot give yourself fully to all of them this would be the burden of consciousness. Perhaps you have worked really hard on a project and it is coming to completion, the achievement is there, however, the responsibilities will now kick in and this may be too much to handle and you are struggling to let go. The next card drawn is the card of the mind, the sub-conscious, something perhaps you are not aware of, the thinking mind or belief held deep in the sub-conscious. This is what needs to be address, to re-formulate or enhanced. The card could be, The Queen of Swords. This card may show that your associate or even your director, this person is a great thinker, organized and not very approachable. 

However the position of the card tells us that she can be open to you asking her for help. You have thought of her as stand offish, unapproachable and feel her response to you would be stern, like your mother’s was. You have not thought to ask her and in fact do not want to ask. The truth is you have not delegated the work load properly because your own thinking mind is one of perfection and greatly independent, if I don’t do it right, no one will. So how then can we change this thinking and in fact a pattern which may have carried over since childhood. The next card is the “change or helper card” and perhaps it is The Magician Card. This would tell you that it is the right timing to communicate what you need and you will impress people in the process of doing so. This will move things swiftly forward and balance out the burden that you have been carrying. There is seen here as a need for urgency, the need to make things happened now and you will get what you desire. This brings good luck to you, so take that leap forward and change the direction of your life. The next card will tell us what action is needed to create this new beginning.

We now see the ACE of Wands. There is not action needed, the new beginning will be ushered in when the steps talked about before are taken swiftly to delegate priorities and work. The new beginning will be a new creative enterprise a new project will reveal itself with inspiration, power and great potential.

The Outcome of this reading the card drawn is The Six of Pentacles. To unburden your work load and your mind will bring in the ability to be generous with self and others. The new project may be in the form of a Charity, a Non-profit, something you have always dreamed of creating.

The Tarot cards will show you tools to use to facilitate change. One Tarot reading I did many years ago was with a woman I barely knew, but I had known her through various charity events. Her question was about her relationship of 8 years, the passion had died and she was contemplating moving on and letting go. In the place of what tool can I use to facilitate change within me, she drew the card with the imagery of Musical instruments all over it, and it was the Eight of Wands. I had known her for years but did not know much about her and I asked her if she liked Music. She did. I asked her if she ever played an instrument. Wow, I was so surprised at the answer. She had put the Cello in the closet for the last 12 years, she got bored with it and she also felt that she would never be that good, seeking perfection was at her core of being. I suggested to her that the cards were telling her to pick that up again, create the passion of the music just for herself and no one else and to play for meditation. Impress no one. Bring the harmony of life back into your energy and allow the passion to flow in, allow it to happen. I saw her 4 months later, she had renewed her vows with her partner and she was playing the Cello daily, it had brought her to complete joy. 

Jean Redman has read Tarot cards since 1982. She also teaches Tarot classes and created The Bali Tarot Deck, the Major Arcana, un-published as yet. www.tarotbyjeanredman.com and to see more images from the deck, http://balitarotdeck.webs.com

An alternative view of current affairs by Marian Matthews

Reading some of the current views of the shameful things that are happening in the world today, cover ups, loss of privacy and sovereignty, wars over resources , environmental problems, multinational exploitation etc etc I cannot help but feel a great sense of deja vu. 

Thirty years ago, in my radical phase, (CND radical and Labour Party) we were fighting hard for very similar causes. People from all walks of life and all ages saw it as their battle too. We were idealistically trying to make society and the world a better place. I think we thought we had made progress. Things seemed to have at least become more open. The realistic amongst us though had begun to realise that central government was more constrained than was apparent. Big business, multinational and the banking system had actually most of the power. They were operating across borders to further their own interests which did not always take into account our individual or national interests. They were, on some level, unaccountable to anyone.

Time, of course, tamed us all. We moved on to different political parties or just real life. I was in local politics for many years myself. By then a Liberal, my thinking was, although a busy wife and mother, at least that way I could make some small differences for both individual and the greater good. The most distressing part of this was the apathy and almost wilful ignorance of what was going on, seen in the general public. We actually had more in common with our “enemies”, who actually cared, although we felt them to be wrong and vice versa, than with the people who, as long as they were O.K., did not look at the big picture or question what was being done in their name.

With the growing of the information age, I had hoped that with the greater openness via the internet and 24 hour news from different sources, that people would see more. Abuses would be stopped, and wrongs put right. Society, would no longer be able to cite ignorance as an excuse for lack of action. 

Yet, in some ways we seem to be back in the bad old days. Why is this so?

AS far as I can see there are several reasons for this.

Firstly, people always assume that government is always working to improve the greater good. Or solve problems to benefit of us all. There are individuals in all parties and in government who do try to do this. Many though are just trying to improve things for their own particular set. People should both vote and look behind the rhetoric and vote for people of honour and integrity rather than just those with the best sound bite. But please vote.

Secondly, the information age works both ways. With our information has come institutional observation of us all. With this comes the means of control. This is a battle that we fought hard 30 years ago , before most people realised it was a problem. Public apathy defeated us. It is now too late. All we can do about it is just be aware.

Thirdly, there are far too many people who believe that it is not their responsibility to solve society’s problems or their own. They think that someone else , or the government should do something about everything. We need all to take responsibility for our own actions and society’s. It must also be realised that we are one world. If we all did what we could, even on a very small scale, locally or globally, we could make a difference.

Fourthly, there is now no way to control these transnational empires, In some ways we rely on them. All we can do is keep on the ball and shame them where necessary to act for the greater good. The sooner we realise that it is everyone’s problem and not just someone else’s, the more we can mitigate this. So, put down your I pads, switch off your videogames, pick up the batons that we put down years ago. We need you more than ever.

P.S.  Our Toxic Press

Last but not least, when discussing the state of the world and how we are losing the battle for control, honesty and integrity we must never forget the role played in our societal downfall by our toxic media and press.

So much is happening in the world for good or bad that is shown to us in 24 hour media cover, but never forget that what is shown is only a snap shot, someone’s choice of many things that may be available. When something major happens it dominates our screens in blanket coverage at the cost all other sensible News that may be happening at the same time. A balanced view if often missing. Quantity is often mistaken for quality. Not only that but the topic is suddenly dropped ( Like Syria) although the problem is still ongoing. I used to be proud of our BBC but no more…apart from radio 4 that is. Too often the News agenda seems to have been set by people who have a narrow and limited view of what the public may be interested in. I am always particularly appalled when the death of a celeb is given more coverage than seemly, often at the cost of real news. Is the death of someone who is good at acting or singing, or just in some cases just being, worth more than a tragedy involving ordinary people?

The written media are sometimes even worse. I have had many a rant about the celebrity culture in magazines that gives young girls ( and boys ) false goals to aim for. Being happy is portrayed as being only a factor of being slim and being dressed in the latest “must have” fashions. Dating a footballer or celeb is seen as the pinnacle of what should be aspired to. The problem is in the air brushed beauty being the norm. People are made to feel inadequate if they do not begin to match up. The emphasis seems to be on dieting for vanity rather than healthy eating for long and healthy life. This is causing stress and depression among our young people.

Very sadly, characters in soap operas, who often live horrendous and amoral lives, are treated as real people. I have seen magazine headlines with news of the character’s (not the actual actors) doings as if it had really happened. This again gives false norms to people. Not even our more heavy weight papers are always much better. I did see an edition of- I think it was- the Times that gave nearly equal weight on the front page to someone famous’ wonderful waist size and the problems in the Crimea. Come on media stop poisoning the lives of the young with this junk. Real happiness is in living well balanced and thoughtful lives. Where are the inspirational stories? Where are our role models? Where is the crusading zeal that encourages people to take control of their own lives and work for the common good rather than blame everyone else for the mess we are in? A decent media would help us with our fight for a better society, not chase flashy headlines. We need better stories and both sides of each dispute to be properly given, not just in sound bites for entertainment. The press should be our bulwark between us and the often dreadful things done in our name.


There are exceptions, of course, but generally our media seems to have become a branch of the entertainment industry. Come on media, written and visual, raise your game we need you to do the right thing. Who knows, if people start believing in you again together we may actually be able to improve things. Newspapers might even be able to sell more copies again!

There is NO ILLUMINATI by Richard Abbot

There is No Illuminati

In times of trouble, the prize always goes to those who are prepared to ‘look within and keep going’. These are the traits we need if we are to thrive – reflection and determination – great human characteristics, without which little is ever achieved.

But there are an increasing number of folk who want to discard all this, by refusing to take any sort of responsibility for the situation in which they find themselves, projecting all their anger and frustration outwards toward the formation of screeching phantoms in a fabricated universe. By their actions they purposely create a Great Illusion of Our Times – The Illuminati.

So let me be clear and loud, so there can be no chance of confusion. There is no Illuminati. Nor is there any reptilian agenda, save in your own mind.

The inequality that exists in the world is not the creation of an Abraxas worshipping elite. The wars are the same wars that men (and it is always men) have fought throughout human history, and not the construction of half human/half alien royalty, celebrities and international bankers.

Certainly, organizations like the UK’s Common Purpose are a menace, but at the same time simply the logical conclusion of 20 years of unchallenged progressive thinking. Yes, the Global Financial Crisis is a grand scam, but everyone who took a mortgage they couldn’t afford and maxed out their credit card is complicit in it. Even if we suspect dark forces at work then it still doesn’t follow that we must fall in awe at the feet of David Icke when he comes before us to give, give, give of himself in lengthy monologues. Talking for that long is not giving, it’s taking. Conceit of the highest order.

There is no Illuminati because there doesn’t need to be. The truth is much more dangerous. The evil that runs free across the Earth does not come pre-packaged and coordinated from mountain retreats. It comes from within every single member of the human race.

It shows itself every single time you act or speak in a way that you know that you should not. Every time you are mean, just because you can be. Every time you dodge when you know you should work. Every time you shout at others but instead should be shouting at yourself. Every time you take the easy way, the quick way, the short cut. Every time you do these things you give life to the evil within you. Every time you dare not speak up. Every time you look away when the truth is talking to you. Every time you do as others expect you to. Every one of these times is an indulgence of the Dark Side, which runs in tiny droplets until eventually no-one can see the source of the flood.

The evil that exists does so as much within the poor, the Left, the weak and the oppressed and as it does within the rich, the Right, the strong and the powerful. It knows no definition of class, race, age or gender, because it lies within. It is the Ego – the part of us that desires at all costs to remain unchanged by events and the part of us that is too eager to role-play as a victim.

To some extent all this is just about kept in check, under the surface of life, but it cuts loose whenever the new preachers gather the poor and unfortunate together and point outwards, screaming ‘look at them, look at our enemy’ in the mightiest effort to do anything but look at themselves.

So, if you think that the ruling classes are playing you, then you might want to consider that the likes of David Icke are doing exactly the same. If you think that someone like Russell Brand points the way to a new dawn then ask yourself why he, among the faceless thousands attending an Anonymous march felt the need to remove his mask and show himself. Like many others who purport to know what is best for others, it is only ever about them, and never, ever about you.

The only way to resolve the problems of the world is to accept the role that we as individuals have played in creating them. Whether we have been actively involved in the evil doing or have simply observed from the sidelines matters not. It is now our unavoidable responsibility to discover who we are and what we need, independent of whatever anybody else thinks, says or does.

(Tarot images Copyright, l to r, Cosmic, 1JJ Swiss, Hanson Roberts, Tavaglione Stairs of Gold)

© Richard Abbot 2014 

© Enlightening Times All Rights Reserved 2014

Meanwhile in the Real World by John Burns

We'd like to welcome one on our newest contributor's John Burns to the Enlightening Times magazine.  John was so inspired with the momentum building for the Independence referendum in Scotland that one day as he was driving his bus through Glasgow City Centre he thought about what he could to help with the campaign.  As a life long film buff, John decided to follow what he love and began creating his own videos in support of a YES vote.  Through some of his first videos he connected with Rashelle another of our regular contributor's and after some discussions his first video for the Enlightening Times was born.  John is a very passionate voice who finds the current climate in the UK increasingly intolerable and wants to do his bit to help, so expect more, much more from him.  For more information and to stay up to date with John's latest work please subscribe to his Youtube channel. 

All Rights Reserved 2014 

  

A Perspective on Scottish Independence You Won't See on the News

I was sent this today from a new subscriber to the magazine who I connected with through a mutual friend we featured here last year, Keith Ordinary Guy.  The article was entitled a War on the Poor, UK? and you can read the full article here.  Keith has since consolidated one year of his letters to Number 10 into a Kindle book which is available for sale here.  I think you'll agree the Perspective on Independence is very interesting indeed and one we're very unlikely to hear blaring out the boxes in the living room.  Take your time to digest the information contained in it and ponder what it really means both for you and for the people of Scotland as they take their vote in September.  Is this vote really just about Scotland and England or will a YES vote be a vote for our World?

Here you go...from David Abrahams-Edley

"Have any of you been wondering about the rabid, threatening, nonsensical, erratic and bullying behaviour of our elected representatives in Westminster of all main parties with regards to Scottish independence? There is a very real reason for it.

When you see 'Crown' used officially do you think this is the Monarchy - or agents acting on behalf of the Queen? If you are you will be in for a shock. Since the Treaty of Union in 1707 with Scotland the 'Crown' in law has been The Bank of England. Prior to the Union the Scots were bankrupted by the English Parliament - the English made it unlawful to trade with anyone who was connected to the Darien Colony. This was a Scottish Colony in what is now Panama. This bullying effectively forced the Scots into Union. The deal was that England would pay off Scotland's debts and make its establishment rich in return for one Parliament and one nation. The Bank of England paid for this by creating a national debt that was designed never to be paid back. And in return it demanded conditions. The new Parliament would issue statute separately from the common law codes using trade law - the law of the sea (maritime code). The debt would be underwritten with the population as collateral - it wasn't just the Scots that were 'bought and sold for English gold'. At this point the Crown in law became the Bank of England and it resurrected an abolished post - the Rememberancer, to sit in the House of Commons at the right hand of the speaker - the only unelected office in the House. The purpose of this was to vet and press legislation in the interests of the country's creditor. The first two items of statute under maritime code being the Act(s) of Union.

If the Treaty of Union is reversed - then the Bank of England is no longer the Crown in Law. The crown in law will revert to the Queen. All products of the Treaty will no longer stand and the national debt, as a product of this instrument cannot exist. EVERY ACT OF PARLIAMENT, STATUTORY INSTRUMENT AND BYE LAW CREATED UNDER STATUTE SINCE 1707 IS A PRODUCT OF THIS TREATY and as such will be null an void - Think about this - maritime code is by consent (although most people don't know how not to consent to it) - and it is about control and punishment rather than holding society together - as in common law. The Crown as the Bank of England makes interest out of its collateral through the courts - which are built as a vessel (you sit in the dock) the judge sits at the bridge (bench) and a court case is 'abandoned' if it cannot continue - just like a ship. When you see the word crown - because of the Acts of Union - this means the Bank of England, as in Crown Estates, Crown Colonies, Crown Courts - the crown v... All of the is overturned if Scotland goes independent. When the Prime Minister, who works on behalf of the Bank of England - his real title is First Lord of the Treasury - talks about the 'interests of the City of London' - he is not talking about the benefit of the UK, he is acknowledging that he is not carrying out his job for the benefit of the electorate but for his creditors - the whole thing is double talk. The best deception is the one that is right in front of your eyes.

Parliament is sovereign in statute. But our statute is a product of a Treaty that will no longer exist. Statute is a legal instrument and there is a world of difference between legal and lawful. So Parliament will have no power or authority and our law will revert to the Common law. The establishment that has used statute for 300 years to shore up its wealth and power base will no longer have this. And they cannot rewrite and reintroduce these statutes because maritime code is by consent and given a choice who would consent to this shit? Because our law has its routes in the common law it would take years to reinstate and an English Parliament would have no authority to carry out this lawmaking function, because its authority also derives from a product of a Treaty that will no longer exist.
We are in uncharted territory here. This is the real reason that the establishment is shitting itself over Scottish independence.

David Abrahams-Edley