Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Have a very sacred and spiritual solstice – may it be filled with understanding and renewal. My warmest wishes of light and learning over the coming months.
Mark and I are still working on the upcoming books. There are always so many details and things to add at the end, but we want them to be the best they can practically be. I am pretty sure they will be ready before the next equinox!
Thank you for your patience, and for those of you who keep on supporting us to get this important work done.
I’ve been looking into getting more spiritually fit again. So I thought to share some things on that.
It’s been mentioned that one can train and become very proficient at a certain spiritual exercise, but that that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve studied and overcome their subconscious, which is the important thing.
However I do also see that beyond the studying we might need more to get out, out of our own mind that is. If, for example, by previous external difficulties our own subconscious/program in defence and worry became very active and strong, then those strong ways or patterns might still remain within us. And so there could very well be a perfectly fine and willing, good and pure, person within this human vehicle, but simply locked within these traumas or strengthened pathways and depressions of the mind. Because those pathways are carved deep and strong, and are moved along every day, it’s also easier to slip into them, and in that feeding them. Quite stuck. Btw. Along with the mind-chatter’s occupation of us, the emotions can also lock me in such a prison, so unwanted, so hard to shake.
Alongside the metaphysical part, I think there’s also a neurological side to it. Last year when being trapped in my own mind and emotions a lot and trying some exercises to get out I realised how the paths in my brain used for external perception, such as hearing, feeling, smelling must’ve become atrophied from lack of use over the years, ‘less inhabited’ let’s say as the go-to of my attention.
So to break out of the subconscious not only do we need to study it in depth, but even if done that, there might also need to a ‘getting spiritually fit effort’, a rewiring of the brain. Denying the old fostered daily songs, and instead exercise the pathways linked to the senses and external perception, to more time with a silent mind. “Correct the vehicle”.
How do I do this practically? (btw I think everyone intuitively knows what to do). I didn’t even know this, but if we haven’t worked out physically in a long time and we start working out again, we apparently actually grow new veins, to supply the oxygen and blood to the muscles we’re building up.
I felt this to be quite a profound, but maybe it’s very simple. To work our way out, I think the key to success is in the build up. In generation. What we put our time, attention, energy to is what grows. I guess a problem is we don’t dedicate ourselves seriously enough, you know that diligent consistency to one thing, and like that it doesn’t move even beyond the first threshold. Or perhaps, as mentioned, our thought cycles of the day are so strong, without realising we feel it that level is quite acceptable, which in reality means we give energy to it and then we can’t give that energy to that climb up.
Anyway I was trying, somewhat artificially, to choose what type of specific exercise to develop. And I think dedicated practices like that can be good. But for me right now I’ve decided to go with what has worked for me in the past according to my personal circumstances, which is a ‘back to school’ approach, as I have a lot of time available to use to acutely see what’s coming up in me, which makes me have an oversight and grip on my psyche and be clear. From there, with one extra step, I can re-direct my attention to the external world and be present.
I’m also employing some tricks to use my overactive mind to remember myself, as a little thing. Whatever I can to add to that build up momentum, eager get more spiritually fit again in practicing, repair this vehicle, prison break. I’ve only started to put a dent in it. I also had the thought that if, from where I am now, I manage to find a way and ‘feel’ it again, then anyone potentially could.
Wishing good luck to everyone!
Hi Everyone,
I am so sorry that I am somewhat late for commenting here, I am sure that the latest solstice which had just passed had not been the best solstice I’ve had,I am still dealing with issues regarding my mental health but frankly what I’ve been through has also been a great opportunity for me to learn and grow on a personal level and I have came to some realizations that I believe to be important through experience instead of reading about them in books or from the Internet for instance. Learning about them this way makes me feel more motivated to apply spiritual principles into my own life whereas only reading about them from outside sources may not have gotten the message so deep down to a level that I would know it by heart as I take my walk on my spiritual journey. It can be hard to find and reach light when there is darkness everywhere in the world, but I always try to look for reminders from the Divine that would keep me going. Iooked at the sun through my window, which I hadn’t done in a while,and no doubt it had been a really refreshing experience. The spiritual community which I founded have grown a bit since the last time I commented, and with certainty I can say that more people around us are starting to show interest in the Religion of The Sun. Someone who is relatively new to the community has told us about a vision this person had where he saw parts of the world being destroyed by fire and others by flood at the very end of this era, similar to what have been described in an ancient Chinese legend we’ve been looking into,where it tells at the very beginning of the world, not long after Heaven and Earth had formed, a great catastrophe occured where it ruined many parts of the world with fire and flood, killed many people and turned almost everything into ashes. Afterwards two siblings named Nuwa and Fuxi were said to have repopulated the world. This person told us that according to his vision something similar is likely to happen again at the end of our current era, though he is completely clueless as to when exactly that will happen except for “at anytime in the future”, that has made us a bit anxious as we are unsure of how much time do we actually have left. On the bright side though, Lingling has offered me some insight on tips that can help me with my spiritual development. She has learned that a part of the brain known as the pineal gland holds the secrets to spiritual enlightenment and that activating it can help with one’s spiritual practices as well as resolving mental health issues. I’m not sure how exactly I could achieve that, but at least it is one point in the right direction. She was even informed by the Golden Sun Bird that this is one of the biggest secrets being covered up by the world’s medical community and that doctors working for the WHO actually know something about this, but they had swore not to reveal this secret to anyone. Even though there are those who have attempted to expose them. I can really only do what I can as a single person as well as my spiritual community, trying everything we can do make a difference in this world of darkness. It tries to drag us down, but we do everything within our power to resist it.
Hi Emily,
It’s so good to hear that you are learning and growing. As you’ve seen, just doing spiritual things as a hobby is much easier, but it is a fantasy. The real thing in life is much, much harder, but it comes with real change, real experience, and real rewards. It helps me to remember that no matter how bad I think I am and have done, I, and everyone, carry a spark of the divine within. It’s important to never forget that.
It’s great to hear that the community there is growing. You are now in the position where you carry on, not only for your sake, but for those others who now rely on you – and the many others who will do in the future.
Many in this religion have now had dreams about impending cataclysm, and of great darkness and difficulties ahead. The stakes for what we are doing are very high.
I write a bit about the pineal gland in my book – it was depicted in ancient artwork as a third eye, often symbolised by a sun disk. The Children of the Sun/giants used to have this third eye open, but in us it is much less functional. There are practices to begin connecting with this part of us though. Most think of the third eye as enabling us to see other dimensional things in the physical world, and with the Children of the Sun, it sounds like it was so. But there is more to it than that. It’s a point through which we can connect with the divine, and receive its guidance. There’ll be more about it in books coming up.
It is really interesting how the ancient knowledge of chakras/nadis/dantians/meridians etc gets connected with scientific discoveries about the human body.
The pituitary gland is closer to the eyes, the pineal gland is more central, in more alignment with the spinal column and the top of the head.
On phisiological level, both of them seem to be very important in spiritual/mystical perceptions and realizations, just as well-balanced, synchronized activation of different parts of the brain in general.
Hi Vadim,
It does not surprising to me at all that scientific discovery abput the brain coincides with ancient knowledge. There is still a lot about this organ that modern science has yet to discover, and its connection to the nature of consciousness. There is a lot that we still don’t know, and I have reasons to believe that the Ancients knew something that we do not. Unfortunately today many think of this ancient wisdom as nothing more than superstition, they turn to the so-called science for answers,only to find that it doesn’t have all the answers. The biggest mistake that modern medicine has made,as well as science in general,is that they study the human body and the world around us from a strictly materialistic perspective, assuming there are no supernatural powers involved. This can be really dangerous as reality contains a lot more than what scientists can perceive from a materialistic point of view,at least from the way it’s been presented to us. More people adapting the materialistic worldview is a sign that we are losing connection to the spiritual realm, as we have been acknowledged from what we have observed in the society,as well as numerous spiritual experiences. Many think that this alone will lead humanity into a bright future, while in reality that is far from being true. Materialism is one of the contributing factors to the downfall of humanity and increasing desires for materialistic things is what lead us to where we are today. This is really alarming and I’m afraid that it’s only gonna get worse before the very end of this era comes and the Earth will be cleansed of the corrupted. It’s likely that it won’t be long before the end of this era comes as wars, famine, plagues as well as many natural disasters are becoming more frequent in many parts of the world. Lingling has had dreams about these things before,and she cried every time she woke up from those dreams and said that what she saw were more scary than “anything she’s seen in Hollywood” and felt that “These are not good signs. ” She doesn’t often see the impending catalysm itself in her dreams, but she’s very aware of the signs that she has seen. She has described them as “terrible”. But on the bright side she sensed that there will be hope for the most virtuous men and women who will survive into the next new era when they will be given opportunities to continue their spiritual practices in a much better environment than what the Earth has to offer today. And not forgetting about our spiritual nature in this dark age is the key to becoming one of the “chosen ones”,it is up to each one of us to decide whether we want to “go with the flow”,to continue being part of the darkness that exists in the world today,or to cultivate on spirituality so that we may find the Spiritual Sun within us. So we have been doing our very best to acknowledge people we know about this. The journey is hard and we faced oppositions from many, even some of our closest families and friends, but at the end of the day, we believe the work we’ve done is totally worth it.
Hi Emily,
I’m sorry to hear about the ongoing difficulties you’ve been having, but I’m also glad to hear you say that going through those difficulties has lead to a greater level of understanding. I agree that we often learn a lot more through our own experience, compared with the more intellectual knowledge we gain from reading books or internet articles, or watching YouTube videos etc. Although these can all be very valuable resources too and Lara, Mark and those helping with production have done an amazing job of bringing unique content to the world in a clear and accessible way.
I can relate to what you mentioned about the spiritual feeling you got when the sun came into the room. I find nature can be a soothing carer for the spiritual part within and it helps me a lot to maintain a connection with it and the world beyond the mundane environment of everyday life. Regarding nature in general, I think there’s a truth in what your friend mentioned about floods and fires. The sad thing is that there is now ample evidence of this process being put into motion already, with the various losses of habitat, homes and sometimes lives due to these causes.
I am puzzled at how popular the belief that this has absolutely nothing to do with any kind of human activity remains. But in another way, it makes sense, partly as denial is such a powerful defence mechanism, but also because as you mentioned, intellectual knowledge is often a poor substitute for lived experience. So it’s easy to brush things aside that don’t impact us directly, such as the disruption to essential community resources in Bangladesh or among indigenous Canadians, loss of homes in California, increases in mental health issues among Australian farmers, or the possible gradual submerging of whole countries such as Tuvalu. Likewise, the chaos caused to entire ecosystems, such as the impact of water temperatures reaching a tipping point in coral reefs, deforestation in rainforests, or melting of polar ice caps can also be dismissed.
It’s really humanity’s loss, as we’re switching off our own life support mechanisms for greed and profit. The relentless destruction of our rainforests is tragic, not only due to the impact on the wider environment, but also due to the loss of biodiversity, including many unique medical plants, which are powerful rivals to Big Pharma. It seems the effects of human activity may be far closer to home than we care to admit though. For example, we’ve recently had a heatwave resulting in fires throughout Europe, with unprecedented temperatures reached in the UK and fires in London and elsewhere. Likewise, a landmark case in the UK ruled a young girl’s death from asthma as being caused by air pollution, and recent research has shown air pollution is a likely factor increasing the risk of dementia.
I struggle to understand the disconnection between our own behaviour and the consequences your friend described, even among some who are aware of the potential for this civilization coming to an end in the way Lara also referred to in one of her videos, as the laws of cause and effect seem far more logical than this being completely out of our control, unless it’s caused by an asteroid impact, for example. But even this kind of catastrophe has its wider cause and effect mechanisms of a different kind. As far as I can see, this disconnection in thinking seems to be influenced by an awareness of the corruption that is unfortunately so prevalent among some powerful and wealthy corporations and individuals, who use the discussion of a climate crisis to push ridiculous money-making schemes, such as fake food, chemtrails, blocking out the sun, etc.
There are many other alternatives to fossil fuels and carbon reduction than these though, such as protecting peat bogs and forests, or harvesting seaweed and plants of the hemp family, which have abundance of uses besides their nutritional value, such as for fuel, textiles, cosmetics and medicine, as well as providing alternatives to plastic that don’t take many lifetimes to break down. This is very beneficial for us and for nature in general, due to the prevalence of plastic waste and microplastics clogging up our oceans, which we then consume in seafood.
The oil industry really did an excellent job of squashing the use of hemp as fuel in the early days though and as far as I know, they remain the second biggest industry after Big Pharma, who also pushed out natural medicine in a ruthless way and continue to do so. It’s ironic that the suggestion of including freedom from medical tyranny was excluded from the US Constitution, as the founding fathers couldn’t envisage a time when it would become necessary to be enshrined in law.
The polarised response to climate change is similar to the public response to covid, where on one side, there are those who simply accept without question anything reported in the mainstream media, or the statements of corrupt organisations such as the WHO, CDC, FDA, NIH, or Big Pharma in general. Whereas on the other side are people who will believe anything about the hidden agenda behind covid, no matter how fantastical it is, simply because they feel that anything that originates from alternative media, chat forums etc. is automatically a reliable and trustworthy source.
But these are of course just opposite sides of the same coin, with the core issue being a lack of critical thinking and evaluation, and a search for solid evidence. Unfortunately I feel that some of the more improbable ideas actually support dark agendas around the wider schemes within powerful organisations, as it’s easy for people to associate these ideas with the wider discussion and dismiss the whole lot as “conspiracy theory”. Whereas people like Dr Robert Malone, who invented the mRNA technology are able to give a sound and logical argument against its mass use, which stands up to scientific scrutiny.
It’s a pity the mainstream media have blocked intelligent and informed debate in favour of a one sided argument, as there is such good evidence now on cheap and effective covid preventions and treatments, which are supported by robust peer-reviewed research, some of which I was able to apply in a practical and beneficial way when I had covid. Examples are the many research studies showing the effectiveness of vitamin D in bringing down the risk of covid mortality to effectively zero, or the solid evidence on the use of generic antivirals like ivermectin in treating covid. Both of these areas of research are well represented in the PubMed research database online and a British member of parliament raised the issue of why vitamin D isn’t widely used. If it were a new patented medicine like Merck’s or Pfizer’s, it would have been lauded within the media as a major discovery, yet I’ve seen absolutely no mention of vitamin D and have found most people I speak to are reluctant to use it, as it doesn’t have the official media stamp of approval.
It’s a shame that an either/or perspective is also so common among spiritual seekers, including some who seek alternative ways of exploring spirituality. For example, some pagans view anything Christian as automatically a mechanism of control or suppression. But this is of course just the opposite of the mainstream Christian belief that anything non-Christian is a threat and of darkness, so must be avoided. It’s so refreshing that Lara and Mark have stepped out of the “one size fits all” approach, in order to separate nuggets of pure gold from the dirt, in their research into the spiritual history of humanity. They’ve presented solid evidence, which draws from both science and religion, filling in the gaps that both lack to create a far more cohesive and inspiring whole picture.
I was recently reading about the ancient Greek principle of The Golden Mean, which was discussed by Plato and Aristotle and alluded to at The Temple of Apollo at Delphi. It emphasizes the need for our actions to be in balance and not to either side of extremes. For example, one extreme is cowardice, while its opposite is recklessness, but the Golden Mean is in the middle, which is courage. I feel Mark and Lara’s work is a good reflection of this balance, with a common sense and practical approach to spirituality, which encourages personal investigation and experience, to shed light on some of the greatest philosophical and spiritual questions, which humanity has pondered on throughout millennia.
Unfortunately in the wider world though, there seems to be an increasing shift towards polarisation, with extremes of opinion on either sides of the debate. I observed this “us and them” mindset during my psychology thesis around 20 or so years ago, when I designed and carried out an experiment that found a correlation between religious fundamentalism and the authoritarian personality. Then with 9/11, George W Bush’s statement “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists” and the Iraq war seemed to further entrench the divide in people’s beliefs, along with Donald Trump’s recent presidency.
Of course, many will automatically assume that any criticism of a Republican candidate automatically means unwavering support of any Democratic politician, but this is still part of the polarisation I mentioned. Whereas it seems the basic mechanism of control by powerful elites persists, regardless of who is in power at a particular point in time. So all the hype around election time is really just a smokescreen, like offering a choice between Coke and Pepsi, when they are actually controlled by the same parent organisations. Similar to the smokescreen that some well know philanthropic organisations use to divert attention from their sinister deeds.
I wish more people could step outside the conventional ways of thinking offered within society and live a truly more spiritual life, in harmony with nature and the universe itself. I think the community you’ve brought together is a positive step, which can bring a lot of benefits in your and your friends’ lives. I hope you’ll be able to continue to exercise your right to religious and spiritual freedom and exploration without any interference from local authorities or individuals.
Although I agree the world is in a bad way, I continue to be encouraged and inspired by the efforts many are making to move outside of the systems of society and its constraints. For example, with regards to living more in harmony with nature, I’ve found many individuals and small communities who have used a lot of creativity and ingenuity in living in a sustainable way, with minimal dependence on wider society.
I started looking into alternative lifestyles around 20 years ago and since then have seen documentaries on people throughout each continent who have found ways of creating their own energy, growing their own food, accessing fresh water supplies and being much more in harmony and in contact with nature and the ecosystem around them. Their positive actions remind me of Albert Einstein’s quote “Creative thinking may mean simply the realisation that there is no particular virtue in doing things the way they have always been done” and Mahatma Gandhi’s often misquoted statement “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change”.
Unfortunately I’m still very much chained to the mechanisms of the wider society, due to my current circumstances, but I try in the meantime to make lifestyle choices that cause the least harm to people, animals or nature, including being aware of who stands to gain from the money I spend and how it will be used. Fortunately it’s also very easy to buy second hand goods in the UK, which also breaks some of the reliance on constant manufacturing and diverts some unwanted goods from landfill dumps.
I hope that when circumstances allow that I’ll be able to gradually make the move towards a lifestyle that is more in keeping with my own values and principles. But as I mentioned in another reply, I’ve found that restrictions can also lead to new opportunities, as they can help us narrow down our focus to what is most important in our lives and put aside unnecessary distractions. I also hope that despite your current difficulties and concerns, you and those around you will be able to make positive changes that are of value to you and to humanity in general.
I was going through something heavy and dreaded getting up early for the solstice and feeling tired for the rest of the day. Ironically, I ended up staying up late, and I could feel the beauty of the night sky, the beauty of the solstice arriving. I then went to bed, waking up a few hours later to the sound of birds singing. I lit some candles and waited for the sun to show itself, unsure when it would rise above the treetops. I fell back asleep, only to be woken up again at the right time, so I could go outside and see the sun come up. It was lovely. I did very little for the solstice, and mostly I felt broken open. I didn’t want to do anything. I just wanted to sit and be and even cry a little bit. I felt bad for not making more out of the morning, yet there was an inner knowing of being loved and understood.
Wishing everyone a beautiful solstice time 🙂
Hello Anne Linn. Anyone who has seriously pursued spiritual goals knows exactly what you mean. Between physical health, the demands of going against our own passivity and the internal resistance that can arise, one can often feel beat down. Some challenges require extra efforts even if we don’t feel like it and other times it’s important to listen to the physical body. Putting in efforts when it’s hardest often leads to some of the best spiritual results and a greater internal strength. Despite how poorly you may have felt you still pushed forward and went against the resistance and experienced something beautiful regardless.
I remember one equinox/solstice quite vividly. I had a bag set to head up a mountain and the internal resistance was absolutely crushing. I went to go anyway. I picked up the bag and went to stand up… and then collapsed with a chronic back injury. Instead of being able to attend that spiritual maxim I had to spend a couple of weeks in bed until I could move again. Such is life.
The one lesson I have learnt, or still learning I guess. Is to know what’s going on with ones physical and spiritual realities. Sometimes we have to push more to go against obstacles and other times we need to take better care of our physical body to enable us to do more regardless. Either way, there can be a pitfall of which I know too well where one can get into a spiral of self-criticism which only causes more harm and destroys spiritual strength. It is integral to be honest with ourselves and where we are spiritually and where we need to put in more efforts, but not at the expense of the spiritual itself.
Either way, you pushed forward when you didn’t feel like it. It may not be perceived but you have more strength and ability from undertaking such ‘forging in the fire’ so to speak. Celebrate the wins, fight against the losses. But beware of the tricks of the mind and emotions who want to bring us down.
Take care, and all the best.
Hi Anne Linn,
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I’m hearing from a few different people who have experienced hardships during Solstice time. Here in Australia the weather was particularly bad, creating a very dark and gloomy atmosphere which in a way pushed my to spend lots of time in my practice room and within nature as much as possible. I’ve found that immersing myself in nature and making an effort to witness the sunrises has been like a spiritual food for the essence.
Thank you, Adam and Dave, for your beautiful replies.
The solstice felt a bit like an experiment to me. What would happen if I did very little? If I did what I had the energy for and nothing more? I spoke with my Divine Mother, asking her to wake me up when she wanted me to get up in the morning. So it’s interesting how it happened – that I woke up before my alarm to the sound of birds singing, as though they were rejoicing.
I’m sorting through my life, putting things down that don’t feel right for me at this moment in time. And later picking them back up if I want, from a different place and understanding. When I do this everything feels sparkling and new, like rain.
I want an intimate connection with myself and the Divine. What do I need at this moment? What guidance am I receiving right now? What messages can I perceive in the silence, in the world around me?
I’ve put a lot of “shoulds” on myself, and I’m letting that fall away. I’m making room for the new.
Sometimes I felt that what I was doing spiritually did not come from the right place. I wondered what would happen if I let things drop. How would the Divine react? Would they be upset with me? The tears I cried weren’t so much from pain (though that also) but from the sense of being loved and understood. It was as if the Divine were laughing, smiling, shaking their heads at how complicated I was making it for myself. I felt held and supported by something greater than myself and that it was ok to let go and be supported. – That I was not alone. I felt my heart open – like a rose.
It sounds like you are going through some changes toward a deeper understanding Anne Linn. What you wrote reminded me of some experiences that show how important having a connection with these practices might be.
I had stayed up quite late the night before preparing for a solstice. I went to bed deciding not to set an alarm because we normally wake before sunrise. However, I started sleeping in, as I found myself in bed and the sun started rising – but it wasn’t shining through the window, it was as though there was no wall and it was shining into the room and was so bright it woke me up as if saying, “you must get up now for the ceremony.” Then I woke in bed in the physical. Needless to say, I lept out of bed and we made it out to do our ceremony for sunrise.
The exact same thing happened another morning some time ago, after I had decided to go out and do a practice at the rising sun every morning. After some late nights, and a few mornings of failing to start, the sun rose into the room in the astral again as if saying, “get up and go do it.” Then I knew I seriously had to commit to doing it.
That sounds soooo beautiful Lara, about the Sun coming personally to wake you up a few times to your room… 🙂 That’s some incentive to keep going!
I can also relate to being tired from staying up late, as there are usually so many things to finish before going to sleep, especially for us women I find, and especially before some important events. And just like Anne Linn, I also often ask my Divine Mother to wake me up when she thinks is the best time for me to do this or that… and I have to say I don’t remember any occasion when she would not do it.
That sounds so beautiful Lara, thank you for sharing! It’s so inspiring and encouraging to have little glimpses into your living practice and relationship with the divine. I had a few weeks of staying under Glastonbury Tor before the summer solstice, and for a while it felt like I was being woken up by an inner voice and a real sense of needing to get up and go up to the Tor for sunrise. I would set my alarm but found I would often wake up just before it – which is really early in the UK in June! – and actually felt refreshed and ready to go.
Thanks for sharing that Lara I agree with Ella, its really inspiring to hear about your practises and experiences.
Hi Anne Linn,
Sorry to hear about the difficulties you mentioned recently. It’s lovely to hear that despite it all, you were able to feel that connection with the divine and with the solstice itself. It sounds like a beautiful experience and I feel you were rewarded for your efforts, despite your initial resistance.
I can very much relate to some of the things you said, as I also had some difficulties on the solstice, but still managed to find some kind of peacefulness and stillness. I planned to spend time in prayer outside, but have major problems with processing noise, as it overloads my brain and eventually I need complete silence. It’s to such an extent that I commonly need industrial ear defenders to deal with everyday household sounds and most outdoor sounds (including bird song unfortunately!)
Unfortunately though, it’s common to have heavy industrial noise going on close to my house on a more or less constant basis and on the solstice there were ongoing roadworks with pneumatic drills, which have lasted for over a month. I still tried to find a break in the noise to spend some time in the garden in prayer and was pleased that it subsided just enough to let me sit down before solar noon. Then as if perfectly timed, a noisy low flying aircraft went over exactly at solar noon! It’s the sort of thing that can really disturb a peaceful environment, but I tried to see it from the perspective of a “fly past”, which the air force sometimes put on as a mark of honour!
I can also totally relate to what you mentioned about the feeling of “should” that we can place on ourselves. I’ve really struggled with that over the years, most recently due to my actual abilities being around 1% of what people imagine I can do, based on my otherwise healthy-looking physical appearance. But it’s also due to being too much of a “people pleaser” as a result of my earlier life experiences.
Unfortunately though, I’ve learnt that although I can try to give others what they want in the short term, or place similar demands on myself, it inevitably leads to suffering. I realised that I wouldn’t expect anyone else to suffer in a similar way, so why would I choose to punish myself due to placing unrealistic demands upon myself? I feel more competent now at making sure I fulfil my responsibilities to those close to me, while at the same time fulfilling my duty of care towards myself.
It’s hard to break these ingrained habits though and I can recall the characteristics of trying to “people please” from very early on. I moved schools a lot and was usually desperate to fit in and be accepted, as it was a lonely experience wandering round the play ground by myself.
One occasion that stands out was when I was about 7 and had started at a different school. I wanted to do the things the other children did and remember walking round the play ground crumbling up a little cake my mom had given me as a treat, as I wanted to have a chocolate bar like all the other kids had. But it makes me sad now to think of it, as there was so much more love and care from my mom taking the time to make some little cakes out of simple ingredients, rather than just dropping a multipack of chocolate bars into the shopping cart, particularly as she was recovering from a serious illness.
I wish I could have been more like the little girl who Dolly Parton wrote about in the song Coat of Many Colors, which she wrote from an incident in her own childhood, where her mom had sewn together a box of rags into a coat, as she was too poor to buy one. The other kids at school laughed when she wore it to school, as was sometimes the case for me when my family couldn’t afford the luxuries other kids had. But Dolly Parton portrays in the song how she took their ridicule in her stride and was happy to wear the coat nonetheless, knowing it was made with love.
Often the unique gifts we have are of far more value than whatever society considers to be en vogue at a particular point in time. I feel that you actually have quite a unique skill in writing, as you’re able to express things in a way that’s simple, but can touch people deeply.
I was listening to some songs today written by the folk collective Spell Songs, based on a book of poetry called The Lost Words. Both projects were created as a response to many words relating to nature being removed from The Oxford Junior Dictionary and replaced with tech-related words, such as social media terms. One of the songs is about the sea pink or “thrift” flower, which can be found in harsh coastal environments. Despite the seemingly uninhabitable conditions, it makes do with what it has and continues to thrive.
I thought you might like another song by the same group, which I find beautiful lyrically and melodically. I’ve listened to thousands of songwriters over the years, but can only think of a small number who consistently demonstrate the two qualities together. The song is called The Lost Words Blessing and it reminds me of the type of divine help you felt uplifted by on the solstice. I find music can have a similar effect for me, as although I maintain a personal relationship with the divine throughout each day, I only generally have the opportunity to talk about this deep longing for divinity with anyone in the physical world perhaps once or twice a year. So hearing another person touch upon things I’ve felt can raise my spirit too.
I particularly like the closing lines that reflect the feeling of being nurtured and cared for:
“In city and in forest,
let the larks become your chorus
and when every hope is gone,
let the raven call you home”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhiMyvRcWrI
I hope you like it too and wish you a lot of divine support and guidance, as well as the confidence in your own intuition to choose the things that are right for you in your own life.
Thanks Lara! This solstice, the morning light, colors, birds, and nature were so beautiful, like being in a dream. Prayers were sweet and sincere. I found myself asking “what if I could live like this?” It was a small but powerful thought, one that I know will grow inside until I know what it fully means. Could it really be possible to live like that, in day-to-day life? Given the state of things, it almost seems taboo just to think it. It would be like an alternate reality or a dimensional vortex. I hope it’s possible.
Hi Julian I think this is very nice. Sounds like the right summer solstice spirit. So rare though, for me at least. Allowing oneself to be happy like that, I guess it comes naturally if we can but let go of our normal program’s grip of worries which feels it needs to grab us again with something – every day again. On the type of day you describe though it’s apparent that in fact we don’t need that stress at all.
I say these things but I find it difficult to get a healthy way of working going. I see lots of people living without an exaggerated pressure, by living a normal life. I’d like to be able to live days feeling more happy (I think), without the self-imposed pressure, however still working to progress in transforming within. In Daoism they also talk about a contendedness I believe. Anyhow, thanks for sharing that Julian, sounds simple, but a good aspiration. If not today then when? :- )
Thanks Lara and Mark, and all the community here – I hope everyone had a profound solstice period! I’m also looking forward to these books so much … 🙂
I was in the south-west of England, and between the celebrations in Glastonbury, where we were lucky enough to see an amazing sunrise, and the ones I knew were happening in Stonehenge, Avebury and other smaller sites around the country, I felt a real uplifting sense of how the sun is still being honoured today, by hundreds of thousands of people. The celebrations are, sadly, much tinged with hedonism, but still for many people it’s one of the main times in the year of togetherness with others and time spent immersed in nature. Hopefully each effort will lead people further towards a connection with the spiritual sun, or deepen it truly.
We went to a lesser-known stone circle for the sunset and unexpectedly witnessed a special dance performed by some local Morris dancers – a kind of traditional dance in England. They usually have bells on their legs as they dance but their final dance was very quiet and peaceful with just a drum accompanying them. They only performed this dance at certain rare events we were told – I think they said weddings and funerals, and also at the summer solstice sunset. Watching it in the dusk among the stones was deeply moving.
Thank you Lara for your wishes. I also wish that this solstice will become a catalyst for a serious inner change for everyone who longs for it. Awaiting the new books with anticipation 🙂
Darkness and negative states have seemed overpowering lately. The solstice indeed brought a sense of spiritual renewal, hope, determination, and a sense of sacredness. Especially of serenity – I felt it in nature, in the forest, in the fluffy, peaceful clouds of the evening before the sunrise. We watched the sun rise from the sea – at first I regretted the clouds covering the immediate horizon, but there was a magnificent effect where the golden light of the sun highlighted aspects of the cloud first a little here, then over there, dimming and lighting different parts. It may not sound like much but there was such a spiritual feeling about it, as if the immortals were welcoming the ascending sun.
We almost didn’t visit a familiar sacred site as it seemed overcrowded. When we did go the next day, even with some tourists around the giant megaliths were exuding their age-old presence, wisdom, mystery, and peace. I felt spiritually recharged and uplifted even from this short visit. The reason for not going at first was that a few years back, we were lucky enough to witness its spectacular summer solstice sunrise alignment but however, many people came, I guess mainly out of curiosity/tourism, and the discordance and dissonance between the site and event, and the loud crowd seemed magnified, unbearable. It would have been so different to share a common spiritual purpose and effort amongst us all.
Reading the Spiritual Meaning of the Summer Solstice felt very impactful. The mysterious words on Jesus’s Vesture in Pistis Sophia had pulled me and I tried them as a mantra. I was just surprised of the power and peace, even healing I felt from that. Almost like the melody and my voice came not from my personality but some deeper part.
That chapter of the book is so beautiful. One of the passages that stood out to me was this: “The summer solstice expresses the principle of ascension, in which things of life and light will naturally grow and rise whenever there are the right conditions, as it is of the nature of the spiritual to ascend, just as the flame of fire always rises toward heaven.” I could relate to this – I felt the stirring of spiritual light and life where before it had been parched and starved. Like watering a wilted plant, like giving oxygen to a dying flame. The plant and flame then take on their own life and growth.
Thank you for writing here everyone. It gives me strength.
Wishing you a time of deep peace and being strengthened by the solstice Mark and Lara. Thank you for your unceasing hard work and efforts of great love. The light, and knowledge of the Religion of the Sun you are putting out into the world. Like an infusion of vital nourishment. A ray of light in deep darkness. An opening where it is all shut. A hand reaching out to those who are trapped. A way out of being hopelessly lost.
Hi Laura,
Thank you very much for sharing your struggles and inspirations, much appreciated!
What you said about the mysterious words on Jesus’s vesture catching your attention was especially interesting for me to read, as for the past few months I have been reading The Pistis Sophia on and off, and these words caught my attention too. Later on, while reading The Ancient Path of the Sun (also on and off), I came across the description of the El Castillo temple from the Mayan city of Tulum in Mexico, where Mark says that the original name of the ancient city of Tulum was Zama, meaning “the city of dawn”, as it faces sunrise. So I thought how interesting that this mysterious ancient word got preserved in this Mayan place. Mark also writes that the city is also connected to the Mayan wisdom bringer Kukulcan who was associated with the planet Venus as the Morning star, just like Jesus was. Therefore, another connection to the “dawn”.
Then when I finally made it to reading the Spiritual Meaning of the Summer Solstice article before this solstice, I found the third reference to these mysterious words in the part you spoke about, where Mark further states that the word “zama” is also an ancient Mayan word meaning dawn.
In that quote from Pistis Sophia, Jesus also says that those are the words “of those from the height”, and another author who has commented on Pistis Sophia in the past said that those were “the words of the language of the Light”, which I thought was so beautiful…
Anyway, it is so cool how you felt inspired to try this phrase as a mantra! I would not have thought about it. 🙂 Now after some more online searching I realised that there are actually a few recordings of it online, where people have been using this as a song or a mantra, even though I haven’t find any that would really resonate with me. But its nice that people are trying, and now I am inspired to try too, so thank you for the tip!
Also regarding The Pistis Sophia text again, I have read it in the past, and at that time I felt like I have extracted as much as I could for the time being. But now while reading it again, I am finding completely new things there, things I haven’t remembered from before, amazing esoteric things, especially in the ending chapters where the disciples, and especially Mary question Jesus on different workings of the laws, principles, and the fate of different types of soul after death.
Wishing everyone a spiritual uplifting solstice! Thank you Mark and Lara and the whole team. Thanks for the updates and all the best with the final edits.
Thank you Lara, hope you and Mark have a really wonderful solstice time, and to be divinely supported and nourished to keep carrying this light.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge of the deeper aspect of sun celebrations in so much detail.
Thank you for all your continuous work to be a true source of light in this world, in this time, now.
Beautiful solstice to everyone, and a big Thank You to Lara and Mark for working so hard on these books, I am sure it will be well worth the wait! When thinking of them, I feel like a child waiting for a really fancy treat, can’t wait! 🙂
In the same time though, I have also been pondering on my own inner work lately, especially in connection to being dependent on external stimuli to keep going.
In the circumstances like this, when we are all on our own, separated by distances, and the situation in the world not really conducive to the meetings, I find myself especially “hungry” for any kind of spiritual communication or communion, often feeling really low states due to the lack of spiritual connection.
At the same time though, this “drought” period highlighted these low states in quite an obvious way, together with other ones latching onto the first, and I realised (again!), that while having a possibility of meeting or communicating with like-minded people is indeed very helpful and strengthening, ultimately, everything boils down to my own inner efforts and dedication to connecting with the Divine, and changing my behaviour in a much more dramatic way than I have been doing till now, in order to deserve their help and guidance.
Having received some glimpses of how my inner state during the day (and night) could be, I realised that its so much worth to renounce materialism in its different aspects to live like that! A quote from the Spiritual meaning of the Summer Solstice chapter stood out to me this year:
“The summer solstice signifies the regaining of the powers and pure state of consciousness – an inner state gained through the practice of energetic purification in alchemy and the death of the egos – and its ascent to the place it originally descended from, but with the knowledge gained from its experience in matter.”
And even though this quote describes the advanced states of the spiritual work where one merges with the Father, the “regaining of the powers and pure state of consciousness” in particular, really hit home somehow, as I feel it may be happening on different levels throughout the Path of the Spiritual Sun.
Wishing everyone a lot of the inner Light and spiritual guidance in these difficult times. <3
Thanks for your wishes Lara and for the update. It’s wise to make the books the best they can be, even if it takes a little longer. As they say “the best things come to those who wait” and I’m sure the new books will certainly be well worth the wait! 🙂
I also wish you, Mark and everyone here a happy and peaceful and spiritual solstice time, wherever you are in the world.
Came across this in the morning, Om so Hum, felt good, like waves of good hope.
Saw this yesterday ;- )
Along those lines wishing everyone the focus to put energy into new things through which the flow of life can manifest and you can grow anew.
Lara and Mark, thanks for always continuing your work like this. It’s amazing.
Thanks Lara for the update on the upcoming books, I’m certainly very much looking looking forward to their release. May you be you be successful by the next Equinox. Happy Solstice everyone.
Thank you Lara, I would also like to wish everyone a inspiring Solstice time with insights and in depth reflection
Thanks Dave very nice quote, helped to remind me that our inner states do not need to reflect what is happening around us ; ), we can still be at peace even in chaotic situations
Thanks Lara. Wish you and Mark a truly wonderful Solstice. I look forward to your new books – always inspiring and so needed in these times of darkness.
May the solstice bring a new sense of strength and purpose to all.
Wishing you and Mark a beautiful solstice too, and to everyone here as well. Also thank you so very much for all the amazing knowledge and wisdom that has awakened within us a memory and an experience of our connection to the Spiritual Sun, and that we are all really children in the eyes of the Father.
Happy Solstice and Shlamah min chil lorkun – peace be with you all.
Thanks, Lara. And a happy solstice to you and Mark! And happy solstice to all.
I’m sure the wait on the books will be worth it!
Thanks for your update, and happy solstice to you both and to everyone here.
Thanks so much Lara, found myself really looking forward to the Solstice. Hope you & everyone have a spiritually uplifting & meaningful one.
Also really looking forward to the new books.
Thank you for the kind comments Lara. I’m sure the new books will be well worth the wait.
Wishing everyone a special Solstice celebration and much guidance during this time.
I’d like to include a quote from Ancient Solstice that I found very beautiful:
“At the winter solstice-in the womb of the earth, in the midst of darkness and chaos-the Spiritual Son is born. “