Beloveds,

No matter which way the wind blows, there is always a fresh wind to carry you forward.  Man often feels he is pitching himself against the elements, against the tide of the times, and indeed sometimes this may be the case. But in the current of your own life you are forever being carried to your next experience, your next level, your next stepping stone along the way.

Courage to take that step comes from your inner fortitude, the strength of knowing that the Universe is loving, protecting and supporting you.  Physical fortitude is important on a daily basis and a good balance of body, mind and spirit facilitates harmony within to without.  But there is also a fortitude of self-reliance and awareness that comes from having taken steps before and knowing that at those times too all proceeded perfectly.  Resting in that awareness brings a peaceful surrender to whatever the outcome may be. It is knowing that you are part of All There Is and not separate from All There Is. Indeed that is all there is.   It implies an acceptance of your own Divinity. For “You are not the Doer”, but the Divine within you is and the Divine presence is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent.

If the waves come crashing in upon your shore, be sure that the Divine Plan is unfolding for you in a way to help you land on your feet.  Perhaps you will have to learn to swim upstream, perhaps turn the other cheek, but no matter the lesson, if you will put fear aside and embrace the challenge, the strength of that experience is what is intended for you. Victimhood leads to thinking that you have been singled out and that “life is unfair”.  When events cause past hurts and behavior patterns to rise to the surface, it’s a nudge to the blind man to have a closer look. Allow old residue to float up and out, and in its place instill new thought, new intention and dharma, i.e. right thinking.

A “fort” on a hill is a stronghold and a defense. It protects life and a community within its walls.  In human terms, fortitude works from the inside to the outside, from the love of the heart to carry every soul forward. The number “fort-y” (40) is based on the number four (4) representing the four directions and the earthly realm. There is great strength in that number as there is in your presence upon the Earth. Take heart, and be of good cheer in the face of all that comes to you for the Divine is your portion on Earth.  And so it is.

Your Obedient Servant, Merlin