(The following is an excerpt from the upcoming issue of Faces of the Goddess devoted to the Divine Feminine.)

In the beginning…It was woman held in awe…The magical being who bled monthly, yet died not.  Life sprang forth from her womb…As the Earth sprang forth from the Goddess.  No wonder woman was believed to be Daughter of Goddess…was, in fact, a goddess, too.

In the time of innocence…It was not known of man’s seed and woman’s egg…of ovulation and menstrual cycles.  Woman conceived by the touch of the Moon.  By the Hand of Goddess, was she giver of life.

To man…Woman was the path to the Goddess.  He laid with her…not so as to propagate his kind, nor to collect stones in a sexual prowess game…but to experience his own soul’s ecstasy.  He knew the Truth…a woman’s love joined Heaven and Earth.  Laying with woman was a holy encounter.  Parts of her body were not the subject of crude humor, not the objects of disrespectful behavior.  A woman’s body was held, touched, loved with reverence and honor.

Yes…There was a time when this was so.

When the world was young…The Face of Goddess moved across the waters.  The Hand of Goddess carved out the mountains and the valleys.  She walked the Earth in the body of Woman…Rode the Heavens in the light of the Moon.  She created Life when Love…which is She…was known between woman and man.  Love birthed a Lighted One…a Savior…a Being created in the likeness of Goddess.

That one…Is You.

As most of you know, my mom fell and broke her hip in the second week of January.  She underwent hip replacement surgery.  Then she was admitted to a rehabilitation hospital where therapists worked to help her build strength in her new hip and maintain her former strength and agility.  Their goal was to get her strong enough so that she could continue the healing process on her own and live independently.

One day a new therapist transferred in from another hospital.  Although she led my mom in physical exercises, she spoke negatively about my mom’s prognosis.  Her talk really discouraged my mom, temporarily.  I was angry when I heard this.  After we spoke to some of the other therapists, they re-encouraged my mom and they had a talk with that new therapist who then changed her attitude.  The more experienced therapists understood that they not only work therapy on patients’ bodies, but also on their minds.  Good therapists prepare their patients for a complete recovery—for that moment of victory.  They get them well in their minds as well as their bodies.

Similarly, when we want to manifest health, money, a relationship, or the right job, we must do the “inner” (mind therapy)  as well as the outer work (physical therapy).  As we take the physical steps to acquire what we want, we must also manifest the desire in our minds.  We need to think it, believe in it, expect it.  We must build a positive attitude of entitlement.  We prepare for what we want by thinking of it as inevitable.

Too often we spend time and energy preparing for what we don’t want.  We worry about all the possible negative results, which mentally prepares us for the worst.  Hey!  Why not prepare for the best instead?!  Spend time and energy thinking about all the wonderful things that could happen.  And, that will ensure that you will experience the best.

Do you have one of those medical books at home which catalogs all diseases and their symptoms?  Throw it out!  Too often when we experience an ailment, we drive ourselves into a panic by looking up in those books or on the internet all the horrific things that might be wrong with us.  It’s worse if a doctor actually labels us as having a condition.  How many of us will then spend hours researching the disease instead of the healing?  Let’s prepare for healing instead of illness by focusing on what feels right with us!  Let’s talk ourselves into good health rather than sickness!

And this is not limited to health matters.  Many people upset themselves unnecessarily by researching all the possible signs that their partner doesn’t love them or is cheating on them.  Why not prepare for love rather than heartache by focusing on the signs of love or better yet, let our partners know how much we love them?  Others constantly look for signs that they’re about to be fired from their job.  Let’s prepare for success rather than failure by focusing on all the ways we’re valuable to the company and even better, start appreciating the job we have?!

We also invite failure when we get hung up on past failures or how others have failed in the same area.  When we start thinking that something is too hard or impossible, or that a condition is too serious or seldom healed, we are mentally conditioning ourselves to fail.  We need to do some mind therapy on success!

During my mom’s therapy sessions I watched therapists work with many types of patients.  Occasionally, patients would refuse therapy.  They’d insist on returning to their rooms and beds.  The therapists would encourage them to continue their exercises by saying, “Don’t you want to be able to go home?  You’ll stay here forever if you don’t do your therapy?”  The thought of that usually got them going again!

Do you want to manifest the healing, abundance, goals, love you desire?  They you’ve got to do the work.  If you refuse, give up, and go back to bed, you’ll never have what you want.  Make up your mind.  Set your determination.  Find out what you need to do physically, mentally, and emotionally to have what you want and then go into action.  Good things do not come to those who lie around and expect their good to just fall into their laps.  The Universe rewards effort.  You must get the energy rolling in the direction you desire.

To build patients’ strength, therapists engage them in a variety of exercises to strengthen parts of the body, increase endurance, and promote balance and flexibility.  We need to do the same with our minds in regard to our goals.  It’s necessary to strengthen our beliefs and thoughts toward what we want.  When we have a need or desire, we must believe in it—believe it is possible for us.  We must fortify our thoughts and attitude in favor of success.  When we adopt the thoughts, feelings, attitude and beliefs of the reality we desire, we are consciously choosing that reality and will manifest it.

Two important exercise tools are affirmations and visualizations.  Affirm what you want in the present tense: “I am”, “I have”.  State your affirmations at least 100 times a day.  Don’t just say them, fill them with emotion.  And all the rest of your talk should reflect what you want, not what you don’t.

Right along with your statements of faith, visualize yourself being, having, doing what you want.  See it as a movie playing in front of you.  Then step into the visualization.  Activate all the senses.  What does it feel like to have what you want?

Also exercise to build your “outer” strength.  What skills or abilities are necessary to handle what you want?  When you are prepared inside and outside, you send a message to the Universe that you are ready for what you want.  Your consciousness shifts to a place where your desire exists for you.

Just as our muscles work best when they’re flexible, so do our minds.  If we want to progress in life and achieve greatness, we must keep our minds open to new information, truth, and possibilities.  We cannot remain fixed in our ways and thinking.  Whenever we desire something it’s important to say, “This or something even better.”  What we want may not be right for us and even harmful, or we may be unknowingly limiting ourselves.  Always stay open to something better!

My mom discovered that the right therapists greatly affected her recovery.  Surrounding ourselves with the right people affects the positive outcome in our lives.  It’s crucial that we create a support system of people who believe in us; who believe we can achieve our goals, manifest our desires, and experience our healing.  If the people in our lives hold negative opinions or judgments of us or what we want, or they are jealous and secretly wish us to fail, they can affect our success by injecting just enough negativity to undermine our confidence.  So, choose your people wisely!

Without doubt or fear, claim what you want to be the truth about yourself.  Claim health, happiness, abundance, love, and peace.  Give your whole self to the idea of the good you desire.  Ask yourself:  How much do I believe in the good I want?  Remember that limited believing means limited receiving.  Express gratitude every day of the good you already possess, the progress you’ve made, and for the good that’s on it’s way.  Most important, live in the consciousness of your desire, goal, or healing already having been achieved.  Act as if, and it will come to pass.

As a minister, I talk to a lot of people and I've discovered that we all have one thing in common right now—fear; we're worried.  We worry about the precarious economy—our own money as well as the stability of our business institutions.  With so many companys suffering, we worry about work—finding a job or keeping the one we have.  With all the scare talk on the news about super-viruses, holes in the ozone, and over population, we worry about our health, our lives, and the Earth.  We are frightened of the future.  With all the fear thought-forms dominating the collective consciousness, it's easy to get overwhelmed with worry and lose ourselves in the mass hysteria.

As I write this, my cat Chelsea sits in my lap, purring blissfully.  She has no idea what's going on in the world "out there".  In her world, she's safe, comfortable, happy, and well-fed.  Her human protects her and fulfills her every need.  She has no worries except for the fact that she might have to eat the same flavor cat food two meals in a row.

Is there a message from this feline?  Is she a role model?  We may not desire to be someone's pampered pet, and that would not be healthy for our personal growth, but we are protected and provided for by our Mother/Father God.  Shocking as it may seem, we really have nothing to worry about.

'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?"  Matthew 6: 25 & 26

We have the most powerful Parent in the Universe—God/dess!  And S/he cares for all Her/His children.  There is always a Divine Hand at work in our lives.  Sometimes it may not feel that way because we are not seeing the whole picture.  We are blinded by temporary appearances.  We need to hang tight and trust the wisdom of the Master Mind of the Universe.

We must ask ourselves: Are we slaves to man's reality or are we operating according to Divine Reality?  In the Law of Spirit, everything happens for our benefit; for our highest good.

For most of us, worrying is a habit.  We torture ourselves by imagining a multitude of horrific occurrences.  Our anxiety alone often creates more pain than the actual problem.  Worry and stress never improve the outcome.  They are a waste of time and energy.  Besides, the results of troubling circumstances are usually never as bad as we expect.

There have been times when I've become entangled in upsetting life situations.  I stressed, cried, and raged about problems that didn't seem solvable or appeared to be completely out of my control.  In each circumstance, I was left with only one choice—surrender.  I completely "let go" and let God/dess.  I surrendered to the Will of the Universe.  And you know what?  Once I stopped struggling, the problems miraculously resolved.  When I stopped trying to control everything, stepped out of the way, and allowed the Universal energy to flow according to God's Plan, everything played out in Divine Order.

We do have a tendency to fight, struggle, control and get in our own way.  Sometimes the strongest and wisest action is to let go.  We need to make decisions about our future to the best of our ability, then let go and trust God/dess to take care of the rest.

We feel upset and fearful when things don't seem to be going our way.  But sometimes when we're blocked or even suffer a loss or setback, we may actually be protected.  A couple of months ago when I pulled out of the parking lot of The Creative Life Center, I realized I had a flat tire.  I was upset by the inconvenience and by the fact that I was going to need new tires.  When my brother examined the flat tire, he found a screw embedded in it.  Although this caused the flat, it had not been my most serious problem.  Apparently, the tread on that tire was so worn that it could have blown at any time.  If it had blown out while I was driving at high speeds on the freeway, I could have been in a serious accident.  My brother told me that the screw saved my life.  Although I had initially judged the flat tire as a negative experience, it actually prevented a possible tragedy.

Recently I read an article about September 11.  The head of security for the Twin Towers related some amazing stories about those who might have been at the Towers, but we're blocked in some way.  One man was late because it was his turn to bring doughnuts.  One woman's alarm didn't go off.  One missed the bus.  Another's car wouldn't start.  One person couldn't get a taxi.  And, one man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning developed a blister on his foot on the way to work.  Because he stopped to buy a Band Aid, he is alive today.

Can you imagine the person who couldn't get a taxi cursing his luck that he was going to be late, only to discover his seemingly bad luck saved his life?  So the next time it seems as though you are experiencing a misfortune, it may actually be in your favor.  It might be saving your life, or at least from something worse.

God/dess may often work in mysterious ways, but S/He always works Her/His wonders in our lives.  S/He will never leave us nor forsake us.  S/He is looking out for us.  There is nothing to fear.  God/dess will provide.  We need to trust the Divine.  God/dess is our safety net.  As A Course in Miracles says, "If you knew Who walked beside you on the way you have chosen, fear would be impossible."

So relax.  Everything will work out for your highest good.  You've got the most powerful force in the universe on your side.  Only good is ahead.  All is well.

We just elected a new president by an overwhelming majority of the electoral vote.  People in our country have been angry, frustrated, and fearful over the state of the economy, the war in Iraq, and general world conditions.  They have been looking for a Messenger of Hope.  Barrack Obama offered hope and everyone turned to him in the "hope" that he will be a guiding light into better times.  Our country and the whole world needs that light of hope.

Ten years ago, a woman I know suffered a serious back injury.  She was in a lot of pain and felt as though she would never heal.  She lost hope.  Then she went to a new doctor who took her hand, looked her straight in the eye, and said, "Don't be afraid.  You are going to be okay.  You will recover."  His confidence filled her with new hope.  She believed in his words.  And from that moment on, she began to heal and eventually made a full recovery.  That doctor was her Messenger of Hope who saved her life.

I knew another woman who bravely fought cancer until her doctor gave up on her and told her she only had a short time to live.  That doctor crushed her hopes and the woman died shortly after.  Hope gives life.  Lack of hope can kill.

A very talented and creative man I knew was murdered recently in murder-suicide by his father who had suffered great financial loss due to the stock market plunge.  Rather than ride out the wave, he made a tragic choice to not only end his life, but someone else's.  When people lose hope it can drive them to do terrible and crazy things.  This is why hope is so crucial in our lives and in the world.

The good news is that we do not have to wait for a world leader, guru, Spiritual Master, or Messiah to appear and give us all hope.  We have that power right now.  We can be Messengers of Hope in this world.  We can bring hope to our lives, to the lives of our loved ones, and even to strangers.  Let's stay focused on the positive and help others see the light in their lives too.  Let's know that no matter what we or anyone else is going through, "this too shall pass".  Better times are ahead.  Let's bring joy, love, and peace into another's life.  Maybe each one of us could save a life, and together, we can save a world of lives!

Webster's New World Dictionary defines charm as first, a noun: "a quality or feature in someone or something that attracts or delights people" and second, as a verb: "to attract or please greatly; enchant; allure; fascinate; delight."  We have all known charmers; those individuals who seem to always know the right things to say and do to delight others.  People are drawn to them.  They usually have lots of friends and move easily in any social or business network.  Even when they mess up, others often forgive them time and again because they are so charming.  Just as anything can be used negatively, there are examples of people who use charm to control and manipulate.  That aside, charm is a positive quality and a beneficial tool we all need to develop if we are to succeed with people, work, and in the world at large.

So what is your charm quotient?  In this blog I will briefly examine some qualities of charmers that we can use to increase our allure and magnetism.

"Charm is a glow within wo/man that casts a most becoming light on others."—John Mason Brown

Charmers are optimystics.  They expect the best, get what they expect, and inspire everyone else to expect the best as well.  They always believe things will improve and that good is ahead.  Yes, they often wear rose-colored glasses, but sometimes those who wear them see things the rest of us cannot.

Charmers are "uppers" not "downers".  Their presence raises the energy of a group or room.  Other people feel good around them because they are focused on the positive.  They look for what is right, not for what is wrong.  They see the good in others and consequentially cause those others to feel good about themselves.  They see the positive potential in every situation so therefore, they usually find the blessing in any circumstance.

People with charm keep others smiling and laughing.  They use humor to inspire happiness, not as a covert way to put others down.  They laugh with us, not at us.  Anyone who is always playing someone else as the "straight-guy" or making others the butt of jokes is being an ass.  And no one finds that charming.

Charmers also possess tact.  They know how to speak skillfully.  As a writer and public speaker, I've learned that we can get away with saying a lot, if we say it in the right way.  Some people call themselves "straight-shooters".  They call things as they see them and can sometimes be harsh with the facts.  They may speak the truth, but others often don't listen or consider what they have to say.  Why?  Because the "straight-shooting" hits people where it hurts and that makes them close off to the source of the "straight-talk."  Yes, there are times for the bare-edged truth, especially when that truth can save someone from destruction, but that is not all the time!  When we throw some charm and tact into what we say, others will keep their minds open to our words and their hearts open to us.

"There is a difference between beauty and charm.  A beautiful woman is one I notice.  A charming woman is one who notices me."—John Erskine

People with charm understand that interesting = interested.  I once knew a man who exuded charm.  Everyone enjoyed his company.  He made friends everywhere and could fit in anywhere.  Why?  Because he was genuinely interested in other people.  When you talked with him he made you feel like you were the most interesting person in the world.  He gave you his full attention.  He explained to me once that everyone has a fascinating story underneath their masks and if we slowly unwrap the layers, we'll discover the gems inside.  And people really dig someone who invests the time and interest in exploring beneath the surface.

So rather than working to make ourselves interesting to others, we need to practice the wisdom of charmers and become interested in other people.  When we "tune in" to others, they "turn on" to us!

"Interest" brings about other important components to charm: caring, kindness, compassion.  Charmers seem to care about other people.  They take interest in how we are doing and feeling.  We often feel that they understand or have compassion for what we are experiencing.  Caring, kindness, and compassion make up what I call bedside manner.  And this is essential for healers, counselors, and spiritual teachers/leaders.  Most of us have probably had doctors whose bedside manner helped us feel better and others without it who made us worse.  We can learn from that.  We have the power to improve other people's realities and raise their spirits through our attitude, words, and actions.

Take the time to show others that you care.  Check in on them.  Ask them how they are doing.  Ask them how you can help.  But never support anyone's negativity by allowing them to talk endlessly about all their ailments!  Steer their attention to the positives in their life and inspire them to expect the best.

Genuine charmers possess the most important quality of all—love.  They love others and themselves.  They love life and the world in which they live.  Above all else, they stay connected to Divine Love.  They know who they are—Children of Love, so love shines through their faces and expresses through their words and deeds.

Do you want to increase your charm quotient?  Then allow Spirit to move through you.  Become an open channel for Divine Light and Love.  You will find that you not only attract more people into your life, but also a wealth of blessings of every kind.  Charm glows you from the inside and that Light stretches outward to draw to It everything that is like Itself.

This year we will be electing our president; the man who will lead us and not only represent our country internationally, but greatly influence matters on the world stage.  When choosing leaders we need to carefully consider the valued qualities of leadership.  The world has shown us examples of noble men and women who lead with power, and tyrants who rule by force.  Although the words "power" and "force" are often used interchangeably, they vibrate at different energy frequencies.

Power is rooted in honor and nobility.  Those with power act from principle and integrity.  They intuitively know what is right and they strive to do their best.  Yes, they make mistakes, but they admit them, learn from them, and move on.  Empowered people continuously seek to improve themselves, expand their knowledge, and raise their consciousness.  Their presence is uplifting and they inspire the best in others.  People follow them out of respect.

Force is the tool of bullies.  They rule by coercion, intimidation, and manipulation.  They rarely have a sense of integrity and even if they do, they often choose to ignore moral principles to further their own gains.  They can't admit mistakes.  They see themselves as right and everyone else as wrong.  They seldom evolve, and struggle to keep everyone and everything neatly in their idea of how the world must be.  People don't respect them and follow them only out of fear.

Let's take a brief look at a few of the traits of power and force.  First, Love vs. Fear.  Power is centered in love; love of God/dess, others, self, and country.  The attributes of a loving consciousness are peace, joy, harmony.  Powerful people uplift others by promoting these qualities in the world.  They are peacemakers who seek to unify us on common ground and ultimately, in Oneness.

Force is centered in fear.  The qualities of fear are hate, resentment, guilt, shame, friction.  Those who rule by force attempt to dominate others by creating separation and disharmony.  Do you notice how bullies often try to turn people against one another?  That's how they seize control.

A Course In Miracles states that only love is real and that fear is an illusion.  True Power is real and enduring.  Force is illusory power that's fleeting.  It exists only until a bigger bully comes onto the playground.

Second, Confidence vs. Arrogance.  Confidence is based on power.  Those who are confident stand strong in who they are, what they know, and what they do.  They feel no need to prove or justify themselves to anyone.  Their power is evident in how they live their lives.  We feel it in their presence.  We believe in them because they believe in themselves and in a Higher Law.

Arrogance always masks insecurity.  An arrogant attitude stems from fear.  These people are terrified that everyone will learn the truth about them; that they know nothing, do nothing, and basically are nothing.  Yet, they are the biggest braggarts of all that they supposedly have done or can do, and possess.  They are always telling everyone how wonderful they are in an attempt to bluff others into believing in them.  And we do, temporarily, until we inevitably see the truth.  Arrogant people talk, and talk, and talk.  Confident people act.

Third, Harmony vs. Conflict.  Power naturally seeks harmony and will move or remove any energies that create imbalance.  Individuals of power maintain harmony in themselves and their world.  Although they prefer to be peacemakers, they will not run from a battle when fighting is the only way to restore order.  They are also not afraid to walk away from a petty battle when the cost of fighting is higher than the perceived reward at the end.

Force creates opposition.  It must always move against a counterforce to exist.  Forceful people thrive on conflict.  They cannot resist a battle.  When that fight is over, they move on to fight someone else.  When involved in a conflict with this type of person, it's best to walk away and let them take their "fight consciousness" somewhere else.  They are never interested in a truce or an honest resolution.

Fourth, Dominion vs. Domination.  Powerful people have dominion over their reality.  They don't control.  They command.  Control connotes the use of force whereas having command indicates power and respect.  One has control over while one has command of.  Although people with dominion stand strong in who they are and what they believe, they are also flexible to the flow of Truth.  They are open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  They are not afraid of change, but welcome it.  That is how they maintain dominion and command their reality.

Bullies are control freaks who concentrate on dominating everyone and everything in their reality.  They are frightened of change.  They rigidly hold onto the "old ways" even in the face of new information.  They are closed to Truth and they will also lie and manipulate to keep Truth from others.  These people expend so much of their energy trying to keep control, that they eventually weaken and lose control of their world.

Ultimately, a consciousness of power is Divine-centered.  Powerful people understand that they are agents of God/dess.  They do their best to raise the consciousness of this world.  We feel energized by them.  Force is ego-centered.  Forceful people seek to glorify themselves only and not God/dess.  They are petty, greedy tyrants who care about nothing but their own selfish ends.  They lower the planet's consciousness and suck the energy out of everyone around them.

When we choose our leaders this autumn and in the future we need to elect those who act with power and not force.  We need to show the world that we will support power and never accept force.  In our own lives we need to live by power and make empowered choices.  Force is not the answer, but Power is always God's Way.

"Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize."—Elizabeth Harrison

We hear a lot of talk about the negative state of the world; the disastrous weather patterns, gasoline prices, terrorism, disease, and other perils which threaten our lives and well-being.  As a result, there are a lot of frightened people out there.  It's difficult not to be afraid in the face of such ominous reports.  I suggest, however, that the real problem lies with the human spirit.  Since we tend to attract and create more of what is already in our consciousness, we need to raise our consciousness and start thinking positive to improve the state of the world and our experience in it.

The upcoming issue of Faces of the Goddess is devoted to courage.  In it you will read pieces on how to develop courage, pursue your purpose, as well as inspiring stories about courageous heroines and warrior goddesses.  What people need most right now is courage.  We create more courage through encouragement.  To encourage means to inspire courage.  How do we do that in others and ourselves?

"Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit.  We cannot flower and grow without it."—Jess Lair

First, we become beauty-finders, not fault-finders.  We see good in others and we tell them about it.  It's amazing how people glow after a few compliments.  When they hear positive things about themselves, they start to focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses.  Praise encourages them to live up to the highest within them.  Our words of encouragement can build dreams, increase faith, heal dis-ease, and even save lives.  And we must also remember to praise ourselves.  We need to pat ourselves on the back for all our good qualities rather than tearing ourselves up with self-condemnation.  We are each wonderful people that came into this world to channel Divine Light and Goodness.

"A word of encouragement during failure is often worth more than an hour of praise after success."—Anonymous

Feeling discouraged is physically and emotionally painful.  It's sometimes a struggle to keep on keeping on even in the face of failure and loss.  One of the most empowering things we can do for others is to believe in them; to have faith for them when their faith seems lost.  We can hold the Light for them by seeing and supporting their potential.  I have been lifted many times just by knowing that others believed in me even though I was finding it difficult to believe in myself.  Because of their faith, I was able to rise up and walk the path of success again.  Believing in others helps restore their faith in themselves and encourages them to venture forth into territory they never thought possible.  Similarly, we must keep the faith and believe in ourselves.  Failure is only temporary and remember, it is always an opportunity in disguise if we choose to use it for our benefit.

The third way we encourage is through service, lending ourselves in time of need.  This doesn't mean we do it all for someone, but that we assist with a helping hand.  Taking action to aid someone in their dreams, goals, purpose, or projects is even more powerful than encouraging words and faith combined.  It's throwing action behind support.  When we devote our time, effort, and resources to someone's cause, we are sending the message that it's important; that they are important.  Many magnificent dreams have been actualized because the dreamer had a powerful support system of people giving them encouragement.  At the same time, we must support ourselves by stepping forward and taking action toward our goals and purpose.  Sitting around dreaming and thinking about it does not bring results.  Action does.  To improve the world we need to act on behalf of others and ourselves.

We can all make good in and of this world if we inspire the courageous spirit.  We are heroic beings destined for greatness.  Let's accept and live our Divine Destiny.

In the late 1990's the president of the United States pointed his finger at the American people and said, "I did not have sex with that woman."  Then a year later he admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with his intern, but avoided the truth in a game of semantics.  Since then, we've had another administration get our country into a war based on distortion and fabrication of facts.  Whether they knowingly misled us or their sources mislead them with false information, or both is not entirely clear.  In light of these scandals, there has been a lot of discussion about honor and integrity.

The dictionary defines honor as: "Integrity; a keen sense of right and wrong, adherence to Principle; Purity."  Integrity is synonymous with honor: sincerity of character, authenticity, and honesty.  People who possess integrity can be trusted.  We never have to question what they say.  What they speak is real because they are real, genuine.  They don't just talk, they do.  Their actions follow through on their words.  They keep their commitments and their promises.

Honesty is the best policy.  However, we sometimes soften or distort the truth in order to spare someone's feelings.  We call this a white lie.  Although it is great to be honest, we should never intentionally wound someone with the truth unless that truth is something they must know for their own safety or higher good.  Being obnoxious with the truth doesn't make us honorable, and certainly not kind.  It makes us asses.

Outright lying or distorting the facts for our own benefit or to manipulate, control, or intimidate others is dishonorable behavior.  When we lie, we step out of our integrity.  Lies have a way of coming back to haunt us.  Once others feel they can't trust what we say, they won't believe anything we say.

Another meaning of integrity is "wholeness".  Every time we are dishonest about what we think, how we feel, or who we are because we fear someone else's anger or discomfort, we sacrifice our integrity.  We start losing pieces of ourselves.  We feel scattered and maybe even broken.  When we are not living in integrity, we are living in a lie.

Honorable people possess an intuitive, moral sense of right and wrong.  They strive to do what is right and honorable in all their dealings.  They would never intentionally hurt or cheat anyone.  However, they also realize that sometimes there is a difference between being "right" and being "happy".  Obstinately fighting for what we deem legally or principally right when it lowers our energy and costs us our health, happiness, and peace of mind is not a battle worth waging.  Sometimes the honorable choice is to walk away; let it go.  There are people in this world who get a "charge" off fighting, contention, discordance, and negativity.  They try to suck us into their storm.  It's best to retreat in strength to fight for a more worthy cause another day.

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul."—Matthew 17:26

Anyone who achieves or acquires something through ill-gotten means will not profit from it in the end.  That person may appear to succeed at first, but those deeds will come back and kick them in the ass.  There is an unwaivering Law of Karma at work in this universe.  What goes around, comes around.  The chickens come home to roost!  The energy we put out into the universe always finds its way home to us---multiplied!

"It's better to fail with honor, than to succeed by fraud."—Sophocles

Another element of honor is "respect"; respect for others and self.  People with honor conduct themselves in a chivalrous manner.  They respect the rights and space of others.  They treat others in the way they wish to be treated.  Honorable people do not physically or emotionally abuse.  They praise people and lift them up, not tear them down with criticism and ridicule.  Making fun of others is a dishonorable use of energy and, since what goes around, comes around, it sends an invitation to the universe for the perpetrator to receive the same treatment.

We must also honor and respect ourselves.  It's imperative that we only involve ourselves with people, activities, and things that are worthy of the highest within ourselves.  Part of exercising honor and integrity is by commanding the respect of others.  We teach people how to treat us all the time.  Staying silent in the face of offensive behavior is the same as giving that person a permission slip to continue to treat us in that manner.

When someone behaves in a way that hurts or violates you, it needs to be addressed immediately.  Stay centered in strength and state how you feel and that the actions are not acceptable.  If they are unwilling to correct their behavior and show you respect, have enough respect for yourself to remove that person from your life.

An honorable life is guided by certain moral and/or spiritual principles.  By this I do not mean religious fanaticism or forcing one's values down anyone else's throat.  People with honor live by a code of ethics that honors themselves, others, and life.  They may not be religious, but they do have an awareness and respect for the Sacred and the spiritual principles.

Those of us on the spiritual path may have our honor tested on a regular basis.  It's as though the universe wants to see how dedicated we are to raising our consciousness.  It's crucial that those of us who are spiritual leaders and healers conduct ourselves with honor.  Far too often, that's not the case.  It never ceases to amaze me how many so-called spiritual leaders engage in negative, unethical, even illegal activities.  Rather than helping people connect with the Divine, they use their position to promote their own ego, and to manipulate and control others.

The final quality of honor is "purity"; possessing a purity of mind, heart, and soul.  Purity doesn't mean we have never done anything wrong or made mistakes.  It means that we have learned from our errors and are now working to the best of our ability to live an impeccable life.

The purer we make ourselves by living with honor and integrity, the closer we become to God/dess and the easier Spirit can use us as channels to project Divine Light and Love into this world.  The more we live with honor, the more we live in God.

The lands trembled and shook.  Fire burst forth from the Earth and Heavens.  The oceans boiled and frothed.  The gods ran away in fear, defeated by the great demon king, Mahisa and the Asuras, his army of demon warriors.  The cosmos swirled in a chaotic cataclysm.  How could the Universe, the gods, and humankind be saved from the clutches of the demon horde?

The gods regrouped and formulated a plan.  Mahisa had only one known weakness—woman.  The gods joined their powers and created a huge supernova.  From out of its flames arose a magnificent female form.  She had eight arms, glittering eyes and mesmerizing beauty.  They named her Durga.

As the Asuras thrashed and decimated the Earth, a menacing warrior cry and roar pierced their battle frenzy.  They stopped and stared.  Durga rode out of the darkness on a giant tiger.  Each of her eight arms brandished a weapon.  The Asuras were so hypnotized by this glorious sight, that she easily killed all of them with her swiftly moving hands.  As she cut her way through them, she finally stood face to face with their leader, Mahisa.  He too was mesmerized by her awesome beauty, but did not easily succumb like his warriors.  He shapeshifted into a giant buffalo and charged her.  She roped him, but he escaped and took the form of a lion.  She beheaded the lion, but Mahisa survived and became a giant warrior with a glittering sword.  Durga flung thousands of her arrows at the giant who then took the form of an elephant.  Mahisa grabbed her with his trunk and yanked her to the ground.  She chopped off his trunk and leaped before him, laughing at all of his tricks.  Mahisa again took the form of the giant.  They battled furiously, their swords clanking on the battlefield.  Durga continued to laugh scornfully in his face.  Finally, when Mahisa began to shapeshift back into a buffalo, Durga caught him mid-transformation when he body was the buffalo and his head was the giant.  She lopped off his head.  Mahisa lay dead.  The demons were destroyed.  The cosmos was restored to order.  The gods regained their power.  Durga pledged that she would help and protect them or any of her worshippers when they were in danger.  Thus the Heavens and Earth gained a fierce ally in defeating evil.

In Durga's mythology there are several stories that speak of her slaying demons and battling on behalf of the gods and her worshippers.  She's considered the most potent goddess in the Hindu pantheon, even more powerful than Kali since she created Kali to help in her battles with demons.

She is stunningly beautiful.  In many of her stories it's her beauty that incapacitates the demons.  In one version of the Mahisa tale, once the demon king gazes upon Durga's radiance, he falls hopelessly in love and attempts to court her.  He shapeshifts into various forms just to impress her.  She laughs at his games and then slays him.

According to the website www.hinduism.about.com Durga's weapons hold great significance.  In one hand she carries a bow and arrows.  These represent energy, both potential and kinetic and her command of them.  In another she holds a thunderbolt that signifies the power to strike against and break any challenge or evil.  A discus spins around one hand which means that the will of the goddess dominates the cosmos.  "She uses it as a weapon to destroy evil and produce an environment conducive to the growth of righteousness."  Durga's sword represents the power of Truth to cut through the illusion of fear.  She carries a trident which removes physical, mental, and spiritual miseries.  Durga also holds a conch shell that emits the eternal OM, the sound of God and a lotus symbolizing success.  She uses all these weapons to defeat outer evil in the cosmos and the inner demons which torment her worshippers.

Since the tiger is my animal totem, I am fascinated that Durga rides a tiger into battle, though in some stories it is a white lion.  Tiger is present in other goddess myths.  Before she became Kuan Yin, Miao Shan was about to be executed by her father's guards for disobeying him.  As they raised their swords to deliver the death blows, a giant tiger jumped from the bushes, knocked them to the ground, grabbed Miao Shan in its mouth ans swiftly disappeared with her deep into the forest.  The tiger brought the young woman to a mountain cave where it let her go.  Tiger represents the archetypal energies of independence, uniqueness, and personal power.  The tiger is also one of the avatars of a supreme Chinese goddess known as Hsi Wang Mu who resides high in the mountains of China.  She embodies wildness, Truth, and immortality.  And, in Hindu mythology Budhi Palien often walked the Earth in the body of the tiger which represented the wild, untamed energy of Earth.

Even though Durga was created by male deities, she emerges as more powerful than all of them combined.  No demon could defeat her.  No god could control her.  She is a symbol of women's independence and empowerment; interestingly in a mythology from a culture where women are traditionally subservient to men.  Durga is often portrayed as a wild goddess, untamed by no power other than her own.  Like Hsi Wang Mu, she lives high in the mountains, free of societal and cultural paradigms.  Because of this, she is considered a feminists' goddess representing a woman whole unto her own power.  But keeping in mind that true feminism is "humanism", the fight for the rights and freedom of all groups, Durga is everyone's goddess.  As a man's goddess, Durga is man's muse.  She triggers his inner fire, inspires him, and saves him from himself.

As a great warrior and demon slayer, Durga helps humanity strike against evil and defeat the darkest areas of the human ego.  She is the courage in every brave soul that faces her/his inner demons.  With her assistance fear, doubt, anger, resentment, guilt—all the demons that plague our hearts are conquered and vanquished.

Despite her warrior aspect, Durga is also called the Cosmic Mother, the Great Comforter, who not only fights for her people, but nurtures and cares for them with her warm embrace.

Throughout the ages Durga has been honored during a nine day Autumn festival in October called Durga Puga.  At this time, her worshippers celebrate her warrior aspect and her defeat of the great Demon King, Mahisa as well as the personal demons that plague human kind.  Military leaders in India typically invoked her power at this time for military prowess and success in battle.  However, you can enlist the aid of Durga any time you feel fearful and need extra courage to navigate your personal world.  When you are overcome with fear and you lay awake at night shaking with anxiety; when your personal demons threaten to overtake you, take heart.  You have a powerful ally.  Call upon the Goddess in your time of agony and despair.  Listen past the inner screams of fear and negativity.  Hear the battle cry of the Goddess as she flings her arrows and brandishes her sword.  In Her presence the demons dissolve into nothingness.  She protects you from inner and outer danger.  Lay safely in her comforting embrace.

I have heard a lot of grumbling here lately.  Have you noticed all the political and financial complaints floating around in the mass consciousness too?  So many individuals are not only frustrated with the state of the world, but with other people's behavior.  They talk change.  And they talk it so much that they add to the problem instead of the solution.  They want the world to change.  And, they want to know how to change and heal other people.  Talk is cheap.  And yet, it can be expensive.  It's both action and non action that brings results.

So, how do we change our world?  How do we help heal our sisters and brothers?

All change and healing starts with the Self—with us.  The truth is that we cannot change other people.  We can inspire them, but only they can change themselves.  We can only change ourselves.  In fact, if we try to force a change on others, it may do the exact opposite; cause resistance.

If we want to experience an outer change in the world or others, we must first create that change within ourselves.  The outer world reflects our inner world, our consciousness.  If we want peace in the world, we need to make our life an example of peace.  If we want more freedom, we are to hold no one else prisoner in our thoughts.  If we want the people around us to be more loving, friendly, accepting, then we must express what we want to see.  If we desire change, we must ask ourselves, "What am I doing to facilitate this change; to make it possible?"

Although we may get frustrated with others, we do not help, heal, or change anyone by judging, ridiculing, criticizing, or condemning.  That just sinks us and others further into negativity and keeps them stuck in old behavior patterns.  Instead of judging, we need to practice compassion and understanding.  What would it be like to walk in their shoes?  Remember, refusing to understand is like sending out an invitation to the Universe for It to send us a similar experience so that we can learn to understand.

Rather than criticize, best to look for and praise another's positive qualities.  Praise creates a positive environment that is conducive of change.  When others feel good about themselves, it gives them the confidence to make positive changes in their lives.  It opens them up to suggestions on how to make things better.

Instead of becoming visibly frustrated with others who do not seem to be living up to our curriculum, perhaps we need to try a more helpful approach.  Ask them,  "What can I do to help?  What do you need to heal?"  Then listen.  Be willing to give the love and support they need.  Sometimes just a listening ear and an understanding heart can go a long way toward bringing about peace in an unstable situation.

What about "tough love"?  Are there times to "push" and be tough when dealing with change in others?  When someone we love is on a destructive course, intervention and tough love is often necessary as a catalyst for change.  However, even in these circumstances the person often has to hit bottom before they can bounce out of the pit.  They need make up their minds that they want change or continue to suffer the consequences.

The most important part of tough love is distinguishing between love and enabling.  In enabling, we become part of the problem.  We contribute to the problem either by providing a context in which a dysfunctional behavior can easily continue or by rewarding the behavior in some way.  With Love, we are part of the solution.  We support a context for healing and we reward positive change.

A lot of people complain and talk and talk about how the world should be different.  But what are they doing to create change?  To initiate change and healing in this world we need to be activists, not necessarily political activists, but personal, social, and spiritual activists.  Activists are those who activate their personal and spiritual principles in their life and the world.  They go into action.  They move beyond talking and philosophizing to "working".

If we want to help the world, whether it's on a grand scale or just our corner of it, we can step into action; do what we can to make things better.  Get involved in organizations and spiritual groups that are working to raise the collective consciousness and heal this world.  Become an agent of healing.

An important part of being a spiritual activist is prayer.  Research has shown that prayer absolutely affects results.  When we pray, we put Spirit in charge of our lives, our world, and our loved ones.  We know that when they are in God's hands, Divine Will is activated and that will result in the highest good for all concerned.  One of the most powerful ways to pray is to see ourselves, other people, and the world as whole and perfect as God created.  Rather than seeing "error", focus on what is right and good.  See the highest potential for all—and that is exactly the change you will experience.