A New Year’s Tale  by Rasjohnmon
It’s a balmy day as you and I sit here on this covered terrace facing the beach outside the reception area at this retreat in the islands.  Just sit back in your chair and hear the gentle waves in the distance - the cool breeze rustling through the lush vegetation carrying scents of the nearby ocean and tropical flowers.   You can hear the sounds made by local birds and bugs going about their daily affairs.  It’s a soothing concoction for the senses and it is so pleasant to just let go of any resistance and relax into the flow of the abundant energy of the natural wonders surrounding us.  It is easy to let go of the stress and strain that can often feel overwhelming in our practiced reality of everyday life. 
I am so glad you have joined me here in this peaceful loving place for a little time of reflection and introspection.  This is a frame of mind just right to begin a New Year of new adventures and fun.  There is one condition.  You must accept (or at least seriously contemplate) one central truth:  Reality is whatever you believe it is.  While you may not actually be sitting in a chair looking out on a beautiful tropical beach in this moment you can easily make that a future reality if you choose.  The problem is that since the moment you were born, the world has been trying to control you by making you believe in limitation and lack, separation and distrust.  The hidden story is that you are actually a very powerful creator able to shape time, space and matter to be whatever you choose to dream up.  Sadly, most people believe they are destined to simply make the best of a world of circumstances they have little or no control over.   This New Year’s Tale is about you recognizing more about who you really are and learning to play a part much more in line with your true capabilities.  Words can’t really communicate the thrill and challenge that comes with this realization but that is where we are headed. 
The awareness of your true nature, which ultimately is all about energy and vibration and your ability to intentional shape physical form and circumstances to your will, may still seem a bit abstract or even improbable but don’t worry about it.  For our New Year’s Tale, we are inviting you to take a more intentional role in the story unfolding on this lovely little planet we have named Earth.  In this ongoing tale you have already played many parts and you are really quite a good player.  Right here and now, you have created a life that may seem challenging to you but, in the scope of things, most others would consider you to be quite successful.  That said, you are capable of much more.  You are also here at a critical time and your energy is needed to keep life on this planet moving in more loving and abundant directions rather than getting stuck in a darker time. 
As in any great adventure, there are always threats to the wellbeing of the whole.  Why? Because it is the unwanted that points the direction to the new and improved reality.  Here we come to the root of why there is struggle and disease.  As we mentioned, since your birth you have been taught that there are always limits and that you can’t have everything that you want.  There are laws and rules you must obey.  You have to earn everything you get. Only the strong survive.  These are all concepts designed to control you and make you conform to belief in a reality of limitation and heartless competition for power.  It is important that we make it clear that there is nothing wrong with playing that passive part if you are fine with the status quo.  You just need to know that there is no finite substance to it - it is a figment of the imagination held together by the predominant beliefs of those active in the game at the moment.  This brings us to the central vision that you will begin to intentionally direct your creative power to transform reality in more desirable ways.
Consciousness is the fabric of the real world – the shaping and molding energy.  As part of Universal Consciousness, each individual’s beliefs create an image of the world.  Where those images overlap we find the life framework generally considered to be reality.  Truth has nothing to do with it.  Predominant beliefs are quite often totally wrong.  What’s the purpose?  Very simply the purpose is the creation of an ever more intricate, beautiful and loving experience for consciousness.  Why is it a challenge?  It is a challenge because each of our points of creative consciousness is out of control.   The other animals and plants on the planet operate in almost totally pre-programmed ways – they don’t make conscious choices about how to live.  We on the other hand can choose to do whatever we want regardless of how foolish or even self destructive it may be.  This is why “society” is so determined to enforce controls.  It believes conformity and control are the only way to protect us from ourselves and each other. 
This is where the ongoing evolution of consciousness and current social conventions come into conflict.  Enlightened consciousness is creating the ever advancing edge of our time space reality where all the action is.  That is where you have found yourself.  The future is yours to shape and this is why it is very important that you turn away from the fear and hate filled stories of the past and present.  There are untold numbers who totally buy into the belief that the only way to “win” is to dominate and control.  They are fully vested in a power structure that they believe represents the way things should be.  The only real power is control over others.  This all comes from a belief that reality is something we have no choice about – we just have to deal with it.  The sad thing is that people will kill and destroy with an absolute belief that they are doing something noble and right.  The real truth is that they are fighting against a future they fear where they no longer will be allowed to dominate the will of others or control them. 
So, why are we calling this a New Year’s Tale?  We are reaching a tipping point.  We are coming to a point where a critical mass of individuals have evolved consciously to a point where they realize they clearly have some ability to shape and control events and circumstances to produce the results they are interested in.  People who realize that all fears are based on a false understanding of how reality works.  People like you, who recognize that your “reality” is not the same as everybody else’s know that personal beliefs shape and control personal reality.  Everyone is free to believe whatever they want.  The message of this New Year is that you will know you now are intentionally designing whatever reality you want for yourself.  To do this you need to place your attention and appreciation on the things you want for the world and turn your back on fear and hate.  You will no longer try and fight the wrongs of the world.  Your growing belief in the power of love and light will heal the wounds and quell the anger.  There will be more frontiers ahead but for now our mission is to bring ever more love and joy to the world through intentionally imaging new improved realities. 
Together let’s make it a Happy New Year and bring lots of Joy to the World!
To get yourself off to a good start, take a few moments to lessen the resistance to your own good  by sitting back in that chair listening to the lightly breaking waves and enjoying the sounds of those sea birds at play.  A little meditation break is ideal to help you restore your balance and personal power.  Here’s a good mantra for you:
Shara Vana Ya (My awareness is aligned with the creative power of the Universe)
By the way, if you don’t meditate it is a very easy and useful tool for better living.  Simply sit in a relaxed quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed.  Close your eyes and take a few slow deep breaths consciously willing your body to relax and let tension go. Then begin repeating “Shara Vana Ya” to yourself (silently) over and over again.  Whenever you realize you have drifted away from saying the mantra to yourself just come back to repeating it in your head again.  Losing the mantra and coming back to it is perfectly natural.  No effort is needed and you can’t do this wrong.  Meditate for 15-20 minutes once or twice a day. Right after you get up in the morning is a perfect time.  You will find it increasingly relaxing and energizing over time.
Again, Happy New Year!  Live long and prosper by sharing your joy and love to the world.