Contents

About the cover

Introduction

1 Jewels in the heart
About: Being present with what's here now | Podcast

What if nothing about us needs to be hidden? This chapter invites us to see ourselves—and others—with honesty and acceptance, recognizing both our strengths and the parts still in progress.

2 A simple test for life
About: Seeking connection versus separation | Podcast

At any moment, we're either creating connection or separation. This chapter offers a simple way to check where we're coming from—and how to realign with our inner light.

3 The Real Self vs the True Self
About: The reality of untruth | Podcast

Not everything inside us is who we truly are. This chapter clarifies the difference between our Higher Self, our Lower Self, and the ego—and why understanding this is essential for real growth.

4 Finding the light switch: My husband, the ego and imposters
About: Using guidance to help each other | Podcast

We can't rely on the ego to guide us—it's easily fooled. This chapter explores how connecting to our inner source helps us recognize truth and avoid being misled.

5 From believing to knowing: The trip of a lifetime
About: Personal experience becomes our proof | Podcast

Belief isn't enough. This chapter shows how real understanding comes from personal experience—and how we move from secondhand ideas to direct inner knowing.

6 Taking the more mystical way home
About: The faster way to heaven within | Podcast

There are many paths, but all point inward. This chapter explores the deeper, more experiential side of spirituality—and the direct path to reconnecting with what's within.

7 Two Martin Luthers, two kinds of faith
About: What salvation really means | Podcast

Faith isn't about what we say we believe—it's about what we actually live. This chapter reframes salvation as an inner process, not a mental concept

8 It's time to grow up: Maturing through stages
About: Moving into a new epoch | Podcast

Humanity is in a stage of transition. This chapter looks at what it means to mature—individually and collectively—and why crisis is often part of that process.

9 After isolation: Approaching the Great Transition
About: Waking up to our true self | Podcast

Our deepest longing is for connection, yet we resist it. This chapter explores the shift from isolation to unity—and why it's both inevitable and challenging.

10 Paying attention: The life-changing process of waking up
About: Sorting out the parts of the self | Podcast

Waking up means shifting which part of us is in charge. This chapter shows how becoming aware of our Higher Self changes everything—and why it requires ongoing attention.

11 Living on the good side of life
About: Aligning our will with God's will | Podcast

Why does life include suffering—and what does "good" actually mean? This chapter reframes the story of the Fall, showing how our choices—not punishment—shape our experience. And how aligning with truth gradually brings us back to the "good side" of life.

12 How inner obstacles let in dark forces
About: The deep impact of childhood wounds | Podcast

Our hidden wounds and distortions aren't harmless—they open the door to more confusion and negativity. This chapter explores how unresolved inner issues quietly shape our experiences and influence what we attract.

13 Closing the gaps in our awareness
About: Becoming aware of our faults | Podcast

If what we want doesn't match what we're getting, there's a gap in awareness. This chapter shows how pride, fear, and self-will keep us stuck—and how seeing them clearly begins to close that gap.

14 What's hiding beneath our stories?
About: Helping others through inner listening | Podcast

The story isn't the problem—it's what's underneath it. This chapter reveals how honest sharing and deep listening help uncover hidden patterns and bring real clarity.

15 Suffering? It's time to search for images
About: Images and their importance | Podcast

Recurring struggles aren't random—they come from unconscious "images" formed long ago. This chapter explains how these hidden beliefs shape our lives and how bringing them into awareness starts to dissolve them.

16 Four hard lessons about immaturity and images
About: How images color life experiences | Podcast

Old emotional patterns don't disappear—they stay active beneath the surface. This chapter shows how immaturity and unconscious images distort our reactions and keep us reliving the past.

17 Why did God make war?
About: The origin of conflict | Podcast

War isn't just out there—it reflects the conflict within us. This chapter connects personal inner struggle with collective conflict, showing how resolving one impacts the other.

18 It's a jungle in there: Hacking our way around a spiritual path
About: The spiral nature of a spiritual path | Podcast

Inner growth isn't linear—it's messy, repetitive, and often confusing. This chapter explains why the path feels like hacking through a jungle, and why that's exactly how real progress happens.

19 What's behind all the resistance?
About: Our reactions to authority | Podcast

Resistance isn't random—it's tied to how we relate to authority, truth, and control. This chapter explores how ego-based thinking keeps us stuck in "me vs. you" and blocks deeper understanding.

20 Feeling lost? Here's how to find yourself
About: Doing the work of healing | Podcast

Feeling lost is really losing connection with your inner light. This chapter offers a practical map for finding your way back by working through the layers that block it.

21 Healing from every angle, in body, mind and spirit
About: Working with all aspects of ourselves | Podcast

Real healing isn't one-dimensional. This chapter shows how mind, body, and emotions are interconnected—and why working with all of them creates deeper, lasting change.

22 The tricky thing about self-responsibility
About: The harm of self-judgment | Podcast

Taking responsibility can easily turn into self-blame—but that only keeps us stuck. This chapter shows how to approach responsibility with curiosity instead of judgment so real change can happen.

23 How to swim with life, by evolving and resolving our splits
About: The origin and outcome of splits | Podcast

Inner conflicts—our "splits"—create friction and confusion. This chapter shows how facing these contradictions allows us to move with life instead of constantly fighting it.

24 Playing the long game
About: Perseverance and trust | Podcast

Growth doesn't happen overnight. This chapter highlights the importance of patience, trust, and persistence in doing deep inner work over time.

25 The key to a happy marriage? Honesty
About: How marriage works | Podcast

Relationships thrive not on perfection, but on honesty. This chapter explores how openness and self-awareness keep connection alive and evolving.

26 The story of our lives: Why look within?
About: The reason for self-examination | Podcast

Our outer life reflects our inner state. This chapter connects personal growth to a larger spiritual story, showing why self-examination is essential for real change.

27 How to heal a country
About: The basis for better governing | Podcast

The state of the world mirrors the state of our inner lives. This chapter shows how personal responsibility and compassion are the real foundation for collective change.

28 Learn to fight the right way, for the right thing
About: The process of improving | Podcast

Not all conflict is bad—but how we engage matters. This chapter explores how to use truth constructively instead of turning it into a weapon.

29 The truer way to freedom
About: How hidden hurts imprison us | Podcast

Freedom isn't just external—it's shaped by our inner world. This chapter shows how hidden wounds and contradictions limit us and how understanding them opens the door to real freedom.

30 Humor can heal, but sometimes it just hurts
About: The many faces of humor | Podcast

Humor reveals what's going on beneath the surface. This chapter explores how laughter can either connect us—or quietly reinforce judgment and separation.

31a Creation springs from swirling starting points
About: How creating happens | Podcast

Everything we experience begins with inner "starting points." This chapter explains how our thoughts, intentions, and beliefs set in motion the life we create.

31b Understanding time and the "now point"
About: Time and our shortcuts to bliss | Podcast

Time is not what it seems—it's a fragmented way of perceiving reality. This chapter explores the "now point" and why shortcuts to bliss never replace real inner work.

31c The way out of misery
About: Three main ways we escape | Podcast

We escape the present in subtle ways—through projection, denial, and distraction. This chapter shows how facing reality directly is the only true path out of suffering.

32 Untangling the twisted threads of friction
About: The tools of the dark forces | Podcast

Conflict creates friction—and friction fuels growth. This chapter shows how confusion builds and how clarity begins when we take responsibility for our part.

33 So, how's your little boat doing?
About: The symbolism of the sea | Podcast

Life moves in rhythms of calm and storm. This final chapter ties everything together, showing how awareness helps us navigate both—and find meaning in the journey.

Appendix A: Five ways to learn about the Fall and the Plan of Salvation
Appendix B: Deep Prayer for healing
Appendix C: Understand these spiritual teachings
Appendix D: Ways to learn more

© 2022 Phoenesse LLC