Become Secure in Living Joyfully In our quest for stability and security we create habit patterns, which over time are well established, seductive, and comforting. Just wishing for them to be expanded isn’t enough. Growth does not come to those stuck in habits without the willingness to push out their boundaries. In other words, change is our friend. In fact, being uncomfortable is our friend as well. When we graduate from school, we do not continue to return to that same school. We know that our next experience await us. Growth begins with mindfulness and awareness. Are there stories we keep telling ourselves? We can’t do this; we are not skilled enough, good enough? Do we limit ourselves? Is it time to question the validity of these stories? Are we still talking about the time in our youth when we were rejected or we lost our best friend? Do we use this as justification for staying stuck? When we are distracted by strong emotion, remember, it is part of the path. Can we learn to feel the emotion and breath it into our hearts and let it go? As we become the observer and observe the process, we are reminded that emotion is part of life and part of our path. It is energy that flows and we allow it to do that. If we can remember to experiment with our awareness like this, even occasionally, we are training as a spiritual warrior. And even if we are unable to practice when distracted, but we are aware that we cannot, we are still training. Never underestimate the power of compassionate awareness. Play and Laughter are vital to feeling good. In a society driven by a strong work ethic, people often aren’t getting enough endorphins surging through their body-mind. It is important to laugh and play during some part of each day. Fun creates balance and health It is suggested to cut loose every day – in fact, schedule it into your calendar. Here are some ideas: • Rent a stupid, funny movie and laugh out loud. • Turn on the rock music and dance for ten minutes. • Play with small children and let them tickle you. • Call someone up and tell a joke. Have them tell you one too. • Most of all don’t wait until you’re in a low mood to be playful. Spontaneity means being natural and playing is the most natural thing you can do. • Laugh for no good reason. • Finally let go of any fear of looking foolish. The only people that would criticize you are unhappy ones and you are releasing them from your life as you cultivate a lighter demeanor. ENJOY!!!!

The New Age – What is it? We are living in a time of rapid change and we better know how to handle it because right now, what seems to be real and stable is often gone the next day. The Universe is trying to help us move in the direction of our Highest Good. Our choices are to fight it or flow with it. As we flow with the Universe, there is conservation of energy and peace. When we struggle against it, we lose energy, experience confusion, and feel defeated. The truth is: the Universe always wins or I should say, perseveres. It sounds a bit like a battle but it really isn’t. The only reason it may seem that way is that we are being asked to change – change what? Possibly change everything - our modus-operand us, our beliefs, our relationships, our professions or possibly all the above. Wow! You say. Yes, we live in a time of immense change. We are moving into a kinder, gentler world and to do that we must release our aggressive, combative, competitive tendencies and that means the inclination to make ourselves do something, or be something that is not appropriate for who we are, plus we must let go of the idea of beating out the other guy. In our new world we will get along better and support each other. That means if you have been in a job that you have hated or that works against your values, you will be moving on. Or, if you are in relationship that doesn’t support or empower you – yep! You will be moving on. It really mans that we will be creating a more loving world. That is the great part! What to do about all this? It might be good to relax and learn to flow. Enjoy the ride. As stated earlier – the Universe does not give up, so you might as well go with it. Another idea is to sit in silence every day – or if you prefer – write a letter to God and let God respond – yes – through your own hand. “Dear God – there is some confusion in my life. This or that is not working; I’m in conflict. Please help me out.” Yep! Sit quietly and let your hand write. You will be pleased, perhaps surprised. Yes, we are all changing and it is good. Flow with it and see where you are to go and what you are to do and to be. It might be fun!

Let’s give Thanks! (First rule of prosperity) One of the great laws of prosperity is “gratitude.” Gratitude sounds simple yet often it is not practiced. When most people gaze around and perceive all they have achieved and accomplished (tangible and intangible), instead of feeling awed and appreciative, they often think, “Is that all,” or “But I don’t have that thing, event, or relationship,” or “What’s next?” In other words, stopping to smell the roses is not part of the repertoire. Stop and think, do you consciously appreciate your friends, family, home, job, your freedom, your health, the money you’ve earned? It is easy to take these things for granted and think that what you have isn’t good enough or there isn’t enough -- the car isn’t a Rolls Royce, it’s an old Chevrolet; “I’m not President of the company, I’m only ______“ (fill in the blank). “I don’t make enough money, have enough prestige, live in the ‘best’ part of town, know the ‘right’ people. Attention is not on what you have, but on what you do not have, on what’s missing, on what is bad rather than what is good in life. This is called “fear-based” thinking. You never win or feel good about yourself, when you focus on lack and live in fear. Realize instead that the old car transports you wherever you want to go. Your current job is a stepping-stone to wherever you go from here. The house you own represents the down- payment on the next one. All your past learning experiences graduate you to the next level and prepare you for greater expression and service. You will more easily move to a new car, job, home, elevated opportunities, by appreciating the ones you’ve already experienced. Value your present job position and the customers you now have and the new customers will more readily present themselves to you. It is a law of nature. When we accept and are at peace with our current status, things begin to change naturally, easily. A deep, sincere gratitude sows the seeds that blossom in abundance. This is a principle of nature and it is magnetic. When people feel acknowledged and appreciated, they more readily acknowledge and appreciate you. When you are grateful for all you have and all you have experienced (event he seemingly bad stuff), your life expands. Start your day with appreciation of all the opportunities at hand and end your day with gratitude for all you have experienced and all the ways you have given and received. Your energy will soar! Oprah Winfrey keeps a gratitude journal where she daily acknowledges everyone and everything for which she is grateful. It works for her! Her life is abundant! Hey, what a great world we live in! We have endless opportunities to express, experience, live freely, laugh, love, share and enjoy all sorts of abundance. I’m grateful; are you?

What would you do if you could not fail?

Blog: What Could You Do It You Couldn’t Fail? Have you heard the story of the trial attorney who never lost a case? Early in his career, he was told to remember his feet. Thinking of his feet proved to be a way for him to always be centered. As a result, when he went to court he was always ready because he was always centered. He never lost his cool or reacted. In other words, he was consistently prepared for the surprises that regularly popped up during trials. This is important because when we get angry or intense we go in to, or function from, the reptilian brain (emotional brain) and the logic closes down. Alternatively, when we stay centered and focused, we are open to inspiration, ideas, and solutions. There are various ways to stay centered. For instance, people trained in the Marshal Arts learn to move and act from their center (or core). As they practice self-defense techniques, they develop balance, strength, and movement. But the most important thing they learn is how to stay centered. The boxer, Evander Holyfield learned this lesson when he was young. As a kid he fought another boy and lost. He went home and told his mother. She said, “Go out there and fight him again.” He went out and battled the kid again and lost again. When he arrived home a second time, his mother said, “Go out there and fight him again.” Holyfield fought the kid four times. The fourth time he won. By that time, Holyfield had learned to remain cool and observe his opponent, discerning his weaknesses. Ultimately he used his developed observation skills to recognize the weaknesses in all his opponents. Holyfield developed the ability to use these to his advantage. In that way he transformed what was initially a fear reaction into a studied response. The result: he became a winner and champion. Actor, Jim Carey poses another example of learning to stay centered. At age 14 he informed his dad that he wanted to be a professional comedian. Thus his father took him to a comedy club and Carey was laughed off the floor. Carey took on the criticism as a challenge. In other words, he used it to practice, practice, practice, while staying centered. The rest is history. His comedic movies are major box office hits; he is in demand and brings in lots of money. The rest is history. Fear keeps you in the reptilian mode (reactive). It is hard to succeed when you are reacting. If you think about the things that don’t work for you, you might discover the reason…. too much internal criticism, disempowering beliefs, and no centering. Alternatively, notice what works well for you and you might recognize that while doing those particular things you stay focused, relaxed, and have the courage to deal with whatever is necessary, even if it temporarily seems overwhelming In other words, you are non-reactive and functioning with full capacity. The bottom line is: What could you accomplish if you couldn’t fail? Get centered. You know, remember your feet and go for it!

Step Back to become the Observer

It has been said that we have two voices within us. The first one is the voice of truth. It comes to you subtly and offers suggestions. “Join that club.” “Go the new way to work today.” “Call that customer now.” “It is time to move to a new house or job.” “Study anthropology or journalism or whatever.” “Create your own business.” When you follow the voice of truth your life is ever changing and you are continually growing. This inner voice will lead you down a path and, in time, you will discover, with delight, the answers to your desires plus the personal growth you require to appreciate this culmination. The second voice is the voice of doubt and it will tell you things like, “Don’t join the club; you’re not good enough to do that.” “Stay on the same tried and true path. Change is scary.” “Don’t call the customer; put it off. He won’t buy anything anyway.” “Stay in the job. It is a sure thing.” “Stay in the house; moving to a new neighborhood is untenable.” Whichever voice we listen to eventually gets louder. Sometimes we can no longer hear the other one. You can tell which voice you are listening to by noticing the quality of your life. Are you living a life of joy, freedom, expression? Or, does your life reflect fear, restriction, resignation, and the eternal quest for safety? Do you venture into discover and try new things or do you avoid change? One way evokes joy and expansion and the other fear and restriction. One way to discover which voice you are listening to is to step back and become the observer. As you watch your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you begin to recognize which voice motivates you. Then, without recrimination or guilt you can make adjustments. Another way to say this is that we are motivated by two things: fear and desire. Desire comes from the voice of truth and fear emanates from the second voice, the voice of ego. When people set out to do things, they proceed with one or the other voice urging them on. Example: I will stop and get my car gassed up because I enjoy the freedom to be able to travel wherever I want and a full gas tank affords me that. Or, I will stop and fill my gas tank because I am afraid of running out of gas. The first statement reflects joy and expansion and the second fear. The voice of fear also shows itself in resistance. We can resist moving forward. The idea is that we want to keep the status quo and stay where we are because we are comfortable right here. The problem with that is that the Universe does not stay put. There is always movement and change. In fact, change is the only constant in life. Thus when you resist life, you are not going with the flow, you are resisting it. Thus the suggestion is to become the “watcher” or observer of your thoughts, feelings and behaviors and ask yourself “am I moving forward or resisting life?” Then decide for yourself which is the best approach for you. .

Discover Serenity

In his book, A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle tells an ancient Sufi story about a king who occupied a Middle Eastern land. He was constantly vacillating between happiness and depression and despondency. He felt torn and stuck as the smallest thing would provoke some sort of intense reaction or upset. When he decided he couldn’t deal with his problem any longer, he sent for a wise man. When the wise man arrives, the king told him, “I want to be like you. What can you give me that will help me have balance, serenity and wisdom? I am willing to pay whatever price you require.” (This kind of sounds like a lot of people I know. “Give me the magic pill and I will pay anything. Just don’t ask me to do the work.” Do you relate to this guy?) The wise man replied that the price would be steep, quite possibly greater than your entire kingdom. The king accepted the terms. “Yes, I want it.” (So far, so good.) The wise man went away to return a month later. At that time, he handed the king a beautiful jade box which held a simple gold ring. On the ring there was an engraving which read,”This too will pass.” (Now we get to the hard part.) The king was irate. “What does this mean?” The wise man offered, “Always wear this ring and no matter what happens, before you name it good or bad, touch this ring and read the inscription. That is how you will remain balanced and serene.” (In other words, he would have to give up judgment and drama and discipline his mind – a high price, indeed.) So you can see that the price one must pay to remain balanced, wise and serene is to be willing to let go and remember that in this transience world, “this too will pass.” Many are not willing to pay this price of remembering this truth, opting instead to react to every little thing with drama, emotion, and intensity. Of course, the idea behind the edit, “This too will pass,” is to become non-reactive and non-resistant to events. Things do happen and we can choose to react or not. We can experience goodness and expansiveness of life when we stay in the moment without resistance, simply accepting what is. Thus I hand you an imaginary ring on which is inscribed, “This too will pass.” It is yours. Wear it in your heart because once you accept the transience of all things and the inevitability of change, your attachment to things minimizes. Instead of identifying with conditions and things, you let go and learn to flow with the present moment. I am describing the principle of non-attachment. It allows you to enjoy the pleasures of the material world while they last and without anxiety about the future. Learning to be non-attached things, people and events helps you live a life of freedom and enlightenment. It opens a new dimension in your life. It is like having inner space. When you release control, choosing not to hold on to things as you want them to be, you are allowing movement and fluidity in your life. With freedom comes the ability to connect with the stillness within – the deep “peace that passeth understanding.” You move out of your “chattering,” thinking mind to a deeper inner space of peace. You can honor the things of the world without giving them the importance they don’t really possess. When you connect with your Inner Self and the peace that resides there, you can enjoy all things -- people, experiences, material things, without getting lost in them. (They no longer own you.) Viewing the world from the point of view of the impermanence of form can make it a frightening place. That is when we despair over the loss of this or that. We clutter our minds with worry, anxiety, and past and future obsession. This is mental clutter that blocks out our Inner sense of peace (just like the king). Mental clutter consists of obsession over objects, things to do, things to think about, control, worry and anxiety. It is the clutter of continuous thoughts, one after the other. To move beyond this chaos, spend some time watching the night sky, observe a baby sleeping, listen to expansive music or pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing. These things take attention away from thinking and help you develop quietness. When you are reacting and upset about an event, the real cause is NOT the event or person but a loss of perspective about what is happening. Spending time with yourself in the stillness can provide the perspective you need.

Symbols are the Way the Universe Speaks to Us

Dream interpretation is only one way to work with symbols. In actuality there are symbols present everyday and everywhere. A couple told me that they were looking to buy a piece of ground in anticipation of building a new home. As they walked the property, a hawk flew overhead and dropped a feather at their feet. This was a sign to them and they knew that this was to be their land and they consequently purchased it. (In the book Animal-Speak by Ted Andrews, the Hawk symbolizes vision and guardianship. Through its flight it communicates with humans and the Great Spirit {Universal Intelligence} and it awakens and inspires us to our creative life purpose.) When the hawk appeared to the couple, they saw it as a sign of transformation. They were standing on open land with lots of trees and water. Living at that locale would certainly offer communion with nature and personal transformation. Someone else had two accidents within a week while driving to work. He began to look at his attitude about his job and realized he did not want to be there. He did not enjoy what he was doing; it was not a true expression of who he was. Thus he proceeded to look for other employment, something that reflected his values. With the intention of being emotionally and spiritually aligned with his work, he found a job that suited who he was. Since then there has been clear sailing on his drive to work. Another client told me about dozens of Praying Mathis that lived in her yard. According to American Indian lore, these insects symbolize the “power of stillness.” Thus, she felt reinforced in her meditation practice – “Be still and know that I am God.” Shortly after this sign appeared, she was driving north to her family homestead and there were dozens of hawks flying overhead. Since hawks represent “visionary power and guardianship,” she realized that she was being watched over and guided. Her job was to keep that space of stillness within so that the guidance could come through her. There is power in symbols and life is filled with them. There are symbols everywhere. Buckminster Fuller, designer of the Geodesic Dome, said, “The Universe is talking to us all the time. We must learn to listen.” Paying attention to our lives and recognizing that the Universe speaks through everything that happens, we are encouraged to be receptive to the symbols that are present to guide and help us. What symbols have shown up in your life?