Resurrect Yourself

In today’s article, we’ll discuss physical and metaphorical resurrections, as well as how to apply the concept of resurrection to enhance our experience of life. For readers who’ve been with us a while, today’s article is longer than usual, as it is a deeper subject.

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Historically, there have been famous resurrections.

Many are documented and may be researched and read. The resurrection that inspired the Christian religion is that of Jesus the Christ. Physical resurrections are when someone has physically died, and their body raises from the dead some time later. There have also been many historical references to people who physically disappeared, only to reappear minutes, days, or years later, elsewhere. In some, the body had died. In others, the body remained alive. There are also historical references to people who have physically appeared in more than one location at a time—this is called bi-location. The concept of bilocation has appeared in Christian and Jewish mysticism, early Greek philosophy, shamanism, paganism, folklore, Hinduism, Theosophy, and more.

Several Christian religious figures have been cited as having bilocated.

Among the earliest is the apparition of Our Lady of the Pillar, the name given to the Virgin Mary, when she appeared to the Apostle James while he was preaching in what is now Spain in approximately 40 AD. In 1774, Alphonsus Liguori claimed to have gone into a trance while preparing for Mass. When he came out of the trance he said that he had visited the bedside of the dying Pope Clement XIV. Isidore the Farmer claimed to be praying or attending Mass in Church while at the same time plowing in the fields. And there are others.

Cultural focus pocus?

Our culture’s focus on the physical body has created an illusion. Our focus on the physical changes, the physical death and physical movement and physical appearance of the physical body, is a mistake. If we shift our focus onto the part of the resurrected being that remains alive, regardless of the state of the physical body, we may see that it’s that power which allows the body dance, do, and rise. The body is not the power, it is a container for the power.

To apply the lessons of resurrection to our life in a meaningful way, we need to know how to see that life is not generated by the body. The body is brought to life, it becomes alive, by means of a living soul within.

A magic trick to clear up focus pocus.

Have you ever seen the trick where grandpa pulls a quarter from behind a young person’s ear? The child is so focused on what he or she sees physically in front of them, that they miss what’s really happening with the quarter, and think that the quarter comes from nowhere, when it actually came from grandpa’s pocket.

In resurrection, the trick is in our false belief that the when the body re-appears, that LIFE restarted. It did not. LIFE was alive and well within the soul, even while the body was dead. The physical body is a costume, an outfit, which is brought to life by the life in the soul. When someone or something dies physically, we may trick ourself into believing that the being (or essence of the person) is also dead. This is not true. They live on, but without the physical costume, the visible “meat suit” that’s called their body. Their body is their body, but their body is not them. They are their soul, an essence.

A Drive or Die analogy to clear up focus pocus.

A similar analogy would be when we drive our vehicle. We get into the vehicle. We drive it. We use it. We love it (or we don’t). If something happens to our vehicle and it dies, we remain alive. Our body is our vehicle. We use it. We love it or we don’t. Our soul drives our body, for the most part. If something happens to our body and it dies, we (our soul and spirit) remains alive.

With clear focus, spiritual growth can occur.

When our focus is on the power of our unseen soul and its life within, rather than on the body which dies, we may realize the importance and value of spiritual and soul growth. It’s that power of our soul, that growth in our spirituality, that we “take with us” when the body dies. It’s the only “thing” of lasting value.

Some souls are more powerful than others.

The most powerful souls seem to express supernatural abilities, like resurrection. I find it vital to note that each of the people who experienced or commanded their own resurrection or bilocation were in full bloom spiritually. This afforded them the ability to manifest these miracles. And each person often had other spiritual gifts in addition to resurrection or bilocation.

Spiritual gifts are real.

In Christianity, when people are said to have charisma, it means that he or she is endowed with extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit, the One who breathes life into All. This power is believed to be supernatural graces which we need, especially during upcoming times in the world, to fulfill the mission of the Creator and the betterment of All Life. Some of the supernatural graces listed as available to us include, but are not limited to: personal sanctification, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, and the understanding, interpretation, and use of diverse languages, as well as all the “clairs:” clairaudient (clear hearing), claircognizant (clear knowing), clairsentient (clear feeling), and clairvoyant (clear seeing).

We can open ourself to receive spiritual gifts.

I experience some spiritual gifts, and it has been my experience that it is NOT possible to receive spiritual gifts without first cleaning up, sweeping out, and diligently and willingly taking excellent care of our body/mind temple.

Sometimes, in the desire to experience all of life, or just in the ignorant desire to find our own boundary of how low we can go, we bottom out. I hope that each of us finds that bottom, so we may invite the strength of the power of life to live fully within us. When we do, that’s when life gets spiritual. That’s when we can hear, see, smell, taste, and touch divine guidance. That’s when we receive the opportunity to show Life that we are willing to listen and follow the guidance, regardless of the results. That’s surrendering. That’s dying to the mess we don’t want anymore. And when we do, Life bestows its charisma, its spiritual gifts, onto us.

It’s up to us if we’re going to allow ourself to see where we’ve been stuck. Or where part of us has died on the inside. Where we can invite Life back in, to resurrect itself so we may live again. Have we been complaining inwardly or to others, beating our drum about the doldrums of our season in the living dead? If so…

Let’s talk about WHY we want to rise up.

If we feel like we’re “stuck,” like we often get the “short end of the stick” or simply don’t LIKE the life we’re living, now could be our perfect moment to “get real” with that part of our old, “bad” self and say goodbye. As an expert in willpower and empowerment, clients come to me feeling “stuck” in the trauma and sadness surrounding their circumstances. By the way, addictions thrive in “stuck” circumstances. We can probably relate to that “stuck,” or “dead” feeling at one time or another. It often follows a trauma, and hangs with us as we wonder if life is worth living. This stagnant, stale, sinking feeling often keeps us still—we may even stay put, lying lethargically on the couch or bed and drowning in depression. And in that state of mind, who wouldn’t look for a way to “escape” the pain—even if just for a moment? Substances and distractions can do that. Question is, where does that long road go? Have we stopped to take a look at what that life will look like, if we make decisions like that every day for a week, a month, six months, a year or more? When we’re in the pain of the moment, we may not be thinking farther down the road than the next minute, or five minutes, or maybe to the end of the day. That shortcut to feeling better in the moment, that quick-fix Band-aid over our feelings, which a substance or distraction can provide, can also lead to addiction. It’s a road to take, but do we still like that view? Take a look around where we are now, and where we’re headed. If we don’t like the view from where we live, physically or metaphorically, it may be time to pack up and shack up next door to the Jeffersons and move on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky. I’m not talking about dying physically, I’m taking about raising our standards.

Here’s ONE GOOD REASON to consider: Symbolically, “stuck” = “dead.”

Whether or not we believe that being “stuck” is equivalent to “death,” for those of us who’ve “been there,” (or are there) we could certainly agree that being “stuck” does NOT feel like living. Sure, we’re alive, but not full of life—vital, curious, healthy, glowing in love or in joy. We’re low, sad, unable to experience joy, we’re jealous and personally sad or hurt when we see others who are happy and successful. We may not even be able to see the sunshine, flowers or beauty, without also feeling overwhelmed by our disappointment and what we’re NOT experiencing. So if we’re already stuck, or dead to life, why not just die to our old ways that keep us stuck, and get curious about what might happen? Who knows, it could be rainbows and unicorns, they seem to always be on the move!

Here’s a SECOND GOOD REASON to consider: We’re living in fear, which keeps us stuck and feels bad.

Although what we are about to discuss may ignite old embers of anger within, I kindly ask that we hear this out, because it leads to healing, by shifting our perception. Please know that I write this with love, care, and compassion for all souls and the lessons they are to learn. With that said…

It takes a lot of energy to stay stuck. SO much energy, that we may feel drained, like we just don’t have it in us to change even, one, thing. However, if we feel afraid, resign ourself, and agree to always be stuck (consciously or otherwise), we give away our power to change. So we feel like we don’t have any power, which can be debilitating.

We may not know how to use our power to heal and maintain well-being.

Power is power, and it may be used any way we choose. In the situation described, where we may feel too drained to break free and make changes, we may have been unconsciously using our power to stay stuck. That power, also called willpower, is at the mercy of our choice. However, we may have been unconsciously choosing to give our power to feeling powerless, because that seemed like the only option, it seemed the most real. However, I am here to share an alternate reality. The vast majority of us have the power to consciously make choices to become unstuck. It just takes a change in perspective and practice, and it can be done.

Willpower is the greatest of our innate abilities and inalienable rights.

By observing life, we can see this truth. When we were conceived, we received the “gift” of power that gave us life. We also received the gift of power to do with life as we will. Willpower is power. Willpower is choice power (not force). With willpower, we are able to truly experience the rest of our inalienable rights: life (not just be alive—but to truly live), liberty (or slavery to suffering), and the pursuit of happiness (or suffering, also called “stuckness”).

We’ve gotta die to our old self to live happily ever after—also known as heaven.

Let me be crisply clear. When I say that we must die in order to live happily, I am NOT talking about dying a physical death like suicide. Make no bones about this. As my mentor, John Dobson the cosmologist said, we “can’t get out of this by dying.” Instead, I am talking about dying to our old ways of life! The old ways cripple our freedom and joy.

Choosing to die to our old ways isn’t easy, but it’s hopeful.

How we have been living may not be easy either… so easy may not be our best goal. Winning an Olympic medal, painting like Picasso, and cooking like Julia Child may not be easy either, but those who did would probably say that it was worthwhile.

“Mostly” dying doesn’t work.

It may be obvious, but implementing and enforcing the death of our old ways takes focus, faith, and commitment. And it’s an all or nothing choice. There is no middle-way, halfway or sort-of-way to die to our old self. It is or it isn’t. Either we are or we aren’t. If we die to an addiction, that means we don’t pick it up on weekends, when we’re overwhelmed or when it may seem convenient. Addictions survive because we keep them alive by feeding them. We feed them with habitual behavior, we feed them with the fear that we can’t live without them, and we feed them with the doubt in our ability to kill them (or let them go).

After working and living with people who chose addictions for most of my life, the ones who overcame their substance of choice, are those who allowed their old self to die—along with ALL of its hurtful habits. Then, with the help of their deepest truth and divine guidance, they resurrected a new self—a joyful and fulfilling one.

Is a new “us” ready to rise up and live again?

If we’re ready to die to the old, frustrated, pitiful, sad, depressed, failing, whining, hiding, lying, cheating, stealing, lazy, (insert our story here) about the person we’ve been, there are many ways to go. Below are two ways that my clients and I have chosen to die to our old self and resurrect our anew.

Option #1: Die softly with faith.

When I say faith, I’m not talking about religion. I’m talking about choosing to follow a knowingness of truth that is not seen.

So, let’s speak to the reality of how to utilize and apply faith in day-to-day life. Regardless of whether we are religious, we can be observant. As we take a look around this profound creation that we call life, it seems obvious that there is a creator of this creation, but please don’t take my word for it. Instead, we can get curious about our quiet mind, and experience the Creator there. That being said, that creator or power that makes everything WORK, is infinitely wiser than any single (separate) one of us. That Creative Intelligence may be accessed for assistance and guidance, in any way and at any time, in regards to anything. In this instance of choosing to die to our old self, addictions and fears, we can ask Life/God to take away any and all cravings, desires, hopes, dreams, fears, tendencies, habits, and anything else that holds us back from our best. As easy as that. So, to wrap up Option #1, Dying Softly with Faith, we need to wholeheartedly choose and ask for that part of us that no longer serves our greater purpose to die. And it is done.

***Please note that for this to work, we must have the following four personal characteristics: humility, wholeheartedness, faith that it is possible, and acceptance that we are worthy to receive help. We need to check in with ourself to see if these personal characteristics are present. If we check in we might realize that, “Hey, maybe I’m not humble. Deep down, I feel like Life or God owes me whatever I’m asking for.” If that’s the case, we might start by asking for forgiveness for our arrogance, and asking for any support that would allow us to be open and release the fear of being wrong and judged. If it feels tough to understand or grasp how to see and do this, we might pray for understanding and acceptance.

Option #2 (the rougher route): Die by thundersome blow, with commitment.

As the infamous Swami Vivekananda said, “The great thing is to have faith in oneself, even before faith in God; but the difficulty seems to be that we are losing faith in ourself day by day.”

To commit to anything, we must have faith in ourself. If we fully commit to quit whatever shenanigans we are into, we can be our own policeman and shoot to kill the addictions. How? We watch every thought, word, deed, hope, distraction, choice, glance, habit, and allow ONLY what we know is best to enter and stay in our being. Period. We can ask, “Is the choice in front of me making me the person I want to be?” If so, do it. If not, it has to go. So to wrap up Option #2, dying by the thundersome blow of commitment, we can commit to our new way of life—which requires wholeheartedly choosing that life, and applying vigilance, and stick-to-itiveness.

Is it best to let our Old, “bad” self die?

We can live this life in any way we choose. We can scatter our willpower around, diffusing our energy and succeeding at healthy living for a week and then failing. Succeeding at love and then failing. Succeeding at work and then failing. And ultimately, feeling like failures. And, we can allow ourself to suffer our pain and losses for our entire life. OR, we can take the deep dive and explore the beauty of what’s best for us so we can focus our willpower to simply succeed at LIVING by dying to our old, “stuck” self.

To be resurrected, requires that we die first, and then it “happens.”

To resurrect ourself, our best self, our self that is worthy to receive all the supernatural, charismatic gifts that were intended for us, we need to let our old ways die. When we do, we won’t need to TRY to live or be born again. The new life, the resurrected, reborn self, will happen organically. Just as a seed sprouts after it’s placed in the ground with some warm water and sunshine, our soul will grow and develop fresh ways and new capabilities. We just need to pluck out the weedy-old ways from our experience. As the title of the famous James Bond film promotes, all we need to do, is Live and Let Die.

The question is, Will You?

It is my heartfelt prayer that you do.

If anyone would like a personal, inner tour of how I utilize this process, or if you’d like me to walk with you through your own process, I welcome you to schedule a complimentary meeting here.