Brain and Heart Storming for 2008

This is day one of the preparation for making 2008 the best year ever of you and I.  The starting point is to brainstorm about what you want to happen in 2008; what kind of results do you want to create?  How would you like 2008 to feel?  What ways will you take better care of yourself and those you love?  What areas do you want to grow in and get better at doing?  What are your financial goals?  Let’s start with a brainstorm and heart storm.  Heart storming involves getting you heart involved in making you plans.  I will do brain/heart storming here then you take out a piece of paper or a notebook and then do yours.  Include the above questions and add any that seem right for you.

2008 will include the following wonderful results:
Continue the ever-expanding love between Bobbi and I
Peace Together promotes peace through creating a foundation or fund
Peace Together gets great traffic to website and continues to grow
Blog continues to be inspired and increase readership
Total financial freedom, passive streams of income that meet all of our needs
Continue to open my heart
Continue to raise consciousness
Develop more friendships here in Boulder
Support speakers project
Continue to live with purpose and passion
Get funding for musical
Get novel published
Go on a trip to Europe
Give lots of money to those we support in what they are doing
Keep fit with daily workouts
Increase flexibility with yoga and tai chi
Eat slower
Meditate in some form each day
Have even more fun and enjoy life everyday
Take some road trips to new places
Teach some classes or lead retreats
Provide onsite support for those in need
Keep singing after Handel’s Messiah concerts
Take some classes or workshops
Go listen to inspirational speakers
Keep on exploring writing fiction and non-fiction
Explore more painting and collage art
Visit my family in Oregon
Go see more theatre, live performances, improve, comedy

That is a list of things that come to mind as I sit here.  I suggest your give yourself a couple of days to grow a list of as many ideas as you can come up with.  We will find tune the list and get clear on priorities as we go.  Let the ideas flow with no censoring.   The bigger the list the better, because that you have lots to choose from.  There are no right or wrongs here.  Remember to let your desires speak because they are helping you stretch.  You do not have to share your list with anyone.  

In the next few days I will help your organize your list into a set or priorities.  Be aware what ones on your list get you the most excited or energized.  Remember this:  You create your own reality by where you focus your thoughts and heart.   

You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.
Richard Bach

When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.
Paulo Coelho

If you can dream it, you can do it.
Walt Disney

You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.
Barbara Sher





Inner Peace, Intention, and 2008

We can never obtain peace in the world if we neglect the inner world and don't make peace with ourselves. World peace must develop out of inner peace.
Dalai Lama

Wednesday Night I watch the Movie, “10 Questions For The Dalai Lama” and I found this quote this morning.  The Dalai Lama is a gift to the planet because he sees with great wisdom what the truth is.  The movie is excellent visually and it gives the watcher an wonderful dose of wisdom.  It is available on DVD and a good movie for holiday inspiration.

I feel this quote is in direct alignment about why I write this blog.  Back in 1973, I had the privilege of taking a class that stirred my desire to grow myself as a human being.  Since that time I have actively participated in the exploration of consciousness and the human potential.  I bring those may years of exploring to this blog with the intention of sharing ideas and inspiring self-awareness for the purpose of finding inner peace and thereby making world peace possible.  That is my passion and my purpose.  I want each reader to find him or herself, accept and grow their extraordinary uniqueness, be at peace within, and shed their light and love on the planet.  That will make peace possible.

I write about politics, spiritual ideas, living with purpose, creating success, techniques for consciousness, the importance of desire, about the goodness of abundance, passionate living and much more all to promote self-discovery, inner peace and a peaceful world.  It is my belief that when people find out who they are and living according to the calling of their higher selves, then the world will evolve into a place guided by consciousness, compassion and peace.

We live in an ever-expanding universe.  You expand every day in what you know, what you sense, what you understand, what you are conscious of, and in your capacity to love.  If you would take the time to listen inward and support your growthful awareness, you would find a life of increasing purpose and passion.  I invite you to do that.  I will write to encourage that.  And I do so in the name of peace; inner peace and world peace.

From here until the end of 2007, I am going to focus my blog on inviting you to create the most amazing, wonderful, and peaceful life for yourself in 2008.  I will invite you to become more aware, to pay closer attention to you feeling and desires that are attempting to guide you.  I will encourage you to live in touch with your higher purpose and to express that with passion and focus.  I hope to inspire in you the desire to be a fully engaged citizen and lover of the world.

I want to make 2008 the best year of my life and yours as we explore ways to live from love, walk with peace in our hearts and minds, laugh often and do things that make a difference at so many levels. 

Please join me and keep a journal of next five plus weeks in preparation for 2008.  By January 1st you will see what you want to create, have the focus and intention to create it, and the ways to make that happen. Let 2008 be your best ever.  The more people on the planet with their clear intentions and higher purpose the better.

Make peace and happiness your goal and you will make it happen.    



HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU

Today is Thanksgiving and I want to say all that I am thankful for:

Each breath
Each moment of life
Each thought of inspiration
Each opportunity to give
Each feeling of love
Each smile I receive
Each ray of sunshine
Each step I take on the Earth
All the joy in my heart
All the abundance of the world
All the consciousness in humankind
All the friends I have
All the possibilities in each day
All the food I eat
My partner Bobbi and the love we share
My warm home on a cold day
The feast I share with Bobbi’s family
My brothers and sisters and Dad
My health and fitness
The sensation of peace inside of me
All that is good for others
All that is well in others
All that brings joy to others
All that spread light on the planet.
All that seek to awaken
All that have peace inside
All that spread the ways of love and compassion
All that respect all forms of life
And you that show such kindness to me in reading my blog and appreciating my expressions of my heart, mind and spirit.

I am full of gratitude for all this and all there was, is, and will be.

Joseph

Blog Mystery School Part 6 – A Reminder

Today is the day before Thanksgiving and what I want to share with you are not a mystery but more a reminder. There are two powerful practices you can utilize to always change your state of being for the better. These two are known by you but often forgotten; your breath and the feeling of gratitude.

It makes total sense that just expanding your breath will make you feel better. The more oxygen in you the more clearly you think, the more energy your body has, and the better you feel. Simple isn’t it. No mystery to how the breath works, yet most of the time you and I don’t begin to breath enough. Life gets busy and we breathe enough to get by but not much more. Here is a practice to expand your breath and give you more fuel in the tank for living optimally.

Sit in a relaxed manner and began to pay attention to the inhale and exhale of the breath. Let all the breath out to the last drop on the exhale, then on the inhale allow the body to fill the lungs inflating the belly on up until the entire body feels full of this life giving flow. Visualize on the inhale you breathe in love, radiant health, positive energy and the abundance of the universe. On the exhale you share this love, energy, health and abundance with the world.

This sets up a rich exchange between you and the world. While doing this feel what it would be like to be full of love, health, energy and abundance. This works both as an affirmation and a body recharge. You can do this practice when you wake up, driving a car, riding a bus, waiting in a line, taking a break, while going for a walk or whenever you can squeeze this breath in. Commit to doing this multiple times each day and you will love the results.

The second reminder is the power of gratitude. When things are stuck and flow is on hold open yourself by focusing on gratitude. There is much to be grateful for just simply being alive, having each breath, each moment, and each possibility. Then if you take it further you can appreciate your body, partner, friends, income, work, home, lifestyle, and all the worldly stuff. The next level of appreciation is for the higher things like love, joy, nature, freedom, inspiration, consciousness, peace, spirit, creativity and much more. Feel the joy and aliveness that comes from being focused in what you are grateful for in your wonderful life.

If you combine the two and breathe with appreciative thoughts you will create the most amazing energy for attracting what you want in your life.

Update: I feel so grateful for all the inspiration I have received this month for my novel writing. The book’s first draft of over 50,000 words is done. That is 145 pages in 20 days. I love to be in the flow and I am deeply thankful for it and from whatever source it comes from. I will have some exciting news about the book soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to you.

If You Are Not Concerned, You Are Not Paying Attention

Today I want to talk to you again about how important your participation in leading our country is.  It is so essential that each of us pay attention during these times of serious problems in government.  I have been writing my Congressman and our two Senators asking them when are they going to provide the Checks and Balances needed on the President and VP?  These checks and balances are necessary to protect the people and the country.
 
So far both the Senate and the House has allowed the President to do whatever he wants without intervening.  They have allowed the president to start the war in Iraq, to spy on Americans, to ignore the Geneva Convention and torture prisoners, to violate the principles of conflict of interest, to take away our basic rights through the (un)Patriot Act, to appoint judges who are biased in their viewpoints, to create a massive debt, to subvert the due process, to create his own military (Blackwater and others) with our money, ignoring the Global warming accords, giving his oil friends, Halliburton, and other military contractors unchecked huge profits, and so much more destruction without oversight.  Where has the checks and balances been over the 7 years?  Why isn’t Congress doing its job?

The following is for your basic review from: Ben’s (Franklin) Guide to the US Government
The Founding Fathers, the framers of the Constitution, wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to have too much authority or control.
With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed. This is done through checks and balances. A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

I have included this review as a reminder to me and you my fellow citizens.  The reason that the founding fathers included this concept of checks and balances was to protect the people from the tyranny of bad leadership.  Who is looking out for the people in our government today?  Who is watching over this more and more repressive government?  Who is checking into what is going on with this executive branch that makes all their friends rich while ignoring the needs of the people.  This is not about security and protection.  This is about power and control.  If we allow it to continue, then our freedoms will be cut off even more.

I am not an alarmist.  I am a citizen trying to be informed and to inform others.  My focus is always on seeing the good in situations.  I am a positive thinker with and optimistic outlook on life.  Yet I am very concerned about what is going on.  So concerned that I am feeling more and more that I must ask questions and talk about my concerns.

I write to empower people. If you are not concerned and upset about what is going on in Washington DC, then you are not paying attention.  





Letting The Light In

I was doing my walking meditation this morning and taking in the beauty of nature and the wonder of my mind as it let the light in. Today the morning here in Boulder is warm and bright. I felt I needed to nurture myself by indulging my desires of movement, my feelings of aliveness and my spirit wanting to soar. I wanted to bask my heart in the moments of morning light. This light comes in forms you and I may not even tap into without intention and attention.

Letting the light in happens on multiple levels. The light of the sun is necessary for the cycles of life in you and in all of life. Direct sunlight flowing through the body receptors fills you with what you need to flourish. At another level, light flows to you in the form of inspiration; inspiration from the cosmos, from your higher wisdom, from the infinite source. This expansive light is always there but too often it is not paid attention to or received. This light may come in the form of a thought, an intuition, a body sensation, a call from the heart, a moment of insight, a song that keeps repeating itself, or many other ways.

There is in each moment of each day the opportunity to be guided: by the light of inspiration; by the light of your stillness; by the heart wanting to express itself; by the desire that urges you forward; by the inner knowing; by the knowing of your higher self; by your expansive creativity and by the calling to the light of your spirit. There is so much that wants to be expressed through you and all you have to do is be open, listen, feel and receive. Are you willing to do that? Or are you too busy? Are you open or boxed in by your thoughts? Are you in touch with your heart? Does silence scare you? Is tomorrow your goal and the moment too confusing? Is freedom your desire but you are the jailor?

What if you let the light in? What if you were willing to see all that you can be? What if you didn’t hold yourself back? What if you took a glimpse into your potential and saw no limits? What if the whole you lived in the realization of your oneness with the Source of the universe? What if you gave up your limits and set yourself free?

I invite you to let the light in today as fully as you feel comfortable doing and then let even a little more in to stretch you. You are only limited by how you limit yourself. Extend yourself to the light and see how bright your moment becomes. Welcome yourself into the unlimited. Immerse yourself fully in the Stream of Well Being and be free.

I will meet you in the light.

Sunday Fair and Life Celebration

Yesterday and today, I spent the day at the holistic fair in Denver. I got to talk about ways to be peaceful and to some people who are as passionate as I am about our country and full of concern about where it is going. The fair was not as active as we like it. My wife and I did sell come of our peace t-shirts, which helps support us promoting a more peaceful world. It was a good weekend.

I always meet interesting people at these gatherings. This one had peace and political change advocates. There were a number of healing modalities that offered a lot o promise. There were speakers motivating people to live a more healthy and inspired life. There were others sharing what they were doing to enhance the quality of our lives. The vibes of the place was inspirational and always welcome when taking on a big task like promoting world peace.

I hope your weekend went well and that my questions yesterday in the blog helped provoke some more questions inside of you. Please don’t stop asking and remember to celebrate life in each moment.

Love life
Everything –
pale lights
market medley
of green lettuce
red cherries,
golden grapes, and
eggplants –
all so extraordinary!
Incredible!
You get excited,
you talk to people
and people talk
to you,
you touch
and they touch you
all this is magical
like some
endless celebration.
Eugene Ionesco

It Is Up To You

Today and tomorrow we are at the Nexus Holistic Fair in Denver at the Merchandise Mart promoting peace and selling our t-shirts and peace cards.  If you end up at the Fair please stop by and say hi.  There could be a surprise for you.  We love to get out and talk to people.  There is much to talk about and so much to share.  I was thinking about how fortunate we are to have these kinds of fairs with their inspiring speakers and so much abundance in the way of interesting things to look at and have if you want.  We do live in a rich and abundant world.  It is too easy to focus on what we don’t have and forget to be grateful for all we do have.  I am guilty of that at times but less so lately as I try to be aware of what thoughts are bouncing around in this busy head of mine.  

Here are some questions you may find helpful if you want to be the successful creator of your life?

1.    What goes on inside of your head?  
2.    Do you focus more on what you have or more on what you don’t have?  Do you see what is good in you or do you focus on what is wrong with you?  
3.    Do you focus on what you appreciate about others or what is wrong with them?  
4.    Do you see the beauty of the world around you or do you just see what’s not ok?  
5.    Do you look in the mirror and love and accept yourself or do you make self-critical remarks?  
6.    Do you focus on what you love about your spouse/partner or what needs to change about them?
7.    What you focus on become your reality, are you focused on seeing the best and creating the best or seeing the worst and creating the worst?
8.    Are you run by positive and supportive thought or critical and limiting thoughts?
9.    Do your feelings run in the direction of hope, gratitude and joy or along the way of fear, doubt and being upset?

I hope your day is full of well-being and that peace and joy is present in the moment.


Voting May Be Bad For The Afterlife

Yesterday I am reading through some of the headlines at my favorite progressive news site Buzzflash.com and I come upon this news story.  I have always felt the importance of separation of church and state and probably now more then ever.  As I read this article, from yesterday’s Chicago Tribune, I thought this has nothing to do with religion or saving your soul.  This is about power and control.  What do you think?  

Proclaiming a sense of new energy and empowerment, the nation's Roman Catholic bishops on Wednesday issued instructions to Catholic voters that their eternal salvation could be at stake when they cast ballots.



Bishops emphasized that voters must consider the church's teachings on abortion and other moral issues when they select a candidate for the White House or any other office. If they don't, bishops said, it's not clergy who will judge them but God.

Isn’t that absurd?  I have been writing this novel called The God Blog: God Comes to Set The Record Straight (this if for National Novel Writing Month in November) about God shows up on Earth to write on a blog to tell all his people that those who say they speak for Him, do not.  “All that has been said in my name is just humans with their agendas trying to have power over others.”  This section from the Tribune above is a great example for men trying to control their people.  What kind of God would sit there and watch how you voted and then condemn you for eternity for choosing wrongly?  That too me is nothing about your soul, that is about wanting you to do as you are told.  You are to vote as a group of old men want you to vote.  Otherwise they believe they have God on their side and he will enforce their wishes.  

Maybe it’s my age, my concern for how much we need to take back the power from all these crazy men (only a few women ever act this crazy), or maybe I am just trying to provoke questions inside you.  As you know I am big on questioning what is going on.  I will avoid a political rant here even though there is always new stuff to put up into the light of the bright questioning mind.  

Please let me know if you think my assessment of the Bishops is off base or if you think they are right and I will probably be on the express train to hell.  Either way, I am not worried because there is no hell unless you create one here for yourself in this lifetime.  Creating a heaven on earth would be a better goal.

Have a heavenly good day and weekend.







Say Yes to Life

Sometimes nothing else needs to be said but yes. Are you ready to say yes to life?

Yes

Like a vast and gracious Host, welcome
and say “yes” to this
“yes” to this and “yes”
to every this

Your true life arrives constantly
when you set up your little shop
at the intersection of Now and Yes
Recognize all things as Emissaries and
Manifestations of a greater and mysterious Will
and all that is as a form of support
(though what is being supported may not be your ego)
When you welcome each present moment
Unendingly, time ceases and you yourself
Become part of It, the Divine Presence.
This Presence is subtle and buoyant, and
supports your awareness effortlessly,
the way water holds up a boat.

So let your awareness be vast and inclusive
as if the whole world is take place in your mind.
Hear everything, see everything, feel everything
with this simple greeting on your lips
“YES”

Gary Rosenthal

Late last night I came upon this simple and clear guidance and I thought you might appreciate the wisdom of these words. Saying yes to all that life offers can make your journey rich in adventure and rewarding in so many ways.

I hope you say yes to love, joy, inspiration, peace, freedom, health, opportunity, abundance and whatever wonderful possibilities that come your way today.

You deserve the very best every day in every way.

Please check out the video in the brief blog below. I said yes to an opportunity and this is what was created.

Blog Mystery School Part 5 C

Today is part three of the exploration of selves. I hope so far this has been an insightful exercise for you? I want to share with you another way to heighten you awareness of the self that is running you.

First a reminder, the reason you want to understanding who in running you is to set yourself free. You are not free when unconscious aspects are dictating your response to the world. Let me state that again another way. If you want to be conscious creator of your life then you have to be aware of who in you is in charge. If you have a self that is always worried about money then all your money flow may be tied up with anxiety. If you have a self that is afraid of rejection then you will do all that it takes to avoid rejection even if it means not having the kind of life you want.

The new part I want to talk about today is the listening to your “I’s”. Every time you begin a sentence with “I” a self is speaking. As I am doing now, the “I” in this statement is the one that is a blogger/teacher self. This self is one that has recently evolved into my life and most of the time it is a self that is conscious and productive. If I haven’t said it before then I want to say it here. Some selves can be developed assets because they are aware and useful. The goal here is to be conscious enough to run your own show.

Any time an “I” shows up in a sentence then it is an opportunity to see what self is there in the moment. The more you hear your “I’s” the more you can develop the impartiality necessary to freely choose your life. Impartiality is the self that can objectively observe you and all the selves and hear the “I’s” and make the kind of choices that empower you. Without awareness you are run by your reactive selves. With awareness you are a conscious creator of your life free to be all you are capable of being.

This is the last part of the Exploration of Selves in the Blog Mystery School. I trust that if you have taken the time to explore the ideas here you have created more self-awareness and more freedom in you life. Let me know of any insight you may have gained.

Be free and change the world.

Entertainment or Life?

I was thinking about the prevalence of entertainment in our lives, TV, movies, sports, video games, gambling and more. There is so much going on and it is so easy to get distracted. We come into this life with a purpose and desires that stretch us and help us evolve. Then life happens and we get busy and overwhelmed. To sooth the challenging times we look to get distracted and entertainment, is for most of us, the way. After a busy hectic day, we plop in front of the TV and watch reality shows, movies, sitcoms, sports and are minds can just zone out.

Does that sound the least bit familiar to you? It does to me. After a busy day I can easily choose to trance out and become a bump on the couch in front of the Tube. Sometimes it feels like the TV has the power of a hypnotist and I am captivated by programming that is definitely mind numbing. I am a big basketball fan and now that the season is on I like to check out the games. Fortunately a whole game is too long for me to sit there because I do like to get up and do things. Movies are always fun to watch and with Netflix and Blockbuster you can watch all the movies you want.

Yes when I am tired entertainment is a nice break. However not the kind of break I need for hours each day. I feel too much like I am wasting my life if I spend much time lost in sports or movies or other programming. I have nature to enjoy. I have a workout to get in. I have books to read. I have current events to keep up with. I have relationships to keep growing. I have my role of citizen to keep active. I have writing and creativity to explore. And I have my quiet time to nurture my spirit and to just be. This "just being" time, free of distractions, is more important than you may realize.

My concern is that it is easier for you and I to be entertained than more fully engaged in the world. Entertainment has been raised to such level of hype that it seems it is what is important, but it is not. What is important is your caring heart, your exploratory mind, your energetic body and your longing spirit. Those all need to be expressed. That is what you and I are here for; to express ourselves as fully as we can figure out how to do. Entertainment is a distraction that will never feel as good as exploring our own unique potential and possibilities.

What matters most to you? Is it your heart and your relationships? Is it feeling good in your body? Is it paying attention the call of your mind to expand? Is it the inner sense of purpose that moves you into action? Is it the quiet times where you can contemplate what is important to you? I suspect it is all of this and more. This, you being you, is what it is all about. No entertainment can fill that innate powerful desire to express yourself. Sure entertainment can distract you from that purpose but if it does for very long you will not feel ok inside. The part of you that feel restless and that there is more to do in this life, is the part that longs for your fullest expression.

Entertainment can never fill the void of your mission in this lifetime. So be cautious with how much time you give to the mindlessness of distraction. You are a purpose filled being and that exploration will give you all the meaning and joy you could ever want.

Higher Values and Global Concerns

Yesterday I wrote about nurturing your spirit and I have thought a lot about this topic over much of my adult life. As I mentioned, I have explored spiritual teachings through a variety of experiences, groups, and teachers. As you can tell from my Blog Mystery School series that happens on Wednesdays, I have explored a rich number of techniques and ideas.

The past 30 years have been in exploration of my higher nature. I have walked through the desert with a group of seekers exploring the power of psychedelics to awaken us. There has been extended spaces of unity consciousness in which the heart was open and connected to all things. There was years of exploring tai chi and the flow of energy and the exploration of other altered states. There was sitting and walking meditation let by esteemed leaders of these practices. There has been and still is an endless chain of books filled with ideas, wisdom and expanded points of view. There have been many spiritual friends to talk to and share ideas. Everything and everybody has touched me deeply. And the search goes on.

So now I bring this rich inner spiritual work to being a conscious and participating citizen. I struggle sometimes because the world of politics and power seems so devoid of real spiritual values. Sure there is much religious posturing but that all feels so surface and approval seeking in how it is used. I may be missing the depth of love and compassion that would seem essential to those that claim to be Christian. Maybe those Christian leaders are confused and think it is ok to start wars, to be run by greed and power, to torture people and to act above the law. Maybe it is just because they have flawed understanding of the higher laws? I do not know what makes them act the way they do but I am sure it is not any kind of God that is loving, that is about caring for all beings. I see a huge disconnect between what is said in the name of religious beliefs and how they act? Do you?

I write about this because it is a dilemma I feel. I want to believe in the goodness of all beings and the rightness in how all things are unfolding under the guidance of a Higher Knowing. I want to trust that all things will work out for the best. Yet I feel such unrest when I look at where this country is heading under this government. An unchecked executive branch, a Congress that has loss touch with the people, the huge ever- expanding influence of money, and the all encompassing corporate take over and I wonder who is looking out for the people in the ways of love, compassion, understanding, caring, fairness, honesty, respect for all of life and other truly spiritual values?

Maybe I am missing something here but it seems to me that things are said not from honesty but to support the agenda of government and corporate power. It seems to me that compassion for children and soldiers is claimed yet the children are denied health care and the soldiers are put in harms way. It seems to me the executive branch claims budgetary concerns yet they run up a huge crippling debt? It seems to me they claim, for our security, the need to reduce our rights and yet we are no more secure? It seems to me that concern for conflict of interest has been thrown out the door? It seems to me that love your neighbor has been replaced with control your neighbor? It seems to me that the heart and spirit of too many people have been lost to power and greed and they are the ones in charge?

I could go on and on about the concerns I have. What about your concerns? If you consider yourself a spiritual person then do you feel the higher laws are losing out to the human urges to control and to take what they can? I need some help here to understand how to make sense out of my belief in the innate goodness and divine nature of all humans and what seems like a loss of contact with the heart and soul of those that would have us believe they are looking out for us? What is your understanding of how this all seems so incongruent to the kind of world I see possible if you and I were truly guided by our hearts and our higher nature?

I hope this stirred your thinking? Mine is very stirred as I try to figure out how I can be in the world in a positive way and not drown in disappointment with how things are.

I write this blog for the purpose of exploring these real concerns for both the raising of consciousness and to help inspire the citizens of the planet to realize their highest potential. Please let me know what your thoughts are and how we together can make sure things go in the direction of what is good for all?

Sunday, Religion, Spirit and You

Today is Sunday, the traditional day set aside for your spiritual nourishment. When I was growing up Sunday was the day we went to church because that is what we did. I found it mostly uninteresting than and I still do now. As I grew into adulthood I found the spiritual part of me longed for nourishment so I explored numerous practices and went to different kinds of services.

In my exploration I found that most Christian churches left me feeling as if my soul was not nurtured there. There were a bunch of concepts that left me questioning. The God of this religion seemed mean and controlling or maybe it was His/Her self-proclaimed representatives her on Earth. I wondered why the teachings of love seemed to be in a minor role and sin, hell, evil, damnation, and righteousness seemed to dominate. I never found that the Bible talked to me and my feeling is it is only a collection of man-made stories. So I went searching elsewhere.

I have now studied and explored some of most religions. Each has good things to offer but my heart and spirit never felt connected. I have found religion not my cup of tea. It seems to me more about control, money raising, and power than about spirit. I don’t understand TV religion at all as far as appeal to souls?

I did learn meditation and that has stayed with me for many years. I also explored yoga and tai chi, which I enjoy very much. Nature is the cathedral I like to spend my time in. I also enjoy reading books for spiritual inspiration. There are many out there to explore. There are enlightened teachers who are more about spirit than any churches. I sometimes take in their perspectives and enjoy the spirit they bring to their gatherings.

Ultimately it feels to me that my inner life is about my relationship with the Creative Source of all things. I don’t know what that is but I do feel the exploration is worth my efforts. I know there is in me a deep connection to all that there is. I have felt the expansiveness of unity consciousness. I am also confident there is a much higher knowing out there than there is in my own awareness. I want to open to my highest realization.

How do you nurture your spirit? What gives you deeper meaning? How do you see God? What practices take you higher?

The Coming Wisdom Culture

Is there any doubt that we will have challenging times ahead? Difficulty tends to bring to the surface those capable of aiding a transition to a better world. The period we are living in will bring out the best in people to offset the dysfunction of government and the business sector. The stronger values, the open minds, and the more expanded hearts of individuals and the collective consciousness will win out. There is a growing recognition that the wisest and most conscious will guide us when they are most needed. This wisdom culture is the product of our times created by human intuitive knowing to aid humankind. Below you will find 9 signs the wisdom culture is rising to the top and energizing positive change.

1. The people are questioning what is going on in government and insisting they be heard and represented.
2. People seek spiritual growth outside of the confines of traditional religion.
3. The realization that Earth must be taken care of as a way to care for future generations.
4. Corporate power is challenged and the profit motive becomes secondary to what is best for the people.
5. Compassion, kindness and caring become the guiding forces for healing human suffering.
6. The realization of shared hopes, dreams and desires between all people is much more powerful than their differences. We are all one.
7. Consciousness expands and many people awaken to their higher values and the expression of their unique purpose.
8. Harmony and peace become the goal; conversation and relationship building become the way.
9. The ways of power and greed give away to what is good for all and prosperity spreads outward to everyone.

What other signs do you think we will see when the higher forces spread light into limits of our present direction? What higher wisdom and heart do you have to give? How will you be part of the expanding light? What is the next step you need to take to assist your higher realization? Are you willing to commit to express your highest potential whatever obstacles might arise?

Now more than ever, you at your best is needed.

What about the Bill of Rights?

I have included the first ten amendments of the constitution of the United States as a reminder about what our founding fathers considered very important to secure the freedom of democracy. I am not a legal expert but as I look at the Bill of Rights I have concerns that our government is in violation of these key premises of our most inalienable rights. I wanted to remind myself and all those interested citizens of these key parts of our constitution. Here is the content and some concerns and comments after.

First Amendment – Freedom of religion, speech, press, and peaceable assembly as well as the right to petition the government.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment – Right to keep and bear arms.
A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Third Amendment – Protection from quartering of troops.
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Fifth Amendment – Due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, private property.
No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and other rights of the accused.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
Seventh Amendment – Civil trial by jury.
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Tenth Amendment – Powers of states and people.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

This copy of the Amendments is from Wikipedia.org an incredible source of information on the web.

The first amendment is about freedom of religion, speech, press and assembly. I think there are issues with a number of these. No one is ever allowed to speak out against this president when he is present. That is a direct violation of the Bill. Christianity has become the religion of the country, that is a violation of the Bill. The press is no longer free since it is own by mega corporations that dictate its content. At the Peaceful assembly I was at recently there were almost as many police officers and they were filming it. Was that part of spying on American?

The fourth amendment is about protection from unreasonable search and seizure. Since the (Un)Patriot Act was passed this amendment has been violated extensively with the all the phone tapping, the spying, the not abiding by the president in going before a judge to request the searching he declares because of what he calls, “National Security” and so much more.

The fifth amendment is about due process. This amendment has been totally violated by those this administration calls “enemy combatants”. There are many Americans being held without due process. If the government calls you an enemy combatant there all your rights to due process are gone. This should concern every American who ever disagrees with his or her government.

The sixth amendment is trial by jury and the right to be accused and a quick and speedy public trial. This has been violated for all those called enemy combatants and by the military tribunals established by this administration. This is government acting as if the constitution doesn’t matter.


If you question what is going on, do some research, start asking questions, join together with others concerned and start holding this government accountable or risk loosing more freedom.

 

I saw a very educational and inspiring film last night about the challenges of being a young person in an urban school.  The movie called Freedom Writers is excellent and definitely worth seeing. 

The Power of Kindness

I hope your day is off to a great start. Would you do me a favor and have a look into the mirror today. When you do, have a look straight into your own eyes and say 3 things you appreciate about yourself. This act of kindness could be the way you begin each day?

I wanted to write about kindness today because it is such a wonderful way to be in the world. If you watch the nightly news you would never know that people are kind to each other. If you are out in the world and interacting with others, you know kindness happens in unexpected places and ways. Kindness is a simple form of love. Kindness can grace you life in at least two ways.

The first way kindness can make your life richer is by being kind to others. Everyday there are opportunities for kindness. Add a little touch of love to what is going on by being kind to those you are working with. Kindness can come in the form of a compliment, an appreciation, a genuine concern or interest, really listening, a gesture, a gift of insight, a phone call to see how someone is doing, flowers or a poem and in many more ways. Kindness is always waiting inside as something intuitively you feel like doing. If you pay attention to what the heart wants to do, you will feel the urges to be kind, loving and compassionate.

The second way kindness enriches your life is when you are kind you feel the joy of that giving. So in being kind to others you are giving to yourself. With your simple acts of kindness your heart gives love to you too. The more you are comfortable spreading kindness, the better you will feel about who you are. Kindness is the gift that keeps on giving.

As I said above, kindness can be a very intuitively guided expression of caring and compassion. And it is ok to plan acts of kindness and to do so regularly. I have an experiment that I want you to try that will involve both the planning to be kind and the intuitive, in the moment, expression of kindness.

Make a plan to do 3 acts of kindness each day. Think of those in your life and what they would appreciate receiving. Let your inner sense guide you in the moment as to the way you will be kind. Feel the joy of giving in this way. If you are up to it, keep a journal of your acts of kindness and how you feel about yourself as you live in the world in a kind way. You could be focused on kindness for a week, through the upcoming holiday season, through a whole year. I invite you to pay particular attention to two things about this experiment. How does the world around your affected from your kindness project? How are you enriched by your giving?

Be kind and prosper.

Blog Mystery School Part 5 B

This is actually the 5th Part of the Blog Mystery School and it is B the second of three about these awareness of selves. How’s the exploration of the selves going? Are you seeing any benefit from noticing which self is running you? I know in a way this may seem to be a complicating process in an already busy life. It is, but once you get an understanding of the way parts of you have their power over your life, you can take back that power.

By this I mean let’s say there is a large/dominating approval seeker self. That self, when operating in you, has only one major concern, are people liking you or not? Think and feel how that would shape your behavior in what you are doing. How free would you be to express your unique and wonderful qualities if what you wanted was to get the approval of others? Think of a politician. Not very free because you would be doing and acting in ways that others want you too. Does this sound like freedom to you?

In the pizza chart of a variety of size circles (selves), The biggest ones dominate. If fear is big then than other selves loose out to the power of fear to control your life. If an avoider self is powerful than you want to stay out of the view of others. If a self-judging self is running you then the inner critic is in charge.

Freedom comes from being aware of selves and having an impartial self that can regulate all the others. On the circle chart, what you want is the impartial self to be the largest, then you are free to make choices as the other selves come up.

If you play along with this exploration of selves for awhile you will get so much clearer about how your life can get out of control when parts of you take over. Throughout a day you could spend 90% of the time being run by selves (this may seem like a high number until you start paying close attention) and as you expanded your awareness and insight you could take back your life from the habit driven ways of the selves. Think about how much more freedom to be yourself in the moment you have when only 20-30% of you is run by the habits of limiting selves.

Draw the pizza chart for yourself and identify at least 10 selves that are dominate in your life. Make sure you add an 11th, the impartial self. Do the selves to scale of their dominance. The most powerful is the largest. Just this exercise of the top 10 power selves will help increase impartiality. I have written about the helpful ways of impartiality in past blogs. You will find those articles helpful. The previous blog tools all help develop impartiality. Meditation in general grows the impartial self.

Think of a loving parent who loves and accepts their child and also sees areas that are getting in the way of their happiness and success. This parent sees the limitations free of judging their child. This way they can guide them to a greater wholeness and a fuller expression of themselves. That is the impartial self and the important part it plays in creating the life you desire.

I hope this is helpful? I welcome questions and clarifications. See the chart below. Note which self is the most powerful of the 11 and which one is least in charge. Remember the goal is to have the impartial self as the largest. Please let me know how it is going for you?

 Circle%20Graphic.jpg

Thinking and Emotions Gone Wrong, Now Loss

Today I was onsite at a power company after an employee was found murdered and his spouse arrested. People at work are in shock as you might well guess. I talked with several and provided support. This kind of situation stirs up lots of emotions for anyone who cares at all about their co-worker.

How does a relationship go so wrong that murder becomes the way out of it? There is an elementary school aged child who now has lost both parents as the accused is in custody. What about her life? Was that not considered?

My work has taken me into a number of situations like this where loss is significant and most of these losses didn’t need to happen. What happens that people kill each other instead of getting help or going their separate ways? I feel such a pain in my heart for the child.

This got me thinking about loss and grief and how life changing these situations can be. Everyone in any way connected is affected by this awful death. Did it really need to happen? What could have been done to work the problems out? Do you see or know of situations that could use help? Are you willing to suggest help to those in need? Most people who work for companies have free counseling available to them through Employee Assistance Programs. I have provided those services for a number of years. They can make a really difference.

Novel Writing Adventure

I want to change gears now. I have been so inspired in my novel writing. As of the end of Day 5, I have over 15,000 words and 40 plus pages. YES!!!  I can’t wait to write each day. There is so much fun and energy that comes form letting creativity flow through me.

You can have the same experiences by allowing yourself to express who you are with as much creativity as you can let flow through you. Creativity can happen in most anything you are doing if you just allow it to.

Find something you can get into creatively and become fully alive as you express all the greatness that is waiting to come through you out into the world. There never has been found a limit to your or anyone else’s creative expression. Be all you can be!