When You Look In the Mirror Do You Like What You See? by John Cali and Spirit

Bernardo_Strozzi_-_Old_Woman_at_the_Mirror_-_WGA21912Old Woman at the Mirror by Bernardo Strozzi

There’s a worldwide epidemic devastating our planet today—self-hatred. Over the years in my work and personal life, I’ve seen the effects of this epidemic—it ain’t pretty.

Most of us, including me, have at one time or another been unable to look in the mirror and like what we see, let alone love it. That’s pretty sad.

Here’s Spirit.

Spirit

We do not tell you anything you do not already know, in some part of your awareness.Read more

Beyond the River by Hans Brockhuis

Rainbow_over_the_Flooded_River_Adur_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1600175Image copyright ©2009 by Simon Carey

You are walking through a forest. Sometimes it is hot; sometimes it’s cold. Your feet are bare and the ground is occasionally uneven. Stones lie on your path and now and again the trail seems to vanish. Yet there are also moments along the path that everything seems fine and well; then the trail is mossy with flowers here and there, and you can hear the birds singing their wonderful songs.

You carry a backpack.Read more

How Much Protection Do You Really Need? by John Cali and Spirit

Angel_protectorAngel Protector Copyright © 2012 by Astrid Torres

I remember many years ago, when I first started on this spiritual path, some teachers advised to always protect ourselves when we talked to Spirit. The idea was that “evil” entities could attack us, even taking over our bodies and minds.

The Roman Catholic Church, who obviously believe in evil spirits, even have a procedure for removing them—it’s called exorcism.

I was never comfortable with the idea of needing protection. In fact, I never used any when I was channelling—I still don’t today.Read more

Why Aren’t We Winning Any Wars? by John Cali and Spirit

Tombstones_at_Arlington_National_Cemetery,_July_2006United States military cemetery at Arlington, Virginia, USA

In today’s world we seem to have a war on everything we consider undesirable.

We have a war on poverty, a war on drugs, a war on ignorance, a war on crime, a war on disease—not to mention the wars we wage against countries and people we disagree with.

What often strikes me most is the war on disease. I read a lot of obituaries—not out of any morbid sense of curiosity, but just an interest in knowing who’s moved on to their next adventure.Read more

Life Is Beautiful, Love Is Beautiful by John Cali and Spirit

Crematorium_Terezin_cemeteryCrematorium and graveyard at Terezin concentration camp

Last Sunday one of my all-time favorite people died. Alice Herz-Sommer was 110 years old.

Alice survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camp at Terezin. Even though her husband and many family and friends died there, she came away physically and emotionally unharmed. It’s pretty hard to believe, but Alice bore no hatred or resentment toward Nazi Germany.

She loved music and it’s part of the reason she walked away from Terezin virtually unscathed.Read more

13 Ways Your Cat Can Help You Create a Happier Life With Effortless Ease by John Cali and Spirit

CatImage copyright © 2006 by Genesis

I’ve always thought of cats as connoisseurs of comfort—great role models for us humans! They seem to do everything with effortless ease, especially sleeping. 🙂

Here are some of Spirit’s and my thoughts about the lessons cats can teach us:

  • Be your own person—learn not to care what others think of you.
  • Rise to your challenges. If you don’t catch that mouse or bird, know you will the next time.
  • Relax—treat yourself to comfort whenever you can.
Read more

Everything Always Works Out For Me: Sequel by John Cali and Spirit

Light at end of tunnelImage copyright © 2009 by Dave Bevis

I’m still travelling, and so this post is another brief one. They’re all likely to be short till I return home again.

As I’d mentioned in an earlier article, my son and his family are in Kiev in Ukraine. If you’ve seen much recent news, you know the situation there is explosive, to say the least.

His mother and I are understandably concerned with our son’s safety—also with the safety of his family and everyone else involved in this situation.Read more

If God Told You To Jump Out of an Airplane, Would You? by John Cali and Spirit

Freefall parachute Training for Navy SEALSImage by Keith DeVinney, US Navy

I’m going to be travelling over the next few weeks. So this post is a brief one.

About a year and a half ago we wrote a post about Mack Wolford, a Pentecostal minister in West Virginia. Pastor Wolford believed Christians should handle poisonous snakes as a test of their faith. And if they were bitten, as he was several times, their faith should save them from death.

In his last service, the day after his 44th birthday, Pastor Wolford was bitten by a timber rattlesnake, refused medical treatment, and died a painful death that night.… Read more

Are We Coming To the End of the World? by John Cali and Spirit

'The_Lighthouse_at_the_End_of_the_World'_by_George_Roux_04Illustration by George Roux
From Jules Verne’s The Lighthouse at the End of the World

I received the following letter from one of our readers. With her permission, I’m including it here. Following her letter is our response.

***************************************************************

Do you believe we are in the times or at least within 30-40 years of the Antichrist? Or do you think that Revelations was made up to put fear in people and so now it’s being followed?

I’m a Pisces and the energy is very weird since the new year began.Read more

Do You Know How Powerful Your Words and Thoughts Are? by John Cali and Spirit

Mother_Teresa_1985_croppedKind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are truly endless. ~ Mother Teresa

Are you aware of how powerful and life-changing your thoughts and words can be? I am not always—so I can use occasional reminders.

Our words and thoughts carry their own unique energies and vibrations.

Here are some thoughts and words from Spirit, in no particular order.

  • Where you put your attention or focus is where you are—and what you are focused upon will be affected, positively or negatively.
Read more

Letting Go of “Love Lane” by Pat Ruppel

Pat Fall colors in the Rockies 2013 (5) compressedPhoto © 2013 by Pat Ruppel

I notice the more I write ― the more is released. There are parts of me I’ve tucked away long ago that bubble up and can no longer push down.

In writing, I get the chance to let it go, when I commit to what has shown up. It certainly was the case, when I wrote this story, “Love Lane.”

In a world where privacy is guarded and sharing anything personal is highly discouraged, I don’t know why I write about my life and put it out for everyone to see.Read more

How Do You Know If You Are Making A Positive Difference In People’s Lives? by John Cali and Spirit

Albert_Schweitzer_1952Albert Schweitzer, M.D.
Image credits:
Nobel Foundation

Have you ever wondered if you were actually making a difference in the world? I certainly have asked myself that question, many times. Most of us will never achieve the level of world service that Albert Schweitzer, and others like him, did. But that does not mean we should do nothing.

When I first started on this spiritual path many years ago I had two goals. First, I wanted to create the life of my dreams; and second, I wanted to help others create the lives of their dreams.Read more

The Angel by Hans Brockhuis

AlonsoMdeTovar5Image by Alonso Miguel de Tovar

Today I would like to talk about a happy vacation in the snow of the French Alps, several years ago, together with our eldest daughter, her husband and children, and a friend of the family.

Do I have to tell you in that respect about the caring of our then two little grandchildren, which was awesome in itself? No I do not. We became aware once more how lucky my wife and I are to be the grandparents of these grand little people who find themselves at the beginning of their paths on this Earth of the beloved Mother.… Read more

Pete Seeger 1919—2014 by John Cali and Spirit

Pete_Seeger_at_Newport_Folk_Festival_2009Pete Seeger at 2009 Newport Folk Festival
Image credits:
William Wallace

Pete Seeger is one of my all-time favorite singers and heroes.

After his death two days ago, his grandson Kitama Cahill-Jackson said this:
“He was a second father to me, he was a friend, he was a best friend. He was just this wonderful, genuine person.”

I think those words accurately reflect what many of us felt about Pete, even those of us who did not know him personally. He was a powerful role model and inspiration, especially for so many in my generation.Read more

Everything Always Works Out For Me by John Cali and Spirit

Chaparral_Supercell_2Approaching Storm
Image by Greg Lundeen, National Weather Service

Our title this week is the affirmation I have taped above my desk. It’s also the affirmation I say to myself every morning when I wake up.

The daily results of using this affirmation almost always amaze me. Many days I feel I’m living in a dream world, but a real dream world.

That rosy perspective was severely challenged this week when I found a storm looming on my horizon. Let me explain.Read more

Do We Need To Overcome Adversity or Just Go Along For the Ride? by John Cali and Spirit

Pair_of_lemons-croppedImage credit: Dante Alighieri

We’ve all heard that saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Well, my good friend, Dan Poynter of Para Publishing, recently demonstrated how to do just that, in a most impressive way.

Last summer Dan was diagnosed with Chromosome Trisomy 19, a rare and potentially life-threatening blood disorder. His doctor decided he needed a stem cell transplant. Although this disorder is not cancer, its treatment is similar to certain cancer treatments.

Now Dan is a very busy guy, as you can see from his website.Read more

Dark Energy and Life’s Other Challenges by John Cali and Spirit

NGC_3021_HubbleDark Energy
Image by NASA

A few days ago I spent several long hours in the hospital. Not because there was anything wrong with me. I just had go for a yearly eye exam, and my doctor’s office is in a hospital.

I had to wait for the results of the various eye tests they did. (Everything was fine.) While I was waiting I could not help but overhear the other folks also waiting there. Virtually all of them were talking about everything that’s “wrong” with their bodies.Read more

11 Reasons You Don’t Love Yourself and What You Can Do About It by John Cali and Spirit

Constance_Talmadge_by_Lumiere,_1921

What do you see when you look at yourself in a mirror? What do you feel?

For many years I did not like the guy I saw in the mirror every morning. He was never good enough. Sound familiar?

I’m convinced virtually every problem we have is rooted in a lack of self-love. And we humans are ingenious at inventing reasons why we cannot love ourselves. You’re probably familiar with the long litany. For example:

  • I’m too fat.
  • I’m too skinny.
Read more

Angels, Demons, and Pope Francis by John Cali and Spirit

Luca_Giordano_-_The_Fall_of_the_Rebel_Angels_-_WGA9019Artist: Luca Giordano, 1632—1705

As some of you know, I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, and spent many years in Catholic schools. I graduated from a Jesuit college.

I loved the Jesuits because back then, when the church was still entrenched in the Middle Ages (it seemed to me), they were the vanguard, the forward thinkers.

Nonetheless, the Jesuits still taught traditional theology and philosophy. But they added an exciting new perspective, in contrast to everything I’d been taught before.Read more

Golden Gate in the Heavens by Hans Brockhuis

 

Just moments ago it was raining heavily. The heavens still looked a bit grey, were full of ozone though, and smelled fresh, elated and loaded with expectation.

Askew above me an oval shining golden spot in the veil of clouds attracted my eye. To my surprise and with an elegant swing I unexpectedly rose up from the earth and seemed to travel in the direction of the golden gate in the heavens.

An unseen force took me and I wondered what to expect.Read more

Seth and Jane Roberts by John Cali and Spirit

seth-jane-roberts-channelingSeth and Jane Roberts
Copyright
© Seth Learning Center

I’ve been a fan of Jane Roberts, her husband Rob Butts, their Seth books—and Seth himself—over half my life. I count Jane and Seth among my most important spiritual teachers.

Some of you probably know who Tam Mossman is. Tam and I became friends many years ago. That was around the time he was the Prentice-Hall Publishing Company’s editor for Jane Roberts’ Seth books. He continued in that role many years.

The other day I received the following email from Tam.Read more

Life, Depression, and Happiness by John Cali

 

Happy_child_finds_joyHappy Child, by Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

In our last post, After You Read This You’ll Never Need To Make Another New Year Resolution Again, I mentioned I no longer regularly make new year resolutions—though I did make one for 2014. You can read the post for more details.

And in 2013 I made another resolution, though not at the new year. Let me explain.

Many of the folks I work with, and also some of those among my family and friends suffer from depression.Read more

After You Read This You’ll Never Need To Make Another New Year Resolution Again by John Cali and Spirit

NewYearsResolution1915FirstPostcard

I pretty much gave up making new year resolutions years ago. But I’m making an exception for 2014. This year I’m resolving, simply, to love myself as I’ve never loved me before.

Here are some of my Spirit’s and my random thoughts on how we can all do just that.

  • The past is over. The future does not exist. Be here now—it’s all you have.
  • The only reason to look back at the past is to help you appreciate how far you have come.
Read more

Crossing the Rainbow Bridge by John Cali

MegggieCopyright © 2013 by Barbara Clark

Yesterday morning another one of our furry family crossed over to the far side of the Rainbow Bridge—that place where we will all meet again some day.

Here are some of Spirit’s comforting words to soothe us in those times when our loved ones cross over:

  • Your “dead” animals often return to visit you. (As do your human loved ones.)
  • They often have a desire, from beyond the grave, to help you and to continue loving you.
Read more

Christmas Truces and Other Ironies of War by John Cali

B-17F

Messerschmitt_Bf_109B-2_in_flight_c1938

 

US B17 Bomber  (left) and German BF109 Fighter (right)

As a former commercial pilot, I had lots of exciting adventures (and a few brushes with death)—some of which I’ve talked about in these posts over the years.

But I never had an experience like that of Lieutenants Charlie Brown and Fritz Stigler, both World War 2 pilots. They met on December 20, 1943, 5 days before Christmas, in skies over Germany.

Charlie was a US bomber pilot returning to England after an attack on Germany.Read more