We are here to make decisions in life. If we do not make our own decisions, then decisions will be made for us by our social environment, or by various economic interests, or simply according to how things are usually done. Cooperation and going along with other people's decisions is good at times, but sometimes we need to make our own decisions when it pertains to our own responsibilities and also when we see that something needs to be changed. Even work which involves a group effort requires our decision and agreement to cooperatively work. Decision gives us a freedom of choice, a freedom of responsibility in determining our own expression in life, and to some degree a freedom to help determine the world we live in together.
In some ethical philosophies of natural ecology, it is believed that we should just let nature be as it is and do as it does, and that we have no right to tamper with nature in any way. There is an important principle of respect in this, but it is missing an important point, which is that we do not have to simply be passive victims in relation to nature when natural events are not going smoothly. For example, if a natural flood were headed towards our village, maybe we could divert it and thus save our village and human lives. If a panther was on the attack after us, maybe we should get out of the way or maybe even kill the animal out of self defense. If we are in the desert and besieged by the sun, then maybe we ought to build a shady shelter.
So to think that we ought to simply be passive in relation to nature is a bit ridiculous in many instances. In other words, we should not get too fanatical about never intervening with nature, because sometimes we need to take some initiative and decisively divert some things, or protect ourselves from some things, or even change some things about our natural environment; if this helps us live a healthier and more harmonious life, but as long as our actions do not disrupt and harm the larger eco-system or the larger picture of things.
Therefore, simple passivity in relation to nature, or simply allowing whatever comes to us from nature to determine the quality of our life, is not the answer. Instead, we need to develop a realistic and respectful relationship with the natural world; meaning that we will not just merely be passive victims to whatever, yet also we will not become disrespectful, inconsiderate manipulators of nature. So again, we need to develop a balanced relationship.
The whole importance of decision and will is that we can make a difference, and if we do change things, then we at least want to change things for the better rather than stupidly make things worse.
The future is in our hands to the extent that we make conscious decisions, given the opportunities available. Decision is our point of power in the world. It is our point of power in the moment, as we decide where and to what our energy will go to. How we do things and act in the world can be determined or changed by conscious decision and agreement within. Decision is made and strengthened by our inner commitment and agreement, through the affirmation of “Yes I will”, which connects 'I' with the power of 'will'. Decision is like a power switch that turns on the power of will.
Will is the power of manifestation seen in the will-to-life on the planet and in our own will-to-create. Will is a creative power, which is different than merely wishing or wanting something to happen. There is nothing wrong with wishes, but they do not have the formative power of I will. We have the ability and free right to use this power of will, but this is only possible when we use the power we have with conscious intention.
Before making any important decision it is good to consider our motive behind it. There is always some greater motive behind any decision or intention, which could be material gain, sex, attention, self-esteem, power, friendship, love, knowledge, beauty, service, or whatever. The motive is an underlying force behind a decision or an action, which is usually not at the surface of our consciousness, though it can be consciously recognized if we can introspectively see the though-desire-goal that is driving us from within. There are all sorts of possible motives; but generally, motives could be classified as either self-gratifying (self-centered) aims or love-serving (love centered) aims, though these could also be combined and reconciled.
It is very good to look honestly at what is motivating our decisions and actions, because it could be an old conditioning or extremely self-centered, which then could be leading us down similar paths as before, in a pattern of repetition, even if the decision seems like a new one.
Once a hidden motive or motivator is made conscious, we can then re-decide the actual value of it in our lives and how much agreement we want to give to it. As we contemplate the value our motives, intentions and commitments, with deeper and deeper honesty, we will come to know more of our true inner values and may also see a path towards love. As we discover our deepest motives, values, and intentions of the heart, we realize more about our life purpose and we then make decisions from this new realization of deeper motivations.
As human beings we determine what is valuable, and we also create value. The determination of what is valuable is, of course, somewhat subjective and dependent upon the unique individual’s desires and needs in their unique circumstances. We each have our own little world around us, and see life through this world view. The unique relationships and environmental surroundings of our own experienced day to day life influences our world view, our beliefs and the choices we make. So value, as well as beauty, is somewhat in the eyes of the beholder.
Yet, there is a common ground on Earth. There are similar experiences shared by way of being human within our shared life on earth. We are essentially made of the same energies and exist within the same fundamental realities of life. So we can find common ground and values. We share common values of truth, goodness and beauty, just as we live on shared planet with common natural principles and laws governing our life.
We need to have an understanding of what is of real value, of real importance, in relation to the land and the Earth. In addition, we need to have a purified motive to do what is good for the land and all concerned. And we need to consider the interrelated, extending effects of any action, as well as the possible negatives involved.
We all have an inner desire in us to seek ideals of greater beauty and perfection, and the highest values possible. We naturally have creative visions of greater perfection and greater beauty. Reality often falls short of the vision, but this is alright. It is something we have to accept; that reality will seldom be as we would most want it to be, or as our vision can see how how it could be. So we need to also have an attitude of acceptance and also tolerance.
In any area there is usually some potential for greater beauty, harmony, and perfection to evolve and manifest. Life is in process towards greater unfoldment and fulfillment, and it is our job to work with this natural evolution, while also intentionally work towards greater degrees of beauty and harmony. This is our goal, and this is our future to be.
Yet, even if we do the very best we can to help in the evolutionary process and serve the greater needs of life, mistakes can be made and thus adjustments will be needed. We cannot stick too hard to any set plan, even though continuing perseverance is certainly a virtue; because mistakes will have to be admitted at times and circumstances also change unexpectedly. We have to always be flexible and adaptable, being willing to change when needed and ever ready to experiment at times. This is part of the humble, non-arrogant attitude needed in geomancy.
Our powers and our choices involve a great responsibility. There is always the potential for unexpected things or mistakes, even when our motives are good. Moreover, we can be fooled by our zealousness combined with lack of knowledge. Yet, our potential for manifesting a greater good is also inherent within our powers and choices.
Also, just because we have the power to change or create all sorts of things, does not necessarily mean that it is right to do so. As we can see from history and present circumstances, our human powers of creativity can be very harmful to the environment and to others. Yet our same powers can also be healing and helpful. Therefore, we need to always question our motives and actions as to what is right, in light of our deepest conscience and knowledge. And we should always be cautious about self-arrogance, in always thinking we are right.
People so often only think about themselves, their own desires and wishes, without considering the needs and rights of others and of the land. People see some area that is especially beautiful or sacred, and they want it for themselves, or they want to make money off of it, so they build a house or resort or something there. This kind of self-centeredness and selfish greed is the cause for so much harm. Even if the place is not physically ruined, the very energy of greed or possessiveness can squash the sacred and healing energies that were there.
Respect and humility, in the face of natural beauty or grandeur, is all so important. And we do need to leave certain places as they naturally are, and without defining these places are a personal possession or as 'my' property. Learning how to recognize and allow sacredness to be in its own way is essential for our children’s future and the future of the planet. Learning how to work within the harmony that is already present, and learning how to be conscious conscientious co-creators with Nature, is of essential importance.
Therefore, sometimes we recognize certain places as naturally just perfect the way they are, perfect in their own natural beauty and harmony, which means we should leave them alone and protect them. Yet, other areas might need some help, some changes or some further evolution. Some areas might benefit by some added architecture, landscape work, or other kinds human creativity.
So we will need to discern places that should simply be left as they are, from other places in need of helpful intervention or places that could benefit from some creative work towards enhancing the beauty and positive energies. The question of letting things be or making changes is relevant in every place and in every geomancy work. Where and what to do is also a relevant question, and not often easy to answer. Each place and each situation will have its own relevant questions.
Our work is to serve and help create a beneficial future for our children’s children as well as all life on the planet. We are the designers of the future. Our goal is to take care of our own human needs, but also the needs of other life species, to help create a beneficial future for the whole planet.
We must realize our ultimate dependency within the Whole and take on responsibility for the Whole. We need to respect the planet's complex web of relationships and be grateful for what is given. Hopefully, we maintain the various life-forms and processes that keep us alive and well, and also remember that we are not the only lives that matter. And just as we would be foolish to try to change the functional intelligence of our body, we would be equally foolish to change the functionality of our whole planetary eco-system.
This is basic ecological intelligence and respect. But with geomancy we add in a respect for subtle earth energies, in the realization that these too are important for the overall ecological harmony and also important for our human health and well-being.
The future can be very exciting, since are given a great possibility and potential for bringing forth more beauty and harmony on the planet, and even to bring forth our envisioned heaven on Earth. Yet we need to be humble about our visions and be aware of all consequences.
People have a tendency to become arrogantly fanatical about their own vision of what should be. This needs to be replaced by humility, open-mindedness, and sensitivity to all possible consequences. The final judge of any creative vision will be in how well it helps or enhances the positive energies of the surrounding area, while not having unintended negative effects. If we are to make choices for the overall good, we need to constantly question our motives, ideas and visions. We need to hold a continuous study how any one thing or placement affects the surrounding overall space.
Geomancy involves a science and art of divining the right choices, so that our decisions are not merely impulsive nor a kind of channeled guidance. This is not to imply that one should not tune into and listen to one's highest intuition, inner intelligence, or conscience. Inner guidance can be of help, but we still need to question everything and constantly be aware of all effects and consequences, having a scientific attitude of considering and observing the actual effects in relation to any proposed vision. In short, spiritual guidance and spiritual vision can be usefully applied, but it should be questioned with reasoning and tested with observation, rather than blindly trusted or believed.
We must use all of our developed sensitivities, to study the needs of a place, and then discern the right choices for it. We use our heart and mind and our developed senses to understand the needs of the place and for the future. Geomancy recognizes the need for using one's intuitive senses, along with physical and energy senses. But also important for any study and choices is the use of observation and reasoning. All of of this is needed, along with the right attitude of responsibility and the will-to-serve.
For spiritual attunement, or for making the best decision, prayer can be used. Some people feel comfortable with prayer and believe it is useful or even necessary. Others may not feel this way. Thus, prayer can be used in geomancy work, or not; it depends on the person, if prayer is useful for them or not. Prayer is such a personal feeling and activity, that each person wanting to use prayer will need to find their own way as to how it is used.
The meaning of prayer and how to pray can be different for different people, so whatever is said here is just one perspective which each person can modify or translate in their own way. Words and terms are simply pointers towards a meaning.
The general meaning of prayer, in this attempted explanation, is an asking to be in connection and attunement with the greater spiritual Purpose, the Love-Wisdom, Higher Will or with God, or simply aspiring to help in some way, or to do what is best in any given situation or place. Therefore, we can ask important questions sincerely from our heart, then allow the answer to come from our heart-wisdom or from our spiritual intuition, or from a higher spiritual source.
Prayer develops from a deep aspiration within our heart to know what is true, what is right, what is best, and to know the greater Purpose, and then to serve the Purpose and what is needed to the best of one's abilities. Our deep aspiration to serve, or our deep need to know what is right, can be understood as the spiritual yearning in us.
So, prayer can be a question from our heart, or an aspiration to do what is right. And thirdly, prayer is a listening for what is true and right. This is all inspired by our sincere wish to know what is true and good, and to do what is right or best.
Prayer can thus be important for any decisions, being that it is a yearning to know what is best, most loving and most harmonious. In addition, one could be holding a continuous prayer throughout any geomancy study or work – a continuous prayer to be in spiritual attunement, in service, and to be doing the best that is possible.
Notice that these meanings of prayer are not about getting something or asking something for oneself. It's alright to ask for personal help or to have our needs met. But the kind of prayer in the context of geomancy is to be of service –
to know how to serve and what best to do for the good of the land or for greater ecological purposes.
In fact, our fundamental prayer, our fundamental question and aspiration, could simply be this –
May I be of service?
This question, this aspiration, this prayer, comes from our heart. This is the fundamental prayer for all geomancy study and work. May I be of service. Then complete the prayer by listening to how, or by seeing how, or by figuring out how.
A geomancy teacher, Reshad Field, suggested this –
In complete humility, ask these three questions:
May I, Should I, Can I.
May I is about having permission from the Higher Love-Wisdom, or from God. Should I is to do with time and space. It is about whether the timing is right and also about right placement of anything or the use of space. Can I is about our own abilities at this time; in other words, am I capable of doing what is needed and can I actually complete the task. These questions, asked from our heart, ought to be asked before attempting anything.
If one keeps these questions, prayers, and aspirations alive, then a connection with the Divine is maintained and even strengthens in one’s being. Conscious attunement with the Highest involves sincere aspiration and the willingness to serve the Good and the Beautiful. Our most important intention is to serve the greatest needs as best as possible.
Once one is in attunement, or in prayer, then the work of self-control, intention and observation are added in to make real work and creative-good possible. A triad is set in motion, involving attunement with the Highest, consideration for the specific needs at hand, and one's own abilities to serve or do what is needed. All of this involves conscious intention, self-control, concentration, receptive awareness, respect, commitment, willingness and agreement, just to mention a few requirements.
Permission is also needed from all the custodians of the land, from the humans responsible for it and also from the nature guardians overseeing it. Ask the guardians permission even to walk upon land, even to study it. Go about in love and only go where you are welcomed to be. Some places cannot be helped, because there is no permission, no agreement to help, or no welcoming. So one must then wait and cannot help at this time. The wishes and needs of the people who live on the land should be considered and respected. So then, if there is complete agreement and permission to do what is necessary, then one can proceed to study the situation and begin to help, give advice or do some work.
Spiritual alignment is alignment with Spiritual Purpose and with our sacred planet. In western esotericism, it is an alignment with the Above and the below. The Above can be understood as the Universal Purpose or as the Divine Will. Spiritual alignment can also mean to connect with a Higher Wisdom, in order to help serve life here on Earth. Through spiritual alignment, we become living embodiments of and mediators for the Spiritual to manifest.
The natural world already manifests beautiful qualities (spiritual qualities or spiritual energies). Yet in some areas there are potentials for more beautiful qualities to be manifested or to be unfolded from the natural potentials present there. A geomancer can learn to recognize and align with the spiritual qualities there in potential – the beauty and harmony potentials, or any other spiritual potentials, present within the land, but not yet unfolded or actualized.
This concept of spiritual alignment should not be interpreted as merely imposing onto earth a design received from a spiritual vision. There can be merit in receiving or having a spiritual vision about how to design a land-use plan or what to build or how to use an area of land; but we should be careful of any lop-sided perspective (or paradigm) that merely imposes or places onto earth – without a balanced respect and appreciation for the natural qualities already present. So if one does have a sense of spiritual alignment with a higher purpose or vision, of manifesting spiritual creativity, one should also have a balancing sense of what is already sacred and beautiful in this natural area - so that one is also cooperating with and working with the naturally sacred energies already present in/on the land.
The meaning of spiritual alignment, thus, includes alignment with the Above, so to speak, which can be understood as spiritual purpose, spiritual vision, higher qualities, or even perhaps as divine will, and of course some people prefer different terms than these. Yet this is just one half of what alignment means, because one also needs to spiritually align with the Earth, with Nature, with the Sacred Ground below us, with what is already spiritually manifested naturally.
For without this Earth-as-sacred respect and alignment, there is an unfortunate tendency to ignore the sacredness of nature-as-is and to arrogantly believe that one's own vision or idea of divine will should simply be imposed onto the Earth. This tends to be a paradigm problem inherent in some religious perspectives, in which the Earth and land is regarded as separate from the spiritual and sub-servant to a believed spiritual revelation.
So, we need to understand spiritual alignment in a polarity paradigm, meaning that the alignment necessarily involves both spiritual vision and natural respect. The above and the below are equal in importance, as well as the in between work of mediation – which is the point of creative balance where the geomancer should stand. In traditional societies, this was the role of priest or priestess, shaman or seer. This work was also regarded as esoteric, and thus not explicitly explained.
Vast possibilities for creative manifestation and further evolution are here on this planet, in this life. Geomancy does not hold the perspective that there is nothing for us to do but leave everything as it is and adapt to what is. In other words, geomancy is not a completely, purely, back-to-original-nature perspective. It does necessarily involve a perspective and attitude of respect for this sacred earth, this natural world and natural harmony. But as part of spiritual purpose (or whatever one wants to call it), human creativity and creative vision also matters in the mix of things. This is why we have to consider these equal polarities, between human creativity and natural world, or between the 'above' and 'below'.
The Sacred Ground below us is the gift of Life which nurtures our being. The Sacred Ground is our Great Mother Earth, Who gives life and is Life. She, the Earth, is alive and is life.
Here is a first step for earth alignment. Align with and receive the earth's nurturing love and vital energies. Feel the earth. Feel grounded in earth. Extend your sensitivity down into the earth, even below your feet. This helps your energies and sensitivities become rooted into earth. Feel your energy presence plant into the ground, then allow the living energy of the planet to flow up through your feet to energize your whole body with vitality and healing. As well, feel the earth's love energy come into your heart, and feel a loving connection with the living Earth Mother. One can also understand this simply as connecting with, grounding in, and receiving life energies.
A further good step in earth alignment is to add in conscious breath, which helps to create attunement with the natural harmony of the planet. Through conscious breath and conscious sensitivity, we can come into harmony with the Earth and the sacred land around us. Conscious breath and the feeling of coming into a natural rhythm with the living Earth also facilitates our alignment. We can consciously breathe from the Mother, from the Earth, from Life, in rhythm with the living breath of our planet.
Conscious breath receives what is necessary and gives us what is needed. It relaxes the flow, establishes rhythm, and intensifies the power of geomancy work. Breath empowers the body and awakens the mind. Breath carries life energies and even wisdom energies. Breath is the carrier of life and the pathway to love.
Making decisions seems to be the hardest task of all life. Before embarking on any project or activity, one needs to question what to do. This question needs to be placed in the heart, in order that the answer will come out from the heart. Sure, the mind up there in the head plays an important role in decision-making, but a mind without a heart is a sad and dangerous thing.
The heart is where we recognize truth and value. Truth is in the heart, and the heart recognizes truth when we present an idea to it. The heart will know what is right and should be the final judge of any analysis. When one is centered in the heart and lives from the heart, then decision can naturally be made from the heart. If we surrender to our knowing heart, becoming still within the heart of being, our decisions will have more certainty of truth and guidance.
An easy way in life, which also works tremendously well, is to allow one's heart to make final decisions. Allow your heart-knowing to be the final decider. Let the mind consider the many possibilities of anything and the many reasons for doing this or that. But let the heart make the final decision. This not only makes decisions and life easier, but it is also the way for us to live more firmly in higher guidance, because higher guidance will more likely come through the heart than then the thinking mind. Yet for this to work properly, our heart needs to have a connection to Divine Love. If you feel you have made this connection, then trust your heart. Trust what your heart is telling you. Trust that your heart is connected with a greater wisdom.
We need to continually seek and attune ourselves to the higher guidance known through the conscience and intuition of the heart. Greater help is always here for us, if only we are willing and trusting enough to receive it. If we can realize that a greater Wisdom knows what is best for us and also for the area of our activity, and will guide us to wisdom, then we do not have to feel so alone in making decisions.
We can make an inner agreement and a commitment to this greater Wisdom, which keeps us in attunement. When a decision comes out of a selfish desire it has power to it and can work to completion, but a decision coming out of a motive to serve the greater Life will attract much help and power from sources beyond us, and also empowered by the a greater spiritual Will. When we come into this higher Will, we are able to respond to need with a greater power of authority and love.
There is always some element of hazard or uncertainty involved in any decision or endeavor, so we should not act in haste or put blinders on possible hazard. Mistakes are possible in this world and it is possible to be led astray onto false paths. There is a possibility of doing unintentional or accidental harm to others or ourselves, as well as intentional damage. One definition of wrong action is anything which temporarily reverses or blocks the flow of love between us and the world, or blocks others from the positive energies of life. But if we maintain awareness, we can respond intelligently to the unexpected as it arises and keep ourself on track to our goal.
We might experience doubts and fears before a decision is made, and these are good to look at because they may be guiding us from making mistakes. Yet sometimes our doubts are simply part of our personality pattern of worry and doubt. It is best if we get a green light to go, as felt from inside, or perhaps we just feel right about it. In other words, wait for a yes, then make this a go. We could always find something to worry about or doubt. So at some point we have to “go for it.”
Once a decision is made to do something, we need to begin the process of completing it by first “setting our intention”, fixing it in mind and in projected time by visualizing the completion and the important steps needed to get there. If we set our intention with the triad of commitment, willingness and agreement to completing it, then our energies will come together and we will magnetically draw needed energies from the environment for our work. Without definite, conscious intention, our energies will be scattered and we may get deviated from the goal on the way.
Completion is already inherent in potential, but we need to agree to it and fill in the time with the necessary steps with both patience and perseverance. Setting an intention involves the setting of time, our use of time. Time is a very intangible and flexible medium once it is understood and used intelligently. The agreement we make with the intention fixes the energies and time into place.
Intention produces the pattern for energy, and agreement fixes it into time. Yet during the time between the intention and the completion, one must keep the intention in mind and remember the agreement. If the initial intention and agreement is sufficiently strong, it will have a life of its own, which will help to remind us of the goal and help to keep us on the right track. Strong intention, and inner unified agreement to this, with commitment and willingness to do all we can to fulfill whatever is needed, builds the magnetic pattern that will bring the completion to us and help to insure that we are not lead astray in deviating directions. It also helps to enjoy and be grateful for what we are doing, knowing that our efforts will serve the needs of the future.
When we work, we must work with total attention and intention. Staying with our intention keeps the power in motion and keeps the attunement connected. Do not become identified with anything, except the intention. Many things come up, in appearance and emotionally. The denying forces often manifest in peculiar ways that attempt to draw our sentimentality and reaction to it and divert us from the work at hand. Whenever you feel confusion or danger, draw support from the divine power, and always keep the Chi or vital force alive and flowing within. One can draw in the vital force needed for work from the earth and from the air, using this energy and even directing it for the work.
The work of healing requires much strength, because somethings do not want to change and might fight back in desperation. The healer must be aware of the denying forces and be able to move through the possible hazards and whirling chaos generated by fear and ignorance. If one is not awake or strong enough, one might be blown around by the chaos that one is working to heal. Necessary precautions should be taken to insure the safety of oneself, as well as the purity of the work. Cleanliness of body and thought is foremost.
First, realize that we are loved by the greater Powers of life. We are here on this beautiful planet for a purpose, which has to to do with beauty, harmony, and enjoyment. Greater Powers and Intelligence are behind the phenomena of life and earth. But as well, these same Powers and Intelligence are behind our human creative urges to make life evermore beautiful and enjoyable. We are loved, and greater help will be given to us, but only if we are aligned with love and have a will-to-serve. So the realizations and guidance given to us are dependent on our attitude of the heart, our motives and intentions, and the degree of our receptivity.
Trust that you are not alone. Know that love, guidance and healing are given to the receptive heart and when trust, appreciation and agreement are present. Receive this in love, in trust, in thankfulness, and in agreement. Those who are willing to help, to serve creation, who are completely committed in the Work, and who are able to trust in Love, will be given possibilities, opportunities, abilities, and entrusted with responsibilities.
True creative work and healing requires a balance of our main capacities and functions of our being. One needs have the three major centers of being in full function and in balance. These three centres are – the mental, the emotional, and the vital centre below the solar plexus. Will is the fourth function – it is the unified functioning of the three centres.
The mental function has two parts. One is the thinking and thought-directing centre; the other is our higher intuition which gives us an ability to see or realize more subtle aspects of reality. Our higher intuition gives us real insight, while our thought-directing mind is what we use in any practical work.
The practical mental centre directs one's attention and intention to a specific area of study or work. It is like a flashlight or radar that gives light and attention to the subject at hand. It can also direct intention and energy to place or work process. Through proper use of intelligence and thought energy, one can visualize results intended and organize the manifestation process. The mind can focus on different aspects or questions of study and is particularly useful for practical issues or problem solving.
Through intention, decision and commitment, the needed energies can be accumulated and compressed for power in one’s work. This triad of decision draws help from higher powers and guidance, to create a pathway in time for completion. Within the decision, there needs to be our willingness to act in accordance with the higher guidance or insight as given by our higher intuition.
The emotional function can also be divided into two aspects. The lower level of emotional functioning is personal (ego) desire and reaction. Unlike the lower mental function which is needed for further spiritual work, the lower emotional function is unnecessary in spiritual work. However, it does not simply disappear overnight, so part of any spiritual work involves how to reasonably and lovingly deal with these ordinary personal emotions.
The higher level of emotional functioning is in the heart centre, where there is empathetic emotional sensitivity and a feeling of relatedness with others or even with the natural world. If we want to be connected in spiritual truth and in service, then the heart centre is where our emotional energy needs to be. If our emotional energy is lower, then start to bring it up into the heart.
The heart centre is our real connection to the Truth. The heart is the center which knows and understands from a spiritual deep level. One knows and recognizes the truth, the reality, by way of the heart. The heart and the higher intuition are related. This is not just a coincidence. The lower mind centre (practical thinking mind) and the lower emotional centre (or desire and reaction) are sometimes at odds; so we are used to thinking of them as 'different'. They can of course be in harmony, which should be one of our goals, but many times they are not in good harmony. However, our higher mind (our spiritual intuition) and our higher emotional centre (the heart) are always in harmony and always working together; they are intimately connected.
The thinking mind can understand things in a practical way, but the heart understands in a deeper way, understanding the deeper meaning and importance of anything. The thinking mind directs our attention and decision, for the receiving and transmitting of energies; yet our heart is the place from where our true motivation comes. Our inner motivation to love and to serve come from our heart. Also, we feel the love and spiritual beauty of a place in our heart. True decision, commitment and intention to serve comes from the heart centre of our being, radiating outward to what we encounter and do. So, let us receive with the heart and give from the heart.
The question of what is real and what to do should first come from the heart. The aspiration to be in attunement and serve the highest good is known and realized in a prayer of the heart. We need to be in prayer constantly in whatever we are doing, in order to act as healers on the planet. We need to be in attunement with the highest, and constantly aware of what is going on at any one moment. Prayer has many aspects to it, though how one prays is ultimately unique for each person.
Basically, what we are calling prayer, in this context, is a connection and attunement to a Higher Wisdom, or Wisdom-Help, and intentionally asking for guidance and help. Prayer begins and ends with an inner praise and gratitude for the Truth and the Good. Realize first that there is a way for healing and for creative good, and that you are capable of understanding this and being an instrument for its manifestation. Then realize the availability of the Highest Love, Wisdom and Power, for greater harmony, beauty and joy, and that you can be an agent for this. One needs to trust, to be in trust, and allow oneself to be entrusted. First attunement, second trust, then thirdly be receptively open to knowledge.
The vital centre is the lowest centre in our energy body, but this sense of 'lowest' should not imply that it is any less important than the other centres just discussed; because this centre, or this function, connects with and distributes the earth energies through our body and all of our other energy centres. The vital centre has also been referred to as the moving centre. This is obviously the centre from which we physically move and act. Yet equally important, it is from this centre that we ground ourselves. We need to be well grounded, well connected with the Earth, in order to safely and effectively work with the Earth energies and serve the planet.
We ground ourselves energetically by consciously connecting with the ground at every place we stand and with every step we take. And we do this with love, a sincere love for the Earth Mother, so that our heart love connects with Earth through this grounding. We ground ourselves also through intentional thought or visualization, seeing our physical energies connect with the earth. And finally, we use breath to ground ourselves. Our out-breath moves energetically down into the earth, and our in-breath brings up into us the important vital energies of the Earth. We use this rhythm of conscious breath to ground our own energy magnetism into the Earth and also to maintain an inter-connective energy relationship with the Earth. Breath is important in other ways as well, to be discussed in another section.