The Wiser Heart

The long weekend was a nice break and I feel recharged and ready to create more positive results. Much has been stirring inside of me as I find myself focused on better manifesting the results I want. As I have talked about often in the blog, having a purpose is very important to functioning at a high level. Driving that purpose is my intention each day. What do I intend to make happen today. Obviously have clarity of purpose and a focused daily intention will empower me to bring into reality the life I desire. Today I want to write about the powerful force in me that makes purpose and intention charged with possibility and importance. That force is my heart.

Inside of you and I is a heart. This heart is much more then a pump. This heart is an organ of intelligence, of passion, love, joy and so much more. All hearts are filled with thinking and feeling cells and are the center for much of our inner wisdom and instinctive knowing. In the East the view of the heart center is as a place of higher knowing and expanded consciousness. In the West the heart is too often undervalued in comparison to the logical mind. This is not an accurate perception.

The heart and the mind function most powerful when working together. Logic has its value but without heart it lacks balance. It doesn’t take much research to find in history all the mistakes made with great logic and no heart. All wars to me seem like some kind of faulty logic remiss of heart.

The best you and I can be is when we have our minds working and our hearts fully engaged in the process. The heart feels where we want to go; it senses when we are on track or off and it gets us charged up so our energy can take us where we need to go. A heart, alive with passion, fills us with the joy of doing what feels right and good to us. Think of what you want to create in your life and then engaged the heart in feeling the results as reality. Are you excited or what? When you heart knows what it wants it can be an unstoppable force.

I want to share with you a simple but very accurate way to use your heart as a way to know what is right for you or not. When you are making a decision use your heart for feedback. The way to do that is to tune in and notice the hearts reaction to the decision you want to make. If you feel your heart is open or expanding then you are going the right direction. If you feel your heart contract then you need to explore other options. An open heart indicates this is right for you and a heart that closes or get protective is telling you to reconsider. This may take some practice but soon you will be tuned into the feel of your heart expanding or contracting.

Fear always causes the heart to contract so be aware that a contraction may also be an indicator you heading in a direction where growth is possible.

The heart is wise beyond logic. Paying attention to the heart will guide you to the life and results you want. Listen and feel and you will always know where to go.

Memorial Day Thoughts

Memorial Day for many is a day to remember those that are no longer with us. I don’t tend to think much about those that have died. My focus in more on those that are living, those I interact with now in my life. I generally focus on the now and spend little time thinking about the past. I do agree it is important to learn from the past.  For me this moment is rich with what is right now and that now includes the past woven in with my hopes for the future. Now is really the only place I can be. I feel there is really nothing I can do for the past and those who are no longer here. I can possibly do much more for those still around today and for future generations but I can only do that in the present.

My mother died a few years ago but I don’t think of her very much. She had pulled away from the world for a long time before she left. I sometimes wish she had wanted to know me as an adult but she never really asked and our contacts were only if I reached out to her. I know that she was in her own world as I was in mine. We probably both lost out not knowing each other more. Today I do appreciate who she was when I was a child and know she did the best she could.

I did think today of people going to gravesites and wondering if they are trying to connect with the departed. That is not something I feel drawn to do. The departed are gone and just a thought away if I want to be with them in my memory. My heart still carries them with me. How do you feel about those you have lost? Are they really gone? Do you find going to the cemetery helpful?

I feel like I have more to understand here about what happens to those that are gone. I was raised with beliefs about the afterlife but those all seem kind of silly now. Maybe I need to replace the old beliefs with new ones? I have read other ideas and find some comfort with them. What is your belief about where the dead go? What feels right to you about the next step after life? I don’t have any clear answers here but I keep asking questions and exploring. This life is always a growing experience of heart and awareness for me.

I hope your Memorial Day was a good one and that whatever stirred in you helped you more appreciate the life you have in this moment.

Being Who You Are Even More

Tomorrow in Boulder is a big day. There are between 45,000-50,000 people running here in an event called the Bolder Boulder. The 10 k event ends in the University of Colorado stadium with a huge crowd watching. The last two years I have participated in the event but this year I chose to avoid the suffering that comes from such an effort. Maybe I am wimping out, but it feels more like taking care of myself and trusting what feel right to me. I have raced as a distance runner for many years and now find it much more fun to watch then participate. I love to watch how strong and graceful the top runners are. Watching people perform with excellence is really inspirational to me.

My excellence as a runner is most likely past but there are other areas I can still thrive in and express my uniqueness. My art is very satisfying and my work for peace and consciousness seems to be growing in it’s potential. Maybe the best area for further excellence is in my heart. The ability to be an even more loving human being, more understanding and compassionate is worth exploring the rest of my life.

What areas do you want to shine in over the rest of your life? Where do you feel the call in you to express your excellence?
There is certainly yet untapped potential in you? Which of your potentials are you going to explore in the next year, five years, 10 years, or the rest of your life? Take some time to consider what possibilities you want to live out for the rest of your life.

Take some time to consider what areas of life you want to focus on and in what areas you want to explore your potential. Then put together a list of life directions worth checking out. When you have several ideas that feel purposeful, exciting and will challenge you then set up a plan to explore and express these expandable abilities. Set a course of action with plenty of time to delve deeply into your areas of interest. You could have a short and long term year plan or you could set an intention and go with the inner guidance. The important part is that you have an idea of where you want to go and then you set out to reach that destination.

Destiny will be you guide. All you have to do is show up and step into the greatest you can be. You being you is the best gift you can give to the world.

Express and Enjoy Yourself This Holiday and Every Day

Today is the beginning of a long weekend and I look forward to doing things around home and enjoying the nicer days of Spring. There is stuff I need to do and things I want to do. Over the years I have learned to shrink and be efficient with the stuff that needs to be done and spend more time with what I enjoy.

This weekend the fun for me is the creative expression of my writing; my art work that has been brewing since my trip to Santa Fe down Canyon’s Gallery row; and watching some movies, the creative expression of others. Another fun weekend activity for me would be a walk in the beauty of nature, which is so abundant where I live. The wildflowers are bursting out all over the place.

The other fun thing for me is golf. Yes golf is a silly game chasing this ball around a pasture trying to put it in a hole but boy can it be fun. The one good shot makes ups for the seemingly endless mediocre other ones. Golf is a humbling experience, also a great Buddhist practice in non-attachment to results and very enjoyable for me.

What do you do to express yourself? What is very enjoyable for you to do? Your answers to these questions are ways for you to break out of your routines and be who you are in fun and creative ways. This is very important. I was reminded about the importance of the changing of patterns by my trip last week. Getting out of the habit driven ways opened me up and my return home carried that openness into this week. I feel less in a groove of routines and more creative in each moment. That feels much fresher and freer to me.

What plans do you have soon to break from what you do regularly? Where will you go? What will you do that will be fun and a joy? I invite you to appreciate the pattern disruption, to notice how it feels to be out of the ordinary. Be aware of how you respond for there could be a rainbow of reactions from discomfort to bliss. All is ok and even extraordinary.

When you get back from the break feel how different your world is? See how long you can keep the new freshness coloring your days. When you find the routine reigns then it may be time to take a break. You can even do that in a day, a few hours or even in couple of minutes. Keep yourself fresh by even small creative ventures or playful interludes. Sometimes it is a simple as getting up and moving around or turning on some music.

Enjoy and express yourself today and each day and feel how much better life gets. Have fun and create the best in each day.

Are You Ready For Some Good News?

Last evening I had the privilege of listening to a visionary and passionate speaker, Paul Hawken. He has authored a number of very successful books on alternative ways to look at business, economics, environment, and social change. His latest book is called Blessed Unrest and if it is one tenth as good as his talk, it is a must read. He has a very optimistic interpretation of the social turbulence in the world. If that isn’t welcome new, then what is? I am starting on this book today.

I found myself feeling like I was part of something very important as I listen to his ideas. He said, there are at a grass roots level hundreds of thousands of organization working to make a better world. They all seem to share the idea that we all have to do what we know is right. There are two guiding principles here: all life is sacred; treat others as you would like to be treated (Golden Rule). These two rules are in every religion and every culture and they are guiding the purposeful work of the largest movement for change in the world. He showed a list of these change organizations on a video and he said if he played it to the end, we would be there for an entire month watching all the names of these non-government organizations (NGO’s). These numbers are hugely amazing to me. My small peace organization Peace Together is part of this massive movement for positive change as it this blog. YES! That was an amazing realization for me and it fills me with hope and joy.

I find it very reassuring that there are so many of us following our purpose to make a positive difference in the world. Each of us has our own path, our own note to play. What we do with our purpose is essential for the good of the whole, never doubt that. There are many forces out there about greed and power but they cannot win against people who are awake to purpose and passionate about sacredness of all life. When we humans treat each other and all living things with the kindness and respect we want to be shown, then the world is set for a powerful realization of it’s highest potential. I am excited about the possibilities here, how about you?

I want to share with you an incredible new source on the web. Paul and a large group of dedicated people have come up with a interactive website with the hope of bringing all of these organizations together to cross pollinate, inspire and encourage each other. It is all free and set up so that everyone can join and get involved. The site is www.wiserearth.org (WE) and it is something to be a part if you are interested in making changes in the world. Please check it out.

I hope you find this information helpful and that you too feel encouraged and inspired in what you do. Look in the mirror today and “tell yourself that what you do with purpose has incredible meaning on the planet and that you do matter today and every day.” Your mission joined with others can alter the course of humanity toward our highest expression of compassion and consciousness.

Please let me know what you think and feel and what you discover on your path to self-realization. Leave comments of email me a explorelifeblog@gmail.com.

Seven People of Inspiration

I was thinking about people who have had a big influence in my life. This is a group of individuals I have read and listen too over the years. Each person has touched me deeply and I am grateful for their inspiration. If you haven’t had the opportunity to know them through their books, video’s, talks then I highly encourage you to check them out.

The first one that comes to mind is Leo Buscaglia. They call him the Doctor of Love or the Hug Doctor. He was a wonderful storyteller and a great advocate for the power of love to make life an incredible experience. He wrote inspirational books on love and his talks were filled with joy and love for life. He would hug everyone who came up after his talks sometimes spending and hour or more sharing his radiant heart.

One of my favorite teachers is Ram Dass. I have read his books and attended his talks for many years. His point of view has always spoken directly to my spirit. His stories like Leo’s were filled with humor and inspiration. To sit in meditation with Ram Dass is to feel the flow of grace. I call him an American saint. When you get a chance, read Be Here Now, the brown colored pages will send you on a trip of higher consciousness.

Last year I went to a talk by Deepak Chopra and was simply blown away by how expansive his thinking is. I have listened to his tapes and read many of his books and always felt his work to be powerful. The talk that night just kept on taking me and the audience higher and higher. This is a human who has done his inner work and expanded his consciousness.

There is wonderful Vietnamese monk named Thich Nhat Hahn who writes amazing books filled with clarity and peace. I have been blessed to walk in meditation with him and to feel his stillness and focus is very uplifting. I have mentioned his book Old Path, White Clouds before because it is such a special story of the Buddha’s life and lessons. His other books are great too.

My latest favorite writer is Osho. He is no longer with us but his influential ideas are still very timely. Osho challenges me to expand my points of view and think more then most writer I have come across. His autobiography tells of an extraordinary childhood that sent this guru out into the world in a provocative way. His Book of Secrets is a treasure of mind-expanding ideas.

The quiet impish laugh of Eckhart Tolle always warms my heart. His book Power of Now is a must read for anyone interested in being conscious or aware. His story of awakening gives hope for us all to be enlightened. There are now a number of cd’s and dvd’s available to tap into his peace and wisdom.

Jean Houston is a giant in the field of psychology and human understanding. She has walked and talked with the great ones and shares the most amazing stories. Several years ago I was fortunate to spend 10 days at her yearly Social Artistry Camp and it changed my life. If you want to be uplifted to new heights find where she is talking and go listen.

There have been many others that have blessed my life profoundly. I thought you should know of these seven because they are each very powerful agents for positive change in the world. When you get a chance: read their books; listen to their recordings; and watch their video’s for guaranteed inspiration.

Have a good day and remember that as expansive as all these people are, so are you.  Let yourself be amazing and spread your inspiration wherever you go.

Self-Doubt or Self-Trust

I was walking last night carefully avoiding a skunk. His tail was raised as he hurried away and I kept my distance. This little guy had a lot of confidence in his ability to have his way. I see that basic trust in self in the animal world around me. There is a small sized burro who parades around making lots of noise at times never worrying about what others think. There is the mother horse protectively standing over her sleeping colt sure of her ability to keep him safe. There are the mom and dad geese ever watchful over the 5 young ones who look willing to chase even hard charging dogs away.

The animal world does not appear to have much self-doubt. It seems we humans are not so fortunate. Were we born with the self-doubt or is in something we learned? I highly suspect we acquired it along the way. That would be an acquisition we could do without. The neutralizer to that doubt would be self-trust. A belief in self and a trust in who we are, is a powerful asset in the world.

Let’s talk about self-trust. Self-trust comes from discovering who you are. Imagine if you really got to know yourself, how much there would be to appreciate. I mean, who you are is incredible at so many levels. Others can tell us more about our strengths and asset then you and I can. If I asked you to write down 10 faults and 10 assets which list would be easier to do. My guess is it would be the faults. We are trained from early on to doubt who we are and that training continues through school and life.

You and I can develop self-trust or maybe it is that we need to remember it. Whatever the case, here are several ideas to encourage self-trust:
1. Take time to begin to notice who you are and appreciate your uniqueness. Each day make a note of something you do well. Keeping a self-appreciation journal would be very helpful.
2. Spend time with your heart. Feel the capacity for love in you. There really is no limit to how much you can love. You can love yourself and the whole planet if you felt like it.
3. Get to know your spirit. This is the part of you that is totally connected to all in the universe. The spirit in you has no doubt because it fully realizes it’s limitless capacities.
4. Find the quiet still place in you that knows. The intuitive, gut instinct, higher knowing you have is always available to you. This inner wisdom is filled with self-trust.
5. Reclaim the child in you and play the game of life with freedom. Children play and have fun as if the world totally supports them in doing so, and it does. Be free, play and trust.

You are an amazing human being so stop this nonsense that you are not. I will do the same and together we will set out on a course to be a positive force for change, compassion and consciousness on the planet.

Is Money On Your Mind?

I thought I would write about money since it is on most people’s minds everyday. True or not true?  Money is the means you and I use to pay for what we need and want. Money is neither good nor bad even though many have judgments about it. What we think about money does influence having it in our lives. As I write this I am aware that even the word money has a charge around it. I have been brought up with some very limiting ideas of money that in unconscious ways have turned into beliefs. These beliefs have had to be examined and replaced with more expansive ones.

Here are a few positive money ideas I am exploring: Money is fun to have; having more money gives me more freedom; I can make more of a difference in the world with more money; I can fund projects that mean a lot to me with more money; I can travel and enjoy the world with more money; I can help friend and family when they are in need with more money. What are your positive ideas around money?

I am writing the word money often in this journal entry today for two reasons: One is to be more and more ok with the word money; Two is because I want to surround the concept of money with a very positive charge of expectation. In the past, I thought of money and had mixed feelings about having it. I wanted more but felt something about money was not ok. Being a young person in the 60’s probably tainted my money ideas. I saw money as representing forces I was against. That was then, now I think of money as a force of positive change in the world. Money truly is neutral. It is what people do with money that many have judgments about. I am working on freeing myself of the good vs bad ideas around money.

How do you feel about money? Do you enjoy having it? Would it be ok to be rich? Do you feel you have to work hard to have it? Do you deserve to have lots of money? What would you do if you had 1, 10, 20 Million dollars? How would you make a positive contribution if you were wealthy? Take some time to explore these questions and more to open you to a larger flow of money.

There are a number of books on money out there. The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker is one that I have found helpful. Mark Victor Hansen, Mark Allen and many others have written other good books on money. I have read a lot on the subject to keep my mind expanding in receptive ways.

I have put together a brief but helpful ebook on the topic called 101 Ways to Be a Money Magnet. It is available on this site for only $6.95 and is the first book in a new series I am writing called Instant Inspiration. This series will be a collection of ideas that will put your mind, emotions, body and spirit in alignment with what you want to make happen in the world. I am very excited about this Instant Inspiration series because it represents the very best ideas and will be inspirational and empowering to those who explore the topics. The Money Magnet book is great to pull out and review each day and especially when you are having a bad money day (like a bad hair day). You know when your thoughts are stinky and you are feeling stuck. Then it is Instant Inspiration to the rescue.

I find it very interesting to note how it feels to self-promote my books. I feel both excited and as if I am doing something I am not suppose to do. It does feel good to offer these books because they represent great ideas I have put together over a lifetime of exploring these topics. The book on 101 Ways to Be a More Conscious Human Being is full of consciousness expanding ideas. There will be more books coming as I have been on a writing surge and feel like I have tapped into an endless source of inspiration.

Let me know what you think of these money ideas and the ebooks. The money ideas and questions will take you to another level of receptivity. I feel you will truly value the books because they will uplift and inspire you to create the life you want.

The Natural World Is Abundant

The morning sun is vibrant as it highlights the beauty of my walk along the stream. There is such abundance around me. There are the wild flowers, the variety of grasses, threes, and bushes, the birds, the swollen stream and many other living things. All this abundance is part of me. When I walk in that awareness I feel rich and grateful.

I have been exploring prosperity and abundance as the reality of the natural world. Everywhere I look I see such richness of life. I wonder how to be more aligned with this abundance. I feel the prosperity of the moment as I walk in union with all that surrounds me. I want to learn to take this unity with abundance and manifest a richer flow in my life. What are my limiting belief/ideas that keep me from doing so? That is a very important question.

I am exploring this topic lately because I have some projects I am working on that need a flow of resources. I know the flow is available in me through my union with the abundant universe. I have things to move forward on and I want to do my best to make sure I am open to have what I need. Money is incredible good for making great things happen.

Do you have limiting beliefs around money, abundance and prosperity? If you do, then you may find yourself having barely enough and not all that you need. Can you identify with this state of just enough to make it? There is a belief/theory/saying, “The universe always provides what we need.“ Has that been your experience? It has been my experience on a basic needs level. I have always had the food I need and a place to live. That is not always been true for large numbers of people on the planet. I sense there are some deeper truths here. I am exploring these questions so that I can be more conscious around money, desires, purpose and everything connected to abundance.

What insights do you have around what opens you to flow and what dams it up? How have you tapped into the abundance of the universe? Can you see money as a positive force that can do much good?

I watch a show last night about poverty in the US and I thought that isn’t acceptable. I wonder how we can change that? I see suffering and I want to help. I am sure you too feel compassion for those less fortunate. The benefit of asking the questions of how to be more open to abundance is that when we answer it successfully then all will benefit.

I have been rambling here because I am exploring and have more to learn. I am searching for higher knowing. I want to make a difference. I know in each of us is the most amazing capacity to have a positive influence on the world. With intention, focus and action there is no limits to the powerful difference you and I can make. Join me and together each of us will open to the flow so that everyone can realize the same abundance that natural world has.

Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome. Please feel free to share them by leaving comments or at explorelifeblog@gmail.com

Sunday Morning Questions

There were many questions in my head as I walked this morning in the warmth of the sun. I wondered who was this person walking? Who is asking all the questions? Is there are part of me wiser then the rest of me? Am I separate from all that exists around me or am I connected fully with all living things? Those are enough questions to keep me busy for along time. I feel these questions are my going to church on Sunday. I am beginning to sense a deeper clarity near the surface and that is why I am full of search and inquiry.

I have noticed a struggle with being open to the abundant flow of life. That struggle has been with me for along time. I sense the struggle is mine because for some reason I have an investment in holding onto to the struggle. It is like some part of me thinks the struggle is good for me and my growth as a human being. I feel that idea has been learned somewhere along the way and it is well anchored in my belief system. I have been worked on changing that belief because it feels very limiting to me.

What I understand now more then ever is that this is just a belief and only reality if I hold it as so. I would almost call it an unconscious intention. My intention has always been to grow as a human being to realize my potential and be as fully conscious as possible. Somewhere along the way I got the ideas that struggle was good for me and necessary. Few would argue that this struggle isn’t necessary. I think this belief is well taught to most people.

The opposite of struggle is freedom to be. Free of struggle I can be open to the flow of my being which is at its essence unlimited. I may be a ways from stepping fully into the realization or not? How open can I be?

Do these questions resonate with you? I will write more about these questions as the weeks progress. It seems like this summer is a time for more awakening. Would you like to join me in an adventure of consciousness?

It Feels Great to Be Home

I am back home from the peace conference and it sure feels good to sit here in the comfort and quiet of my home and to write. Yesterday’s blog was written in the noise and chaos of a wi-fi coffee place in Sante Fe. Tonight it is quiet downstairs in my home and I find it so much more supportive to my writing process. Sure, as I have been writing, new experiences are very beneficial to creativity. There is however the benefits of being home and writing in the space where the energy flows so easily. I realize when I am in the comfort of my home, I feel freer and very open to inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration, I drove through some very spectacular country on my way home. I went through Taos NM, San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado, and a beautiful valley on the west side of the Spanish Peaks. The mountains of this area are so incredible. I have had a wonderful trip on so many levels.

I was also finished reading Deepak Chopra’s new book, The Buddha over this busy week. So in addition to all the many experiences I had, I also had the adventure of reading the story of the Buddha. This book is a great teaching book about the Buddha’s path of enlightenment. I think it is full of the kind of consciousness that will enrich anyone who reads the story. I so much appreciate the power of story to teach and inspire me. I found the lessons here very profound.

The one lesson that stands out most powerfully for me was that: after all the suffering he put himself through in search of the truth, he realized there was a much less painful way. This way, all though not easy, is about realizing the story you and I are in is not true. We are so much more then our story. We are the infinite one that existed before this lifetime and will continue after our body dies away. There is nothing we have to do to get to enlightenment. We are already there and we just need to realize it.

You will have to read the story and see what the lessons are in it for you.

If you find that you like this book there is another exceptionally written account of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hahn called Old Path, White Clouds. This book is very different in style but rich too in lessons.

It is getting late and I feel the long drive today in my body as it calls me to rest.

In An Amazing Place

The Peace Conference is over and I am sitting in a wireless café writing my blog here in Sante Fe. The art galleries are endless in Sante Fe and well worth a trip to see while checking out this unique town. After going through a number of the galleries, I am very inspired to get back to painting. I love expressing my creative through abstract painting and collage work. I now have a number of images and examples for some new directions I can explore. Creativity to me is a great source of energy in my life. I am sure even my writing will benefit from new directions in my art work.

Years ago when I visiting Sante Fe I went to this very interesting church. Before I came to this café, I stopped by this church to see the miracle that had happened there. Back in the late 1800’s a chapel had been built. A choir loft had been put in but after the church was completed they realized there was no stairs to it. The ladders the workers used didn’t work for the nuns, who with their garb on, couldn’t climb up to the loft. So the Sisters prayed to Saint Joseph for help. Not too long later a carpenter showed up with his burro and a few very simple tools. He said he had come to build a staircase. They were very excited and he went to work.

He proceeded to build this most amazing spiral staircase without any center support. When he finished the Sisters offered to pay him but he said, “no it was not necessary.“ He packed up his tools and disappeared, never to be seen again. The stairs are still standing but railing has been added because it felt a little scary to go down them without a place to hold on. The stairs are beautiful and the air of something very special still fills the chapel. I feel like I got to see a miracle in material form.

There is something very reassuring about this staircase. Maybe it is to know when I ask for help it is just possible I might get it. Maybe I don’t have to do it on my own. I am three times inspired (conference, art and staircase) and I feel deeply grateful for my trip to Sante Fe.

Whatever happened at this chapel was real and beyond what makes sense. Isn’t it great to know there are loving and supportive forces out there that can help you and I? I invite you to request the help you need and call on a force much greater then you to assist you. There is so much possibility if you and I are open to guidance and assistance.

I hope you can open to further miracles in your life. As it is you and I have been given so much already.

Day Two: World Peace Conference

This morning I heard some amazing stories about Gandhi. His grandson Arun Gandhi was the keynote speaker today. He told of the two years he lived with his grandfather during a difficult time in his life. Gandhi taught his grandson many lessons about the ways humans can learn to be non-violent in what they think, say and do. These lessons taught him to be more aware. This made it possible for to live a non-violent life and do much less harm to himself and others.

Arun’s parents were obviously affected by the Gandhi way. He said when he misbehaved; instead of being punished his parents would fast because they felt they had let their son down in some way. One time he lied to his father about why he was late in picking him up. The father felt the son couldn’t tell him the truth so the father walked the 18 miles back home. Arun drove the car slowly behind him lighting his way on the dirt unlit roads to their home. He felt so bad that he never told a lie again. The way of Gandhi was unique and powerful because it created this wonderful human being who was speaking to us. Gandhi and his unique ways also led the nation of India to a non-violent liberation from Great Britain

It is always beneficial to hear other perspectives. When I get to see and experience other viewpoints I naturally expand as a person. This conference has been about people coming together and finding ways to bring more peace to the world. There were a variety of cultures represented here and the points of view allowed for discussion that was enriching to everyone involved.

What do you do to expand your perspective? How do you experience other ways of seeing the world? These are very important questions. If you are just talking to people who think and feel like you do then you don’t question yourself. Questionings is an important part of being in the world as conscious as you can be. Consciousness makes inner peace and world peace possible.

What are some ways you find helpful in expanding your consciousness? I will explore this topic more soon.

Until then, be well, conscious and peaceful,

Joseph

Day One: World Peace Conference

I am in Sante Fe and today I had the great privilege of listening to two Nobel Peace Prize recipients. They were both passionate people who were clearly driven by purpose. One is now the first woman candidate for president of Guatemala. The other is a woman from Vermont who has ended the use of landmines in the world. The Vermont activist was particularly impressive in her message. She totally acknowledges she is driven by her anger at people hurting other people. She said, “I tried to meditate but I was too agitated.” She understands what motivates her and she uses anger to make a difference in the world. That was a good lesson for me. I had this limiting idea that to create peace a person needed to be peaceful inside. She clearly is not peaceful inside but is doing very important work. She is working to end people hurting each other with weapons and that may bring about a more peaceful world. Her next goal is to short circuit the research and build up of new nuclear weapons being quietly conducted by our government. Look out those that say they are just doing this to protect us?

I find myself very energized by the talks and our small group interactions. I also understand even more clearly that talk, ideas and strategies are of little use unless action is taken. I guess that is why they call people activist because they actually go into action. I strongly feel the need for dedicated action in our lives, our communities, this country and around the world. I mean take action now in your own life. Decide what your purpose is, make a plan and take action. In your community join together with others and make things happen for the good of all. On the planetary level your wisdom and action is needed now more then ever before.

I invite you to get passionate about something that matters to you. Look around and see what needs to change; feel what you want to do; team with others; make plans to do what you must do; and then move into full gear. When was the last time you felt on a mission? Do you remember the Blues Brothers on their mission from God? There is no nun with a ruler waiting to rap you on the wrist. It is all up to you. Are you ready to completely step into a life so full of energy and passion that you can go and go until you reach your goals?

Begin to imagine what you want to happen. Feel it, see it, and sense it until every cell is alive with excitement. Then set a course of action and follow through until it is time to celebrate success. You will be glad you did and the world will be a better place because of you.

See you tomorrow after day two.

A Fresh Perspective

Today I am driving from my home in Boulder to Sante Fe for World Peace Conference. There is something about a road trip that I really enjoy. I like getting out on the road to experience new things and see new places. There is this kid in me that goes “oh boy!” Time away from the daily routines is fun and always interesting. When I do things differently, explore new ideas, or go to new places I feel an excitement for life that sometimes gets lost in the habits and groove of normal existence. The coming of Summer seems to naturally get my juices flowing in anticipation of adventures that are there to be experienced.

Life to me is much more interesting when I can freely create my experiences as the day unfolds. When I have the right frame of mind that can happen even in the midst of daily routines. One of the reasons I enjoy reading books that expand my thinking is that I can take the new perspectives and experiment with them. An example of that is I was reading Deepak Chopra’s new book, Buddha and I came upon an idea worth exploring. In the book a wise old monk had talked about when he needed to think clearly he found it most helpful to get away from a where people are and free himself from what he called the clouds of emotions, desires, wishes, and fears that surround people. He wanted to clear the air. As I walked through the city I tuned into the emotional clouds that were everywhere and was amazed at the intensity. I must spend a lot of energy unconsciously just to keep from taking on all that goes on around me. Do you know what I mean? Are you aware of the need to keep your own space in the midst of others?

Then I had a further insight. I realized my own wishes, desires and fears clouded my own perspective. I saw clearly how when I kept focused on what I wanted, I was not available to the present moment. At that moment of insight I also saw the real value of meditation. When I quiet the mind, clear away the clouds, then I can fully be present to what is. My walking meditation lately has changed from thinking about what I want to create to listening to the birds, feeling the air move around me and enjoying the moment. I believe I can better create my life if I am present to what is, rather then what I want it to be. Does that seem right to you?

I invite you to get in touch with the clouds of emotions and thoughts hanging around you. Take some time away for fresh air everyday. Let me know what you discover. I am excited about this new viewpoint and the expanded consciousness that is possible.

Have a good fresh air day and enjoy the moment.

A Soulful Conversation

This will be a very interesting week. I will be attending the World Peace Conference in Sante Fe, New Mexico. We are bringing our positive messages for peace t-shirts and the desire to connect with other people working for peace. I am looking forward to a new experience and to the possibilities that will come from that. This will be my first peace conference even though I have been involved in the peace effort for many years. Such a concentration of like-minded people will be really exciting to me. I find new adventures so stimulating and expansive.

Speaking of expansive, I was having a talk with my soul this morning. I have this thought/belief that we come into this life with a plan or kind of blueprint on a soul level. We come here with this plan on how we can use this life to expand ourselves in heart, mind and spirit through the life experiences we will have. Ram Dass, a favorite teacher of mine, says we predetermine the circumstance of our life so we can maximize our growth. This is an interesting thought and would put the responsibility of how our life is on fully on us. Does this make sense to you?

The conversation this morning was about some adjustments I wanted to make to the original plan. As I write this, I was thinking do I really have the right to make adjustments to my life plan. Yes I sense I do, it is my life after all. I feel that as long as I am aware of what I am doing, I can consciously alter the lesson plan. Do you think it is possible to alter the course of your life on a soul level?

The conversation was about a struggle in me, that seemed to be entrenched, no matter how much awareness or insight I had. This struggle feels like a roadblock that makes no sense. This kind of block seemed more at a soul level. I feel like the learning from that struggle has been completed and it was time to for a shift. I requested the alteration of the plan to more clearly line with the purposeful work I am involved with. I got a clear feeling that this particular area of struggle was going to be removed because it was time to move on. Time will answer that for me.

I am sharing this because at a very deep level you have a plan for your life and you have many choices along the way. With awareness you can feel that plan in action and you can choose to alter it if you feel it is for your greater good. This all may seem a bit unusual to you? If so have a conversation with your soul about the way your life is unfolding. If you find yourself wanting to make some adjustments, then do so and request the soul support the changes.

In consciousness you and I have a great capacity to create the life we know we are here to live. Take time to tune in at a deep level and find out how things are going. Be the director of your life drama in a way that supports your highest expression.

Let me know what you discover in this soulful conversation and I will keep you updated on my progress. Life is meant to have your cake and eat it too or why would there be cake?

I will keep you updated also on the happenings from the Peace Conference and if by chance you are there please come to our Peace Together table and say “hi”.

A Call to Your Greatness

I hope you were inspired by my blog yesterday. I wanted to remind you that you are an amazing human being. Carl Sagan use to say that you and I are made up of the same stuff as stars. The great spiritual teachings all say we are made in the likeness of the Divine. There is in you the collective wisdom of the universe. At a particle level you are constructed of the same atoms that were in Rumi, Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Mohammad, Buddha, Martin Luther King, Lao Tse, and all other wise and great human beings. Your brain alone functions better then the best supercomputers. The immune system you were given is able to combat all manners of possible illness and you remain healthy. There has never been found a limit to your and any other human’s creativity. The world is getting more and more connected and we are right at an incredible time in history. Soon if things go well we will all realize that we are one big family and peace will become possible, all hunger will end and everyone will have the possibility for a good life. This is all ready to happen and you are uniquely qualified to make a real difference in the world.

I get excited as I write this because I know in my cells and the consciousness that flows through me that we are all on the brink of something so rich with possibilities. We can evolve past the violence, the need to control, the greed, the blind faith, the ignorance of radicalism, the hunger for power, the arrogance, the need to be right and others wrong, the damaging of the earth, air and water, the self-serving leadership, the cold hearted corporate mentality, the trance like sleep walk through life, and what ever other limits we have fallen into at this moment in time. Yes in you and I is the inspiration: to be more understanding; to have genuine compassion for each other and all living things; to want the best for this generation and those that follow; to generate leadership with true authenticity, a caring heart and genuine wisdom; to realize that across the planet we are all connected at the levels of basic needs, hopes and desires; to know that true justice is for all people; to grow our hearts into fountains of kindness and love for all that share the planet; to create and innovate solutions to all our pressing problems; to have government and all corporations work for the good of all; and to heal the social ills so that all can live in peace and harmony.

Are you with me on this? What is your mission, your purpose? Have you a plan to make it happen? What kind of help do you need to move to action? Who can you get to team with you for success? Your vision is an essential part of the masterpiece of humankind. It is time to take out your paint brush and put a swash of your colors across humanity; it is your time to sing your notes in the choir of human realization. Can you feel your particles start to dance and your cells swish about in the fluidity of your oceanic reality (you know, made up of mostly water like the planet)? Can you sense the potential lining up as you head for a new and more expansive expression? Can you feel the rising tide of consciousness as it brightens your light and washes across all human knowing?

Today take at least one single step toward your mission. Let nothing distract that moment. With intention and focus, the universe will be put on full alert to line up in support of what you are doing. We, all in our hearts, are cheering you on.

Go in peace and purpose.

Inspired Living

I was working on building traffic to my blog as I do most nights and came upon this contest. It was 10:45 at night and the contest ended that night so I asked myself, can I quickly write my top five tips about something? I grabbed a pen and a sticky note and three “C” words came instantly and I was inspired to write the five “C’s” to success. In a few minutes I had the five “C’s” figure out and then the inspiration started flow effortlessly and 15 minutes later I had, The Cookin 5 C’s For Success (see below). I was so excited to see what happens if I just get out of the way and let inspiration flow through me.

I thought I would write today about how to be more open to inspiration and what barriers may be in your way. First, and to me most important, is to realize that in you and I there is a source of inspiration that is absolutely unlimited. This source of inspiration goes by a variety of names: intuition, inner wisdom, collective consciousness, the quiet stillness, unity with the Divine, Higher Self, Infinite Mind, God within and others. You and I have that infinite source available to us at all times. All we have to do is quiet ourselves, open up and be receptive and the inspiration will be there.

I find it very helpful to trust in the flow of inspiration. With practice I have learned to totally trust I will be inspired. I have often written, given talks and painted counting on the flow to show. I have stood in front of large audiences with a 5 to 10 word outline and simply let inspiration flow through my mouth. I often write my blogs totally from the inspiration with no plan even about what I am going to write about. I am amazed at what comes out and find myself guided by my own words. Staring at a blank canvas I pick a color and then let inspiration work it’s magic through my hands. All this is good practice and has taught me great trust in the Infinite Source of inspiration.

This flow of inner wisdom and inspiration is the source of all creativity in the world. Look around and take a moment to appreciate all that creativity and innovation has brought to your life.

A quiet mind, an open heart, a calm body and a relationship with your own spirit are the best ways to live in inspiration. Taking time in silence, being open in your heart and body and communicating with your higher Self will allow you to be in touch with the infinite in you.

Here are a few barriers to be aware of when trying to live in inspiration. Self-doubt is when you don’t believe in yourself and the inner knowing that is trying to guide and inspire you. Another barrier is the rational mind, which says, “that doesn’t make sense.” The rational mind is full of conditioning and habit, the gut and heart are more instinctual and spontaneous. A third barrier is the need for approval. When you and I are seeking approval we too often do what we think will be most acceptable. This means the inspiration takes a back seat to what makes sense and will look the best socially. There is much more I can write here but I would rather just invite you to be aware of what blocks your inspiration.

I invite you to explore the flow of inspiration in your life. Take that exploration and see how much you can allow and welcome into your life. Inspiration will make even the most boring job sparkle with possibilities; it will awaken the sleeping hearts in a relationship; it will give you the ideas you need to create the life you want; and so much more.

Join me and let’s live a life inspired to greatness.

The Cookin 5 C's of Success

It is 10:45pm and I just read about the TOP 5 contest at www.problogger.net. Yikes can I do this is 15-20 minutes or so. Here it goes.

The Cookin 5 C’s Of Success

You can create amazing success for yourself if you follow these 5 steps with passion, dedication and reckless abandon:

1. Courage - Live and act with the courage of a lion. Have your heart pumped up for action and fit enough to go with power and force. Courage is saying, “I can do whatever I decide to do and frankly I don’t give a damn what others think. “
2. Clarity – Have clarity of purpose. When you are clear about what you are here to do in this life then the universe will line up to support you. You have a mission and your mission is a key note in the symphony of life.
3. Creativity – Look around you. Everything made by us humans began as a creative idea. If you tap into your inner creative resources the sky is your limit. There never has been found a limit to human creativity. What do you want to create in this world?
4. Commitment – Once you have the heart pumped, are aligned with your mission, have the creative ideas then action is next. You must be able to commit yourself to doing whatever it takes to succeed. The warrior of success knows there is no failure, just feedback.
5. Celebration – To celebrate is to honor yourself and your efforts. Celebration wires you for success. Each success builds on itself until you celebrate the realization of your dreams, hopes and desires. Each moment of success can be turned into a life long celebration of being alive.

Are you ready? Ok, with courage and clarity, the ideas will flow and you will do what it takes to succeed. Now can we celebrate?  

Yes, I can celebrate too.  That took me 20 minutes to write.  Thank you my inner source of inspiration,

Joseph 

Discover Your Own Truths

"Committing many mistakes, one learns what is a mistake and how not to commit it. Knowing what is error, one comes closer and closer to what is truth. Life is an individual exploration; you cannot depend on others’ conclusions." Osho

I came upon this quote yesterday and it fit so much with what I have been thinking about lately. Life to me seems full of questions and ideas to explore. I wrote the other day about the importance of questions and observations to fully awaken. Today, it seems too many people have given up their individual explorations of life and have settled for the beliefs and values others give them. Religion plays a big role in telling us what to believe in and what to value. I was raised in a religion that taught me a lot about how I was to think and be. As an adult I sorted out what I experienced as the truth and kept those lessons. There were many teachings I decided didn’t fit my requirements for the truth. This sorting out process seems to me to be life-long.

How do you sort out your own truths and beliefs? Beliefs need to be experienced by you or they are just simply someone else’s belief that you have taken on. As Osho says in the quote above, “Life is an individual’s exploration” and to take on the truths or beliefs of others without a direct experience of them is missing out on the self-discovery. The adopted beliefs are simply ideas that have less personal meaning. Your truths have real power when you discover what they mean to you.

It seems to me that one of the dysfunctions of the world is that we have too many people running around spouting beliefs and telling us their truths should be ours. There are religious leaders saying one thing and then acting very different. There are young people willing to kill others in the name of their so-called beliefs. There are leaders that say they believe in certain values and then act in direct contradiction to them. All this proclamation of beliefs and then acting differently would indicate that their beliefs are merely words and lack true value to them. Too much posturing and no real integration sounds like the work of the ego.

Doesn’t it seem important to you to sort out what your value, what you belief in, and what is your truths are? Can you really count on others to know what is right for you? The journey of self-discovery is a life long and yes the guidance of others can be helpful along the way. Take their guidance and explore your truth in what they share and move on from the rest.

I wanted to share another Osho quote. These come from a very stimulating book called, Courage, The Joy of Living Dangerously

“Life is not a problem. To look at it as a problem is to take a wrong step. It is a mystery to be lived, loved, experienced”

I hope this has inspired you to be you as fully as possible.