John Steinbeck

I surround myself with protective white light to begin this week’s channeling session. I only invite those that are a vibrational match to my highest self that are working within the Light. 

Who would like to come through with a message for the Collective today?

I’m sensing an author. It feels like Hemingway or Steinbeck. It is probably Steinbeck since I am more familiar with him.

What would you like to say to the collective?

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Simplicity. 

Today’s theme is simplicity. It is so human to want to complicate things…to associate value with how complex something is. Complexity is strictly a human thing. The rest of nature does not overcomplicate their existence unnecessarily. So why do we? Why do you?

I wrote about simple people and simple lives because to me they were always the most beautiful and profound. I wanted to showcase how beautiful living from the heart can be. It is always those that live pure and free from ego that have the greatest quality of life, and the greatest impact on those around them. 

There is no conniving or strategizing or manipulating that can trump the power of living authentically - like a child. There is no virtue in being more complex than another. It is only our egos that believe that to be true - that strive to be more profound, more intelligent, more sophisticated.

I invite you all now to embrace the attitude of a simpleton. What would life be like if you stopped adding unnecessary steps and meaning to everything? What if you painted a picture of an apple simply because you liked how it looked - not because you were trying to make a commentary on world hunger. What if you made art for art’s sake and didn’t try to create explanations that would make you seem more important or more profound.

Pretentiousness is the enemy of connection. 

Why not create from the lowest common denominator? Why not express something all of humanity can relate to instead of catering to an audience of people you wouldn’t want to associate with anyway? Art for the people - not for the critics. 

I say this because many of you are trying to do important, meaningful work, yet you scoff at your efforts unless they attract a certain level of recognition. Or you refuse to start towards a goal unless it would be applauded by those around you. Sometimes it’s best to just do a thing because you feel like doing it, and risk looking less refined or conventional. 

Living simply doesn’t mean you won’t accomplish great, impactful things. In fact, you never know what effect a simple action can create. You just living as you, in your ordinary life, can create massive, positive changes. You don’t need to create a non-profit to end homelessness in order to be effective…just be compassionate and kind towards your fellow humans on a daily basis.

And now I will take my own advice and not continue to make this a more complicated discussion than it needs to be. You all know what simplicity means. I wanted to come through with this message today, especially for Aika to hear it, because so many of you have such wonderful heartfelt ideas that you don’t allow yourselves to fully embrace and pour energy into because it doesn’t meet someone else’s standard of this or that. 

Aika is always falling into the trap of needing a good enough reason to do something - whether it’s to help others, to solve her financial issues, or to increase her self image…she seems to let these things determine whether or not she invests into an idea. 

So I just wanted to remind her, and all of you, that that is not benefitting anyone to live that way. No one is keeping track of how righteous or intellectual you are. We are most impacted as humans by how genuine and passionate someone is about what they’re doing. So the next time you convince yourself not to do something you love just because it doesn’t make sense or it doesn’t seem important enough, ask yourself how that is adding to your life, and what that is taking away. What are you risking by not doing the silly, meaningless, selfish thing that brings you joy?

One last thing I want to say about simplicity, is to start where you are. There are countless cases of very successful and famous people that built their legacy with almost nothing to their name. Jean-Michel Basquiat was homeless and painting on cardboard when he got discovered. 

And if you think you aren’t worth listening to because you’ve lived a comfy, boring, uneventful life without a struggle in the world, then you are also overcomplicating things. That doesn’t mean your heart isn’t full of wonder and expression. We do not all have to be martyrs. 

Anyway, the next time you start fighting with yourself to do more, to be more, or to be better, remember this: simplicity is a luxury we can all afford, so why not indulge yourself? And what is the true cost of overcomplicating your life?

Much love from this humble human.