“I realized that at some point it becomes our responsibility to bring our lives present – in this very moment – and forgive and forget the past and live fully, 100% of who we are today. We have to! There’s no excuse not to get up, get going and do it now.” – John-Roger, DSS (From: The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance)

It was a two-week travelling experience in Vietnam and Cambodia. On the one hand we travelled with 19 amazing people from UK and Australia.  On the other hand, we were each invited to witness the aftermath of ongoing wars in Vietnam and evidence of a regime that halved the population of Cambodia.

We visited the delicious, the beautiful, the amazing, the exciting and the deeply disturbing…

The group supported each other through the joy, despair, sniffles, aches and pains, plus changes to travel plans resulting from dramatic weather conditions.  Aged between 40 and 80, the group had different backgrounds, interests and capabilities, yet we all lovingly supported each other.  On our last night, after our fabulous guide had completed our itinerary, I invited each person to join us for a final meal, and everyone said “Yes.”  We are still in touch on WhatsApp sharing photos and seasonal blessing.

I will skip the details of the visits to the Vietnamese War Remnants Museum and the Killing Fields, but I will share my experience.  I saw pictures, heard and read about things that made the tears flow.  I felt so sad that we, as human beings could have been so cruel to one another.  Each time I welled up with judgment, sadness and my own reactions, I did a clearing, planted a Light Column and found my inner calm and loving returning.  The more I did this, the more neutral I became.  I found myself realising the situations each person had found themselves in, that led to them doing what they did.  This brought on a wave of compassion and understanding.  I also asked for forgiveness for any past actions when I had done any behaviour or thought that could contribute to such occurrences, past, present or future.  I let go of most of it, but one area kept rolling over in my mind.  Self-forgiveness is good and completions helps, so my writing this article is also part of my completion.

Back home, I found myself more aware of current issues around the globe that bear similar features.  John-Roger talks about the pollution on the planet being a reflection of the pollution of our thinking and I guess the judging, controlling and fighting are also products of our collective inner worlds.  So, how can I clean up my inner world?  As part of the Doctor of Spiritual Science (DSS) I am doing both self-observation and now in DSS2, making changes.  It’s clearer for me to see myself critical of others with judging and negative comments, on the subtlest of levels.

I can hear “with awareness comes responsibility” ringing in my ears, so my learning is to notice the slightest againstness in my inner chatter, say “deflect”, send Light, return to my loving heart and go about my day.  I am also realising that being present, rather than haunted by a memory, is a much healthier way for me to be.

As I complete writing this article, on New Year’s Eve 2025, I am releasing the judgements and being as present as I am currently able to be, to the loving.

Sweet loving to each human on the planet and a blessing for greater peace and harmony in each of our hearts, for the highest good of all concerned.

“God bless you, I love you, peace, be still.” – John-Roger

I wish us all a beautiful, fruitful, healthy 2026.

Love and Light,
Caroline