We are all fractals of God, part of the overall pattern that is God. We were created so that God could grow and increase its Love. When we created the physical playground known as the Universe and matter, we did this to play and try out new things. We wanted to know what it was like to believe that we were separate from God, from who we are. We wanted to know what it was like to interact with one another as though we were all separate. In the beginning, we retained more of our knowledge of the One, and we lived more harmoniously together. In those days, we were living at a higher vibration. As fear and the desire for power over others took hold in our minds, however, we began to "fall," and our vibration became lower and more dense. At these lower vibrations, it was much easier to forget the One and who we really are.

Each of us was gifted with a unique vibrational signature, with unique gifts, intellect, and emotional patterns. Our differences caused tensions as we disagreed on things such as the nature of God. In a way, we were set up from the beginning to challenge each other's view of what God is, and who we are. There is nothing wrong with this; it's part of the game to disagree. But when we decide that one must be right, and the others wrong, we create conflict.

Part of the miracle of our adventures on Earth was the creation of the idea of the ego. I use these words because, of course, the ego does not really exist. But we think it does. We believe that we are our personality and beliefs. This amazing idea in combination with our incredible True Mind, our vast creative intellect, is what has created the world we live in today, whether we consider it to be "good" or "bad."

Why do all this? The world we have created, that we continue to create moment by moment, is a great spiritual teacher. Often we think that we won't have real spiritual knowledge or mastery until we cross over or otherwise commune with God outside of this world, but in fact, our greatest learning opportunities are right here on this planet. Everything we create and experience helps us to grow with a fundamental goal in mind:  to understand unconditional Love, to give that to ourselves, and ultimately to remember who we are.

Paradoxically, we are already masters at this. We have all the tools right now. We have the emotions. We have the understanding. We have everything we need, right now, to create everything we want and to reconnect with our Creator. We have these things because we are part of God, not separate. All of the creative power and Love that God has lives in us, right now. We just have to peel away the layers to find this and experience our Joy. Joy is what drives us. It is the vehicle for creating a true Eden here on Earth. It's very possible.

How do we get there? We learn from our children. To heal and find your joy, to "enter the kingdom of heaven" here on Earth, you become as little children. Children know how to play and find their joy. They know how to be carefree and not worry about what other people may think of them. They know how to be humble. They know how to live right now, in the present moment. This is our strength. We are all capable of finding our inner child's joy. And it is this emotion, combined with gratitude and healthy giving and receiving, that opens up our true spiritual power.

In the world today, we tend to brood over the things that we don't have while ignoring the gifts that are staring us in the face. The state of our economy and society reflects this. We fear lack of money, housing, jobs, and so we create more lack. We fear that we won't be able to afford to educate our children; care for the sick, aged, and disabled; or even maintain our infrastructure and roads. We cut back. There isn't enough, we think. We're scared. Let's hold on tight to what we have. We are so focused on what we believe we don't have, that we are ignoring what we do have. But as we focus on lack and hold tight onto our purses, we perpetuate and increase lack everywhere. And as we put more and more energy into our fears, they compound as well. We look for someone to blame. Blame creates anger. Anger breeds hate. Hate breeds violence.

To heal this, we return to our strengths:  when we overcome our fears and connect with our hearts and spirit, we recover our sense of justice and kindness, as well as our sense of service to others and the planet. However, those who walk beyond the fear and live from the heart will need to stand their ground. This doesn't mean winning arguments or trying to convince others. Standing your ground means staying true to yourself, and to your truth. It means remaining in your heart even when the ones you love cannot understand or follow you there. It means acting from a place of Love, even if that means not acting at all. Sometimes, we are called upon to observe only; sometimes "joining the fray" means you become part of the problem. Stand your ground and ask, "What would Love do?"

A great awakening to the One is occurring now and has been for some time. The vibration of this world is increasing; we are literally moving upward into a new dimension. You may not be able to see it, but you can feel it. This is why so many people are having a hard time. This is why so many people are acting out. They don't understand what is happening, and the call to heal is paramount. Those who choose not to heal will suffer, but this awakening is available to everyone.

One of our biggest challenges will be our emotional healing. For better or worse, we grew up with emotional conditioning that determines how we react. This can be healed. You can change the patterns of your past, but it requires dedication, effort, and support. During this time, it is very important to handle emotional matters with care. If we give in to fear and anger, we may act impulsively. The grids have shifted in profound ways, and all of the feelings that we need to heal are coming to the surface. Take care to temper your reactions when dealing with others. Take responsibility for what is yours and recognize what is not. Other people may try to assign their blame or anger to you, but know that it is theirs, and not yours.

Our emotions are not the only things affected by this shift, however. All of our systems, including our government and economy, are affected. Whatever is out of integrity must be brought into balance and integrity again. Systems that are out of balance will fail, but will be replaced by ones that are in balance. This is a change, not something to fear. It does mean that you should act with temperance in the world, however. Use what is true and balanced, and discard what is not. Don't stop sharing your abundance, but don't give it away to things that are out of integrity, either. Rediscover what has value, and ignore what does not. Support people, support your community, and support your Mother Earth.

The world is giving birth on multiple levels. We are contributing to that birth with our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Know that all is in divine order. Know that yes, a change is coming, but it is a glorious one. It is the One. We are creating a new world by returning to our hearts.

All change affects different people in different ways. Relationships will change. Some will improve, and some people will become more distant. Please know that this is their path. Whatever happens, all will be well, and new people will always come into your life, even if old friends fade away. Some people will not be able to process the changes as well as others. This is okay. Love them, and let them find their own path.

New knowledge will come in for us. Are you ready for that? It may challenge past beliefs, for all of us. A new emotional understanding is also coming; we cannot live in our hearts without a greater knowledge of the One and of unconditional Love. To make room for this, we will have to expand beyond ourselves, beyond the box that is our ego. We will have to open our hearts even greater than before. Paradoxically, greater Love can feel painful at first, but when you let it in, miracles happen, and you can heal.

Ultimately, we will face the greatest change of all:  the disappearance of our ego. And when it goes, all of our preconceived notions and judgments go with it. What does the world look like if we aren't judging people and things? What if we no longer need to assign blame? What if we can see each other without seeing fault? What if we see each other and see Love and understanding instead?

The world will be whatever we envision. The transition will occur however we think it must. If we think we must have tidal waves, earthquakes, and destruction, we can create that. But isn't it a better idea to envision our world making a peaceful and graceful transition into Love? Focus on what you want, not what you fear. Love. Peace. Understanding.

In the end, of course, we will all find our Eden. There will be different paths, of course. Some of us will ascend with our planet gracefully. Others may suffer because they believe they must. Others may cross over and ascend that way. It doesn't matter what road you are on in the long run, because all paths lead to God and our Joy.

The inner child card for this reading is Jack and the Beanstalk. This card corresponds with The Hanged Man in the traditional Tarot deck. When Jack followed his heart (and not his logical mind, or ego) and traded the cow for beans, his mother ridiculed him for making that choice and threw the beans out the window. But what came of those beans was a giant beanstalk connecting the Earth with the Sky, or Spirit. Jack climbed this beanstalk and discovered riches, knowledge, and his own fears. It was a spiritual journey, reconnecting with his Divine self and learning to overcome the limitations imposed on him by his ego. In the process, Jack had to surrender and trust. He was not in control, and many strange things happened to him. But he trusted, and he survived his experiences to find the ultimate reward:  enlightenment and a life filled with abundance and joy.

The beanstalk is a metaphor for our connection with Source, with God, and with who we really are. When we are connected, our hearts are open. An open heart works with our head so that our thinking is spiritually centered instead of ego centered. It takes courage and faith to climb a beanstalk and confront our fears, but it is the path that will bring us our joy and healing.