There is a new world of possibility that we gain access to when we change how we understand relationships and communication. This shift in perspective illuminates the world differently so that we begin to see …
J Brown Interviews Jeff Carreira for his podcast ‘J. Brown Yoga Talks’
Jeff Carreira talks with J about the process of awakening into deeper awareness of our spiritual existence.
I, Kosmos – Chapter One
The following is the first chapter from my latest novel, I, Kosmos, published by Emergence Education. ~ The best place to start explaining the next weird chapter of my wonderful and often bizarre spiritual life …
What To Do When Your Mind Wanders in Meditation
QUESTION: What do we do when our minds wander during meditation? Should I keep bringing my attention back to the breath and reconnecting with what is happening now? ~ ANSWER: That can be a very …
Towards Democracy Introduction
The following introduction by Jeff Carreira is published in the recently released edition of Towards Democracy by Edward Carpenter, published by Emergence Education. ~ You have in your hand a spiritual gem, an extended cry …
Are You Finished or Are You Still Trying?
When we meditate we often find ourselves working hard and doing our very best to follow the simple instruction of sitting and consciously choosing to be content with everything the way it is. It is …
The Varieties of Spiritual Life
If you are reading this essay, I can only imagine that you feel drawn to live a spiritual life, and I would be willing to bet that you would agree with me when I say …
Alignment without Conformity
One of the most essential things to understand about deep spiritual work is that it cannot be accomplished through conformity. There is a point earlier on during your spiritual journey when it is necessary to …
How Do Spiritual Breakthroughs Happen?
Earlier this week I experienced a profound breakthrough into the reality of “involution and evolution” as it has been spoken about by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. I woke up on Tuesday morning in the …
The Mystical Artist and the Soul’s Journey
The point I have been making in this series of essays is that the process of spiritual awakening is at least partially an artistic and creative process. We are both discovering new dimensions of reality …
Initiating the Spiritual Magic of Betweenness
You could say that creative illumination is a kind of spiritual magic, a word that still carries the blemish given to it during the Middle Ages when the Christian church in Europe discredited it as …
The Gifts of a More Highly Developed Soul
In order to practice creative illumination we must liberate ourselves from the limitations of our materialistic conditioning. We’ve been taught that we live in an infinite expanse of three dimensional space. This vast ocean of …
The Individual and Collective Soul
In the first essay in this series I introduced the process of creative illumination and as I see it, this can best be understood as the soul’s journey to wholeness. I outlined the contours of …
Awakening through the Breath
Breathing has long been seen as a point of connection with divinity. In fact, the word spirit is derived from the Latin word spiritus which refers to the breath of a god. In his gospel, …
Inner Freedom and Creative Illumination
When I teach I always emphasize that there are two equally essential aspects of spiritual work – the attainment of inner freedom, and the art of creative illumination. On the spiritual path we must first …
The Birth of Love and Innocence
The story of Christmas is the story of a birth that occurred in the middle of a dark and silent night, and promised to bring peace and joy to the world. In that story I …
How Luminous Absorption Can Change the World
As I see it, the experience of luminous absorption reveals our True Self and the True Nature of existence at the same time. We’ve been taught that we live in a reality of three-dimensional space …
Unleashing our Potential for Spiritual Creativity
As a spiritual teacher, what I teach is constantly evolving. As I continue to explore, learn, and grow, what I teach reflects my current interests and discoveries. For the past few years I’ve been fascinated …
Practicing The Art of Creative Illumination
How do you meditate? Close your eyes and surrender. ~ Rumi For a long time I have talked and written about how the practice of meditation occurs in two distinct stages, but until now I …
Spiritual Attunement and Collective Awakening
In the enlightenment tradition of Hinduism, the notion of transmission or shakti pat often plays a prominent role. Within that tradition, a teacher or guru is often seen as possessing access to awakening energy that …