{"id":834,"date":"2006-10-08T07:37:00","date_gmt":"2006-10-08T07:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/astrologicalmusings\/2006\/10\/stephen-levine-on-awakening.html"},"modified":"2006-10-08T07:37:00","modified_gmt":"2006-10-08T07:37:00","slug":"stephen-levine-on-awakening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/astrologicalmusings\/2006\/10\/stephen-levine-on-awakening.html","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Levine on Awakening"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>As the weather turns colder and we head into the season of Scorpio, we are pulled deeper within, deeper into the Mystery. <\/span><\/p>\n

There always seems to be a bit of discussion about what is the nature of the soul\u2026. Some believe the soul to be eternal; others believe that time itself is impermanent. Eternity can have widely differing definitions depending on the peephole through which we are squinting.<\/p>\n

For some, eternity means paradise with their beloved; for others, eternity is the time it takes and the births that must be taken to be wholly transformed into our indescribable original grace.<\/p>\n

Some say that for a few moments before death we retrieve our soul. It sounded good, but I just couldn\u2019t wait. It is advisable in fact to begin as soon after birth as you remember.<\/p>\n

The definition of soul that seems closest to most people\u2019s deepest experience is that of being \u201cthe witness,\u201d the awareness behind it all, the presence in presence.<\/p>\n

Soul as watcher, the awareness that combines with what is near to produce consciousness.<\/p>\n

To retrieve the soul is to regain consciousness. That is why it is called awakening.<\/p>\n

Awakening is not enlightenment, but is is a prerequisite. It is the breaking of the trance of blindly following conditioning. It is a coming into your own to find out who and what that might be.<\/p>\n

We have literally passed out (or never passed in) and become unconscious. Now we must pass in (get fully born) to reestablish consciousness in the body\/mind.<\/p>\n

We need to coax the light back with mercy and awareness.<\/p>\n

First awareness must reenter the belly \u2013 we must feel our feelings. Then we must become aware we are aware. And gradually we must at least consider forgiveness and kindness toward ourselves and perhaps another. And ultimately we come to love for no reason whatsoever, to love wholly, unreasonably.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the weather turns colder and we head into the season of Scorpio, we are pulled deeper within, deeper into the Mystery. There always seems to be a bit of discussion about what is the nature of the soul\u2026. Some believe the soul to be eternal; others believe that time itself is impermanent. Eternity can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":328,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crime"],"yoast_head":"\nStephen Levine on Awakening - Astrological Musings<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/astrologicalmusings\/2006\/10\/stephen-levine-on-awakening.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stephen Levine on Awakening - Astrological Musings\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As the weather turns colder and we head into the season of Scorpio, we are pulled deeper within, deeper into the Mystery. 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