Part 3: Soul's Expansion

Photo taken at Harmony Arts Festival 2011, West Vancouver, BC

In the book The Valkyries, Paulo's wife, Chris, was instructed to look at the horizon by her husband's guide: “...the things that surround you change you - in the same way that you change them.” (p. 28) Paulo later briefed her on this: “...A magus, though, always looks much further. We expand that ‘magical space’ and try to control a great many more things. They call it ‘looking at the horizon.’’” (p. 33)

Then Chris goes on to say, “Before, I looked in the distance, and things in the distance seemed really far, you know? They seemed not to be a part of my world. Because I was used to looking only at things that were close, the things around me. But, two days ago, I got used to looking into the distance. And I saw that besides tables, chairs, and objects, my world also included the mountains, clouds, the sky. And my soul – my soul seems to have eyes that it uses to touch those things.” (p. 38)

Paulo was very impressed with her poetic expression and then she repeated, “My soul seems to have grown.” (p. 38) to which he responded in part, “...we’re always looking at the things that are closest to us. Looking down and inward. So our power diminishes, and using your term, our soul shrinks. Because our soul includes nothing but ourselves. It doesn’t include oceans, mountains, other people; it doesn’t even include the walls of the houses where we live.” (p. 38)

I love the way both Chris and Paulo expressed this. And how true! When I am self-absorbed I stay in my own little world, but when I focus outside myself, my world expands, automatically.

In reference to his wife’s comments, “Paulo liked the expression, 'My soul has grown.'" "...he would have heard much more complicated explanations, such as 'My consciousness expanded.' But the term his wife had used was more exact.” (p. 38)

Have you ever felt like your soul expanded? If so, when?

For example, my soul expanded when I had a spiritual awakening. I’ll write about that one day, maybe on the 20th anniversary (December 30, 2012)! Can you wait that long? Can I? Do we need to have our soul expand in order to be patient? ; )

Part 2: Soul's Expansion



Panoramic Sunset (photo courtesy of Roberto Kaplan)

In my last blog posting, I referred to my soul’s expansion. You can read in more detail, but the excerpt was “What hit me intuitively was ‘expansiveness’ or ‘expansion.’ This described the panoramic landscape lens that I could see with, the ocean and sky in particular. This new perspective seemed to be(come) my new way of viewing (the world), at least while on holiday in Roberts Creek. It also referred to my heart. For somehow this vastness contributed to the expansion of my heart.” (Read in my previous post, September 12th, how this impacted me when I returned home from my trip.)

Is this what Paulo Coelho’s wife, Chris, experienced in the Mojave Desert?: “It seems as if ... I don’t know ... I can’t explain it ... as if my soul has grown.” (The Valkyries, p. 37)

This was her comment when she experienced her soul expanding when she kept her eyes fixated on the horizon whenever she could. (And yes, I concur with Chris that it is hard to explain. You need the experience in order to understand it, as with most or all spiritual experiences.)

I, too, had looked at the horizon a lot for the breadth of it, i.e., its expansiveness, partly because that’s what was in frontal view from the main floor stepping down towards the beach, and also as I was scanning for wildlife, mainly eagles. Additionally I was exercising my eyes. For all these purposes did I scan the horizon, both sea and sky, back and forth, and up and down.

I believe that my experience of my heart’s/soul’s expansion was attributed to the openness, the vast openness of the wide outdoors. I can’t help but think it can’t help but do that!

To be continued...

Soul's Expansion

Photo courtesy of Roberto Kaplan, taken at Roberts Creek, BC

Interesting, as I discovered that I ate much less including sweets (hardly!) during my first week of vacation at Roberts Creek in mid-July. Would you like to know why? Are you sure? Are you ready for the answer? It may shock and surprise you, or not.

It was this: it was simply due to the fact that I felt fulfilled. That’s right. Full-filled or filled full or fully filled. My soul and thus my body felt satiated, complete, full of life and goodness, AND sweetness! It actually made me wonder about breatharians.

It wasn’t till towards the end of that week that I started craving sweets because I felt I was missing, or rather missed out on what life had to offer. At least in terms of Roberts Creek: the ocean, natural life including not only natural surroundings of wood, but eagles, herons, smooth rocks, shells, and the like. Basically tranquility and peace.

What hit me intuitively was ‘expansiveness’ or ‘expansion.’ This described the panoramic landscape lens that I could see with, the ocean and sky in particular. This new perspective seemed to be(come) my new way of viewing (the world), at least while on holiday in Roberts Creek.

It also referred to my heart. For somehow this vastness contributed to the expansion of my heart. This, in addition to being in nature and, more importantly, in the process work with Roberto Kaplan (www.beyond2020vision.com and http://www.eyecode.info/).

I know he was instrumental to my heart’s and thus my soul’s expansion. His work is very deep and I sensed there were more layers. Aren’t there always, at least in the healing process? I say soul (as in soul’s expansion) because it felt like a shift, a major shift in my being, and as a result my thinking, my way of thinking.

It felt this way to me because when I returned home, it seemed that my world collapsed. What I mean by this is that the backyard where I live as well as my suite seemed to shrink or close in around me. It felt somewhat claustrophobic which is why, rather than unpack immediately (as I normally would), I took a stroll through part of one of several nature trails close by.

I did this for about 1-1/2 hours before dusk until my soul (felt) settled and I felt calmer inside, not so grief-stricken. It was a weird experience for me, but I’m grateful for it.

Grateful for it made me realize in part that I needed to move. In order to further open up my world so-to-speak and perhaps my consciousness and way of seeing. After all, I remember that the word ‘expansion’ came to me intuitively when I first decided to move to the North Shore, a move I thought I would never undertake: too far away from work and my social/community activities, and it rains more there than Vancouver.

However, I have come to know deep within me that North Vancouver is the place that is closest to my heart. I have an affinity for mountains and trees in particular, and water too all stemming from my European background.

Furthermore, the energy is different. I can feel it going through Stanley Park and especially along the Lions Gate Bridge that takes commuters to the North Shore. It’s not hustle bustle-busy like the city of Vancouver is. It’s still a city but more laid-back, more peaceful and quiet.  Though I still seem to be hustling and bustling!  ; )  Could it be that I need to slow down so my soul will expand even more?