The Simple Truth - Steve Taylor's February Newsletter

Published: Thu, 02/17/22

Steve Taylor's February Newsletter

Dear

I hope all is well with you. This month has been very quiet, so this newsletter will be quite sparse. I’ve just returned from a short trip to the countryside, staying in a tiny village surrounded by hills. One evening I went for a walk at night and had a powerful experience looking at the outline of the dark hills against the sky. I had a strong feeling that the hills were alive, that they had their own kind of sentience and being. I felt the same about the sky. In fact, this is a feeling I often have when I’m walking in nature, but this time it struck me that the whole Earth is a sentient being.

Is it possible that the Earth has its own kind of consciousness? Perhaps the Earth’s consciousness is linked to all living beings on the planet, in the same that our individual consciousness is linked to the cells of our brain and body. Perhaps we’re simply participants in the overall consciousness of the Earth, in a similar way that the cells in our body participate in our overall bodies. Most of the time we live under the delusion that we’re separate, independent entities, but we’re interconnected parts of the whole.

I feel that consciousness is everywhere in the universe, that is pervades the whole of space. But it could be that the Earth is a powerful centre of consciousness in the whole universe, in the same way that our brains are powerful centres of consciousness, even though consciousness pervades our whole bodies too.

Online Workshop

This weekend, on Sat.19th February, I’m holding an online workshop based on my new book Extraordinary Awakenings, organized through East/West books. I'll be leading exercises, meditations and discussions, and reading some spiritual reflections/poems. We'll be exploring acceptance, how to dissolve our psychological attachments, and how to 'make friends' with death. (There is a recording available if you can't make the actual date.) More information, or for booking here

Online Conference on Childhood Trauma

I’m also speaking at on online conference called 'Overcoming Childhood Trauma.' It's a 7 day event, beginning on Feb 23d, with over 30 therapists, trauma experts, doctors and authors. It's organised by the AVAIYA university and is free to attend. Further information here

New Articles

I've written a new article for my Psychology Today. on after-death communications and their transformational effects. I show that they can't all be explained in terms of self-deception or hallucinations. They suggest that consciousness may continue after the death of the physical body. You can read it here

Social Media Reminder

Just a reminder that I have an Instagram account now, where I upload new poems, and short quotes. You can view it here

I’m also on twitter here

And on Facebook at Steve Taylor Author here

New Poem

Since I’ve finished writing my new book I’ve gone a bit crazy writing poems – I’ve written about 10 in the past two weeks. Of all the different types of writing I do, poetry feels most authentic. One day I'll give everything else up and become a full-time poet! Here is one of my new ones:

The Simple Truth

Life is easier than you think.
You don’t have to prove that you’re worthy of love.
You don’t have to suffer to show that you’re strong.
You don’t need strategies to find happiness
as if you’re fighting a major battle.

Life is simpler than you think.
You don’t need an incisive intellect
to decipher hidden patterns of meaning
to cut through layers of complexity
and arrive at the core of truth.

There are fewer problems than you think.
You don’t need to anxiously await the future
or return to the pain of the past.
You don’t have to work through your issues, one by one,
to clear some space for contentment.

There is less urgency than you think.
There’s no need to justify your birth
by filling every day with accomplishments
by setting goals and rushing to reach them
like a footballer who has to justify his selection

So why think at all?
Why let your mind stand between you and reality
like a bad interpreter, who distorts every meaning?

Happiness is your birthright, not a hard-won prize.
Truth lies in experience, not in thoughts and concepts.
Time isn’t running away from you –
it stretches all around you, wide open like space.

So bypass your mind – go straight to the source.
Open your awareness to the simple truth
of the isness and nowness of life.

All best wishes and blessings, Steve