Our feature story, “A Global Wake-Up Call, Collective Consciousness Nears Spiritual Tipping Point,” by Linda Sechrist, is my favorite feature of 2018. I anticipate that readers, no matter their interpretations and philosophies regarding what consciousness really is, will equally appreciate the insights from some of the world’s leaders in the consciousness movement which affirm that we are perhaps on the verge of or even in the midst of a mass awakening of consciousness.

It’s a favorite for me because I’ve been seeking and intermittently finding pockets of peace in my life, which I notice correspond to my habits around conscious thought. There’s no denying the truth that ‘thoughts become things’. It’s been scientifically proven and we frequently prove it to ourselves whenever we hurriedly race to get out of the house for an appointment all the while thinking, ‘I can’t be late; I’ve got to hurry up and get out of here or I’m going to be late.’ Inevitably, that’s when we hit every red light or end up behind every slowpoke.

Many of us have had the experience of affirmative belief and expectation—a “knowing” that something is going to happen. These knowing experiences happen to me whenever I set my intention and expect a perfect parking space waiting for me upon arrival. I chuckle whenever I recall vivid memories of this sort of knowing that involved friends who pushed back and told me that I was crazy for taking a risk they considered wrong. I dismissed their good-natured jabs and criticisms without knowing why or where the knowing was coming from because I just knew.

Practicing the habit of consciously choosing the thoughts I allow to expand is having a profound effect on my overall well-being, particularly regarding my emotional well-being and the quality of interactions throughout my day. Gone are days of waking up with an inexplicable feeling of dread that dragged me down a rabbit hole. Instead, on the rare occasion that a negative-waking thought occurs, I’ve built the resilience and ability to immediately shift my consciousness to a better feeling thought.

My deeper understanding of the important relationship between thoughts and feelings has resulted in the realization that my thoughts help build the momentum toward improved feelings and the feelings are what really bring forth the manifestation of whatever it is that I’m focused upon.

My wish for all, as we close out 2018 and begin anew, is a deeper understanding and knowing that there is truly a collective one-mind consciousness that underlies our universal oneness.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad and Happy Holidays to you and yours,

Maisie Raftery, Publisher