Love is the essence of life, we are told, the substance from which life was created. It is the end and the means of life, the alpha and omega, our origin and destination. In the words of the Great White Brotherhood:
“’Love’ is the substance of life. From ‘Love’ the Universe is born, and everything in it. There is no separation, except in your minds. This is part of the illusion of duality. Unconditional love experienced and shared from the heart is the key to heal all; it is your true Essence.” (1)
The Arcturian Group suggests that the rising energies will soon give us the opportunity to transition into love if only we leave the old energies behind.
“You are soon to see many happenings on your fine planet. Energy is quickly shifting into higher-dimensional states, leaving behind old energies that have for so long held you in bondage. This is a new time, a new energy, and a new awakening into a consciousness of One.” (2)
This is a supreme opportunity, Archangel Gabriel tells us: “Dear Ones, we wish for you to understand that the energies of joy, unconditional love, and enlightenment are now at your fingertips.” (3)
“[Many of you] have had glimpses of that pure joy much more frequently. Perhaps it only happened once a year or every six months at the beginning of your awakening process. And as you have progressed it has been happening with more and more frequency, where many of you are now experiencing the joy of universal connection on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.
“What remarkable growth! Dear Ones, if you stay in the flow and hold close to your heart what you know to be true, the energies of today make that pure love and joy accessible to you whenever you choose.” (4)
The plan of Ascension, the ascended master St. Germain tells us, is to lift us out of duality into unity, out of hatred into love: “There is 
an immutable plan that is well advanced for your final experiences, that shall lift you out of duality fully into the Light and Love that knows no equal or limitations.” (5)
SaLuSa has difficulty putting into words what awaits us after Ascension:
“The feeling of what it is like to live in [the love of] the higher realms … is difficult to put into words. We have previously spoken of it [as] being ecstatic, and there does not seem to a better way of describing it. The feeling of love is one you understand, but again that energy is at constant levels where you are absolutely engulfed by it.” (6)
Saul has more success with his description:
“Full consciousness is a state of being in which the individual entity — while maintaining a sense of personal identity — also holds the sense, or awareness, of being one with God and the totality of the divine Creation.
“In this state, which is experienced — perpetually — for eternity — all knowledge, all memory, all wisdom is instantly available and known.
“All is at peace, in perfect joyful harmony, and the totality of All That Is is completely permeated and suffused with an infinite abundance of unconditional love.” (7)
These rising energies will take us on our next step, to tap into universal love, Archangel Michael tells us: “You are now in energies where you can almost instantaneously experience as much grace and ease and unconditional love as you wish to experience.” (8) They will leave us no choice, Saul says, but to awaken or suffer.
“The energy surrounding you, which you extend and share at all times, is extremely powerful, and when coupled with additional divine energy, as it always is, it harmonizes and melds with it. Thus, humanity has no option but to awaken. And even those who are resisting the call and attempting to remain in a state of deep sleep will be unable to hold out for very much longer.” (9)
Where we need to go is to open to love, D.L. Zeta says: “Many of you are currently in a ‘waiting’ space. You are observing the changes taking place around you and waiting for the next step to open before you. This next step is often perceived as a great opening in human consciousness where love, world peace and blessings flow in abundance.” (10)
To take that step, SaLuSa tells us, we need to raise our vibrations: ”Raise your vibrations,” he says, ” go with the flow, and be gradually uplifted so that you are ready when Ascension takes place.” (11) We must accept the oneness of life, he tells us.
“Accepting the Oneness of all life will raise you up to a point of higher conscious awareness. You can then express it by sharing your love and Light with all life forms. You will see things in a new light and separatism will no longer be something you contribute to. It becomes redundant to your thinking.” (12)
The White Brotherhood agrees:
“Your ‘true’ reality is being unveiled in order to bring you back into Oneness, to heal feelings of separateness from your Creator. There is no way to escape the movement of mankind into a new level of existence. The third dimension as you know it is coming to an end. It is time to raise your consciousness, and no longer be limited by the illusion you see all around you.” (13)
Universal love is the doorway to the Fifth Dimension: “When you begin to feel love for every other soul, and it is reciprocated then you take a step nearer to Oneness that awaits you,” SaLuSa says. (14)
Those who foster universal love, Ag-Agria tells us, will draw the energy of Ascension to themselves: “Ascension is your pathway to freedom and the higher realms, but you have to see it as your goal and work towards it. The energy is such that it will be attracted to those who stand in Love and Light and seek a higher expression of it in their lives.” (15)
Archangel Michael advises us to “return to this love, beloved ones.”
” It is here in your heart that you find your deepest connection to your God Self. It is within your heart that you will find your deepest connection to all of the beings of the higher realms who are here to assist you.” (16)
“Now, allow the flow of you, to expand, and fill all creation….. This is you. There is no separation; there is only the One, the One 
Heart, the One Mind, the All That Is, all Creation, the Source. You are Source, as is all Creation….. Fill yourself with this knowing, this light. Draw in strength, courage, perseverance, wisdom, peace, harmony, and above all, unconditional love.” (17)
We do not need to go anywhere, he tells us:
“Breathe and be home, dear ones….. Right where you are is home. It is Heaven. You agreed to bring Heaven to your beautiful planet earth, Heaven is within you. Expand it, be it, know it, and move into the state of beingness, of the One. Breathe, love, be in joy, and above all, remain in this One consciousness, remain in your Sacred Heart. This One consciousness is within you always, in the love of your Sacred Heart. (18)
As the energies increase our abilities, the Pleiadian High Council tells us that we must watch our thoughts.
“Our power, strength, stability and durability is seriously amping up…
“The PHC say that we are, in fact, being switched-on…. It will be especially important to remember the power of our thoughts because we are now re-engaging at a very different level of operation.” (19)
Our thoughts are the barrier, the White Brotherhood says:
“What escapes most of you is the understanding that your thoughts have tremendous energy and power. When you are feeling angry, discouraged, sad, fearful, the energy becomes dense and heavy. Those around you feel it, and it is mirrored back to you in many ways. ”(20)
Our thoughts can create what we want or what we don’t want, Archangel Gabriel warns us.
“In reality, you are in energies that, combined with your level of mastery, can create what you want and what you DON’T want in record time. Be aware of this, Dear Ones. …
“While there is great comfort in knowing that others are experiencing similar things, please know, much like any normal human discomfort, if you focus on your discomfort, you are only energetically creating more of it.” (21)
We must be careful what we choose.
“Imagine that you have a gigantic plate waiting to be filled at the Universal Buffet. Do you wish to fill your plate with the old stale energies of fear, doubt and discomfort? Or would you like to heap your plate full of love, joy, unity consciousness and endless support because you see, Dear Ones, you are at a place where all these options are available to you. It is up to you what you wish to choose.” (22)
We must set our intention on creating what we want.
“What if you set your intention and focus on moving into the new energies with the highest degree of joy and flow, excitement, grace and ease? What would that feel like? Because either option is equally available to you.” (23)
The new energies raise our remaining issues to our attention by magnifying and exaggerating them, the Universal Council of Twelve explains.
“It is important to realise that at this time of ascension you may experience certain areas of your reality or your character being exaggerated. Realising this magnification is the key because you are then able to understand its purpose more fully, realising why certain areas have been enlarged to attract your attention.
“It could be that you now need to realise a habit that has hindered your growth for too long or that the energy or emotion that you are experiencing needs to be anchored into your reality daily for your continued growth.” (24)
We are being squeezed in a vice. The only way out is through universal love and unitive consciousness, the White Brotherhood says: “If you are fearful, it is manifesting as discomfort, and disharmony throughout your lives. Everything seems to be falling apart. … There is no escape but to recognize ‘yourselves’ as one universal family striving for acceptance and love of all mankind.” (25)
We thus are faced with challenges at this time. We can realize our true nature or experience our barriers. We can create love or fear. We can rise or suffer. It depends on our choices and our willingness to heal.
Footnotes
(1) The Great White Brotherhood, “Love – The Substance of Life,” Oct, 21, 2010, through Patricia Bierne, at https://goldenageofgaia.com/2010/10/22/patricia-beirne-love-the-substance-of-life/
(2) The Arcturian Group, “Release Old Energies and Don’t Let Them Back In,” through Marilyn Raffaelle, October 7, 2010, https://goldenageofgaia.com/2010/10/28/arcturian-group-release-old-energies-and-dont-let-them-back-in/
(3) Archangel Gabriel, “The Buffet of Ascension,” 16 October 2010, through Shelley Young, at https://goldenageofgaia.com/2010/10/16/archangel-gabriel-the-buffet-of-ascension/
(4) Loc. cit.
(5) St. Germain, Aug. 1, 2008, at https://www.treeofthegoldenlight.com/First_Contact/Channeled_Messages
(6) SaLuSa, Aug. 14, 2009, at https://www.treeofthegoldenlight.com/First_Contact/Channeled_Messages
(7) Saul, May 28, 2009, at https://johnsmallman.wordpress.com
(8) Archangel Gabriel, ibid.
(9) Saul, Oct. 13, 2010.
(10) D.L. Zeta, “Shedding the Illusion of 3D Consciousness,” Aug. 28, 2010, at https://goldenageofgaia.com/2010/09/24/d-l-zeta-shedding-the-illusion-of-3d-consciousness/
(11) SaLuSa, Apr. 19, 2010.
(12) SaLuSa, Apr. 19, 2010.
(13)The Great White Brotherhood, ibid.
(14) SaLuSa, Feb. 1, 2010.
(15) Ag-Agria, Oct. 31, 2008, at https://www.treeofthegoldenlight.com/First_Contact/Channeled_Messages_by_Mike_Quinsey.htm
(16) Archangel Michael, “A Meditation: The Oneness Of All Creation,” November 2010, through Rev. Michelle Coutant, https://goldenageofgaia.com/2010/10/27/archangel-michael-the-oneness-of-all-creation/
(17) Loc. cit.
(18) Loc. cit.
(19) Pleaidian High Council through Lauren Gorgo, “On Your Mark…Get Set…..,” October 19, 2010, at https://consciousco-creationalcoaching.blogspot.com/2010/10/on-your-markget-set.html
(20) The Great White Brotherhood, ibid.
(21) Archangel Gabriel, ibid.
(22) Loc. cit.
(23) Loc. cit.
(24) Universal Council of Twelve, “New Phase of Ascension,” March 10, 2010, through Natalie Glasson, at https://wisdomofthelight.com/Council_of_12.html
(25) The Great White Brotherhood, ibid.