John Cali
We recently received the following question:
John Cali
You don’t have to look very far these days to see the rising panic and fear as oil and food prices soar out of sight, and as natural disasters fill the mainstream news media.
People are running scared, wondering and fearing how all the doom-and-gloom predictions will affect them. Will they survive? Will our Mother Earth survive? Or will we all go down like a second Titanic in a cold and stormy North Atlantic sea?
Chief Joseph
We love John’s analogy of the Titanic, because that’s how many of you are feeling these days -- as if you’re doomed on a sinking ship with no hope of survival.
Yet nothing could be farther from the reality, the truth of what’s happening today.
John Cali
Here’s a question Joseph and I recently received:
Some of my relatives and friends have been spending beyond their means and have thus ended up with much credit card debt. What has gone wrong with their seeking of joy? It does seem that the seeking of joy still needs to be balanced with some self-restraint.
Chief Joseph
As we view humans from our perspective, it’s clear there are two main areas of your lives that can be the most fruitful, or the most devastating, for you on your personal paths of growth.
Those two areas are money and sex. You have many hangups with both. Today we’ll talk about your hangups with money.
Money is obviously a necessary part of your lives. You all need money to physically survive. Money provided by you or by someone else.
Money is simply energy, only that, nothing more.
Have you ever thought about what money really is?
Last month we talked about healing the past. If you didn’t see that article, you’ll find it here.
We received some interesting and insightful comments about the article. So this month Chief Joseph and I are responding to those comments.
Following are excerpts from the comments and then our responses.
CommenT
From 30 years of experience in this field and also seeing a few similar comments, I'd have to say the view is rather narrow. The past can only be painful if you view it that way in the present. It is true that the power is in the present, so from a place of power in the present, much healing can be done from any area of our 'past'.
Our response
We agree with this. Except the part about the narrow view. ;)
Comment
. . . why is it that the past must always be filled with pain?
John Cali
We were recently asked this question:
John Cali
We received some interesting comments in response to our January 2008 article, “Prostitution.” Here they are, followed by Chief Joseph’s response:
John Cali
The title of this article is one of the most common questions asked of Chief Joseph and me. Why are we here? What’s my life’s purpose?
In one word, Joseph would say “Joy.” Joy is the reason we are here and it’s the purpose of our lives.
But some object, “Well, what about learning lessons, facing our fears, clearing karma, healing our blockages, etc.?” Are they not also life purposes?
Here’s Chief Joseph.
When you focus on joy, all else falls into place.
John Cali
Prostitution, and any subjects having to do with sex, are often explosive, divisive things here in the USA. It seems odd to me sex, which I view as one of God’s greatest gifts to the human race, is so often vilified. When it is discussed, it’s usually with some trepidation -- even in those areas where it’s acceptable. For example, within marriage.
I live in a little town in the USA’s State of Wyoming. Back in the days of the Old West, in the 1800s, prostitution was openly practiced here. In fact, one of the most popular restaurants and bars in my town used to be a bordello in the late 1800s. No big deal back then.
There are two US states I’m aware of where prostitution is legal: Nevada and Rhode Island. Other countries where it’s legal include Germany and the Netherlands. There may be still others I’m not aware of.
John Cali
Homosexuality is an explosively divisive subject here in the USA. I’ve seen families and friendships ripped apart by it. The daughter of this country’s vice president is openly homosexual. Over the years I’ve had several close homosexual male and female friends. I personally have never had any homosexual leanings in this lifetime. But I’ve found these friends among the most sensitive, caring people I’ve ever known.
But people are people. You can find many sensitive, caring folks among males, females, homosexuals, heterosexuals. We’re all different, and yet we are all one.
And that, perhaps, is the real point here today.
John Cali
Chief Joseph once told me the major lesson our pets have to teach us is to live in the moment and to love unconditionally.
Chief Joseph
Your domestic pets, especially dogs and cats, are one of the greatest gifts humanity has ever received. We realize you sometimes take these delightful creatures for granted—just as you sometimes do your fellow humans.
Pets are not in your lives solely for your entertainment, though they certainly do entertain you.
More importantly, pets are here as your teachers and, often, your healers.
You have a phrase bandied about much—“dumb” animals. By “dumb” you generally mean “stupid.” Or at least something less than human intelligence.
