New Horizons

Welcome back to Shelter From The Storm, a Metaphysical blog which offer to serve the Seeker on the Path, as well as examines the various ways to seek. I asked last time, do you bother? If yes is your answer and the great desire to "KNOW" is there it may well be a reaction to something painful, an event of some sort or injury, illness, grief or anything which makes you wonder. The myriad of complexities that must arise to confuse, stimulate, incur pain and even grief make rich soil for the Seeker to finally declare, "I must find out WHY?" Therefore seeking answers becomes the quest, the reason for, the objective carrot dangling in the wind; somewhere, somehow, the mystery offering an opportunity. Who so ever quests to retrieve  (that dangling carrot, that answer to their conundrum, the reason why they went through so much pain..etc.) may well be rewarded with an answer. Each quest is different as each answer is to the inner workings of the individual Self. Our journey therefore is always personal even if it is a Universal experience. Many have walked this path before but each has a different reason.
Who dares to challenge the status quo? Who dares to speak the words of "I don't get it and I want to get it!" Who is brave enough to lay down the "normal" and seek the untold, the mysteries of humanity? Who else but The Seeker. He/She knows it will never be acceptable, the status quo will never satisfy, nor the usual answer. In their quest for Why, there comes a journey and that journey begins with New Horizons. They suspect it is outside the norm, but there is no road map for them, but what they seek is actually buried deep in the subconscious mind. Maybe our dreams will allow a few clues in, so we ask within.  Eventually, a Dream comes, amazingly, but it is vague. We look into the symbolism of it, we read a book on dreams and are rightfully told (though there are many Universal symbols), it is what it means to us. We think about it and can not figure it out. We decide it is not important and let it go. In letting it go, something magical happens. One day, as any other day, we get in our car, turn on the radio and on comes a song. Chills run down our spine as we feel compelled to listen and our ears perk up! In the words of the song, we find an answer. How it is possible? Who gave us this? How did that happen?
Psychoanalyst Dr. Carl Jung, coined the term "synchronicity" for this very reason.  He also had these so called "coincidences" occurring over and over again and more importantly, so did his patients. In an effort to understand them, he surmised that the "Collective Unconscious" allowed these clues into the person's path to give them a clue or to wake them up. This was the signal from the Universe or their own Higher Self that the person was, indeed, on the right Path. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity

Now the journey begins in earnest and this becomes one way to find the way forward, as dreams also provide a very personal way. Our heart awakens to these mysteries by asking even more of us: pain. Pain becomes the impetus for what we discover, for without it, there is no reason or point to seek more. What we know is that if we do not take up the Gauntlet to Seek the Meaning to it all, the pain, the path, the way and the why...we are left in the abyss or the material world with no inner compass to Guide us home. Where is home? It is within, of course, as any truth seeker will tell you. Meditation then becomes the next tool. But first we must get awakened to the need. So our dreams and the world around us are a constant reminder that there is more to know, more to seek, more meaning to be had. A life worth living is well examined. A life of being here with no inner awareness can be mindless, empty, superficial and meaningless. It is the richness of meaning we seek. Purpose comes next, so one asks, "What is my purpose?"  Each and every one of us have one. Do you know what yours is?
 Music, poetry, art, beauty, romance have also been ways to help us, inspire us, lead us to the salvation/inner knowing of the Self.  One of my own personal ways has been music, although I have used all of the tools already mentioned.

 I close this blog with a suggestion. The Progressive Rock band, The Moody Blues, have been going strong now for more than 4 decades but it was their early original works which started me, at the tender age of 14, on the Seeker's Path. I first heard their music and attended  a concert in 1970, in Pittsburgh, Pa., where I grew up. Listening to their music, with full orchestration, was so beautiful and then their mystical, profound lyrics was how I "heard the Word". The times were emotive and turbulent which also meant many were seeking, including the bands of the time.  The Moody Blue's song "New Horizon" is at the top of this entry. Each one of their albums has Metaphysical meaning and profound messages from journeying within. Their songs and lyrics seek to ask and answer many questions so I would encourage anyone to listen to them. The link to their current website is: http://moodybluestoday.com  If you seek wisdom within words, go listen to their music or see them on tour, as they are out there now touring through the USA and the UK. Do catch them, if you have a chance.

  How has music, art, poetry, a song or a dream inspired you to seek something more, given you meaning or allowed you to seek answers to the bigger questions? Please share your experiences. Till next week, be inspired!
Shawn M.Cohen
October 20, 2012
http://www.tarotbyshawncohen.weebly.com