Friday 28 February 2014

In Perfect Imperfection

A dictated chat from my guide and guardian, Gabriel. :-) A friend asked him a question and this was his reply. It is LONG. As I said, he's very chatty nowadays! ;-)


"So, life lessons and why do they hurt so much? Resistance is partly to blame, you are correct, but that is a simplification. There are other forces at play. Which brings me to a point we have discussed recently, that I know you wish me to share with your friends. It is the concept that life on this planet, within this realm, is merely a "game". It is a word that I personally find repugnant. Life is not a game. Yes, it should be enjoyed and full of adventure, love and laughter, but there is a particular danger in classifying any reality as lesser, or as a game. It trivialises the experience down to something no more important and, even more dangerously, it trivialises everything within that reality.

As a 'game' the human experience becomes no more than a series of challenges to conquer in order to "win". Such a mind set, as far as I can see, is not conducive to empathy and allowing the awareness of All-is-One to flourish. Nor does it sanctify the experience, as it should be. This reality is no more/no less important than any other. It serves a purpose, designed as such by God and yourselves. It is as real as any other and the experiences you have here are as important and beautiful, in their own way, as any you might encounter in other realms or levels of existence.
As a 'game' there is the unspoken message to mankind that the experiences here do not matter. That the pain as well as the sorrow are inconsequential. That is not so. Everything you experience is Holy and valid, including what you suffer within this realm. To think otherwise runs the added danger of then thinking it is alright to walk away or ignore the suffering of others, since they are merely other 'players' in the 'game' after all. No. No. No. Such a mindset is wrong at the highest level! This realm was not created to be a game for sociopaths to flourish in, but rather as a place to learn the deeper connection of All. The Oneness of every living thing is equally valued by God. This planet has value, this reality with all its beauty has value. This planet matters to God. (or Creator or Source. Whatever word you choose to use is of no consequence)
I cannot tell you all that is to pass, because I do not know. I do not know because there are variables, and because I am not God, and because I am an imperfect being, same as yourselves. Perfection is a lie. It is a concept unheard of in other realms, this "perfection" you seek. Perfection, as seen by the human mind, is static. It is a state where a being or item reaches a certain level and... all stops. Because now it is PERFECT. No more growth, no more adventure. Nothing. Perfection, as far as I can tell, seems to be the same as death. Can we agree on that?
So what is seen as 'perfection' by God? Growth. Change. Experience. Joy. These are the things to strive for, not some dead flat line state of being PERFECT. Michelle's mind used an analogy that sums it up well: the butterfly as an example of Divine perfection. Caterpillar-pupae-butterfly. Change in all its miraculous wonder. More importantly, when the caterpillar is a perfect creature it is nowhere near being a perfect butterfly. when the butterfly is perfect it is no longer a perfect caterpillar. And yet both forms are perfect. It does not need to strive towards one static state of being. It finds joy in every step of its journey and that is the true perfection of life - the joy of the experiences, whatever they might be.

And so I finally can return to what I was discussing in the first place, before this dear woman drew me off to talk on the things important to her. I was wanting to discuss life lessons and suffering. The lack of joy in the experience, you might say. There are some belief systems on your planet that hold with the theory that all of life in this realm must revolve around suffering. No. Not at all. Look at nature and you will see first hand how ridiculous and absurd that concept is. Nature is full of joy. It abounds in delight. Even the cycles of death and life are ones that echo that message of joy.
There is this misconception that nature is 'red of tooth and claw.' Perhaps it might seem that way at first, but look closer at the reality and you soon realise how much is lost by taking that quote as fact. Yes, animals die and people die. Things are eaten by things that in turn are eaten by another and at the end of it all the earth itself will eat them all as their energy returns back to the soil it came from. There is no horror in that for any beast or plant. The sparrow does not sit on the branch weeping at the fact it may end up in the gullet of a bird of prey tomorrow. It is here. It lives in the moment. It sings in joy or anger with equal passion and zest for life. It enjoys it all.

That was how it was meant to be. Joy in every experience. What went wrong? Why does mankind find living so unbearable? In part it lies within the constraints of your own biology. You are, as some say, a spiritual being here within a physical form. There are parameters to that interaction. The human animal has the same instincts of survival as any other. The spiritual form of you has not. That creates a level of conflict that most life forms on this planet do not share. It is what sets you apart. Not a "soul" as such, for every living and seemingly non-living thing is equally created by God and thus sacred to God. The difference lies in the fact that humans come here aware of that fact. That is your destiny, what you have been striving towards for so long. To balance the awareness of multiple realities within your physical form.
Michelle thinks that last sentence makes no sense. Worse, she commented that it sounds rather "oogah boogah". I will try to explain it in a simpler form for her. Or she will nag at me to alter it, I know.
Back to the human condition of being aware spiritually and physically within this reality. Animals are aware of it as well. The difference is that animals do not try to understand it. They accept. No query, no curiosity, no conflict. They know, at cell level, that they are a part of Creation. Mankind chose to come here to experience the conflict of knowing yet not knowing enough. It makes you strive for more. But within that adventure there have been times when the suffering this induced has created harm to all involved. This reality was never meant to harm, only for all to learn more.
Mankind was meant to express that part of God that you call Love. Agape is a closer term, but even it falls short of the mark. This Love holds an energy that is pure, but not perfect. Because perfection is a dead thing that has no purpose. Not even God is perfect in the way mankind see the concept. I understand how such a comment might seem blasphemy, but bear in mind you invented the word. Perfection is a fool's concept. The universe is constantly expanding and altering, transforming as it grows. Within that growth there are accidents and mistakes as well as moments of wonder.
Throw the "perfect" word in the bin and accept the fact all growth is a miracle. All life is a miracle. An ever changing wondrous thing full of surprises. It is only when mankind began to strive for an impossible perfection that he began to create suffering. Do you understand now? Perfection automatically implies a want. It automatically separates the experience into good and evil. God did not create evil. Mankind did that. There was no devil before you created him in your own image."

Thursday 27 February 2014

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Till We Have Faces

A quote and a very personal story make up this week's Thoughtful Thursday post.

The quote is from one of my most favourite books by C S Lewis,  Till We Have Faces. It's based on a Greek myth and told by a princess named Orual. She's the sister of Psyche, the girl who fell in love with Cupid. (who wasn't a baby with wings, but a handsome young Greek god)
Orual says this, near the end of the book:
 
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/556570.Till_We_Have_Faces


“When the time comes to you at which you will be forced at last to utter the speech which has lain at the centre of your soul for years, which you have, all that time, idiot-like, been saying over and over, you'll not talk about the joy of words. I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Till that word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble that we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?”





Last year, I wrote my book, Wisdoms of the Light, and during the months of writing something changed inside me. It took me till today to realise what it was. I had looked at myself, face to face, and written out "that speech which had lain in the centre of your soul" and just as Orual predicted, it led to a very important meeting. 
 
No, I didn't get to meet a Greek god face to face! LOL But I did get to hear my spirit guide's words for the first time. Finding my Speech gave him speech. 

As I've mentioned before, my spirit guide, Sol, has always had to mime or write words on a chalk board to communicate with me. That's because my brain refused to give him a voice. In my opinion, the idea of "voices in my head" was simply too creepy and too invasive. So, for about ten years all I saw were flashes of pictures or written words in my mind. Last July that changed and suddenly Sol's words were coming thick and fast. At first it was a bit overwhelming, but by October I'd managed to reach a stage of balancing this new chatty person with the dear soul I'd known and loved for so long. 

Most of what we've talked about is personal and not for sharing, but last year he did write my post for Blogblast for Peace 2013, when my mind went blank. In being able to talk I have learnt a lot more about my old friend, including something vital that I'd not known before. I once joked that Sol was "no angel", since he can be vulgar, cheeky and a terrible tease. Well... the last joke was on me! Sol has been able to admit that is exactly what he is - my guardian angel. 


Sol isn't his real name, but he's happy to keep using it. He says he doesn't have a name my ears would understand. I gather our languages are not the same as theirs. I asked what the language of angels sounds like and he told me they sing to speak, but it's not like our music. I've asked him loads of questions and sometimes he's asked me to write it down, like the speech I used for Blogblast 2013. 

I have some other bits he's dictated that he's okay with me sharing, which is why I'm writing this introductory post... so to speak. ;-) Ha! Bad pun, but then I have lived with an irreverent dreadful joke-cracking spirit guide in my mind for ten years. One who now turns out to be an angel who is far from angelic! Sol is naughty, immensely loving, incredibly patient and surprisingly wise. I'm so glad we finally came to meet "face to face".

Monday 24 February 2014

Let There be Sound

The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word..." and science and sound prove the same thing. Fascinating look at Life, the Universe and religious beliefs. A few personal opinions in this one video I don't completely agree with, but the science is completely true and the interconnections to the Bible were some I have often thought about myself.


And I love the fact it's about sound, since my book, Wisdoms of the Light is about music and sound as well. :)

Thursday 20 February 2014

Thoughtful Thursday ~ In Passing


A poem I wrote in 2010. (and yes, it is a true story)

In Passing

I passed by your bed
and wondered your story,
Tattoos and T-shirt
completely out of place
amongst the tubes and wires.
With arms so thin and eyes so tired,
watching the TV without seeing,
seeing me without watching
every time I passed through.
Watching you waiting…

I knew. Did you?

Did she know too?
I watched her pass through, with
rucksack and thermos, packets of snacks.
All the signs of the long term
traveller of wards and waiting rooms.
Holding herself together with
the busy brightness of a mother's love.

Others passed by too.

I saw them take turns
to hold your hand as you waited, and passed them
as they waited, in crooked huddles
over half cups of coffee.
Women talking; a man hiding
tears in a corner, as I passed through.

And I knew they knew too.

Though none of us spoke
in passing, in waiting.
Connected in such disconnection.
Brief greetings and smiles
in hallways, in passing,
and then they were gone.
Empty chairs.

Empty bed.

I passed by your bed
and wondered your story,
and wished you
safe journeys
in passing.

copyright the author Michelle Y Frost

Sunday 16 February 2014

Behind the Scenes with Bookmarks


http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.co.uk/

The awesome and talented Gina Scarcella, of the blog Behind a Million and One Pages, has kindly allowed me to feature as a guest post author. Not only that... she's also made fantastic bookmarks out of my book covers. So cool!  

You can read my guest post here: Guest Post with Michelle Frost

The bookmark links are at the base of the page or you can link direct through these:



Here's a taster. ;-)






Thursday 13 February 2014

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Sweet Comparisons


Twice this month people have compared my two books to Tolkein, saying that my first book, First Light, is like The Hobbit while the sequel, Wisdoms of the Light, is like Lord of The Rings. To have your writing compared to some of the greatest books ever written is incredibly sweet. I tear up every time I think about it. 
 

I first discovered The Hobbit in High School, when a very remarkable teacher opened my eyes and heart to a new and magical world. It was my first step into the world of Fantasy books written for adults rather than children. My Saga isn't quite the same type of Fantasy, no elves or dragons, but I think I did take that urge to write a "great quest" from Tolkein's books. Both First Light and Wisdoms of the Light share that much in common with Tolkein's ideas - they are stories about the personal quest as well the bigger struggle of Good against Evil.


First Light isn't a children's book, but it is a lighter, more humorous mystery quest. In that respect it does fit in rather nicely with The Hobbit. Although I don't think Idrith would qualify as being like Bilbo Baggins. Most times he's more like Smaug! ;-)



But there's no denying that Wisdoms of the Light felt like I was writing a great saga, just like Lord of the Rings. I knew, by the time I'd reached half way and was still no where near being finished, that it was going to be a big book! It's over twice the size of First Light and the story plot is equally heavy. Although it is, ultimately, a story of Good triumphing over Evil I wept a buckets writing some of the scenes in Wisdoms of the Light. Which is ironic, since the first time I ever wept over a book was when Gandalf falls to his death in Lord of the Rings.

I don't think Harmion quite matches up to Gandalf in mystery and power. Harmion is far more human, but it is rather nice to look at the seven members of the Septar and compare them to the little band who set out with Frodo. Both sets of friends are full of personal frailties and fears, but still determined to make their world a better place. All held together by the loyal love of friends and family.

Saturday 1 February 2014

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit for February

Happy first day of February!


February birthstone is Amethyst.
Birth flowers are Violet and Primrose.
The zodiac signs for February are Aquarius and Pisces.