 |
|
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Trust Your Vibes
by Dr. Sonia Choquette, PhD. Internationally Acclaimed Psychic,
Healer & Author
Body Mind & Spirit with John Holland
Internationally Renowned Psychic Medium, Teacher, & Author
Astrologer's Notes:
Ask Carrin Martin,
Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
The Weekly Horoscope
By Care
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
The BUT Doctor
Healing America's Real Crack Problem One Person at a Time
by Eddie Conner
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care & Aeon
Encounters on the Shaman's Path
with Anthropologist
Dr. Hank Wesselman, PhD.
Feng Shui & Chinese Metaphysics:
Inside Chinese Metaphysics
by Barbara Finch,
Feng Shui &
Chinese Astrology
In Practice:
How to Create a Successful Holistic Practice- from Start to Success
by Shaun Brown,
CMT, BA BeWell Publications
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Soulforest:
Tarot and Spirituality
Rachel Pollack,
Tarot Grand Master
Moment to Moment
by Gigi Miner
Author, Tarot Consultant, & Teacher.
Rosengarten's Tarot Of The Nine Paths
by Dr. Art Rosengarten, PhD.
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Opinion-Editorial
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Other
Novel Moments
Interviews:
Watch for Announcements
Healing & Alternative
Health:
Flower Essences
by Donna Cunningham
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Conscious Breathing
for Health and Self Transformation
by Dennis Lewis
Transformational Healing through the Violet Flame!
by Eva Kettles
Herbs for Health
with Kami McBride
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creating Bridges: Spirituality & Philosophy:
The Conscious Column
True Vision
|
|
|
by David Ault |
|
|
The tuk tuk motoring its way along the main road weaves in and out of the scores of others caravaning towards the heart of town. The warm night air blows just hard enough that I must shield my eyes from the sandy wind caressing my face. All around me are offers of “massage” by dust-coated girls whose ages can't be determined, waving and smiling languidly outside makeshift store fronts in hopes of an American dollar or Thai baht. Interspersed are a mixture of questionable eating places, internet cafes and souvenir vendors all guarded by coyote-sized dogs whose wagging tongues celebrate the resting of the setting sun. This is Siem Reap, the second largest city in Cambodia - one of the poorest countries in this part of Asia. And yet, the tremendous social reform in progress along with the new influx of tourists coming here to gaze and wander among the vast ruins of Angor Wat -one of the remaining ancient wonders of the world, speaks of the resilience of this land, this people.
It is unfathomable to me that just some thirty plus years earlier, this country was the scene of one of the most gruesome civilian bloodbaths ever recorded. Prompted by the destructive Communist rule of the Khmer Rouge who saw intelligence not as a virtue, but as a threat, more than two million were executed in just three-and-a-half years out of a population of eight million people. These were predominantly educated citizens, marked as enemies of the state - college students, teachers, doctors, Buddhist monks and scores of children, all singled out as targets. With its citizenry considered nothing more than draft animals, countless Cambodians were separated from their families and forced into inhumane labor camps throughout the countries rice fields, soberingly depicted in the Academy Award winning film, The Killing Fields.
Now, on my simple quest to find a meal, I am challenged not to stare at the speeding earth below, resisting internal immobilization by this thoroughfare’s compelling story.
As I step out of the tuk tuk, an orphaned boy of no more than 7 years of age, balancing himself on well-worn crutches, greets me. I assume the missing leg is the casualty of finding a remaining land mine still hidden amongst some of the more primitive jungle areas. His begging frenzy is laced with a sense of humor, motioning for me to bend down, poking at the center of my chest with his tiny finger. As I look to see what he’s pointing at, he raises his finger, flicking my nose, and setting off an infectious giggle. For his ability to "fool me" I give him 50 baht and watch as he hobbles towards the next American or European who might be strolling down the dusty street. Something in my heart cracks open and I wonder how many of these children there must be.
With 14 others along, I am facilitating another annual trip to various sacred sites. Our visits throughout Thailand have been nothing short of spectacular yet it was this portion of the trip – Cambodia, that I personally anticipated the most.
Guided by conversations from several spiritually intuitive people over a year before, I was told that Cambodia and its children would play an integral part in my life. What that looked like, I did not know. But with unflinching internal urging, I decide to follow up on that guidance and facilitate this Southeast Asia adventure.
Our guide for this portion of our fourteen day journey is Sokhem, a 24 year old native Cambodian, supporting two brothers and a sister on his own while putting himself through University on the wages he makes in the expanding tour guide industry. He is a marvel in Buddhist and Hindu culture and we are all captivated by the detail in which he relays the history of these indescribable temples. Angkor Wat is everything and more that history books and pictures claim it to be and yet it is some of the smaller temples such as Ta Prohn with its magnificent Banyan tree roots woven among stone that leave all in our group speechless with wonder.
But with each hour we are there, I cannot help but feel the pull to explore what the connection to the children might be. What can we do? Even with limited time, I know that there must be some obvious need that we as a group can fulfill.
At the end of our first day, I pull Sokhem aside and tell him what is in my heart.
He immediately speaks of the villagers along the Tonle Sap River just north of the city. The Tonle Sap swells with the rainy season sending everyone along its banks to find higher ground. Once that cycle of nature is over and the waters recede, the villagers return, constructing makeshift huts and shelter in hopes of finding sustenance from the fish that populate the polluted waters. Sokhem tells how the children of these wandering villagers are perhaps the most affected by the countries current inability to provide jobs, food and medical support – many of them malnourished, their bellies swollen and distended from ringworm.
Something in my heart shouts to my mind, “Go!”
The next day I tell the group about the river children and everyone agrees that we must do whatever we can to lend our support during our brief stay. We pool our money and buy out two entire markets worth of food, loading our vans with cases of bananas, noodles, tamarind, milk and other non-perishable items. Sokhem sends a messenger ahead to the matriarch of the village giving her advanced notice of our arrival. She will hopefully contain the children in a common area and prevent a chaotic grabbing frenzy upon our arrival.
The road to the river is filled with enormous potholes and our vans bounce and sway from side to side. We begin to see the rows of makeshift shelters and watch as the villagers point and stare while we make our way into their lives. The smell is somewhat overpowering and the heat only accentuates the pungent stench that lays thick in invisible layers around the banks of the river.
In a flash I am overcome with just how blessed I truly am. It is circumstances like these, the actual traveling and immersion into other cultures, that brings home just how abundant my life - my immediate world really is. The need to accumulate and acquire seems comparatively inappropriate when viewing the sites that are displayed before me.
We stop and Sokhem points to a large group that has gathered in anticipation of our arrival. Scores of children sit in rows, their heads bowed, waiting for whatever it is that the foreigners may have brought them. Slowly we begin to carry the crates of food out of the vans and start handing it to the children. Their eager reaches, contained at first, cannot be suppressed by their obvious hunger. Soon a sea of little tiny dirt-stained hands began grabbing and waving as we pass among them with supplies. Some, in their desperation, take what is given them and hide it between their legs so as to appear over looked, hoping for the chance to claim as much as possible from us.
It is an unprecedented experience. I lock up my own immediate emotion and simply move into action mode.
Hand out.
Scan the crowd.
Make sure each child gets as much as possible.
After close to an hour, we are done. We look at each other and stare reverently at our clothes. Imprinted on all of our t-shirts are countless overlaying tiny handprints caused by their reaching for the food. We all realize what we are wearing – an actual canvas of humanity, depicting the story of our need for one another.
We walk a makeshift plank and board a boat that takes us out on the Tonle Sap.
No longer able to keep my emotions contained, I find a private corner and begin to sob uncontrollably. I realize the enormity of the shift which has occurred within me.
Eyes that look are common. Eyes that see are rare. My heart’s truest desire is to improve my ability to see what is important and begin to make appropriate choices. True vision is one of the secrets of personal transformation. We are all artists - our mind is the arena of creation and vision is what we are constantly creating. I know that my vision of making a difference carries with it the responsibility of action and I now wipe my feet on expansion’s welcome mat and enter into its realm of possibilities.
If you’d like to join me in this vision, please contact me and let me know. Another journey to Thailand and Cambodia will take place during the month of January 2006.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Ault
Visionary Vocalist, Author & Motivational Speaker
|
 |
David Ault is highly regarded as one of the finest visionary vocalists and motivational speakers within the New Thought/transformational movement.
His focus on remembering the Divine within and reclaiming that connection has empowered hundreds of thousands on their spiritual journey. The union of David’s charismatic message and heartfelt singing has elevated him to guest speaker of choice in many nationwide churches and global organizations.
As a licensed minister and practitioner through Religious Science International, as well as author, songwriter/recording artist, David has traveled and shared his gifts for well over fifteen years.
Working closely with notables Louise Hay and Marianne Williamson and sharing the stage with many cherished mentors ranging from the late Og Mandino to Dr. Barbara King, Jerald Jampolsky, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Father Leo Booth and Mary Manin-Morrisey, David harvested that experience and developed his own unique style of teaching. His compassionate presence, warmth and humor continue to be an unforgettable guidepost for audiences as they rediscover and reawaken to their personal magnificence.
Starting out as a professional actor and singer, David worked extensively in Broadway tour shows, film and television winning critics awards in both New York and Los Angeles.
Throughout the 1980’s, David, along with the late Jerry Florence and Keith Kimberlin made their mark in New thought history by helping pioneer an unexplored musical genre—visionary vocal music. Known as Alliance, their remarkable blend became legendary, helping establish them as one of the most successful vocal groups in the Spiritual recording field.
David continues this musical path with the release of his critically acclaimed recordings, The Healing Bridge, Travelin’ With The Angels, All Is Calm, All Is Bright, And Then It Is Morning, all distributed through his Los Angeles based organization, The Conscious Company. Now, his highly anticipated literary debut, Where Regret Cannot Find Me, is heralded as “a fresh and exciting discovery in Spiritual literature ... a work of pure heart!”
“I feel extremely blessed and grateful in following this path”, says David. “It is my ongoing intention to create a message in word and music that assists us all in reawakening to our personal magnificence!”
www.davidault.com
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory!
|
|
|
|
|
