
If your blog has been reviewed by me, and you would like to linkback blogside to the review on Spiritual Blog Reviews, I've created three different pics for you. Thanks to Prema for suggesting this! If you are interested in putting one of these up, please email me.
Also, please help me keep your information accurate by emailing me on changed information and broken links. (Feel free to keep reminding me as sometimes I get a bit behind on email)
A big THANK YOU to all for making Spiritual Blog Reviews the Number One result on a Google Search for Spiritual Blogs! It is my great hope that every seeker who finds this site can click through to a community, a thought, an author or an interest that may resonate with them. Namely, YOUR SITES! I'd also like to recognize the many, many emails that I get (which I don't always respond to, but please keep them coming!) suggesting excellent blogs for future reviews. Thank you!
Suggestions on how I can improve this site? Or, perhaps you'd like to contribute a review of your own? I'm interested and hope to hear from you. This site is about the spiritual blog community, a world that's getting wider and deeper by the minute as more and more people define what "spiritual" means to them and decide to write about it online.
With love, honor and respect,
Darcy
Monday, September 1, 2008
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Indranet
Topics/Categories: Technology, Meditation, Tantra, Psychology
Meditation and staring at a screen share the same brain waves, but are actually different internal states. It seems that looking at a screen hooks people seducing them with a fake feeling of relaxation through the presence of alpha waves and even lower brain frequencies.
This relaxation, though, not being integrated with an attentive and aware observation of the contents of the mind (as happens in meditation) gives rise instead to an internal restlessness and stress, often unrecognized until it becomes full-blown.
What's interesting, and as many mother's already know, is to question what exactly my son is learning from this pseudo-meditative commercialized input? I suppose I can take a gander- he came to me the other day and said so clearly in his 31/2-year old voice, "I love John McCain."
Review: I come across a lot of "technology luminary" types who have their thumb on the pulse of search, the internet and new technologies. Between you and I, at some point, the lingo, the discussions and the ideas fall into some categorized part of the mind and I begin yearning for something More. And then I found Indranet.
Meet Ivo Quartiroli, a logical mind tempered with breath, action and passion. Let me just attempt on this simple blog page to categorize in one word what Indranet's theme might be: Connection. Just think for a moment about what form connection takes in your life and on what levels. I may be presumptive in saying that those of you who are reading this are fairly "plugged in" to the world of computers whether on the user level or more advanced levels. You may appreciate that Ivo has delved deeply into the association between the soul of technology and the spirit of humanity. Example: from the post I Click Therefore I am, Toward Outsourcing our Identity:
Our identities are becoming ever more fluid, we feel affiliated with various situations with only a part of ourselves. The real communities of family and friends too are now more like windows which maybe we would prefer to also manage in our computers. Lifelogging projects want to extend the scope of our life activities which are processed and managed online.The questions raised by Ivo in his superbly crafted articles (indeed, they go beyond the scope of just posts) beg the reader to examine his/her place before the computer, the TV, the blackberry or bluetooth. Can you go a bit deeper and think about words like anonymity, global consciousness, and social networking in the context of this paragraph from Wireless communication and reality mining as a reflection of pervasive consciousness:
La comunicazione senza fili e il reality mining come riflesso della consapevolezza globale
I observed that through our technological achievements humans unconsciously attempt to produce realms that emulate more advanced psychological and spiritual levels of human development, levels that can't be reached by the conceptual mind. What is achieved through technology is a simulation of the mystical conditions of a global mind that pervades the universe. The longing toward rejoining with the global mind is felt by every human being, but when we still identify ourselves with our individual ego and mind, we can't abandon those and be embraced by a wider mind. Nonetheless we unconsciously perceive a faint echo of the spiritual global realms and we construct through technology a simulated reflection of a pervasive conscious universe. This pale reflection on the technological level won't threaten our individual ego, still not ready to melt with the global consciousness.True to form, Ivo explores connection on levels within levels; The self, the input and output, the social sphere, the spiritual realm, the physical realm, sexual intimacy... connection implies firewire in all necessary channels to achieve a higher level. From the post Disembodying at Broadband Speed:
Our sense of personal identities is much connected to the presence of our body and its feedbacks. Mystics say that when a person becomes spiritually enlightened, the connection with his body/mind is not the same as before since the identification with our limited structures is being replaced by a wider embrace.I suspect that Ivo is something of a bibliophile, as you will find quotes and ideas from a variety of books, some of which may just inspire you to check them out from your local library. Whether or not you feel a connection with Indranet, Ivo's search for integrated awareness as presented to his readers provides a refreshing look at the technology of humanity from a luminary's perspective. Many thanks to you Ivo!
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URL: http://www.indranet.org/
This unification process of internal energies didn’t come as a “technical” skill, but as giving light with awareness at what was preventing the integration of the heart and the body. And much of what I saw in myself was rooted in collective religious conditionings, even though I had not personally been much conditioned in that sense. Those collective messages are stronger than our personal or family histories; they are just in the thoughts sphere that is breathed in by everyone.
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Practical Spirituality
Topics/Categories: Family, Inspiration, Astrology, Motherhood, Gratitude, Dance
I now recognize how rare in life these moments are and am so grateful for the reminder to trust–myself and the unknown. I am a baby touching the tip of grandma’s wisdom, marveling at her presence.
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Labels: Awakening, Dance, Lifestyle, Parenting, Relationships
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Holistic Personal Development
Topics/Categories: Health, Personal Development, Consciousness, PerceptionSomething that touched me: It is so strange to all of the sudden wake up and realize how my walk through the last few months has been so unconscious. Bringing myself back to the present moment brings myself back to joy--It's easier said than done, as we all know- I can't tell you how many business meetings I've been in recently where I've planned out what I'm having for dinner, reinforced my evening schedule, and created a to-do list in my head a mile long. Of course, we find the balance between this frantic, fast paced culture within ourselves, each in our own way. My guidance is the present. Awareness of the joy of being alive, appreciation for those around me, observation of beauty, flowing of events, emoting, retreating, releasing...
Here's a post that allowed some reinforcement of my flow for me- The Head and the Heart.
When we use consciousness to give us direction in life, we become more and more aligned with the power of Infinite Consciousness that pervades the universe. This power gives the will to be conscious to all that is finite in the universe – to be in harmony with the symphony called life. It is the power that evolves the soul from lower life forms to higher life forms. It is the power that propels everyone, in their own perfect time, from lives of limitation and ignorance to the eternal experience of Infinite Power, Knowledge, and Bliss.
How did this state of affairs come about? This state of spiritual ignorance. A state of existence whose priorities are skewed from egoism and selfish considerations. How is it that we live in a world where disharmony, greed and selfishness are not even listed in DSM IV, the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders?
Moving past conditioning may not be as effortless as we would like, but there are some great tools placed before us on this blog. If you are looking for something to help you out of a rut, or give you that one phrase to make it all "click", you just might find it here. When the downward spiral flows in, this site might wash something up...(In fact, I searched the blog site for the term "downward spiral" and it actually came up with a post. Not surprising as Gregory has posted regularly since November of 2006.)
This blog is a motivating and challenging opportunity for spiritual seekers to find nuggets of wisdom to adopt a more holistic lifestyle. Thank you Gregory for your contributed observations as you follow your own bliss!
-Patterns of Consciousness
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Darcy
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Labels: Healing, Lifestyle, Self-Inquiry, Wisdom
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Welcome Back
Yes, it's been a while since my last post. It's certainly not for lack of activity in my life! As many of you know, the speed of life with a small child very often rivals the speed of a Wall Street businessman's life. Sometimes, it's essential to put all of our electronics aside, camp, go to the beach and just be with yourself...go to ground, so to speak.
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Sunday, March 16, 2008
Shift Your Spirits
Topics/Categories: Spirit Guides, Spiritual Blogging, Writing, Angels, Webpage design
Something that touched me: So I'm sitting here in Las Vegas, of all places, between conference classes for marketing, exhibiting and trade show professionals. I'm focused on why I'm here- to learn how to make my company's message concise, clear and enticing on the display floor. What's our story and how do we set ourselves apart from the myriad other search engine creators out there kind of thing.
Admittedly, there's not a whole heck of a lot of excitement in a search box, relevance ranking and clustering of terms. What is the trick to writing so that people glean something of value and walk away nodding saying, "yes, I want to read more?" In the high-tech industry I find it challenging. But even my personal message needs refining at times. How do I differentiate myself, amidst these women and men in business suits with cell phones pressed against their ear and serious looks of concentration? I simply SMILE at everyone.
Of course, there's more to writing copy than smiling-and not all books are helpful, but Slade is. Here's an excerpt from Spinning Your Story:
I’d like to continue my thoughts on the difference between Your Story/Your Identity and the details, events, and plot-line “ingredients” of your life.
A time-line of details, or the conflict of events, is only a small part of a story. Consider Patricia’s articles about abuse — it’s not your fault if you are victimized (an event). You can’t choose what external forces invade your life; you can’t control the actions of other people.
So what do you do with a story of abuse? What do you do with a story of disease or some other tragic hardship?
Spin
You do what any good storyteller, journalist, writer, or filmmaker does — you choose the energy of a story that transcends the details. There’s not a single person on the planet who doesn’t have all the necessary ingredients for tragedy. But look at the recipe for Stories of Survivors — the details, the actions, the events — the elements that make up the story of a Victim are the same raw materials that you can use to tell the story of a Survivor.
Review: Slade Roberson- His name fluttered across my screen for the first time when I started blogging last year. I have since run across his name at least once per month (usually more) from bloggers who reference him, his site and his advice. Slade says:
My own blogging mission is two-fold:
- to inspire you to shift your perspective on the life you are already living into the unique, powerful, spiritual mission you know it’s supposed to be
- to show you how to use simple, extraordinary, web-based tools you already have access to — like email and blogs — to share your mission with the world
Slade is clairaudient- which means he "hears things"...But instead of just relating the words, Slade actually shares the process, the journey, communication tips and revelations. Here's an excerpt from Ghost in the Flame Part 1:
“What is your name?” I immediately asked him.
“Harris,” he said clearly, in a sound I can’t call a whisper, because it swelled, with a surge of layers, more volume — the name came like a chord, as if several voices spoke in unison, all of them his. Earthbound spirits often present names or simple sentences to me this way, with an eagerness and added force, like a very young child who has only recently discovered he can answer the question.
Why else visit the site of a man who sleeps with books and wears a magic ring? (7 Random and Weird Things About Me.) Because it's not just about spirits-it's about increasing awareness of the community of spirits that surrounds you, intangible or otherwise. If you're a blogger, this may be something you've thought about; how do you increase traffic to your blog? How do you write in a way to keep people coming back? How do you boost your subscribers? There are juicy articles just waiting for you to bite in on his Behind the Screens page. You'll also notice that Slade is VERY active with his comments--have a question? Expect an answer.
Along the same lines, many of you have written me asking for advice with your new blog. Here it is: go to Shift Your Spirits. Spend some time reading--there's a reason why Slade has over 60 comments on some of his posts-- He knows what he's doing and he's sharing it with us. Slade is just one of those foundational steps in the growing online spiritual community.
Many thanks, Slade, for opening so many doors for your readers!
This web site — this broadcast channel — this techno-vessel is just one of the strands of the Web where we communicate. This is just my thread in the tapestry of the Stories and the Mysteries. At any time, you may weave the silver cord and the sky blue hyperlinks of your own voice into this Chorus of Consciousness, this great big ball of conversation we call the Web.
Doesn’t It Sound Enormous?Way too big for such an ugly little word –blog.
From Why I Blog
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Labels: Angels, Channeling, Guides, Mysticism, Teachers, Writing
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Awakening Sense
Topics/Categories: Self-Inquiry, Psychology, Awakening
Something that touched me: I helped a friend try on a wedding dress today for a wedding that was cancelled last week. This couple had been serenely happy-in fact, I'd say blissful, until something jogged an old structural weakness in one of them and it all came tumbling down. They are working it out, but it made for interesting conversation over satin, beaded shoes and a friendly little seamstress who scrunched together the hemline and mentioned out of the blue "life is a series of simplicities all chunked together to form complexities." My friend, nearly in tears, held it in until we were alone and then gusted out her emotions about her ex-fiance-she loves him, but is beginning to demand respect. In order for her to reach this point, though, the whole thing needed to explode. The structure that they had built together prior to this point had a foundation of insecurities, control issues and platitudes all covered over with a nice layer of stucco. Reminded me of this post: Humpty Dumpty (pt. 1).
The Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme reminds me of our inner resistance to change, to acceptance, to transformation. Could it be that Humpty Dumpty is just afraid of change? Could he be hiding his own connection with spirit from himself?
If we allow our "old selves" to be dismantled and we are confident of a positive outcome then there is......a real opportunity. Dismantled means just to let things fall apart so they can be re-arranged more creatively.
This is the "adaptive mechanism" of spirit in action. It is the phoenix rising on whatever level we can let this happen. Finally it is becoming more human, more alive and more awake. It is accepting that the gift of Awakening Self is ever-present. (also see Humpty D. part 2)
Review: The idea of awakening, as you can guess from the title, is the main current of this blog. And this theme is swift and powerful. It's almost like wading into a lake for the first time and feeling your feet sink into a soft bottom when the surface is glassy...Awakening Sense, in my mind, is about pulling together the sinking feet, the flow of the water, and the crisp air you breathe into one single inhalation of consciousness- and each person is wading into the lake differently. I loved the acknowledgement of the metaphorical lake in this post "Common Domain."
One viewpoint: that it is an inevitable event for us all, that this is simply a matter of time and life-times. This event would be like a grand earthquake that levels the entire playing field of consciousness....and the one of the many becomes the One in its Unity State.
Another viewpoint: that awakening is like a series of tremors, a process of preparations. The starting point would be anywhere, because everything is part of the same big picture. This is a process common to us all. This is an activity we are all involved with whether consciously or unconsciously. Both viewpoints about awakening apply to us. We are all in the same boat, the same domain. Whatever we seek and desire is a reflection, no mater how distorted, of that Oneness that finally, or suddenly, becomes our True Common Domain.
You will notice the lack of links to sources and resources. Why is that? To emphasize the Inner Resource that each one can link with; to underline that each of us actually can recognize and do this in their own way.
Remembrance is one of the great spiritual keys; remembrance of Self, of the Beloved One. It opens doors and invites new insights and new feelings. Part of the natural cycle of remembrance is forgetfulness, indifference, doubt, etc......in other words these are natural reactions by those parts of us that are in fact not so natural.
From Key to the Treasure
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URL: http://awakeningsense.typepad.com/
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