I received a book by author Arjuna Ardagh, in the mail a couple of weeks ago from the Oneness University called Awakening into Oneness, published by Sounds True. I am just over 200 books behind reading in my library, and because I have an arrangement with Sounds True to review their books-I started reading it immediately.

Over the years it has been my experience that books come to me at the right time in my experience to answer questions I may have or to move me a little farther along in my awareness. It doesn't seem to matter that I have an arrangement with Sounds True, or maybe I have this arrangement with them because they have a book I need to read I wouldn't normally not buy-but the very first book they sent me was the one I needed to read.

Although I understand the need for rituals and organization for the initiated, I tend to stay away from anything boxed, unless it's food or presents.

I read halfway through the book and I was already on their website looking for a blessing giver. The book so resonated with me that I had to find someone immediately to do the blessing-I found four people in my neighourhood who were trained to do it. I called a women up who was listed and talked to her at length. She gave me the Deeksha (Oneness Blessing) over the phone and I made arrangements to meet with her the next day.

My belief has always been the shortest distances between two points is in a straight line-know you are already where you want to be and you don't have to make the trip. Deekshas, meditation, blessings, prayers, are all detours as far as I am concerned-they are steps to take you there, but they are also diversions. They also go against my mandate of doing as little as possible to get the results you desire. It's always been about being there for me-not the trip.

During my adventure into enlightenment and awakening, I have discovered it is the trip that counts not the being there. I don't believe there is anyplace to go. There is now and that is it. The Deeksha sounds like a pleasant way to make the journey more interesting and I have gone just about as far as I can go right now. I needed something else to motivate me. The Deeksha came at the right time and place in my mind.

Because I am aware of the power of suggestion, I asked Jane, the blessing giver, not to give me any details or to talk to me about what I would experience before she started. My motivation for the blessing was to experience something more profound physically, not spiritually. I'm here now, this is where it needs to do me the most good. I don't like promises of things that may come in the future-it does me no good now.

During the Deeksha I noticed my head slightly trembling, this made me a little uncomfortable, but I did not try to resist.

When it was over she looked at me and said, well, do you notice anything different? Other than the head twitching, I did not. She explained that when people are at a higher level already, they often don't notice anything immediately. I decided before the blessing that I would not look for anything-I would keep my awareness open to notice anything different only. I know it is too easy for some, like psychics to say, that I simply chose not to experience what they saw. They are correct when they say that. My blessing giver would also be correct in saying what she did. So I am giving it some time.

It's been a week since the first Deeksha and I had another scheduled for yesterday, but the appointment had to be cancelled. Over the week I have noticed some things, but I am reluctant to make any judgments as yet. They may be a heightened awareness of some things I have already experienced before or they may be self induced because of a strong desire to experience them. I am journaling them and will have at least two more Deekshas given before I make these things known.

Certainly the book is worth reading, and you can make up your own mind as to whether you want to have the blessing. If you are just starting out on your new journey, this may be like a B12 boost to you-you've certainly got nothing to lose. If you watch my web site for the next few weeks-I will be writing about the experience again.