Thursday, 28 June 2012

Discovering the Life Plan - Enlightening Times Book Review

Discovering the Life Plan by Ann Merivale
Isbn: 978 1 84694 821 3



The author offers a detailed and sympathetic account of a huge subject in this book. It will appeal to those initially approaching the subject of past lives and karma etc.


It is well written, extensively researched ad presents an interesting insight into the Authors beliefs and that of those she has worked with over the years. 


Step by step "Discovering the Life Plan" takes the reader on an amazing journey through a collection of real life encounters of those who set out to discover why they chose to be here now.


There are notes and suggestions at the end of each chapter for those wishing to delve into the subject themselves to recover knowledge of their individual life blueprints, and plenty of references for anyone looking for practitioners to assist them in this journey. All in all a fascinating read and a thoroughly enjoyable book from beginning to end. 

More about the Author Here

J M Ashcroft June 2012

Thursday, 21 June 2012

New Edition of the Enlightening Times Magazine out Now


Sunrise at 4.33am in Ennerdale Stone Circle in the Lake District. June 21st 2012.
Welcome to the Summer Solstice Enlightening Times Magazine
Click the link below to read the latest Issue.





Authors/Artists/Musicians If you have material you would like to submit for publication in upcoming editions please contact us. on etimes@surgerforthesoul.co.uk.  We would love to hear from you. 

If you would like to contribute regular columns or blog articles please email ashcroftjade@gmail.com so we can set you up with a blog in the Etimes.

Don't forget to add us to your live Feeds!!!
http://www.enlighteningtimes.co.uk

Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Whistleblowing, A Dangerous Occupation....

RT News Feature


"as long as you have an honest motive you will be protected..."

In the Information age it is becoming increasingly difficult to report the Truth for fear of consequences ranging from ridicule to imprisonment. This is only going to get worse as those who need to be silenced become victims of cyber warfare. Did you know that any transaction you make online.. any message you send from your phone, in fact any digital footprints that you make can be accessed by those who collect and control where your Data ends up?

What is private, and what is public information?

The lines of distinction are so blurred that it would probably be safer to stay away from the internet than to know who or what to trust with your personal information.

Privacy online and protection of sensitive data will be the next market in which those with enough savvy to provide these services will prosper. Next time you consider posting your photos, thoughts, personal information on social networks be aware that there is not just your friends watching what you do. There are companies collecting and selling all of your information, creating profiles on your personality by collating and analyzing this data.

For More information read Here



Jade Ashcroft 13/06/2012


Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Returning to the Source 2012 Precepts

This year has brought forth a magnitude of blessings to many with an accompanying drift of change and transition. We are living on the brink of a new civilization, though it may seem as an ordinary year for those pulled into their own perceptions, there are massive shifts happening right before our eyes. With the lack of faith in political leaders, people are beginning to realize the own power potential they hold in their own hands and learning ways to bring this light to humanity. Every human possesses a Divine light that encompasses the infinite potential within their makeup. Once we light this torch, we unfold our true potential and begin building our lives and leaving footprints of contribution to our world in which we must cherish and uplift.



One of the most empowering concepts one can grasp is the constitution of the atom. What is it that fuels our essence and drives our motive? What force lays beneath our most powerful creative energies and causes them to bring fruition? Could it be any other than our essence spark? How can we fully develop this potential laid within us all and use it to re-create our lives and worlds in which we dwell in?

Let's take a look!

First, we must truly become conscious of the energy we allow to circulate in our minds and body chemistry. What we allow ourselves to believe, whether conscious or subconscious, has an effect not only on us but on our world. We are catalysts to the universes, but we must cultivate our powers that need tended just like a garden or fruit tree. If we are energy banks, we must not only take the utmost care of our bodies but also our minds. If we use the following analogy, our minds are literally a paintbrush for the cosmos!

If one is an avid musician we must cultivate this skill and use it towards world good. Popular celebrities including people like Dave Chappelle. Will Smith and Joe Rogan just to name a few are using their careers to spread truth regardless of what people think. This does not mean becoming an Alex Jones or a Kevin Trudeau. What it does mean is cultivating our skills and talents to educate the public in the most subtle way and giving people the keys needed for awaking.

The most missing facet from our world is not a vitamin or mineral (although there are many). What's lacking in our world is knowledge, which is rising on every occasion and becoming more widespread across the globe on every continent. Knowledge has been missing and censored before the times of Egypt. Knowledge can be used to create or destroy. In the case of the Atlanteans, their knowledge became too powerful and caused their destruction.

The Romans decided that some knowledge was too powerful and decided to either destroy it or hide it from the public. Even popular religious figures were manipulated to fit their agenda. However, their time has faded and has fallen in the hand of the individual. We are the key holders to the future. How will we use this power is the question, in the case of the elite they used their minuscule knowledge to oppress the people and prepare lower realms for themselves to become students of evolution the hard way.

The power of the human being lays in their sovereignty. We are not straw men/women of the system to build up their empire. We are here to do something much more majestic and heavenly. We have lives planned by ourselves before even coming to this world. To remember this is a precursor to enlightenment. To follow through with them is considered Dharma.

Individuals in line with their Dharma find their lives flow much more graciously and any problem that they encounter becomes dissolved by the mercy of the Divine. We are literally instruments of the Universe for Higher Reasoning. We must become integrated with our Divine nature. We must not fear change or transition. It is time to align with our Dharma.

What can we do to increase our essence powers? With the huge increase of information via the internet and other knowledge mainstreams, we have all the tools needed to bring our consciousness to the highest order. Superfoods are a great example. Eating as much organic and wild harvested foods will not only keep our bodies in the best of shape, but will literally provide us with the right minerals and co-factors to let our consciousness lights soar to infinite heights. Spring water is a new trend that is bringing people back to Source and making life more simple all the while providing missing elements needed by our subtle bodies to bring down Rome and facilitate a more Eden-like world.

People all over are utilizing their essence powers to educate individuals across the globe and increase awareness. Authors, musicians, teachers, celebrities, journalists and lecturers are using their powers of influence to facilitate Universal knowledge. It does not matter what we do in life, anyone can integrate their essence power into what they do. This is the wave encompassing the future and a more ascended civilization.

Once knowledge is taken away from the public who are they to rely on for such information? Fox News? We must become our own wells of knowledge. Everyone has the right to live in abundance and truth. Once we come to terms with our true potentials and learn how to utilize them, we will grasp the essence of this age and live lives in harmony with the science of truth and enjoy the depths of liberation.

In peace & harmony,

~M

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Enlightening Times Interview with John Clay 12th May 2012

Welcome to the Enlightening Times Mr Clay! 
We are delighted to have you here to talk to us.
Rik Clay -  "Somewhere Not Here"
hello, thank you
Can u give us a little background on what you do?
well I earn a living as a civil engineering estimator but I've been a musician / guitarist since I was 16 and we also run our own independent record label - Stunted Records, which came into existence 10 years ago


So it would be fair to say that Music is a big part of your life
definitely, it's been one of my main passions
What first got you interested in playing? Are there any particular bands or artists that inspired you?

far too many to mention Bowie, Bill Nelson / Be Bop deluxe in the early days
Magazine in the punk era
What do you think of things like "The Voice" and other talent shows currently popular on TV?
Good or Bad for the Music Industry/Artists?
I think they are killing real talent..they breed short termism in music and are purely money making vehicles for the people behind the shows...the perception that the general public have about the winners getting a million pound is a joke...most of the winners over the years end up playing variety clubs, says it all really
As an insider, from the position of running an independent label, what advice would you give to young bands/artists who are just starting out?
do it because you enjoy making music, there's no other reason, and keep doing it while it's fun and enjoyable....just don't expect fame or fortune...the music industry is in the worst shape it's been in ever, there's little money in it and the bigger labels don't support artists like they did years ago self release both physically and digitally, that way you keep the majority of money from sales, unless you can find a nice independent to work with
Is that why you set up your own label?
no, the industry was much healthier 10 years ago...digital downloads hadn't really kicked in so physical was still selling, and bigger labels were still investing in acts. Things started to slide downhill around 6 years ago.
In the light of filesharing and digital technology, do you think its a plus or a negative from the point of view of the artists?
We set up Stunted initially because we were managing Riks band FULC and had 3 offers from small labels...one of which we actively negotiated with. In the end we realized that the band were signing a lot away for next to nothing, so we decided to self release via Stunted as it provided better protection for them.
The Sensible option!
On the digital side of things whilst our download sales are growing overall, sites like Spotify ( owned by the Majors labels ) are killing revenue streams because people stop buying downloads as well as physical, because they can stream whatever they want...I wish we'd never opted in to the likes of Spotify
I have never used spotify fortunately
I would say that releasing digitally is good for the artist but don't allow the tracks to go on Spotify as it generates zero revenue and there is no evidence that we see for it generating sales
money isn't everything though, depends whether you are aiming for a sustainable career
How would an Artist stop something going on to Spotify? And is there an alternative that allows them to be paid for their creativity?
Because we have a digital agreement with our distributor they service lots of digi stores so we can opt in or out of certain services such as Spotify, for an artist to self release digitally then usually they will just be dealing with one store such as itunes so it's not an issuethe best sites to be on are itunes, amazon mp3 and emusic...they all generate decent sales returnsI refuse to use Spotify on principle from a personal  listening perspective.
On a slightly different note In as little or as much detail as you can manage, can you please tell us a little about rik and the foundation you set up?

Rik had very strong beliefs about the world and how it operated - he didn't like what he saw. When we set up the Rik Clay Foundation we wanted something that kept his spirit alive and maintained those core beliefs. The website was pulled together by one of Riks old work colleagues. I suppose it was a bit of a knee jerk reaction to our loss and the healing process has been so slow that in reality we haven't done too much with it....Chris who did the website wants to develop it but to date we haven't had the energy to get too involved as we are still very much repairing ourselves
Understandably so
the Rik Clay Foundation facebook page has been much more active tbh
From your point of view. How much did you agree or disagree with the beliefs that Rik was so passionate about? A lot of what I read on his blog resonated very strongly with me, and I know a lot of people have taken on board what he had to say very seriously.
I think there are differnet levels to it all. I strongly agreed with his views on capitalism, corruption, political manipulations etc but less so on some of the conspiracy / nwo / illuminati stuff...which is not to say it isn't there, but I think some of what Rik said was taken too literally, he made it quite clear that his blog was food for thought, not necessarily truth....then agian the whole thing is still unfolding and the financial collapse in late 2008 was the start of it.
indeed.
Rik was very driven and focussed
Taking things literally seems to happen on a lot of levels, especially when dealing with belief systems.
absolutely....just look at organised religion and see what that has done to the world
So when getting down to brass tacks with regards to Music, Politics ad Religion etc. How much influence do you think Music has on each generation?
I think music has had a massive impact on various generations - Mods / Rockers / Flower Power early 60's, Rock / Prog early 70's, Punk late 70's - all impacted on political, religious, world views etc....since then I'm not so sure and more so now than ever, I don't believe current music ( apart from certain artists ) has much of a message or impact...festivals are just an excuse for a party these days, the music is just a side show it's the dumbing down of society in general....which brings us back to Rik I guess

It certainly does! "Somewhere not here" has inspired me, and continues to do so.
I'm glad it does...I think Rik left behind something wonderful there, I just wish more people would explore that side of him because it's still his spirit at work.
I'll add direct links to this interview because it speaks volumes to everything we have talked about. Thank you Mr Clay. We really appreciate you taking time out to talk to us and please keep us updated informed on any news and new releases from Stunted records.

Thursday, 22 March 2012

The Song of the Universe by Tom Hall

I can hear it now
A sound in my ear
It was just suddenly here
It's a kind of song, I think

Yesterday I was walking home
I can't exactly remember the time
But it was a beautiful sunset
When the song came into my mind

I thought it was a radio or something
Somewhere in the distance
But then it was clear
When it's volume erupted in my ear

My mind can't conceive of it's beauty
Or it's random simplicity
But the song blew me away
Into relative obscurity

It makes me feel good
Connected, do you know what I mean?
Not an individual but part of the whole
Part of a bigger better thing

I can still here it now
This song in my ear
It seems to be coming
From everywhere

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

The Wondrous Journey into the Depth of Our Being by Ilie Cioara


Each human being on planet Earth is – consciously or unconsciously – searching for happiness with unlimited persistence and greed. Happiness appears as a mirage; we try countless ways in order to find it in the external world, with perseverance and determination; nevertheless, each time, the desired happiness finally results in disappointing delusion.
Other, more subjective individuals turn to their inner world; in this case as well, their thirst for happiness is satisfied by sheer deceitful imagination. In each of our attempts to search for it, we start from what we know or imagine. Such happiness is always motivated by an object we anticipate or desire. 

True happiness ensues indirectly. It always appears in a state of non-search. Practically, we do not know what happiness is, but, when the mind is completely silent, in a state of total passiveness, our whole being experiences harmony. In this state, as complete beings, integrated into Life, we are overwhelmed with an immense Joy and Happiness without cause.
Only when It appears as a real experience can we truly know Happiness and Its constant freshness, without turning It into a memory. Ever renewing itself, It is a natural gift offered to the individual who is free from his time-space structure. Only in this way do we discover the true Happiness that the wandering mind of the conditioned man has been searching for throughout the millennia.
 
****
The moment we encounter true Happiness, we are in fact outside time and space. The “ego” – with its intrinsic duality – has completely disappeared.
If the “ego” does not exist anymore, who can evaluate this happy fulfillment?
In that moment, the Sacred within us, also existent in the whole universe, becomes one “Whole” and a Unique movement, in a permanent renewal.
Do we truly experience this union, or do we merely understand it intellectually? You alone can answer this question.
Each human being – from the moment of birth until the moment of the so-called death – persistently searches for this mysterious Happiness. Unfortunately, most people make the mistake of searching for it with the thinking mind.
Because Happiness has no motivations, It is not part of the limited world. Its nature is infinite; therefore the knowing mind cannot encounter It, or understand It, or imagine It. 
Happiness comes to us by Itselnce etc. The very meaning of theeing when the mind becomes humble and silent, as imension has no bounds. In this dimension, no faiths, ideals, desires or any such similar ideas can exist, as they are encountered in the limited dimension. For this reason, in this wondrous climate there is no struggle, contradictions, confusion, pain, hate etc.
Boundlessness cannot be comprehended by imagination or by thought; there is nothing we can say about it. We can only describe and explain that which our mind can encompass. In the face of Limitlessness, the mind is poor, completely unable to understand it. In fact, the moment
<3Cspan style="font-size: small;">Boundlessness cannot be comprehended by imagination or by thought; there is nothing we can say about it. We can only describe and explain that which our mind can encompass. In the face of Limitlessness, the mind is poor, completely unable to understand it. In fact, the moment
The Love dimension is known by different names: Truth, Reality, God, Immensity, the Infinite, Intelligence etc. The very meaning of the words which define it express the fact that this dimension has no bounds. In this dimension, no faiths, ideals, desires or any such similar ideas can exist, as they are encountered in the limited dimension. For this reason, in this wondrous climate there is no struggle, contradictions, confusion, pain, hate etc.
Boundlessness cannot be comprehended by imagination or by thought; there is nothing we can say about it. We can only describe and explain that which our mind can encompass. In the face of Limitlessness, the mind is poor, completely unable to understand it. In fact, the moment
Immensity affirms itself within us, as a living state of the integral human being, the “ego” dimension and its limited way of expression does not exist anymore.
There is not much we can say about the experience of living in the dimension of Love. Nevertheless, we will try to express certain feelings and states of being encountered in this state.
In complete union with Love, we are perfect peace, we live total freedom; the very notion of “self” is missing, although we are endowed with a clarity and sensitivity of the mind such as we have never encountered in the limited realm of thinking.
By melting with silence, we become that silence, equilibrium and harmony, free from duality: our being is extended into Infinity. Practically, by experiencing “psychological nothingness”, the “ego” disappears and, in its place, Immensity envelops us wholly and we become one with It. Integrated into the Great Cosmic Energy, we continue to exist as a state of superconsciousness.
Encountering the Boundless
It is impossible to embrace and comprehend the Infinite UniverseWith the limited “ego”;
All is experienced in total silence,Free from time – the being and the mind are newly born.
Thus, I am Immensity, in perpetual movement,In Unity with the Whole – a creative structure –
I see, feel and act in perfect union with the Sacred,I use language to describe Wisdom.

One with the Boundless, I am Happiness, A divine gift, with no support in the thought process;
Happiness has no motives – a supreme satisfaction,To which, consciously or unconsciously, each human being aspires.
The Freshness of Life
Everything in the Universe is in constant movement,What is now – in a flash – is consumed and dies, The old moment is replaced with the new, appearing rhythmically,A constant succession – inviting us to know ourselves.
Yesterday and the thousands of yesterdays Created our lives of fiction: lies, fear, madness;
All that was – is dead – worthless in the present, The moment – a precious mystery – integrates us into reality.
Intuition is that capacity of the Divinity of our being to warn or to direct us in a perfect way through lightning-like impulses. It is a surprise and an instant mystery. It has no connection with the conditioned mind. On the contrary, it reveals itself to us only in the absence of thinking. We can never, in any way, anticipate its appearance. It cannot be cultivated and we cannot invoke it with the help of a certain formula.
Our only duty is to create a favorable climate in which Intuition can reveal itself, by itself. The only obstacle, obstructing its mysterious presence, is the “ego” and its whole memory baggage – a fictitious entity. When we see it as it is – with the help of lucid Attention – the “ego” disappears spontaneously.
“Psychological emptiness” ensues naturally; our whole being, in perfect harmony and inner simplicity, transcends from the finite world into Boundlessness. In a state of “Pure Consciousness”, intuitive responses are mirrored onto the luminous screen of consciousness.
We can explain this state in the right words only when we are requested to do so, in order to provide a better understanding of life phenomena. These intuitive impulses can reveal to us: either momentary dangers, threatening our lives, or hidden, concealed truths, or small realizations regarding our everyday existence.
Happy indeed is the man who, detached from the “self”, abandons himself to the will of Divinity, offering himself as an instrument through which the Divine affirms Its Sacred guidance.
Excerpt from The Wondrous Journey by Ilie Cioara
Ilie Cioara was an enlightened mystic who lived in Eastern Europe. His writings in 16 books describe the experience of meditation and enlightenment, as well as the practice of Self-knowing using all-encompassing Attention.  The Silence of the Mind and The Wondrous Journey are the first two books in a tetralogy by Ilie Cioara, published by OBooks.  Soon to follow: Life is Eternal Newness and I Am Boundlessness.
Website thesilencebook.blogspot.com
OBooks Link