A New Earth...

"To awaken within the dream is our purpose now.  When we are awake within the dream,  the ego-created earth earth-drama comes to an end and a more benign and wondrous dream arises.  This is the new earth."
--Eckhart Tolle, author and spiritual teacher


Eckhart Tolle has been one of my spiritual teachers,  and I resonate with his description of a new earth arising.
My personal spiritual odyssey has carried me around the world,  and has propelled me into my new collaboration with Dr Ram Sharma of Meerut, India.  Our work on World Peace Joint Mission is exciting and exhilarating,  as well as part of the new earth Eckhart Tolle describes.

OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI

Rise up like a mighty oak today.. let your presence shine...

Rise up like a mighty oak today... let your presence shine.

-- Dr. Carolyn D. Heising, Ames, Iowa, USA

the place of my wildest dreams... life could not soar higher than that...

HALF WAY LIFE
A POEM BY DR. RAM SHARMA , MEERUT, INDIA
This life
Half sweet, half sour
Sometimes soars high
Sometimes low without glow
Sometimes fragrance of laughter
Sometimes sighs and cries
Sometimes restless waiting
Sometimes musical meeting

Yes, sometimes life seems to soar high.... as when literally I was at 12,000 feet in the incredible majestic and imperial Himalayas.... absolutely breathtaking.... at a place I could only describe as Shangri-la of western myth..... Sri Badrinath Vishnaiva temple... in Uttarakhand, India... Land of Shiva... and my home of homes... my spiritual home... the place of my wildest dreams...

life could not soar higher than that...

namaskar friends<3 

Change is the way of life... do not fear it...

CHANGE
by Brent Lenhard, Redondo Beach, California USA
(my sister Rebecca Lenhard's eldest son and my nephew)

Change is the way of life
Do not fear it
But,
Do not take it wholeheartedly.
Change can bring sorrow,
But,
Do not dwell on this sorrow,
For it will only destroy you.
Nature changes every season.
Does it grieve for the old Bluebirds that die?
No, but, listen to these words, child,
We are part of Nature,
Every one of us.
So, do not despair for the old Bluebird who
has died,
Celebrate his long life.
Remember these words, child,
We are all part of nature.

This poem was written by my nephew Brent Lenhard a few years ago... around the time of my father's passing in March of 2006... Brent was only about 13 years old when he wrote it.. now he is an aspiring literature student who will go to college after he graduates highschool in June 2012.  I believe this poem shows that he is what is called an "old soul",  and that he will be successful as a spiritual writer in due time.

YOU RAISE ME UP .....

You...... raise..... me..... up..................

the formless... the essence... consciousness...

When life takes away the forms that you thought were the foundation of your life, what's left? The life that needs no foundation—that is the foundation. The formless. The essence.-- Eckhart Tolle

Relationships are not here to make you happy-- they are here to make you conscious. -- Eckhart Tolle

 

Eckhart Tolle has long been one of my favorite spiritual teachers.  I began to read his books about ten years ago when they were first being published (THE POWER OF NOW) and the later best seller (A NEW EARTH)... along with his many video recordings.  Finally,  I was blessed to attend one of his live teachings at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in October 2007, along with my sister Rebecca Lenhard of Redondo Beach.  That was a high point in my spiritual journey in fact.  Being in Eckhart's presence was indeed like the darshan I had received in the presence of Hindu saints and satgurus, as well as saints of other religions, such as the Dalai Lama.  There is a certain "vibration", or spiritual energy, or "aura", that emanates from a true master,  and that energy is there in the presence of Eckhart.  

Eckhart's teachings borrow from many traditions,  but I feel the influence of the East throughout his many works.  He has taught me to live in the present moment, the eternal Now. 

Places that call my soul...

The first place that calls my soul... is where I am living now... Ames, Iowa... the university town where I have been living for the past these many years.... of course,  to educate students has been my calling for some time now...

but I am now looking forward to the "retirement" phase of my life.. and in Vedic culture,  that is the time where one retires fully into the forest and beyond the age of 75,  becomes completely engrossed in spirit as a sunnyasi...

now the three places that are calling me home so to speak for this phase of life include,  and not in any particular order..

Rishikesh, India.... Encinitas, California..... Vedic City,  Iowa......

these three places have a pull on my soul....

for travel of course,  Tapanga Canyon, LA, California (where my older son Michael lives) and  Burlington, Vermont  (where my younger son Peter lives now) are all on the horizon..  as is all of India... especially throughout the incredible state of Uttarakhand... not to mention Orlando, Florida and Cabo, Mexico.. exciting timeshare destinations...

and I did resonate well with Sedona, Arizona when I visited there... incredible Red Rock country replete with strange energy vortices sacred to the native peoples of the area...

and so the whole world does beckon me...  for if I was really free to do so... I would visit everywhere on this planet..

namaskar friends

Himalayan sojourn...

My third trip to India, June 20- July 19 2011, was one that took me deep into the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand.  I traveled to Sri Badrinath temple,  dedicated to Lord Vishnu, central to the Hindu trinity.  I was accompanied by Dr. Ram Sharma of Meerut, India who is my academic collaborator on our projects related to global warming study of the Himalayas and the effect on rivers, such as the Ganges (Maa Ganga), sacred to many. 

My journey involved both inner and outer dimensions... for I took time not only to soak in the grandeur of the Himalayan mountains,  but also the inner meditative state as I delved ever deeper into self realization.

My soul (Atman) resides in India...

LOVE IS
BY DR. RAM SHARMA , MEERUT , INDIA
Love is,
a folded page,
of a book,
...dried rose,
in the book,
discarded ,
invitation cards,
dim memories,
dialogue of eyes,
unfinished line,
of a song,
lines,
in the palm

My soul (Atman)  resides in India... a land that is mystical.. magical... absolutely breathtaking... ancient... full of profound wisdom... at once a giant temple of all religions... home of the profound and transcendental wisdom of Sanatana Dharma... eternal... forever... mesmerizing.... words cannot capture what is meant for the soul only.. Atman... -- Dr Carolyn Heising, Ames, Iowa USA  (5/29/11)

Rishikesh... my spiritual home...

O ! GOD : MY LOVER
BY DR. RAM SHARMA
Meerut, India

Opening of the petals
Of lotus 
Aura of spiritual radiating beauty 
......Chanting , meditation everywhere 
Mesmerizing me
Jingling of bells , blowing of conchshells
Dancing zigzag waves of Ganges 
Amidst it white marble statue of Lord Shiva
Attracts me at Rishikesh 
I am drawn to you
My GOD, My lover

Dr Ram Sharma brought me to Rishikesh, India in December 2010 when I was visiting India to attend conferences, and we delivered many talks regarding our world peace mission at several colleges and universities throughout the greater Delhi area.  The significance to me of the Shiva murti and the beautiful Ganges is beautifully summarized in the poem he has written.  It is a deep expression of my inner most spiritual longings,  and clearly, Rishikesh is my spiritual home as a practicing yogini.

India.. Maa Bharata... my spiritual home...

During 2010,  I had the great privilege to travel to India... Maa Bharata.. my spiritual home... not once,  but twice !  This was a very auspicious year for me.... 

Fast forward to 2011.... to global awakening... friends..

Fast forward my life's movie film... like a DVD in a player.... flashing on the big screen in a movie theatre... very Hollywood... very Bollywood.... very transcendental.... because it is all MAYA...  about as real as the flashing movies you see everyday....

yet something really fascinating is happening on this planet... I can FEEL it.... welcome to the global awakening friends...

NAMASTE

Life is a beach... growing up in San Diego...

We always used to say that "Life is a beach"  when I was growing up in San Diego..... ahh.. yes... Pacific Beach... La Jolla.... Blacks Beach... Swami's..... and that's where it all began... on that beach named after Yoganandaji....for I discovered his hermitage and meditation gardens right above those steep cliffs....

Wandering the world... in search of meaning...

The world is a vast place... and I have traveled widely over many, many years... to Europe,  to Africa,  to the former Soviet Union-- now Russia and the Ukraine--  to Asia, including most recently India.. my spiritual home... to Australia... to Mexico.... and to Canada... to all 50 states.....

Yet... the inner world is far vaster....

namaste friends<3 <3 <3

the soul craves unification with Spirit...

The soul craves unification with Spirit... with the  All.... and in India... my spiritual home... I found much bliss...  but my journey began years ago... in sunny southern California.... along the pacific coast.... in the meditation gardens of Paramahansa Yogananda... my guru...

Walking hand in hand with Destiny...

This year is 2011.... as I begin this new blog... of my own personal experiences in spiritual awakening... the  Grand Odyssey....  namaste friends<3 <3 <3

Welcome to Spiritual Odyssey...

Welcome to my blog on my personal Spiritual Odyssey....   Dr. Carolyn D. Heising.... Ames, Iowa. USA (professor of engineering at Iowa State University)... Encinitas (North San Diego County), Californa USA (hometown)...Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India (spiritual hometown)...