Category Archives for "Assorted Wisdom"

Receiving: The Lost Art

There’s much written in the spiritual/self-help/motivational books about how important it is to give, but there is much less written about how vital it is to open yourself to receive.

In our modern culture, it is the strong male energy that is dominant. This male energy is proactive, aggressive and out-reaching. Yet, spiritual teachers have known for eons that it is the feminine energy that is receptive, willing, and open.

Men in our world have difficulty with receiving. Most feel they must achieve, acquire or conquer to gain with integrity. They don’t feel comfortable when they receive–and especially from women–because they perceive that it diminishes their power. How often do you see men casually brush away gifts, praise, or acknowledgement? Few are masters of receiving with grace.

Many women today have assumed the mantle of masculine energy due to demands of today’s working environment. Their feminine energy is sublimated because of the need to fight to have all of their financial and material needs met. As a result, many women have also lost the ability to attract and receive passively.

So it is an art that men and women must re-learn as we grow spiritually. Whether it is receiving money from new and unexpected sources; receiving assistance or help; receiving wisdom and guidance; receiving love; receiving kindness; receiving praise and acknowledgement; receiving gifts; receiving honor; receiving peace and tranquility; receiving ease; receiving unforeseen and wonderful opportunities—we must discover ways to make ourselves better vessels for receiving.

Here are some ways to cultivate the Art of Receiving:

• Commit more time to “being” than “doing.” Stop and relax, be quiet and meditative. When you are active, you’re not in the actively receptive mode. Slow down. Make sure you have enough rest.

• Make sure that the left side of your body (the feminine side) is un-constricted. Get massages, stretch, use essential oils to make sure it allows the free flow of energy.

• Consciously invite The Universe to send you gifts by intentioning: “I am willing to receive today.” “I am open to receiving.”

• When you are given anything—including praise–show your gratitude. Do not demure in embarrassment or brush it off. If you are not grateful for what you do receive, why should the Universe send you more?

• Whether you are a man or woman, indulge your feminine side. Pamper yourself using whatever tools bring you enjoyment. The feel of silk shirts, occasional professional shaves, bubble baths, spa days, etc. For women, wear more feminine clothes, especially flowing, indulgent apparel.

• Listen to soft music that puts you in a receptive, graceful and contented mood.

• Visualize beautiful rainbow colored energy flowing to you from all different directions and filling all your cells with brilliant radiance.

• Be in a vibration of love. Love is the most powerful attractor in the Universe and creates the signal that you are a deserving recipient.

• If you ask for something and it manifests, do not take it for granted…Feel the wonder of how effectively the Universe works. Wonder opens the door for more.

• Make sure there is fun in your life. If you are about all work, and no play, there is no space for the new blessings to plant themselves. Have fun. Enjoy. Laughter and joy will open the door for you to receive more blessings.

• Say “yes”…when the Universe puts something in your path, it may be a gift and you may not know why. Unless you are convinced that it is absolutely and clearly NOT in your highest good, say “yes” and see what gifts come forth. If you shut down too many opportunities, fewer will come.

• Be willing. Be aware. Be receptive. Be grateful.

May you receive in abundance, joy and radiance!

Morning Rituals

Morning is rebirth, renewal and re-ignition! It is a beautiful time to engage your connection with the divine, set your intentions for the day and step fully into your empowerment as a heart-centered light-being on the planet. 

Each morning you can leave behind what was, what you did before, who did what to you in the past and how you did things previously. It’s a new day! But we often tend to slip backward if we don’t deliberately and consciously create separation from the past. Morning Rituals are a wonderful way to create that divide, and remind us of our brilliant power for reinvention of ourselves…a power that is indeed supported by our supreme Source. 

I use my Morning Ritual to make a deliberate connection to God each day, to establish my gratitude, to ground myself, to consciously choose to come from a place of love, to set my intentions for the day and to infuse myself with the essence of spiritual light for that which I wish to manifest in myself. 

You can create or build your Morning Rituals around whatever purposes you deem most empowering in your life. So here are some that you can mix and match to create the ideal Morning Ritual for you.  

  • Grounding—Oftentimes we are very much in our heads or “have our heads in the clouds.” This is especially true for people who exist more in their spiritual or intellectual world than the practical world. But even for those who are savvy at negotiating the “real world,” it is important to first ground yourself each day. Plant your feet shoulder-length apart, and see roots coming from your feed embedded into the Earth. You can also see yourself connected by a string of golden light coming down from above through your meridian and then into the ground. Another way to ground is to wrap your arms around a tree.
     
  • Opening to Source, Connecting to Source—Deliberately open the portal between you and Source, allowing energy, wisdom and guidance to flow into you. Personally, I sweep my arms up and around in a welcoming or opening gesture and say, “I am in the flow” to ensure that I am aligning with the Universe.
  • Setting General Intentions—Each morning I set my intention to have a day filled with joy, love and prosperity, and to be of service to others. I ask for ease and effortlessness in all things. I seek to be more in my heart than acting from my head. I set my intention to trust the Universe and listen to guidance. My newest intention is to find wonder and beauty everywhere. What intentions can you set for yourself?

 I’ll let Rita Roberts, my dear friend and colleague, share with you what she does  for her Morning Ritual intentions: “When I wake up in the morning, before my feet touch the floor I set my intentions and align myself with them (important to do both).  I say: ‘Today is a great day and EVERYTHING I need is in my path.’  I make a commitment to stay true to what’s in my heart and follow those desires because this is the path that’s lined with answers and provision. I pray that God opens my eyes to see the answers that He’s already provided. I remind myself that I too will be an answer for someone today. I also remind myself that I am well loved and provided for.  I set an intention to give my best, appreciate myself and see the best in others and to be of assistance to others.  I am then poised for love, progress and adventure at every turn. With all of this in mind, I set my feet on the floor beside my bed and take my first step of the day into purpose and provision. ” 

  • Setting Specific Intensions for or Consciously Create Your The Day—Create, review, construct specific intentions for that particularly day…what would you desire to see happen, with who would you like to have peaceful, successful and collaborative meetings, how will you care for your health, what will you see yourself accomplishing, how do you see your relationship unfolding…etc.       
     
  • Infusing Spiritual Light—Select the light that you would like to infuse in your body for protection, for change, for enlightenment, for manifestation or for personal growth. Here are the ones I use daily: golden light for empowering Source energy, a mix of sparkling silver and gold for manifestation, sparking pink for love, sparkling peach for joy, yellow for wisdom, green for health, blue for calmness and serenity, purple for spirituality. There are a number of books in our ManifestBooks.com inventory which provide guidance on the various colors.
     
  • Expressing Gratitude—Beginning your day with an expression of gratitude helps clear out negativity and raises your frequency. You can write or recite lists of things for which you are grateful or just allow your heart to express what inspires it that day. I always begin my Morning Ritual with “Thank you for the blessings of this beautiful day.” And often conclude with the statement: “Thank you for all the blessings I have now and all that are yet to come.”
     
  • Being Love, Flowing Love—It is always my desire to be more loving and compassionate, to continue to open my heart. If this is also your desire, than put yourself in a state of love when you do your Ritual. Be love, see it flow from your heart throughout your body, or up from the ground through every pour or down from the heavens into your crown chakra. Then stay for a minute in that state before flowing your love out to the world.   
     
  • Clearing Chakras—It is often pleasant to do a little energetic housecleaning to start the day. This means doing a short meditation to clear your chakras of all blockages and expunge the dark unwanted energy that clogs up the free flow.  
     
  • Meditating/Guided Meditations—Your Morning Ritual can include a period of meditation to create inner peace and to allow for guidance to come through. You can do this on your own or with a guided meditation on CD or iPod.
     
  • Going to the 5th Dimension—Imagine you are in the fifth dimension where all dimensions are connected by a grid of light. See yourself as you desire to be. Then ask to see all those individuals who can assist you with whatever you may need that day. Imagine them lighting up on the grid and then once identified, connecting to you by a beam of light, heart to heart. 
     
  • Affirmations—Speak any affirmations that you have created for yourself that inspire you to become what you desire and who you desire to be. 
     
  • Doing Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong or other slow-movement spiritually-strengthening exercise—Many people like to add a physical component to their day. General exercise is great, but these types of intentional slow-movement spiritual practices are very compatible with a daily Morning Ritual.
     
  • Asking Questions…Ask questions that can open guidance, wisdom and opportunity for you. For example, “How can I experience love today, How can I serve, How can I have a day of grace-filled ease and effortlessness, How can I be in wonder?”
     
  • Burning Candles, Incense—These types of sensory aids can also help open the door for morning spiritual inspiration and anchoring intention.
     
  • Listening to or Dancing to Inspiring Music—You can set the mood with music or start your day with body movement to music that inspires you and opens your soul to joy.
     
  • Singing, Chanting—Whether you sing in the shower, sing praises to God, sing Buddhist chants, or just sing whatever is in your heart, uplifting your voice in song is a wonderful way to enhance a Morning Ritual.

 Journaling or Writing Lists—Grab that pen and starting writing. You can put your intentions in writing, pour out whatever is in your mind and heart or write lists of affirmations. Writing is a way to deepen your connection with God and create alignment.  

So go forth and create or refine your Morning Ritual so that it serves to manifest your highest soul purpose and greatest joy!

Tips to Get the Most from Personal Growth Conferences …

Tips to Get the Most from Personal Growth Conferences When You’re Bombarded by Wisdom–Today’s New Tech Tools Help!

So you’re intent on finding better ways to live and expanding your consciousness, but you’re easily overwhelmed by the all that fabulous wisdom coming at you in one big dose when attending a conference…what to do and how to retain it? 

With Hay House publishing’s extraordinary I Can Do It! conferences in San Jose in March and Atlanta in April–chock full of luminaries and emerging leaders, and attended by thousands–it’s a good time to examine what works and what doesn’t. 

And fortunately, some of the new technologies that are changing our lives are helping us to retain much of this content. 

So here are some tips for soaking it all in and fostering growth: 

  • Where it was impractical to take notes with a laptop in previous years given space restrictions and limited battery power, today’s tablets are the perfect easy and rechargeable way to keep tabs on the important concepts you want to preserve. They are so self contained you can indeed use them regardless of your seating conditions. But don’t try to take photographs as these are almost always forbidden during such speaker conferences. 
     
  • Don’t have a tablet? Use your smart phone. You may well have a “filing cabinet” to contain information, but it may not have a lot of memory, so just hit the high points.
     
  • Tweet those memorable lines! That will not only share the wisdom with your followers, it’ll give you a record you can go back and retrieve.
     
  • When all else fails, take notes the old fashioned way! With pen/pencil and notebook.
        
  • Focus your note-taking on the speakers who are the most important to you so you don’t come home overloaded with so much content you are discouraged from even returning to it.
     
  • Or simply record just the headline concepts across the board—those key phrases or concepts with which you truly resonate and which create a “shift” for you.
     
  • If you are a book buyer, either get the books at the conference, or (if you don’t want to carry them), buy and download them to an ereader quickly, so the information is fresh. And if your ereader allows you, highlight the critical concepts. 
     
  • And the last step is the most important—list the actions you will take to implement what you’ve just learned, and then act on the list! There’s no short- cut to that part. You’ll simply have to do the work!   

And should you be in the mood for a little wisdom, personal growth, motivation and inspiration, look no further than the I Can Do It! conferences March 17-18 in San Jose and April 14-15 in Atlanta, to use these new skills! You’ll learn from such luminaries as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Doreen Virtue, Carolyn Myss, Cheryl Richardson, Brian Weiss, Gregg Braden and other emerging leaders!

For info, go to http://www.hayhouse.com/tour_details.php?tour_id=109.

Part two – Clear Your Cache

Clear Your Cache
(Second of two parts) 

In the last newsletter, we looked at ways to “clear your cache” emotionally and spiritually. In this second of two parts, we explore how to “clear your cache” in your physical sphere. 

  • Your Work Files – Now we begin to get into the physical changes you can make in your environment. The Universe abhors clutter, so in order to attract new possibilities you must start discarding what is no longer of use and straightening, organizing, filing and labeling what you are keeping. So begin with your work files. De-clutter your office and make space for new opportunities that can offer greater prosperity.  
  • Your Personal Files—Tackle the personal files at your home or create files so that you don’t have piles of confusing documentation. Label by content and if desired, by year. This should apply to your financial documentation, your household records, the articles you wish to keep stored, your recipes, your personal identification documents and passports, your contracts, your mortgage docs, your warranties, your correspondence, your legal matters. However, check with your accountant to see how long you should keep financial information—some say five years and others say seven. Get rid of anything older and keep shedding the older information each year.     
  • Your Drawers and Cupboards—This is where clutter accumulates and you are not even aware of it until something falls out on your head or the drawer is so full you can’t close it. Before it gets to that point, go through every drawer or cupboard in your house and start tossing old, useless items—including the ones you can’t even figure out why you got them in the first place! This means food pantries, kitchen drawers, bedroom drawers, bathroom cabinets, etc. Don’t just toss, organize! Put like things together. For example, I have now reorganized all of my Band-aids into separate containers based on size and shape. Now there’s less time sorting them to find the one I want. Not only will you and the Universe “breathe” easier once you’ve done this, you’ll have more time to spend on joyful activities instead of looking for things you want or need amidst the mess.    
  • Your Home, Garage & Attic—Junk the junk! That’s job one. Then start eliminating things that don’t fit your life any longer…furniture that you don’t like but once belonged to your grandparents, design features that are out of style, colors and objects that are no longer in keeping with where you are spiritually, items that take too much care, things that don’t work and you fantasize you’ll fix someday,  pieces of your old life with ex-husbands and ex-wives, etc. Think of it as “housecleaning for happiness.” 
  • Your Yard—Your yard is a reflection of the state of your life. Let you neighbors and the Universe see a lovely space free of weeds, unkempt plants, overgrown trees, trash, old equipment and tools, children’s toys or anything that takes away from order, cleanliness and beauty. 
  • Your Clothes –You have probably been exhorted previously to clear your old clothes out of your closet for spiritual as well as space-making reasons. This is definitely an important “clear your cache” action. First let go of all those items that you no longer like, then the ones that don’t fit, then the ones that don’t flatter. Ask yourself honestly if you can still see yourself wearing each piece in the next year. If not, put it in the “to-go” pile. This includes shoes, belts, purses and accessories. When done, organize the remainder by color and category. You’ll save time if you always know where something is because it’s where it belongs.  
  • Your Old Medicines, Vitamins and Exercise Equipment—Don’t clutter your medicine cabinets, counter tops and home with old out-outdated stuff you don’t or can no longer use. If you bring in new, commit to using it and don’t let it go to waste.   
  • Your Old Books—Most of us hold onto books just because we paid for them and received some educational or enjoyment value. But books can simply be an added drain on your space and your spiritual shelf if you just accumulate them. So go through and determine which ones really hold value for you today and which you can pass along to someone else who might appreciate them. You may find that you have outgrown your old collection of James Bond novels, or that your current spiritual values don’t mesh with books from your days as a practicing Catholic, or that books about war don’t reflect who you are today.  

So “Clear Your Cache” and open the way for new miracles!

Assorted Wisdom (Clear Your Cache)

Clear Your Cache
(First of two parts)

You’ve probably had the experience where you go to a web page that you know has been updated or changed, but your browser is still showing you the old page? You seek out your computer expert to find out why and he tells you the only way to see the revised page is to “Clear Your Cache.” This means you must clear out all the old programs, retained pages or temporary pages held in the browser memory so your new pages can appear. 

The Universe operates very much on the same principle. As spiritual beings, we are charged with releasing the old before the new can be seen, experienced and enjoyed. Do you really want to get stuck in life looking at old pages and doing the same things over again, suffering the same fate? Do you want to live with what you have or clear the way for something better, new or exciting? New energy fills an energy vacuum. 

If you are going to “Clear The Cache” from your own life, you will need to look at many areas and see what you can expel in favor of leaving space for what shows up next. So let’s take a look at some of the areas that should be up for review. 

  • Your Belief System—This is the most critical sticking point in your personal browser! With all those old pages playing in the background, you’ll find yourself re-living your experiences again and again. Look closely at what beliefs keep you grounded where you are, clear them out and consciously replace each of them with a positive belief that opens the door for joy, prosperity, success, generosity, wonder, beauty, peace and love. Then you can truly fly!
  • Your Attachments—Holding fast to old attachments means that you are anchored in one place. The attachments have claimed you. Look at releasing attachments in general, and those that specifically no longer serve you. One way to do that is to first imagine what life would be like without that attachment. If it feels freer and happier in your imagination, then cut it loose! You can do this either in an emotional sense of attachment or a physical one where you give it away, sell it or destroy it.  
  • Your Relationships—It is often difficult to clear out unhealthy or withered relationships, but you won’t have the emotional and energetic bandwith for new ones if you’re still pouring your soul into relationships that don’t prosper you. Look at relationships in every aspect of your life to see what needs jettisoning— employees/employers/colleagues/business partners/clients, friends, family members, lovers, spouses, etc. And while this may not always mean completely cutting off all contact, it does mean stop feeding energy there. Spiritually “clear your cache” and move on.  
  • Your Habits—If you look closely, you will undoubtedly discover a number of significant habits that are constricting your life. These are like little straight jackets that give you no room to move beyond the habit or rut you’ve created. These habits might be physical (smoking, being a four-hour-a-night couch potato, etc.), emotional (eating when you feel depressed, stressing when your work load increases, etc.) or spiritual (mistrusting everyone, being unkind, ignoring inner guidance, etc.) Wherever you have patterned behaviors that do not allow you the freedom to be a whole, happy, self-actualized individual, then you need to start the clearing process.  
  • Your Attitudes Toward Yourself—Self-esteem issues are all signs of unnecessary judgments against yourself. This leads to actions and behaviors that reflect your feelings of unworthiness toward self. Oftentimes this manifests in failure to take care of your physical body, your emotional needs, your personal care, your home environment and your spiritual wellbeing. Look closely at each of these areas, start wiping clean the slate and allow in new attitudes of compassion, care and commitment. 
  • Your Attitudes Toward Others—Have you engaged in any of these actions or emotions in the past months—unkindness, anger, mistrust, envy, condescension, intolerance, disregard, disloyalty, betrayal, condemnation, gossip? If you have, then you have not come from a place of love and compassion. It’s time to clear the cache, start over and begin consciously reaching for your love and compassion switch before you act out.   
  • Your “Take It For Granteds”—Too often our senses are dulled by our familiarity with an experience, a thing or a person that we take for granted because of its ongoing presence in our lives. How unfortunate! Because we then miss the delight, the joy, the wonder, and the gratitude of looking at something familiar with new eyes—as if it was brand new! So apply your cache-clearing skills to the familiar and see once again the wonder and the beauty of it! See that rose in your garden as if it was the first one ever! Appreciate your child’s desire to play catch as if it was the first time and not the third this week! Be grateful for having such a skillful hairdresser that makes your color so perfect that everyone thinks you’re a natural redhead.  

To Be Continued…

Meditation for the Meditation Challenged – part 2

In the last newsletter, we began an overview of ways to adapt various meditation techniques to your own personal style, time constraints and enjoyment. Here is the second half of that article.

Mantras & Chants

Spoken-word meditation is the ideal solution for some who have difficulty releasing or calming their thoughts. Focusing on a word or phrase repeatedly, coupled with rhythmic breathing creates the vibration that draws in and anchors spirit, or creates a peaceful space for your soul to express itself.

Try some of these:

  • “I am” phrases…I am love, I am joy, I am peace, I am a gift, I am healthy, I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am loved
  • Breathing in and out one single word: “peace” for instance
  • Repeating phrases of oneness: “I am That;That I am,” “God and me, me and God are One” 
  • Recommended by authors Peter Cole and Daisy Reese: “I am always connected” (in breath); “Spirit guides my path” (outbreath)
  • Chanting the sacred Sanskrit mantra “om”
  • Chanting various other mantras considered powerful aids in manifesting dreams and engendering enlightenment: The Sanskrit chant Aum Namah Shivaya or the traditional Buddhist chants Nam Myoho Renge Kyo or Om Mani Padme Hum
  • Do these chants while fingering sacred strings of beads 

Eyes Open/Focused Meditations

Where many meditators prefer to keep their eyes closed and shut out the outside world, others prefer a focused eyes-open approach. One of the goals of such a practice is to

join your essence with whatever it is that you are intensely gazing at. You will be merging and exchanging energy and creating the opening for spiritual inspiration.

Among these:

  • Candle flame, which is the spark of life, purifying all things
  • Flowers, which represent beauty and the female essence of the planet
  • A picture or image of Buddha or Quan Yin, the goddess of compassion
  • A crystal or sphere, which embodies certain properties for healing or growth
  • Sacred designs that have special meaning to you, sacred geometry or perhaps mendalas
  • A card drawn from a “divination” deck, which points the way for your spiritual expansion
  • A photograph of someone who’s traits you aspire to attain

Sound Meditation

Audio inspiration is a nice addition for meditators. While silence is golden, sound can be a doorway to heightened awareness and elevated states of consciousness. Some meditators also prefer to listen to guided meditations as a way to relax and bring themselves to a fully present meditative state.

Here are some of the options for Sound Meditation:

  •  Singing Bowls—The vibrational sounds of singing bowls are soul stirring and powerful
  • Music—New Age, Healing and Spiritually Inspirational music is the perfect accompaniment to meditation, taking you deeper into a peaceful state
  • Chants—Recorded chants from Buddhist and other enlightened cultures
  • Drums—Sounds of Native American, Asian and other culture’s drumming circles can be a meditation aid for people who wishs to lose themselves in the beat
  • Recorded Meditations—There is a wide variety of guided meditation CDs available on the market, many of a general nature, but others which are designed to help facilitate growth or healing in a specific area of one’s life
  • Recordings to Change the Brain Rhythm and Consciousness Level—A growing number of companies are offering special meditative CD’s or downloads designed to change your brain wave pattern and take you deeper into altered states of consciousness. What might take you an hour to do on your own, these products can do in a few minutes, especially if played regularly. 

Visualization

 

As a Conscious Creator, you no doubt know the power of visualization for manifestation, but visual images can be used for many meditative purposes. To help open you to guidance, to purify, to imbue yourself with some desired trait or state of mind, or to relax.

Here some ways to practice visual meditation: 

  • Sacred Scene—Imagine yourself in some beautiful natural place or a golden temple in the presence of God, guides and angels. Transport your mind and heart to a place of wisdom, grace and love.
  • Chakra Clearing—Imagine each individual chakra, the beautiful vortexes of energy along your center meridian in their individual radiant colors (red/root chakra/your place in the world; orange/second chakra/sexuality, money, creativity; yellow/third chakra/self-esteem and emotions; green/heart chakra/love; blue/throat chakra/speaking your truth; indigo/third eye chakra/intuition, purple/crown chakra/your spiritual connection to Source). Carefully and intentionally clear each one of any blockages so that it can spin easily and efficiently to support your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.  
  • Color—See yourself swathed in colorful energy emanating from the Universe in a pyramid of light, saturating every cell of your body. There are a number of books in our ManifestBooks.com inventory which provide guidance on the various colors. Here are the ones I use daily: golden light for empowering Source energy, a mix of sparkling silver and gold for manifestation, sparking pink for love, sparkling peach for joy, yellow for wisdom, green for health, blue for calmness and serenity, purple for spirituality.
  • Love Meditation –To increase the love in your life, create a meditation where you are surrounded by love in all ways in all places from all sources. See yourself receiving love. Then also see yourself flowing that love to others.
  • Meditation for Health—To improve your health or address a specific health consideration, imagine a little candle flame of spark of vibrant energy illuminating each and every cell that needs healing. Imagine yourself fully healed in all ways, doing the things that your perfect health affords you.

So let me close with two thoughts about meditation. One of the blessings of meditating is that you are letting go of the past and the future, and you are letting in the truth of NOW in this one peaceful moment. The other is a reminder offered by author Caroline Reynolds in her book Spiritual Fitness: “The important thing to remember is to meditate not with your mind, but with your heart.”

Meditation for the Meditation Challenged

(The first of two parts) 

So you’ve tried meditating and you’re not sure you’re actually getting it right. You want to meditate for many reasons: you’ve learned that it is the best way to access your intuition, guidance and Universal wisdom; you’ve heard that meditating gives you a doorway to inner peace and tranquility; you’re aware of the studies that reveal the medical benefits of meditation—lower blood pressure, increased sense of wellbeing, faster healing. 

But meditating isn’t that easy. Sitting still for a long time, trying to close out those thoughts speeding across your mind, rhythmic deep breathing…do you visualize your future, do you listen for guidance? How is this supposed to work? 

The answer is that finding the right meditation practice is like finding a therapist. You have to try a few different ones till you find one that works for you.  So in the following content, I will offer you many different options from which to choose. I encourage you to try a variety until you have a growing sense of comfort—and you don’t have the annoying urge to just get it over with! 

I’ll begin with my two personal favorites. 

Sending and Receiving

As a Conscious Creator, you know that much of your power in creating your own reality is visualizing how you want your life to be. But if you have a limited time for meditation, say 30-40 minutes a day—how do you do both?  My solution has been to do a sending-receiving meditation. The first half of my meditation is when I send my desires to the Universe, visualizing with emotion the desire I wish to see manifested. The second half I commit to receiving, blanking my mind, putting out my “antenna” and allowing messages and guidance to come forth. I begin that process by asking God/The Universe what it wants me to know that day and then stay open to whatever comes through. 

Just Be

 Oftentimes we think there is a right way and a wrong way to do something. But the blessing of meditation is that we don’t have to do anything. We can just BE.  When you get quiet, simply eliminate any should or shouldn’ts. Release everything that binds you, worries you, demands of you. Just let your soul BE. It’s a profound sense of relaxation to not have to do anything. Breath in, breath out. Just BE. Be with yourself. Be with the oneness. Be with the source. Be at peace. Just BE.

Breathing

There are many, many versions of meditative breathing, but most recommend that you breathe deeply from your abdomen. Inhale and exhale to a steady rhythm. Some suggest breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. The point is to focus on your breath so it becomes almost hypnotic and takes you away from any outside stimulus.

Here are some options:

  • Breathe one beat in and one beat out
  • Two beats in to four slow beats out
  • Count up to 10 breaths and then reverse the count down to 1. Then Repeat. 
  • Count to 100 and start over. Or count from 100 down.

Objective Observer

One way to release yourself of the tyranny of your thoughts is to make yourself an innocent bystander. As your thoughts float by, just notice them as if you were an observer and let them escape. Don’t judge. Don’t shoo them away. Just observe and refocus on your own inner place. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing exclusive on what is going on in or around you. You become totally focused on what you are feeling physically or emotionally to the exclusion of everything else. You notice how your buttocks feels as it is pressed to the ground, where it has contact, if your muscles are tense or released, if it feels cushioned or pressed onto a hard surface. You become aware of what that part of you is experiencing internally and externally. Become aware of all sensations. This forces you to stay present. “All that is asked is that you bring compassionate attention to what you are experiencing, moment by moment,” says Dr. Jeffrey Brantley in his book Calming Your Anxious Mind.

Here are some mindfulness meditations:

  • Begin at the top of your head and slowly become mindful of your scalp and how it feels. Then deliberately take individual segments of your body and do the same, slowing moving down your frame until the tips of your toes.
  • Do this same mindfulness meditation while walking.
  • Scan your body for emotional blocks or constrictions. Wherever your feel constricted ask what it is about.  Then encourage your body to begin releasing the emotion. Scan again to see if it is now feeling more open. Do this until you can feel the energy flow cleanly everywhere.
  • Breathe mindfully. Become aware of the breath coming in, going down your body, expanding your lungs and pressing against your belly. Feel it come back up slowly and feel it rise up through your mouth
  • Sit quietly in nature and become aware of every sound, every color, every movement, every element—taking each one at a time. Allow yourself to feel you are a part of this natural world.

To Be Continued…

The Magic of Changing Your Perspective

The Magic of Changing Your Perspective

For most of us, dealing with changes and events that take us out of our comfort zone instantly takes us to a place of fear and negative thinking. It is the rare person who doesn’t emotionally invest the experience with anxiety and assign a negative value to it. 

Yet the truth is that all things are neutral, they just are—until we bring our perspective to them and assign value. More importantly, every experience brings with it an opportunity for growth, for greater wisdom, for new knowledge, for redirection from the Universe, for expansion in some way, shape or form.

 The task for us as Conscious Creators is to retrain ourselves not to immediately go to that dark place, but instead to seek the light. To assign POSITIVE value to every experience. The best way to do that is to learn new perspectives, and to apply them to each situation. You can magically turn a perceived problem into a blessing by asking the right questions or applying the right filter.   

So this article is designed to give you many options on new ways to look at things. By having these “tools” in your tool kit, testing the ones that work best for you and then applying them through practice many times over, you will be able to change your knee-jerk negative pattern of thinking to a welcoming and positive perspective that raises your frequency. And eventually will become your new permanent pattern of perspective. 

Here are some really insightful questions that will lead you to look at your perceived challenges, problems and issues as your next opportunities, gateways and gifts: 

  • What is the joy to be found here?
  • What is really great about this?
  • What can I learn from this experience?
  • How can I apply this in the future?
  • How does this ultimately serve me?
  • What is the upside to this experience?
  • What is the “take-away” here?
  • What message is the Universe offering me?
  • How can I turn this experience into something positive?
  • What is the underlying truth about this experience–what is the reality without my emotional charge?
  • What is the good that can come from this?
  • Who can I help with this wisdom, knowledge and experience?
  • Where is this experience directing me?
  • What is the invitation here?  
  • What new opportunity does this open up?
  • How can I grow from this?
  • Where is my expansion in this?
  • What is this calling me to let go?
  • What burden is being lifted through this experience?
  • What deep calling within me wants expression through this change—even though it may be subconscious?

You undoubtedly know that everything happens for a reason. Here’s an opportunity to look at that reason as Source does. You would not be offered this experience if there was not purpose here for you, your life and your spiritual growth. But the Universe gives you these experiences out of its desire to help you reach your own truth and highest good. Use these questions to be open to seeing a more objective view of what is in your highest good.

The Gift of Risk

What do you think of when you contemplate RISK? Gambling at the crap tables? Starting a new business in an economic downturn? Jumping over a chasm?

These are all pretty extreme versions of risk, but we actually face risk in almost every daily decision we make. Which unfortunately is why many people are stuck on neutral in their lives, because they are so risk averse.

How do you define risk? It is when one must evaluate a new opportunity in light of standing steadfast on previous ground…it is taking a leap into the unknown when you can safely stay where all the factors are known and familiar. What must a person give-up to gain anew?  

But what most people do not realize is that risk is really a gift. It is an opportunity to rise to a new level, to have and demonstrate courage, to sharpen our decision-making skills, to explore new vistas with eyes open, to gain self-confidence when one has chosen well, to force us to confront limiting beliefs, to truly face what we are capable of. In other words, risk is an exceptional tool of spiritual growth. 

Yes, risk can be scary, but it can also be a doorway to vast new personal and financial blessings. Accepting the right risks can mean new fortune, new love, new freedom, new expression, new joy and more. 

On the other hand there is a risk in not taking the risk. If you never say yes to taking your future in your own hands because you fear not having a paycheck, what might you lose? If you don’t ask her to marry you because you fear commitment or constraint, what then happens when she accepts another proposal?

So how does one know what risks to take and which to forego?

  1. When the Calculated Risk Adds Up Right–When you have thoroughly evaluated the upside and downside vs. what you would be sacrificing or changing. If your upside outweighs all else, take the risk.
  2. When The Only Thing Holding You Back is Fear—If the opportunity has great promise and you’re waffling because of “what if…” and you’re envisioning all the scary reasons that things could go wrong–than turn it around and ask: “What if I didn’t have any fear about this, would I do it?” If once you’ve eliminate all the “made-up” scenarios, instead looked at the reality, and the opportunity is still strong, than do it! Fear should not be the reason holding you back from advancing. 
  3. When You Have the Capital to Invest—If you have enough to invest safely—whether that is your time, money, expertise, emotional capacity—than why not? Leverage what you have for something potentially greater.
  4. When It’s Time to Burn the Ships—If you have refused to move forward because it’s safe where you are or you always want to have an “out”, it’s time to burn the ships. Without risk, there is no reward. Life can be very debilitating when you’re in a rut. Take the risk and get out of the rut.
  5. When What You’re Going to Could Be Better Than Where You’ve Been—Sometimes you just have to take a risk because it can’t get any worse than where you are. Risk in this case represents movement and progress because you’re not really making a sacrifice. You can only go up from here.
  6. When Your Intuition, Instinct or Internal Voice Urges You Onward—Ah…a very important reason to say yes to the risk. Your divine connection is telling you there is a purpose for your soul in moving forward. Listen carefully in your quiet state, and hear what messages you are being given. Contrarily, if your inner voice tells you not to advance, do NOT ignore it. Wait till the next opportunity comes along. 
  7. When It Feels Right—There is a feeling that often tells you when you are on the right path. It simply “feels” right. You have a sense of expansion and openness. Project yourself ahead into the opportunity and see how you feel—is it expansive or is it constrictive? This should help guide your decision as to whether to take the risk. 
  8. When Your Passion is Engaged—If you are excited about the opportunity because it involves something that you love, or it springboards you creatively, than clearly the Universe is going to help support you in the new endeavor. It is no guarantee of success, of course, because other factors may be at play, but your passion and love will energetically go a long way toward aligning the forces for success.
  9. When All the Synchronicities are Lining Up in Your Favor—This is guidance that is leading you to make the change that this risk represents. If the Universe is already showing its support, isn’t it time you climbed on board?
  10. Consciously Create the Opportunity with Vision and Love—Put your efforts toward using your extraordinary powers of Conscious Creation to manifest the success of the venture or decision, and minimize any of the risk. See it succeeding with no roadblocks, obstacles or downsides. Then step into that new reality.

God Has My Back

I recently read in a magazine that Natalie Cole said: “I know that God has had my back, even when I was screwing up.” 

And I thought, “How profound! What a simple, comforting thought!” GOD HAS MY BACK! 

Even for people who have trouble with the concept of “trust and surrender,” God Has My Back is a very simple and elegant way to realize that they are not alone and that they have an amazing support system in place to rely upon.   

It’s a great way to realize that even in the worst of circumstances, God’s hand is guiding you out of the morass, and pointing you to the light. 

Just think about the times when you might have experienced this support system at work: 

  • When you were guided away from an ultimately dangerous or risky situation
  • When money showed up when you needed it most
  • When someone came to you with just the helping hand or the information you required
  • When got a “feeling” or “heard a voice in your head” that moved you toward or away from some action that ultimately turned out to be for your benefit
  • When you were miraculously healed or were directed to a doctor, healer or practitioner that helped you heal
  • When a new client or new job just showed up at the perfect time in the perfect way
  • When you met your lover or partner through the most unlikely of means
  • When you were “in the right place at the right time”
  • When you surely looked like you were headed for disaster and suddenly escaped  

God Has My Back! 

What a wonderful thought! Even when I make a grievous mistake or am unkind or do self destructive things, God still has my back. And even if I am slapped with the consequences of my bad behavior, that’s still God looking out for me, teaching me that I must be more thoughtful, conscious and compassionate.  

What a relief! I am not alone and I have powerful protector! Whether you are a dynamic leader who feels like everything must fall to you and you are alone on the precipice, or someone who feels weak and battered by life– with God at Your Back, you can relax! When you relax, you  become more intuitive, more confident, less pressured to make decisions that could be ill considered. Your frequency rises. You manifest more effectively. Your life is easier. 

Just imagine going through life feeling that God is always there to nudge you in the right direction or pick up you up when you fall. How would that change the way you feel about your life? Would it make life easier, more comfortable, less harrowing, more encouraging, more hopeful, less strenuous, less taxing, more forgiving?  What would change in your attitude if you were always aware that

God Has Your Back!

Whether we know it or feel it, each of us deserves salvation in our lives—and by that I mean deliverance from unhappiness and unpleasant experience. Sometimes we can be the architect of our salvation and sometimes we just need a little help. If God Has Your Back, than you know that salvation is possible…that you can find a way–or that you will be guided to the way–out of misery and pain. 

And you know what, if you know in your heart that you have this great protection, than you can call up on it. Whether that is through prayer, meditation, conscious creation or other ways that you can reach out to the divine Universal source, you can speed up your rescue by asking for assistance. 

So don’t forget God Always Has Your Back! You can take that to the bank!

 

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