The Art of Doing Nothing

You have been taught not to daydream, not to waste time, to always rush through whatever task you are attempting to do. To work too slowly, or stare into space is laziness.

What if we were to tell you that your body and spirit need down time just as much as they need food and water. You can understand this in terms of sleep, but sleep is not enough. Your body and mind need rest throughout the day. Of course, you take breaks, but you cheat on them. You are skimpy with your rest times. You work through them, you make phone calls, you watch television.

If your rest time were food, it would be a sugary coffee drink with whipped cream and a frosted pastry on the side. It looks good, but does nothing to recharge your energy.

Just as you have learned (or are trying to learn) that your body responds better when it is fed high quality food, your energy level responds to quality down time or break time.

Doing nothing, is not as simple as it looks. There is an art to getting the most out of it. Sometimes you have to work hard at doing nothing.

Let's take daydreaming, for instance. From a physical standpoint, you are doing very little. Your imagination, however, is running wild. For this period, you are allowing the ideas to surface without judgement. If you release the guilt of doing nothing, and pay attention to your thoughts, you will have many wonderful and creative things to share when you rejoin humanity.

Meditation is the ultimate in doing nothing. No movement, no judgement, release of thoughts that surface. Again, it appears unproductive, but the benefits are tremendous. In addition to releasing stress which causes many of your physical ailments, you clear your mind of the unproductive thoughts which clutter it causing confusion and distress. It's like cleaning and decluttering your home. It feels better and it's easier to find what you need.

Even a brief nap, can leave you feeling recharged, if you allow yourself to rest and forget to feel guilty about it.

So, today, goof off, loaf around, and stare blankly into space. This is not permission. This is your homework. Get to work at nothing. The sooner the better. ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I've had a long, busy week. For two nights, the insomnia has been pretty bad and the good nights I get about four to five hours of sleep. So today, I was up early and feeling guilty about the fact that I was tired and wanted to go back to sleep. I took a walk then came home and sat on the porch and started to daydream. That is why you are reading these words right now. Letting go of self doubt and mental clutter can do wonders for my receptivity. That is why I often feel rushed and overwhelmed. I need to slow down instead of speed up.

This message definitely came through for me and I imagine it will speak to others as well. So, read, enjoy, absorb, then go stare out a window. It has most likely been way too long.

The Feeling

When you need to make a difficult decision, you have two sources of information to draw from. One is better than the other, depending on whom you ask.

The first source is the wisdom and factual information you have gained from experience and learned from others. It is like viewing a picture on a wall. Much of it is accurate, it is easy to reference, and most others can verify the facts you see before you.

It is what you might call, the "safe" source. It can be physically seen and the facts can be verified. It gives you the information that makes you feel good, and secure.

The second source is your intuition; what you would call your "gut" feelings. This source cannot be proven. Following your intuition occasionally means taking risks. Others around you may call you crazy. When things work out for the best, they call you lucky.

Imagine seeing a picture on a wall. It has two dimensions. There is a cat in the picture. You know it's a cat. You can see it's height, shape and experience tells you it's a cat. You can very safely from all the evidence point to it and say, "That's a cat". Actually, it's not a cat.

It is a very life-like creation by a talented artist. It was designed to be photographed from one angle. It has height and the right shape, but it is completely flat. It was exactly what the photographer needed for the picture, but you want a real cat.

If you'd used your intuition, you would have gotten a "no" message or a flat, blank feeling. Then you might be guided to take a different route home. It leads you to an animal shelter. As you walk in the door, a cat walks up to you and rubs against your legs purring loudly. The attendant tells you the cat is up for adoption, but is scheduled to be euthanized in a few hours. You adopt him, saving his life and he in turn enriches yours.

That is the difference. Factual, observable data is not always the "sure thing" that you think it is. If your lucky, it will pay your bills and get you where you need to go, but you will not always be lucky.

Learning to trust your intuition, if you are open to the experience, can bring your wildest dreams to life and take you to places beyond your dreams. It is like a muscle in your soul. Once you start to exercise it it grows stronger. It will begin to bring you answers to questions you have not yet thought to ask.

To access it, you must step away from what you think you know with your mind, and embrace the wisdom of your heart. There is a mistaken belief that the heart can lead you astray. It is always your brain that talks you into doing the things you shouldn't. The heart never lies. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: After a year of living on my own one hundred fifty miles from everyone I know, I am going home. I was offered a job to replace the one that ended, but decided to follow my heart and turned it down.

People in my office have asked me what I'm doing, and the HR people have all but had me committed. Staying didn't feel right, leaving does.

All of the factual evidence is telling me I've just made a huge mistake, yet I feel excited to be returning and hungry for new experiences. When I think of coming home, I feel joy and expansion in my heart. When I think of staying, I feel cold and closed off.

I came down here to heal and I'm going back to realize my dreams. Scoff if you will. I may look delusional riding my white unicorn, but he sweats glitter and poops rainbows. Life can be uncertain, but there's no need to lose your smile......and you can get a unicorn of your own if you like.

Turn a Corner, Grow Your Mind

We have said before how precious this human experience is. There are many souls who would love to stand in your shoes. You have travelled far and had many experiences to bring you to this point, yet, many of you choose to keep your world small and confined.

You believe your lives are busy and interesting, yet, you hide yourself in your familiar surroundings and routines. It is as if you live a block away from an ice cream parlor that you frequently visit, but every time you go, you get vanilla.

There is sense to this. Vanilla is tasty. You know you will like it and therefore will have a good experience at the ice cream parlor. You may even become so used to the vanilla flavor, that the others cease to exist. The servers see you coming and make it before you order.

It is routine. It is safe. Like a warm blanket in Winter. Warm blankets are wonderful, but they aren't fun. They don't teach you anything new. They don't take you on adventures. Sometimes, it's good to risk the cold in order to expand your experience and your mind.

Will you always like every new thing you try? Probably not, but you might discover something you love. You will give your brain a workout as it processes the new information. Your mental muscles will grow and your life becomes more of an adventure than a routine.

We do not suggest pulling up stakes and moving to another country, but try going to a new lunch spot. Take a different route home. Walk to a local destination instead of driving, or jog, ride your bike or roller skate. Read about something online that you'd always wondered about. Try the raspberry cheesecake ice cream in a waffle cone with sprinkles.

Open a door that you always walk by. It might just be a broom closet, but now you will know. Every new experience makes your world a more vibrant and colorful place. Every new bit of information, makes you just a little bit smarter, as your brain grows to make room for it.

In some of your video games, you reach a point where you find a new screen as your character turns a corner. A whole new world with new opportunities and resources is now at your disposal. The solution to the problem you've been wrestling with is suddenly obvious. Your lifelong dream? There it is! It's been so close, but you've been so stuck in your routine that you did not realize this.

So, try turning a new corner. Expand your mind and your life, and don't forget the whipped cream. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: As I prepare to move from my current residence, I have come to realize how many things in this area I have not explored. I drive by restaurants and shops, knowing them only by the front windows I can see from the street. I drive by streets that I don't need to go down, wondering where they lead. I live a little more than a mile from the Atlantic Ocean, but have not been to the beach. If I could access it without swimming across canals or trespassing on private property, that might have been different, but I never tried very hard to get there.

I've had many great experiences since I moved here, but I'm amazed at the things that are all around me that I've missed. No time for that now. Lesson is learned and the time has come to move on. I'm returning to my former home, a place I've lived most of my life and have yet to fully explore. That will change. I'm looking forward to returning with new eyes, and expanding my experiences. It's always fun to go into a new shop and be amazed at how big it is, or turn down a new street and find a restaurant or club I'd been hearing about.

I'm moving from one paradise to another. I can't go wrong. If I hit a theme park or the ocean, I'll just turn around.

Loving Your Past

As you look back at your life. You will see that you have come a long way.

You may have lost weight, found a better job, you stand taller, prouder, you have walked away from abusive situations, and learned to stand up or yourself. You are proud of who you are, and you hate who you once were. We ask you not to be so hard on your past self. After all, they did the best they could, and didn't have the advantages that you have.

You proudly go to the gym and pound your muscles into submission. You have become a workout warrior, enjoying the sweat and the minor aches and pains. The struggles you faced however are nothing compared to the task faced by the person you once were. That person fought low self-esteem and inertia, went outside for walks feeling that their too large body made them the object of ridicule. They kept going, fighting a daily battle bravely gaining ground through hard work and perseverance.

You go home after work and relax. You are now able to work smarter, and have all but forgotten the days of working hard for a low wage and little respect. The person, who updated their resume on their off time and kept looking, calling and updating their skills so that you could have a job you love.

You love who you have become. You forget the days when your heart was broken and you used every bit of strength you had to force yourself to get up in the morning. The person you were had to face and process a lot of pain to get you to this point. Healing is not for the weak.

Always be grateful for who you are right now, but do not hate who you were. It is that brave soul that one day said, "ENOUGH", and made a difficult decision to change. This person is the real giant slayer, this is the warrior who stood in front of the enemy and gave their life for the cause.

Love always, who you are, but also love and cherish who you were. True heroes deserve a bit of worship. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: Looking back at my past, I found it easy to become angry with myself. I was vulnerable and weak. I believed everything I was told without question. I was overweight, so I didn't feel like I needed to worry about my appearance. I sat home and did nothing for nearly two decades.

Then one day, in meditation, I got in touch with my past self. I felt her fear, her feeling of powerlessness. She felt that she was all alone in the world, even when people were surrounding her.

I realized that it wasn't me who made the big changes in my life that brought me to a much better place. It was her. With all the odds against her, she fought to keep living. She survived and sacrificed her life so that I could have the life I have now. My gratitude and love for her grew. I let go of my anger and embraced my past.

Every experience I've ever had in my life, good or bad, has led me to this point. I like where I am. I love what I'm doing to make my life better, and I love what she did, when she had much less to work with. She is my past, she is gone, she is my hero.

It's Retrograde All Over Again

It's back! Double check your calendars. Forget trying to diet. Don't buy a house! Oh dear, you have a presentation at work. Nevermind. Go inside. Lock your doors. Stay inside for the next three weeks or you're doomed. Mercury retrograde is here again!

How did you ever get along in life before you found out about this frightening phenomenon? Quite well, apparently, as you are here reading this.

It is easy to fear, what you do not understand, so let's get to the bottom of this time of misunderstanding, delay and fear. The Universe is not picking on you. There is a purpose. Let us explain.

Let's say, you are working hard at your job. You have accomplished many things, and you are in the flow. Your energy is propelling you forward, and then.......

Your boss comes over to you and says, "You need to take a break". How could she? Does she not see how well you are doing? Why stop you now?

There may be many reasons. She may see a change in your posture as you tire. A change you may not have noticed due to your activity level. She may have noticed mistakes you've made. Everyone makes mistakes, right? She may just be kindly reminding you that you need a rest and are legally entitled to one.

So, you can yell at her; complain that she's trying to sabotage you; ask why she's not satisfied with your work, but you're still taking a break. After all, she is the boss.

So, you take a break. You realize you are thirsty and have some water. You stretch out your sore back and legs. You think about what you were doing well and what mistakes you were making.

Then, when the break is over, you go back to work. Your mind is clear, your back feels better. You are rested and motivated to do an even better job then before.

Your boss knows this. You are a valuable employee and she admires your work ethic. She doesn't want you to burn out. In the end, everyone feels better, and the work gets done.

You are the employee, the Universe is the boss. So check your work twice, be clear in your communications, do not take on new projects, and relax. You've earned this break. ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: Mercury retrograde has been a source of tremendous stress for me. When I knew it was coming, I felt that I needed to hurry up and hastily complete projects. My computer would go down, I'd miss important calls, it was like Spirit was out to get me.

What was the point of ever starting anything new when it would come to a grinding halt for three weeks.?

One year as a retrograde period approached, I decided not to fight it. Strangely, nothing bad happened. I realized that it wasn't stop time, just rest time. It gave me the opportunity to look at the past few months and see what I'd accomplished. It was a period of cleansing. I could release what was holding me back and embrace what was propelling me forward.

I started to celebrate it as a time of learning and growth. Things that needed to be healed would surface so I could be free of them.

When Mercury goes direct, I feel lighter and stronger. Like the Road Runner hitting the highway, I take off at full speed and nothing can catch me.

My life is in transition right now. The timing couldn't be better. I'm looking forward to finding out what will stay in my life and what will go. I'm ready, BEEP BEEP!

The Right Place at the Right Time

You are always obsessed with time. You want to save it, you want to savagely kill it, you never have enough or you have too much. Such fuss over an imaginary concept you have created.

Yes, we are aware of how real time is to you. It has been helpful in navigating your three-dimensional existence. However, like a magnificently beautiful forest, it has lured you in and you have gotten lost. You focus on the time and not the task. You dwell on how many minutes you have left, as you squander them away.

One day, when you have left this Earth, your mind will be able to grasp the concept of an existence outside of time. You will do what you need to do without deadlines or time limits.
Your concentration will be on the manifestation of your goal and you will accomplish a lifetime of achievements in what you would measure as a fraction of a second.

You always have enough time, if you let go of the obsession and work on the task at hand. Sing and dance through it; play games. Remember there are countless souls who would love to experience the opportunity to play in three-dimensional existence.

If you have too much time, then do some detective work. What would you like to create? How will you do it? Allow your mind to play, do not limit yourself. Then start making it happen. Take little steps; take big steps, play at a pace that feels right.

You always have enough time. You move through days, months, years and lifetimes, thinking you have not done enough.

If you have only one breath left in your physical body, you have enough time to achieve your life's purpose. Just open your mind, ignore the clock and do it. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I wish I could say that I fully practice what is written on his page. I am improving, but still a work in progress. I've always lived by the clock. If I was going somewhere I'd have to be early so that I could walk in right on time.

You would think I was the master of time. Instead I was the slave. I would come home from a job I didn't like, and soothe myself with reruns of my favorite television shows. After work, it seemed, I only had time to make dinner, spend a few minutes on the computer, and go to bed so I could start it all over.

I was overweight, my house was a mess and my life was not satisfying. I didn't have time for a satisfying life. I had bills to pay. I was exhausted from work and had no time to prepare healthy food and exercise. Hopes? Dreams? What are those?

One day, I'd had enough. I took a good, hard look at my life and saw where my time was going. I weaned myself off of the television, and strangely, didn't miss it. I started organizing my home and my life, not by thinking, planning and contemplating, but by doing it. Not always perfectly or efficiently, but taking action. I found that a small amount of directed action brought about huge results. Then, I had tons of free time. I had to find things to do. I started walking and exercising. I made meals from scratch. My time limitations had only existed in my head.

I still get caught up in the time trap, but I now realize it's just an illusion. I can create as much or as little of it as I choose, and I'm always right where I need to be when I need to be there.

The clock is my b#%ch!

A Delicate Condition

You just had the most brilliant idea. It is truly exciting. It makes your heart beat faster and your brain gets a feeling of intoxication as you imagine bringing the idea to life.

You begin to think about it, analyze it, list the pros and cons. Maybe you tell a friend, co-worker or family member. You consider the risks, the costs, the probability of failure. Your enthusiasm begins to wane, the tiny flame of inspiration gives off a spark then dies in a puff of smoke.

This is why your dreams remain in your head and never make it into the real world.

When you dream, you dream small and practical. You estimate that your current resources and talents are not enough to fulfill your dreams. You allow others to pour their doubts and fears upon your dreams. You place them far off into the future, and you keep them there. Forever they remain illusive and just beyond your reach.

Time only exists in your mind, therefore, the future, present and past, are all now, and now is when you have the power to create.

Your inspirations are seeds. Do not toss them on the rocks. Plant them by taking some small action quickly (brainstorming, researching, gathering resources). Water them with more small actions. Fertilize them by taking small risks on behalf of your dreams. Make your dream tending a routine.

Once you have pushed past your initial inertia, small steps become easy, and larger ones become possible.

When that spark hits you, anything is possible. Don't lose it because you need more computer time, five more minutes of sleep or have to watch more of your favorite television show. The spark is your unborn child.

You are in a delicate condition. Negativity can hurt the baby. Guard it and protect it as only a mother can. Care for it in its tender infant stage. Stay close to provide help if needed as it grows, and do not put your "baby" in a corner.

Love and nurture your creative impulses. Once you're in motion, you will want to keep moving, and you will have the time of your life ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I've dreamed big all my life. I've also feared big. Guess which one usually won out? One day, I realized how effective I had become at manifesting my fears. I spent most of my time worried and anxious. I worried about money, about making a living and about my marriage. As a result, I was usually broke, in a job I hated, and my marriage, was in trouble.

When I realized how effective I was at creating what I didn't want, I turned my attention to what I wanted. I got a better job and my financial situation improved. My marriage crumbled, because it had not been built on a solid foundation. It was not healthy for either of us to live with the constant tension. I've grown more confident and independent as a result. For the first time in my life, I am at peace with my own energy and I have come to realize, that I don't want to change who I am just to be in a relationship.

Currently, I am living in a new city, having manifested the space I needed. I enjoyed the experience, then realized, that I wanted to be closer to home. So, without realizing it, I sent out a message to Spirit. My job's contract has ended, and rather than taking a job that I was pretty sure would not be to my liking, I decided to release it and go back home. So a space is now open for a great new career. Perhaps, I could help it along by worrying about hiring an accountant to help manage all the money I'm going to make or get stressed over where I'm going to take my expensive new clothes to be dry cleaned. Instead, I think I'll just pick up the story of my life and excitedly turn the pages to see what fun adventures the next chapter will bring.

No need for stress. I've already decided that there will be a happy ending.

Better Safe..........

Those who care about you have an investment in your safety. They want you to stay around for selfish reasons. They may indeed love you, and the validity of that love is not in question. The fact is, if you are gone, it will affect them in a negative way. They will miss your physical presence, your conversations and your energy.

To that end, some will go overboard to keep you safe.

"Lock your doors, carry your mace, perhaps you need a martial arts class." You are trying to feel safe and secure and suddenly, the world is out to get you.

Your friends have a point. You should not go walking blindfolded in traffic. You probably don't want to put on your finest jewelry and take a midnight stroll. Normal sensible precautions are an act of love, both or yourself, and for those who care about you.

It is important to maintain a balance, between carelessness and complete paranoia.

When, for instance, you hear about a crime on the television news, there is a tendency to analyze your personal safety. You avoid certain areas, refrain from making unnecessary trips, perhaps take some sort of defensive measure. You check your doors twice before going to bed, you constantly dart your eyes when you are in a crowded area to scan for possible criminals. You send out a very dangerous vibration that you are not safe. Yet, you are no less safe than you were yesterday. Unless you decide that you are.

To walk around in fear, with defenses constantly up, adrenaline coursing through your veins, is actually a great way to invite the very attack you fear. Are you scared now? That is not our purpose. Our purpose is to help you love and protect yourself. Taking crazy chances also invites attack.

So what do you do now? You are doomed either way. No. It is all about the balance.

Treat yourself as you would treat a child going off to school. Dress correctly for the weather. Secure a safe mode of transportation, shield with visualization, prayer or energy, trust and let go. Know that you will be arriving home safely and that all is well.

You might give practical advice, "Stay on the sidewalk, don't talk to strangers" and so forth, but you would not arm the child with assault weapons and tell them to "shoot first, ask questions later".

Better safe than sorry; better reasonably safe than paranoid. You have a job to do while you are here on Earth, and we will keep you safe enough to do it. For, you see, we love you and have an investment in your safety. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: as a child, I was adventurous, I climbed trees, rode my bike all over the neighborhood, without a doubt in my mind that I would make it home safely in the afternoon. If my friends and I saw anyone suspicious, we would turn our bikes around and go home. This was before video games and cell phones. Our heads were up, our senses were alert, we would see cars or "stranger danger" long before they would be a problem and avoid them.

Children and adults like this still exist. I believe that they are less likely to be victims of crime. They live life, not on a tiny screen, but with eyes open. It makes them less inviting to criminals, and they may not have so much as a tiny bottle of pepper spray.

They fully participate in life, and they can sense danger long before it happens.

This is not a gun control debate. We all must do what we need to do to feel reasonably safe. My concern is more personal. I was wondering how I became so vulnerable that I fell for the tactics of not one, but two sociopaths. As I look at who I was then, I was much more like the child with his face in a video game living in a pretend world and feeling shocked and victimized when the "real world" intrudes.

I was trying to fit my square soul into the round holes that family and society had created or me. That takes tremendous focus, and in video game terms costs you extra lives.

Lately, I've been trying to live in that place I was as a child. Adventurous, but aware. I talk to new people, but look and listen for attempts to manipulate and control me. I hear not only the words, but the intent behind them. I may not understand social interactions (due to Asperger's) but I am able to understand the psychology behind them. I didn't realize I was doing this, I thought people were just being obvious. It has been a big help in this area, and my own personal weapon against possible manipulation and attack.

I like to think of it as my superpower.

Thank You for Being an A#%

Your task on this planet is to learn, grow and create. If you would work together as humans, this planet would be a place of peace and pristine beauty.

Yes, it is precisely that simple, but you are adventurous, hard-working, and you love a good challenge. We admire this about you, although it sometimes makes us scratch our heads when we see the struggles you put yourself through.

We have said before, if you were willing to see what you need to learn and do, your lives would flow much more easily.

Sometimes, like children, you dawdle and play when it's time to go forward, so the Universe has no choice, but to give you a little push to keep you on schedule. Unfortunately, when you have stalled for to long, pain is the quickest way to bring you back. It is never the first choice, but occasionally it is the only one. It is not intended to destroy you. Sometimes there is pain involved in disinfecting a wound, but once you have accepted the treatment, the healing can begin.

When you are in such a state that fast change is required to move you forward, you will attract people and situations into your life that will usually cause you pain. At any time, you have the choice of staying in denial or seeing the truth. How quickly you can heal depends on your willingness to admit you are unwell, and accept the healing.

In the end, you will see the hidden blessing in the situation or person. There is no need to thank them. Choosing to be an instrument of pain does not require gratitude.

The person to thank, is you. For being brave enough to claw your way up from the bottom of the well, and take your life back. The angels, the Fae, your guides and the Universe, also have a hand in supporting and guiding you to do the right thing. A bit of gratitude would be appreciated.

You do not have bad experiences because you are bad. The Universe does not bring villains into your life to torture you, but to bring you back to where you should be.

Keep your eyes open when you are in pain. Learn what the pain has to teach you, then release it and be free. Being free to create the life of your dreams is your natural state. It is your home, and many who love you are waiting for you there.

Welcome back. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: For most of my adult life, I was sleepwalking. I would get up, go through the motions and go to bed at the end of the day. My major accomplishment was survival. I'm grateful for the survival part, because you can't wake up when you're dead, but it's not a lifestyle I would recommend.

One day, after crying my heart out, I desperately asked for help. I was over all of it. "Heal my heart, or take my life", I begged. Shortly afterward, I was swept off my feet. Surely, this was the one! Why else would he come into my life now? I fell deeply in love. When he left, it was as though a piece of my soul was missing. When we were together, all was well in the world.

Then one afternoon, as quickly as it began, it was over. He tried to sound compassionate, but then as another woman was involved, it was imperative that I remained a friend. When you're screwing a woman over while already planning on marrying another, you don't want her doing a Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction thing. I was more devastated then before, but I knew I couldn't go back to my old life.

I confided in friends, continued to go to work every day and took steps to heal my life. Things are still in progress, but my life is amazing compared to what it was. I realized, that these changes were a direct result of the pain I endured because of this relationship. I wondered if I needed to feel gratitude for him; to appreciate that the relationship happened.

When your house burns down and you're able to rebuild it and make improvements, you don't give thanks for the fire. You thank, the fire department (friends), the contractor (Spirit), and yourself for enduring the transition until you are able to move into your new place.

As he wanted to keep our relationship a secret anyway, why should I be thankful for what never happened? I, on the other hand, with the help of my angels, guides, and my precious Fae and human friends, ROCK!

But, Why?

Today, we ask you to take a look at the things that bother you most. What things that irritate you when you see them in the news, in your social media, in conversations.

Your normal course of action may be to, yell, argue, cry, eat ice cream or meditate until the feelings go away. All of these choices are better than denial, but not by very much. Those things that make your blood boil or tug at your heart strings, say a lot about who you are, and where your deepest fears and insecurities lie. You are rarely upset for the reason you think you are. So look deep inside, the next time you feel, angry, scared or sad, to see what the real problem is.

"Oh no!" you say. "That's hard work! It's scary! Why would I want to do that?"

Would you rather someone else do it? Then use it against you?

Knowledge is power and self-knowledge is peace. This doesn't mean that nothing will ever bother you again, but rather than lashing out in anger or drinking an entire bottle of wine, you will say, "Oh, there's my issue again. I guess I need to work on that."

Why should you work on that? You should work on it because it shows. Your issues are visible to others. Friends may tolerate them, good friends will point them out to you. People who are not your friends may use them to manipulate and take advantage of you.

You know who they are. Those who greet you with a smile, but leave you feeling unsettled and insecure. The seducers, the con artists and the drama kings and queens. Like vampires, they wait and watch. As soon as you have bared your jugular vein, they will strike.

Fortunately, you have many weapons at your disposal. Your cross is your personal energy field. It can be strengthened through, meditation, visualization and a healthy lifestyle. Your holy water is your confidence and self-esteem. We will tell you now and repeat until you hear us, that you are worthy, loved, unique and gifted, whether you have discovered your gifts or not. Your garlic is your self-knowledge and the recognition of things that bother you and your commitment to deal with, and eventually resolve them.

Then you will travel in a bubble of peace and love and will attract those of a similar vibration. The vampires will have to feed elsewhere, as you are no longer an easy meal. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I tend to be an easy-going person. Most people I encounter see that as a positive. I don't like to argue and try not to start trouble. I accept people with different beliefs, cultures and lifestyles. I find that life is more beautiful because of its variety. This acceptance is a form of trust that has more than once been betrayed. So, disloyalty, treachery and betrayal are big button pushers for me.

Witch hunts are a big issue for me either, literal or figurative ones: We don't like her so let's accuse her of something and see her "burn" for it. That one might be a past-life issue, or perhaps my panties have been wadded by my Nimbus 2000. Who knows? Working on it.

Today, the subject of unfriending came up or me. Perhaps it bothers me because of insecurities in childhood of not being "good enough" to hang out with the "in crowd". Having Asperger's syndrome, I often wonder if I've said or done something to offend. I'm mortified when this happens in real life, and I can't understand my mistakes if I don't know what they are. Then of course, there are the serial unfrienders who are NUTJOBS AND EGOTISTICAL SNOBS WHO THINK THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND THEM AND......Oh, there's my issue again....*putting down the wine....climbing in the bubble* Ah....much better :)

Feeding the Need

You enjoy your food and drink. We do not blame you. We would love to experience it as you do, but our bodies do not allow it.

Fine, rich food and drink are a wonderful way to celebrate special occasions. Your body can recuperate from such indulgences. It is part of the human experience.

The problem is when indulgence is a daily ritual. Some of you can eat and drink all you want and hardly feel the effects, others will feel sluggishness, a suppression of the immune system, guilt and an expansion of the waist line. So, why do something that is bad for you?

You are hungry, and thirsty. Not in your physical body, but in your emotions and your spiritual energy. Your bodies have mechanisms that tell you when you should not eat something, or when you have had enough. Your emotions have no such mechanisms. The need must be satisfied. If you will not deal with your inner hunger, you will eat, drink, take drugs or engage in casual sex until the need is satisfied. Then you have the vicious cycle of guilt which causes more bad feelings which need to be quieted.

So, the answer is: alternative fuel sources. Gather a list of things that calm and comfort you things that do not damage your bodies. A warm bath, a walk in nature, a favorite sport, arts and crafts, journal writing, singing, dancing and so forth, can satisfy you without adding calories or toxins.

When you do eat or drink, make it a healthy celebration of colors and flavor. Eat and drink slowly, enjoying every morsel and sip. What is the point of indulging in a favorite food if you eat so absentmindedly that you do not enjoy it.

In fact, the whole point of three-dimensional existence is to enjoy it. Learn to enjoy life always, and your body will soon be a reflection of your inner beauty and happiness. Then your word "diet" will cease to be about depravation and revert to it's original meaning, which is simply, the foods that you regularly eat. We ask you to try this. You have nothing to lose, but pounds and pain. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I've been a chronic dieter my entire life. I've ignored dietary guidelines and been as much as fifty pounds overweight. I've compulsively dieted until I was a walking ninety-five pound skeleton. Eating everything I wanted did not make me happy, and being unnaturally thin did not help either.

I started walking, dancing, eating food I'd cooked rather than unwrapped. I started journaling and writing poetry. I improved the quality of my life as well as my food. Whenever I feel the need to indulge I make it something tasty and satisfying. I get the pint of gourmet ice cream instead of the gallon-sized, bland generic brand. I'll get a small bar of amazing, dark chocolate rather than a rubbery, over sweetened candy bar from the convenience store. More expensive, yes, so I eat less and enjoy it more. The results: I haven't been that heavy since. I've gained and lost a bit, and my life hasn't been perfect, but I always find myself, and get back to my good habits. I found that it's not only responsible, but an act of self-love. What could be more satisfying than that?

Time Is On Your Side

Time. The numerical set of rules that you live by. Moments of pleasure are way too short. Times of struggle and pain seem way too long. As with all things in your lives, there is never enough time.

You panic when there are too many things to do and not enough time to complete them. Your concept of time is interesting to us, but not very useful. The Universe always makes time for what needs to be done. The rest may happen, or it may not.

We have spoken before of life being like a game. Would it surprise you to know that the odds are stacked in your favor? You win by playing. If you pay attention to the action on the field, victory is guaranteed. The reason you think that it is not, is because you focus on a tiny, insignificant part of the field where the grass is brown.

If you examine your life, you can always see the logic in how it has unfolded. How much of a struggle you've had depends on how much you've fought the changes and roadblocks that stood in the way of what you thought you wanted. The Universe always presents you with what you need, although you will always be allowed to chose what you do not need.

This would seem inefficient, but as you will not have it any other way, it is permitted. There will always be time to choose what is best for you.

How can this be, you ask? Well, time is your invention, not ours. The
Universe can easily bend or break your silly numbers game to allow you to complete your life's purpose. This is done constantly. You amaze yourself with what you can do when you let go of little things and focus on only what is really important.

The next time you are pressed for time, think about the most important thing you must do and focus on that. You will usually find that you have time for that thing and many others as well. If you do not have time for it, then it was not as important as you thought, or you are still holding the television remote and have not yet started it.

You are amazing beings capable of amazing things. The ball is already in the goal. You just have to know which side of the field is yours. ~Silas


Jinnzania's side notes: Today was not my best morning. I woke up sore and exhausted, but still had to get ready for work. I was also hoping to get this blog published. I had been given a few hints as to the subjects of my upcoming blogs, but the subject of time came up only as I anticipated how I might accomplish this impossible task and still make it in to work on time. I knew the blog was my top priority, so I dug in, asked, listened, and typed. I finished with plenty of time to gather my things, pack some snacks and leave on time. As if to prove a point, I made it in to work early.

I remember, one day, looking in the mirror and seeing my first gray hair. It wasn't so much the vanity thing that, sent a chill up my spine, it was realizing that I was getting older and I'd not accomplished anything that I could be proud of.

I wasn't sure what I'd hoped to have accomplished, but my life wasn't working, and I couldn't imagine that "this was it". I'd had dreams of doing great things, but didn't dare attempt them with bills to pay and a household to run.

One day, I realized that the life I had created; the life I thought I wanted, was making me miserable. I made some hard choices (and a few more bad decisions), and after a rough start, things started to change for the better. I started to see that even my bad choices came with important lessons. I got in touch with my own energy and started to attract better things and loving, helpful people in to my life.

Once again, a big change has been handed to me by the Universe. I can already see the sense in it and I'm trying to let go of the mental struggle which is the only thing that is holding me back. Ready for new adventures and good times. I mean, why fight it? What do I really know? It is an honor to be a "puppet" of the Universe. If I don't try to take over the show, then I get to be the star. How cool is that?

The Mask

As children, you enjoy dressing up and pretending to be someone else. You place a mask over your face and act differently so as to disguise your identity. It is childhood fun. You have a special holiday set aside for it and adults join in the games as well. It is something set aside for special occasions, yet something you never outgrow and something you do every day.

For different occasions there are different masks. There is one you might wear to your workplace, particularly if you work with the public. You might wear a different mask when you visit family, or when you spend time with friends.

These masks are part of who you are. They are acceptable to wear if you are trying to get along with people. You cannot always be what very person wants all of the time.

That's why you enjoy dressing up and pretending. It is harmless fun when all parties know that it is a game, or a personality truce is declared to keep peace in a family or workplace. The danger is when one party believes that the mask is the true face and the other uses it to deceive. Con artists and thieves are known to employ this strategy.

Sometimes, it is yourself whom you deceive. When you think you want something, or someone, and do not act from your heart, but as who you think you need to be to get it. When you achieve your goal, the victory feels hollow.

Naturally, for it is not what "you" wanted, nor were "you" the one to get it. As with all of life on Earth, the secret is balance. Try on a new personality on occasion to see how it feels, but when it comes to things like love relationships, careers and your soul's path, take off your mask and be yourself. Then the real party can begin. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: The more I grow up, the more I enjoy playing. There are those who believe that it is beneath them to do this. These are the people I don't completely trust. Oh, there are exceptions, but I find that those I play dress up with are some of my closest friends, I know when the masks come off, I'm dealing with a real person, with a unique heart and soul. Those who wouldn't dream of the indignity of this type of play, wear their own kind of mask, most of the time and not for a good purpose.

One person I had a relationship with was like this. We would attend an event where costumes were allowed, and he would wear street clothes. I adopted this custom as well as I was deceiving myself to believe that he was "the one". One such event, I came early, in street clothes, and he arrived later in costume. I was thrilled to see him lighten up until I realized that a new business associate of his was at the event, in costume. As they were still in the "wooing" phase of their working relationship, he was playing the part very convincingly.

The next year, after we'd split, I showed up at the same event, in a costume. My friends designed it for me and I was quite proud of it. When I walked in the door, I realized that no one else was wearing a costume, only me. So, I paid my admission fee and danced until my feet hurt. I've learned over the years, that I have a wacky, fun-loving side. With my "stick in the mud" influence gone, I could put on a costume and take off my "normal" mask. That's just who I am, really.

Self-Inflicted Nonsense

There are many among you who like to hear of the concepts of guilt and sin. It is not a bad idea, to make sure that you are doing no harm and not creating karma that will harm or distress you. But you do make sins of th littlest things.

Having a cookie or an extra piece of cake is only a sin against the pretty dress you want to wear. Sitting in your home and drinking too much may result in a type of Hell the following morning, but will not physically send you here. Dressing seductively is about your own feelings of confidence or insecurity. Spirit does not care where your neckline falls.

The only guilt-creating sin you can committ is to harm your fellow humans. To eat cake is not a sin. To poison a cake and deliberately give it to another would put it into that category. To drink s not a sin, but to drink and hit another person during an argument, might give you some uncomfortable karma to face. To love another and leave the relationship when you are unhappy, is nothing to feel guilty about. To seduce a person and open their heart, with no intention of loving them, or using love for financial gain or power, will usually result in the pain or loss that means the most to you.

But none of these are truly sins. They are energy that comes back to you in a more intense manner than when you sent it out. The Universe must balance itself. It isn't personal.

Jinnzania's side notes: I grew up with the idea that at our very best, we are all unworthy sinners. To even think a bad thought, is a punishable offense. I assume that the original intent was to discourage inappropriate or harmful behavior. I did okay with some things. With others, I just gave up. I mean, why bother if there is no hope.

Then, I gave up the idea.

I was always kind to others and tried to do no harm. I made friends despite my social challenges, I realized it felt good to help and show love to those around me. I no longer needed the "training wheels" of religion to make me do it for fear of punishment. So I took off on two wheels and have been there ever since. It seems I can move much faster that way.

The Cycle of Healing

Your concept of healing, like many things in your civilized world, is badly misunderstood. You feel that a successful healing is a remission of the symptoms. You walk away, paying money to your doctors while the root cause still sits inside of you.

If you took a person who had recently attempted to commit suicide and "cured" them by tying their arms and legs, you would stop the symptoms (suicide attempts), but would that make them better? Of course it would not. The anger, the fear, the broken heart, would still remain, trapped inside the immobilized body.

You cannot cure pain, injury or illness by covering up the symptoms.

There is a logic and a cycle to all healing. It is an ancient knowledge that modern humans have lost.

There is the beginning phase: something feels different, a tickling in the throat, an aching in the muscles, a feeling that there is something wrong with your relationship.

The onset of symptoms: You are definitely sick, the injury is serious, you are breaking up. You are filled with shock, anger and denial. You start treatment, hoping it will end quickly.

The symptoms worsen: You become frustrated and depressed,"why is this taking so long?"
You take every medicine, try every healing practice, but your body and heart are healing at there own pace.

The climax: "I give up!" At this point, you stop, you rest, you drink lots of fluids, and you cry. At this point, your soul jumps for joy for it can finally begin the work of healing you.

The healing: The immune system gets stronger, the pain begins to lift, with each passing moment you feel better, and you are better. You are less susceptible to future illness, and your body, mind and heart have released toxins which were weighing them down. You are not only healthier, you are improved.

The key is in that moment of giving up. It is not a defeat, but a letting go of what no longer serves you. This is what many of you resist, and it is why you do not completely heal. You attract the same illnesses, situations and relationships into your life, until you give up and allow the healing to take place.

The healthiest of people sometimes get sick. The most loving and trusting get their hearts broken. The fact that you are unwell, is not important. It is how you face it and what you choose to learn that matters.

You are never alone. It is acceptable to be vulnerable, it is acceptable to be afraid. When you can admit your true feelings you can be freed from them. Then things will always get better. We promise. ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: As I hear these words in my head, I know them to be true, yet accepting this and taking it to heart is a different story.

Recently, I've been experiencing sciatic pain. Never had it before. I have not experienced this level of pain without a serious injury. This brought about the usual cycle of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It seems some form of this cycle occurs whatever we experience. It is natural and normal, and I have discovered that working your way through it is the quickest path to real healing. Shortcuts do not help. They only prolong the process.

So, I pretended nothing was wrong, got angry that life was going on without me as I had to slow down, prayed that it was nothing serious, then finally gave up: "Ok, Universe, you have my attention! The productive week I had planned is not going to happen. I give up!" less than a day later, something shifted. The pain was diminished, I was standing straighter and I felt better overall.

My little friends are telling me that my physical body is preparing itself to deal with upcoming life changes, in a positive way. It's as though I need to slough off old energy in order to move into a higher vibration. Well, why couldn't they have told me that from the beginning? Oh well, ruby slippers are on and getting ready for the next adventure.

The Ambassadors

There is an idea going around among spiritual communities, that you must always express yourself without censorship. To do otherwise, you feel would be living a lie. If you are part of a certain religious or political movement, you must speak up loudly, or you deny all that you hold true. Many of you believe strongly in this philosophy and feel that it weeds out undesirable people from your life.

If you stand up for your beliefs in this way, we see the honor in it, but we ask you to not judge those who follow a different path. In fact, their path may encourage them to weed you out as well.

They are the quiet ones. They might share their ideas with you if asked, but will not push them on you or use them as a shield to ward off those who think differently. They lead by example and do not seek to "recruit" others to their way of thinking.

They see that there are many paths, and not every path is suitable for every person. Their beliefs are not threatened by the beliefs of others. They keep their minds open, and learn and grow. They are not liars or hypocrites, but ambassadors representing themselves in a way that respects the beliefs of others.

When others find out what their beliefs are, their minds are opened, stereotypes fall away and they begin to see their neighbors as spiritual beings rather than a set of rules. They find that other cultures, political systems and religious beliefs, are closer to their own beliefs than they originally imagined. They are the ones that are most likely to bring peace to the planet.

They are good people to have around. You might find out that they can be loyal friends and valuable allies. Hopefully you won't be the one they must "weed out". ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I never felt the need to loudly announce my beliefs and philosophies to friends or strangers. As a peace-loving vegetarian, I never thought my beliefs would offend anyone, but these days, people line up to be offended.

I currently live in a very multicultural city. People of different races, cultures and religious backgrounds live together with few issues. Due to population density, we all live and work in close proximity. We have tasks to accomplish and jobs to get done. We don't have time to get offended, and we usually don't. People are judged based on their personalities, and abilities, and not the color of their skin, whom they want to marry or which church they attend.

It's been fascinating and enriching to get to know them. It has opened my mind and taught me a lot about myself. Together, we create a beautiful garden of colors, customs and beliefs, and yet, in the end, we are all citizens of Earth. If I were a gardener, I would never plant only roses or daisies, I'll take the wildflower mix every time.

With Great Power.....

Many among you falsely believe that you have no power. We assure you that this is not true. You are just not aware of what real power looks like.

You grow up watching bullies on the playground. They walk in packs, preying on the small, weak and vulnerable. They yell, make threats and hit when they do not get what they want. They appear powerful to the smaller children, but that power is illusion. They wear a mask of intimidation to cover their fear.

There are those among you who hold positions of authority over others at work. You will often find among these, the same playground bullies. They yell at those they are supposed to be leading, humiliate them for mistakes and sabotage their work, so that the cycle can continue.

On your roadways, their are those who fight for a few extra yards. They honk their horns, yell out the window and tailgate at dangerous speeds.

In arguments, there are those who make their point, then laugh at those who disagree, even calling them names, as though, the very idea of disagreeing with them makes them intellectually inferior.

All of these. To the untrained eye, look like power, but they are an illusion. The boss is insecure about his own ability to work and manage. The driver would not be so tough, when not surrounded by tons of metal and anonymous. The name callers do not have a strong argument so they yell, and insult others to create the illusion of intellectual superiority.

Real power is quiet. It looks like the well trained security guard sitting quietly in the corner of the store. He acts only when there is danger, uses only enough force to get the situation under control, then returns to his quiet spot by the door. He knows how to do his job, and has confidence in his abilities. He shows his power when needed, but does not boast about it. If customers make fun of him, he is unaffected as he knows the truth.

Real power comes from knowing yourself, appreciating you special gifts and talents, and using them appropriately to help and empower others rather than take advantage of them.

No person on this planet is powerless. All of you have enough power to use wisely or abuse.
So be responsible, be kind, and keep your cape tucked in until you need it. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I grew up in a world where women were powerless. The cartoons and movies I watched reinforced this. I wanted to be the helpless heroine, waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince, as that was pinnacle of womanhood: being rescued by the most powerful man in the land, marrying him and having powerful boy babies and helpless but beautiful girl babies.

After decades of promoting this stereotype, my pals at Disney, presented, Mulan. She couldn't quite manage to make a proper cup of tea, so using her intellect and ingenuity, she chose to save China instead. In the end, she became the leader of the men she once fought with, and won the respect of her father and family. Not by fear or intimidation, but using her gifts and talents and working with and empowering those around her.

I'll have what she's having, although I wouldn't mind a tasteful tiara and a fashionable cape.

An Order of Whine

Often you complain that no one is listening to you. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The Universe is, in fact, taking in every word and responding to your every wish. So, why have all your dreams not come true? You are most likely not being clear. The Universe would like to bring you all that you ask, so you must be mindful of what you ask for.

Imagine a waitress standing beside you preparing to take your order.

English is not her primary language, so she catches most of what you say, but there are gaps in her understanding.

You say, "I want coffee", then start to converse with your friends. "I don't think I'll get the eggs, last time they were runny and the toast was burnt." You look over at your friend and say quietly, "I'll get the pancakes today".

You close your menus and hand them to the waitress, saying sarcastically, "No rush, we like our food cold".

So then, one hour later, the waitress brings you coffee, cold, runny eggs, and burnt toast. She smiles sweetly, knowing that she will get a big tip having followed your wishes exactly.

The Universe speaks your language, it is you who don't always speak precisely. You spend so much time complaining about what you don't want the Universe assumes that complaining makes you happy, so you receive things to complain about.

The more emotion you put behind it, the stronger the vibration. So, when you partake of a fine whine, ( I'M SO TIRED OF THIS, I DON'T WANT THAT ANYMORE), you are saying, "I feel strongly about this, please bring me more NOW!"

Your problem is not your weakness, but your power. Power that you inadvertently use against yourself. Then you will complain that the world is "out to get you". The world around you is a reflection of how you feel about yourself and your life.

Keep your words and thoughts positive. Imagine that everything you say will come true immediately. For it can, and it does, not because you are a victim, but because you are more powerful than you realize. So stop abusing yourself with this power. You have successfully used it to create things to whine about. Why not use it to create what you really want? Your waiter is here and eager to serve you. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I grew up to believe that life wasn't fair. Money doesn't grow on trees, but you need it, and it is the root of all evil. So most of my adult life has been spent complaining about how others have it better and I never have enough money.

One day, it hit me. Everything I had been complaining about had come true. I created it, and I must say, I did a great job. I was usually broke and dealing with a lot of injustice.

I realized that if I could create all of this crap, then I could create good things as well. So I started to focus on talking and thinking about my dreams rather than my doubts and fears. I surrounded myself with people who spoke positively about life and limited my time with those who were negative. After a while it didn't matter who I was around, I could tune out the negative talk and not be affected by it.

My life is better, still a work in progress, but at least, these days, if I feel the need to pour a tall glass of whine, I take the time to appreciate the cheese and fruit that sits next to it. <3

The Greatest Love Story

My Earthbound friends, I must tell you. You have been lied to. Your models and ideas of love are completely inaccurate. This is why so many of your relationships are doomed to failure.

You have been brainwashed to run away from what is love, and chase what is fairy tale (although, we Fae will not take credit for this).

You have princesses, who rush to marry men they have just met. People who cannot live without each other. A person with a big, gaping hole in their heart, desperate to find someone to fill it.

Your models for the ultimate romance are two children from dysfunctional families, who come together and find a few moments of peace and sanity in their troubled lives. They immediately wed in secret, and proceed to have a relationship that is so co-dependent that they commit suicide when their lives have just begun, rather than go on alone.

Think about it. This is your most famous example of romance. No wonder you are confused.

The first mistake you often make is to find a hole, or missing piece that needs filling. Then you look outside of yourselves to fill it. When the relationship ends, the hole opens up again. You feel empty, and rush to find another to fill it up again. You beat yourself up for being alone.

Would it surprise you to know that those with he most love in their hearts are often those who are not in relationships? Those you make fun of when you are attached to someone, and cry to when the relationship fails? Yes, they are the ones, who have filled in their own holes and missing pieces. They can be alone or in a relationship and not lose their identity.

When they love, they attract a person who is also complete. They can choose to grow with this person, and accept them as they are. They do not need to pretend to be someone else to please their partner. If the relationship ends they part friends and continue with their lives without the suicide or other drama.

Love does not drop on you like a bomb. It sneaks up and curls around you like a shy kitten. It grows from friendship or a working relationship. It is quietly holding hands in a corner rather than, passionately kissing in public.

How do you know you're in love? Love is not a switch that is turned on or off. When you get there, you won't care that you are in love, you will not rush to update your relationship status. You will enjoy every moment of the experience and not worry about who knows about it or where it is headed.

But most of all, you will love yourself. Completely and unconditionally love yourself, and death cannot part you. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: Since my divorce was finalized, I have been single, in a relationship and casually dated. It took spending time alone and getting to know my own energy to make me realize that I love who I am and don't want to have to change to be in a relationship. On my last date the Universe showed me this in a very frightening way.

I accepted a date with a neighbor who had helped me with my car. He started to text me hours before the date, asking me what I was wearing. I joked that I was wearing a skirt and that he might want to go another way. He answered that I would look sexy whatever I wore (red flag #1). In the car he made small talk constantly bringing the subject back to how pretty I looked and that I had a nice body (#2). After drinks we went to a place he wanted to show me. He grabbed me and kissed me as soon as we were out of the car (#3 and what should have been the "take me home NOW!" moment). We'd both had a few drinks and I pushed him away telling him that I wasn't ready. We walked further and at every available moment, he would grab me and kiss me (red flag too many). I pushed him away, each time his hands slipping further underneath my clothes. He told me that everyone in my social circle was lying to me. He told me two of our neighbors were drug addicts (I'm the only one you can trust).

Years ago I would have fallen for this, (and did a few times). He was controlling, possessive and manipulative. In one person, I saw all of my past relationship mistakes. With the help of the local police, I told him I did not want another date.

Even if he hadn't been a perverted freak, I would have had to suppress and censor myself to be with him. This will not happen any more. If you can't see and appreciate all of the things I am learning to love about myself, then there is no point in trying to have a relationship. If you can't handle me unfiltered and uncensored, then you are not worth my time.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Does it sound cruel that we love to watch you make mistakes? It is not your suffering we enjoy, but the opportunities to learn and grow which your mistakes create.

Few are gifted enough to play an instrument properly on the first try. At first, the new musician plays notes that may feel like an assault to the ears. Soon they begin to make major corrections and it sounds better. Then minor corrections improve the music further. Finally, practice is all that is needed to maintain the near perfection. A seasoned professional will still make minor corrections to improve the music, corrections that the untrained ear will not notice.

Practice is a series of mistakes and corrections that lead to harmony.

There are those who give up quickly, assuming they have no talent. The mistakes of practice bringing an end to their career.

Others refuse to give up. They see their mistakes and missed notes as lessons to be learned, so that they can improve their playing. They identify themselves with the music, not the mistakes. They shrug off a disastrous practice, and show up the next day with instrument in hand, using the previous day as an example of what not to do.

You are not here to be perfect, you are here to learn. Do not identify yourself with your mistakes but rather by how you overcome and learn from them. We do not judge you whether you get it right the first time or the twelfth. The extra practice will make the lesson stick.

If others among you insist on bashing you for your mistakes, then surround yourself with new people. Don't let them ruin the learning experience for you. They could probably learn a few things from you. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I was taught to strive for perfection. Anytime I made a mistake, I would mentally beat myself up for it. In many cases, if I failed at something, I would just give up. Fear of more failure prevented me from learning from my mistakes. For nearly two decades, I went to jobs I didn't like, went home and turned on the television. I was completely successful at that, and my life was empty.

I entered a relationship that I thought had come along to save me. it brought new adventures, but in the end, I realized that he was pulling the strings and controlling every aspect of the relationship. I could not believe that I had fallen for his game, and so badly misjudged who he was. I also realized that I had done this before. It took a mistake of this magnitude to teach me a valuable lesson.

I don't thank him for this lesson, as it wasn't designed to teach me, but rather use me until he found another to use. I thank myself. For using my strength, determination and creativity to survive and create a better life. I made a big adjustment, and now the music is sweeter, and people around me are beginning to dance to it.

Keeping It Light

There is much talk in your spiritual communities of light. You seek the light more than anything else. You want to be bright, shining, illuminated. You fear the dark, but in the absence of darkness, total light is blinding. So much light that nothing is visible. Light and dark fight a daily battle in your lives. You struggle to keep only to the light, or give up and sink into total darkness.

The key is balance. Light with dark, intellect with spirituality, male with female. This balance allows all life to exist on Earth. But there is another light that can be used to heal and balance.

This "light" is the opposite of heavy. You feel it when you're in the beauty of nature. When you are playing with a pet, when you are listening to a funny joke.

The laughter and smiles that follow, raise your vibrational level in such a way that if you could understand it from where we exist, you would laugh and smile from the time you wake up until the time you went to bed.

Laughter is magic to your soul. It can stop the downward spiral of a terrible day and turn it around in an instant. It can give you a much needed break in a period of mourning. It can raise your vibration quickly, that better things will manifest in your life.

It releases chemicals in your body that can reverse disease. Even those thought to be incurable. It is a built in technology that the body uses to repair itself from the damage of daily stress.

It is inexpensive, easily shared, and wonderfully healing. But please stop me if you've heard this one. ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I am blessed to be around people who don't take life too seriously. In my darkest hours they would tease and tickle a laugh from me, which would get me through that moment and the next. Soon, the thing that was upsetting me seemed much less significant . Each of these moments was like a perfect pearl, I began to string these pearls together to make a beautiful necklace. Then, suddenly, joy became the focus of my life rather than grief.

Taking time away from your problems to laugh is like a mini vacation, an internal massage for your face and belly, and what did your problems ever do for you that they deserve so much of your time and attention?

In the movie, "Steel Magnolias", one of my favorite scenes takes place beside the casket of a beautiful, young woman who died too soon. One character, Clairee, decides to lighten things up with a bit of humor. At first, the group is shocked, then they are all laughing hysterically, momentarily relieved from he heaviness of their grief. Nothing has changed, but they all get a much more peaceful feeling afterward. As another character, Truvy, remarked, "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion!"

When life gets heavy, lighten it up with a laugh. This is my prescription. Trust your elemental communications specialist :D

The Parasite

In most of the animal kingdom, there are those who live by sucking the life force of others. They cannot function on their own. Something in their DNA causes them to develop in such a way, that they must have others around them to take advantage of.

Some humans are like this, but for them it is a choice.

They fall into two categories: those who have not created their own life, and those who create an illusion of a satisfying life.

The first type will often appear exceptionally humble, often lacking self-esteem. They are sweet, often in pain, and they can be exhausting to be around. They do not take your energy because of a premeditated plan, it is just what they naturally do. That are like addicts. Eventually, the energy they get stops giving them a "high" and they simply do it to exist.

The other type knows exactly what they are doing. The worst among then seek out a certain type of host and lure them in with phony charm. They drain one victim dry, them move on to the next with no regard for the one who had been sustaining them. At the most extreme you would refer to his person as a sociopath.

We do not tell you this to frighten you. We simply want you to know. You have a right to keep your energy safe. If a person makes you feel drained of energy, or you feel "high" in their presence and empty when they leave, they might be parasitic. Monitor your feelings around them and control your interactions with them.

As like attracts like, in the end, a parasite will usually attract another parasite of the same or different type and they will drain each other until both are dry. They do have the choice to stop, but addictions are hard to break.

The most important thing we can tell you today, is that if you become the victim of a parasite, it is not a reflection of who you are. Even though a parasite may discard you and leave you to feel like you are nothing, you are someone. Usually you are someone with a big heart, who wants to help, or a trusting soul who, believes the words of a pathological liar.

The parasite has nothing, but that which he or she steals from others. At your very worst, you are better than that. People with loving hearts and gifts and talents are often the chosen hosts of parasites. So, hold up your head and be proud, and do not let it happen again. You deserve better. ~ Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: Throughout my life, I have been both the parasite (although not intentional) as well as the prey. Either way, it was about low self-esteem. I didn't think that I was enough and needed something more. As I moved away from the parasitic mode, and started to transition into a better way of living, I became an ideal host. Vulnerable enough to be easy prey, but with some energy to give. When I ceased to be a suitable host, I was abandoned, and left to die by one who would "love and cherish me forever" and "valued my friendship".

Fortunately, I have real friends with real healing gifts. They gently walked me out of my victim stage, and showed me how powerful I can be.

This past month, memories of past pain have resurfaced. I faced them. I may not have scored a resounding victory, but I stood my ground. Sometimes, that's all it takes <3