Reino Gevers's Blog, page 8

Truth of the Heart

Just having completed the Camino Aragonese pilgrimage route in northwestern Spain, I was deeply inspired by the diverse landscapes, rich vegetation, and the symphony of nature that emerges when human noise recedes.

Immersing oneself in nature reveals the interconnectedness of all living beings. Nature is an expression of the divine, with diversity as a fundamental principle of creation.

In times when external voices grow increasingly loud with hate-filled tribalism and ethnocentricity, the truth of the heart becomes paramount.

Monoculture is lifeless

Compare a lifeless monoculture with a meadow buzzing with the sound of birds, insects and the aroma of wild herbs and a multitude of flowers.

Thoughts and beliefs – religious, philosophical or political – have become so much part of tribalist identity that some people would rather die than admit that they have all along placed the ladder against the wrong wall.

Attachment to fanaticism in all shape and form hardens mind and body, and is one of the biggest obstacles to personal growth and elevation of consciousness.

One humanity or chaotic tribalism

Currently humanity is at the cusp of an elevation of consciousness of a one humanity or regressing into another chaotic age of divisive tribalism, nationalism, and intolerance.

There have been brief periods of enlightenment in the past when faith was more experiential in nature, with individuals gaining higher insight through contemplation, art and music.

Beautifully restored Romanesque cathedrals, especially in Jaca and Sanguesa, on the Aragonese route provided sanctuary in medieval times for quiet contemplation and inspiration from sculpture at a time when most people were illiterate.

Divinely inspired music and art

Later construction of the grand cathedrals such as Notre-Dame in Paris and Chartres, with their stunning stained glass windows inspired awe and devotion.

During the Renaissance era religious art with masterpieces by artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael communicated complex theological ideas through visual means.

Sacred music by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, and Beethoven created elaborate musical compositions elevating the liturgical experience and deepening the spiritual experience, connecting with the divine in profound sensory-rich ways.

When a religion degenerates into claiming the ultimate truth, subjugating its members into what to believe and how to behave, there is empty ritual and stagnation. The head-mind closes the door to the heart-mind and the whispers to the soul.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Manifesting into misery

Creating a vision board with images of a beautiful seaside home, luxury cars, and a substantial bank balance might seem like an easy path to a blissful life. However, for most people, this remains a distant dream, while they continue living in quiet misery and desperation.

Books on personal wealth and fulfillment like „Think and Grow Rich“ by Napolean Hill reached a cult-like status in the 1960s-1970s and were followed in recent times by bestsellers such as „The Secret“ by Rhonda Byrne.

Some people do in fact win the lottery, inherit a fortune, or become rich and famous overnight. Yet, many of these individuals end up losing their wealth or attempt to drown their profound unhappiness with substance abuse and escape into constant external distractions. Multiple studies reveal that lottery winners are twice as likely to file for bankruptcy than the general population.

If you haven‘t done the inner work by questioning your real motivation and are primarily focused on the HAVING rather than the BEING you will remain on a low unhappy vibrational level despite living a life of exceptional material abundance.

Visualizing and manifesting is only one part of the work. You will be severely disappointed if you don‘t follow through with a realistic plan of action and do the inner work on the vibrational frequency that you emanate.

How are you talking to yourself?

Are you at peace with yourself and your darker side? Can you accept and love yourself the way you are or is talking to the self dominated by feelings of regret, shame, or guilt?

Are your thoughts dominated by negativity?

Your first thought when you awake in the morning is your compass for the day. Can you transmute low-energy such as anger, sadness, and fear into kindness, positivity, and courage? Be authentic by accepting how you feel without blaming yourself and others. Do external circumstances out of your control dominate your thoughts?

Why do you want certain things?

Do you want that nice house, car, or kitchen to compete with the Joneses to boost your low self-esteem by wanting to impress the people you most dislike?

What happens if?

Ever thought about what happens when you actually achieve your goal? Super achievers often describe an empty feeling almost like a hangover. After winning the 1997 World Golf Championship in Spain, Australian golfer Greg Norman left his trophy in the locker room, saying the memories were more important than the trophy itself. Sometimes we need that challenge, that obstacle and that long road to elevate consciousness.

You need to be clear on whether your wish is embedded in an ego-mind or driven by an inner passion, and joy where you deeply feel a connection to inner purpose and ultimately divine will of service to a greater whole.

Your eyes will light up when you tell people about your dream. You will feel a surge of energy in your body, and your spirit is lifted.

If your path is cluttered with obstacles, disappointment, and setbacks it could mean two things: You either still have to learn something or you have mindlessly careened off on the wrong track, needing to press the reset button.

Be careful what you wish for

It could turn into a horrible nightmare if it is not aligned with your divine purpose to become who you really are. Fame and wealth doesn’t mean your life is without problems. You will still have to deal with health, personal grief, and external circumstances out of your control like all other people.

When you start building a high vibrational level you will automatically attract circumstances and people on the same frequency. You will develop greater situational awareness of what information, people, foods, and surroundings boost your energy levels. 

When things start falling into place almost effortlessly you are on the right path. You can start enjoying the gifts bestowed to you by the universe in humble gratitude. The universe in essence has your back.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Sages, Saints and Sinners

In a life-threatening global crisis, individuals are compelled to either dig deep into their inner light or succumb to their darkest shadows. This is the central theme of my upcoming book, “Sages, Saints, and Sinners,” set against the harrowing backdrop of the Black Plague, which nearly decimated the entire population of Europe in the 14th century.

Here are two contrasting excerpts:

“Amidst the stark contrast of tragedy, mortality, and chaos, beauty revealed itself in heightened clarity and depth.

A keen awareness of life’s fleeting nature permeated his being, igniting an inner yearning to embrace existence with unwavering intensity.

 He savored the earth’s pulsating rhythm beneath his feet, marveling at the majestic dance of birds of prey overhead, the delicate shimmer of sunlight on swaying blades of grass, and the harmonious symphony of nature’s myriad voices. The beauty of creation eluded possession, transcending mere ownership to encompass a profound perspective that infused every facet of existence.”

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…”Nuns and monks offered simple herbal remedies and prayers, reading from the sacraments or taking confessions from the dying.

Simple pallets with straw served as beds with local volunteers supplying food and taking away the bodies of the dead in donkey carts to be buried in a cemetery nearby.

Isabel frequently conferred with Brother Thomas on researching the possible cause of the pestilence, refusing to believe that it was an act of God.

What better place to be than the monastery where some of Europe’s best theologians, astronomers, mathematicians, and doctors were at work.

“God has blessed us with intellect and a mind to ponder. Do we not ascend through every trial, gathering wisdom along the journey?” remarked Brother Thomas.

I’ve been working on this book project for the past two years and I’m now working on the final draft. The message I want to put out there with this novel is that even in dire situations of hopelessness, life is transitory.

It is in times of difficulty, in the pain, in the suffering that consciousness can either be elevated to its highest levels or succumb to the lowest vibrational levels of toxic emotions marked by procrastination, fear, and rage.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Pushback from dark forces

You don’t need to be a conspiracy theorist to see that extremist groups are exploiting global fears and uncertainties to push an agenda that threatens basic freedoms and hinders humanity’s collective progress.

Despite significant advancements over the past two decades, there is rising resistance from forces entrenched in primordial ideologies, where power is maintained through subjugation and conflict.

For your own peace of mind, it is important not to be overwhelmed by the voices of negativity emanating from the external world, but at the same time be aware of the manipulative forces trying to lure you into a false reality.

Fear and anxiety create an imagined threat

When in fear and anxiety you not only become susceptible to a false narrative but you will be held back to the next level of growth and consciousness. The natural human survival mechanism of freeze, flight, or fight mode is triggered by the primitive or “reptilian brain” when a real or imagined threat is perceived.

Those regions of the brain playing a significant part in decision-making, creativity, and problem-solving such as the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, and portions of the temporal and occipital lobes are literally put on hold.

Evil forces are masters at creating and manipulating grievance culture

If you are unable to reflect and put those fears and anxieties in perspective or when emotions from past trauma are suppressed, you are easy prey for manipulation by external forces. Political demagogues are masters at building a grievance culture based on existing collective fears, shame, or humiliation.

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These simple but highly effective techniques have been used by dictators, authoritarians, and cult leaders throughout history:

Reshaping public opinion by spreading a false and misleading narrative. Quality media and journalism characterized by in-depth reporting and fact-checking is slammed as fake news. Followers are increasingly lured into a “group-think” mentality where all other perspectives are vilified as disloyalty and betrayal.The charismatic leader presents himself as a “messianic figure” promising to solve all problems and fulfill people’s needs. They promote an image of themselves as infallible leaders cultivating a cult-like devotion among followers.Certain groups, individuals, parties, and minorities are scapegoated to deflect blame and to unite followers behind the leader, deflecting from their own failings and weaknesses.They manipulate historical narratives to legitimize their rule and justify their actions. This can involve glorifying past achievements, whitewashing atrocities, or demonizing political opponents.Independent institutions such as the judiciary, legislature, and civil society organizations are usurped to prevent checks and balances in the system. It took Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party less than three months to replace the entire German civil service with loyalists after coming to power in a democratic election in 1933.Loyalists are rewarded with a combination of rewards and punishments to discourage dissent. Critics are either forced into exile, imprisoned or litigated into bankruptcy.

The Maga Republicans in the United States, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in Hungary, Germany’s extremist AfD party, the Putinist movement in Russia or the Erdogan program in Turkey, all show similar totalitarian characteristics and have a common agenda.

Extremist movements are adept at creating a nostalgic and glorified view of the past where in their view “there was more prosperity, less crime, less social unrest, and the woman knew her place in the social hierarchy.”

Present realities are painted darker than they actually are. Our parents and grandfathers by far did not have the same opportunities as we have today: Here a few examples:

Global poverty rates have declined significantly over the past two decades. Many countries, particularly in Asia, have experienced rapid economic growth, lifting millions out of poverty.Technological advancements have transformed communication and access to information, enabling greater connectivity and social mobilization. Can you imagine a world today without Internet and a cell phone in your hand with all the information in the world at your fingertips?Renewable energy sources have become more prominent, creating cheaper energy and boosting economic prosperity.There is a growing recognition of the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of environmental sustainability, social justice, and ethical living. Many spiritual and religious traditions emphasize values such as compassion, empathy, and stewardship of the Earth. There has been a proliferation of spiritual movements, beliefs, and practices, reflecting diverse cultural, religious, and philosophical traditions. We are fast embracing a more tolerant and universal “cosmic religion.”

These changes could only take place with more freedoms, room for expression and acceptance of diversity and change as a fundamental part of human evolvement and advancement. It is worth fighting to protect these freedoms.

Let’s acknowledge the historical truth: extremist, fascist movements inflicted the most catastrophic human tragedy and loss of life during World War II.

Today, we stand at a critical juncture where concerted action is imperative to thwart Russia’s advances in Ukraine, a crucial player in global food exports. If the United States, were to cease armament support to Ukraine and inadvertently aid Putin’s aggression, the consequences would be dire. We could witness a mass displacement of many millions of people towards Western Europe, destabilizing societies on a global scale.

Furthermore, intelligence assessments suggest that Putin’s ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine. There are concerns of potential Russian expansion into the Baltic states and even Poland, effectively redrawing geopolitical boundaries.

Simultaneously, Putin’s regime propagates an insidious information war, sowing seeds of hatred and division in numerous countries. Alarmingly, elements within the Maga Republican movement have been parroting verbatim Russian disinformation.

However, a successful defense by Ukraine against Russian forces would not only safeguard its sovereignty but also channel resources to long-term global goals of environmental conservation, public health, poverty alleviation, and securing a brighter and more peaceful future for generations to come.

When confronted with dark forces, you have a choice: Will you follow the path of hate, division, anger, and conflict, or will you embrace your own inner truth and humanity of joy, kindness,and compassion?

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Is religion stifling spiritual growth?

During my childhood in South Africa, I started having my first doubts about religion when clergy defended from the pulpit the abhorrent policy of apartheid and prevented a devout black priest from attending a church ceremony.

The message of salvation failed to resonate in the obligatory Sunday services which I found to be extraordinarily melancholy and joyless occasions, steeped in empty ritual. It did however serve the purpose of sending me onto a path of intensive ongoing spiritual exploration.

If you are one of those people who left the church in frustration after being shamed for thinking differently or questioning doctrine, then welcome to the club.

For centuries religious institutions have stifled spiritual growth and prevented people from living their divine purpose by telling them how to behave, what to believe, and even what politicians to vote for. This, for me at least, is the ultimate sin for which the church needs to take responsibility.

Spiritual but not religious

Especially younger people in Western countries are seeing through the hypocrisy and leaving the church in droves. But does that mean that more people are becoming agnostic, atheist, or have lost their belief in the divine?

Seven out of ten Americans describe themselves as spiritual in some way including 22 percent who say they are spiritual but not religious.

Even the first Christian communities were often divided between legalistic interpretations of the Gospel and experiential spirituality. There is a lovely passage in Galatians 5 of the New Testament of the Bible where St. Paul criticizes an early church in today’s Turkey.

Paul underscores the centrality of the Gospel, calling on the faithful to practice love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as opposed to the legalism of what foods to eat and what could and could not be done on a Sabbath.

Jesus, the ultimate revolutionary

Some 2,000 years ago Jesus broke all religious conventions by healing the sick on the Sabbath. He was eventually crucified when openly exposing the hypocrisy of the clergy, by dining with sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and other outcasts – who were excluded from the Temple.

Jesus never had plans to establish an institution or a church and would probably be horrified by what people are saying and practicing in his name today. When someone starts confronting me with the words: “Have you found the real Jesus?” it is for me a signal to run.

Temples, churches, and places of worship could be turned into sanctuaries of peace by opening their doors to people of all faiths. Many Christian churches however are stuck in tribalistic doctrine, especially when it comes to who is entitled to holy communion, abortion, or whether women can be ordained as priests.

Thriving churches, however, are vibrant meeting places for people joyfully dancing, singing, praying, and sharing meals together. In a positive sense, they can cement the community spirit, especially in urban environments where we have an epidemic of isolation and loneliness. These church members practice a living faith by visiting the aged, providing comfort to prison inmates, and refugees, and establishing food banks for the hungry.

Spiritual growth comes from a place of brokenness

There is a saying that religion is for those who fear hell while spirituality is for those who have been there. The seeds of spiritual growth come from a place of brokenness.

On my more than a dozen walks on the Camino in Spain I have met countless people who have gone through the hell of losing loved ones, confronted life-threatening illnesses, the dark holes of depression, financial ruin, and relationship breakdown. What I can say about all these people I’ve met on the Camino is that such life-changing events made them come out stronger, forcing them into deep introspection on the purpose and meaning of life.

A cosmic religion of the future

Experiential spirituality is a process whereby the shutters of the soul window are opened. It is a feeling of connection with the divine, and the mystery of creation. The great scientist Albert Einstein once said that the religion of the future will be cosmic in nature. 

“The most beautiful and deepest experience a man can have is the sense of the mysterious. It is the underlying principle of religion as well as all serious endeavors in art and science. He who never had this experience seems to me, if not dead, then at least blind,” Einstein is quoted as saying.

The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, encourages individuals to go beyond the superficial differences among religions and recognize the deeper essence of spirituality and morality that can be found in all faith traditions. 

The fundamental principles of compassion, love, and ethics are not limited to any particular religious tradition or belief system. These principles, the Dalai Lama believes, are universal.

Already early into this year, a record number of pilgrims are walking the Camino. All share the common quest that has resonated through the ages:

“From whence do I hail? Whither do I journey? What purpose guides my days ahead?”

In echoing the ancient Sages and Mystics, emphasizing the innate spirit of man: Where there is a lighthearted spirit of joy, peace, positivity, and kindness, negativity and darkness recede.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Evil is created, not born

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has inflicted devastation upon millions of lives and dramatically altered geopolitical realities. Analysts speculate that Putin’s actions may be rooted in a traumatic childhood, a common denominator of some of the world’s most brutal dictators.

Adverse childhood experiences and trauma are sometimes passed on for generations, and if not transmuted can create particularly destructive adults who are incapable of showing compassion, empathy, or love.

Putin himself is probably unaware that his behavior is driven by unresolved “inner childhood” trauma but his convoluted argument on national television that the invasion of Ukraine was justified to fight “Nazis” offer some clues to his actions.

Ukraine is led by a Jewish leader and Putin’s argument that the country’s government is led by Nazis is absurd. Lately, the argument of fighting “Nazis” in Ukraine has been changed into a fight against the West as a whole “intent on destroying Russia.”

Putin, judging from his many unhinged statements in state-controlled media, obviously feels threatened and considers himself the victim seemingly oblivious to the suffering he has unleashed.

A former profiler from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Dr. Jerrold Post, who later became a professor of psychiatry has suggested that Putin’s anxieties possibly stemmed from his early experiences in life.

Putin grew up as a street kid in a rough neighborhood of Leningrad, a city devastated by the Nazis during World War II. Most of the population died in the war and Putin’s father was badly injured, inheriting from his parents their wartime trauma. Growing up without any loving adults around him, Putin was forced to fend for himself on the streets and was badly bullied by other children.

It produced a macho personality, deep distrust of others, unpredictability, and a man willing to advance his own power agenda walking over killing fields in the process. Putin has had his most vocal opponents assassinated or imprisoned, started wars in several neighboring countries, and is sowing division and hate with an information war of fake news on a global level. We are seeing evil at play on multiple levels.

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Dr. Post explained in an essay that Putin’s steely surface is directly linked to being bullied as a child which led him to take up martial arts.

“He (Putin) took up martial arts so as not to be pushed around by other kids. We are seeing the same behavior in his leadership,” Post wrote.

The psychologist Alice Miller writes that there “is no confirmation of the widespread assertion that there are people who are born evil. On the contrary. The deciding factor is the reception they were given when they came into the world and the way they were treated later.”

Her summary of how evil is created and what she learned from the common denominator of childhoods from dictators is particularly poignant:

“These children will tend to glorify the violence inflicted upon them and later take advantage of every possible opportunity to exercise such violence, possibly on a gigantic scale. Hitler, Stalin, and Mao all had particularly traumatic childhoods during which they were repeatedly beaten and shamed by adults.

“Children learn by imitation. Their bodies do not learn what we try to instill in them through words but what they have experienced physically. Battered, injured children will learn to batter and injure others; sheltered, respected children will learn to respect and protect those weaker than themselves. Children have nothing else to go on but their own experiences.”

Our responsibility as a society therefore is to instill in children from an early childhood love, respect, understanding, kindness, and warmth.

The healthier a child’s relationships are at a later stage in life, the higher the possibility of recovery and resilience from trauma.

When a childhood trauma can be resolved at an early stage, there is a greater chance of healing and less risk that a destructive behavior pattern is repeated in adult life.

Related articles:

The power of communityNarcissism and the wounded inner childThe Lord of Evil

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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The power of community

Happiness is a state of mind, often based on those small joys of life that wield immense power to our sense of bliss.

Recently, I engaged in an exercise with course participants, probing into what fueled their energy reserves versus what drained them. Surprisingly, the resounding echoes leaned towards moments spent with loved ones, the companionship of pets, or the peace of mind found in nature as profound sources of rejuvenation.

Notably absent from their reflections was any mention of shopping or the accumulation of material possessions. Yet, society incessantly indoctrinates us that such acquisitions are the keys to happiness. The allure of novelty quickly dims, leaving behind a feeling of regret and shame from overspending.

Humans are tribal by nature

We humans are tribal by nature. Positive interaction with our fellow human beings where we feel seen, supported, and heard is key to perceiving a sense of safety and well-being. A supportive community has for eons been part of the survival mechanism of the human species.

In his research on the Five Blue Zones, Dan Buettner explored the lifestyles and diets in regions of the world where people lived the longest and were healthiest.

It is a fact that aging and death are part of life but living a healthy lifestyle can add decades to your life and happiness. Some key pillars of the research of the Five Blue Zones:

Physical Activity. People who live long lives do regular moderate exercise such as walkingAll the Five Blue Zones came from strong communities with a healthy mixture of young and old peopleThey had a sense of purpose and joyTheir intake of calories and alcohol was minimal and most had Mediterranean or whole food plant-based diet.

Genetics play a relatively insignificant part of between 20-25 per cent when it comes to longevity.

With stress related physical and mental disorders becoming a growing threat to the very fabric of society, a supportive network of family, friends, or broader social circles, helps fortify your ability to weather life’s storms.

Belonging to a community fosters a sense of connection and belonging, which is fundamental to human well-being.

Healthy communities can serve as platforms for shared knowledge, emotional support and coping strategies. By exchanging insights and learning from one another’s experiences, individuals within a community can develop adaptive skills for managing stress more effectively.

The bonds of community are often strengthened by shared religious rituals, festivals, music and dancing.

In essence, community acts as both a shield and a sanctuary, offering protection from the onslaught of negativity from the external world while nurturing the resilience needed to bounce back after going through the loss of a loved one or any other challenge that life throws at you.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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What is living your authenticity?

In a recent conversation, someone asked about the essence of “living your authenticity,” the central theme of my podcast and YouTube channel. While it typically entails remaining faithful to one’s core values and identity, its scope is more intricate.

How can you discern when you’re not living authentically?

Embarking on the journey of fulfilling your destiny and purpose tends to engender a sense of natural alignment, accompanied by feelings of flow, joy, and passion. You will be operating on a higher vibrational frequency, naturally radiating an allure in your relationships and interactions.

Choosing happiness and masterminding your thoughts is a conscious choice.

In a conversation with the Pharisees, the Jewish clergymen of the time, Jesus admonishes them for seeking the kingdom of heaven in the external world, telling them: “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

Living your authenticity is not a destination or procrastinating in some utopia.

The whole purpose of life is to keep on growing and elevating your consciousness. The activities that you pursue with a passion and where you stay in the flow will ultimately shape you into the person you are destined to be.

Living authentically does not mean you won’t have setbacks but how fast you can bounce back into the flow after the experience of loss, pain, or shame. It is the courage to stand up for what you believe in and to pursue your goals, even in the face of adversity especially if it gets difficult or you are unpopular.

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You might lose friends, family members, and what you believed was your support network. But very often those people closest to you are those that pull you back to their low vibrational field because they can’t bear one of their “tribal members” pursuing their dream. It would, in their mind, expose them as weak and a failure.

Most unhappiness and much of the depression epidemic we are seeing is when there is addiction to a false identity that feeds on external validation.

Especially the passive consumption of mass media is designed to make you unhappy. Their whole purpose is to generate profit for someone else, and they can literally suck out your lifeblood if you allow their messaging to shape an identity that is far removed from authentic soul purpose. You become a mere consumer instead of a creative shaper of your destiny.

If you are addicted to a mindset that is fixated on external gratification and where you are dependent on flaunting your status and possessions you will fall into a spiral of unhappiness. For there will always be someone more successful, younger, more beautiful, more famous, and happier than you are.

It is the reason why lottery winners end up bankrupt or commit suicide. Or film or sports stars at the height of their success fall prey to substance abuse, as they desperately try to avoid an underlying emptiness.

Cultivating a sense of self-love, gratitude, and awareness is key.

Your body will at an early stage send warning signals if you need to change something, like feeling stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Your gut feeling will tell you that something needs to change. The high-value man or woman you meet might show all the right credentials for a good partnership but something inside tells you that he/she is just not the right fit or that something is wrong.

You might be doing something where you consistently have to compromise your core values, beliefs, and feelings. When external voices have led you astray on the wrong path you will consistently face obstacles, setbacks, and disappointment. When you are on the right path you feel instinctively that wind in the sails where the universe has your back, and everything falls into place like meeting the right people at the right time.

You might just be going through the motions without feeling any sense of passion or purpose. You feel like you’re wearing a mask and pretending to be someone you are not. You might want to drown that underlying growing feeling of unhappiness by accumulating more and more things with the novelty wearing off after only a few minutes.

Experiencing a profound “flat-on-the-ground” moment can often serve as the catalyst for seeking a deeper reconnection with the essence of existence. Authenticity and true meaning come into focus when you realize that your purpose is intertwined with the universal fabric of life and its inherent wholeness.

Following the estrangement from nature, humanity faces the formidable task of recognizing this avenue of reconnection through an experiential spirituality that transcends the confines of religious dogma, belief systems, and political or ideological barriers.

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Sleepwalking into authoritarianism

“Democracy is not a spectator sport, it’s a participatory event. If we don’t participate in it, it ceases to be a democracy.” – Michael Moore

Envision yourself living in a country where even the mildest critique of the ruler could land you behind bars or strip you of your livelihood. The airwaves echo incessant hymns of praise for the leader, while simultaneously stoking hate towards both real and imagined adversaries. Meanwhile, your son lives in constant fear, knowing he could be conscripted at any moment into a futile war.

This is a grim reality in Russia and a growing number of countries, casting a shadow over the lives of its citizens. Alarmingly, this pattern could potentially spread to numerous democratic nations where generations have relished unparalleled freedoms, blissfully unaware of the true implications of authoritarian rule and its pervasive influence on society.

Across the globe, we witness a gradual erosion of fundamental liberties and democratic principles. Even within Western democracies long considered bastions of stability, nefarious political factions are becoming mainstream, posing a major threat to the established order

Democratic backsliding across the globe

The Democracy Index for 2019 found that democratic backsliding across the world has led to the worst score since the index was first produced in 2006, with only 5.7 percent of the global population living in what could be considered a “full democracy.”

Far-right parties bent on eroding democratic checks and balances

A Berlin-based leading Civil liberties network has warned that the rule of law is declining across the European Union as far-right parties continue to weaken legal and democratic checks and balances. Liberties in entrenched democracies such as Sweden and Italy are in a gradual process of retreat and risk becoming systematic, according to the 2024 Liberties Rule of Law Report.

The U.S. presidential elections this year are bearing up to become a real test in democracy with a significant portion of election denialism having taken hold among a large section of voters. Donald Trump’s claim that the last election was stolen has led to a wholesale attack on the entire democratic election process.

In the past, the United States has relied on state and local election officials, regardless of party, to count votes fairly and to accurately report results—but that can no longer be taken for granted, according to a detailed report in The Atlantic.

The rightwing Heritage Foundation has drawn up detailed plans to purge government agencies and to replace non-partisan civil servants with Trump loyalists if they win the 2024 election. Agencies and offices responsible for enforcing civil rights laws are to be replaced with right-wing ideologues throughout the federal government, making their agenda on women’s and LGBQT rights permanent.

Democracy and civil liberties take many decades to be entrenched in society while it takes only one government to dismantle everything. Freedom of the press can be stifled overnight, opposition parties banned or intimidated, and judges and civil service members replaced with regime-friendly acolytes.  

The frightening scenario is that the process takes place gradually and incrementally with an electorate sleepwalking into authoritarianism.

Recent examples where this has happened are Turkey, Russia, Hungary, and Poland with ominous signs that things might be going the same way in the United States. In Poland, the tide was turned with the election of a new coalition government.

However, it might take a generation to rebuild the Polish judiciary and civil service into neutral bodies after the previous right-wing government had reshaped them into partisan instruments over eight years. The first priority was “to turn off the factory of hate,” said the new head of Poland’s highly influential public television network TVP, Tomasz Sygut, replacing party political propagandists with real journalists. Two of the main TVP channels were abruptly taken off the air by new managers. The channels had openly campaigned for the previous right-wing government and churned out hate toward migrants, the European Union, Germany, political opponents, LGBTQ people, and minorities.

We need only to look at history to understand how quickly basic freedoms can be usurped when a society fails to heed the warning signs. Adolf Hitler’s ultimate plan to extinguish the Jewish population with a German Reich controlling all of Europe was clearly outlined in his 1925 autobiographical manifesto “Mein Kampf”, compounding existing beliefs, fears, and xenophobia.

When opinion becomes an entrenched belief when the mind refuses to accept an alternative idea or reality, and people with other viewpoints are dehumanized it is but a short road to authoritarianism.

Hitler’s explicit racial theories were openly portrayed in “Mein Kampf” and in his speeches before coming to power: Jews, Slavs, and other non-Aryan groups were described as subhuman and deserving of extermination or subjugation. His vision for a racially pure society involved the systematic elimination of “undesirable” populations that eventually culminated in the Holocaust. People in the mid-1920s failed to fully comprehend Hitler’s intentions for territorial expansion (Lebensraum) and the establishment of a racially pure Aryan state.

The suppression of dissent, the elimination of political opposition, and the manipulation of propaganda to indoctrinate the German population with Nazi ideology was introduced gradually. The policy of appeasement with influential groups of Nazi sympathizers in the United States, Britain, and other countries, eventually paved the way for one of the darkest periods in human history.

Currently, the global battle between authoritarian dictatorship and democracy is symbolized by Ukraine defending itself against Russia determined to destroy the country as a nation-state and to integrate it into a new authoritarian Russian empire with “Tsar” Vladimir Putin having complete control.

The Russian narrative is revealing itself as very effective in falsifying history by arguing that Ukraine was always part of Russia. Ukraine has a long cultural history and was forcibly integrated into the Soviet Union by Stalin. Russia’s distortion of history is finding track, especially among right-wing parties who see the dictator Putin as a defender against the “immorality” of Western liberalism.

Authoritarianism goes against all human dignity and essentially gives power to a single ruler or small clique that inevitably ends up enriching itself at a terrible cost to the majority of the population. It is a one-way street where everyone loses.

Democracy and basic freedom are by far the best instruments for human creativity and innovation. It is not something you believe or accept unconditionally. It demands constant action, participation, innovation, and adaptation to changing circumstances.

“The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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Wisdom is drowning in the flood of information

“Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows.”
– Ojibwe Prayer

Acquired knowledge and intelligence are often confused with wisdom in our digital age where we have a world of information at our fingertips while the deeper understanding and insight into life’s mysteries appears to be on the wane.

The ancient Mystics, notably the 13th-century Dominican monk Meister Eckart, understood true wisdom as the intimate connection and surrender to the divine will.

Eckart’s idea was that of a “divine birth” within the soul, where a transformative experience leads to a profound shift in consciousness.

“In this divine birth, I find that God and I are the same: I am what I am and what I shall remain, now and forever. I am carried above was the highest angels. I neither increase nor decrease, for in this birth I have become the motionless cause of all that moves. I have won back what has always been mine. Here, in my own soul, the greatest of all miracles has taken place-God has returned to God!

(quote 3086  |   Meister Eckhart).

Knowledge is worthless without wisdom

The sages and Mystics were well aware of the limitations of intellectual thought and knowledge. The accumulation of information, facts, theories, and concepts on the cognitive level were deemed worthless if they were not connected to wise decision-making.

Intelligence, especially on the part of egocentric politicians, scientists, and business leaders, has in the past caused havoc to humanity and become even more topical in an age where spreading falsehoods and toxic emotions to millions on a global level has become the norm.

Millions of people are being spoonfed with external beliefs, concepts, and ideas that ultimately are far removed from authentic soul purpose, finding themselves digging deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of falsehoods and illusion.

Wisdom meanwhile encompasses a broader understanding of human nature, ethics, and the interconnectedness of the world by letting go of “ego” desires and attachments, especially of fixed beliefs and concepts that are closely intertwined with personality and ego.

The misunderstanding of Karma

Wisdom is an alignment with the cosmic laws and a greater whole that governs all existence. In this context the concept of karma or the law of attraction is often misunderstood as a predestined inevitability, yet with the growth of wisdom comes the growth of awareness.

It is inseparable from such values as compassion, empathy, and unconditional love. Mystic teachers emphasize the importance of cultivating these qualities as essential aspects of spiritual growth, enlightenment, and ultimately fulfilling life’s purpose.

Karma is the result of habits, actions, and choices made. We have been given the power of choice by the divine. If you extract yourself from the addiction of blaming external circumstances you become the creator and master of your destiny.

“Life is a meteor
Let your eyes roam
Heaven is beautiful
It’s almost like home
Children! get ready
It’s time to come home”

(Paul Simon Track Seven on Seven Psalms)

Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker

P.S. I’m excited to announce the release of my latest book, “The Turning of the Circle: Embracing Nature’s Wisdom for Purposeful Living.” If you enjoy it, you might also be interested in my previous works, “Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul” and “Walking on Edge: A Pilgrimage to Santiago.” You can find all of these titles at reputable bookstores near you.

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