How do we evaluate our spiritual progress?

Posted on December 19, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

Evaluating our spiritual progress feels like a valuable query and yet it is not one we can address easily. I was prompted to reflect on the matter because someone, out of the blue two days ago, liked a post I wrote on my blog on November 12, 2019—a post about bubbles, a concept which is meaningful to me and upon which I will expand.

Thirteen months is a fairly long period where a lot can happen, including spiritual development! So thank you Michele!

The first thought that comes is that spiritual progress is not something we can measure with a yardstick. It is best to return to a significant moment in time, analyze how we behaved or responded then, and assess where we are in the present.

The ego mind takes us through circuitous routes and some of them, as you have certainly experienced, can be treacherous. That is the reason why it is important to keep a journal; one we can go back to and reflect upon. I did keep an “emotions journal” this year from April to June and found the adventure enlightening. Not only does it allow us to record our emotions or reactions, in many ways, it also allows us to empty our mind and to purge the emotional charge that may have accompanied the event.

A lot of what I consider spiritual progress has to do with lessening the impact of negative emotions. Both within and without. We all have people in our lives that irritate us, or frustrate us, and they may be present to show us something worthwhile: the hidden areas we need to work on. We may say that these people are here to “push our buttons,” as the expression goes, but it is only the surface level. I strongly believe there are in our lives to teach us something—something that only we can master. I’ve learned—with some difficulty, I must admit—to consider these people in my life as Buddhas. Disguised as they are, why would they go all the trouble to show us something that we need to change, if they were not our good friends?

Have you ever noticed the lessening of that irritation after some time? Have you taken great care to pay attention to the messages your mind sends when you are in the company of those people? Is the intensity of the message the same, or is it decreasing overtime?

The more attention we pay to what we feel and think, the more we realize that something positive is at work. Perhaps it’s only a question of responding to someone, after taking a short breath, instead of reacting. A sign of progress, that is. The variations in our inner responses can be subtle and that is why it is important to have our antennas out.

In the case of “my bubbles,” I realize thirteen months down the road that their intensity has dwindled. In fact, after rereading my November 12, 2019, article, another bubble showed up the next day at home. Instead of reacting internally, I remained quiet, almost undisturbed. Just noticing. And making sure I would not react to the other person.

In my case, a bubble is something I do or say that “takes off” (just like a soap bubble) and ends up creating irritation because of the environment I live in. Or because of the “sensitive Buddhas” that surround me every day. Yesterday’s bubble was no different to the extent that I could have done the same thing differently, a few minutes later. Yet, guided by the Universe (some would say God), I behaved the way I did to learn the “inner lesson” I learned—a lesson in observing and in realizing that “my spiritual progress is at work.”

Everyone can do that. It is a question of asking for guidance and being grateful for whatever comes our way. Not everything that appears negative in the first place is in fact negative. The perception we apply to what happens may (subjectively) give it a negative tone but, inherently, that something is neutral. It takes a special coloration because of the context in which it occurs—the context of our lives and our spiritual path.

Gratitude is definitely another hallmark of our progress. Gratitude for just about anything that happens to us, as well as gratitude for what some people do to us with their good intentions. How they take care of us or our family members, for instance.

Gratitude for the year 2020—a year that brought us many gems despite the worldwide turbulences and heartaches.

Gratitude comes out of a person’s heart and I believe it’s impossible to fake gratitude. We can certainly fake it with words—forcing gratitude out—but we cannot force the feeling out of our hearts. We know what is genuine gratitude, and what is not. The analogy that comes is that of a fire burning in the chimney in the middle of winter; possibly with a cup of herb tea or hot chocolate. We know how cozy that feeling is.

The more our hearts open up, the more gratitude percolates out, so to speak. Gratitude is something we may want to cultivate, one bud at a time. Take a moment every morning and every evening to list the reasons why you are grateful. You may soon notice an increase in your appreciation for life. And people coming to you with gracious comments and … more gratitude! What goes out often comes back to us.

Another area where we may want to reflect upon to assess our spiritual progress is that of consciousness. It is not an easy thing to do.

What are we conscious of now that we were not aware two years ago? Perhaps a stint of unconscious self-criticism that kept plaguing us and that, magically, dissolved. The magic, of course, is that of our spiritual practice and of the heart at work—our hearts.

I keep reading that 2020 is THE year when we need to let go of those detrimental beliefs that hamper our progress, so that we can move afresh into the era that is awaiting us.

I am not suggesting making a list of what we need to change in ourselves, but that is certainly one way to proceed. Again, observation and reflection are extremely important. Curiously listening to the Buddhas that surround us might also help along the way.

The rising of consciousness also manifests in new insights, new information that comes our way because some veils are being lifted along the way. We may not see it clearly that a veil has been removed—in essence, a veil is something that prevents us from seeing—but we can apprehend what is coming our way through this ‘liberated passage.’ And if it’s something new, then it may have something to do with us and our progress.

Believe me, it happens quite often and new insights as well as marvelous synchronicities can blow our mind and make us ask for more!

In my work as spiritual coach, I see it as my mission to help folks along the way, especially when it comes to removing or piercing the veils that obscure our inner vision. And I cannot tell you enough how important it is to adopt a fresh perspective as we embark on a post-2020 adventure.

Until March 14, 2021, I am offering up to five free coaching sessions, so please take advantage of working with someone who can see you objectively, compassionately and without any judgment. In the end, it will benefit you to the extent that you will “know thyself” better—another sign of progress!

https://www.nurturingoursouls.org/journeying

Gilles

companion@nurturingoursouls.org

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What does it mean to be spiritual?

Posted on December 16, 2020 by new desert

DECEMBER 29, 2020 @ 3:00 pm EST (New York time)

Please join spiritual coach Gilles Asselin for a presentation of what it means to be spiritual in these trying times.

Gilles will offer a short presentation about spirituality, its benefits and the questions we may have on the path.

Questions such as:

• What can we expect
• What are some of the obstacles
• What are the benefits
• How do we assess our progress
• What are some signs on the path
• How do we realize we are becoming (more) spiritual
• How do mission and purpose come into play

The presentation will be followed by a Q & A session. Feel free to send Gilles questions ahead of time if you’d like.

This event will take place on Zoom and will be streamed live on Facebook.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89796440448

https://www.facebook.com/events/392567141978913

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The Opening of the Heart

Posted on December 14, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

On the spiritual path, one of the most valuable benefits is the Opening of the Heart.

Such a manifestation opens up the floodgates of love, compassion and gratitude, eventually transforming a person’s life and revealing her or his True Nature.

That being said, the process is usually gradual, at least for most of us, and not sudden. It may come under the guise of small happenings that build up and culminate over time.

This morning, I would like to share such a culmination—tiny in scope, yet meaningful beyond measure.

It is such a beautiful thing when “the heart wins over the rigidity of the system.” You’ll see what I mean.

Our son’s 5th grade teacher will soon be giving birth and will not be back in school until the fall of 2021. As we enter the last week of studying for 2020, she sent us her usual weekly newsletter. In return, we privately expressed our gratitude for all the efforts she exerted during the past four months. Thanks to her dedication, we have witnessed improvement in our son’s attitude toward learning and ability to write.

We’ve had a pleasant exchange with her since the beginning of the school year, mostly via email. We were using her first name and she always responded with a neutral “Hello” or no introduction. The system around here, as well as the “exclusively virtual” times we are living in, do not provide for much heart-to-heart communication opportunities.

Sarah responded to our note this morning and, for the first time, used both of our first names.

This is what I mean by the Opening of the Heart. It doesn’t have to shatter the whole world with the greatest love ever. It is one small word, one small gesture at a time that we are using to build a greater sense of Oneness, a more beautiful WE.

Once the heart starts opening up, there is no way to stop it. Yet you can be sure that there will be incidents, or possibly storms, down the road where the challenge will be to prevent the heart from retracting.

That is, in my humble opinion, the nature of the path.

Here is the link to the Facebook invitation. You can attend the gathering at 3:00 pm New York time on Thursday, December 17th.

See you there!

https://www.facebook.com/events/699995447576655

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Connecting Equanimity and Divine Will

Posted on December 8, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

An exercise in spiritual equilibrium this week, it seems; yet as we ask questions, we receive answers, at one point or another. Trust the Universe!

For quite some time, I have been asking myself

“What does it mean to surrender to Divine Will?”

And how do we know we are indeed surrendering?

There is often celestial magic at play and I/we experienced some of it on Sunday afternoon as we became involved in a small car accident. I was backing out of a parking stall, didn’t see a car coming, and we got hit in our rear. There was little damage and the exchange with the other driver was cordial—a woman, originally from Germany, and her partner.

What surprised me most was the state of “emotional neutrality” that I experienced. No upset, no feeling bad about what just happened and, most importantly, no feeling bad about myself.

Equanimity is another name I use for “emotional neutrality.” Equilibrium is also a meaningful description and the tarot card that came to mind, as I later reflected on the accident, is that of The Star—major arcana number 17.

A beautiful woman fully involved in the “balancing act,” pouring out water from a stream with one hand, and pouring it out onto the land with the other hand.

The motto that I sense about The Star is “everything will be alright.” We can be serene. In the first place, it will be “alright” because our earthly actions are watched and supported by the celestial realms. The Star, an emanation of Divine Will, is watching over us and providing the nutrients we need.

This incident, and my inner response to it, as unexpected as it was, is not a full answer to my query about Divine Will. Only a part of it that constitutes a piece in the puzzle of our ever-evolving life.

The important point is that we keep the “spelunking” going and reflect on what happens to us, both internally and externally.

It leads us, I believe, to the destination we have chosen long ago and that some call Home.

Link to Facebook invitation:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1301038646930404/

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How have we changed?

Posted on December 1, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

I am obviously asking “how have we changed?” since the beginning of the year upon which the curtain will soon be drawn. I could just have asked:

How have we grown in 2020?

Did we move—especially within—at a faster pace than in any other years we experienced on planet Earth?

That is a question for us to address personally, yet the collective implications of a planet in transition cannot be ignored.

Which may lead to a sub-question,

How have the global emanations of 2020 affected us?

Did they bring us to a different vision of the world?

Hopefully, a more caring vision.

And perhaps generated a different conception of our place in this ‘turbulencing’ (or turbulence-filled) planet?

One last question I would like to offer for this 2020 closing process—a very important one, as I conceive of it—is:

What is dying, within our collective consciousness, and within our microscopic selves?

As a piece of further inspiration, I would like to leave you with an excerpt from a lecture from Master Djwhal Kuhl that I listened to recently. His lecture only adds to the questions I offered.

Master Djwhal

November 14, 2020

I want to leave you with a question for deepening your introspection, one that is drawn from the current circumstances playing out in the world. As the Covid-19 pandemic has unfolded and spread, the collective human experience has changed. Likely, there have been some interesting moments where your individual egos were piqued, possibly when feeling the inner effects of fear, confinement, worry, helplessness or even anger.

Thus, it is probably a good idea for each of you to ask yourself just what this time of immense learning might be about for you. In the light of what you are learning this year, it is probably a wise choice to consider just where these emotional frequencies might lie within the spectrum of your enlightenment. If you can do that, you will undoubtedly grow immensely from this time of uncertainty.

That growth, in and of itself, is very important, and it seems to be the task of the moment these days. However, try to view the current situation from a larger perspective—say the Galaxy or even the Universe. Then, go even vaster because, viewed from the perspective of The Changeless, nothing is going on. Indeed, pandemics, just like hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, or even out-of-control wildfires, are all part of the cycle of life on this amazing planet. Further, the uncertainty of this time and the stressful situations now arising are all manifestations occurring within the realm of change. Yet they are more than that. They are invitations to rise into bodhisattva-ship.

Try to convert those lower frequency emotions into generosity, clarity, steadiness and most importantly, love. Remember, bodhisattvas deliberately move toward suffering in order to serve and help in whatever way they can. So, in your contemplative moments, drop into your heart field and ask within:

“What is my highest intention, my most noble aspiration for this difficult time?”

When you are stirred with deep concern for your loved ones, open your heart a little more and share in everyone’s concerns for loved ones. Indeed, enter the great, shared heart of compassion. What I am referring to by using that term is a spacious field of consciousness from which you can send engaged and authentic compassion to everyone. Indeed, in your truest, unborn nature, you are timeless love and awareness.

Trust it and go be who you really are!

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The ephemerality of relationships

Posted on November 24, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

I wanted to talk about the “meaning of relationships,” yet “ephemeral” sounds more to the point of what I would like to share.

I believe the end of a year, and more specifically that of 2020—marking a break or hinge of some sort—is a good time to say “thank you” to some of the relationships that have dissolved or disappeared over the past few months and years.

Not only in 2020, I must add. Think of what happened to you in the past five years, relationship-wise.

Some of these relationships were not meant to last beyond a certain point; some others “did the work” —read, brought us a message or helped us get to where we are now—and it is time to acknowledge them one last time, be grateful for what they manifested and move on.

In my case, I can think of two women in the south of France with whom I was in close contact in 2017. And yet, as soon as we met for the purpose we had chosen long ago, it seemed the relationship was no more.

It is a strange phenomenon, isn’t it?

Yet one that allows us to enter the new with more grace and spiritual agility.

Who knows what 2021 has in store for all of us? My last thought is that the lighter we travel in this Universe, the faster and higher we might fly.

I wish you a meaningful and beautiful end of 2020, knowing there are only five short weeks left between this week’s communion, November 26, and December 31st!

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What are we grateful for in 2020?

Posted on November 17, 2020 by new desert

It is the question of the month, certainly in the US, and perhaps in the rest of the world as well, after such an unsettling progression of events this year.

Our son’s virtual class was asked the same question yesterday morning. Family, friends and good health were on top of the students’ answers. Very understandably.

Yet, was is there hidden beneath the surface of the year 2020 that we would be grateful for?

A paradigm shift, one we can possibly feel in the air, but which has not yet materialized?

A brand-new Earth?

Many more awakened beings?

It seems that 2021 may have a lot to offer us, a lot of newness of spirit; yet we won’t really touch the reality of the next year until we pass the hurdle—so to speak—of the January 1st marker.

Until then, why can’t we be grateful for being an active witness to this extraordinary transformation we are all going through, at some level; visible or not so visible?

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There is still work to do!

Posted on November 9, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

Yes, there is, beautiful and most necessary work—personal work in the first place.

I was reading Matt Kahn’s post about the long dark night that humanity is experiencing this year. Here are two brief excerpts.

“For the majority of 2020, humanity has been steeped in a collective dark night of the soul phase of accelerated healing. This crucial phase is used to shift from the mind-based identity of a dissolving 3D paradigm and into a heart-based identity of an awakening 5D consciousness.”

“Whether we are seeing radical shifts in the consciousness in ourselves or others, or more likely amplified tension, chaos, and violence, we are holding space for the biggest shift the identity of humanity has ever experienced. This is a shift that is guaranteed to reach completion, whether experienced with the utmost peace or resisting and fighting every step of the way.”

Awakening From The Dark Night Of Our Soul * By Matt Kahn

There is no doubt about that shifting phenomenon yet, on a surface level, it is hard to tell what is dissolving, what is disappearing and what is budding. We know society is morphing in unprecedented ways but we have no possibility of ascertaining the change that will eventually emerge in a fresh, new world.

Certainly, I don’t.

Yet we have immense power when it comes to our inner world; we have resilience as well, which is an important human characteristic. Doing our inner work is what matters most in these tumultuous times, as we prepare ourselves for what will burst forth in 2021.

I leave you with an excerpt from Pam Younghans’s newsletter; she is saying the exact same thing (do your inner work!) as we experience this week the third conjunction of Jupiter and Pluto.

Personally, I have identified some emotions that may go back a long time and may block my spiritual progress; one of them being helplessness.

How does one move from being under the weight of an “old emotion” to being liberated?

That is a question for all of us!

THIS WEEK, as at each of these critical junctures [Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions; this week being the third one of 2020], it is up to each of us individually to be aware of how we hold those misqualified emotions in our own energy field and to do the work to transmute those emotions. We must first acknowledge the feelings rather than pretending they do not exist and accept our own humanness. Then, we must likewise realize our Divinity, which enables us to be more than simply human.

This work of transmutation can be done on many levels and in many ways. We can use techniques that allow us to express any repressed emotions in a safe way, and then call in light or the violet flame to move through and help clear the debris from our individual field, and the quantum field as well. We also can use the vibration of sound or color to assist us in releasing lower-frequency emotions. One of the keys to doing this successfully is not to attach to or label the emotions, but simply to allow them to process and release.

Whatever methods work best for you, now is the time to use them. We are not yet past the time of challenges. Jupiter and Pluto are doing the work of revealing humanity’s shadow. As workers for the Light, we are called to do the work of transmuting the negative emotions that arise, for ourselves and for the collective.

http://www.northpointastrology.com/northpoint-journal.html

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A giant leap forward in November

Posted on November 4, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

As I write these words, we are on the cusp of a passage into a new month—the 11th month of 2020—after a Full Moon in Taurus; and twice already I heard or read the expression “quantum leap” or “giant leap” in reference to the November energies.

Are we ready, dear Ones?

To finally let go of our masks, to get out of our shells, to show our true nature?

And most importantly, how can we be of service to humanity during this most transformative time in the history of our planet?

I leave you with an excerpt from the Arcturian Group’s message for October 31st and some astrological notes from Pam Younghans concerning the Full Moon.

“We are experiencing expansion in every moment that we exist because we have nothing to cling to and nothing to push against. We allow our expansion to occur and we experience it in real time, so to speak. You all often hold back from the experience of your expansion because you are clinging to something or pushing against something else and, eventually, you have to let go. You have to surrender and you thus make giant leaps forward in the evolution of your consciousness. That’s what November is going to be like for most of humanity.

And so the November energies are going to be all about cradling you all in the light, sending more healing and loving energies to support you through what will be a giant leap forward for the human collective and for many individuals who have been holding back from their own expansion. A lot of the energies will be utilized by the awakened collective so that you can be there for those who need your presence—because there will be many. There will be many who need your assistance with the giant leaps forward, with the somewhat unexpected expansion.

You don’t have to brace yourselves for the November energies if you are receiving this transmission but do open yourselves up to them, because they are coming for you and for those you will be serving in the coming month, and in the coming months and years that you have ahead of you.”

The November 2020 Energies: Giant Leaps ∞The 9D Arcturian Council

AFTER SO MUCH stormy weather over the past few weeks, it is perhaps no surprise that the climax of the current lunar cycle – our Full Moon on Saturday, October 31—promises to be memorable. This is a Blue Moon, being the second Full Moon in the calendar month, and it is occurring on the ancient Celtic festival day of Samhain, known to most in present day as All Hallow’s Eve/Halloween.

These factors alone would cause us to consider this Full Moon as being special—but there is more. The most significant news about this Full Moon is that it occurs within a mere three arc minutes of being EXACTLY conjunct Uranus. In exact degrees, the Moon will be at 8°38′ Taurus and Uranus will be at 8°41′ Taurus. This proximity of Uranus to the Moon when it reaches fullness heightens its impact in many ways.

EMOTIONS are usually heightened at the time of a Full Moon. It is why we have the term “lunacy” in our language, due to the fact that some people’s mental stability seems to be affected by this phase of the lunar cycle. We also call people “moonstruck” when they are thinking or acting in ways that are out of character, or perhaps even bizarre.

When we add strong Uranian energies to the effects of a Full Moon, we can imagine that feelings will be even more extreme than they are during a “normal” Full Moon. Uranus is highly electric, so nervous energy is likely to be very high, and we should not be expecting rational behavior. Imagine a dark night with both a Full Moon and a lightning storm, and you begin to get the picture.

AT SAMHAIN, it is said that the veil is thinner between the worlds, making it easier to communicate with the spiritual realms. Mystical experiences are more likely at this time. A Full Moon also increases that potential, so be sure to watch your dreams and visions throughout the weekend for messages from the Other Side.

And what happens when we consider Uranus in this context? Uranus is the planet of higher consciousness, and is called the Great Awakener. Through Uranus, our intuition is heightened and we have greater access to the Higher Mind. It is the planet of breakthroughs and breakdowns, but not without purpose. It is when we are dislodged from our usual routines and “normal reality” that we open our minds to alternative ways of thinking. We become more available to flashes of insight and inspiration when life doesn’t go according to plan.

http://www.northpointastrology.com/northpoint-journal.html

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Spiritual companionship is opening!

Posted on November 1, 2020 by new desert

Dear Ones,

I’m happy to share my new set of services at the beginning of this new month: Spiritual companionship ❤

Please feel to share. Words of mouth are powerful and I will be most grateful! ❤

https://www.nurturingoursouls.org/statement-of-intent

Dear Gilles,

I felt so blessed reading through your website and feeling the power of the companionship in which we have walked so long together shining through your words and heart and awareness.

You bring so much tender love and compassion to many, so I hope many people avail themselves of the opportunity to walk this spiritual path with you.

Love and blessings,

Altair

Wishing you a happy November! A month that might rock very ‘seriously.’

Love & much Light,

Gilles

An aphyllante de Montpellier in the south of France. Photo credit: Magali Husson
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