BRYAN EDEN

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DEAR FRIENDS-  We are currently in an era where our thoughts and mind are regarded- even worshipped- as the key to life and the cutting edge of spiritual enlightenment.
But perhaps you have observed as I have that those who make a God of the mind are no more beyond their emotional difficulties, capable of loving and being loved, sexually free and satisfied or filled with life and happiness than other people. Our thoughts and minds are indeed powerful and we benefit from working with them. But they are as far from the core of our being- the true source of happiness and joy, love and aliveness- as the ocean's surface is from its bottomless depths.
For this reason I believe that the future of spirituality will be taking a very different direction. To awaken the love and happiness we long for, to claim our birthright of sexual joy and sensual fulfillment, to resolve our emotional conflicts and awaken lasting inner peace the future of spirituality will be about thoroughly and ecstatically re-connecting with OUR BODIES!
Everything you love and long for; all the strengths, talents, wisdom and aliveness inside you; everything that makes life satisfying and fulfilling, is more amplified and available to you the more grounded and connected you are to your body.
Centuries of seeing this world and our own bodies as traps to be escaped, as matter to be dominated by mind, as sinfully separated from Paradise, as illusions to be transcended, will be healed through celebrating all that is beautiful and miraculous about ourselves and our physical existence. Can we hold the Earth as sacred, or Life itself as divine, without revering our own bodies which are in reality the fusion of matter and spirit, Earth and Life-force?
Just as stars are matter and energy, fused as one and radiating their forces into the Universe around them- so are our bodies. So are we!
But what our star-bodies shine forth- the "vibration" we send out- is who and what we are. And when we are free of fear and conflict what we radiate most of all- is love!
Because our emotions are the strongest currents of life-energy flowing through our organism, connecting to and healing our feelings (including our sexuality) is destined to play a greater and greater role in the spiritual quest. It will be recognized that YOU CANNOT BE FULLY IN YOUR BODY WITHOUT BEING COMPLETELY CONNECTED TO YOUR FEELINGS- INCLUDING YOUR LOVE AND SEXUALITY. The "great emotional cleansing" that I have personally lived and described in these blogs will become as central to the spiritual journey as prayer and meditation have been in the past. A body that is free of stored-up emotional stress glows with the happiness and pleasure of simply being- and being alive!
For this reason the spiritual guides of the future will be skilled in both meditative/yogic methods and working psychotherapeutically to recognize the painful emotions we carry and how to release them.  The false and alienating distinction between the realms of spiritual awakening, mental and emotional healing and corporeal liberation will be forever erased. Because in reality they are seamlessly unified in the Whole Self.
As humanity's happiness grows- by awakening from centuries of guilt and shame, self-doubt and body-alienation- a new vision will emerge to guide us back to ourselves. It will be a path of joyful embodiment! We will begin to feel in our flesh and our senses that  we need much more than beautiful thoughts about the spirit- its hope, faith, love, joy, peace, compassion, grace, awareness. We need to FREE OUR BODIES TO COME ALIVE AND LIVE THE SPIRIT in how we move, and breathe, and feel, and express ourselves- moment-to-moment and day-to-day.
Our bodies- ourselves- were born for happiness, for pleasure, for love. Through the power of Self-Love- unconditionally trusting who and what we are-  we can and will re-unite with our bodies. And in doing so come home to ourselves and the Garden of Eden- the natural joy of being alive- we left so long ago. LOTS OF LOVE- BRYAN