In The Flow of the Moment

Lately I have been writing about a variety of topics and I have been in a flow of what comes up is where I go. This allows me to write from a place of inner guidance and spontaneity. I appreciate that this moment has all I need to be inspired. What other moment could there be but this moment?

Today, like any other day, there is desire for something in the future or memory of something from the past. Those thoughts of wanting or remembering are part of all of our experiences but they are not who you and I are. We are this moment. We are the breath as it flows in and out of our bodies. We are the urge to get up and do something or the thought of tiredness. We are the wondering and the sensations of the now.

So “who am I” is this moment is a great question to hangout with. Are you in this moment your life history? Are you the person others think you are? Where has your past gone to? Have you watched feeling rise up in you and then go away? Have you felt your own truth other then in the now? What do you value most in this moment, in the next moment, then the next. There is you changing moment to moment and then there is the part of you that doesn’t change. Who is that? Remember for a moment you as a child. Does that you still exist? What part of you continues even as life remodels you day by day?

What is the source of your joy? What is your truth now? What is love and what makes it happen in you? Are you your purpose?

Questions, lots of questions isn’t it great to be alive, to feel alive, to sense the energy of life as it flows through you?

I was reading the words of one of my favorite teachers this morning and wanted to share them with you. Thich Nhat Hahn is a Buddhist monk who writes with such clarity. Enjoy!

“The first thing I do is be in the present moment. By doing so I touch life deeply. . . . Each step I take is life . . . . and in this present moment there are the wonders of life full of healing, transformation and joy. “

I was just thinking of Ashley and Mike as they walked down the road today for peace and wondered if they felt the peace and joy of the moment. If you can give support they will appreciate it very much www.marchforpeace.info

Two Young People Walking for Peace for All of Us

I hope you had a good 4th of July. I had a wonderful encounter with two young people on a march for peace and a reporter and photographer from the Chicago Tribune. Ashley and Mike started walking across America on their March for Peace in late May. These two young people are walking for everyone in this country. They want the war in Iraq to end, they want peace in the world and are concerned about other important issues. Read more at their website www.marchforpeace.info. Mike and Ashley, with amazing courage, have dedicated their lives at this time for the call for peace. I was deeply touched by their sincerity and purpose.

Bobbi and I had picked up their heavy backpacks and drove the packs to their resting place for the evening. On the way we stopped along their route and talked with Mike and Ashley and later shared a meal. We had heard about this March in the Denver Post on Tuesday and decided we wanted to meet them and be of support.

There was also a reporter (Colleen Mastony) and a photographer (Wes Pope) from the Chicago Tribune spending the day talking and walking with them and taking picture and filming. They had heard about this March for Peace and had come out to do a feature story for their paper. The two people from the Tribune had a real interest in what these two young people were doing and wondered why more people were not speaking up for peace?

I have wondered that too. Why isn’t America out demanding the end to this War? How come you and I and our leaders in Congress have allowed this war to even take place? The war in Iraq was totally not necessary and had nothing to do with the September 11th attacks. With a little exploring of the history of the prewar activities, you can see it was planned before Bush even became president. Check out, in my Another Viewpoint section of this Journal, the post on What Every American Should Know About Iraq by David Michael Green.

Are people too busy to get involved? Are they afraid of the government because it is spying on its citizens? Do they feel too powerless to do anything? The polls show the people want the war over but we are not making it happen. How come?

There are many questions about this war that need to be answered. Now is the time we need to end this occupation. The war will continue however until we demand it ends. Ashley and Mike are doing their part. What are you and I going to do?

These two are walking this morning from Greeley CO and are heading to Nebraska. Their goal is to make it to Washington DC by September 11 and they could use your help along the way. They have a website www.marchforpeace.info that you can check out and find where they are. If you feel so moved meet them, help them out and be inspired by the immensity of what they are doing, as we were.

Peace is possible. Find peace inside and get together with others to bring peace to the world. Those that don’t believe in peace have not found peace in themselves. Your peace and world peace is needed so commit to making a difference and take positive action today.

Thank you Mike and Ashley for being who you are and for speaking up for peace.

Happy 4th of July - 10 Great Ideas to Set You Free

Happy 4th Of July – 10 Great Ideas To Set You Free

I thought I would write about how to create more independence and freedom in your life. I want to share with you 10 great ideas to help set yourself free. For over 30 years I have been exploring these ideas and I am still learning. Try them out and see how much richer your life can be.

1. Turn the mind into a supportive and encouraging friend. Think good, kind, successful, deserving and loving thoughts about yourself. Duct tape the inner critic and take back your life from your childhood mis-programming.
2. Pay attention to and follow you inner guidance. The higher self in you can guide you to create the life you want and show you how to avoid situations that cause suffering. Real freedom is possible when you intuitively create the life you desire.
3. Step outside your story and just see the drama you have created. Impartiality will set you free to observe who you are in kindness and course correct as needed. Your story is not you. You are truly unlimited in your capacities.
4. Slow down, break away from your habit driven ways and most important get out of the trance you life has put you in. It is time to be spontaneous and authentic. No sheepish behavior allowed if you want to be free.
5. Put 10% of all the money you make into savings and investments. Financial freedom comes from passive (that means you don’t have to work) streams of income that completely meet your money needs. That is independence.
6. Open your heart as wide as you can. Love is the opposite of fear. When you love you have tremendous courage. You are here in this life to love, so love as much and as often as you can.
7. Live life like an experiment and explore, explore and explore. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to be yourself in new, unique and wonderful ways. Create each day as if it were a masterpiece in process.
8. Discover what your truths are and what you value. This discovery is life long and evolving. Live constantly and consciously what you belief to be important and true. A purposeful life is a great gift to humanity.
9. Make a commitment to yourself to enjoy your life, avoid being too serious, don’t take things personally, find the joy in each day and laugh often. Dance, sing, paint, write, compose and express just for the pure joy of it.
10. Be grateful every day for all the wonderful gifts you have been given by life. Each breath is a gift, each laugh, each thought, each flower, each friend, each insight, each meal, and each moment can remind us of all we have to be thankful for. The more gratitude you feel the closer you are the source of all creation.

I hope these ideas set off some fireworks in your life. You deserve to be free and independent, to have lots of love and success, and to live a life of purpose and joy.

What Is Freedom and How Can You be Free?

I have been thinking about freedom lately. Freedom to me is owning my own time; living in a world that is not run by fear; having enough money to not worry; having a government I can trust; living in a world where people and life are valued over profits and power; being in a world where tolerance, acceptance and appreciation of differences is valued; having a world where problems are worked out through dialogue, listening, understanding and combined efforts; and living in a world where love and compassion is recognized as the highest of values.
What does freedom look like to you? Tomorrow is Independence Day and talking about freedom is what independence is all about.

I wish I could say that in this country and across the planet we are close to the full realization of freedom. I cannot say that because there is still much we need to grow into before we are truly free. Forces that run much of the planet now are not really based on freedom. Fear, power, greed and control are actually about taking away our freedom. How is it that we still are run by these negative forces? Is that what we the people want? Isn’t it time we evolve past this ego driven way of thinking and acting?

Let’s take the focus away from the forces limiting freedom. Now what do you and I do to bring about more freedom? How do we help wake each other up to a move evolved and conscious way of being? That is a challenging question and here are some ideas:

• Freedom begins inside of you. How do you limit your own freedom? How do you hold yourself back out of fear? Personal freedom takes courage. Find ways to step past your own fears and express who you are and what matters to you.
• Bring freedom to your family and your relationships. Encourage each other to be free to express their uniqueness. Love each other for who they are not for who we want them to be.
• Encourage freedom in all those people you work with and interact with by accepting and appreciating who they are. The more you listen and understand others the more freedom you and they feel when you are together. There is an incredible freedom when you and I realize we are all much more connected and similar then different.
• Hold this view for freedom on the planet. I saw a picture of the earth from a satellite on the out edge of our solar system and I had a thought about our potential. Together on this tiny little speck of a planet we humans have come together and learned to live with each other in peace, compassion, understanding and freedom. This little planet and all of us have become a shining example of the highest realization of life. Can you see, feel, sense that?

See the very small dot below? This is Earth from Voyager as it traveled through deep space.

Check Out My Guest Blog on Another Site

I am excited today because I have a blog an another site.

I wrote about why I blog. Please go there and check it out. http://www.quasifictionalviews.blogspot.com

Critical Thinking Must Have Heart

I wanted to follow up on the Critical Thinking post yesterday. At the end I added heart and I wanted to say more about that today and also about intuition as a key component of this kind of expanded thinking.

You have to have heart in all your critical thinking or you can make rational decision about things that are wrong. Wrong in that the heart or compassion is missing so things like going to war, creating more nuclear weapons or profits at any cost can be ok from a thought process but totally lack any thinking about what is good for humanity. Heartless rational decisions are made every day and they miss the mark to the detriment of us humans and the planet. Critical thinking without heart is just a mental exercise.

With heart and compassion the bigger picture is involved in your thinking. Any thoughts that don’t consider what is good for all the people and future generations lack a depth and perspective that is necessary. Critical thinking with heart can explore, ideas, decisions, plans, beliefs, points of view and truths with greater depth more fully utilizing your full range of thinking. Did you know the heart is full of thinking cells? So the heart is a thinking and sensing part of you and without it things get out of balance. Critical compassionate thinking is key to keeping things in balance.

The intuition is another powerful attribute of expanded thinking. If you really are going to make important decisions then you will be best served by listening inward for guidance. The mind is a great tool for thinking and figuring but it can miss the bigger picture, it can miss out on the inner knowing you and I have inside. Many believe that being objective and rational is all you need. That would be ok if you were a computer but you are not. You have within you such innate wisdom. In the cells of your body you have the collective history, memory and consciousness of all of humankind. To not tap into your inner wisdom is to ignore a vast knowing that is so needed today.

Let me try to tie these ramblings together. Critical thinking is so needed today in your lives, in government, in the corporate world, in organizations and everywhere decision-making takes place. Critical decisions that lack heart too often are missing a key ingredient to a successful outcome for all involved. The heart brings an expansive point of view that guides for the greater good. Consulting the inner knowing makes your decisions making even more powerful because then you have a depth of understanding that is all-inclusive.

My hope is that somehow together we can think ourselves out of the messes we are in nationally and globally. To do that you and I have to have our hearts engaged and need to raise our thinking to a level higher than which created the problems. Einstein said something like, “ We cannot resolve problems from the same level of thinking that created them.” I would venture to guess that most of our major problems were created at a level where the heart was not involved and the intuition not consulted. Do that that makes sense to you?

Maybe I have gone beyond the typical definitions of critical thinking? If so, I am glad to stretch the paradigm. I have this very strong inner sense that you and I and everyone has to do more expansive thinking if we are to resolve the issues key to our survival and success. To not do so would cause much more suffering. You know what I am talking about, you can feel it and sense it. Keep asking questions, exploring options, consulting your heart and listening inward. You and I at our best are truly needed.

Isn't Critical Thinking Essential For All of Us?

I still am feeling stirred up so I thought I would stir you and your thinking up today. I was reading an article on critical thinking in an Education magazine and they were saying critical thinking was a challenge to teach. I guess a number of programs have been developed to teach this subject in schools but none have been very successful. I was thinking how did I learn to question things, to think on my own, to look at things from other viewpoints? I am not sure, so I thought I would explore this topic by inviting you and I to ask some questions and do some exploring.

I was thinking of some areas that are worth exploring from the angle of critical thinking. What I thought of was: religion, politics, war, corporate influence, news media, and your own belief system. I will ask you questions on each topic to invite your critical thinking.

Religion is a powerful topic today and there are many who claim to know the real truths. Here are a few questions that come to my mind about religion. Isn’t religion a human invention full of human ideas, understandings, structures and controls? There are so many that say their truth is the right truth but isn’t that more up individual interpretation? Are heaven and hell really places? Aren’t all paths of religion equally a speculation and no better than an other path? Why do many Americans actually believe a book (the Bible) written and edited by many men (only men) in different traditions all are the direct words of God?

Politics is another subject that would benefit from some critical thinking. Those that are elected need lots of money and that money buys influence. How could those elected officials not represent the money that helps them get elected? Shouldn’t we eliminate this money influence? Are the oil industry, Halliburton and other corporations benefiting from their influence money? How could they not be? What about the needs of the people vs the needs of those who pay for campaigns, who looses out if there is conflict of interest? Why are we still in Iraq when the people want us out of there?

The war is Iraq was has been reasoned from a number of different explanations. Do you doubt what you are being told here or is it ok to keep on changing the reasons we went to war and are still in it? How come war is still even an option for intelligent thinking people? Does war ever make rational sense? How come we the people go along with an idea to invade another country for reasons that beg critical thinking? How come we give our leaders so much power and claim so little for ourselves?

Corporate influence seems to be growing more and more powerful. Does your critical thinking mind have questions about the benefits and problems of this growing corporate influence. Shouldn’t companies have values about their people, their communities and their planet that are weigh into the profit motive? Is it ok for profits to rationalize any and all behavior by a company? Were not corporations set up for the benefit of the people and now people are more for the benefit of the corporation? How did that get so turned around and what should we do about it?

News media has moved more and more toward sensationalism and entertainment and away from objective reporting. Does that concern you? Do you believe all that you here on the news or do you question what is being presented to you especially the opinion barrage? Does it seem that major corporate News Agencies might lack objectivity as profits drive them and points of view run them. Why is 90% of talk radio focused on the conservative point of view? One side says the liberal press but in fact the press is more represented by corporate influence, which tends to run conservative? Notice who says and what and ask why? Is Fox news fair and balanced or actually very biased?

Now you and I have our own ideas and beliefs that need to be questioned. Many of our beliefs we got growing up. These all need to be looked at with a critical eye to see if they are truly what you believe? You may find you have many beliefs and values you want to keep. Acknowledge that you are deciding to keep the ones you are keeping. Look at the ones in need of revision and find out what your truth is? Most school systems and families teach us to not really believe in ourselves. Fitting in and seeking approval is more valued their individual expression and uniqueness. Should we not look at all those self-worth and self-expression beliefs?

I hope these questions have stirred you up and activated your critical thinking. There are so many more questions to be asked in each of these areas. The times you and I live in need us thinking clearly; questioning what is going on; and looking at our lives and the concerns of the world with objectivity and heart. I know I just through heart in this discussion and I did so for a reason. Objectivity and critical thinking matched with our hearts sensitivity and compassion unlocks great potential in all of us.

Relaxation, Intuition, Trust

The last two days I have noticed that there is a lot stirred up inside of me. When I feel stuff going on inside it usually centers in my stomach. My stomach is the place where I feel the most emotional impact. I decided I needed to explore what was going on inside so I took some quiet time to listen inward. What I got was there is some kind of shift happening in me and I am both excited about it and fearful of the unknown. I don’t know what is going to happen so the fear is there. I am excited about my expansive inner movement because I trust it will be for my good.

I then decided I need to ask myself what do I need to do with what is going on inside. The inner message was very clear. I was to take time to focus on relaxation and allow my body to let go of the fear. I was also to tune into my intuition for further insight and guidance. The last advice was to trust that this would all work out well. Relaxation, intuition and trust are what I am to do with this inner shifting that is going on inside of me. Sounds like good advice so I plan on following it.

I am sharing with you this method of tuning in, listening, and paying attention to what is going on inside because you can do the very same thing when you have emotions and reactions going on inside. You can tune in for insight and awareness. You can request understanding as to what is going on with you. You can then ask for guidance as to what to do and listen because it will come if you are receptive. This is all simple to do and to be receptive is just a willingness to hear your higher guidance and follow through on what you are shown. The follow through is important to keep the guidance flowing.

Here are the steps:

• Find a quiet place and get comfortable.
• Listen inward.
• Be patient and give yourself time to tune in.
• Be aware when the guidance comes it may be in the form of images, thoughts, words, feelings or sensations.
• Be open and receive the insights and intuitions as they are presented to you.
• Note what you are guided to do and then make a plan to follow through.
• Be grateful for the new understand and direction.
• Integrate the new awareness and live the guidance.

I hope you find this clear enough so you can use these ides today. Please feel free to ask me questions by sending me a note through the comment section below or emailing me at explorelifeblog@gmail.com

Wow Blazers and Profound Insight All In One Night

Last night was a very interesting evening for me for two very different reasons: one profound and one of little significance unless your interested. I start with the one of little significance to most people. I have to admit to being a big basketball fan. I grew up in the Portland area and have been a Blazer fan most of my life. It was a big night for us Blazers fans. If you know why then I don’t have to say much more. If you don’t, you haven’t missed out on much other then one really tall guy. Yes!!!

Now to the more profound part of my evening, a teacher of deeper wisdom was in town. John Sherman at RiverGanga.org is one of my favorite people to listen to because of how he teaches self-inquiry. His consciousness filled the room and his smile warmed everyone’s heart last night here in Boulder. He talks about how to find out who you are at your essence beyond the personality and life drama. He is very good at taking your deeper in your understanding. After he talked he asked if there are any questions and I raised my hand, came up and sat next to him and asked him some questions I had. There is something so powerful about sitting close to someone who is radiating this glow of self-realization. It was like I was listening to his words but felt like I was getting much more understanding from sitting there next to him. All this grace coming my direction was a wonderful experience to have.

I still feel the vibrations of last night flowing through me now as I write this. Take a moment and allow yourself to tap into this energy as you read along. You are not limited by either time or space limits from doing this. That energy from John through me is already in us at the level of consciousness where you and I are one. I know this may sound a bit out there but the truth of it can be discovered by you if you inquire into who you are.

Let me ask you a few questions and then you explore and let me know. There is in you an awareness/consciousness of you that existed before this birth and will continue after this life, who is that? Who are you that knows yourself beyond all that defines you in this life? Look into the mirror and see deeply into your eyes, who is it that is the sparkle of life and knowing inside? Words may not capture the inquiry very well but there is a part of you that knows beyond words. Can you feel or sense that?

I hope you have a little greater sense of what this self-inquiry is about? Check out John’s site for more at www.riverganga.org. and go Blazers.

Self-inquiry will not make you anything that you are not already, but it will, over time destroy the false belief that you are this body, this mind, this story, this life. That false belief is the root cause of all human suffering whatsoever.
John Sherman

Why You Need to Question Things More Vigorously

I am all stirred up today and I feel like causing some trouble. Do you ever feel like that? I work part-time for a company that has some pretty small ideas of how to treat their professional employees. I have spent over 30 years working for a variety of organizations, agencies and companies and many lack the kind of vision that truly values the people that work for them. I figure it is because you and I under value ourselves? I realize as I am writing this that my own journey of self-worth and self acceptance has been bumpy at times. I was raise in a traditional Catholic home. The sins and guilt education I got in Catholic schools was extensive. 12 years of programming and conditioning in these schools have taken me much of my life to offset. Sure I learned some very positive values that mean a lot to me. I however learned a huge amount of self-judging, not deserving and limiting points of view. 

How about your upbringing? Was it supportive and encouraging to who you are? Did it teach you to be accepting of a variety of points of view and beliefs? Did you learn about love and compassion for yourself and others? Where you encouraged to be creative in you own way? Did people listen to and value your uniqueness? Where you taught to question things and to be critical in your thinking? Was your education interesting, thoughtful, challenging, positive and fun?

If you answered no to some or all of the questions, don’t be surprised. You were brought up and educated like the rest of us. Everyone along the way including our parents and teachers were doing the best job they could. They were held back by limited ideas, beliefs and points of view. These limits were passed along to you but you can do something about them.

I want to share with you the best ideas I have to help us all move on from the conditioning and training we received. That is one of the reasons I write this blog so that I can share with you my purpose which is to encourage you highest realization. I do that with my word and ideas, my encouragement, my questions and observations, and hopefully by inspiring you to go for more and be all that you are here to be.

Conditioning is very powerful and to counter it takes growing the following qualities. The first quality is awareness. To be free of any learned limits you must first become aware of how you limit yourself. This takes time and paying attention to what is going on inside and around you. Progress with focus will help you see who you are. With awareness you can make choices and from there orchestrate the changes you see necessary to be a more expansive person.

My writing about intuition yesterday and in the future will be to encourage you past the programming by tuning into the higher knowing within. Yes there is a part of you untouched by your upbringing. That higher knowing is in each of us as part of our collective consciousness. The more you learn to trust this inner guidance the sooner you will be liberated from the programming you received.  Question those belief systems (politics, churches, governments etc.) that try to tell you what you need and what your truth is. They cannot know what is right for you.

I wrote about impartiality a while back. Take a journey through my blogs and read up on impartiality if you want to learn to be more free. Impartiality gives you a way to see fully who you are without judging. This fair witness to you and the world gives you great insight and allows you to be with yourself and others in a very liberating way.

Well I have been rambling away. I hope you got stirred up in some way that will help you question things and express who you are uniquely?

Let Your Intuition Be Your Guide

Yesterday I wrote about Kaizen and the importance of continual improvement. When I learn and grow I feel better about myself and l bring more freshness and energy to life. There is an inner guide that can always show me the way to living on purpose, to keep growing, to be passionate about what I do, and to be free enough to fully love and enjoy my life. That guide is called my intuition. This inner knowing can also be called my Higher Self, voice of the soul, my spirit or gut instinct. Intuition comes from a greater knowing within you and I beyond the rational mind. The heart knows, the gut knows, our spirit knows things the mind is not able to know. Our intuition is always with us but too often it is not paid attention to because our mind is running the ship. Ignoring the knowing within often cause a person to suffer. Listening and acting on your higher self’s guidance will lead you toward a life of success, love, joy, peace, prosperity and freedom.

Intuition comes to us in out of the ordinary ways. It doesn’t necessarily abide by the ideas of time, space, or sense of self. Our inner knowing can come to us out of the blue, listening to song, in the midst of chaos, in a quiet moment or where and whenever it feels like letting us know something. Your soul’s voice can be guiding you to a major shift in your life or showing you how to lighten up in the moment. All inner guidance is of value and can enrich your life in ways you may never have dreamed of or thought about. The important thing to do is to start listening, paying attention and be aware of the knowing in you that wants to be heard.

Here are a couple of exercises to wake up or more fully activate your intuition. Explore these ideas with a sense of play and experimentation and your results will come easier.

1. For a fun experiment start playing with the things that are happening around you. When the phone rings guess who it is. When talking to others get a sense of what they are going to say? Pay attention to the song in your head and the message the lyrics have for you. When you feel like checking something out, do so. Play with your urges and see where they take you.

2. Take a few minutes at the start of your day and ask your higher self to guide you. Ask that you be shown what you need to know and what would work best throughout that day. Pay close attention because the guidance will be there. If you have never explored your intuition this will take some practice and trust. See if you get visual messages, vocal messages or vibrational messages. Find out how you know, what you know.

The more you explore the more you will discover how powerful intuition is in your life. I remember once sitting across from a client and I kept getting an image of a tricycle. So I asked her about this tricycle and she began to sob and she shared this sad story from her childhood. She grew more whole as a person from the intuition I had and I grew to trust more and more my inner knowing when working with others.

In your work, your relationships, your world you can use you inner guidance to make everything work better. I will follow up in the next month or so with more ideas to develop your intuition as a vehicle for your self-improvement. Let me know how your intuition is working. I am positive you will have some good stories to share. Please hit the comment button below and share your stories or write me at explorelifeblog@gmail.com.

The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or whatever you will, and the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why.
Albert Einstein

All societies, ancient of modern, primitive or sophisticated, have guided themselves by values and goals rooted in the experience of “deep intuition.” Willis Harmon

Kaizen, Your Body and Your Healthy

Today I am writing about a concept that I think you will find applies directly to you. Abraham Maslow, a great philosopher and thinker, believed that in order for human beings to feel good about themselves they needed to keep on growing. Personal growth means to keep the mind active with new thoughts and ideas; keep the body growing in health, fitness, strength and flexibility; keep the emotions expanding through awareness and healthy expression; and keep the spirit nurtured through meditation, play, prayer, nature and other fun and contemplative practices.

Kaizen is a Japanese concept that means constantly seeking improvement. I often write about ideas you can use to make improvements in your life. These next several months I am going to put a little more emphasis on ideas to keep you in Kaizen, constantly growing and improving. Tony Robbins has said, “That if we make one simple improvement a day then in 100 days we will be 100% improved.” Not that you aren’t already a wonderful human being, but if you are like me you realize there is still room for improvement.

Today I want to talk to you about taking care of your body. Your body is the vehicle you use to get through your day and your lifetime. How well do you take care of it? Cars need good fuel to run properly. Eating, drinking and breathing are your fuels. Your food intake serves you best if it is tasty, healthy, and nutritious. Your body knows what is right for you to eat if you listen to it. I find that my body will guide me to what I need but sometimes my eyes and sweet cravings will lead me astray. Anybody out there have cravings that take you off track? Food often for me is comforting. When I am stressed or tired I seek comfort and my choices can lead my body to feel stuffed.

Drinking water is a very essential fuel. We are made up of 80–90% water so we constantly need to drink and replace our fluids. Water is the best; teas and sports drinks can work well. Pop and alcohol have their limits. If you find yourself low on energy, drink a large glass of water and feel how happy and energized the body becomes.

Breathing is obviously essential. Let’s talk about what works best. In these stressful times, we too often breath very shallow because we are uptight. This shallow breathing is enough to get by on but not what your really need. Next time you are around an infant take a minute to notice their breathing. They breathe with their whole body. Their little bodies expand with the breath in and relax with the breath out. They are excellent teachers of breathing. You and I as adults would benefit greatly from breathing more fully. Doesn’t it make sense to you that having more oxygen in your system would make you function better? Yawning is the body wanting more oxygen.

Let’s talk about how a healthy full breath works and would feel. Have your breathing follow along as you read this.

Sit or lie comfortably so that your can breath in fully. In a relaxed and easy way let all the oxygen in your body flow out, so there is none left. Then feel the body naturally want to breathe in more. When the body wants to inhale, imagine this: your body is like a large flexible container, the bottom of the container is your belly and it extends all the way up to your nose. With your inhale, breath down into the belly and fill the container to the top. Remember to keep relaxed both in the inhale and the exhale. Breathe in slowly until full and then exhale slowly until empty.

This container breath will take some practice. You can do it when you wake up and throughout your day to re-energize, be more alert and to relax. Breathing deeply will make you feel better and healthier.

I will write more soon on other healthy practices for the body. A well-fueled body will take you where you need to go each day.

This is all part of Kaizen. Always seeking improvement begins with good care for the body.

Have a breathful day!

I Am Excited About My New Book

I added a new book to my collection of ebooks I have written exclusively for you my readers. Check out the right hand column of this site - 101 Ways To LIve A Loving and Compassionate Life

This book and the other two are from a series I am creating called Instant Inspiration. These three books are full of the best ideas my 30+ years of exploring these topics have found. If you enjoy my blog, you will also enjoy these books. I would very much appreciate you purchasing one, two or all of them as a way to be supportive to my work here at the Explore Life Journal. My goal is to create enough income from this site to provide for me to write this blog and be active in my work for peace and the spreading of consciousness.

If you find yourself in a supportive mood or seeking information and ideas about the topics of these books, then be sure and make a purchase and send your love my direction.

Look for more books coming soon and also checking out my 60 Sesconds and 30 Day Success Workbooks further down the right hand column.

Your support would be genuinely appreciated.

Thanks you,

Joseph 

No More Waiting to Enjoy Life

Today is going to be hot so I ran before I sat down to write. I live at the foothills of the Rockies and today my run took me through the mountains. I felt so good to back into nature. During my run I stopped to walk through this beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers. Nature soothes me at every level. When I am surrounded by such natural beauty: my body feels relaxed; my mind slows down and hums with the bees; my heart feels expansive and open; my soul feels like it is free in the cathedral of the trees.

I needed the respite from the busy and buzzy days of the city and all I have been doing lately. Summer is time for play and to enjoy life. Vacations are for breaking out of the groove of life and to relax and take pleasure in the fruits of your labor. You and I do and do and do. Does it ever seem to you like there never is any time to take a break, to just sit and feel the enjoyment of being alive?

There are driving forces in you and I that serve us well. You want to provide for you and possibly a family. You want to have the money you need to do what you want in your life. You want to be healthy. You want your life to be a success. These forces for your good are natural and powerful. They however can drive you to ignore the most important things in life like, having love, enjoying life, being at peace and experiencing freedom.

The doing of life is important but so is the being of life. You need to have love or your heart will ache. You need joy or the smile on your face will disappear. You need to find peace inside or you will be filled with discontent. You need to know freedom or your world will feel trapped. Here are some steps to make sure your priorities are pay attention to in your daily life:

1. Make a plan each day to express love. If you are not in a relationship then love yourself and spread your love through friendships and family members. You are here to love, so find a way to love each day.
2. Find joy in what you do each day. Enjoy the purposeful work you have and the people you interact with. If joy is hard to come by there, then find it by making the rest of your life fun, meaningful, creative and enjoyable.
3. Take time each day to be quiet. It could be a quiet drive into work or on the bus. It could be when you first get up in the morning or at the end of your day. Finding even 10 minutes to quiet yourself down will bring more contentment.
4. Do something out of the ordinary; express yourself more fully; and push the limits of what is acceptable leaning towards being freer even if it may seem odd to others. My favorite Leo Buscaglia saying was, “ If people think you are a little bit crazy, they give you a lot more leeway in your behavior.”

The best you can do to have fun is to stop worrying so much about what others will think. Enjoy who you are and your uniqueness and remember, “What others think of you is none of your business”

Have some fun today, tonight, tomorrow, the next day, the rest of the week, on the weekend and the rest of your time here on the planet. No more waiting to enjoy life is allowed. Ok?

Focus on Peace and Begin By Sitting Quietly

Day two of the fair was very busy and again I find myself writing after a long, hot and tiring day. I enjoy doing this blog so much that I look forward to writing it each day. I don’t even know what I plan to write about but will let the fingers and my intuition do the work.

Our t-shirt sales went very well today and we got to see many people very happy to own one or more of our positive messages for peace t-shirts or decals. These are all our creations and it sure feels nice to have some many people compliment out designs and quality of our shirts. Everybody left with a smile. Check us out at www.peace-together.com.

I thought I would call upon another inspirational quote tonight to spread some light on you day.

Sitting quietly, feel what sits there.
Explore the body you sit in.
Observe the scintillating field of sensation we call the body.
Noticing sensations wordless quality.
Its sense of simply being the humming throughout your body.
Go within sensation to that subtle presence by which the sensation is known. Feel the sensation within the sensation.
Settle into that sense of being, of aliveness vibrating in every cell.
Rest in being. . . . know what knows. Stephen Levine

You are the knower but who are you? Until tomorrow, Joseph

Ask Questions and Live Your Life Now

I woke up this morning thinking about the group I did last night at a power plant with a crew of very upset people. I was however at festival all day with our Peace Together company talking about peace and selling our peace t-shirts and wasn’t able to sit down and write until late this evening.

This crew had a co-worker seriously burned on the job. Nothing has been done to fix the situation. It didn’t take long to learn there are some very angry people at this plant. The accident was caused by a problem that the company did not wanting to put any money towards fixing. Every crew member who talked felt the profit margin of this company was more important than their individual lives. Something seems to have gone wrong here. This plant is old and the company refused to maintain it because it costs too much. These guys lives are much more in danger then they need to be. How is it that companies have put profit margins over lives? Corporations were set up to serve the people. Now it seems people are in service of corporations?

Before I go off on a rant, I must stop myself because I know there is a part of me that wants to do that. I question many things and that questioning gets me into trouble. I am not worried about the trouble. I am more worried about the frame of mind I get it when I go off on a blaming jag. Blaming and complaining are crap magnets. The more you stay in that stinking thinking the worse you feel. So I don’t want to go there now. Anyway, we do need to question what is going on with corporate control in or lives and in government. We need to question out leadership in our states and in our country. We need to get involved or the concerns of the people simply will not be met. Enough said tonight.

I want to end on something positive. Here is a quote from Osho, one of the most original and challenging thinkers I have come across. Be well.

I would like you to break the habit of waiting. You have waited enough. . . you have already waited more than was needed. Now start living! And there is only one way to life and that is to start now! There is no tomorrow, the only time is now. All tomorrows are imaginary. . . Only this moment is true and only this moment is the door to the divine.
. . . . Immediately you will see a new life happen to you. Osho

Increase Is What You Want

I write because I want to express myself, my creativity and to live with purpose. My goal is to increase the quality of your life through ideas, points of view, awareness, inspiration and encouragement. Increase is the natural order of things in the universe. As the planet has evolved there has been an ever-expanding diversity of life. This is true for us humans too. The first humans were simple and basic in their communications and social make up. Today our species is filled with a complexity of ideas, values, beliefs and social structures. This complexity is increase in action. We are more complex because we have evolved in all that we can think, say and do.

Today you and I are naturally drawn to increasing what we have. We want more things, money, experiences, entertainment, security etc. on the physical level. On a mental/emotional level we take in huge amounts of information, process an endless array of emotional responses and in general are often speeding about charged up with thoughts and reactions. On a spiritual level there is a deep longing for more peace, freedom, understanding, love, and depth of meaning.

I feel, think and experience all of this too. I have many wants, dreams and desires. My mind and emotions are abuzz with ideas and charges with emotions. My spirit longs to express itself free from all the stuff and centered in a place of consciousness and stillness. I feel more alive then ever. I also question more then ever and wonder how things can be better for everyone? So I write and explore and hopefully inspire and encourage you toward the life you want and the world that is a good place for everyone.

Now let’s talk about this inner pull for increase and later I will address how to make it possible to have what you want. There is in you and me this innate desire to grow and to learn. You want to be conscious and aware so that you can live a life that feels right and truthful. You also want to have a good life with the house, cars and things your family needs and wants. Those longings and desires inside are positive forces calling you express yourself as fully as you can and to keep on growing. This is your nature. Some will have you believe that there is something wrong with desire and wanting but they are not good students of human nature and have limiting beliefs. It is always best to follow your own inner truth than to have others tell you what your truth is. Your inner wisdom is vast and if listened to, will always be a guide for your good.

With an abundant and prosperous life you have the capacity to fully express yourself. Wanting this for yourself and all other inhabitants of the planet is the ideal. You and I and all others share this yearning for more of the good life, more prosperity, more expression, more knowledge, more truth, more understanding, more freedom, more love and compassion, more inspiration, more ways to expand and improve our lives.

My writing will continue to explore this seeking of more in life because I totally believe in your desire for your fullest and highest expression. I will give you ideas to create and realize your potential. I will invite you to move past your fears, blocks and your limiting beliefs. I will encourage the best in you and inspire the most in you and along the way it will challenge and inspire the best in me. Together we can journey toward our highest realization and lift the planet to its highest expression.
Are you interested?

Viewed narrowly, all life is universal hunger and an expression of energy associated with it.
Mary Ritter Beard

I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.
Madonna Ciccone

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.
Martha Graham

It All Happens Now

I keep waking up more each day to the possibilities in me and in the world. I have come to realize that in this moment (yes the moment you are reading this) there is everything. Look at your ideas that it takes time to have what you want. The time is now and what you want is in this moment. Let’s you and I be honest with ourselves and be willing to take our awareness of the now all the way to where we want to be.

Life is only now
Love is only now
Truth is only now
Wisdom is only now

Enlightenment, Self-Realization is only now
Joy is only now
Happiness is only now
Freedom is only now
Absolute peace, only now.

It’s up to you. Scott Morrison

I came upon this writing by Scott Morrison in my reading this morning and I was so struck with the power and simplicity of this. I am still trying to wrap my mind and heart around it. I sense the absolute truth of this but my limiting thoughts and beliefs are holding me back from stepping into the nowness of all of this. It is like I understand and yet let my life stories, ego and other illusions in me take me away from this moment.

What keeps you from fully embracing all the possibilities of life now? How do you get in your own way from having what you want now? Are you willing to do an experiment?

If so,

• Try fully being present to this moment,
• Sit back and read through Scott’s inspirational words
• Explore what stirs in you
• Notice how you respond
• Listen to your thoughts, feel your emotions
  
• Be aware of where the truth resonates in you
• Take what you learn now and extend it into the next moment
• Keep taking it further
• Be with love, joy, truth, freedom and peace now and enjoy . . . . . . . . . .

The Power of Listening

I was thinking the other day about what skills are important for bringing about positive change in the world. The one I know much about is listening. My background is psychology and I have spent many hours listening to people, their struggles, and their hopes. I have learned so much about human nature from my work and share these lessons through this blog. One thing I know for sure; people are hungry to be listened to by someone who cares. This is clear because I sit with people and they start talking and there is such a release that happens.

What kind of listening am I talking about? I am talking about listening that is compassionate and caring, free of judgment, interested, understanding, supportive and encouraging. This kind of heart centered listening is a skill that takes practice. It takes really being present for the person and dropping your own agenda. You are there to listening, free of any other distractions. Carl Rogers, the most influential counseling psychologist of all time, wrote about having unconditional positive regard for those you listen to, about being there for your client with all your attention and caring. This kind of listening is transformative. When a person is truly listened to, they feel validated and often times very relieved.

Now why is this so important in our lives? Well there are a lot of people out there who would feel so much better if others listened to them. This is especially true for those you and I care about. Our children, our spouses, our friends all would love to be listened to by us in a caring and supportive way. Listening is a key component in loving others. Listening shows you care. As I said this isn’t listening that is passive and distracted; it is listening that is active, present and with heart. Everyone needs this.

In the world this is necessary too. If we learned to listen to the needs and concerns of others, we could eliminate many, if not most of the problems in the world. Listening sounds much better then judging or making others bad because they are different. How many terrorist would there be if they had been listened to when they were children and young people? I suspect none. How many battles between nations would there be if they had come together to listen to each other? I suspect none. Sure there are very damaged people out there; I can tell you from experience that listening heals. Listening heals damaged hearts and disturbed minds.

The greatest gift you can give someone is to really listen to their needs, concerns, hurts, dreams and hopes. When you give of yourself to others in this way, you feel good about your giving and you know you are doing something that really matters.

Four listening hints:
1. Set some time aside to listen. Make it a priority to listen to the concerns and needs of those around you.
2. Have an open heart and mind. Empty yourself of what you want and instead hear where they are coming from.
3. Listen twice as much as you talk. Good communications are about dialogue that is more listening then talking.
4. Be present and not distracted. Quiet yourself and be fully present for those you are listening to and they will be touched.

Listening is not only wonderful for those who are heard but also for you the listener. As a listener you feel good about yourself and your open heart fills you with a sense of being a person of value. In listening, you often find your own peace.

    Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don't have to do anything else.     We don't have to advise, or coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen.

    Listening moves us closer, it helps us become more whole, more healthy, more holy. Not listening creates fragmentation,     and fragmentation is the root of all suffering.

    Listening is a reciprocal process - we become more attentive to others if they have attended to us.
    Margaret J. Wheatley

PEACE IS MY PASSION

I walked in the peace marches during Vietnam. I walked in peace marches before the war in Iraq and still do. I will keep walking in peace marches and writing about peace for the rest of my life if needed. There is such a need now for us all to write and talk about peace because it is still to happening in Iraq or other places in the world. We are the ones that will make it happen because we are able to see objectively and in our hearts that peace is the way.

War is caused by the need to control or have power over others. War has been sold to the people for many other reasons (like to stop terrorist, liberate a country, for our freedom, etc) but those are stories told to us to hide the truth of pursuit of power. Those stories have changed constantly about the war in Iraq but the truth is more about wanting a power base in the Middle East both for oil and to have a place to control other countries. Have you seen the embassy they are building in Bagdad?

I use to rant and rave about wanting peace. Then I realized I was not being very peaceful. Since then I have found more inner peace and less attachment to results. I now try not to take the insanity of our leadership personally. I do however wonder how our leaders are a reflection of us the citizens. Are we all crazy, off our rockers, or something like that? It sure seems to me that our leadership is lacking wisdom, value for human life and any reasonable ability to communicate with anything other then a big stick.

Speaking up for peace is a positive thing to do. Bobbi and I created Peace Together www.peace-together.com because we knew we had to do something rather then complain. We are both creative so we came up with these t-shirts and bumper stickers that have positive messages for peace. We go to fairs and conferences and sell our shirts and stickers and talk to people about peace. We think that if enough people bring peace into their consciousness then peace will happen. Fear is too often the driving force in us and with that mind frame peace probably won’t happen. Talking about peace, seeing peace in our minds and being peaceful inside will make it possible. We choose to be peaceful people.

Our goal is to create the Peace Together Foundation which will support our peace work and give grants to those working for peace. We think that those who are: spreading peace consciousness; working with others on inner peace; helping people see that the path of compassion and heart will bring peace; raising awareness about how truly connected we are all; and other peaceful ways can bring about the changes necessary on the planet. That is our mission and we will make it happen together with others.

What do you think and feel about how to create peace in the world? Together you and I and others can certainly make a difference. I do believe that inner peace is a good starting place.
Check out my free Guide to Inner Peace that you can download now. It will give you lots of ideas, encouragement and inspiration.

I was just listening to Imagine by John Lennon yesterday and thinking this song is an inspiration to me and I am sure to many others. I know the task of peace is a giant one. Join me and find a way to be peace and do peace in alignment with who you are. Together we can lift each other to a higher realization and live in peace and harmony. It is time.

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one . *John Lennon *