Today we ask you to know that most of your fears are made-up.

People walk around afraid of things.  They are afraid of their boss.  They are afraid of the government.  They are afraid of terrorists.  They are afraid of crazy murderers.  They are afraid of cancer.  They are afraid of getting old.  They are afraid of big corporations.  They are afraid of environmental destruction.  They are afraid!

But in reality, nothing is actually happening right now.  Your boss is not doing anything to you right now.  The government is not doing anything to you right now.  The terrorists are not doing anything to you right now.  No one is killing you right now.  Big corporations are not doing anything to you right now.  Probably you do not have cancer right now, as far as you know.

That is not to say that frightening things never happen.  Sometimes they do.  Sometimes people do get cancer, and sometimes crazy killers kill people.

But the amount of energy people use imagining all these horrible things happening to them — when they are not happening! — could fuel your whole civilization.  With all that wasted imagination, you could be traveling to the stars by now.  

Instead, humans sit around imagining terrible things happening to them when in fact there is no problem right now.  You are just sitting in a chair thinking, or looking at images on a screen.  That is all that is actually happening.

But all this fearful imagining is really not good for you.  Nonetheless, you are addicted to it.  This is so.  Most people are addicted to fearful thinking, the way people are addicted to sugary food.  It is not good for you, but you can’t help it.  At least you feel like you can’t help it.

Of course, fearful thinking is really unnecessary, and useless for the most part.  If you are a sitting in a chair and nothing bad is happening to you, why use your imagination to conjure up killers and diseases and evil conspiracies?

Then again, many of you are quite fond of watching films and TV shows about killers and diseases and evil conspiracies.  So you can see how addictive fear really is.

Please know that your fears are, for the most part, no more real than what you see on television.  It is made up.  Again, this is not to deny the reality of frightening events.  But this is meant to deny the reality of frightening events that are not actually happening to you right now.

It is fine to be aware of world events, but there is truly no need to sit and stew in all the gory details.  You do this because you are addicted to fear, like you are addicted to frightening events on TV.  

When bad things happen, please send loving thoughts to those who are affected, or other forms of aid, like charitable donations.  If you are moved to physically help in the wake of a disaster, do so.  But please do not sit and stew in the gory details.  This helps no one, and turns people’s suffering into a TV show.

Nothing bad is happening to you right at this moment.  The sun rises, the sun sets.  Please enjoy your lives, and do not waste your energy creating nightmares.

Today we ask that you know you are not responsible for the well-being of destructive people in your life.

Destructive people tend toward an extremely negative worldview.  They are judgmental, aggressive, and manipulative.  They speak with the Voice of Fear.  If they are attempting to control you, they may say or do terrible things to assure themselves that you are under their spell.  They will often use guilt as a weapon.  They are mercurial, and inconstant.  Their love, such as it is, is highly conditional.  There is never enough you can do to prove your worth to such people.  They are always ready to attack, and judge.  

Most of you know people like this.  If you do not — you are very fortunate.

Please do not believe these people.  What they say is never true, when they are attacking and judging.

You are not responsible for their well-being.  They may claim that you are; but you are not.

The best way to deal with such individuals is to disengage from their attempts to pull you into drama (and such people are inevitably surrounded by drama).  Do not argue with them, do not get sucked in.  Do not let them play their manipulative games with you.  The only way to win at that game is to refuse to play.

If you truly want to help these people, then help yourself.  Strengthen yourself.  It is like the advice that is given on airplanes: you must first put the oxygen mask on yourself, before you can attend to people who are weaker than you.  Otherwise no one shall survive.

And that is the way of it.  This does not mean, do not have compassion for such people.  But compassion does not mean being a doormat.

You must have the strength to look at these people with very clear eyes.  When you do, you will often see that destructive people really are nothing more than terribly confused children in adult bodies.  That is often the most accurate way to see them.  When you perceive them this way, you will feel compassion for them — but you certainly will not listen to them, any more than you would listen to a little child having a tantrum.

It takes a good deal of strength to remain calm and stable around adult children in the midst of tantrums — particularly if you are inclined to see that adult as some sort of authority figure, whose approval you are seeking.  That is why working on yourself is the single best way to help such people, if they are in your life.  The stronger you are, the more you can truly help them.  Not by listening to their fear-based attacks; but by listening to your soul, and your loving heart.

At the end of the day, you are not responsible for their well-being.  They are children of the universe, the same as you.  Trust that higher powers have the matter well in hand.  Nothing is overlooked in this reality.  Be kind to yourselves.  The rest will follow.

Today we ask that you become very conscious of what your body is doing.

Many people are somewhat numb, or asleep, around their bodies.  As a result, often they do not notice that anything is amiss with their bodies until a serious disturbance develops — illness, injury, chronic pain, fatigue, and so on.

In truth, most bodies give plenty of warning before a serious disturbance develops.  Minor aches and pains, indigestion, sluggishness, insomnia, anxiety, depression, nervous tension, irritability — all these indicate that something is amiss.  

Obviously almost everyone experiences such symptoms.  They are considered par for the course in your modern stressful reality.

But it really might be helpful to view these symptoms not as the standard modern maladies that everyone takes medications for, but rather a sign that there is something amiss.  Your body is waving a flag at you.  It is trying to get your attention.  When you ignore it, or just stifle the symptoms, naturally its only course of action is to get louder — i.e., precipitate a health crisis.

Your body wants to be in good health, you see.  Its nature as an organism is to be self-correcting and self-healing.  When you cut your finger, it heals.  When you strain a muscle, it heals.  So: your body is always looking for ways to heal.  But people unfortunately have a tendency to give their bodies a very hard time.

Human bodies are not meant to sit in office chairs staring at computer screens for hours at a time.  If you do this, of course problems will arise!  Human bodies are no different from animal bodies.  They are not designed for office chairs.  They are meant to move, and run, and stretch.  They require a lot of sleep, and rest.  They require nourishing food.  It isn’t rocket science, understanding this.

If you must work in front of a computer, please give yourself frequent breaks.  Set a timer, if necessary.  Really, you should not be seated for more than twenty minutes at a time, maximum.  Less is even better.  Take breaks.  Get up.  Stretch.  Touch your toes.  Take deep breaths.  If you are familiar with yoga or other physical movement systems, like tai chai or qigong, run through a quick series of exercises.  This simple practice will benefit you immeasurably.

In addition, please give your bodies a regular, stable, non-stressful physical exercise practice that feels good and nourishing.  Do not be punitive with your body.  This is not about starving yourself or proving that you’re a superhuman.  This is purely about honoring your body’s natural needs, and feeling very good.

Pay attention to how your body responds after eating food.  You may notice that certain types of food make you feel cloudy-headed, and sluggish, or give you indigestion.  If so, please consider altering your diet.  There are so many resources currently available in terms of guiding people toward more nourishing eating choices.

Please listen to your bodies at the “waving a flag” stage.  Don’t ignore your body.  The warnings will keep getting louder.  Your body gives you warnings because it wants to heal, and it wants your help.  Please listen to it.  

Today we ask you to know and understand that your reality is not defective or broken in any way.

Throughout history, many religions have promulgated this idea: that there is something terribly wrong with your world.  Physical existence is portrayed as a bad thing.  Physical bodies are dirty, and shameful.  The world is corrupt and vile.  There is no joy to be found in earthly existence.  The best one can hope for is to go to some concept of “Heaven” after death.  People long for a violent Armageddon to wipe clean the filth of this planet and leave it “purified” — so that the “faithful” may inherit this “purified” earth.

This is all an absolute lie.  Please know this.

There is nothing broken, defective, or shameful about your reality.  There is nothing broken, defective, or shameful about physical existence.  There is no such thing as “Original Sin.”  Mankind was never expelled from the Garden of Eden.  You are in the Garden right now.  You just can’t see it.

But you can see it so easily, and you do, every single time you choose to love the reality you have been given.  This Garden!  The trees, the flowers, the utter breathtaking beauty of this world!  The absolute perfection of the human body!  

If you have ever held an infant, perhaps you have felt that sense of overwhelming wonder at the perfection of the human form — the tiny perfect ears and fingers and toes, the beauty of it.

You are surrounded by love.  If you feel that you have no love in your life, then visit your local animal shelter.  There you will find hundreds of beings who are ready to love you unconditionally.  All you have to do is be willing to love and take care of them in return.

To believe that this world is broken beyond repair, to yearn for some sort of Apocalypse — that is utter madness.  To perceive physical bodies as dirty and shameful — that is utter madness.  To perceive any form of human love, such as homosexual union, as dirty and shameful — that is madness!

There is no problem with reality.  Reality is good.

The problem is, many people are too insane to understand this.  They are like crazy schizophrenics, dwelling in a delusional nightmare.  Sometimes crazy people attempt to spread their nightmare delusions through acts of unthinkable violence.

This does not mean reality is bad.  It just means that some people are very, very crazy and destructive.  Often because they have been hypnotized, and brainwashed, and really don’t know better.

That is why the best way to “save the world” is to work on your own consciousness.  Become as sane as you can possibly be, through healthy mental and physical practices — meditation, yoga, energy work and healing, therapy, self-inquiry, anything that will stabilize your mind.  Wake up from the collective nightmare and see how very good and beautiful your world truly is.  Once you can perceive clearly, then you will be able to share your true vision with others.

You do not need to fix reality.  Reality is not broken.  If you see reality as a nightmare, it’s because you’re wearing dirty goggles!  Clean your goggles.  Clean your glasses.  Scrape off the gunk that clouds your perception.  There is nothing wrong with reality.  You just need to clean your glasses.

Today we ask that you examine your motivations for doing things.

There are weak reasons for doing things, and there are strong reasons for doing things.

Weak reasons for doing things include: money, status, duty, obligation, guilt, security, and fear.

When any of those reasons are your primary motivation for taking action, no good will come of it.  Sooner or later, you will feel drained and weak.  You will feel a great deal of resistance.  You may even make yourself sick.

Strong reasons for doing things include: love, faith, passion, excitement, a desire to create good, a desire to create meaning, a desire to create beauty, a desire to create a joyful experience, a desire to invent and explore, a desire to create healing, a desire to help others.

When you have a strong motivation behind your actions, there is plenty of energy and drive to see it through.  You feel motivated.  You feel good.  The process may be challenging, and difficult.  But you have the strength to face those challenges.  You feel whole, and integrated.

Now: it is possible to exchange a weak motivation for a strong one.

For example: perhaps you originally got into the work you do because you had a strong motivation.  Like someone who becomes a doctor because she wishes to help people.  But over time, confusion sets in.  The doctor’s primary motivation may shift and become about money, with helping people as a secondary motivation.

When this happens, existential confusion sets in.  The doctor is unhappy, and finds her work to be tiresome and unrewarding.

In order to restore balance, the doctor must shift her motivation, and reconnect with the desire to help people as her primary motivation.  If she does, her energy and ability will be restored, and she will regain her sense of purpose.

So you see: the change does not have to be external.  The doctor does not need to find a new career.  The change is purely internal.  The doctor shifts her primary motivation for doing what she does from a weak motivation, to a strong one.

All of you have this power, and this applies to even the most mundane actions.  When you do things, ask yourself: why am I doing this?  And notice the first answer that arises.  That is your primary motivation.  If the answer is a weak motivation, see if you can dig deeper and find a stronger motivation to connect to.

For example: perhaps you must interact with a troublesome family member.  A weak motive for doing this would be out of guilt, and obligation.  A strong motive would be that you love this person and wish to create good for them.  If you can connect with this strong motive as your primary motive before the interaction, you may find that things go much better.

It really is amazing, how much power you have to shape your life experience.

Today we ask you to have patience with individuals who are less conscious than you are.

For those of you reading these words, that may mean most of the people you encounter.

When you sleep at night, you experience dreams.  And usually you experience those dreams as very real.  You believe in the dream reality.  You do not question it.  As a result, it may often be very frightening to you.

Waking reality resembles the dream reality in many ways, although it is not identical.  But for those of you reading these words, you are very likely on a path that is causing you to be more conscious within waking reality.  That is, you are aware that you have some measure of control over the way you react to the things that happen to you.  

By engaging in meditative practices and healthy self-inquiry, you discover that you are not a slave to external reality.  Things happen, but you do not have to be like a blind animal, thrashing and screaming.  Through meditative practices, therapy, and many forms of self-inquiry and introspection, you are aware that there is another way of being.  As a result, you may be less inclined toward attacking other people.  And you are probably at a point where you do not take everything that other people or society says at face value.

Most individuals in your reality are not at this point.  They are totally hypnotized — by fear-based voices of authority, by collective societal or tribal values, by mental conditioning and programming that they do not even know to question.  They do not know that they have any control over their reactivity or impulsivity.  Life, to them, is a very terrifying thing: a world in which one is continually attacking or defending, a world of masters and slaves, oppressors and victims.  There is little peace for such beings, and often only the faintest glimmer of love.

Please be patient with these individuals, as difficult and aggressive as they may be.  Attacking them will never do you any good, and will only inflame the situation, not to mention prove their worldview that reality is hostile.  So: tread very carefully and gently around them.  They are like sleepwalkers.  You cannot wake them up with force.  That will damage them, and they will very likely lash out in aggression.  

To the extent that you can surround yourself with fellow travelers on the path toward greater consciousness, it is very good to do so.  Still, there is no getting around the sleeping ones.  The best way to deal with them is with patience, and compassion.  You know what it is to be asleep.  Please do not be condescending with them — that is actually a form of hostility.  Just be patient, do not take things personally, and above all do not get caught up in the drama.  Do not attack, do not defend.  Never attempt to control such people, unless they are truly causing harm to others.  Even then, be careful; almost any attempt at control will usually backfire. 

The more awake you are, the easier it is to deal with unconscious people.  So the best thing is to stay awake — and to keep your mind stable, clear, and calm.  Unconscious people can be great teachers, for they show you where you are still asleep.

Today we ask that you be yourself.  Be true to yourself.

Many people believe they cannot be themselves.  This is very sad.  They believe that in order to get what they are told they ought to want in life, they cannot be themselves.

Women believe they cannot be themselves if they wish to attract a man.  Men believe they cannot be themselves if they wish to attract a woman.  People believe they cannot be themselves if they wish to make money and have secure jobs.

Such people are truly miserable.  It is very sad.

Please be yourself.  This requires a measure of trust, and faith.  But if you take this leap, you will find people who love you for who you are.  You will also find that other people dislike you, and tell you that you should be different.  You do not need those people in your life.

Please be yourself in the work you do.  Have faith that your needs will be met, if you do so.  Maybe you do not need as much as you think, or as society instructs.  Better to be yourself, even if it means a more modest lifestyle, than to live a lie.

Do not fake your way through life.  This is an awful way to live.  Be yourself.

Today we ask that you understand that it is very difficult to manifest good structures unless you have a stable foundation.

Much has been made in recent years of the power of “manifestation.”  Many people have been taught that reality is fluid, and that the mind has the power to shape and mold this fluid reality.

This is partially true.  Reality is indeed fluid, and the consciousness does interact with it.

However, it is the whole consciousness that interacts — and what you are aware of in terms of your thinking mind is really just the tip of the vast iceberg of your total consciousness.  So there is a lot going on that you do not know about.  Therefore, it is quite impossible to control your reality in a simplistic way  — particularly in terms of manifesting the desires of the ego, or lower self.

What you do have some measure of control over is the stability of your consciousness.  Practices like meditation and yoga are very stabilizing for the consciousness.  Being aware of taking things in that are unsettling for the consciousness (for example, exposing yourself to a lot of fear-based energy/information), and choosing not to take such things in, helps to stabilize the consciousness.

The more stable your consciousness, the more stable your experience of reality.  Then, in a way, it does not matter so much what you are specifically “manifesting.”  Reality is extremely fluid.  But when you stabilize your mind, you become more solid.  So reality has far less of an effect on you.  Reality will do what it does, in its topsy turvy circus way.  Reality is like Oz and Wonderland rolled in one; it is a fantasyland.  The more solid and stable you become, the more obvious this is — and the less seriously you will take reality.

Therefore the best use of your time and energy is to stabilize your consciousness through calming, meditative practices.  This creates a solid foundation on which to build your own little slice of reality.  

Reality will do what it does.  It is a spinning whirlwind, a continuous interplay of dualistic opposites, churning and whirling.  But if you are solid and stable, the dualistic interplay will not affect you so much.  You will see beyond it.

Please cultivate a stable mind.

Today we ask that you recognize that your desire to live a meaningful existence is completely good.  

It is important, very important, that what you do feels meaningful, purposeful, and useful.

Spending large amounts of time engaged in activity that you find meaningless is deeply corrosive to your well-being.

That said, even the simplest tasks can hold meaning.  One can lead an extremely meaningful life even in very humble work, so long as you perform your work in a loving way.  So even the doorman holding the door open for passersby in an apartment building can radiate love to all those he meets, and do great good in the world.  The checkout clerk in the supermarket, the maid, the gardener — all this work can actually be quite meaningful, if done in a spirit of love.

There are, however, certain professions that are quite toxic to the soul.  These are professions that actively encourage the abuse and exploitation of human beings in exchange for money.  Environments that encourage careless, unloving, shoddy work — this creates a sense of meaninglessness and emptiness that eats away at the soul.  Environments that encourage the abuse of subordinates, or work habits that run people into exhaustion and illness — these are toxic to the soul.

So, in this sense: far better to be the cheerful doorman than the corporate businessman engaged in exploitative practices.  All the money in the world cannot help you sleep at night, nor buy back a damaged conscience.

Honor and cherish that part of you that desires to be engaged in meaningful, purposeful work.  That is your soul, speaking to you.  Please listen to it.

It may be very possible to reclaim meaning in the work you currently do, by connecting with a spirit of love, care and craftsmanship.  But if that is truly impossible, then please find something more meaningful to do with your energy.