Exciting News and More About Freedom

I am very excited because I am a guest blogger for a very successful blogger in the UK. I get some international exposure and link back to my site. I also get to share my passion with more people. The article is called, Tap Into Your Inner Gold Mine. Be sure and go there on Tuesday 4/17 and check out my blog entry and enjoy how great his site is at http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog

Freedom From the Burden of Judging

Impartiality can set you free. This is the third part of a series on exploring impartiality. When you can just observe what is going on and not get into judging everything as right or wrong, good or bad you set yourself free. You become free enough to see what is working and what is not both for yourself and those you interact daily. This freedom of seeing without the burden of judgment allows you to just be with yourself and others in ways that help promote growth and create positive choices in life. When you are free of your reactivity to situations, you can base your decisions on thoughtful heart-felt clarity. Here are some addition ways to develop you inner objective witness.

1. Walking in awareness - is walking through your day both awake and aware. When in awareness you are conscious of your imprint on the planet and those you live, play and work with. This powerful moment to moment way of being is transformative to you and your relationships. The practice of walking in awareness has the following components: you must slow down, notice and observe the world around you; sensing the inflow and outflow of your breath deepens your present moment awareness; feeling your feet as they touch the ground encourages you to develop your friendship with the earth; and at the same time your head and heart expand to welcome all that you are and all you encounter. That is walking in awareness. It is a practice that will teach you to free yourself just to be.
2. The Impartial Observer Self – this practice is more specific for developing the objective observer. To do this you need to imagine there is a part of you either above you or just over your shoulder that watches what is going on. This observer self is you without judgment, with compassion for who you are and what you do. You can use this observer to watch in the moment what is going on or as a way to review what has just happened. The most important thing to remember about this impartial you is that it is free of reactivity, criticism and the labeling of good or bad. It simply observes and learns from what is going on. Free of judgment you can make adjustments and course corrections for your life with kindness and caring. Developing this observer takes some practice but in a short time you can have it as a powerful tool to enrich the quality of your life.

These two practices have been enlightening for me. The walking practice I use once or twice daily and am often amazed at the insights I gain. The observer self comes in handy at meetings and family and friends gatherings where I can see myself and others in relationship. I have learned so much from my ability to objectively observe what is going on. I can clearly see what is working and what is getting in the way of being successful.

As a member of the human family you and I have so much more to offer when we are impartial, compassionate and conscious.

Let me know how this whole growing your impartiality goes. Remember if you have questions please feel free to ask me at explorelifeblog@gmail.com. Your question, feedback and ideas are always welcome by email or comments

More On the Ways of Impartiality

I wanted to continue the exploration of Impartiality as a practice of power. Impartiality is the ability to step back and see things free of reactivity. I had a spiritual teacher for a number of years that felt impartiality was one of the greatest tools for liberating ourselves from struggle and suffering and for empowering us to decide how to go through life. When I can see who I am, free of labeling myself good or bad, then I can appreciate my strengths and grow my weaknesses. When I can rise above the dramas of life and look openly at what is going on, I can make clearer course adjustments to keep myself on track toward creating the life I want. The benefits of being impartial make it worth the effort it takes to get there.

There is a story I want to share that I think can shed some light on this process of being present to what is without judgment. I like this monk story so much that I am in sharing it even though it only indirectly reflects impartiality.

There were two monks on a long days walk to return to their monastery. Early in the day they came about a stream. There at the stream’s edge stood a lovely young woman. She was hesitant to cross the stream. After a brief conversation the one monk lifter her up and carried her across the stream as the other one watched in shock. The monks then left the woman behind and continued on for most of the rest of the day before reaching their home. When they got to the gates of the monastery the one monk turned to the other and said, “I can’t believe you carried that woman across the stream, it was in violation of our rules to interact with her. The other monk looked him in the eyes and said, “I just carried here across the stream, you carried her in your thoughts all the way up to here.” Yes the mind can carry disagreeable situations for a very long time. With impartiality you are free to act, to be and then to move on without judgment and lingering doubt. The one monk was free of his act the moment he put her down. The other one carried his judgment and discomfort all the rest of the day.

I love that story about letting go and moving on. How often do you carry things too long? Wouldn’t it be nice to let go of our critical reactive self and just be moment to moment? Here is a further technique to help you develop your impartiality.

This technique is kind of a challenge to write about without a diagram but as of yet I haven’t a clue on how to do that on this blog. I would like you to think of yourself as a collection of selves. Each self runs you when you are in that self. Let me give you some examples: the fear of failure self avoids situations where you might fail; the food eating self may enjoy preparing and eating meals; the work self may be energized and passionate about your work; the morning self may walk around in a daze until coffee; the party self may enjoy meeting friends and drinking beer; the spiritual self must attend church every Sunday or feel guilty; the approval seeking self may ignore what feels right inside and instead do what someone else wants; and so many more. We have hundreds of different selves that take us over every day.

Can you see in your mind a big circle, which would be you, and in the circle are a number of different size circles spread around and each represents another self? Good I knew you could do this. The size of the different circles vary depending on the size of the self’s influence on you. Inside the large circle is also a circle for your impartial self. The goal is to grow the impartial self large enough that it is the predominate self in you. Then you are free to just watch the other selves and choose how to be. So your task, if you choose to accept it, is too draw a large circle and start to fill in the different smaller circles of selves that you are aware of in your life. I remember one weekend where I came up with over 300 selves I observed in me. I was amazed to see such a variety if forces in me. This exercise can bring you a lot of insight into what selves run you. The insights empower you to be the creator of your life.

I will share more techniques later. Please let me know how this goes. If you have questions please feel free to email me directly at explorelifeblog@gmail.com

Impartiality Is a Practice of Power

On this blog I will introduce you to Practices of Power that will enrich the quality of your life if you choose to explore and practice them. I have experimented with these practices over many years and have seen their great benefits. These I share with a caution: if you choose to explore this or any future practice it will definitely alter your life in ways that will make it forever different. I share this caution because if you tend to like things the way they are or like to stay in your comfort zone then you may not want to explore these practices.

I want to share with you a Practice of Power called Impartiality. Impartiality is the ability to witness or observe yourself and the world free of judgment. That means you can be with yourself, see what you do, and assess it free of an emotional reaction. You can also do that with others and situations. You can learn to see what is going on and not be fully into reaction; instead you simply watch and learn. When you are impartial you clearly see what is going on as if you are simply an observer watching you and your relationship to the world.

Why is it beneficial to have impartiality you may ask? If you have been able to actually have moments of impartiality you know the benefits. I can share with you an experience I had in which I watched a scene unfold around me and didn’t get pulled into the crazy drama.

I was discussing a situation with some colleagues where I do some consulting work. Someone had questioned the quality of service being provided to a client. My two colleagues got very upset and their emotions shy-rocketed. I soon found myself surrounded by this highly charged response and watching how stirred up they got. I could feel the discomfort and investment they had in the situation and knew they had no idea how they looked as their faces grew red and the eyes got big as the explained what happened. In that moment they were both on a roller coaster ride of emotion and reactivity. My impartiality watched free of judgment and full of compassion for the shock of emotions that was coursing through their bodies. Without impartiality I would have been right there with them and believe me I have been right there more times then I would want to admit. The great thing about impartiality is that I can do a thorough review of my own over reactions, flaws and screw-ups and see them as mistakes and not beat myself up about them.

The reason I thought of writing about impartiality was because last night on my meditation walk I found myself briefly reviewing some of my major mess-ups in life. In the midst of this possibly unpleasant review I was happy to see myself as accepting of my imperfections and appreciative of my willingness to learn and grow. I saw the gift of impartiality in that moment very clearly and I wanted to share it today in my blog.

In my next blog I will write about some further methods for developing impartiality but for today I want to get you started. The most important first step is to make a commitment to yourself to begin to observe you and your interactions with the world. Begin by noticing your breathing patterns throughout the day and as you relate to others and situations. Pay particular attention to when your breath constricts or expands. These are points of closing or opening and they are valuable feedback to how you are responding to yourself and others.

The challenge will be to figure out how to remind yourself to be aware of your breath. Try this: every time you get up to move around have that as a signal that it is time to tune in. So when your body goes into movement it is suppose to remind you to observe the breath. I will call this, body moving into action, a trigger for your awareness. You can activate this trigger by simply suggesting to your body that any movement means time to be aware of breath. With practice you will get good at activating your awareness.

Please let me know how this goes and what you are learning along the way.

Check Out This Great Learning Resource

I have been exploring the internet and finding lots of great resources. This one on learning is worth checking out.

http://oedb.org/library/college-basics/hacking-knowledge

Blogging, Growth and Inner Peace

Self-exploration is both effort and fun for me. I find myself wanting to understand so I can move on but then I realize this process of understanding is what life is about. I enjoy learning; experimenting with life; play with new ideas; seeing things from a new perspective; being touched by others; and searching for greater clarity. I also enjoy being creative, exploring my potential, doing new things and visiting new places. Life to me is absolutely rich with opportunities and possibilities.

I started this blog because I wanted to share with others my excitement for life, my belief in the unlimited potential of every human being, and because I have as a purpose to encourage and inspire others to wake-up and be all they can be. I love writing about the ideas I share in this blog. However a really interesting thing is happening as I share. I am becoming more inspired and more awake. I feel encouraged by those that are getting something out of what I write. I feel very alive and purposeful. This all feels so right to me. I am filled with gratitude to be doing what I love to do.

My goal is to now devote more of my day to my pursuit of writing, spreading consciousness, compassion, purpose and peace. I feel on a mission and my energy is high. The challenge for me now is to bring in income so I can do so. I will be looking at adding ads and some new exciting books I have been busily writing, so I can generate a flow of money. I wanted you the reader to know I am doing this because I am absolutely commitment to providing high quality, thought- provoking and expansive ideas and insights. So you will be seeing some changes but know that this is good because it means I am expanding through this growth and will be able to share as I learn.

I must share some ideas you might find helpful or this just won’t feel like a blog. I have put together three of the best ideas I know to help you find more inner peace.

1. There is an inner critic in you that needs to be made into quiet background noise. The best way to do that is to listen to how you talk to yourself. When you hear the inner critic judging you, stop it and tell it that from now on only words of encouragement and support are welcome. The inner critic is a learned voice that has no benefit to you, so shrink it to a whisper and enjoy how good that feels.
2. Have as a personal commitment to appreciate your life, your health, your relationships, your home and whatever else you can think of to be grateful for each day. The more you focus on what you appreciate the more you will have things to appreciate. Sure there are things that may need to change but still what is most true is that you have much to be grateful for and lots to feel good about.
3. Daily take time to be quiet. You know kids take quiet time; adult need it too. In the quiet moments you can learn to free your busy mind enough so it can slow down and then you can tap into your inner knowing and find your inner peace.

I will keep you informed as I evolve this site. Please let me know what you think and I hope you can find some moments for peace each day.

More About Self vs Ego-self

I think I am onto something in this exploration of Self and ego self. By on to something, I mean there is a rich vein here worth looking at in depth. My next question is how will I do that. My two best methods are writing and walking meditation. My meditation practice keeps shedding light and insight on this topic. Writing is the method I will use here. The fun thing for me is that I don’t know where I will go with it moment by moment but I have learned to trust the process. Trusting the process comes from practice and I had a realization last night that I often share ideas on this blog that I have explored over time. These ideas and practices I talk about from my place of experience and at times I falsely assume you have also walked some of these long roads of contemplation and awareness seeking. Maybe one of the gifts I have to offer is that I can spare you some of the grinding and instead bring more light. I hope that is true.

The ego self is driven and powerful. It is considered by many in our culture a real plus to have a strong ego self. In athletes the strong ego is often present. Some consider a strong ego as an asset for leadership. This ego self is really more for show and impact. Behind most strong public egos is a deep river of self-doubt. In sports the ego can be used as a way to dominate but really that too is more for show. Ego leadership is much more a disaster because arrogance in a fatal by-product of such self-posturing. In you and I a strong ego often means too much investment in being right and in control. The healthiest ego is one in which it plays a quietly supportive role making sure we are ok.

The Higher Self is the part of us that is the source of our inner knowing, intuition, purpose, passion and aliveness. When we are in touch with this Self, we feel inspired and energized. Being energized is a positive sign because it means that we are tapped into this Self. We very much need leadership that is guided by the Self at this time in the history of the planet.

I keep on wanting to shed light on the difference of these two selves. The best way to understand is to take some time to explore and write about what you are discovering. This process will be empowering because you can choose to be run less by the self’s need to dominate and instead follow the guidance of the your higher knowing.

I hope this is helpful. I know for me this journey has been slow and at times frustrating as I have too often fallen short of the awareness needed to move on to the level of results I wanted. As I write this I see the ego self invested in these results. This is good for me to see because my ego is never satisfied. The Self in me is already there, is free to be, and able to create as needed. My goal is to live from the Self as much as I can each day. This is an ongoing project.

Below is a mixture of ideas about our exploration today. I hope you find them helpful

Your handicap is the strong ego, the I which stands in the path and must be surrendered... ... If we could bring it into correct alignment with, and submission to, the Higher Self, it would then be no hindrance to the illumined life. - Paul Brunton

The higher self is that place where everything is accomplished by doing nothing. A mere desire becomes the trigger for transformation. - Deepak Chopra

All the great people say it was their destiny to be great. Know thyself-you have destiny to be great. It's coded in your DNA/RNA. Meet thy greater self. Express thy higher self. Fulfill your real self. - Mark Victor Hansen

You have a purpose, and your Higher Self will see to it that you carry out that purpose, whether it's done in a few hours or a hundred years, whether you do it kicking and screaming all the way or having a delightful time. - Serge King

What you love is a sign from your higher self of what you are to do.
Sanaya Roman

I also came upon a very interesting article about 77 ways to learn faster, deeper and better at http://cultivatinggreatness.com. Check it out.

The Self and the Ego

I spent the weekend posting comments on other blogs and enjoying life. As I was reading through some posts I gained some valuable insight. I want to share with you what I better understand now. I have a self and a Self. So do you. The small self is the ego and personality. The Higher Self is the part of me that was before my birth and will continue after this life. This Self is connected directly to the highest consciousness; to the collective wisdom of all beings; and to the source of the universe. The ego self is driven by fear, looking good to others, the need to control and be safe. This self is not bad but limiting. The Higher Self is creative, wise, loving, guiding, and the force behind intuition, manifestation and all of life. These two aspects are very important to understand and I am still sorting out a deeper level of consciousness here.

So what do you need to do with this information? Let’s begin with the idea that most decisions you make about life and situations come from either the self or the Self. It is important for you to become aware of which self/Self is guiding you throughout your day. The self will guide you to take care of your basic needs and to look for approval from others. The larger Self will keep you alert to what you are feeling, help you get a sense of what’s your truth and align you to your purpose. Both selves serve you. Which one do you want in charge when you decide what direction to take your career or business? Which one do you want to guide you in relationships with others? Which one is the source of love? So there is much exploration here to do.

Why take the time you may wonder? The answer is another question, how much do you want to take charge of your life, live on purpose and manifest your highest desires? If the answer is that you want to be the creator then you need to be guided by the Self. This Self is the one that has a direct relationship with the laws of attraction. See the movie The Secret if you don’t know this concept. The small self or ego will have little if any power to manifest from the law of attraction. Any idea that The Secret is an ego trip comes from a lack of awareness about the ego vs. the Self. The ego can only manifest out of sheer force of will and that will not be satisfying. The Self can manifest abundantly anything it becomes clear about and is willing to receive.

Here are three steps to take this week:
1. Start becoming aware of the self vs Self in you
2. Take time to become acquainted with the Self by spending some quiet time in conversation with it.
3. Try a small manifestation project and have the Self guide you on how to make it happen.

The secret is in you. Desire is good because it calls you to stretch yourself toward a higher expression. Welcome opportunities to see yourself more clearly. Then watch as you access your higher knowing and begin to make things happen in ways that fill your heart with satisfaction.

Let me know how it goes and insights you gain along the way. I am always excited to hear other people’s insights because they often take me higher too. Journey well and prosper.

A Compassionate Peaceful World

Yesterday I was reading a book on my bus ride into town and came upon some thoughts of the Dalai Lama about how to bring peace to the world. I appreciate his perspective because it is filled with wisdom and kindness. He emphasized the importance of developing compassion as a powerful way to resolve global conflicts. Compassion is the ability to feel for others, to care about their suffering and to hope for their happiness. All of us want to be free of suffering and to be happy. Everyone on our planet share these desires. If all of our decisions were base on ending suffering and spreading happiness, the world would be a wonderful place.

I want you to imagine what it would be like if the leaders of the world found their hearts and developed compassion? How would things change if you and I and our elected leaders could see beyond our individual needs, and together we could plan for a world where happiness and compassion were the guiding principles? The power of an open heart and compassionate understanding could make this possible.

Where do we start? Lets begin with the idea that we have to think for the long run. We have to have a vision for future generations that includes the possibilities of a peaceful, happy and caring world. Today too much is driven by worry, greed and wanting things now. The future perspective will emphasize thinking about what is best for those that are yet to come. We will definitely have to make sure there is clean air to breathe, water to drink, and a safe and peaceful world.

In addition to the long-range view, we need open minds and hearts. Our minds and hearts must be open to expand our thinking, to understand a variety of viewpoints and to bring compassion to all of our interactions. We can resolve any problems with expansive minds and willing hearts. Together we can find solutions to suffering and build societies where happiness and concern for the greater good will guide our decisions and policies.

This is not a fancy dream but totally within the capacity of every human being. Each of us has a heart capable of limitless love and compassion. When in touch with our heart we all feel compassion for those suffering and in need. Even those with the most jaded hearts want to be loved and feel love. Love, caring and understanding can mend all hearts.

This peaceful world is completely possible. How about you and I start the process by making sure our minds are open and our hearts filled with compassion. Then everywhere we go and everything we do will have the wisdom of a bright mind and the glow of a caring and kind heart.

Some Quotes from the Dalai Lama

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

The Ing World May Be Taking Over

This hurry world seems to just go and go. I find that I need to take breaks regularly from this speedy world. Today my break is lightening-up and playing with some words and seeing where it goes. By the way, creativity is a great way to step out of the hyper world and enter the enjoyable moment

Lately I have come upon a number of interesting “ing” words. Four that keep coming up are ning, ping, ding and bling-bling. I don’t know who invents these words but do, they need a patent lawyer to keep the ownership? Probably not, which means I can invent some as I go, that could be fun. Anyway back to these words, ning is a word that is used for social networks on the web. I am active in a ning called Waging Peace. Social networks offer people space on the internet to talk about things and ideas. I find talking through my fingers much different then face to face. There is more time to be thoughtful and introspective. That is a plus but the heart plays a secondary role in most of these conversations. I am working at having more heart and more soul in my writing.

Then there is ping, which is what I am suppose to do after I post a new journal entry. Pinging is when you alert different tech posting sites. I may not be stating this correctly but I do understand it is a good thing to get visitors to my site. Having readers is really good and the more the merrier. Now at first I was excited about pinging because I enjoy ping-pong but then I realized they weren’t related so I couldn’t have as much fun pinging as I could ping-ponging. Darn!

The word ding has a less pleasant reaction in me. Ding is when banks charge you all there special little fees if you do something they can ding you about. This is an odd behavior because it is all about punishing you in the name of profit. Kind of an S&M thing, you pay for it and they are happy to punish you? Credit card companies are the biggest dingers and they seem able to ding as much and as often as they want? That seems jaded doesn’t it?

Bling-bling is not something I worry about but women have lots of opinions. Bling-bling is how much sparkle and glitz is attached to things. Sometimes bling-bling done right works but done wrong is a big booboo. If you go to the mall there are shops full of bling-bling. Maybe that’s to counter balance all the sports hats, jerseys etc in places like Dick’s Sporting Goods. Can you really think of a more manly sporting goods store name then Dicks?

I wanted to add ming to the mix. There was the Ming dynasty which is fun to check out in Asian art displays; then there is Yao Ming who plays in the NBA and is really tall like a rocket and plays for the Houston Rockets. If you enjoy basketball Mr Ming is a treat to watch. I wonder if he likes Asian art? If you want some fun go to www.youtube.com and play the “Chinese Backstreet Boys” wearing Yao’ Ming’s jersey singing away. Looks like a new Ming dynasty is on the way.

Well I hope you had a chuckle or at least survived my ramblings. Oh by the way laughter is the best medicine and I hope you have a great laugh at least sometime today.

Open To Receive

I was crossing over a bridge on my run today and stopped to notice the large flow of water through the canal. I like to imagine when I am near water that it is nature and abundance flowing. I like to stand on the outflow side of a bridge and imagine that flow is coming from me and I am giving in abundance. This type of visualization always feels good because I have deeply feel the rightness of giving. This time, however, standing on the bridge I turned toward the inflow side and noticed a slight hesitation to receiving in abundance. This moment of insight was very valuable because I caught a glimpse of myself being cautious about having.

Yikes, I thought I had worked through that but obviously not fully. There is still some inner work needed because the hesitation was real and has to create a limiting response in me. This self-limitation is my own block to having what I want. I will now work on letting this block go. How I will do that? I just got an idea as I was writing this. My idea was to do a drawing of the scene I was visualizing and to recreate and further explore the hesitation. There is more for me to know here and I am eager to explore and experiment.

This is the process of opening to receive whatever you desire in life. You imagine what you want; then see what is in the way of you having it? It could be a lack of effort or an unwillingness to do what needs to be done. If however you find yourself working hard to make things happen and the results aren’t there then you have to do some self-inquiry. If you are open, inner feedback can come in the most interesting of ways. The stopping on the bridge today during my run and seeing my reaction to the inflow is an example of how information can come when you really want awareness.

Receiving is an issue of the heart. If you find your heart closed then receiving will be difficult. If you find your heart is cautious or fearful then you receiving will be limited. If you tend to stuff how you feel and numb out then the receiving will be little if any.

What opens the flow is an open heart. A personal flow will expand as you expand in your self-acceptance and self-love. Giving from the heart opens you to receiving. Imagining your heart opening will increase the flow. Loving create flow, and an open loving heart is a magnet for receiving. Trust also opens flow. Some people say, “give what you want to receive.” You deserve to receive no matter what your programming has been to the contrary. When you believe you can receive.

Get clear what you want to manifest in your life, what you really want to receive. Then go about making it happen. If the roots are good then the fruits will be also. If the roots are self-doubting, critical, blocked, or limiting then the fruits will not survive. Seek to understand what is at the root of your results. The more you explore and understand the better you will be at changing the outcomes and creating the life you truly want. Set you goal to become a master at receiving and then watch how fun life can be.

Continued from earlier: My exploration of the visualization so far has been very helpful. I took some time to draw the scene and then draw my heart being fully open to receiving. I find a notebook and some colored pens very helpful in turning ideas into pictures of what I want to create in my life.

“The universe operates through dynamic exchange . . . giving and receiving are the different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe.”
Deepak Chopra

Is The Secret Really A Secret

The movie The Secret, which has now been seen by millions, has stirred up quite a discussion. The principles, that make up this movie about the law of attraction, have actually been around for a long time. What makes this movie interesting is that it presents these ideas in a way that is informative and inspirational. That makes the movie worth seeing.

I have been studying and exploring these principles for many years. I have had a variety of results, most of which support the law of attraction as being worth exploring. Where I have not created the results I wanted, there has been opportunity for me to become aware of my own barriers. I have to admit finding some old inner messages about “not deserving and not being good enough to have what I want”. These inner messages come from faulty thinking that I picked up early on in life. I have since explored these self-limiting messages and have made progress. Still inside of me there continues to be parts of me that I am yet conscious of that still get in my way.

These parts are too often misinterpretations I made as a small child. As a child I had inadequate information to make such life determining decisions. These thoughts however continue until some light is shed on them and they can be examined and new choices can be made. With awareness I am empowered to make healthy choices and better shape my life.

The Secret is about awareness, about choice, about how we think about things and about being in the present. Much of The Secret is about getting out of our own way. Unfortunately many of us are better at limiting ourselves then we are at setting ourselves free. The Secret is about freeing ourselves to be the possibilities and potential we are.

I encourage everyone to be open to the ideas of this not so secret, The Secret. Through our openness and awareness of the laws of attraction we can begin to create the results we have always wanted. Let The Secret and all its ideas penetrate deeply into who you are and enjoy the realization of your highest expression.

Let me know of your experience of The Secret. I hope today proves you are open to the law of attraction.

Freedom Through Self-Discovery

This morning the sun is shining and the warmth of the early Spring is here and welcome. I was thinking this morning about freedom. This is on my mind because I often look to see what is in me and in my way. Freedom is only possible if I learn to first free myself. What blocks my freedom is my limited beliefs about myself and the world. I am a collection of my memories, programming and expectations. The past has shaped how I look at things. With this past influence I see things from the filter of what I have learned.

Our minds as we grow up are programmed by our experiences and this shapes how we look at the world around us. By the time we have reached adulthood we are a collection of thoughts that are too often limited and limiting. Freedom comes from watching the mind and the 40,000-50,000 thoughts we have each day. Now obviously we can’t watch most of those thoughts because we wouldn’t be able to do anything else. The good and the bad news is that 80-90% of those thoughts are the same as the day before. Good because we have lots of time to observe and not so good because the limiting thoughts keep getting repeated.

This computer system we call our mind is constantly programming our lives. The goal here is to listen inward and begin to understand the themes and major messages the mind continually repeats. With some watchful, non-judgmental observing we can find out what our limiting beliefs are. This process takes patience and an openness to just see who we are and what we think. Many of our limitations come from those we learned from growing up including family, schools and the other institutions in our lives. Now, there is obviously much here to explore.

Here are a couple of important rules to make this exploration successful:
• Avoid judging our being critical of what you discover, do not blame others or yourself
• Take what you discover and consider changing your thoughts to ones that are empowering
• Keep a sense of lightness and do your best to enjoy your insights and your new choices

Here are some key things to watch for:
• Decisions you made about life when you were only a child and working with insufficient information
• The viewpoints of your parents and family which were often limited to their experiences
• The limiting perspectives schools put on you for the purpose of control rather then learning
• The use of fear and guilt by institutions like churches and others for the purpose of control
• Peer pressures to conform, to be accepted

Now here are a few ideas that you will find helpful in exploring your own freedom:
• Take time each day to listen inward and get to know your self-talk and thoughts. Great times to tune in are in the car by yourself, a morning walk, riding the bus, any time that you can be quiet
• Be aware there is an usually a powerful inner critic; instead focus on appreciating who you are as a wonderful unique person
• Writing in a journal can help you sort out some of your insights
• See yourself as the one who creates your experiences; so decide to design your life the way you want it

This is maybe too much information? Take what connects to you and explore it. This process of self-discovery and setting yourself free is life long, so take it easy along the way.

“Wherever my travel may lead, paradise is where I am” Voltaire

“What we are looking for is what is looking” St Francis

Qualities of a Billionaire Heart

I am excited about this idea of Billionaire Heart because the world needs billions of such hearts. I spent some time thinking about the qualities of a Billionaire Heart. Here is what I have come up with so far:
• Open to receive
• Enjoys giving and being generous
• Loves to love
• Compassionate for others
• Self-accepting and self-loving
• Self-aware
• In awareness of the world around
• Seeks consciousness
• Encouraging and supportive
• Listens with compassion and understanding
• Inspired and inspirational
• Filled with meaning and purpose
• Inclusive and welcoming
• Open-minded
• Wants to understand a variety of viewpoints
• Finds much joy in life
• Values freedom
• Believes in the unlimited human potential
• Questions norms and so-called reality
• Expresses creatively
• Awake and present to each moment
• Self-reliant and empowering
• Playful and freely expressive
• Quiet and contemplative
• Comfortable in silence and being alone
• Appreciates the company of others
• Sees life as an experiment and adventure
• Open to feedback and guidance
• Expansive enough to include the entire planet
• Filled with gratitude
• At peace
• And more……………………

I welcome your ideas for other qualities you think could be included. I also invite you to use this as a survey to do a self-assessment. Please take this list, copy it to a document and print it. Then go over the qualities and decide which ones you do well and which ones you want to do better.

Please: This Is Very Important – be kind and generous to yourself in this assessment. Appreciate who you are and also make a commitment to be even better. The world today, needs all of us now, at our very best.

I want to end with the wise words from my friend Raj
“If it is going to be, it’s up to me”

The Power Of Emotions

What is all this white stuff on the ground? Yesterday I went running in t-shirt and shorts and now there is 4-6 inches of snow out there. The best news is I can probably go cross-country skiing from my door today. As I write I find myself thinking about a crew of technicians I worked with this morning who were grieving the surprise loss of a co-worker. Their emotions were near the surface but held in check. I think about how we are all so well trained at keeping our feelings contained and wonder if that is good for us?

Emotions are powerful signals that we are alive and that we have feelings about what is going on. These feelings are what make us more then just a thinking machine. When we have feelings, it means we have a heart and the capacity: to love; to have passion for life; to care for others; to feel excited; to know joy; to experience inspiration and inner peace and so much more. Yet, too often, we suppress what we feel because we have thoughts that we should. These thoughts need to be re-examined if we are to feel fully alive.

Our heart is the source of our desire to live and to create the life we want. Feelings are the juice of life that needs to flow easily and fully. Each of us needs to feel to relate to ourselves and to others. We all know people who feel lots and feel little. Those that feel lots have more fun and live life more fully. Those that hold back emotions often miss out on how good life can feel. The important thing is to feel what you feel. Even difficult emotions need to be acknowledged. Let whatever we feel be okay.

Here are some basic tips to take care of your feeling heart:
• Be accepting of who you are and what you feel
• Express your feelings with awareness and then move on
• Enjoy all the aliveness that comes from feeling
• Be respectful of the feelings of others
• In each moment be aware of what emotions are flowing through you and enjoy feeling so alive.

Having a heart is good and feeling love and joy will make for a wonderful life. Feel as fully as you can. The world needs lots of passionate people to make sure everything works out for the best.

Note: My billionaire heart journal entry below has gotten some very nice response. I will write more about that soon. In the mean time feel your heart and all that flows through it.

Sense of Humor Needed

The fog lifted as I approached it and revealed the familiar scene of my morning walk with just a little more sparkle thrown in. I do enjoy spring as the sun begins to warm the surroundings and everywhere green is bursting forth. I think of spring as a time to feel everything coming alive around me. I too want to feel more and burst out of my old ways. There are parts of me I want to encourage to be more empowered. I will explore some of those other parts in future blog entries.

Today I want to talk about a sense of humor. Life is way too important to take seriously. Seriousness can be terminal. There is so much going on in my life and I am sure yours also. One of the best ways to deal with the waves of stuff that come at us is to have a sense of humor. Humor is a wonderful gift we humans have been given to help us through life. When we can laugh at the difficulties then we can handle them better. Being able to laugh at ourselves is great because then we can let things go more easily.

I was playing golf the other day and I realized that having a sense of humor is incredible important if I am going to play this silly game. I have to be able to laugh at myself and my many mistakes or I will not enjoy what I am doing. Even the very best golfers including Tiger make lots of mistakes so humor is important to keep things in perspective. I like golf as a metaphor in which we take on a course of life and deal with the uneven terrain, the barriers and traps, the misfires and the great attempts and we just keep on going. We have a goal in mind and we can either enjoy the journey and laugh often or we can struggle and suffer. What sounds like a better choice? Of course it would be to laugh and enjoy as much as possible.

A cautionary note here: Sarcasm has it’s place in the world of humor but it can be tainted by anger or resentment so be aware of that.

Now your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to grow your sense of humor. Jokes are not necessary but can be helpful at times. There is plenty in life to laugh about if you allow yourself to see the humor in things and situations. Be open to enjoy each moment and allow the sense of humor to grow naturally in you as you observe yourself and the world around you. Humor is part of seeing life from a larger perspective and as I said earlier from being free of seriousness. It has been my experience in hanging around those that are “enlightened” is that they have a wonderful sense of humor. I suspect that the more enlightened (filled with light and lightness) we are the more we will laugh at life.

Laugh often and prosper.

"Everything's good...Everything. Man is unhappy because he doesn't know he's happy. It is only that. That's all, that's all. If anyone finds out, he'll become happy at once, that minute."

FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKY

Have A Billionaire Heart

I read an article in the paper on Sunday that I keep thinking about. The article was about billionaires and how most of them give very little away. I thought what a loss of opportunity for opening the heart. Giving feels good; giving opens the heart. So then I thought - how come? Could it be fear, a sense of lack or scarcity in some way, a disconnection from the heart, an intention to not see the need in the world, or maybe insulation from the harsh realities of many. I don’t know? I wonder about this because I feel the needs of people, I experience my own struggles, I see where giving can make such a positive difference in the world. When I give, I enjoy how it feels and want to give more.

Imagine, if you had such vast resources, how much good you could do. Imagine supporting those causes that are dear to your heart. Imagine the face of those you help. Imagine spreading food, care, education, inspiration, joy all around the planet. Imagine helping others to grow, become aware and awakened to their own possibilities and potentials. What would it be like for you and those you care about to have financial freedom? How would you live and give. Let your imagination grow and watch as you create much of what you want.

I have an idea, why don’t we all create in our consciousness the idea of having a billionaire heart. This heart is so full of riches that we can give and give and give. We can give love, we can give understanding, we can give by listening, and we can give of our time and resources. Forbes has its 400 billionaires list; we can have the People’s List of those with Billionaire hearts.

I started an outline for an article or small book on having a Billionaire Heart this morning and the ideas where flying out of my fingers and into my word document. I will let you know when I have something more to share.

Do you want to join the Billionaire Hearts Club? All you have to do to join is figure out how you want to give to make a difference in the world and then start doing it. Let your heart sing in celebration of your giving. Have fun doing it and find others to join in the fun and before long the world will open to an amazing flow of abundance. Remember to let us know how you are doing so we can add you to our Billionaire Hearts Club. Think and feel this as big as you can.

“This is the time. This is the place. This is the vastness. Right here is the paradise. Always. Always. “
By Byron Katie from 365 Nirvana

Special Guest Josh Baran Responds to Question

A few years ago I came upon a wonderful book filled with an amazing collection of writings that are inspirational and consciousness raising. That book is called, 365 Nirvana Here and Now by Josh Baran (available used through Amazon.com.) I had a sense that Josh was an amazing human being because to put together such a book meant he was a very insightful person. I decided to email him and tell him how much I appreciated his book and ask if he would be willing to respond to some questions, which I would then post on my blog. He said yes and here is the first question I wanted to ask him.

My Question: I feel and sense that there is an ever increasing consciousness on the planet; a growing concern about taking care of the earth; and many are awakening to a higher purpose. Still many of us are run by fear and worry. What do you see as the best paths/ideas/viewpoints to more inner peace and to more consciousness in the world?

Josh’s Answer: I would say that it is all about seeing clearly. We often do not see things as they are, but as we are. We see a projection of our thoughts, imagination. We don't need more consciousness, we just need to know what is true and what isn't. There is no lack. So I would say that what is needed is an active process of questioning our mind, our thoughts, the stories that run through our heads hundreds of times a day. We don't awaken in some future time, we wake up now as we pay attention and inquire.

I cannot know really about the planet and what others experience. I can start right here with my own experience. When we question our judgments, concepts, assumptions, we begin to stop believing these stories and then we can rest in the quiet mind that is already here and now. There is no secret. There is no future happiness. Sitting in your chair now, reading these words now, who are you?

Thanks Josh for the clarity of your words and ideas. I hope to have more of your insights and ideas to share in the future.

I too invite you the reader to become fully present to this moment and to who you are. The power of you asking questions and seeking insight will help transform the world.

Let me know your questions and what you discover.

Choose Happiness

I noticed on my walk this morning the trees are beginning to show buds and the bulbs are shooting up. Spring is here and although the cold weather could till come, I feel like I made it through the coldest winter I have ever experienced. This brings me to the thought that I choose how I want to look at my experiences. I could have focused on the uncomfortable cold and how much I dislike that. Instead most of the time I chose to experience happiness. I enjoyed watching the snow fall. I enjoyed being snowed in and cross-country skiing from my home out onto the trails. In each moment I can choose how I want to experience life. I choose to enjoy, to look for what I like, and to be comfortable with what is. Abraham Lincoln said, “people are as happy as they choose to be. “

Imagine a world where people truly believed in happiness and love as the purpose we all shared? The Dalia Lama says, “we are here to be happy and help others be happy.” In this world you and I would have as our mission to spread happiness. A big part of this happiness would be to have an open heart and to be compassionate with all those we interacted with throughout our day. Happiness comes from giving and receiving love, from enjoying what we do, from expressing our creativity, from friendships, from living purposefully, and from being accepting and appreciative of ourselves and those around us. All these ways of happiness come from the choices we make. We can choose happiness in everything we do. Sure there will be times that aren’t happy but those will pass. We can return to happiness in any moment we choose.

I wonder if you would be willing to try an experiment? How about taking a day, a week, a month or longer and become a missionary for happiness. You start the day doing what makes you happy and then you go out into the world and spread that happiness. Help others feel happy. If you feel like it, tell others you are on a mission to spread happiness and ask them if they would like to join you? They can become converts to the happiness movement. Would that be a fun life or what? Now imagine that happiness spread around the world. Imagine people helping each other be happy. What a world it would be.

Let’s go make happy happen. Let me know how your experiment goes.

Peace In the Moment

I walked along the stream this morning and was aware of all the noises both natural and human made. I heard ducks, birds, a squawking peacock, traffic, dogs barking, a garbage truck, runners on the path near by and the trickle of the stream. Sounds like chaos but it wasn’t because in the midst of all of that I could find peace by being in the present moment. Yesterday I talked about imagining peace and finding our inner peace. Today I want to explore a little more about inner peace. Inner peace comes from quieting the mind as I mentioned yesterday. Another way of inner peace is by being present in each moment.

In this present moment awareness there is just being with what is. As the writer Scott Morrison puts it (see the Another Viewpoint section) everything happens in the now. Only in the moment can you feel love and joy, experience freedom, know your truth or be at peace. Now is really all there is and when you learn to be in the now you open yourself to everything you could want, need or desire. Being in the now makes it possible to create the life you want moment by moment. True inner peace comes from knowing you have the capacity and pathway to creating your life. In the moment you understand you do.

Living in each moment is very liberating for your heart. When present you can feel love for yourself and for those you care about. There is no past love or future love. There is only love now. Feel the glow of your open heart in each moment and you will truly know deep peace.

Your mind also appreciates the moment. When now, the mind can experience the richness of possibilities and the inner still voice of knowing. When in the past or future the mind is filled with the stuff of memory or desire that takes you from the now. The past may have pleasant memories and can feel good but living there doesn’t work. The future provides time to dream and to plan but dreams or plans come true only in the now. Inner peace is having the mind in the now.

Your spirit loves the now. You can be still or soar in the now. Your creativity is present only in the moment. You potential awaits expression in the present. You feel most alive in this instant then any other time. This now is where you can feel the always present peace of your spirit.

Let your heart, mind and spirit know peace and be at peace by living each moment as fully as you can. Then the world will know peace one person at a time, one moment at a time.

Imagine Peace

I was in a peace march this past weekend. It felt good to join with others and support peace. Lately I find my mind occupied by thoughts about peace and what it will take for us to choose peace rather then war. War represents an old paradigm existing for much of human civilization. Many argue that it will always be. I find that to be such a strange and limiting notion and that people can’t imagine a world without war. Maybe that is why it keeps happening. I want to imagine a world at peace. A world where people talk out differences and appreciate a diversity of ideas. I want to see a world where people are bigger then their problems and ego is in its place. I want to be in a world where love, compassion and consciousness are the guiding forces.

Creating a peaceful world is a great intention. Would you like to join me in doing so? Let’s you and I have, creating a world at peace, as our intention. Intentions are powerful. Together we can hold a vision of a peaceful world, filled with compassion and caring. Each day this creative visualization of peace could be reviewed in our minds and hearts. This way we can think peace, see peace and feel peace. The more people involved, the more the energy for peace would grow. Would you be willing to recruit others to share in our vision of peace?

The next step is to become peaceful inside and in your life. In addition to this vision of peace, you can also work on feeling peace inside. Peace is possible inside by quieting the critical and judging mind. Become a mind watcher and replace your inner critic with a supportive and encouraging inner voice. Stop being at war with yourself. Be present to the peaceful stillness of you inner wisdom. There is a part of you always wanting to be at peace and feeling love and joy. Go explore that part of you and leave the inner chaos in the past where it belongs. You will get better at all this with practice.

Then take this growing inner peace out into your relationships with others. When your inner critic shrinks so will your need to judge others. Try acceptance and appreciation for all those you care about. Believe me, they will appreciate that very much. So come from your heart and listen with compassion and people will want to be your friend. This is a peaceful way to be in the world and life. Does this sound too ideal? Hardly, because to be loving to yourself and others is the best way to be human.

Peace is possible if you and I just do what is natural, that is to care about each other and do what we can to live in a compassionate way. Peace can win out and forever the paradigm will shift. Then we can sit in humble satisfaction that we did our part.

Come join me today and imagine peace.

Check out Peace Together where we are using creativity to design positive messages of peace. www.peace-together.com