November 29, 2008

Being in Harmony

You have more harmony points with every person on the planet than you have disharmony points, because there is much more of you that is in harmony with your Core than you realize or that most of you allow. The closer you come to being in harmony with your Source Energy, the more in harmony you are with each other.

When you think about other people and what they think of you, do you understand that what they think of you has very little to do with what you are? It has mostly to do with the habits of thought that they have developed. It has more to do with them as thinkers than it does with you as the subject of their thought.

If nothing is more important to you than that you feel good, you can form a fantasy about someone who is in your life and they will begin to modify to meet your fantasy, because Law of Attraction is a very powerful thing. (Abraham-Hicks)

November 27, 2008

Giving Thanks






This day and your life ... are God's gift to you , so give thanks and be joyful always! He enjoys much who is thankful for little; a grateful mind is both a great and happy mind.


Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens. There's always something to be thankful for. If you can't pay your bills, you can be thankful you're not one of your creditors.


Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.


He
enjoys much who is thankful for little: a grateful mind is both a great and happy mind.




***

To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude. -Albert Schweitzer



November 26, 2008

Outside Our Comfort Zone




Most of us have had the experience of tackling some dreaded task only to come out the other side feeling invigorated, filled with a new sense of confidence and strength. The funny thing is, most of the time when we do them, we come out on the other side changed and often wondering what we were so worried about or why it took us so long.

Whether we avoid something because it scares us or bores us, or because we think it will force a change we’re not ready for, putting it off only creates obstacles for us. On the other hand, facing the task at hand, no matter how onerous, creates flow in our lives and allows us to grow. The relief is palpable when we stand on the other side knowing that we did something even though it was hard or we didn't want to do it. (from the Daily OM)

We all have at least one thing in our life that never seems to get done. Doing this task is an act that can liberate a tremendous energy in our lives. Resistance takes a huge amount of energy, and causes unneccessary stress. No matter what wise person provides the message, the answer to peace in our lives is always the same: Accept and embrace what's before you. Do not fight with it.

November 23, 2008

Inner Peace





Embrace Reality

The single biggest key to inner peace in any moment is to align with reality, and NOT fight it. Reality, simply, is what IS. In this moment, you cannot change it....so accept it fully. As Eckhart Tolle would say, provide a space for it....accept its "ISness".


Let Go of Your Shoulds

Shoulds are nonacceptance of reality. The more shoulds, the less inner peace you will have. Let go of your story about how things SHOULD be. How do we know what SHOULD be happening?
Simply notice what IS happening.


Create Space

Always give yourself a time buffer. Do not over-schedule. Being more realistic about time will help you attain more inner peace.


Make the Most of Your Time

Instead of spending your time in frustration the things are not happening as you would like,
be prepared to use that time in a productive way. Read a book? Set some goals? Prioritize your day? Write a letter? Listen to your iPod? Meditate?

You have the option of turning this from a time of waiting to delicious time in which you enjoy yourself.

(based on "The Power of Inner Peace" by Mary E. Allen)

November 20, 2008

Holiday Stress





Sometimes it is not easy to remember that WE are in charge....That WE create our reality. Although there are many explanations of why holidays are stressful, you are the one who creates the stress by your expectations for yourself as well as your expectations for your family.

This is what "experts" say about holiday stress:


  • Unhappy memories. Going home for the holidays naturally makes people remember old times, but for you the memories may be more bitter than sweet. “During the holidays, a lot of childhood memories come back,” says Duckworth, who is also an assistant professor at Harvard University Medical School. “You may find yourself dwelling on what was inadequate about your childhood and what was missing.” If you associate the holidays with a bad time in your life -- the loss of a loved one, a previous depression -- this time of year will naturally bring those memories back.
  • Toxic relatives. Holidays can put you in the same room with relatives you avoid the rest of the year. People struggling with depression may face stigma, too. “Some relatives don’t really believe you’re depressed,” says Gloria Pope, director of advocacy and public policy at the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance in Chicago. “They think you’re just lazy, or that it’s all in your head. It can be really hurtful.”
  • What’s changed. The holidays can highlight everything that’s changed in your lives -- a divorce, a death in the family, a son who’s making his first trip back home after starting college. Any of these can really unsettle a gathering and add holiday stress.
  • What’s stayed the same. For others, it’s the monotonous sameness of family holiday gatherings that depresses them -- the same faces, the same jokes, the same food on the same china plates.
  • Lowered defenses. During the holiday season, you’re more likely to be stressed out by obligations and errands. It’s cold and flu season and your immune system is under assault. It’s getting dark earlier each day. You’re eating worse, sleeping less, and drinking more. By the time the family gathering rolls around, you’re worn out, tense, and fragile. The holiday stress makes it harder to cope with your family than it might be at other times of the year.
My brief answer to all of this is "Just say 'No', and have no expectations."

1. Learning to live in the present means not dwelling on unhappy memories. Take charge of your thoughts.

2. Who says you must spend holidays with toxic relatives? You choose, always with a loving heart, of course, but suffering is optional.

3. It is your choice whether you view change as "bad" or as an exciting adventure. And, if it's "same old, same old".....Create something different.

4. If "lowered defenses" are an issue, you have been following all the "Shoulds" and not taking
care of yourself. You can change that, you know.

November 19, 2008

You Are Special, But So Is Everyone





Take a moment from time to time to remember that you are alive. I know this sounds a trifle obvious, but it is amazing how little time we take to remark upon this singular and gratifying fact.


By the most astounding stroke of luck an infinitesimal portion of all the matter in the universe came together to create you and for the tiniest moment in the great span of eternity you have the incomparable privilege to exist. For endless eons there was no you. Before you know it, you will cease to be again. And in between you have this wonderful opportunity to see and feel and think and do. You are special.


But not that special. There are five billion other people on this planet, every one of them just as important, just as central to the great scheme of things, as you are. Don't ever make the horrible, unworthy mistake of thinking yourself more vital and significant than anyone else. Nearly all the people you encounter in life merit your consideration. Many of them will be there to help you - to deliver your pizza, bag your groceries, clean up the motel room you have made such a lavish mess of. If you are not in the habit of being extremely nice to these people, then get in the habit now.


Millions more people, most of whom you will never meet or even see, won't help you, indeed can't help you, may not even be able to help themselves. They deserve your compassion. We live in a sadly heartless age, when we seem to have less and less space in our consciences and our pocketbooks for the poor and lame and dispossessed, particularly those in far-off lands. I am making it your assignment to do something about it.


(Bill Bryson, from the book, I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away)

November 17, 2008

Ten Thoughts to Live By

  1. Thou shalt not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
  2. Thou shalt not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
  3. Thou shalt not cross bridges before you get to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.
  4. Thou shalt face each problem as it comes. You can handle only one at a time anyway.
  5. Thou shalt not take problems to bed with you for they make very poor bedfellows.
  6. Thou shalt not borrow other people's problems. They can take better care of them than you can.
  7. Thou shalt not try to relive yesterday for good or ill — it is gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life today.
  8. Thou shalt count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.
  9. Thou shalt be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is very hard to learn something new when you are talking.
  10. Thou shalt not become bogged down by frustration, for 90 percent of it is rooted in self-pity, and it will only interfere with positive action.
    (Author unknown)

November 15, 2008

Wisdom for Happiness


Remember, life is not made of great things, it is made of very small things. In the early morning, sipping a cup of tea, do it totally, as if this is the last cup of tea you will ever sip again.Take each moment and squeeze the whole juice of it. (Osho)


Imagine for a moment your own version of a perfect future. See yourself in that future with everything you could wish for at this very moment fulfilled. Now take the memory of that future and bring it here into the present. Let it influence how you will behave from this moment on. (Deepak Chopra)


In order to take our lives to the next level, we must realize that the same pattern of thinking that has gotten us to where we are now will not get us to where we want to go. (Anthony Robbins)


The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. (Buddha)

November 13, 2008

Pure Thoughts



If we make no effort at all, our thoughts usually scatter in a vast array of directions. They start and stop and move in surprising ways from one second to the next. If we try to follow our thoughts without controlling them, we will be amazed at how truly inconsistent they are. Yet, if we apply our minds to a specific task, especially one that interests us, they gather together and allow us to focus our attention, creating great power and energy. This is what is known as pure thought, because it is undistracted.

The law of attraction—like attracts like—influences all energy, including our thoughts, and this is what makes pure thought so potent. Our undistracted thoughts create a powerful magnet that draws similar energy into our vibrational field. As a result, the longer we are able to hold positive thoughts in our minds, the more powerful the positive energy around us becomes. We don’t need to focus on action and controlling so much when we are surrounded by energy that draws what we want toward us. We can simply respond to the opportunities that naturally come our way. When this is the essence of our experience, we can go with the flow, knowing that we will be okay.

If pure thought is a body, it is our emotions that supply the heart that can really bring it to life. Our thoughts and feelings exist in relation to one another, and they form a feedback loop through which they communicate and empower each other. When we hold a thought in our mind without being distracted, we have achieved pure thought. When we have a positive emotional response to that thought, we enable it to dance and move and breathe itself into existence. The Daily OM



As the world around us becomes increasingly louder and we are bombarded by constant noise and activity, we face a bigger challenge to have focused thoughts. Yesterday, the music playing at my local drugstore was so loud that I could barely keep my mind on my list. The fact that several people around me were having loud conversations on their cell phones did not help. I wonder what would happen if we asked for a quieter world? What if we asked that the music in public places be turned down? What if we nicely told people that we were bothered by their publicly aired cell phone conversations?



November 11, 2008

Stepping Outside the Box

When you change routine behavior, you are forced to actually think about decisions rather than habitually choosing a default mode without consideration.

In having to actually process decisions actively, you exercise real choice and use decision-making abilities. This kind of awareness results in an extension to other choices such as what to eat, and what not to. Once you become aware of actively making choices, you can decide on making choices which are in your best interest.

“The box” most of us are in is the result of programming and conditioning. And it is self-created in adulthood. Recognizing yourself as the author, the creator of your story challenges an assumed model and leads to the deeper question, “How do I create something else instead?” And, “What will the ‘something else’ be?” Based on the writings of David Krueger, M.D.


As a PSYCH-K facilitator, I know that we really are not in control of all adult programming and action. Much of our difficulties are caused by our subconscious beliefs, and by virtue of these not being within our consciousness, we really cannot change them. This is why I chose to do Psychological Kineseology.....It's the key to unlocking and changing that which we cannot access no matter how hard we try.


November 9, 2008

Acceptance







Don't try to become free. Don't look for peace. Don't look for any other state than the one you are in now; otherwise, you will set up inner conflict and unconscious resistance.

  • The moment you completely accept your nonpeace, your nonpeace becomes transmuted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace. This is the miracle of surrender.
  • When you accept what is, every moment is the best moment. That is enlightenment.
  • You don't need to deceive yourself and say that there is nothing wrong with a particular unpleasant or undesirable life situation. It may be time for you to get out of it. If so, you can recognize fully that you want to get out of it. Then, narrow your attention down to the present moment without mentally labeling it in any way. No judgment, no resistance, no emotional negativity. Just the "isness" of this moment. Then you take action and do all that you can to get out of the situation.
Eckhart Tolle

November 8, 2008

Stop Scaring Yourself!

In business, Pfeffer and Sutton report, managers who try to lead through fear cause paralysis more often than action. This is just as true when we're managing our own lives. Think of an area where you're trying to scare yourself into action. Right now, focus on your favorite fear-based admonitions:

"I've got to stop spending so much on shoes and save more for retirement or I'll end up a bag lady. A bag lady with a lot of shoes, but still..."

"I've got to stop eating junk or I'll end up the size of an off-road vehicle and no one will ever love me and I'll die of a heart attack before I ever see grandchildren!"

Now, while thinking those things, just notice: With fear ruling your mind, do you want to add to your savings or hit the mall? Do you crave broccoli or fries?

Of course you do.

Trying to motivate yourself with fear is like screaming at a child, "Do something, dammit!" You'll either freeze up or act in counterproductive ways. Fear widens the knowing-doing gap. Don't use it.


It seems so simple, but I've seen this strategy work over and over. When people stop scaring themselves and start calming themselves, they become far more productive and successful in every aspect of their lives. Try it right now, so you can use it the next time you're scared. Silently tell yourself simple things like "It's okay." "You're all right." "There's no rush." "You can do this." You'll be amazed at the power of this humble mental-management technique to help you turn knowledge into action.

Martha Beck

November 6, 2008

Peeling Away The Layers






Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer big enough to contain them.

In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don’t allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can’t expand to our full potential.

Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting.

Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don’t disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self—the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just "me."

Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when we no longer need them. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth.
(from The Daily OM)

Sometimes, this "shedding" is painful, and our new self feels quite vulnerable. This is the time to be gentle with ourselves and have faith that this is a good and natural process in becoming who we really are underneath all those layers. Joy awaits you!

November 5, 2008

Change

"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."
~King Whitney Jr.

Change gives us the opportunity to try something new, to learn, to experience, to grow. Only with growth can we reach our full potential, both as individuals and as a culture.

November 4, 2008

Baggage Restrictions


Mastering Time Travel
Time traveling is something we do frequently and with great ease. How often have we been told to visualize the future that we desire?


Even when someone is fully living in the present—living in the now—they still may not be achieving their desired results. Could this be because of excess baggage they drag with them from their past?

We might do well to adapt the guidelines and restrictions placed upon our luggage when we fly (in real time) out of town. The best advice seems to be, the less we bring with us the faster we will pass through the check points and reach our desired destination.

One Bag Only, Please
The future we dream about is like the narrow security checkpoints in the airport terminal. We can pass through them quickly and easily provided we are not carrying anything that will hurt ourselves or others. The bags we carry-on must be limited to one and must be small enough to pass through the "time machine."

If we are lugging an enormous trunk full of yesterday's baggage, we are simply not going to fit through the gap. Even if we check this extra luggage, it will only cost additional time and effort at Baggage Claim. Do we really need to bring all this stuff with us?

In reality, we can either jettison our baggage from the past or go nowhere fast. Happy time traveling!

(Will Craig)

November 2, 2008

"Fixing" Ohers

Everyone doesn’t have to be the same. Most say, “Well, it’s so much easier if we’re all the same.” And we say, it is not easier when you’re all the same; conformity is the thing that thwarts you most. That massive wanting to get you to conform—to all think the same way and want the same things—is what is causing the revolt that is happening within you. You are determined to be freedom-seekers in a Mass Consciousness society that is determined to make you the same.


Your work is not to fix them; they are not broken. Your work is to choose from among all of that which feels best to you, and fixate on it as long as it gives you pleasure and joy. And in doing so, you will align with the Energy of your Source, and you will live a magnificent experience. You just have to not let your joy depend upon what anybody else is living, ‘cause that’ll get you every time.

(Abraham-Hicks)