Year 2012:  “The Year of  “Buoyancy”

We are inching closer to  the well-publicized Year of 2012. According to ancient text, this will be a year of fulfilling dramatic prophetic predictions, bringing significant planetary shifts and gift the earth with a one-of a kind mystic energy affecting all humankind. I am not interested in dissecting the validity of all the hoopla associated with this forthcoming year or discounting any other intuitive predictions. Time itself will prove or disprove this enormous feat of nature. I prefer to take a less aggressive approach and review the energetic accomplishments of year 2011 and the energetic potential for the year ahead.

In last year’s Time’s Up blog post (2011: The Year of Expansion, Prepare Now!) I predicted 2011 was going to be a year of expansion and completions. What a year of expansion it has been. Filled with hopeful examples of unlocking global oppression from archaic dictators. Human beings uniting to bring about long-term political sovereignty just from the soulful will of the people. Completing a cycle of violence that has been in place for centuries. A time when brave souls stepped forth to fight against injustices of all kinds.

Public forums have allowed us to finally start taking an honest assessment of the unjust associated with certain social issues and the intrinsic divides it creates for ourselves and generations to come. We still have a ways to go in this area, but the energy of 2012 will carry the courageous warriors for change to a larger audience. One of those battles at the moment is Janice Smolinski (Mother of missing Billy Smolinski) and her court case. We cannot recue her or her family from the conflict before them. We can only honor and support from afar. There is no way of understanding why this family has taken on this challenge for the rest of us. Only time will unlock this cruel mystery of fate. This is only one example of thousands who have been doing the human groundwork to prepare for the creative constructive energy of Year 2012.

Year 2012 is the year I am labeling “Buoyancy.” The word buoyancy derives from the word buoy. Buoys are floatation devices used to keep people safe in any sport activity involving bodies of water. Such as lakes, oceans, and any other open water where there are potential water hazards. They are securely fastened to the bottom surface with some kind of large rock or any other heavy immoveable object. Their main objective is to signal people of possible safety dangers ahead and direct them to calmer waters. They rarely move from their position year after year. They simply bob and weave in place as they are overtaken by the water’s wake. In time, after the wave has passed, pop to the surface and right themselves once again. This is how I see year 2012. The last couple of years has held termousious times for many and had to learn the lesson of survival the hard way. We had to learn to bob and weave just to keep our heads above water. Focusing our thoughts ahead towards calmer water and creating inner core strength to build upon for the future. We have reached a channel of calmer waters. A place where we can take a breath, re-group and start anew.

If in fact year 2012 holds some kind of mystical energy one would be silly not to snag a piece of the euphoric volts for themselves. I see this year ahead as new beginnings. The societal buoy is righting itself once again. Glimmers of hope are returning to homes all around this country. Our spirits are starting to show their light once again. However, I gave fore-warning last year about the pretentious veil shearing away one layer at a time. Exposing those around us who are not living a truthful life. Watch for that to intensify in the year ahead. The gap is growing larger between those who are here to abuse the system and those who lovingly sustaining it. This will continue as long as needed. The turn-around consequences for acts of violence towards others is starting to shirk in time. People are starting to get involved with their neighbor’s wellness. We are starting to see the vision of love thy neighbor as ourselves once again. This will become stronger as we confront our differences head-on and make our way towards amiable solutions we can live with.

Year 2012 will bring about conversations between people we thought could never happen. Expect one big surprise in the area of politics as we move closer to election times. This will bring about an interesting twist of fate to the entire process. Set in motion a new way of compromise we so desperately need. The financial outlook will be brighter than last year for many and bring about some temporary relief from worry.

Last year I told everyone to keep their head down and persevere through the mucky waters ahead. This year I am telling everyone to hold your head up high and shoot for the horizon line. Are we there yet? Not quite, but our collective efforts have brought us one-step closer to the ever evolving finish line of peace.

This coming year is not a year to settle for status quo. It is time to buckle up and reach for the stars, so to speak. We cannot let our collective good work go to waste. Take full advantage of this shift and initiate projects you have thought about but never had the courage to act upon. This is the year that will energetically support creative endeavors. Trust in your own inner buoyancy. It will always “right itself” and never let you drown in dangerous waters of fear surrounding you. Seize this energetic time in our history to create your own 2012 personal humanistic accomplishments. Take full advantage of this muse and re-write your future with soulful excitement.

I have no fancy assignments with this post. This one is strictly dedicated to the potential and hope I have for each one of you as we enter the “Mystic Zone” of Year 2012. Who cares if you personally believe in the ancient foresights in the year to come. It has served as a catalysis to awaken many who have been spiritually asleep to believe in something bigger than themselves again. Engaged the entire world in an interactive conversation of why we are here and finally care about our future before us. Thank- you Year 2012 for giving back our ancient mystic hope for better tomorrows.

Sending holiday grace,

Jillian Maas Backman

Jillian Maas Backman, Author, Beyond The Pews, Breaking With Traditions and Letting Go Religious Lockdown. www.jillianmaasbackman.com

2011: The Year of Expansion, Prepare Now

(Re-post from November 2010)

We are quickly approaching upon the last 30 days of year’s end, 2010.  This should be signaling your inner self to prepare for some good old fashion reflective moments.  Unfortunately, that time arrives spontaneously around midnight on New Year’s Eve.  Only then, it becomes a peer- pressured hurried task of index, file, and by default, repeat.  We jot down the first “opportunities” that comes to our heads on what we want to create differently in 2011.  With no sincere intentions of following through on our so-called “New Year’s Resolutions.”  Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we all decided to break from this habit and do something out of the ordinary?  For instance, start the process RIGHT NOW!

The greatest holiday gift you could give yourself this year is the gift of Proactive Contemplation.  Literally, force yourself to detach from the barrage of holiday hustle and bustle. Seize the next 30 days to become selfishly insightful.  Annex yourself from the culture- imposed expectations of gifting only to others.  The cost for such a worthy present to yourself is minimal compared to the trade-offs if you do not.  Potentially losing you in the expectations of pleasing others.  It is so easy to push our needs to the bottom of the shopping list.  However, there are eventual consequences from this type of personal neglect.  Over time, our gifts become tainted by hidden negative attitudes.  If you throw a sliver of self-honored gratitude in the basket for yourself among the gift buying, your entire way of thinking will shift immediately.

True proactive contemplation is about taking an intuitive stock of the last year and applying that same intuitive sensibility into the next.  The way to figure out what that entails is by examining two energetic influences that affect all human beings.  The first is always your own intuitive soul searching.  The second is a bit more subjective from the outside world.  It is the soulful energy of the year in passing and the year forthcoming.  For our purpose, only two years in particular 2010 and 2011.

Every year contains its own energetic theme.  It is widely understood there is some kind of energy surrounding all living creatures.  Many refer to this as an energetic sphere.  We have all felt some kind of strange sensation when intersecting with someone’s energy circle.  This kind of energy is not exclusive to living objects.  It applies to other items as well, and in this case, years.  A good example of this right now is the enormous discussions about 2012.  It is just a year like any other, but great conversations are being discussed all over the planet about the “energy” that goes along with this year in particular.  In actuality, this kind of energetic essence applies to all years.

Year 2010 is a time of substantial transitions.  A year filled with modifications, alterations, and changeovers of all proportions.  Transitional years bring exaggerated highs, lows and leave behind a wake of uncertainty.  There is a tendency to lose sight of accomplishments quickly because the awards are not immediately apparent.  Thus, creating a life in “continuous limbo.”  Social challenges remain unsettled and relationships evolve with undefined closures.  The most obvious transitional unpredictability was the way in which the economic hard times hit many Americans personally.  Even global indicators are signaling the identical patterns of an energetic shakeup.  There was a cohesive political voice screaming for economic revisions.  We were soulfully smitten by the engagement announcement of two significant world figures, Prince William and his lovely bride to wed next year.  A subtle nudge from the universe to awaken our dormant romantic heart center within each one of us.  All of these experiences designed to channel our energies towards achievements in 2011.

Do not be deceived by this transitional energy.  If you were one that seized the last months to do the grit work, you will thrive with the energy associated with 2011.  Keeping your head down, following the destined path with un-coached perseverance, you have insured success in laying the groundwork for the coming months.  You will be very pleased that you vesting the time it took to lay this tedious track wisely. Your endeavors will expand three fold.  On the other side, if you are one of those who stood back and watched your destiny track pass, there will be a few more challenges in the coming year.

I believe 2011 will be a year of expansion.  A year jammed packed with intriguing contradictions.  Expansion years pick up where they left off the year before.  In other word, any personal, professional, or spiritual seeds sown this year will root and prosper in the next.  If you are one of those people who dedicated efforts towards sincere goals, expect the process to open up.  On the counter side, if you are in the group that decided not to partake in significant transitional work, expect expansion of a different kind.  As the old adage goes:  What you reap is what you sow.  You can be the true judge of this in your heart for the coming year.  Expansive years are known for bringing with it buckets of hopefulness.  There will be barrels of new beginnings and healthy quarreless closures.  Optimism will be available to enjoy and global confidence will begin to re-inflate slowly throughout the year.  Personal soul work will continue to be at the forefront leading the pack ONLY if we choose it.  Our pretentious veils will continue to shear away.  Lovingly exposing the uncovered truth of who you are for everyone to witness.  Take the moments we all have left in this year to prepare for the dawning of next.

This is not the year for categorizing everything into a strength or weakness.

For the most part, you will end up more frustrated with the progress than you originally thought.  Many times people have a tendency to hastily miss- labeled both strengths and weaknesses.  This is especially true for energies during transitional times.  There is no way of gauging genuine success until enough time pass to compose a qualified assessment.

I want you to look over the past months as if you were playing a rousing game of chess on a chessboard.  This game requires well thought out strategic moves for the sole purpose of winning the game.  Apply this same logic here.

What transitional strategic moves did you open this year?

Break them down into three categories.  Personal, professional, and most importantly soulfully.  Rank all three in order by which you transitioned the most.  From there, take each individual category and describe in one- line sentences the most significant experiences you consider unfinished business.  I suggest no more than four or five key moves in each category.  After you have completed that task, place the punctuation of a semi colon (;) at the tail end to every item listed.  This symbolic punctuation represents in the literary world a continuation of the prior phase.  Here we are using it to represent the continuation from the transitional year into the expansive year.  How are you going to expand your individual efforts into the future?  Go back to your original written list and add the 2011 expansion statement to every sentence after the semi colon.  After you complete this task, you will feel energized about the work in progress.  See the pattern develop before your eyes and an authentic plan of action for 2011.

My personal request for all of you.

While penning your list for the coming year please include one significant selfless expansive task you will in act for the good the universe.

“One can only achieve their greatest dreams with the assistance of others.”

Here is the good news;

You have been fore- advised on the pending year ahead.  Those of you in despair and feel you need to adjust your visions accordingly to capture the essence of expansion you still have thirty day in which to do it.  Those of you, who feel this year was filled with useless idleness, fear not.  You might have simply over looked your transitional achievements.

In holiday grace, Jillian Maas Backman

Life coaching and counselors alike emphasized the importance of devoting a portion of your day to quiet time. These insightful reflective moments are a way to release stress and help maintain a stable mental equilibrium. The practice of meditation is a perfect way to start.

Meditation dates back thousands of years and has ties to eastern philosophical thought. Spiritual processes that transcend cultural diversity and encourage all human beings to explore focused detachment and obtain lasting inner peace.

I am thrilled this ancient art has hit a mainstream cord with thousands of individuals who are seeking out how-to classes and attending group mediations with sincere passion. However, with every new trend comes a significant nuance that skews original translations and water-down the overall effects. This does not necessary qualify this trend as bad. It does however; create deviations from its original teachings, meant to create a calm inward environment for the mind, body and spirit to flourish.

There are some who cast a discouraging net over this holistic practice with an over active imagination and implied implications who suggest that one can escape into a world of trances without personal consent and render a person incoherent and powerless over his or her own human choices. Suggesting that delving into an esoteric altered state of consciousness where one looses all control is somewhat nonsensical. To assume a person can become that incoherent from sitting in quiet reflection is rather naive. Do not get me wrong here. There are times when you can experience a sense of boundlessness and escape to a world of quiet nothingness. However, I can honestly report from years of meditating I have never experienced anything the naysayers have to offer as a reasonable reason to refrain from this powerful exercise. In fact, I attribute much of my soul expansion to this daily practice.

I have been meditating on a daily basis for many years. Way before it was the “in- thing” to do. I consider meditation as one of my spiritual tools for sustaining my own wellness. As my life filled with beautiful gifts of family and career, I found myself being irritated by circumstances. Letting go of the little stuff was difficult and I waited until they were blown way out of proportion and became big stuff. It was becoming more difficult to separate my issues from everyone else’s and found myself heading down a road littered with human negativity and disappointment. This set me on a search for something that would create wholeness again.

We are bombarded with constant stimuli from the moment we wake to the moment we retire for the evening. It is virtually impossible to accidently create downtime with this action packed reality. Like exercise, one has to commit and schedule contemplative sessions every day.

Meditation can assist those who live in or with stressful situations and partners. It is a gentle way of tutoring yourself to detach mentally and emotionally from the worries around you. Like unraveling a tightly wound ball of twine one session at a time, it can help separate out issues you could not sense before and provide linear clarity to what is truly in front of you. It may not provide the exact answers one is searching to find. It can help isolate truths you need to examine by eliminating “background noise” from others, de-clutter the mind and regain control for the future. A clear head will prevail affording you the ability to connect with your own inner knowing and sense the right answers for yourself.

The Art of Meditation

When we think of meditating, the first mental picture that comes to mind is a thin structured person, legs crossed in front of them in the lotus position with palms together over the heart area. This image is synonymimous with what people perceive as the proper way of achieving Zen. Although this exercise is suitable for some, it is not necessarily suitable for everyone. There are dozens of ways people can achieve the same quiet results.

Are you an extrovert or an introvert?

Not all meditative practices are done in the same manner. The ultimate goal is to be able to sit in comfortable position for extended periods relaxing and letting go of all the cares in the world. This is proven the most effective way the body, mind and soul can reach a state of complete energetic calm and tranquility. However, if you are an extrovert and attempt to begin your practice with this form of meditation in particular you may be setting yourself up for possible failure.

Extroverts, those of you that have to be in constant motion will be fighting a mind-chatter battle if you start with the common sitting position mentioned above. These kind of people love to exercise and be active most of the day. Calming down and sleeping at night can sometimes be a challenge. The traditional sitting position will leave you unfulfilled and you will probably give- up from boredom.

It would be to your best interest if you started with a “walking meditation” instead. When I say walking, I mean walking, not running. Walking infers a slow and methodical rhythm. This kind of rhythm will take you into a more serene tempo and begin to bring the energy level in your mind and body to a more subdued state.

Your next step is to eliminate the internal mind- chatter with the use of predetermined power words. Begin this process by asking yourself this internal question every time you prepare to walk. What power words or statements best describe the state for which I aspire to achieve? Spiritual clarity, calm, or patience. It may or may not change with each walk. I will share an example of my own power statement I have been using for several years now. “I am safe and at peace with who and what I am. I relinquish my ego to the highest truth.”

Once you have your power statement focused in your mind, it is time to start walking. Time your words with your steps. By doing this action in cadence, the mind noise will naturally fade away and emptiness will set it. You will be amazed how simple this happens without struggles. Walk as far as you need until you feel an inner sense of balance making its way back into your mind, body, and soul.

The more you repeat this exercise, the quicker you will hop into the meditative zone without effort. It will be entirely up to you if you want to move into the next stage of training yourself to sit or stay with walking. Either way you will succeed on finding that quiet universe within.

Introverts, those of you who prefer a less vigorous way of life and relish in a more cerebral existence. This kind of person can go to sleep easy and have some command over turning off the inner mind- chatter at will. Lucky!

You would be an awesome candidate for a more traditional way of meditating as I described above. Sit quietly undisturbed in an environment conducive for releasing stress after a busy day. Expect the mind chatter to peak when you first begin. This is your first clue that you are doing something correct! It is simple brain activity reacting to internal cues signaling it is time for conscious rest. Like any little child when you put them down to sleep, their first reaction is to resist. Let this spike run its natural course. If you attempt to fight against the word-filled stream of consciousness, it will only intensify. It will settle down after a few moments. Most people give up right at this point with frustration. Believe me, once you get through this common stage the world inside will open up in ways you cannot predict. The struggle is worth the pay-offs. There are years of experiential baggage built up and ready to be released. Relax and take it in stages.

Position yourself in a place where you can feel both emotional and physically safe. Close your eyes slowly. Make this action very deliberate to signal to yourself “I am going to mediate now.” Place your hands at your side or in a prayer position. After you master this casual method of meditating, you can search out more formal training on the proper way of practice. Leave those techniques for later when you become proficient and ready to step up your level of meditation. For now, do what feels right in the moment.

Again, have a power word, phrase or even sound prepared. Internally say the word to yourself with each inhale of your breath and exhale the energy that comes up from inside. Repeat this process until you feel yourself letting go of stress from the inside out. This will send out signals to the body’s internal mechanism to settle down. Sit as long as you can stand it. The first couple of attempts may be nothing more than mind purging. This is still incredible progress. If you are willing to stick with either meditative method over time you will reach spiritual bliss.

Lastly, the breath. This probably is the most crucial part of meditation, but not necessarily, in the way you think. The breath does bring down all body systems simultaneously. For most beginners, anxiety sets in the minute they sit down to do this exercise. The anticipation of doing it right overtakes their need for relaxation. Expect your heart to race with the excitement of your anticipated meditative experience. Deep breathing will force you through this initial reaction and into the meditative zone. It is exciting once you figure out how to get into that zone with a few simple breaths.

Try the breathing technique I have taught many. When you take a breath inward, the inhale, aim the breath towards the back of your head. Like a diagonal line beginning at the roof of your mouth and extending to the crown of your skull upward. On the exhale, imagine the breath releasing from the highest point on your head into the body downward covering the entire body with oxygen. Some of you may experience light-headedness. That is ok! I Repeat and let the energy move in and out with each breath. Eventually, nothingness will replace your conscious attempts at breathing. The more you can teach yourself this breathing technique the quicker you will enter into the quiet zone. Stay as long as you want. Your mind and body will signal you when it is time to come back into the real world. P.S. No need to hurry back.

There will always be a fine line between living in the world and living of the world. Living in the world is a life too consumed with minute dramas and no daily meditation. Thus, risking the chance of missing opportunities for growth. Living of the world is a life with meditation and being somewhat detached from the dramas around us. Granting one the possibility to see all options clearly from a neutral point of view.

Meditate with no expectations; it is the only way to see clearly the chosen way.

In loving gratitude,

Jillian Maas Backman, Author, Beyond The Pews, Breaking With Traditions and Letting Go Religious Lockdown. www.jillianmaasbackman.com

Labels: Beyond the Pews, Breathing, Calming, Extrovert, Healing, Introvert, Jillian Maas Backman, Meditation, Relaxation, Spiritual exercise

I had a delightful time at the in-house book reading/signing at Boswell Books in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Book stores are such an electrifying source to re-generate the mind, body and the most importantly, the soul.

I deliberately keep a close watch on the latest news making headlines. It is my responsibility to stay current with relevant social issues. Once again, this week we find ourselves grappling with the disheartening truth of loosing another sweet child to the harsh reality of school-house bullying. Fourteen-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer committed suicide because of alleged years of childhood harassment. He simply could not handle the pressure anymore and let go of life instead. This spiritual lesson will continue to repeat itself until we decide to make this a priority for change.

Lady Gaga and many others are calling upon our President to start a process to create an Anti-Bullying Law against those who perpetrate such heinous acts towards others. This is a good start, but the issue is more intricate than that. It is not enough to tell someone to stop saying bad things to other people. You must go after the root supplying the food to the infested weed. Attack the source that carries the vibrational energy hidden within the dysfunctional soil of intolerance and hatred. We need a vibrational shake-up and re-set our spiritual balance.

The word “vibration” is usually associated with a scientific method of describing sound waves frequencies. These kind of physical calculations are extremely important in measuring all kinds of vibrations and keeping a watchful eye out for anything that may threaten the balance of our planet. Physical anomalies such as earthquakes and other natural disasters upset the natural vibrational rhythms and cause permanent vibrational gaps. When this happens, we usually make physical adjustments to accommodate the shifts and settle into a new configuration of balance.

We know that earthquakes do not happen instantaneously. They are a gradual build-up of pressure plates moving within the inner core of earth. Eventually reaching the surface where it explodes with vengeance. Taking out whatever is in its natural wake with complete disregard.

The human body works much like the earth vibrational system. It too, operates on a natural internal frequency, which strives to stay in a state of balanced harmony. Whether we know it or not, our unconscious mind is registering vibrational motion all day long. This constant kind of stimuli has a lasting effect on the delicate balance between desirable and undesirable vibration in the human body. If you have to live with the constant bombardment of negative stimulus, eventually your vibration will only register the negative. At some point this will become your normal state of existence. This is where the bully mentality starts taking over.

It represents the “pressure stage “of a vibrational eruption.

Think of someone around you that gets angry. The first sign of vibrational pressure building up inside is the physical act of pacing back and forth. Their facial expression begins to contort. Straining to hold back the dysfunctional energy from busting through. Our body structure is designed to get rid of this sick emotional vomit any way it can. The mind begins to heat up with aggressive thoughts laden with bouts of hatred energy. It is an unstoppable energy train waiting to explode at any second. You cannot reason with a mind filled with vibrational hatred. Talking it out with someone like this will temporary put a stop to the underlying relentless negative attitude. Except the pathetic mind chatter will override any positive antidotes you attempt to throw at it and fight its way back to unhealthy normal.

The re-occurring bullying episodes should serve as a societal signal that we have reached the plateau of the “pressure stage” before the explosion.

The task of stopping this kind of hate crimes seems insurmountable but I offer this simple exercise to demonstrate how easy it is to get closure to this spiritual lesson before us.

Vibration is a very subjective awareness and somewhat of a feat to teach others on how it reacts inside the body structure. So, allow me abit of creative freedom here from the literal scientific definition. Stretch your scientific imagination and assume the next exercise will demonstrate how quickly friction/ie, vibration can change with your actions.

Put your hands out in front of you, palms together. Now rub them together as fast as you can. You should begin to feel the friction build between them and a sense of heat arise the faster you go. In a very loose interruption of physics, this is how quickly vibration can rise from an external action. Notice how soon after you started rubbing your hands together the balance was thrown off and heat came to the surface. It takes that little of effort to offset human vibrational equilibrium. That is somewhat un-nerving when you think about all the external stimuli we have coming at us every day. The more you live in a malfunctioning body system the more the vibration adapts the heat, the friction, the anger.

Now, stop and pull them apart. Can you feel the sense of coolness replacing the sensation of heat on your palms? Notice how quickly the energy stabilized back to normal without any effort on your part other than stopping the action of rubbing. This demonstrates how simple it truly is to re-set a person’s vibration if you take the time to identify your vibrational tools that get you back to balance.

Where do we start to rebuild our vibrational changes.

Hierarchy of Vibration:

For the sake of argument, let us assume everything carries some kind of vibrational value starting from very low to very high. I mean everything! Every person, place or thing carries some kind of vibrational energy tone. Collectively, these items have determined your vibrational stability.

If you are surrounding yourself with lower vibrational activities and people your balance point will stay low.

If you are surrounding yourself with higher vibrational activities and people your balance point will stay high.

Now, look at your significant people around you. How does that compare with your vibrational status? If you find yourself doing activities and mingling with people less than what your perceived vibrational value is you will be pulled down to that level. It is as if two magnets that dysfunctional attract.

We do not have the power to stop people from engaging in the lower vibrational act of bullying. These thoughts and actions are way down on the vibrational scale of relevance. Like the old adage says: Do not stoop to their level. In this case, don’t stoop to their vibrational level either. That is the worst thing anyone can do. Each one of us do however possess the power to go the opposite direction…………………….way way way up.

If each one of us dedicate ourselves to doing this and teaching our loved ones to do the same, we can change the vibration and energy around all involved.

We must minimize undesirable vibrations thoughts, feelings and actions and increase desirable vibrations.

The more we all take up the challenge of “Vibrational Clean Living,” the easier this kind of work will become. This always start with our vocabulary. The way we speak to one another. How we use words to build people up rather than tearing down is the first step.

Our vocabulary is constantly being word-smithed to keep up with changing times we live in. I believe this should continue to be our first plan of action in raising community conscious vibrational energy. Words have always been and will always be our most gracious, free and simple way to choke out the life force vibration associated with words laden with venom and intent to inflict harm towards others.

I will give you an example. In my book I write about the word “tolerance.” Years ago I suppose this word represented how the majority of people felt towards those who were different from themselves. This word is now archaic and obsolete. For those of us who strive for greater spiritual health feel the word tolerance implies there is something wrong with those who do not live as we do. We, as gracious spiritualist will overlook your impurities and still find it in our hearts to tolerate your ideology. Those days are long gone, thank goodness.

I was addressing a large college student body about this very issue. I began to recite my written words to the crowd before me. The silence that overtook those students in the auditorium was almost too much for me to handle. You could hear a pin drop and all attentions were directed towards the stage. The all-inclusive vibration was an intense and serious buzzing undertone. No one moving and waiting in anticipation for the next word that would bring the whole lesson full circle. Then I read the rest of the story and concluded with the word “Acceptance.” The students broke out into a sigh of relief and collective said yes to the challenge. They are ready to break the chain of vibrational assaults on those different from themselves, are you? Ready to replace the old worn out lower vibrational word of tolerance with a spiritually higher vibrational word of Acceptance for all.

Sending vibrational change your way,

The world is running on an inspirational empty tank of fuel right now.  An unknown source is depleting our natural energy resource of hope and desire for better days ahead.  The good news is that inspiration is an abundant organic supply and available to anyone willing to take the initiative to re-fuel.

Stop, Look and Listen to those around you.

We all have friends or family that sense the negative in every situation.  This can be more oppressive to your own energy source than imagined.  It is like being slimed with “spiritual grey gunk.”  It coats every emotion, thought and action with a tainted view of reality.  If you live long enough in this state of slime it will separate you from all internal soul’s hopes and inspirations.  In exaggerated cases, it can appear as if someone is walking around dead to the outside world.  Recipients of this kind of constant aggressive harassment are also affected by second-hand negativity.  You may take on their spiritual grey gunk and distract your intentions to live an inspirational path.

Know when to step away from the toxic energetic relationships.

We have become a society of relationship junkies.  Always planning to be somewhere with someone, doing some kind of activity to occupy our minds, bodies and spirits.  We stay in these unhealthy pairings out of obligation.  Even when it means spending time with others who are inspiration and hope stealers.  It never ends unless you make a decision to change.

Alone time is special time

We have adopted an all-or-nothing mentality to our personal relationships.  Either we throw ourselves emotionally, mentally and spiritual all in OR we totally retreat with the same conviction.  You do not have to make this abrupt turn-about and leave the relationship entirely, unless of course, physical harm is involved.

Instead, opt to minimize your time spent together.  Know your energetic limitations.  Set boundaries of how much time you spend in direct contact.  I reference back to the last July post and the energy sphere diagrams.  As demonstrated, close contact with this kind of energy will eventually suck your spiritual light right out of you.  Not leaving an ounce of personal inspiration left and you will be the one searching aimlessly for hope.  When this happens, text instead.

Host an Inspirational Intervention:

It is sad to be a witness to this kind of detached hopelessness.  You end up giving in on everything that brings one happiness.  Intimate connections of all kinds, career dreams and above all, the promise of a peaceful soul.  When one reaches this point of emotional devastation, it is an uphill battle to conquer alone.

Of course, we all want to reach out and give them a healthy dose of hope and inspiration medicine, but know that is unrealistic.  We can, however,  bring a source of inspiration directly onto their path.

Intervention reality television is a favorite of many who watch shows regularly.  You know the scenario.  A professional, along with family and friends, stage a pretend outing with the potential “lost soul.”  Upon arrival to the event enlist them into a pre-assigned program of wellness.  This kind of intervention works  for many who are dealing with their own inner demons of choice, drugs, alcohol and any other sad addictions.

Plan the same kind of intervention for those who have lost their inner connection to happiness.  This kind of interventions should incorporate activities that encourage and stimulate both hope and inspiration.  Think about your significant person.  What makes them feel energetically alive?  What kind of outing would bring your friend or family member peace again?  Be creative with your ideas.  Look for obscure and unique ways of triggering that hope button again for someone.  Tap into your own inspirational pool of thought and share it with the world.

Positive People Unite

Those of us who have our inspirational energy fuel tanks full need to reach out and help those in inspirational need.  We need a positive electric jolt to energize our communities.  All human beings have an incredible ability to change the polarity of energy from negative to positive in an instance.  For example, holding the hand of another human being while in prayer or singing circles can pass the energy from one person to another.  A perfect example of how to light up a friend who is going through hard times.  Share the energy, do not hold on to it.  One human body can only handle so much before it start leaking out the sides.

I know when my energy needs an inspirational fill- up from a friend.  If you need help to get motivated again ask those in your inner circle who are happy to share.  The universe is ready to give at a moment’s notice to anyone who asks for this blessing.  Search for a group that is willing to bring you into their clasped hands and make room for one more pair in their closed circle.

Healing circles of all kinds have been associated with cultures throughout the centuries.  Walking intricate labyrinths in England, medicine wheels from ancient times and ceremonies of all spiritual backgrounds incorporate the sounds of music.  They can mend emotional hearts and sooth a crying soul.

“Music is a historical muse for many an inspirational healing.  Unpredictable tones inner- woven by musician and melodic instruments,  sending out sound waves that inspire the coldest of souls to peace.  “

Living with inspired grace,

Jillian Maas Backman,

Author, Beyond The Pew, Breaking with Tradition and Letting Go of Religious Lockdown.”

Fire Circle Drum and Crafts,  Drum Across America Movie, www.drummingforpeace.com

Here is a copy of the interview I did BEFORE  my keynote speech at Bethany College New Student Convocation Ceremony.  I will be posting my follow-up interview as fast as I can.  Stay tuned!  Jillian

How do you feel about the naked golf team “exposing” their picture on Facebook?

Like everyone else, my first reaction was a great big WOW!  My second thought, as usual, I am right in the middle of the drama!  The story of my life……….and I love it!!!

I had just completed the final additions on my well -crafted Convocation speech for Friday and God shakes it up for all involved.  Students, faculty, parents and Bethany College.

These students need to realize that role model status comes into a person’s life unannounced.  By choice, they made a commitment to represent Bethany College to the best of their abilities.  They are examples of living out their soulful callings.  Bethany provided each one the opportunity to develop their athletic talents and take it to the next level of accomplishments.  That is a hard thing to wrap your head around as a college student living under this kind of expectation.

The speech to the student body addresses this very issue.  The world they live in is much different from years past.  We are no longer community “islands” unto ourselves.  Back in the day when you acted out in this manner it would stay within the confides of local neighborhoods.  This kind of isolation is long gone in today’s open societies.  The explosion of internet sites like Facebook personal actions become world known with a push of the “send” button on a computer.

Sometimes our spiritual/soul center gets lost in the shuffle of all the excitement and fun in college.  Decisions that seem reasonable in the moment may not be the highest good for your long- term authentic soul self.

“One should always keep your actions in line with your spirit/ soul intentions and let that be your guide for healthier choices.”

Do you agree with the decision by administration to suspend the team for the next three conference tournaments?

Obviously, a strong message needs to be sent out to any student in this country that represents upstanding college institutions like Bethany.  Actions like this call for appropriate consequences.  I have no idea what is appropriate is in this situation and leave that up to the institutional professionals to determine.

The one concern I have is the effect this will have on their spirit/soul identity.  Spiritual growth occurs differently than intellectual growth. The naked golf team knows by now this was not a wise decision by any strength of the imagination.  However, there will be an on-set of spiritual remorse to those involved.  Spiritual growth is based upon a series of life lessons.  Your actions in the world either add or detract value in our universal spiritual growth.  Unfortunately, this group of young people had to learn this lesson earlier than later in life.  Forgive yourself, spiritual lesson learned and make a better soul choice next time.

You are speaking at the convocation ceremony this week about the “Journey Within-Curiosity,” as the official launch of your new book.  BEYOND THE PEWS, will you address the curiosity of naked golfers?

Anyone who spends time with me knows I have a tender heart.  My empathy for others is sometimes over the top with spiritual healing for those in times of need.  Even though they have presented me with a perfect teaching scenario for other students.  There are other examples of Spiritual Curiosity and opportunity I am using that demonstrate the point without expounding on their public embracement.

Do you feel this type of publicity about Bethany College is necessarily negative, or does it show a sense of humor by the students involved?

I have to admit, at first glance I chuckled at their naivety.  If you read the article closely they were following the cues from another large state college institution with a similar team photograph.  Their intentions were based on being creative and funny and it back- fired. This was simply a misguided gesture at best. 

The college experience is about being able to explore who and what you are for the future.  I would hope that we honor Bethany College for instilling enough confidence and courage to take risks.  They must have loved themselves and each other to take the plunge together on this one.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.  Either way they did it!

Working in the media community you learn any publicity is good publicity, negative or positive.  There is a buzz on the internet today about the incident.  Only time will tell what the outcome will be on this situation.

Surely this will have an impact on the next few days when you will be there, how will you handle it?

I believe there are no accidents in the world and for some reason I am meant to be a part of this story.  My job in the next couple of days is to go into mediation and ask the spiritual question to myself, Why?

God’s work in the world it is so unpredictable.  Some people fight against the change.  I thrive on it and have learned to adapt to God’s updated versions.  What a blessed speaker am I?  I will handle this situation with delicate words and calming tones one conversation at a time.

How can the lessons taught in BEYOND THE PEWS positively relate to the naked golf team?

“I am willing to risk exposing my human vulnerability for the chance to experience the ethereal learning curve of life.”  Jillian Maas Backman

When I wrote this quote in my book I had no idea it would become so literal.  By now the students are confused and remorseful for their actions.  Living an authentic life goes way beyond the confides of any institution, college or church.  It is about finding your true self through a life long journey riddled with tests along the way.  In the book and in my convocation speech this week I refer to these phases as spiritual life platforms.

As children our values and opinions are under the directives of other people.  In my book I talk directly about growing up as a preacher’s kid and the pressures associated with that lifestyle.

When you leave and go off to college you become responsible for designing your spiritual life platform.  There is no one telling you what you can and cannot believe in anymore.  You are on your own to create the vision of how God works through you.  It is a challenge to live in the process of God all the time.  There will be slip-up along the way.  In the book I refer to this as knowing your divine energy pattern.  I include exercises that help you figure out the life lesson you are experiencing and get back on track.  That is what the golfers need to do.

Ask themselves inward soul questions.  Open up to hearing the godly message and move forward to the next lesson at hand.

Jillian Mass Backman is an Award-Winning Radio Personality and Intuitive Life Facilitator. Her work reflects the deepest questions of life.

A graduate from the University of Texas in San Antonio, with a degree in psychology which equipped her with the foundation to see and articulate understanding human nature, emotion and response.

Her groundbreaking work in the criminal justice system embraced the “Alternatives to Juvenile Delinquency” programs. Utilizing the knowledge, along with her degree in psychology, she embarked on her career.

The quintessential preacher’s daughter, she was raised in the traditional church, honoring her faith and her church, while tapping into her intuitive abilities. The self-awareness of her soulful connections, melded with her intellect and intuition, culminated in an understanding of how this process could enlighten all aspects of her life, while at the same time seeking to enlighten others.

Through years of study and experience Maas Backman developed her career around her intuitive ability to assist those who required a distinctive, natural healing and knowledge, that of the soul. She opened a successful spa and wellness center in Wisconsin, and before long requests for her to speak and teach poured in from around the globe. The next step became clear as she developed her message for the masses. Radio would be the logical extension for enlightening others. In Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, at WLKG.FM she could be heard teaching live from inside the studio with her show “ I.T.S’s For You.” Her show became an interactive opportunity for her audience as she created “e-lessons” that could be downloaded directly from her Website.This groundbreaking approach allowed the audience a step-by-step method that would be incorporated into their daily lives.

Jillian’s world-wide client base includes corporate executives, international business leaders, celebrity musicians, artists and school administrators.

BEYOND THE PEWS, is a brilliant insight bringing the readers from the pews to empowerment. Her new show titled the show, “CHANGE ALREADY“!,”debuts in the winter of 2011.

To find it’s way into book stores across America this summer! An Interactive-Autobiography compiling the many stories and lessons I have gathered along the way through this glorious unpredictable journey.

Like the rest of America, I am discouraged over the recent suicide of the young college boy, Tyler Clementi, of Reuckers University. The latest victim in an (alleged) secretly recorded cyber broadcast engaged in a gay encounter. The primary focus and media attention has been pinpointing bullying as the underlying culprit. I want to shift the focus to a more insidious cultural epidemic. I am beyond anger and outrage over the latest incident of labeling indignation. My soul is in complete surrender to the heartbreak of another child lost to the useless abyss of irrational rationalities. For crying out loud, what is left to say that has not already been written or spoken millions of times at the top of our exhausted lungs that can permeate and breakdown the harsh reality of prejudice?? We must all survive the drudgery of hearing the predictable banter of practicing more tolerance and compassion towards our difference. Our issue is much much larger than words. We have a people problem. We are wasting precious time with labels meant to deliberately separate us further apart. At some point in time, it will be too late to repair the labeling voids between us.

Labeling is an unavoidable cerebral task we can never escape. Our brain naturally categorizes all information that crosses its path. This is both a blessing and a curse. We unequivocally depend on our self-generated cognitive systems to keep an efficient handle on our chaotic Maya. The key word here is self-generated. Our labeling systems are dominated by what we key in. If not mindfully managed, there is the potential for abuse. We haphazardly break down social networks into labels because it is mindless. We pigeonhole people into categories of yes’s and no’s, like some crazy person with a labeling machine running around labeling everything in sight without rhyme or reason just because he/she can. We have total disregard for the consequences of mislabeling and the power to determine the rightness of one labeled group over another. Leaving all of us one-step away from the vicious nature of judgment. We have all fallen prey to this is self-serving habit at some point. Rendering a society of surface dwellers. Lives are at peril because we have become too lazy to explore each other from a soulful level rather than a surface level. This kind of laziness is stalling out our hearts. Many of you are quite happy with that reality. It takes effort to nurture energy between people, based in goodness or darkness. That contrast lies solely in your hands every time you reach out to know someone.

The good news: We are reversing this toxic behavior of cultural labeling.
Let us use this latest gut-wrenching episode to finally spark something in our core. Let’s literally shove this issue to the forefront of our existence.
It is time for us to implement a moral to- do list.
We have the capability at any point in time to reach back into our cognitive brain and re-assign information at will. This can be done! I personally have witnessed someone who had toxic preconceived ideas about a certain group of individuals. Through determination and exposure to those he naively mislabeled as “bad” in his mind, he now has come to an enlightened place of acceptance.

Have we become a society of mixed messages and contradictions?
I constantly hear the phrase “I don’t care what people say.” I get that it is an internal mechanism we have in order to take what others say about us personally. The table should be turned. The time has come for us to care about what we are really saying to each other. Whether that communication is through texting, telephone conversations or virtual, personal responsibility, filtering, and presentation must be employed immediately.
Yet every literary script supports this timeless belief that we are all unique in a special way. I ascribe to this authenticity. Radio is a perfect medium outlet that satisfies one of my favorite pastimes- listening. I have the esteemed privilege of listening and vicariously living through my guests who share their incredible American stories. I lose myself in their diverse recitation of cultural history. Their stories become a part my story. Lines of segregating labels transpose themselves into blurred images in my uncensored melting pot of memory. Therefore, those who want to use our diversity as weapons of emotional destruction dumbfound me. What good can it do to continuously beat up people over our differences and complexities? We have to stop living in the artificial vacuum of dualities. We cannot continue to encourage everyone to live in their authenticity, and not allow others the same common courtesy. Trust me when I say, I take great pleasure in being my unconventional quirky self! I simply cannot imagine a place where we all think the same, dress the same, look the same… Boring! Please invest more care and interest, with me, on what the public is saying about others. More importantly, please take care of what you are saying out in the world.

I will leave you with a passage from my forthcoming book, “Beyond The Pews.” Blessed with the opportunity to sit with one of my spiritual mentors, Swami Mohan Das, he granted me the privilege of asking any questions I had of him. In his opinion, what is the greatest challenge we face today? His response:
“Hatred is like pus in a boil. Many are filled with this pus of hatred. They hold onto their hatred for selfish reasons, to deliberately keep themselves separate from others. We must drain this before we can move forward.” Swami Mohan Das, India

Our words and actions only serve as temporary bandages over an open wound that oozes out a putrid stench named hatred of the sickest kind. This kind of unfortunate events will continue to plague our children, siblings, partners, and neighbors until we irrigate every germ of resistance to love- based infrastructures. We are in the midst of draining our pungent pus in a public forum. As you all know, this is always the hardest part- the- middle, the goal of building a more civilized communities. The majority of us prefer to do this kind of detoxification behind closed doors. We have passed the point of public humiliation as a deterrent for violent behavior towards others. We find ourselves at the ugly stage of deconstruction. It is not pretty to watch, but there are many lives at stake if we choose to withdraw because of dark forces. If we continue to feed off the dissected groupings we have unconsciously designed, the pus will re-infest itself as long as we stand on the sidelines and watch it build up again. Ravaged sores break through and take another child’s life in the name of vicious name calling, bullying and threatening labels.

Let us all stay steadfast to draining the filth out of this sickening disease known as hatred. Until, we reach the other side of reconstruction, commonly known as LOVE.

In grace, Jillian Maas Backman

One of the greatest business inventions is the simple business card! 2 by 43.5 inch calling cards to help the entire world immediately identify who you are. Corporations spend thousands of dollars hiring marketing gurus to design eye- popping icons with strategic catchy slogans to ultimately capture your attention. Some add self-portraits or snappy colors just to mix it up. Others opt for simple black and white for a more subdued, sophisticated presentation. Whatever your preference, the goal is to be noticed and more importantly, remembered. I started writing this blog entry several weeks ago after someone struck up a conversation about my unique business card. My intentions, is to conclude with a rousing discussion on the inherit power of this simple business tool. However, I was diverted by something much more compelling than my initial intention…
Recently America watched as, Beth Holloway, the mother of missing child Natalie Holloway, flew to a Peruvian prison to meet with a man that is being held on other charges and who is suspected in the disappearance of her daughter several years ago. We all gasped at the thought that she would jump on a plane, fly to a foreign country just to confront this man behind prison bars. Even though this part of the story is what took us all by storm, I was drawn in by a more subtle part of the heroic adventure, the ending. It has been reported that she did get to meet face- to- face with the suspect. However, the entire event was abruptly concluded after only 5 minutes. The man behind bars handed the mother a BUSINESS CARD, with the name of his attorney on it. Visit over, matter concluded. With a flick of the wrist from one hand to another, this simple little piece of cardboard was singularly responsible for altering the destiny of both parties simultaneously. Although this is not the ending this courageous mother was hoping for, it did give the world other insights to ponder– this is what caught my attention. What can we learn from this elusive pointed maneuver? We should never forget the power of the card! In a world where personal relevance and individuality seems to be fading away, it is somewhat reassuring to know there is still a way to keep separate from the pack. This is the last paper thread left connecting us to the business frontier of days gone by. May we all take refuge in the fact this sacred paper trail may be able to survive the hostile takeover of contemporized technology.
We all want to believe we are important enough to have our business card held onto, above all others; that we are the “one” to remember! And rightly, so, we are leaving behind our modern day legacy, a trail, for others to emulate after we pass. None of us wants to believe someone would deliberately discard such an iconic representation of ourselves so harshly. Nevertheless, the cold reality, the majority of the time they do. This is what Beth Holloway was attempting to complete for her missing child, remembrance, a cherished legacy of her beautiful but short existence. Why is that so challenging others to see? That is what the mother went seeking clear across the other side of the planet. How ironic is it that the one thing left untouched altered her legacy by modern evolution, the business card?
In other cultures outside of America, the exchange of business cards is considered ceremonial. It is an ancient artful ritual between individuals who pass through each other’s lives in a simple moment in time. Seen as a natural extension of the person themselves and treated with the highest form of respect. The protocol includes presenting and accepting the business card with both hands. Eye- to- eye contact, and a personalized “thank you” to seal the deal. You can see from the introduction, I deliberately used my own personal business card. Not to sell anything to you, but to demonstrate symbolic communications. The icon on my card is an actual impression of my hand. I love to give and receive business cards, which is an immediate glimpse into the reflection of someone’s soul. I have created my own ritualistic style of exchange. I literally hold each one of my cards before I give it away, and then the receiver accepts a blessing of some kind. I know it may sound corny to some of you. Nevertheless, there is so much pain in the world today every little intent counts. So next time when you engage in an unconscious business card exchange, do me a favor pause, reflect, and trade with loving intent.

Two strangers exchange business cards that then become two acquaintances. Those two acquaintances lead to business associates, which then lead to friendships, leading therein to partnerships, partnerships lead to groups, those groups lead to communities, and ultimately , the world…………………..
We are all one business card away from knowing each other.
In gracious love, Jillian Maas Backman