Connect with Your True Self
To begin this first practice,
Let’s start with a thought exercise…
IMAGINE you were PREPARING
a large, powerful, ocean-going vessel for voyage.
What would be the PRIORITIES?
In a word… Integrity.
Think about it…
Integrity is paramount…
Integrity of the hull…
If the hull fails and you get flooded, you are sunk. Integrity of the watertight doors used for loading and unloading but which must be closed during rough seas is also crucial. They must deploy quickly if the weather changes, and their seals must be sure and impenetrable.
Integrity of Stores and supplies…
Fresh water tanks must be full; waste tanks empty; fuel tanks filled with high-quality fuel and sealed against contamination; batteries fully charged and ready. General stores must be stocked with supplies and components needed to ensure smooth operation. Ample food must be stocked and secured against loss or spoilage. Medicines and first aid need to be available.
Integrity of crew…
Crew must consist of the right people in the right positions with the right skills, knowledge, and experience. They must be healthy, energetic, strong, and dependable.
Integrity of leadership…
The captain must be capable, experienced, intelligent, resourceful, well connected, emotionally balanced, and available to the crew for both data acquisition, and dissemination of directives and guidance. The captain must communicate effectively, inspire trust, confidence, and commitment, be able to galvanize resolve to achieve objectives, inspire all to dig deep for strength and stamina to overcome challenges, to progress forward, persist and never give up. The captain must align all personnel and resources to pull together and work dependably, to remain at their post, persevere and fulfill their commitments.
Your own vessel and voyage…
Now APPLY these concepts to your OWN physical vessel and its voyage of exploration and discovery.
What are the priorities there?
For those who have taken on the challenges of voyaging in this physical realm, again,
INTEGRITY is of primary importance.
Integrity in body, mind, and spirit,
is paramount...
You must be WHOLE and HEALTHY in body, mind, and spirit, aware, and alert, perceptive, and emotionally balanced. You must process information and assess situations accurately, make wise decisions and take effective actions.
ENERGY reserves must be ample and conversion systems functioning properly. Plumbing, electrics, controls, computers, and information processing ALL must be tip top. Like a ship’s crew, the CELLS and TISSUES of your body must work efficiently with all activities aligned, focused, and coordinated for the wellbeing of the whole.
The CONSCIOUSNESS directing your vessel, the captain, must maintain its integrity and effectiveness in ALL conditions, and refresh and re-balance itself as needed to maintain potency and thriving.
Replenishment…
So now, as a fully functioning human being…
…how shall YOU restore and replenish?
Where is YOUR sheltered harbour and safe port, your resupply ship, refuelling station?
Where is your dry dock, and repair depot to conduct maintenance and re-fitment?
What means have you for offloading garbage, ridding yourself of waste, and useless baggage?
How shall you scrub and purge systems,
so they are clean and ready again?
Where can crew and captain take shore leave for rest, relaxation, refreshment and to attend to personal needs?
WHERE shall YOU, Human, find the SOURCE for all these things?
Go Within and With-out…
It’s a two-part answer…
…first go Within, and failing that, go With-out into Nature…
Go Within…
If you can, go within. Search deep in your core and ask, what is the way forward?
If you need solitude to HEAR the answers, FIND solitude, in your cabin, in your office, in your car… find a quiet space free from noise and distraction where you can ask key questions, and there is silence enough to hear the quiet answers.
But WHAT shall you do if you are so agitated, disturbed, off kilter, disoriented, torn up and lost,
and filled with so much noise that you lack the composure and stillness to HEAR the quiet answers?
What then?
Go With-out…
Find Nature…
Look outside of your inner world and find Nature. YOU are a part of Nature. You are CONNECTED to Nature. Strengthen and draw on that connection.
Nature is always balanced and whole. Nature is stable and steady. Nature knows how to ADAPT to change, accommodate stressors and reestablish balance and harmony.
Let Nature show you the way…
Let it demonstrate beauty and harmony, show you its power, benevolence, stability, and calm.
Find a place, find a space, a park bench, forest, or cemetery, somewhere by water, among the trees or the rocks high on a hill.
Immerse yourself…
Ground, heart centre, and breathe…
LISTEN to the sounds of nature. HEAR the wind, the creak of trees, the twittering of birds, the waves lapping on the shore. WATCH the small animals, the squirrels, the chipmunks, the ants, the fish, the sparrows, the hawks, and the eagles. They know. Their worlds are in balance. Each goes about its life, focused in the moment, alert and alive.
Breathe slowly and deeply. Breathe in Nature, its balance and harmony. GROUND yourself to the earth. Feel your connection to the planet. Feel the energy of the planet and all life on it. Feel the energy of the cosmos coursing through you and BLENDING with your own life force.
Let Nature’s rhythms stabilize and synchronize your own.
Let it steady and re-tune your vibration.
Your tuning fork and metronome…
If you’re having trouble HEARING the pure tone of your source, let Nature be your pitch pipe, your tuning fork that leads you back to the pure tone of balance and harmony.
Let Nature be your metronome,
setting a steady beat, a sustainable pace
at which to live, that you can follow to regain your rhythm.
Hear Nature speaking to you…
BE STILL in Nature and HEAR it speaking to you, saying
“it’s OK, I’m here, I’ll show you.”
When it’s too noisy within, let NATURE remind and re-tune you.
Be whole, for yourself and others…
If you are not healthy and whole, you are less for yourself and less for the others you love.
Taking care of yourself, is taking care of them also.
Like the pre-flight announcement says, “put on your own oxygen mask first, before attempting to help others.”
That is why the FIRST Springboard Practice is to CONNECT to Your True Self and The Natural World.
To function, EVERYTHING, whether it’s a toaster or a human being, must be energized, fuelled, and PLUGGED IN to a source of power.
To function and thrive YOU must be plugged into YOUR source of power.
And where IS
Your Source of energy and power?
Within and without…
It is within your CORE.
It is also outside of you in the Natural World.
It is deep in your inner knowing, your inner being, your higher self.
The Natural World is balanced and whole and thriving.
So, what can you actually DO in this regard on a regular, daily basis?
Meditate
We have busy minds most of the time. We are alert and alive, experiencing our physical world and processing information. But there is ALSO much benefit to be gained from quiet.
Meditation is a learned skill that benefits from regular practice to gain proficiency. With meditation, it’s less about what you do, than about what you don’t do. It’s about less thinking; less racing mind, and more about becoming still, and receptive, and listening.
The essence of meditation is to be still, breathe, and empty your mind of conscious thought and ALLOW whatever is best for you to happen.
It’s seeking a state of relaxation and receptivity to allow whatever is needed to come to you.
Setting an intention…
Prior to meditating you might silently ask a question or request clarity or ideas regarding a matter that’s been concerning you. Ask it lightly…
“Source, please offer some ideas regarding ______.”
Then let it go and see what shows up.
To begin, you might sit in a comfortable chair or cross legged on the ground, eyes closed.
IMAGINE sitting under a huge old tree, eyes closed, hands resting on your knees,
palms facing upwards, breathing slowly and deeply.
Now imagine inviting small animals of the forest to visit you. Picture birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and baby deer gathering around you. Each brings something to share; you just need to be still and quiet and let them approach you.
They might bring a feeling of peace that washes over you; a single image; a short movie clip or entire movie that REVEALS an approach or idea you hadn’t considered. Maybe it’s a voice; the flash of an idea; a bolt of clarity, a surge in confidence, certainty, or eagerness. Maybe it’s just the peace and relief you needed, and you fall asleep.
Initially it might take a while to relax to the point things can happen, but with regular practice you’ll be able to get there more quickly and easily.
Finding a place and time…
There may be a particular place, or time of day that is more CONDUCIVE.
- Perhaps first thing in the morning when you’re still close to the dream state.
- Perhaps after physical exertion, a strenuous workout or stress-relieving run you’re better able to relax.
- Maybe after reading a book for pleasure, where your thoughts are taken someplace other than the concerns of your daily life.
- Perhaps meditation comes easiest just before sleep, when your body knows it’s time for rest and slumber and is already moving towards a tranquil state.
EXPERIMENT and see what works for you. If results don’t come as quickly as hoped, don’t worry, just go with the flow, and ALLOW whatever’s best each time to unfold. Besides, it would get boring if every meditation was predictable and the same.
APPRECIATE the variety and value of each experience. Be easy and allow whatever happens to happen.
Guided meditations…
Guided meditations may be helpful when getting started and there are several sources of guided meditations listed in the Resource section of this website.
Try out whatever you feel inspired to. Above all, relax and have fun with it.
Get into Nature daily…
Get into Nature for at least 15 minutes each day.
- Take a WALK in the morning, or on your lunch hour, or after dinner…
- SIT in a park or in your back yard…
- WATCH the trees and small animals…
- GO for a hike, a run, a swim…
- WALK by the water...
- CLIMB up high and survey the view…
- STARE at the horizon and just BREATHE...
- CLOSE your eyes and LISTEN to the sounds of Nature…
Can you distinctly HEAR and identify each sound?
When you can, walk BAREFOOT to be grounded to the earth.
If you are able, be outside and experience the Golden Hours just after sunrise and before sunset, when the light is orange and crimson and the calm and majesty of the clouds are revealed.
Spend extended time in Nature…
GO CAMP…
SLEEP on the ground in a tent, smell the trees and the earth, feel the ground beneath your body.
Feel your CONNECTION to the Earth
and all Nature.
HANG in a hammock, close your eyes, and listen to the wind in the trees. SIT by the shore and stare at the water.
WATCH the waves and the gulls sweeping over them.
COOK over a fire. Stare into the flames of your nightly campfire. Listen to the night sounds.
EXPERIENCE the inky blackness of a clear, moonless night and the twinkling of more stars than you ever imagined.
SURVEY the canopy of other worlds suspended above you and the creamy swath of our home galaxy, the Milky Way.
FIND the Big Dipper, Southern Cross, Orion, or other constellations. Learn to RECOGNIZE the planets… which is Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars?
WATCH how they move across the night sky. OBSERVE shooting stars and other celestial objects.
You are a part of and CONNECTED to all of these. ALL of this is Home.
Your special Nature place…
Do you have a special place where you EXPERIENCE Nature most vividly? Perhaps a certain part of the forest, a big rock outcrop, a scenic overlook, a favourite camping, or fishing spot, a certain river or lake or piece of seashore?
If you are able, GO THERE when you most need CONNECTION.
Just BE in that place. DRINK IN the energy and ambience and feeling of that sacred place. FEEL yourself being restored there.
If you feel so inclined, ASK your questions there, then be still, and listen.
Energy vortices…
There are places on the planet where the energy is CONCENTRATED and active.
Sedona, and Mount Shasta in the US are two of the stronger vortices.
If you are able, EXPERIENCE such places and their energy. FEEL their power and potency.
Ask your questions there and BE OPEN to new, unexpected experiences that present.
CONNECT…
CONNECT with Gardening…
GET DIRTY. Get your hands in the soil and CONNECT.
For many, gardening serves to ground them and CONNECT them with the soil, the earth, and the planet.
FEEL the warmth and texture of the soil.
IMAGINE all the microbes teeming with life within it.
SEE the fresh tender shoots reaching skyward, the buds opening, the flowers blossoming, the fruit forming and ripening.
All these are graphic REMINDERS of the beauty, resilience, and eternal thriving life force that is in NATURE… and in YOU.
CONNECT with your intuition…
Intuition is your innate inner KNOWING about things.
Sometimes, we have a sensing or an urge to do something that has no logical basis.
Certain PEOPLE we immediately trust or feel close to, others we do not trust or even despise.
Certain PLACES may feel good while others feel awful.
LEARN to trust these feelings.
Practise in daily life…
If you have a CHOICE between two options, when you survey them in your MIND’S EYE, which one sparkles?
What is your “blink” reaction?
What is your reflex towards one or the other?
PRACTISE applying intuition to simple things in daily life.
Which head of lettuce FEELS better, what movie to watch, what day to make that appointment?
TRUST your sparkle test and blink reaction…
CONNECT with your physical body…
Appreciate, and set your intent before you slumber…
Appreciate your life…
Before you sleep, take time to APPRECIATE the good things you have in your life, your health, your loved ones, your family, your friends, your community, including your source of income and the bounty that RESIDES in your cupboards, closets, and refrigerator.
Appreciate your body…
LOVE it. THANK it for all it does for you without you even having to ask it.
APPRECIATE all the systems it regulates, the chemistry it adjusts and keeps balanced, the repair and maintenance it does to keep you healthy and thriving.
Instruct your body…
Direct your body to OPTIMIZE itself while you sleep.
Instruct it to BALANCE and purify, repair, and RESTORE itself, to tune and optimize its structure using the most pristine versions of your DNA.
Direct it to BUILD new cells, and to scavenge and remove spent or dysfunctional cells.
Tell it to AGE SLOWLY and live long. Tell it to count only every second or third day in its age register.
Recommit to your body…
Renew and reiterate the TRUST and confidence you have in your body. Affirm that you are a partnership, a community of cells, governed by your body’s INNATE INTELLIGENCE together with your consciousness as the mayor of this community.
STATE your commitment to its wellbeing and DOING YOUR PART to feed it the healthy food it craves, to provide it fresh air and clean water and enough exercise and sleep to replenish, renew, and restore itself from daily wear and tear.
Set your sleep intent…
SET your intent to have a restful, restorative, delicious sleep, complete with dreams that are enjoyable and provide helpful perspectives.
CONNECT in your dreams…
Set the intention…
SET the intent to REMEMBER useful portions of your dreams and to bring these remembrances into your waking state the next morning.
Visitation dreams…
If there are LOVED ONES in nonphysical you want to see, you might INVITE them to CONNECT with you during a Visitation Dream where you can see, converse, and even feel the grip of their embrace.
Lucid dreams…
You could set the INTENTION to have a lucid dream, a dream where you recognize that you are dreaming and direct the course of the dream deliberately.
Sink blissfully into sleep…
Imagine yourself warm and DELICIOUS beneath your covers, sinking down, down, down, into your mattress as you DRIFT BLISSFULLY off to sleep.
AFFIRM the expectation to sleep soundly and awaken refreshed, restored, and energized, ready to meet a new day.
Dream Journaling…
If you feel so inclined, RECORD what you remember from your dreams and consider what the SYMBOLISM of the characters, objects, and events of your dreams might mean to you.
If there were animals, you might look up what that ANIMAL TOTEM typically signifies and consider what the animal’s meaning is to YOU as it appeared in your dream.
Was there somebody notable in your dream? Were they trying to tell you something?
Even if you can’t piece together specifics, how did the dream FEEL?
CONNECT with Music…
Do you love music?
Do you play a musical instrument?
Do you love to sing?
Is your voice your musical instrument?
Music is a pure universal language all its own.
It can stir the soul and express beauty.
It can soothe, restore, and re-balance.
It can transport you to another good-feeling
time and place where you were vibrant and alive.
Milk these moments.
Savour those delicious juices.
Remember those feelings and BRING them into
the present moment to be appreciated again.
Music can be a powerful outlet for emotion, expression, reflection, and JOY.
Play music that UPLIFTS and inspires
and connects you to enthusiasm
and life force, whether that’s by playing
an instrument, or listening on a device.
Employ a full sounding sound system,
headphones, or earbuds to have the
most profound and IMMERSIVE experience.
FEEL the force of the music pass through you,
FEEL it ENERGIZE, uplift, and INSPIRE you.
CONNECT with Art…
Appreciate beauty, art, brilliance, and goodness…
You can find these if you look for them.
They’re all around you if you can see them.
READ uplifting stories and WATCH thought-provoking theatre and movies…
Choose art and entertainment FULL of substance, and meaning, good feelings, truth, high ideals and commitment to goodness, and which showcase the BEST of Humanity and of LIFE.
Drink deeply and fill yourself up with these qualities.
REPLENISH yourself with this KNOWING,
then take it with you into the rest of your day and your LIFE.
CONNECT with Inspired writing…
Whatever term you use, Automatic / Channelled / Inspired writing is the process of having DIALOG with non-physical intelligence that serves to bring you BENEFICIAL clarity, insights, perspectives, and solutions.
The process…
In a relaxed state, sit with paper and pen, laptop or computer keyboard and close your eyes and relax. BREATHE deeply until you are in a serene, receptive state. ASK for connection to the most pure and benevolent higher intelligence to come and share information for your GREATEST benefit and highest good.
You might begin by writing statements about your thoughts and feelings on a particular subject then ASK a question regarding it. Wait and LISTEN for an answer to form and immediately write it down exactly as you heard it. WRITE as fast as the information flows, regardless of spelling or grammar. RECEIVE all that is offered and when it dries up, ASK a follow up question, or pause and move on to a question on another topic.
Continue the process until you tire, or the flow of thought dries up. Then, go back and correct the spelling of words to be able to decipher the thoughts that were delivered.
You may find the terms, phrasing and sentence structure DIFFER significantly from your own. The WORDS alone may pale in comparison to the richness of the information you FELT when writing them, but they are enough to REMIND you of the ESSENCE of the full content.
Always kind and uplifting…
The words you receive should ALWAYS feel kind and affirming and uplifting, like a trusted friend patiently offering LOVING advice. If they feel otherwise, it is your own mind speaking or something that is not for your highest good. If you encounter this, cease, DISCONNECT, walk away, and next time be extra clear on setting your intent prior to connecting.
Automatic writing is a powerful way to gain clarity and ideas for moving forward on issues.
Use it ONLY to the degree it feels uplifting, productive, and enjoyable.
Express kindness & do for others…
CONNECTING is about GIVING as well as receiving.
Time: your most precious resource…
The most PRECIOUS resource you have available to share is YOURSELF and your time. Once spent or gifted, it can never be replaced. Spending your time with another says “In this moment, nothing is more important to me than this. I choose you.”
Helping another helps you as well…
Often nothing feels better than HELPING another. They feel good, and so do you. ALL benefit.
Space for new ideas and solutions…
Being there for another takes your mind off your own concerns and provides space for new ideas and solutions to your own challenges to appear.
Helping another provides perspective…
Maybe your situation doesn’t seem so bad by comparison now that you see what some others must bear?
Maybe you were feeling a bit weak, unsure, or incapable, but helping another REMINDED and DEMONSTRATED to you how strong and capable you are, especially when you RISE UP to help another you love dearly. Expressing and receiving appreciation ALWAYS feels good.
SHARING kindness and helping others REMINDS you of
who you really are deep down inside.
Now that you have expressed kindness to OTHERS,
perhaps you are better able to express it to YOURSELF.
Be kind to yourself…
CONNECTING means connecting with MULTIPLE aspects of yourself.
This includes connecting with your HIGHER self whose elevated vantage point enables it to better see the terrain around you, your options, possible solutions and courses of travel.
It includes connecting with your PLAYFUL self who wants to be silly, have FUN, laugh, ENJOY life, and FEEL good.
It includes connecting with your INNER CHILD who still knows how to feel WONDER and appreciate the BEAUTY of new things and new experiences.
It includes connecting with your YOUNGER self who endured scrapes and bruises that your more MATURE self can RE-FRAME and help soothe and HEAL.
CONNECT and INTEGRATE with ALL these aspects of YOURSELF
and bestow upon them at least the amount of kindness
you would bestow upon a young child.
You ARE deserving, and you DESERVE to RECEIVE kindness and be treated kindly by others.
Above all, be KIND to YOURSELF.
Connect in ALL these ways…
CONNECT in ALL these ways to your TOTAL self and the natural world…
You ARE all one.
Put on your OWN oxygen mask first, ENSURE the soundness of ALL aspects of your integrity.
PLUG IN and CONNECT to your Source for YOUR benefit and thriving and for that which you choose to SHARE with those you love and care about.
CONNECT, THRIVE and SHARE!
Further study...
To learn more about these topics, the authors, and their areas of expertise, visit our Resources page…
Channelled Wisdom...
- Abraham (channelled by Ester Hicks)
- Bashar (channelled by Darryl Anka)
- Kryon (channelled by Lee Carroll)
- The Pleiadians (channelled by Wendy Kennedy)
- Seth (channelled by Jane Roberts)
- Notes from the Universe (Mike Dooley)