The Awakening
In 1990 I received a calling to go to India with my good friend and partner Jim Smith. I closed down my business, packed away a few belongings and said goodbye to my family and friends to meet up with my first guru, Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi ("Swamiji"), a Kundalini Master from an ancient lineage in the Tamil Nadu state in South India. I had been apprenticing with Swamiji for five years and it had been at his suggestion we created The Self Awareness Institute back in 1985 to teach these methods of enlightenment to a western world in a western way.
During those first few months staying at Swamiji's ashram in a suburb of Madras I began to notice a profound shift in my awareness. While sitting in meditation 12 hours at a time each day, my awareness was liberated from my mind and the presence of God was no longer objectified by my mind or limited by it. His gift to me was the presence felt in his presence, a natural state of being that was not subjugated by the mind and senses…a perfect peace. A peace that had always been, and is, unchanging, but now the mind was aligned and at peace with it. Nothing actually happened, it just is, but my mind was at peace with it at last.
After receiving Swamiji's blessings, I left the ashram to pay my respects to the Arch Yogi Sri Sri Sri Shivabalayogi Maharaj (also "Swamiji"). A yogi I originally heard about from Satya Sai Baba and Satchan Charan Lahiri, of the Kriya lineage, who both encouraged me to see him. This yogi had sat in samadhi for 23 hours a day for 8 years of his life, and then for 12 hours a day for another 4 years, and had tremendous powers to heal and enlighten through the transmission of this Shakti, or life force energy, called Shaktipat. It was this Yogi that supercharged my own sadhana, or meditative practice, and had me increase my Shakti through what is called Yoga Tapas.
While sitting in Bangalore, India, Sri Swamiji had me increase my sitting time up to 16 hours, 20 hours, and then up to 23 hours a day for 40 consecutive days and nights. Under his guidance my body and mind was being developed to be a vehicle of this Divine Love, or Darshan, and upon completing this training he installed me into his lineage and gave me his blessings to give Shaktipat. Shaktipat is what you feel on the free intro calls we hold each month. Upon completing this Yoga Tapas I was given a revelation of the impending awakening of consciousness that is presently occurring throughout the collective consciousness of humanity. It is this revelation that is shared in my new book The Awakening: An Evolutionary Leap in Human Consciousness that has just been re-released. You are part of this awakening as is evidenced by your reading of these words. I hope you enjoy the book and join us in uplifting the consciousness of the planet. May the whole world live in happiness and peace.
From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
Finding Peace
No matter how stressed you get, no matter how life tests you or what challenges come up in your life, you can always find peace within. Everything you experience is teaching you something about yourself. You are being stretched to evolve your conscious awareness to its highest expression. Life is teaching you exactly what you need to know to learn and grow and realize your full potential:to self-realization. It's those times where your life seems chaotic, that you are too busy or too stressed, that you need to meditate the most. These are moments where you can breakthrough the mental patterns, limiting beliefs and fears and transcend. Each of us has an inner compass; an inner guidance mechanism that can help you through difficult times. As you gaze at the point between your eyebrows in meditation you align with the subtle currents of your own life force current, or spirit, that is always guiding you. Your "3rd Eye" is the place where you can dial in on the movement of energy that is guiding you, like a compass needle moving north your spirit can guide you within to gain clarity and insight. By meditating on this chakra you find greater happiness and peace. It has helped millions of people over thousands of years. But it only works if you use it. Each of us innately knows that the answers lie within us, each of us knows that the source of happiness and peace lies within too. This 3rd Eye Shaktipat meditation is the gateway to that inner knowing and inner strength. Through regular practice your ability to tune in gets stronger. The more you practice the easier it gets too, and the deeper you will go. But even though you know this, or sense it might be true, and have every intention to practice regularly, your mind is going to test you. Through the choices you make you pass through the gates of consciousness that brings you back home and to the promised land. Each time you override your mind's tendency to distract you and sit in meditation and tune in, you progress a little more on your path. The more you practice, the more powerful you become. The 3rd Eye meditation becomes even more powerful when you work with a teacher. The meditation in its pure form is not an exercise to get something or go somewhere, but rather a time to commune with the part of you that is already realized. It's a time when your body and mind can enjoy the presence of your own indwelling spirit and enjoy it. The practice is empowered by working with a teacher on the inner, were we join in spirit and merge in consciousness. My hand is reaching out to you. I invite you to join me and experience the sublime bliss that I had spent a lifetime looking for, and now I have found it I want to share it with you. Listen to our Internet radio station on Live365.com called Enlightenment Radio (www.live365.com/stations/sair), download some MP3's or get some CD's, take a class when you are ready but don't deny yourself the joy and peace that this meditation will provide. I will meet you there. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
Good Luck Charms and Magic Amulets of Thailand
Thailand with its 60 million +/- people are very spiritual and superstitious.
Almost all Thai people you meet wear a Good Luck Charm or Magical Amulet on a necklace around their neck. Which kind of Charm or Amulet they wear normally, but not always, depends on several things: The part of country their come from and/or their occupation. They wear these Good Luck Charms and Magical Amulets either for Good Luck and Prosperity or Protection. Sometimes these Charms and Amulets serve both situations. For example; people in the Armed Forces, police and people in a very dangerous work situation, i.e.; high rise construction, are primarily interested in protection, obviously. A high percentage of these same people even go so far as to have Magical symbols (yants) tattooed on their bodies, both front and back. Most of these tattoos are done by Buddhist monks at several well known Buddhist temples in Thailand. These are not your common basic tattoo parlors. These are done in elaborate ceremonies, with much chanting of blessings, candles, incense and lots of garlands of lotus flowers. I have been there and saw that these are a very highly charged, holy ceremony.
The Basic Question of course is;
Do these Good Luck Charms and Magical Amulets work? Do they bring Good Luck and/or offer protection? A large number of Thai people swear they do. Many Thai’s attribute their winning the lottery, getting a major promotion or finding their soul mate because of the power in these Good Luck Charms/Magical Amulets. Many Thai people claim they were saved from being harmed in a major accident and many Thai policemen claimed to having been saved in a sticky situation from being either shot or stabbed because of the power in these Good Luck Charms/Magical Amulets.
So, do they “Really” work?
I know only this for sure. I have never seen a Thai soldier without one, a Thai policeman without one and every month when someone wins the Thai lottery, the person winning swears to everyone, that they won because of the power in their Good Luck Charm or Magical Amulet.
If all these people believe in these Charms and Amulets, who am I to say their wrong or crazy.
p.s. I wear one and I won a small lottery once and haven’t been shot yet. :-)
Good Luck Charms and Magical Amulets of Thailand
William is a retired American living in Lopburi, Thailand. He was a ordained Buddhist monk for a period of time. He enjoys playing golf and investigating the phenomenon of Good Luck Charms and Magical Amulets of Southeast Asia.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Maria Duval - You Are Already Good Enough To Be Enlightened
You Are Already Good Enough To Be Enlightened
Just as you are, right now, is good enough for you to be the enlightened one that you already are. Absolutely nothing more for you to do to get it "right." You are already "right." You are the living one itself, the beyondness itself in which all things are begotten from, sustained by, and die back into. It is the "motion of seeing" that is flowing through your very eyes right now. The moment that "you" are aligned as this "motion of aliveness" - that is you - you are no longer under the illusion that you are the person - the summation of the mind and the body that you drive around through day by day - that you think you are. You are freed immediately from being bound by an activity that was never ever true of you. You only get lost in "notyou" because you fail to realize just who you are. Once you realize just who you are is - energetically so, not as a "mantra," an ideal, a philosophy or a concept - you will never be fooled again in the same way. Many of today's teachers have come to this place where they have "experienced" a moment of who they are but they do not simply abide here. They do not lose who they think they are in the moment by moment beingness of their self, their heart. They talk all "about" what it is like to be the one that is true of everyone. They do not truly "know" who they are and they do not "draw" those who are suffering the illusion of their own creation and sustenance into the "well of being." This of course, suits their listeners as they do not want to be the big "nothing" that they are, either. "Talking school" is where they feel relatively comfortable, with the "hope" that someday they will "get there," meanwhile suffering the belief of who they think they are. The immediacy of the heart is ignored - and refused - by the very same one that thinks it is. Fascinating, this play of the world that is sustained in your own imagination, which is relinquished every night that you lay your head down on the pillow and close your eyes.
Elysha does not travel around giving talks or lectures. He has made Himself available to anyone who desires to come home to the heart, from 9:30am through to 6pm seven days a week in Patea New Zealand. http://www.elysha.org/real.html
Epiphany at the Portola
Last month I took a group of students, primarily high-powered businessmen and women, to China and Tibet for a meditation retreat. I was amazed at how much China had changed from the late eighties. Back then almost everyone wore a drab uniform and very few people looked happy. What I remembered most were all the guards carrying machine guns and being watched very carefully wherever I went. Now, in Shanghai and Beijing anyway, I was happy to see thoroughly modern cities. People were wearing bright colors and had happy, hopeful faces. Evidence of prosperity was everywhere. Even the guards at the Great Wall would sit and laugh with us. Tibet was even more amazing. It is such a beautiful country, with majestic mountains and magical temples filled with brilliant murals and golden beaming Buddha's. We were quite taken aback when at every temple and every statue we would be met by a monk who would inform us of the fee for taking a picture. Ten Yuan for this room, twenty for this Buddha, forty to videotape it. Of course, we were happy to make some donations to help restore the temples and delighted to support the ongoing work at the monasteries. But the gift that was given to us, perhaps by the Prosperity Buddha, was the idea of being open to receive and how money served as a means to help people. In my early years of meditating as a "yogi in training," I adopted the notion that money was un-spiritual. My mind had created a division between my business life and my spiritual life. As a result I lived in lack because my mind thought it was a more spiritual state to be in. Teaching yoga and meditation in the eighties I would always teach on a donation basis but rarely received enough to pay for the overhead. For years SAI remained a meditation backwater in Orange County. Then, in the early 21st Century, my friend, student and teacher Matthew Ferry, pointed out to me that my lack of prosperity consciousness was keeping my work from being enjoyed by other people. Once I was open to receive, others began to receive more too. Once my consciousness shifted from lack to value, The Self Awareness Institute grew from a few hundred people to tens of thousands all over the world in just a few years. This same shift may be helpful for you too. Are you living in lack? Do you deny yourself prosperity, happiness or peace of mind? Later this month I am conducting a Prosperity Consciousness workshop that I encourage you to attend. Prosperity is a state of consciousness, and your prosperity contributes to global prosperity. Lack serves nobody. This epiphany occurred at the Portola Palace in Lhasa. God bless the people of Tibet. Check out the photos visit: www.selfawareness.com/VideoPhotoGallery.html. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
Why Powerful Affirmations Work
Why powerful affirmations work It has been said, that you are what you think. Most of us are to busy to think about the things we really want in life. We may have vague and wishful thinking about how we want to have things coming into our life, such as more money and great relationships. But that is where it usually ends, because most of us have a “treadmill life”, which means we live from one hard working day to another, from one paycheck to another, and most of us always are only one paycheck away from disaster. Have you ever wondered about why this is so? Has this been your experience in life? Well there have been great news for many people the world around. We are just now learning what it really means to have the life we are all naturally desire, a life that was meant to be for all of us. We are now learning what it is that we did wrong and what it is that we can do to dramatically improve in all areas in our life, such as improving our income, our relationships with family and friends, and how to improve our health. We are now learning that the way we think makes all the difference in the way we live. Most people will focus on the things they do not want , which will bring to them more of the things they do not want. Everything in life is a learning process, therefore we want to unlearn those habits of wrong thinking and learn how to think and what to think to turn our life and our finances around and to finally have total financial control in our life. No doubt this is also your goal, and a great way to achieve this goal, is to do your daily affirmations. Yes whatever it is that you want, including financial freedom keep your mind focused on this thought and say your daily affirmation, put your feelings into this and live and do things in your life, that are in harmony with those affirmations and your feelings. Things may not turn around all over night, but you will see the difference that it makes in your life. To do powerful affirmations you want to clear your mind of all the thoughts and problems that you may have encountered that day, get into a relaxed position and start with your affirmations. Tell your mind what it is, that you want and have a clear picture of it. Keep your mind focused on your goal and continue with your affirmations. Select a time, that is more likely most convenient for you, some people like early mornings, some may like evenings or even nights. Whatever time is best for you, that should be the time that you want to choose to do your powerful affirmations. Your mental attitude is the result of your thoughts, beliefs and feelings and it constantly works and it also influences the world around you, your affirmations will also shape your mental attitude and it will create the world that you desire around you.
Enigma Valdez is an internet visionary dedicated to helping people and businesses improve their lives. He does not claim to have the answers to everything, but instead shares time tested and proven strategies that have worked for him and countless others. You can view more information at Http://www.EnigmaValdez.com
Meditation: Meditation for Improving Concentration
I was reading an article in an American Medical Journal a few days ago that talked about how keeping your mind active and improving your concentration will help you as you get older. The focus of the study was looking at how people aged 70 plus could ensure their minds stay active by improving their concentration. There are simple meditations techniques that you can use to improve your concentration that if you practice regularly will ensure your mind will maintain is stature. There are two meditation techniques for improving concentration that are easy to use. The first technique is using the number meditation technique; the second technique is using the object visualization meditation technique. The Number Meditation Technique: The first step in this meditation process is to find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. The potential distractions are a big issue with this technique because you will be challenged by noise both internally and externally. With both of these techniques I recommend that you do NOT use meditation music. The next step in this meditation technique is to ensure that your back is straight, with good posture. Start by breathing slowly and lightly. As you are breathing on the exhaled breath visualize the number one in your mind. When you see the number then breathe in. Whilst you are focusing on the number one, breathe out and then visualize the number two. Continue breathing and visualizing each number till you reach one hundred. Once you reach one hundred then you may stop the meditation session. Here is the catch, you cannot continue to the next number until you only have focus to the previous number. If at any time during your visualization that your mind wanders or starts thinking about something else, you must stop the counting process and start from the number one again. The objective of using this technique is to help maintain your concentration and ensure that you maintain the focus on the numbers you are counting. You need to practice this technique till you are able count to one hundred without losing focus on the first go. Continue to practice this technique till you have mastered it. Once you have mastered this technique and have control over your focus, the next step is to use the object visualization technique. The Object Visualization Technique: The object visualization technique is designed to help you visualize an object. To start this technique, begin your meditation just as you would any other meditation session. The first step is visualizing a common object that you know like a flower, a car or a cup. You will find that when you first try the object visualization technique that using a simple object will make life easier to help maintain focus and concentration during the meditation session. During your meditation session you need to visualize the object by literally drawing it with your mind. Start with an outline, making sure it looks as beautiful as possible. Visualize its shape of the object, the color of the object, any pictures or colors on the object, the texture of the object such as whether it is smooth or rough. Whether there are any words on the object and then rotate the object on a 3D axis. As you are visualizing the object, test to see if the object has a distinct smell in your mind. Visualize that smell clearly in your mind. Now during the visualization meditation session, should at any point you lose focus and visualize on anything else. Simply stop the visualization process and start again by redrawing the object in your mind. Continue this process for a period of ten minutes each day, till you are able to visualize the object without distraction. You should continue using this technique till you can meditate up to twenty minutes a day using this meditation technique. The number meditation technique and object visualization meditation technique are designed to help program your mind to concentrate. The more you practice this mediation technique the better your concentration will become and the easier it will be to attain focus during your meditation sessions.
We have Meditation Music available to help you with your meditaiton. If you are suffering Asthma then check out our Buteyko Breathing Method training program. If you would like to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill to learn how you can achieve greater success then you can get access to this book.
The Message
There is an awakening of consciousness occurring within humanity. You are part of a small but rapidly growing segment of the population that is awakening. You are amongst the first to develop that inner knowing and who recognize the shift in consciousness that is occurring in the world. Spirit is guiding you to read this. You have been called: to awaken from the dream and remember who you are and why you were born in order to fulfill the purpose of your existence. Those that are drawn to read this message are the ones ready to enlighten. Go within and become fully conscious of what this means. How does it feel? Does it resonate as being true for you? Go into that feeling, go to its source; follow it to the very core of your being. Read again the first paragraph slowly and if any of it does not feel right or you are not sure, go within and feel that out too. There is a purpose to your existence that is bigger than all the things your mind thinks you need or want. There is a bigger play that you are a part of that your own mind may not even be aware of. This is your moment of realization. This message also serves as an acknowledgement and confirmation of that which you are. That which was, is, and will be regardless of your form, name, time or place. One of the last tests those who have already awakened come to is the illusion of already being enlightened. A sense of "I" that identifies with having attained something, knows something, or be something. If there is anything to prove, that's a red flag. If there is superiority, exclusivity, or making other groups or ideas "wrong" that's a red flag too. Thinking you know, or don't know, is still thinking. Your spirit is already free. Come with me to a place where you are so filled with God's grace, Shakti, love, that it permeates every cell of your body. Merge with me into the pervasive spirit until all resistances wane and your heart may feel the living presence of God within you so strong that tears drip down your cheeks with joy. The Kingdom of Heaven lies within. It's a state of consciousness where you realize the living presence of God, by any name, within you and around you, everywhere, all the time, every day. The message is to stop ignoring and denying the Divine presence in your life, come back into the garden; you have only to open your heart to receive. Each breath you take is given to you through grace, just be aware of it. The more you look the more you will see. God never left. Most of humanity is still asleep, unaware of the bliss that awaits them. Are you experiencing that bliss? Would you like to? I would love to share this with you. When we all feel this we will create a loving and peaceful world. But first we need you. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique - A Most Effective Self Help Treatment
Gary Craig attended a course on TFT - Thought Field Therapy (Dr. Roger Callaghan) but considered it to be too complex. Through experimentation he developed EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques to make this self-development technique as easy as possible to use but without detracting from its power. So what exactly is EFT? EFT is a technique which involves the stimulation of various acupuncture points whilst connecting to (thinking or talking about) the issue that the person wants to resolve. In order to understand the principals beyond EFT it is useful to start off with an understanding of acupuncture. For many thousands of years, acupuncture has been used by the Chinese as a technique to help people overcome physical, psychological and emotional problems and blocks. In its simplest form our understanding of how acupuncture works is this: - 1) There are a number meridian lines or channels contained within the body. 2) Along the meridian lines flows energy which is called 'Chi' (pronounced chee) 3) The ends and beginnings and parts in between of each of the meridian lines (acupuncture points) are close enough to the surface of the body for them to be affected by physical manipulation. 4) If a person has an particular issue, an experienced acupuncturist will know which meridian lines will have a blockage in them relevant to the issue, will know the acupuncture points appropriate to use for the resolution of that issue. 5) Acupuncture needles, which are very thin and hollow, can be inserted in appropriate acupuncture points to help the flow of energy through a particular meridian line. 6) With the blockage in the flow of Chi gone the issue goes or improves as well. Now acupressure is the manipulation of those same acupuncture points on the body but instead of using acupuncture needles, the fingers and thumbs are used instead. Forms of acupressure that you might have experienced before are reflexology or shiatsu. EFT is similar to acupressure from the point of view that needles are not used but acupuncture points are manipulated. A series of light tapping with the fingers is used. The tapping can be done by the person with the issue for themselves or a practitioner can do the tapping for them. Now at the same time the person is asked to repeat a sentence which describes the issue. The idea behind this is that the person stays connected to the issue (by repeating the description of the problem). At the end of one round of tapping on various acupuncture points, the strength of the issue is checked with the person. Of the issue is still present more rounds of EFT (tapping) will be used. To complete one round of EFT takes about 60-90 seconds. The majority of people who have experienced EFT report a decrease in the strength of the issue. With EFT being a process that anyone can use on themselves, it can be a very useful tool to help anyone deal with any issue whether physical, psychological or emotional. The amazing aspect about EFT is that you do not have to have to believe in it in any way for it to be effective. The only thing you require is may be a sense of curiosity and willingness to do it. The rewards are high as the loss of that old issue often results even for the sceptic. Today, thousands of people have become regular EFT users and there are many EFT practitioners in the UK and worldwide now available to help people rapidly.
Steven Harold
EFT London Practitioner
www.energytherapy-direct.co.uk
EFT London UK
Discover Your Genius Within
The functions of the right and left brain are only a small portion of the potential that comprises THE MIND. The mind and the brain are two very different things. You can think of the brain as the hard drive of the computer and the mind as the software. Your mind is the intelligence that is in every cell, every system and every organ of your body. It is that intangible, incredible, and awe-inspiring part of you that thinks, remembers, sorts information, makes judgments, forms habits, discerns, distinguishes, communicates and otherwise makes you who you are. It is the genius within. Your mind takes in all information through the five senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste). You can liken the five senses to the keyboard on the computer. You receive input through your senses, your “data entry” system. Your brain then stores, categorizes and utilizes this information. A genius knows how to access that information and then apply it in discovering the solutions to any problems that may arise. It is therefore essential that you discover your own individual style for gathering and communicating information. Some of us process sensory input more effectively through visual means, others through auditory stimuli, and others through a kinesthetic (a touch or feel) approach. Here’s a very simple way to begin to contemplate which way your genius accesses information. Imagine for a moment that you are buying a new item of clothing for an important meeting. Would you be most influenced to buy primarily for a) the color and style of the outfit; b) the benefits the salesperson tells you about the clothing; c) the texture and feel of the fabric. If you chose “A”, your brain receives information primarily through visual means. If you chose “B”, you perceive information primarily through auditory means. If “C”, you most likely access information through kinesthetic means. Everyone learns and communicates in all three of these modes. However, most people have developed a natural preference, and tend to use one method more frequently. As an awakening genius, it’s your goal to become aware of your preference and then strive to strike a balance between all three modes: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Are you willing to stretch your abilities by consciously choosing to use your other senses more? Can you imagine the benefits of opening your mind to receive ALL the input from the world around you? Doing so will give you an awareness of an exciting world that’s been there all along, but which you may have been missing. It is natural for you to use what is comfortable, but the awakened genius is willing to grow. Like the turtle, you won't go far without coming out of your shell. You will be pleasantly surprised as you practice using and developing your other senses. You will notice how your memory improves and how easy it becomes for you to make choices. You will discover a whole new world of communication. Once you learn to create a balance in perception, you will be well on your way to thinking holographically �" and using the full power of your genius!
Dr. Patrick Porter is an entrepreneur, award-winning author, and motivational speaker. His electrifying keynote speeches and seminars deliver the real life, nuts ‘n bolts concepts he used to take his business venture to astounding heights. http://www.patrickkporter.com
Just as you are, right now, is good enough for you to be the enlightened one that you already are. Absolutely nothing more for you to do to get it "right." You are already "right." You are the living one itself, the beyondness itself in which all things are begotten from, sustained by, and die back into. It is the "motion of seeing" that is flowing through your very eyes right now. The moment that "you" are aligned as this "motion of aliveness" - that is you - you are no longer under the illusion that you are the person - the summation of the mind and the body that you drive around through day by day - that you think you are. You are freed immediately from being bound by an activity that was never ever true of you. You only get lost in "notyou" because you fail to realize just who you are. Once you realize just who you are is - energetically so, not as a "mantra," an ideal, a philosophy or a concept - you will never be fooled again in the same way. Many of today's teachers have come to this place where they have "experienced" a moment of who they are but they do not simply abide here. They do not lose who they think they are in the moment by moment beingness of their self, their heart. They talk all "about" what it is like to be the one that is true of everyone. They do not truly "know" who they are and they do not "draw" those who are suffering the illusion of their own creation and sustenance into the "well of being." This of course, suits their listeners as they do not want to be the big "nothing" that they are, either. "Talking school" is where they feel relatively comfortable, with the "hope" that someday they will "get there," meanwhile suffering the belief of who they think they are. The immediacy of the heart is ignored - and refused - by the very same one that thinks it is. Fascinating, this play of the world that is sustained in your own imagination, which is relinquished every night that you lay your head down on the pillow and close your eyes.
Elysha does not travel around giving talks or lectures. He has made Himself available to anyone who desires to come home to the heart, from 9:30am through to 6pm seven days a week in Patea New Zealand. http://www.elysha.org/real.html
Epiphany at the Portola
Last month I took a group of students, primarily high-powered businessmen and women, to China and Tibet for a meditation retreat. I was amazed at how much China had changed from the late eighties. Back then almost everyone wore a drab uniform and very few people looked happy. What I remembered most were all the guards carrying machine guns and being watched very carefully wherever I went. Now, in Shanghai and Beijing anyway, I was happy to see thoroughly modern cities. People were wearing bright colors and had happy, hopeful faces. Evidence of prosperity was everywhere. Even the guards at the Great Wall would sit and laugh with us. Tibet was even more amazing. It is such a beautiful country, with majestic mountains and magical temples filled with brilliant murals and golden beaming Buddha's. We were quite taken aback when at every temple and every statue we would be met by a monk who would inform us of the fee for taking a picture. Ten Yuan for this room, twenty for this Buddha, forty to videotape it. Of course, we were happy to make some donations to help restore the temples and delighted to support the ongoing work at the monasteries. But the gift that was given to us, perhaps by the Prosperity Buddha, was the idea of being open to receive and how money served as a means to help people. In my early years of meditating as a "yogi in training," I adopted the notion that money was un-spiritual. My mind had created a division between my business life and my spiritual life. As a result I lived in lack because my mind thought it was a more spiritual state to be in. Teaching yoga and meditation in the eighties I would always teach on a donation basis but rarely received enough to pay for the overhead. For years SAI remained a meditation backwater in Orange County. Then, in the early 21st Century, my friend, student and teacher Matthew Ferry, pointed out to me that my lack of prosperity consciousness was keeping my work from being enjoyed by other people. Once I was open to receive, others began to receive more too. Once my consciousness shifted from lack to value, The Self Awareness Institute grew from a few hundred people to tens of thousands all over the world in just a few years. This same shift may be helpful for you too. Are you living in lack? Do you deny yourself prosperity, happiness or peace of mind? Later this month I am conducting a Prosperity Consciousness workshop that I encourage you to attend. Prosperity is a state of consciousness, and your prosperity contributes to global prosperity. Lack serves nobody. This epiphany occurred at the Portola Palace in Lhasa. God bless the people of Tibet. Check out the photos visit: www.selfawareness.com/VideoPhotoGallery.html. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
Why Powerful Affirmations Work
Why powerful affirmations work It has been said, that you are what you think. Most of us are to busy to think about the things we really want in life. We may have vague and wishful thinking about how we want to have things coming into our life, such as more money and great relationships. But that is where it usually ends, because most of us have a “treadmill life”, which means we live from one hard working day to another, from one paycheck to another, and most of us always are only one paycheck away from disaster. Have you ever wondered about why this is so? Has this been your experience in life? Well there have been great news for many people the world around. We are just now learning what it really means to have the life we are all naturally desire, a life that was meant to be for all of us. We are now learning what it is that we did wrong and what it is that we can do to dramatically improve in all areas in our life, such as improving our income, our relationships with family and friends, and how to improve our health. We are now learning that the way we think makes all the difference in the way we live. Most people will focus on the things they do not want , which will bring to them more of the things they do not want. Everything in life is a learning process, therefore we want to unlearn those habits of wrong thinking and learn how to think and what to think to turn our life and our finances around and to finally have total financial control in our life. No doubt this is also your goal, and a great way to achieve this goal, is to do your daily affirmations. Yes whatever it is that you want, including financial freedom keep your mind focused on this thought and say your daily affirmation, put your feelings into this and live and do things in your life, that are in harmony with those affirmations and your feelings. Things may not turn around all over night, but you will see the difference that it makes in your life. To do powerful affirmations you want to clear your mind of all the thoughts and problems that you may have encountered that day, get into a relaxed position and start with your affirmations. Tell your mind what it is, that you want and have a clear picture of it. Keep your mind focused on your goal and continue with your affirmations. Select a time, that is more likely most convenient for you, some people like early mornings, some may like evenings or even nights. Whatever time is best for you, that should be the time that you want to choose to do your powerful affirmations. Your mental attitude is the result of your thoughts, beliefs and feelings and it constantly works and it also influences the world around you, your affirmations will also shape your mental attitude and it will create the world that you desire around you.
Enigma Valdez is an internet visionary dedicated to helping people and businesses improve their lives. He does not claim to have the answers to everything, but instead shares time tested and proven strategies that have worked for him and countless others. You can view more information at Http://www.EnigmaValdez.com
Meditation: Meditation for Improving Concentration
I was reading an article in an American Medical Journal a few days ago that talked about how keeping your mind active and improving your concentration will help you as you get older. The focus of the study was looking at how people aged 70 plus could ensure their minds stay active by improving their concentration. There are simple meditations techniques that you can use to improve your concentration that if you practice regularly will ensure your mind will maintain is stature. There are two meditation techniques for improving concentration that are easy to use. The first technique is using the number meditation technique; the second technique is using the object visualization meditation technique. The Number Meditation Technique: The first step in this meditation process is to find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. The potential distractions are a big issue with this technique because you will be challenged by noise both internally and externally. With both of these techniques I recommend that you do NOT use meditation music. The next step in this meditation technique is to ensure that your back is straight, with good posture. Start by breathing slowly and lightly. As you are breathing on the exhaled breath visualize the number one in your mind. When you see the number then breathe in. Whilst you are focusing on the number one, breathe out and then visualize the number two. Continue breathing and visualizing each number till you reach one hundred. Once you reach one hundred then you may stop the meditation session. Here is the catch, you cannot continue to the next number until you only have focus to the previous number. If at any time during your visualization that your mind wanders or starts thinking about something else, you must stop the counting process and start from the number one again. The objective of using this technique is to help maintain your concentration and ensure that you maintain the focus on the numbers you are counting. You need to practice this technique till you are able count to one hundred without losing focus on the first go. Continue to practice this technique till you have mastered it. Once you have mastered this technique and have control over your focus, the next step is to use the object visualization technique. The Object Visualization Technique: The object visualization technique is designed to help you visualize an object. To start this technique, begin your meditation just as you would any other meditation session. The first step is visualizing a common object that you know like a flower, a car or a cup. You will find that when you first try the object visualization technique that using a simple object will make life easier to help maintain focus and concentration during the meditation session. During your meditation session you need to visualize the object by literally drawing it with your mind. Start with an outline, making sure it looks as beautiful as possible. Visualize its shape of the object, the color of the object, any pictures or colors on the object, the texture of the object such as whether it is smooth or rough. Whether there are any words on the object and then rotate the object on a 3D axis. As you are visualizing the object, test to see if the object has a distinct smell in your mind. Visualize that smell clearly in your mind. Now during the visualization meditation session, should at any point you lose focus and visualize on anything else. Simply stop the visualization process and start again by redrawing the object in your mind. Continue this process for a period of ten minutes each day, till you are able to visualize the object without distraction. You should continue using this technique till you can meditate up to twenty minutes a day using this meditation technique. The number meditation technique and object visualization meditation technique are designed to help program your mind to concentrate. The more you practice this mediation technique the better your concentration will become and the easier it will be to attain focus during your meditation sessions.
We have Meditation Music available to help you with your meditaiton. If you are suffering Asthma then check out our Buteyko Breathing Method training program. If you would like to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill to learn how you can achieve greater success then you can get access to this book.
The Message
There is an awakening of consciousness occurring within humanity. You are part of a small but rapidly growing segment of the population that is awakening. You are amongst the first to develop that inner knowing and who recognize the shift in consciousness that is occurring in the world. Spirit is guiding you to read this. You have been called: to awaken from the dream and remember who you are and why you were born in order to fulfill the purpose of your existence. Those that are drawn to read this message are the ones ready to enlighten. Go within and become fully conscious of what this means. How does it feel? Does it resonate as being true for you? Go into that feeling, go to its source; follow it to the very core of your being. Read again the first paragraph slowly and if any of it does not feel right or you are not sure, go within and feel that out too. There is a purpose to your existence that is bigger than all the things your mind thinks you need or want. There is a bigger play that you are a part of that your own mind may not even be aware of. This is your moment of realization. This message also serves as an acknowledgement and confirmation of that which you are. That which was, is, and will be regardless of your form, name, time or place. One of the last tests those who have already awakened come to is the illusion of already being enlightened. A sense of "I" that identifies with having attained something, knows something, or be something. If there is anything to prove, that's a red flag. If there is superiority, exclusivity, or making other groups or ideas "wrong" that's a red flag too. Thinking you know, or don't know, is still thinking. Your spirit is already free. Come with me to a place where you are so filled with God's grace, Shakti, love, that it permeates every cell of your body. Merge with me into the pervasive spirit until all resistances wane and your heart may feel the living presence of God within you so strong that tears drip down your cheeks with joy. The Kingdom of Heaven lies within. It's a state of consciousness where you realize the living presence of God, by any name, within you and around you, everywhere, all the time, every day. The message is to stop ignoring and denying the Divine presence in your life, come back into the garden; you have only to open your heart to receive. Each breath you take is given to you through grace, just be aware of it. The more you look the more you will see. God never left. Most of humanity is still asleep, unaware of the bliss that awaits them. Are you experiencing that bliss? Would you like to? I would love to share this with you. When we all feel this we will create a loving and peaceful world. But first we need you. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique - A Most Effective Self Help Treatment
Gary Craig attended a course on TFT - Thought Field Therapy (Dr. Roger Callaghan) but considered it to be too complex. Through experimentation he developed EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques to make this self-development technique as easy as possible to use but without detracting from its power. So what exactly is EFT? EFT is a technique which involves the stimulation of various acupuncture points whilst connecting to (thinking or talking about) the issue that the person wants to resolve. In order to understand the principals beyond EFT it is useful to start off with an understanding of acupuncture. For many thousands of years, acupuncture has been used by the Chinese as a technique to help people overcome physical, psychological and emotional problems and blocks. In its simplest form our understanding of how acupuncture works is this: - 1) There are a number meridian lines or channels contained within the body. 2) Along the meridian lines flows energy which is called 'Chi' (pronounced chee) 3) The ends and beginnings and parts in between of each of the meridian lines (acupuncture points) are close enough to the surface of the body for them to be affected by physical manipulation. 4) If a person has an particular issue, an experienced acupuncturist will know which meridian lines will have a blockage in them relevant to the issue, will know the acupuncture points appropriate to use for the resolution of that issue. 5) Acupuncture needles, which are very thin and hollow, can be inserted in appropriate acupuncture points to help the flow of energy through a particular meridian line. 6) With the blockage in the flow of Chi gone the issue goes or improves as well. Now acupressure is the manipulation of those same acupuncture points on the body but instead of using acupuncture needles, the fingers and thumbs are used instead. Forms of acupressure that you might have experienced before are reflexology or shiatsu. EFT is similar to acupressure from the point of view that needles are not used but acupuncture points are manipulated. A series of light tapping with the fingers is used. The tapping can be done by the person with the issue for themselves or a practitioner can do the tapping for them. Now at the same time the person is asked to repeat a sentence which describes the issue. The idea behind this is that the person stays connected to the issue (by repeating the description of the problem). At the end of one round of tapping on various acupuncture points, the strength of the issue is checked with the person. Of the issue is still present more rounds of EFT (tapping) will be used. To complete one round of EFT takes about 60-90 seconds. The majority of people who have experienced EFT report a decrease in the strength of the issue. With EFT being a process that anyone can use on themselves, it can be a very useful tool to help anyone deal with any issue whether physical, psychological or emotional. The amazing aspect about EFT is that you do not have to have to believe in it in any way for it to be effective. The only thing you require is may be a sense of curiosity and willingness to do it. The rewards are high as the loss of that old issue often results even for the sceptic. Today, thousands of people have become regular EFT users and there are many EFT practitioners in the UK and worldwide now available to help people rapidly.
Steven Harold
EFT London Practitioner
www.energytherapy-direct.co.uk
EFT London UK
Discover Your Genius Within
The functions of the right and left brain are only a small portion of the potential that comprises THE MIND. The mind and the brain are two very different things. You can think of the brain as the hard drive of the computer and the mind as the software. Your mind is the intelligence that is in every cell, every system and every organ of your body. It is that intangible, incredible, and awe-inspiring part of you that thinks, remembers, sorts information, makes judgments, forms habits, discerns, distinguishes, communicates and otherwise makes you who you are. It is the genius within. Your mind takes in all information through the five senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste). You can liken the five senses to the keyboard on the computer. You receive input through your senses, your “data entry” system. Your brain then stores, categorizes and utilizes this information. A genius knows how to access that information and then apply it in discovering the solutions to any problems that may arise. It is therefore essential that you discover your own individual style for gathering and communicating information. Some of us process sensory input more effectively through visual means, others through auditory stimuli, and others through a kinesthetic (a touch or feel) approach. Here’s a very simple way to begin to contemplate which way your genius accesses information. Imagine for a moment that you are buying a new item of clothing for an important meeting. Would you be most influenced to buy primarily for a) the color and style of the outfit; b) the benefits the salesperson tells you about the clothing; c) the texture and feel of the fabric. If you chose “A”, your brain receives information primarily through visual means. If you chose “B”, you perceive information primarily through auditory means. If “C”, you most likely access information through kinesthetic means. Everyone learns and communicates in all three of these modes. However, most people have developed a natural preference, and tend to use one method more frequently. As an awakening genius, it’s your goal to become aware of your preference and then strive to strike a balance between all three modes: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Are you willing to stretch your abilities by consciously choosing to use your other senses more? Can you imagine the benefits of opening your mind to receive ALL the input from the world around you? Doing so will give you an awareness of an exciting world that’s been there all along, but which you may have been missing. It is natural for you to use what is comfortable, but the awakened genius is willing to grow. Like the turtle, you won't go far without coming out of your shell. You will be pleasantly surprised as you practice using and developing your other senses. You will notice how your memory improves and how easy it becomes for you to make choices. You will discover a whole new world of communication. Once you learn to create a balance in perception, you will be well on your way to thinking holographically �" and using the full power of your genius!
Dr. Patrick Porter is an entrepreneur, award-winning author, and motivational speaker. His electrifying keynote speeches and seminars deliver the real life, nuts ‘n bolts concepts he used to take his business venture to astounding heights. http://www.patrickkporter.com
Maria Duval - Coping with the pain.
Coping with the pain.
Coping with the pain. by: Udo Vieth Separations are painfull. This is a fact. Unless you are cold and callous, the loss of a loved one is a numbing experience. In these situations, we tend to retreat into a corner and mope. That is after the crying is done. Crying may be the best thing you can do for now. You need time, time to cope with the situation, time to heal if you will. Don't deny yourself this period of "mourning' for want of a better word. You are not a machine, small steps in the right direction are much more important now than trying to force the issue. Any hardnosed activity at this time, may result in more deeprooted problems which may surface later on in life. Try and heal through the situation, and give yourself a break. What is the best way to cope? Well that depends to a large extent on the type of person you are. Some immerse themselves in their work, others just stay at home and mope. Then there are those of us that go to extremes. We binge on things that we normally don't consider as usefull. Either food, drink, or in some cases sex with strangers. These are normally not good remedies for the situation, as they seem to reinforce the feeling of loss of control. As such, they are not a coping mechanism, but a distraction mechanism. The optimum healing activity would consist of what I like to call "Replacement Therapy". Replace the loss of a love, with another loveable activity or distraction. Love your body, by going to gym, eating more healthy food etc. Love your mind by reading an educational work, or a literary classic. Love your spirit, by learning to meditate, Feng Shui your house, or just spend time sitting at a stream. I think you get the gist of it. Choosing empowering activities, can grow you as a human being, whilst helping you cope with the situation. They say every dark cloud has a silver lining. You may just discover the silver lining by adopting a mindset as outlined above. 2 years from now, you could look back on this as the best thing that ever happened to you. Give yourself a fighting chance for that to be your experience by following the guidelines above. And remember, keep on loving, even if it is only yourself at present. Written by Udo Vieth.
Who is Udo Vieth? He is fast becoming an expert on love, relationship, romance, as well as being a qualified EFT and Biofeedback practitioner. He has a website: http:// www.Toprelationships.com with information regarding all aspects of relationships.
How to achieve Astral Projection (OBE) Overnight
Achieving Astral Projection overnight is as easy as going to bed. There are a few ingredients and three easy techniques you need to cook this up. Needless to mention, if you are an intermediate to expert level in the art of astral projection you might already know these ingredients. However, the hope of jotting this down is to provide a very simple recipe to allow anyone to achieve success literally overnight.
Automobiles need fuel to move, plants need water and sun to grow, even the human body needs energy, in this case food, to function efficiently. That being said, projecting astral projection also requires an exchange of energy, or fuel. The natural question is: What is this fuel and where does it come from?
Firstly, for clarity's sake let's dichotomize this fuel into organic fuel and prana (life force).
The aforementioned fuel is plainly and simply just food. The body needs to be well nourished and healthy to be apt to allocate its precious resources to astral endeavors. If you are weak you won't be able to study, exercise, heal, or operate efficiently, it is no different when it comes to astral projection. That being said, it is possible to overwork or put enough stress on the body to achieve astral projection but this is for obvious reasons counterproductive. A healthy diet works best. Plenty of water and a supplement of B vitamins and magnetite will do wonders. Lemon juice is also an important and accessible part of this equation. It is very important to test, test, and test again. What diet works best for you? What feeding time works best for you?
Attempting to project too soon after dinner will reduce your chances of a projection because of the stress on your digestive system. Substances such as caffeine and alcohol will also act against you. Avoid them during your projections.
The other and more important kind of fuel is prana. This, in a nutshell is an unseen energy that is all around us and permeates everything. This is the energy that ties and binds our universe together. Think of prana as the "Force" from the film Star Wars. Much like organic fuel allows your physical body to operate, prana is what will fuel your "astral probe" and allow "projection". Breathing is by far the easiest and most accessible way of obtaining prana. What's the trick? In order to absorb prana it must be wanted. Turn your lungs, and your body into a loving home for this prana, invite it in and it will come. There are more advance ways of absorbing prana. Specialized meditation techniques, I recommend a specialized chakra meditation that will yield more than enough prana for projections, amongst other benefits.
The biggest factor ruining aspiring astral projectors all over the planet is fear. And knowledge is the weapon of choice against this treacherous enemy. There are countless articles, books and tapes on the subject. Saturate yourself with the subject. Be logical and don't believe everything you read. There is a great debt of gratitude due to all the trail blazers that have put astral projection in the map, but remember these are regular people trying to explain and talk about an unusual subject. Thus, be wary of misinterpretations. One pearl of knowledge that must be shared and will strike down fear of astral projection is that: You are not out of your body. Yes, you never leave your body while you are projecting. Think about these letters that you are reading. You are experiencing with your sight. These letters are outside your body, yet you are able to perceive and experience them while you remain inside inside your body. It is of great importance to grasp this. It will obliterate ignorant fears commonly associated with astral projection, such as, fear of death, fear of possessions and fear of getting lost outside of your body.
Who likes to hear this sentence? Not nearly as many as those that like to say it. But, as painful as it sounds, it holds true. Any skill worth having requires you to put in a decent amount of time and effort. Now that your motivation is likely back to zilch allow me to digress to the original point of this article...yes, the overnight part. Hopefully, your motivation is now back to normal levels. The following are three simple and efficient techniques that will project your astral probe literally overnight.
After a long day of white water rafting I proceeded to lay down in my bed and rest. Interestingly, laying there in a relaxed state, I couldn't help but notice that the movement of the raft moving down the river had stayed with me. I went with it for a while and as soon as my brain was convinced of the reality of this movement it was tricked into achieving it. Before I knew it my astral probe was inches away from my bedroom wall as I lay in bed. After discovering this purely by accident I experimented with other variations of movement, such as, jogging, swimming and even driving a car with great success.
This is a very powerful technique, and for the purpose of astral projection you might want to think of it as visualization on steroids. Using this technique, is the only way I have been able to project while completely awake. In a nutshell, you will pick a room in your house; the bathroom seems to work best. Lie down and relax in your bedroom. Now as you lay there, relaxing and getting comfortable start to picture your bathroom in your mind's eye. If you are anything like me, your first attempts at visualization will be pathetic. Your job is to trick your brain into believing it is in the bathroom, the brain is no fool, and you need to imitate the sensory data the brain expects to receive to the best of your ability. Feel the colors, the brightness, and the texture of the surface. Look at the mirror, the corners of the room, the sink, you get the idea. It is all in the details.
This is my favorite one because it requires the least amount of work. This technique requires you to play around with your normal sleep schedule, so it is not recommended for work or school days. Simply set your alarm clock about three hours earlier than usual. Get up and do some type of task that will require some degree of focus. Read a book, preferably on astral projection, take a walk around your block. Taking a 15 minute drive usually does it for me. Then go back to your warm, comfortable and inviting bed. That is it. I can only speculate that these actions put your brain in a very special state of mind that makes it much more prone to achieve astral projection.
Everything in the universe requires an exchange of energy. Remember that, whether you are writing an article fueled by caffeine or sending an astral probe to the Mexican Riviera powered by prana. Knowledge will set you and your astral probes free. Educate yourself on the subject; it is the only way to dispel ignorance and fear. Be consistent with your practice, anything worth gaining requires effort. And if all this sounds like too much work, at least give "the lazy technique" a try, you might be one of the few lucky natural astral projectors.
Higher Balance Institute offers tools for meditation, spiritual development, enhanced intuition and sensory awareness in the world. Our mission is simple - to awaken the world one mind at a time. For more information visit us at www.higherbalance.com.for free eBooks.
Mirror, Mirror
A mirror does not lie. A mirror reflects light, although that light can be distorted, it is an accurate duplication of what is in front of it. A mirror is also a transformer-it transforms three dimensional images into two dimensional images. A mirrored reflection is as lifeless as the image it is reflecting. A mirror cannot reflect life, only the expression of life-so what it is reflecting when you look into the mirror is a lifeless form. You cannot see life only its expression. You are in fact a "light being," you are light itself. All physical matter is the densest form of light. All matter is light. And the life force that animates the light form is not of the body and it is why it can not be seen. Your emotions, feelings, and personality are not your body. They are what animate your body-your body is that which expresses life. It is life experiencing the illusion of physical life. When you look into the mirror, it is not you whom you are looking at-it is an expression of who you believe yourself to be. It is an idea of a unique life-form expressed as your ego. The image in the mirror is just as much alive as you are or are not. When you speak to yourself you see the image speaking and you hear the sound of your voice, but it is neither one of you who is speaking. You cannot see life only its expression. The mirrored image is an illusion caught in the frame of the mirror. It does not reflect emotion or feelings because you do not have them, you simply express them. The expression comes from somewhere else, somewhere outside of your body. The body is a light vehicle used by your ego/soul to experience being alive-the physical body is life animated. When you move in front of the mirror, is there only one moving or are there two-a two dimensional object and a three dimensional object? Is it not the same life force animating one as it does the other. Everything is life-there is nothing else. So the image in the mirror is just as real as its reflection. But it is an image existing in a different realm of two dimensions. Mirrors are portals to a different world of experience just as lifeless as the one you are experiencing now. Is it your thoughts giving life to your reflection-is it the reflection giving life to you, or are both of you experiencing each other through a fourth dimension-the one you came from before you began experiencing physical life? From the position of the silent observer-a place that is outside our bodies we can follow our movements-where we have come from and where we are going. We can experience ourselves experiencing ourselves in this illusion we call life. Many of us do this subconsciously and it is how we can make decisions which lead us to a desired experience. Yet with practice we can do this on a conscious level as well. We can experience being all three aspects of mind, soul, and body simultaneously. It is your imagination allowing you to experience who you believe yourself to be now. You are imaging your whole life and all its experiences and everything around you. You imagination is limitless. It is you who imagines limits and sets its boundaries in your physical life. You can imagine anything, yet you can only experience that imagination within the boundaries you have set for yourself. You expand your world when you recognize what you are looking at as a reflection of yourself. The keyboard and monitor in front of me is an extension of myself, they are just as much alive as I am. They are me-they are reflections of my thoughts as these words are. We are one-expressing life which gives us all, form-but uniquely mine. You are the reader-I am the writer, and it is the creator or mind experiencing all of it simultaneously. We are all one coming together to experience a different aspect of ourselves. All three aspects are in complete agreement for this circumstance to be experienced. A mirror would show the illusion, the images, but not the experience. We cannot experience-we can simply express it. A mirror does not lie, it reflects light-that is its only purpose. You are a "light being" animating life. You are a mirror in your own right reflecting life in all its aspects. All of physical life is a reflection of a thought that has come before it-and experience cannot be found anywhere in the body or any mirror.
Roy E. Klienwachter is a resident of British Columbia, Canada. A published author, a student of NLP, ordained minister, New Age Light Worker, Teacher and Phenomenologist. Roy's books and articles are thought provoking, and designed to empower your imagination, and take you to places you would never have thought about. Claim your copy of Roy's new book at: http://www.klienwachter.com/BookInfo/Struggle/Salespage.htm Visit Roy at: http://www.klienwachter.com
Change Up! - Attitude Is Everything
"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James
Attitude is everything. I know that you've heard this before and either agreed or disagreed. Either way, you were confirming its truth. Attitude is a filter for everything going into your mind and everything coming out of your mind. Right now, I have no idea what you are thinking because your attitude is unique to you.
It's not a matter of having a bad or good attitude. Everyone's attitude is influenced by so many thoughts at one time that it is almost inevitable that your attitude is always a mixture of positive and negative words and images. While most people speak at 150 to 200 words per minute, research suggests that we think at about 1,300 words per minute. Additionally, many of our thoughts are images, which could encompass thousands of words at once.
Like Herding Cats. I know this seems a bit overwhelming at the moment, but if you stick with me, it will become clear. As with most complex issues, there are many causes and variations within the issues. There can literally be thousands of permutations with any issue. However, as Dr. Phil said on a recent show, "while the problems are complex, the solutions are simple".
Don't Yell at the Computer. What I'm about to write may shock you, but here goes. There are really only three emotions: love, anger, and fear. Love draws you toward something, anger pits you against something, and fear chases you away from something. All of your feelings are a combination of these three emotions. Whether you're happy, sad, worried, anxious, depressed, afraid, or content, these feelings all stem from these emotions.
This is good news. If we can understand what's driving our thoughts, then we can change them. When you make a decision, you can trace that decision back to your thoughts at the time you were deciding. Even though you may not be aware, you are always talking to yourself. Some of you just said to yourself, "no I'm not".
The way to change your behavior is to change your attitude. To change your attitude, you must separate the stimulus from the response. Unlike animals, humans have the ability to choose their response to any situation. There is a space, even though it can be milliseconds at times, that we may choose how to react in every situation. Many people allow their subconscious to make these decisions, which is why they feel so out of control. We can take back control.
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10hat happens to me and 90ow I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes." - Charles Swindoll
Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. Choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do! Life doesn't give you one thing at a time, why does your planner? Visit us at http://www.BubblePlanner.com.
Coping with the pain. by: Udo Vieth Separations are painfull. This is a fact. Unless you are cold and callous, the loss of a loved one is a numbing experience. In these situations, we tend to retreat into a corner and mope. That is after the crying is done. Crying may be the best thing you can do for now. You need time, time to cope with the situation, time to heal if you will. Don't deny yourself this period of "mourning' for want of a better word. You are not a machine, small steps in the right direction are much more important now than trying to force the issue. Any hardnosed activity at this time, may result in more deeprooted problems which may surface later on in life. Try and heal through the situation, and give yourself a break. What is the best way to cope? Well that depends to a large extent on the type of person you are. Some immerse themselves in their work, others just stay at home and mope. Then there are those of us that go to extremes. We binge on things that we normally don't consider as usefull. Either food, drink, or in some cases sex with strangers. These are normally not good remedies for the situation, as they seem to reinforce the feeling of loss of control. As such, they are not a coping mechanism, but a distraction mechanism. The optimum healing activity would consist of what I like to call "Replacement Therapy". Replace the loss of a love, with another loveable activity or distraction. Love your body, by going to gym, eating more healthy food etc. Love your mind by reading an educational work, or a literary classic. Love your spirit, by learning to meditate, Feng Shui your house, or just spend time sitting at a stream. I think you get the gist of it. Choosing empowering activities, can grow you as a human being, whilst helping you cope with the situation. They say every dark cloud has a silver lining. You may just discover the silver lining by adopting a mindset as outlined above. 2 years from now, you could look back on this as the best thing that ever happened to you. Give yourself a fighting chance for that to be your experience by following the guidelines above. And remember, keep on loving, even if it is only yourself at present. Written by Udo Vieth.
Who is Udo Vieth? He is fast becoming an expert on love, relationship, romance, as well as being a qualified EFT and Biofeedback practitioner. He has a website: http:// www.Toprelationships.com with information regarding all aspects of relationships.
How to achieve Astral Projection (OBE) Overnight
Three easy techniques to achieve Astral Projection Overnight
Achieving Astral Projection overnight is as easy as going to bed. There are a few ingredients and three easy techniques you need to cook this up. Needless to mention, if you are an intermediate to expert level in the art of astral projection you might already know these ingredients. However, the hope of jotting this down is to provide a very simple recipe to allow anyone to achieve success literally overnight.
Ingredients List
1. First Ingredient: Everything requires an exchange of Energy
Automobiles need fuel to move, plants need water and sun to grow, even the human body needs energy, in this case food, to function efficiently. That being said, projecting astral projection also requires an exchange of energy, or fuel. The natural question is: What is this fuel and where does it come from?
Firstly, for clarity's sake let's dichotomize this fuel into organic fuel and prana (life force).
The aforementioned fuel is plainly and simply just food. The body needs to be well nourished and healthy to be apt to allocate its precious resources to astral endeavors. If you are weak you won't be able to study, exercise, heal, or operate efficiently, it is no different when it comes to astral projection. That being said, it is possible to overwork or put enough stress on the body to achieve astral projection but this is for obvious reasons counterproductive. A healthy diet works best. Plenty of water and a supplement of B vitamins and magnetite will do wonders. Lemon juice is also an important and accessible part of this equation. It is very important to test, test, and test again. What diet works best for you? What feeding time works best for you?
Attempting to project too soon after dinner will reduce your chances of a projection because of the stress on your digestive system. Substances such as caffeine and alcohol will also act against you. Avoid them during your projections.
The other and more important kind of fuel is prana. This, in a nutshell is an unseen energy that is all around us and permeates everything. This is the energy that ties and binds our universe together. Think of prana as the "Force" from the film Star Wars. Much like organic fuel allows your physical body to operate, prana is what will fuel your "astral probe" and allow "projection". Breathing is by far the easiest and most accessible way of obtaining prana. What's the trick? In order to absorb prana it must be wanted. Turn your lungs, and your body into a loving home for this prana, invite it in and it will come. There are more advance ways of absorbing prana. Specialized meditation techniques, I recommend a specialized chakra meditation that will yield more than enough prana for projections, amongst other benefits.
2. Second Ingredient: Knowledge is Power
The biggest factor ruining aspiring astral projectors all over the planet is fear. And knowledge is the weapon of choice against this treacherous enemy. There are countless articles, books and tapes on the subject. Saturate yourself with the subject. Be logical and don't believe everything you read. There is a great debt of gratitude due to all the trail blazers that have put astral projection in the map, but remember these are regular people trying to explain and talk about an unusual subject. Thus, be wary of misinterpretations. One pearl of knowledge that must be shared and will strike down fear of astral projection is that: You are not out of your body. Yes, you never leave your body while you are projecting. Think about these letters that you are reading. You are experiencing with your sight. These letters are outside your body, yet you are able to perceive and experience them while you remain inside inside your body. It is of great importance to grasp this. It will obliterate ignorant fears commonly associated with astral projection, such as, fear of death, fear of possessions and fear of getting lost outside of your body.
3. Third Ingredient: Practice makes perfect
Who likes to hear this sentence? Not nearly as many as those that like to say it. But, as painful as it sounds, it holds true. Any skill worth having requires you to put in a decent amount of time and effort. Now that your motivation is likely back to zilch allow me to digress to the original point of this article...yes, the overnight part. Hopefully, your motivation is now back to normal levels. The following are three simple and efficient techniques that will project your astral probe literally overnight.
The movement technique:
After a long day of white water rafting I proceeded to lay down in my bed and rest. Interestingly, laying there in a relaxed state, I couldn't help but notice that the movement of the raft moving down the river had stayed with me. I went with it for a while and as soon as my brain was convinced of the reality of this movement it was tricked into achieving it. Before I knew it my astral probe was inches away from my bedroom wall as I lay in bed. After discovering this purely by accident I experimented with other variations of movement, such as, jogging, swimming and even driving a car with great success.
The "feels like technique":
This is a very powerful technique, and for the purpose of astral projection you might want to think of it as visualization on steroids. Using this technique, is the only way I have been able to project while completely awake. In a nutshell, you will pick a room in your house; the bathroom seems to work best. Lie down and relax in your bedroom. Now as you lay there, relaxing and getting comfortable start to picture your bathroom in your mind's eye. If you are anything like me, your first attempts at visualization will be pathetic. Your job is to trick your brain into believing it is in the bathroom, the brain is no fool, and you need to imitate the sensory data the brain expects to receive to the best of your ability. Feel the colors, the brightness, and the texture of the surface. Look at the mirror, the corners of the room, the sink, you get the idea. It is all in the details.
The lazy technique:
This is my favorite one because it requires the least amount of work. This technique requires you to play around with your normal sleep schedule, so it is not recommended for work or school days. Simply set your alarm clock about three hours earlier than usual. Get up and do some type of task that will require some degree of focus. Read a book, preferably on astral projection, take a walk around your block. Taking a 15 minute drive usually does it for me. Then go back to your warm, comfortable and inviting bed. That is it. I can only speculate that these actions put your brain in a very special state of mind that makes it much more prone to achieve astral projection.
Everything in the universe requires an exchange of energy. Remember that, whether you are writing an article fueled by caffeine or sending an astral probe to the Mexican Riviera powered by prana. Knowledge will set you and your astral probes free. Educate yourself on the subject; it is the only way to dispel ignorance and fear. Be consistent with your practice, anything worth gaining requires effort. And if all this sounds like too much work, at least give "the lazy technique" a try, you might be one of the few lucky natural astral projectors.
Higher Balance Institute offers tools for meditation, spiritual development, enhanced intuition and sensory awareness in the world. Our mission is simple - to awaken the world one mind at a time. For more information visit us at www.higherbalance.com.for free eBooks.
Mirror, Mirror
A mirror does not lie. A mirror reflects light, although that light can be distorted, it is an accurate duplication of what is in front of it. A mirror is also a transformer-it transforms three dimensional images into two dimensional images. A mirrored reflection is as lifeless as the image it is reflecting. A mirror cannot reflect life, only the expression of life-so what it is reflecting when you look into the mirror is a lifeless form. You cannot see life only its expression. You are in fact a "light being," you are light itself. All physical matter is the densest form of light. All matter is light. And the life force that animates the light form is not of the body and it is why it can not be seen. Your emotions, feelings, and personality are not your body. They are what animate your body-your body is that which expresses life. It is life experiencing the illusion of physical life. When you look into the mirror, it is not you whom you are looking at-it is an expression of who you believe yourself to be. It is an idea of a unique life-form expressed as your ego. The image in the mirror is just as much alive as you are or are not. When you speak to yourself you see the image speaking and you hear the sound of your voice, but it is neither one of you who is speaking. You cannot see life only its expression. The mirrored image is an illusion caught in the frame of the mirror. It does not reflect emotion or feelings because you do not have them, you simply express them. The expression comes from somewhere else, somewhere outside of your body. The body is a light vehicle used by your ego/soul to experience being alive-the physical body is life animated. When you move in front of the mirror, is there only one moving or are there two-a two dimensional object and a three dimensional object? Is it not the same life force animating one as it does the other. Everything is life-there is nothing else. So the image in the mirror is just as real as its reflection. But it is an image existing in a different realm of two dimensions. Mirrors are portals to a different world of experience just as lifeless as the one you are experiencing now. Is it your thoughts giving life to your reflection-is it the reflection giving life to you, or are both of you experiencing each other through a fourth dimension-the one you came from before you began experiencing physical life? From the position of the silent observer-a place that is outside our bodies we can follow our movements-where we have come from and where we are going. We can experience ourselves experiencing ourselves in this illusion we call life. Many of us do this subconsciously and it is how we can make decisions which lead us to a desired experience. Yet with practice we can do this on a conscious level as well. We can experience being all three aspects of mind, soul, and body simultaneously. It is your imagination allowing you to experience who you believe yourself to be now. You are imaging your whole life and all its experiences and everything around you. You imagination is limitless. It is you who imagines limits and sets its boundaries in your physical life. You can imagine anything, yet you can only experience that imagination within the boundaries you have set for yourself. You expand your world when you recognize what you are looking at as a reflection of yourself. The keyboard and monitor in front of me is an extension of myself, they are just as much alive as I am. They are me-they are reflections of my thoughts as these words are. We are one-expressing life which gives us all, form-but uniquely mine. You are the reader-I am the writer, and it is the creator or mind experiencing all of it simultaneously. We are all one coming together to experience a different aspect of ourselves. All three aspects are in complete agreement for this circumstance to be experienced. A mirror would show the illusion, the images, but not the experience. We cannot experience-we can simply express it. A mirror does not lie, it reflects light-that is its only purpose. You are a "light being" animating life. You are a mirror in your own right reflecting life in all its aspects. All of physical life is a reflection of a thought that has come before it-and experience cannot be found anywhere in the body or any mirror.
Roy E. Klienwachter is a resident of British Columbia, Canada. A published author, a student of NLP, ordained minister, New Age Light Worker, Teacher and Phenomenologist. Roy's books and articles are thought provoking, and designed to empower your imagination, and take you to places you would never have thought about. Claim your copy of Roy's new book at: http://www.klienwachter.com/BookInfo/Struggle/Salespage.htm Visit Roy at: http://www.klienwachter.com
Change Up! - Attitude Is Everything
"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James
Attitude is everything. I know that you've heard this before and either agreed or disagreed. Either way, you were confirming its truth. Attitude is a filter for everything going into your mind and everything coming out of your mind. Right now, I have no idea what you are thinking because your attitude is unique to you.
It's not a matter of having a bad or good attitude. Everyone's attitude is influenced by so many thoughts at one time that it is almost inevitable that your attitude is always a mixture of positive and negative words and images. While most people speak at 150 to 200 words per minute, research suggests that we think at about 1,300 words per minute. Additionally, many of our thoughts are images, which could encompass thousands of words at once.
Like Herding Cats. I know this seems a bit overwhelming at the moment, but if you stick with me, it will become clear. As with most complex issues, there are many causes and variations within the issues. There can literally be thousands of permutations with any issue. However, as Dr. Phil said on a recent show, "while the problems are complex, the solutions are simple".
Don't Yell at the Computer. What I'm about to write may shock you, but here goes. There are really only three emotions: love, anger, and fear. Love draws you toward something, anger pits you against something, and fear chases you away from something. All of your feelings are a combination of these three emotions. Whether you're happy, sad, worried, anxious, depressed, afraid, or content, these feelings all stem from these emotions.
This is good news. If we can understand what's driving our thoughts, then we can change them. When you make a decision, you can trace that decision back to your thoughts at the time you were deciding. Even though you may not be aware, you are always talking to yourself. Some of you just said to yourself, "no I'm not".
The way to change your behavior is to change your attitude. To change your attitude, you must separate the stimulus from the response. Unlike animals, humans have the ability to choose their response to any situation. There is a space, even though it can be milliseconds at times, that we may choose how to react in every situation. Many people allow their subconscious to make these decisions, which is why they feel so out of control. We can take back control.
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10hat happens to me and 90ow I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes." - Charles Swindoll
Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. Choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do! Life doesn't give you one thing at a time, why does your planner? Visit us at http://www.BubblePlanner.com.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Maria Duval - The Need for Personal Growth
The Need for Personal Growth
More than ever we are in need of Personal Growth on a global level. We are in dire straits because of a general worldwide lack of knowledge and awareness of what’s possible when we create extraordinary lives for ourselves and each other. We can all contribute to the one world community and make the planet a bet ter place. The norm has been people who spread negative news, promote fast food and pharmaceutical concoctions rather than address the cause of real life issues. We have been trained, to varying degrees, to obey authority, work hard, and to speak when called on. The educational system instills an early model for learning that conditions our behavior as adults. Some of you may be going through life, day-in and day-out, just working hard, watching TV, eating junk food, and falling into bed at night. You may be living on autopilot rather than directing your energies and living life to its fullest. Think about it: You are the producer, director, and actor of the movie called your life. To live an outstanding life, which includes doing what you love and being all you can be, you need to be proactive and deliberate on designing your destiny. Today’s world demands that powerful people step up and take a stand for what’s important. Together we can challenge systems that no longer serve us and create new structures that will be designed more effectively to set us up for success. The quality of our lives depends on us and how we choose to live. The choices we make ultimately shape our lives and many of us are waking up to this fact. With movies such as What The Bleep Do We Know!?™ and The Secret, people are becoming aware that there is more to life than what meets the eye. The Power of Personal Growth offers you significant awareness and knowledge so you can make empowering choices to positively impact your life.
Manny Goldman is the founder and the visionary force behind PersonalGrowth.com. His vision is to create a community through PersonalGrowth.com that will transform the lives of billions of people. A community where it is normal for each person to share in each others’ successes, provide valuable support, encouragement and accountability. He envisions a world where Personal Growth is common practice and each person living their dreams to their full potential. http://www.personalgrowth.com
The Law of Attraction
The Law of Attraction is the universal law that can help you find your soulmate. It says that you will attract to you those people, events, and experiences that match your state of being. If you focus on having gratitude for the love, companionship, and joy you have in your life right now, you will attract more of that into your life. If you focus on what you don’t have, you will send out a message of lack and you will attract more lack into your life. In the movie “Conversations with God” the character Neale says to God: “I just want my life back.” And God says to Neale: “You can’t have anything that you want.” They then have an entire dialogue where God explains to Neale that by ‘wanting something (or someone)’ all you get to have is the experience, the feeling of ‘wanting'. I think there's something to be learned from that. As part of the preparation to manifest your soul mate I suggest that you begin the process of “living as if.” This means that your daily actions become congruent with your beliefs. For instance, I once heard a story about the great actress Della Reese. During the time she was waiting for her soul mate to arrive, she would set a place at the table for him each time she had a meal. Eventually, he arrived. Della sent a clear message to the Universe and the Universe delivered. Many years ago, there was a woman by the name of Gayle that was advised by her astrologer to put her intentions for a soul mate into the world by coloring a mandala. She took a black & white mandala and a rainbow of multi-colored pencils and began declaring her intentions while she colored in a space on the mandala. She asked for things like: finding the perfect spiritual friend and lover to go through life with; a man who is kind to animals; someone who would appreciate her sense of humor; a man who would be accepting and open to her spiritual quest. For each intention she used a different color until the entire mandala became a multi-hued Technicolor testimony to the qualities she desired in her future partner. Within weeks of doing this she met her soul mate and they have now been married for more than 20 years!
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soumate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
More than ever we are in need of Personal Growth on a global level. We are in dire straits because of a general worldwide lack of knowledge and awareness of what’s possible when we create extraordinary lives for ourselves and each other. We can all contribute to the one world community and make the planet a bet ter place. The norm has been people who spread negative news, promote fast food and pharmaceutical concoctions rather than address the cause of real life issues. We have been trained, to varying degrees, to obey authority, work hard, and to speak when called on. The educational system instills an early model for learning that conditions our behavior as adults. Some of you may be going through life, day-in and day-out, just working hard, watching TV, eating junk food, and falling into bed at night. You may be living on autopilot rather than directing your energies and living life to its fullest. Think about it: You are the producer, director, and actor of the movie called your life. To live an outstanding life, which includes doing what you love and being all you can be, you need to be proactive and deliberate on designing your destiny. Today’s world demands that powerful people step up and take a stand for what’s important. Together we can challenge systems that no longer serve us and create new structures that will be designed more effectively to set us up for success. The quality of our lives depends on us and how we choose to live. The choices we make ultimately shape our lives and many of us are waking up to this fact. With movies such as What The Bleep Do We Know!?™ and The Secret, people are becoming aware that there is more to life than what meets the eye. The Power of Personal Growth offers you significant awareness and knowledge so you can make empowering choices to positively impact your life.
Manny Goldman is the founder and the visionary force behind PersonalGrowth.com. His vision is to create a community through PersonalGrowth.com that will transform the lives of billions of people. A community where it is normal for each person to share in each others’ successes, provide valuable support, encouragement and accountability. He envisions a world where Personal Growth is common practice and each person living their dreams to their full potential. http://www.personalgrowth.com
The Law of Attraction
The Law of Attraction is the universal law that can help you find your soulmate. It says that you will attract to you those people, events, and experiences that match your state of being. If you focus on having gratitude for the love, companionship, and joy you have in your life right now, you will attract more of that into your life. If you focus on what you don’t have, you will send out a message of lack and you will attract more lack into your life. In the movie “Conversations with God” the character Neale says to God: “I just want my life back.” And God says to Neale: “You can’t have anything that you want.” They then have an entire dialogue where God explains to Neale that by ‘wanting something (or someone)’ all you get to have is the experience, the feeling of ‘wanting'. I think there's something to be learned from that. As part of the preparation to manifest your soul mate I suggest that you begin the process of “living as if.” This means that your daily actions become congruent with your beliefs. For instance, I once heard a story about the great actress Della Reese. During the time she was waiting for her soul mate to arrive, she would set a place at the table for him each time she had a meal. Eventually, he arrived. Della sent a clear message to the Universe and the Universe delivered. Many years ago, there was a woman by the name of Gayle that was advised by her astrologer to put her intentions for a soul mate into the world by coloring a mandala. She took a black & white mandala and a rainbow of multi-colored pencils and began declaring her intentions while she colored in a space on the mandala. She asked for things like: finding the perfect spiritual friend and lover to go through life with; a man who is kind to animals; someone who would appreciate her sense of humor; a man who would be accepting and open to her spiritual quest. For each intention she used a different color until the entire mandala became a multi-hued Technicolor testimony to the qualities she desired in her future partner. Within weeks of doing this she met her soul mate and they have now been married for more than 20 years!
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soumate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
Maria Duval - Understanding Personal Growth
Understanding Personal Growth
I want everyone to be free of constraints and conditioning, whether cultural, environmental or societal. When this happens, people will live with joy, love, gratitude, and abundance. When people engage fully in a Personal Growth journey they experience a new sense of freedom and purpose that they never had before. Personal Growth is, at its core, about nurturing the growth of an individual. We are holistic beings with a mind, body, and spirit. We live in a world where we are increasingly challenged to draw upon our full potential. Personal Growth helps us to rise to the occasion�"to become all that we may be and adapt to the lightning-speed changes in society. Personal Growth and Spiritual growth are very intertwined. As Teilhard de Chardin said, We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Is it an innate force that propels us forward to engage in life and everything around us? Some say the force is God, the Universe, the Divine Spirit, or something else. For me, it is the Spiritual that both moves and defines us. Personal Growth is the connection to that innate power, which allows an individual to grow and live life to the fullest. Many people are not aware or do not understand what Personal Growth is. I believe one of the core reasons is because it is called by so many names. Personal Growth may also be known by: self help, personal development, self-improvement, new age, and many others. In my opinion, once we choose a name for the concept of the growth of an individual, even more people will understand what’s possible for them and the world. I feel that Personal Growth is the best name. Personal Growth is a solo journey and one you don’t have to embark on alone. Even though you take the journey yourself, others are working on their journey as well. When we support each other everyone grows exponentially. For me, Personal Growth is a way of life �" a way of being, thinking, feeling, and acting. It begs the questions: What do you think about during the day? How do you feel most of the time? How proactive are you in life? To what level are you playing in life? Who are you? We are creatures of habit. Have you been thinking, feeling, or acting in a certain fashion for too long and want to break with old patterns? By fully embracing Personal Growth and taking action to change, you can transform your life and start thinking, feeling, and acting in brand new ways.
Manny Goldman is the founder and the visionary force behind PersonalGrowth.com. His vision is to create a community through PersonalGrowth.com that will transform the lives of billions of people. A community where it is normal for each person to share in each others’ successes, provide valuable support, encouragement and accountability. He envisions a world where Personal Growth is common practice and each person living their dreams to their full potential. http://www.personalgrowth.com
Coaching the vocation of mid-life
Coaching the vocation of mid-life by Milt Bullard - Correspondent Posted on October 21, 2005 http://www.brentwoodpress.com/html/bwdhome.htm Since moving here last July, one thing Craig Nathanson has noticed is ?the 10,000 people commuting out of Brentwood down Vasco Road to miserable jobs.? It reminds him, he adds, of his own life ?four years ago, when I left corporate America after 25 years.? Calling himself ?the vocational coach,? a trademark he instituted when he started his new business, Nathanson, 49, explains that he helps adults in their mid-lives ?discover and live their vocational passions. I?m not a traditional career counselor. I help people understand how to align their abilities and interests. I give them the momentum that they need. My goal is to help people discover what they are really passionate about doing, and then be able to make the money they need doing it.? To this end, Nathanson works with individual clients from four different countries and throughout the United States in weekly sessions, typically lasting from three to six months. Most of those he coaches are in their 40s, and a majority are women. Reflecting the results of the research he?s been conducting for his doctoral thesis over the past dozen years, Nathanson has found that ?what happens to people in their 40s is they come to the point of realizing it?s time to rediscover themselves. What we do defines what we are. When people are over 40, they want fulfillment. Many of us don?t ask if what we?re doing has value until that age. Society tends to ignore people over 40, and retirement is for people who don?t love what they do.? Noting that most of those who seek his services ?are coming out of some tragedy - illness, being laid off, divorced - Nathanson attributes to the latter and to newly empty nests the preponderance of women he coaches. The author of the book ?P is for Perfect,? published in Canada through a former client, Nathanson begins each coaching assignment with a 100-question assessment, ?helping one look at one?s whole life, the work in relation to other life aspects.? Although Nathanson speaks throughout the country, his clients come to him mostly through referrals. He regularly travels to Russia where, in his view, ?people don?t make any connections between joy and work.? Attributing his coaching skills to his academic research, corporate background, and personal experience, Nathanson says ?at the end of the day, I?m just the fellow who helps people find themselves.? Nathanson was born, and grew up, in San Francisco in, he remembers, a 300-square-foot apartment with his mom. They were poor enough, he recalls, to have to invent his own toys. He attended both San Francisco State and USF, earning two master?s degrees, one in telecommunications from Golden Gate University, and the other in human development from the Fielding Graduate Institute. In his pre-coaching days, Nathanson was a senior manager for Intel as well as one of the founders of an internet e-commerce company. With his wife and daughter and two sons, and as dictated by the job, he moved back and forth from Danville and Sacramento. Of his years as a corporate executive, Nathanson?s assessment is: ?I was good at it, but I was not liking it.? And so, effectively his own first client, he changed his life. Now in the process of finalizing a divorce, Nathanson admits, ?I?m living more of my research than I ever expected to. I walked away from the six-figure income. I gave up the fancy cars, and traded the 4,000-square foot mansion for a 400-square-foot apartment.? He also found himself with a prostate tumor, fortunately benign; used up his retirement funds; went through bankruptcy; and helped his middle son confront and combat a serious illness. The lesson, Nathanson believes, is that ?you must follow your heart. The world would be a better place if we all did what we love.? As an example, he cites ?the new generation, the 18-to-25-year-olds? who, he finds, ?really want a balanced lifestyle.? And Nathanson suspects that ?when they reach their 40s, we?re going to see a real paradigm switch.?
The Vocational Coach?s address is Suite D, 7960 Brentwood Blvd. The phone is 240-0770, and the fax is 240-0721. Online, the e-mail?s craig@thevocationalcoach.com, and there?s more information on the Web at www.thevocationalcoach.com.
Believe That God Has a Plan for You
It is very difficult to forgive someone else if you haven’t forgiven yourself. I don’t know about you, but I believe there is a Force greater than myself in this universe that has a plan for me. I truly feel I am a part of that plan. As I go around the world and learn about different religions and different cultures, I find myself talking to different groups about this concept. Do you believe there is Someone or some Force outside of you? We don’t have to agree religiously on any term, philosophical topic, doctrine, or any particular scripture. But the vast majority of people agree that there is a Force, or a Creator, larger than themselves. They may refer to it as God, or label this Force as something else. I am going to try, if I may, to stay clear of any particular religious viewpoint and to approach this very generically, allowing you to put your own label where you are comfortable. As we try to live and follow the plan for our lives, one day we may find ourselves in a position where we do something wrong that causes feelings of guilt to flow into our conscience. It happens to all of us, doesn’t it? Do you know the feeling I am referring to, that guilty feeling? It can come from little things we do in our life. Sometimes those things can be a bit larger, and then there are even bigger mistakes than that. In other words, there is a whole spectrum of mistakes that we make in life. For some of those things, we move on quickly, putting them out of our mind. Then there are the larger mistakes. Why are you still packing around a burden that holds you back from becoming the best person you can be? We have forgotten how to forgive each other or have chosen not to. All the major conflicts of the world can be linked to non-forgiveness. We need to shout forgiveness from the rooftops and the mountaintops because non-forgiveness is the root cause of the majority of the problems that we face in the world today.
Mark Victor Hansen, best known as the co-creator of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ empire (which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling non-fiction book series ever), is a walking success magnet! Between his books and speeches, Mark has helped countless millions of people become their very best. Visit Mark’s 101 E-Book Library at http://www.IdeasThatCanChangeYourLife.com.
Healing the Heart
Whether we endured a difficult childhood or experienced rejection from a hurtful lover, we all have emotional wounds in need of healing. As part of the preparation for magnetizing your soul mate you must now decide to actively begin healing the deepest wounds of your heart. Please note that I said to “begin” the healing process. For many of us this may be a lifelong process and it doesn’t mean you have to be fully healed to manifest your soul mate. In fact, one of the things a soul mate does is HELP you to heal your deepest wounds. BUT . . . I believe you really do need to clear out the stuff that is KEEPING you from having your soul mate in your life. If the walls around your heart are ten feet thick and you are unaware that you are blocking love from entering you will be sending the Universe mixed messages. One part of you will be a giant YES to having a relationship while your wounded heart is unconsciously saying “No, I am afraid of being hurt again.” Your job now is to uncover the wounds and begin the healing process so that you can send a clear signal that you are now ready for love. Forgiveness is often a two-part process: first, it involves forgiving those that hurt you and second, it means forgiving yourself for all of the times you didn’t listen to your intuition, or made unfortunate choices, or any of the hundreds of other things we blame ourselves for. In order to manifest your soul mate you really do need to clear the emotional and psychic clutter of your past. By not doing so you take the risk of attracting the same type of person you have failed with in the past. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. If you have emotional baggage around relationships, commit right now to working through it and begin laying the ground for a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life with your soul mate.
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soul mate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soul mate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
Dancing with the Squirrels
I was sitting in my chair going through a large cookbook that had belonged to my grandmother when the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came into the room. "Are you reading a cookbook?" she asked. Let me stop here and just start from the beginning. It all started several months ago when my wife and I tucked ourselves in for a nice evening sleep. I had just gotten to the point where I was ready to drift off into la-la-land when I felt a sharp pain in my right rib cage. Ever since God created Eve from one of Adam's ribs, wives have been poking men in this delicate part of his anatomy. "Did you hear that noise?" she whispered. My only sensation at the time was the pain in my right rib cage. I began to say something and then she shouted in my ear, "shhhhh. There it is again." When the buzzing in my ear subsided, I began to hear the sound that had alarmed her so. It was a faint scratching noise coming from the ceiling. Straining our ears, we could not determine what was making that noise. I suggested it was a snake and my wife hit me with her pillow. I am so glad the nightlight is on the stand on my side of the bed, far from her reach. The scratching continued all night long as well as the guessing as to the nature of the scratching. Our guessing ranged from my snake (which I only mentioned once for obvious reasons) to mice and then to termites. During the next few days, the scratching not only continued but also seemed to accelerate. By this time, it sounded like a dance party going on in our attic every evening. It was then that the ultimatum came to Yours Truly. "If you don't do something about that noise in the attic," my wife stated most emphatically, "I'm going to know the reason why." Ultimatums like this do not really make sense, at least to me. I could do several things about the noise in the attic. For one I could ignore it. However, if I ignore it I am quite sure my wife will not ignore me. After vigorous investigation on my part, I discovered the source of all that noise in the attic. We had been invaded by, of all things, squirrels. I made this discovery quite by accident. It was right after supper I was out in the backyard doing something and I noticed a squirrel running towards our house. I did not pay too much attention to it and then the squirrel ran up the wall of our house and disappeared under the eaves. Upon investigation, I discovered a small hole at that part of our house. When some people look at squirrels, they see a cute fluffy little critter. When I see a squirrel, I see a terrorist. Now that I knew what the noise in the attic was, I set about to deal with it. The first thing I did was patch up the hole allowing the squirrels access to my attic. With all the confidence of a husband who is basically insane, I reported to my wife that I had solved our noise "in the attic" problem. I love it when a plan comes together. That night I planned to have the first quiet night in about a month. As soon as we settled down the noise in the attic began. The next they I discovered the squirrels had dug out the hole and resumed their access to our attic. I fixed them by filling that hole with Brillo pads from the kitchen. They fixed me by digging out all those Brillo pads. Somebody told me squirrels hate mothballs and if I put mothballs in the attic, they would stay away. I did it and all night long the squirrels played marbles with those mothballs. Some people say squirrels are very smart. However, don't you believe it. They think every night is Saturday and they have a dance party every night. I must say I am not into dance. I have biblical feet when it comes to dancing. My left foot never knows what my right foot is doing. I have tried everything to deal with this squirrel in the attic problem. I tried reasoning with them. "Look here, squirrels," I reasoned, "squirrels live in trees not attics." They just sat there looking at me with their big fluffy tails flinching behind them. Then they scampered up the house wall and into the attic. I have also tried bribery. "Look here, squirrels," I bribed, "I will give you all the nuts you can eat if you leave my attic tonight." Then I put a cache of nuts way in the back of our property under some very nice trees. They took all of my nuts and ran up my house wall and back into the attic. Now, getting back to that cookbook. "Are you reading a cookbook?" my wife asked. "Yes," I said in a very calm manner, "I'm looking up grandmother's recipe for squirrel pot pie." I was reminded of a verse in the Bible. "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” James 3:5 (KJV). It is not the big things in life to give us the most trouble; rather it is the accumulation of all those small things.
James L. Snyder is an award winning author and popular columnist living with his wife, Martha, in Ocala, Florida and can be contacted at jamessnyder2@att.net.
Communicate
I accept myself as I freely communicate. As I speak, my self- acceptance at the same time will shine Light out of the window of my soul. Self acceptance brings me in the present moment, which is the only true vehicle of authentic communication. If you read my blog about communication you would know that I have been working on a message that will be presented in our upcoming infomercial and the challenge I was facing in creating the message. This article is to continue the subject of communication and all the ways in which we communicate to ourselves and the world around us. I have discovered a huge array of ways that we communicate. There are probably 10,000 ways we communicate, the way we walk, talk, drive, dress, the house we live in, the way we look at one another, the frowns, the smiles, the music we listen to and even our hobbies just to name a few. Since I typically wear jeans and cowboy boots, I would be communicating silently the western or cowboy way of life. With so many forms of communications to choose from it is hard to know where to begin. Let's start with our voice which includes not only the words we choose to speak but the tone in which we speak them, the volume we use, and the change of pitch along with the emphasis we use as we speak these words. Sometimes we are not even aware of exactly how we have said our words or the impact they have left behind. It is a good idea to be conscious of our words. The Bible even says to be careful of the tongue (not a direct quote, but you get it). We communicate through the way we write and the meanings behind the words. They can be interpreted in a million different ways, depending on who is reading them and how they feel at that particular moment, what they believe and how they perceive what has been written. Then we communicate through pictures. We can get many varied ideas while looking at a picture, and see many different aspects of life all in one picture. As the saying goes "one picture is worth a 1,000 words". That is so true. Even a picture in your own mind can reveal untold volumes about our coming actions or events in our lives. We have a blank canvas in our minds to create pictures as to what we want or what we dream of in the future. I'm reminded too of the saying my mother was fond of when we were kids "little pictures have big ears"! And of course we also have sign language as a form of communication, which is an art of its own. Along with other forms of communication we look back in time and see the caveman drawings, and the signs or painting on the cliff walls left by the Indians. Ever try to guess what the ancient Egyptians were trying to tell us with the pyramids? But perhaps the most important communication is the conversations we have with ourselves and then next with the people we desire to connect with. I recently ran across a quote by Malcolm Forbes, "People will forget what you said; People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel". When we communicate with ourselves and the world how do we want them to feel after we are gone? Yes, even ourselves; do I want my communication with myself to leave me feeling positive? Accept myself, communicate honestly with myself, be authentic knowing I have the ability to change how I communicate and therefore how I am. As I personally don't tend to be the most outspoken person, although there are definitely certain subjects that once you get me started talking about I can go on forever. I still believe writing is the best form for me to communicate my true thoughts, whether it is in articles, stories, poetry, prayers and an upcoming book. Take a look at your own unique style of communicating and make sure it is authentic in order to let your light shine. Rebecca Hofeldt
Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player, Rebecca Hofeldt fulfills her Entrepreneurial Calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: Success
WithInAsThru You �" The Real Power You Are!
The buzz these days is all about "self-help" and "personal growth." However, many teachers would have us forever seeking something outside of us in order to change or become, when actually the opposite is true. How many times have we heard, "the world is changing"? Or, "things are different now." Well, change is an eternal truth. And the clearest truth of all is that the world is changing WithInAsThru You!
How would you live your life differently if you truly understood that you're already the answer to ever question you've ever asked? Would you show up differently each day? Would you treat others differently? Would you even be the same person if you believed - really believed - that you are the source of your own happiness, health and success?
Nothing in your life is ever happening to you. Your life, as you live IT, IS occurring WithInAsThru you. The path to enlightened living is formed by taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Everything that is experienced, attracted, felt and observed occurs with, in, as and through every one of us. Your life, as you live it, is occurring withinasthru you.
The idea of WithInAsThru may be new to many people, but parallel concepts have been around for centuries. Every great teacher that has ever lived has taught that the key to personal awareness lies in finding the source within our selves. It has been called many things: ecstasy of silence, contemplation, inner reflection and meditation. But whatever name it goes by, the intended result is the same: a deeper connection to one's own self.
Withinasthru holds profound implications for your life and your future. It has attracted thousands of minds to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters (http://www.WithInAsThru.com) because of its irresistible simplicity.
The first step is to open your mind. Make your desires clear and begin to create with what you already have withinasthru you. Open your mind and trust that whatever you conceive, whatever you know, whatever you produce, has always been in you, has always been you. You created it long before you became consciously aware of creating it.
While many people are spending their money, time and energy trying to change who they are, the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters offer simple and practical systems such as writing and meditating that celebrate who you already are.
Stepping into unfamiliar territory can be daunting, but remember that no enlightened idea ever came out of routine thinking. The WithInAsThru yoU! Letters is a series of letters offering simple perceptual techniques to keep your thinking on track, as well as recordings and links to other sites that can help you get comfortable with new ideas and processes. There are individual phone sessions available, as well as inspiring thoughts and inspirations.
Go here now to subscribe to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters: http://www.WithInAsThru.com
Remember, you've been the answer to every question you've ever asked because your life, as you live it, is already occurring withinasthru you. Now isn't it time you stepped into your real power?
Scott Kiere – Spiritual Wisdom & Direction, Social Entrepreneur, Visionary Strategist & Poet – (http://www.ScottKiere.com) is Co-founder of MECA Communications, Inc. and serves on the board of directors for Social Venture Network. Scott’s eZine, "WithInAsThru yoU! Letters" is available at http://www.WithInAsThru.com.
Simplicity, Patience And Compassion: The Three Treasures
According to Eastern tradition there are three treasures on the pathway to enlightenment: simplicity, patience and compassion. At first glance, such simple ideas. Yet after contemplation one easily recognizes: it?s these basic thoughts, when woven into our day, that can lead each of us to a contemplative, peaceful and more fulfilling life.
In this short article then, I invite you to take a page from Eastern religion: explore the three treasures and become aware of your relationship to them.
Simplicity
The first treasure: simplicity. Simplicity in thought and action. According to author Thomas Cleary in his translation of Taoist Meditation, simplicity leads the seeker on the Way. Simplicity of thought, he tells us, can often be brought about by silence. And in the silence, we gain personal wisdom. If finding 10 or 20 minutes each day to rest quietly or meditate could bring you closer to peace, would you be more conscientious in devoting this time?
Simplicity of action, however, feels a greater challenge. It involves priorities and discovering what is truly important. Here?s how I personally handle this: When I feel overwhelmed by my ?to-do list? I create a game by challenging myself to let go of everything I can do without. Then, I remove as many things as I can from my list. What I am left with are those items of greatest importance. I devote as much time necessary to completing each task with joy and precision.
Try it now. What can you remove from the task list today that could bring you closer to simplifying your life? What will you place your attention on?
Patience
Treasure number two: patience. Yes, the virtue. And just like simplicity, it is also a challenge to move slowly through tasks until they have been completed or to remain calm when dealing with someone outrageous. I?ve found that we are often mirror images of others and attract to us parts of ourselves. This is important to note as it could manifest positive or negative events, depending on mindset. In this light, Inalya Vanzant reminds us to keep thoughts pure. She tells us to remind ourselves: "I will gain more understanding when I realize... how I interpret what comes at me is a reflection of what is in me." When faced with a situation requiring patience ask yourself: Am I casting a positive image?
In this framework, more of my favorite wisdom comes from author Richard Carlson in his new book: Easier Than You Think. In it he explains, when we are with someone, we should make every effort to pay expert attention to that person. This engages them and often can diffuse a stressful situation by simply making them feel important. With this in mind, the next time you engage in conversation or even a casual chat with someone: ask yourself if you are creating a role model's image.
Compassion
Compassion, the third treasure. I often liken it to empathy. Although we cannot always know directly what it is like to be another, we can value everyone?s need to be heard. Conflict or anger is often a cry for help. We simply need to be aware of our circumstances in effort to create compassion in our lives. We will be called to help others as we become more enlightened vessels of peace. Events will come to us as a reflection of what we need to heal in ourselves.
Thomas Cleary reminds us we should always act in sincerity. In Taoist Meditation he writes: ?to choose what is good and hold onto it firmly is a matter of sincerity.? Compassion, as well, challenges us to define what is most important to us; a reoccurring theme throughout the three treasures. To me, this involves being awake and aware in our lives to see the ways in which we are available to give sincerity and service.
Today, be aware of the ways spirit is working through you. Remember: You are the vessel of peace for others and the world. I believe, the more we become vulnerable to trust and open ourselves to sincerity, the more we can allow compassionate behavior into our lives and become enlightened each and every day.
In Conclusion:
It is my wish these positive ideas enhance your life and bring you peace. Be conscious every day of the messages you are receiving, the people you meet, your experiences. It is amazing the way these simple ideas can enrich your life exponentially. Go forth then, and be aware. Place your attention on the three treasures: in the darkness they will bring you light.
Laura M. Turner is a 15-year veteran fitness instructor, fitness trainer and natural health practitioner. She hosts http://www.body-and-beauty.com a website dedicated to inspiring and educating others about the benefits of creativity, natural health and fitness. Check out Laura's latest book Spiritual Fitness: The 7-Steps to Living Well or subscribe FREE to her online magazine The New Body News and Wellness Letter: http://www.new-body-news.com
You Are Empowered By God In Your Finances
by Karon Thackston © 2006, All Rights Reserved In the first article I wrote dealing with empowerment ("You Are Empowered By God"), I outlined several principles that pertain to God's word with relation to answered prayers. We saw how God makes covenant promises (contract or agreement promises) and how we are empowered by God Himself to bring about many of the blessings that are mentioned in the Bible. Now let's look at how Father empowers us specifically in the area of finances. We Are No Longer Under Law, But Under Grace When we, as Christians, discuss finances the subject almost always goes toward tithing. One of the most popular scriptures quoted in relation to tithing is Malachi 3:10 which says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." The word "tithe" used here literally means "tenth." Under the Law, we were required to give a tenth of our first fruits to the Lord. But we aren't under Law since the resurrection of Jesus. Galatians 3:13-14 tells us, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." That should make it easy, right, since we are no longer obligated to give a tenth? That depends on your point of view. Since the time of Jesus, we have been empowered to control much of our financial blessing from Father. Basically, He has setup more of a reward system than a system of requirements. It works very simply: the more you give, the more He blesses. Look at Luke 6:38 which says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” With the same measure we use, God will measure back our blessing. If we give a tiny amount, our blessing will be tiny. If we give graciously and generously, Father's reward will be great! That scripture proves beyond a doubt that you cannot out give God. Here's another one from II Corinthians 9:6-8: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." What happens when we sow bountifully? We put God's word into motion and God is able to make all grace come our way. The use of the word "able" suggests that God requires us to make the first move and give. When we give generously, God will also make sure we always have all sufficiency in all things. That's a lot of "all's!" Don't live by the world's standard of penny-pinching and greed. Don't limit God's flow of financial blessing by strictly giving only a tenth of your first fruits. Instead, give in abundance and you'll release God's power so that you can receive in abundance, too!
Tired of prayers that seem to go unanswered? There is a defined process in God's word that brings about powerful results. Karon's book, The Faith Process (http://www.marketingwords.com/faith.html), shows you 10-steps that will empower you to receive everything that's rightfully yours as a child of the Almighty God.
Make Room for True Love �" Clear Your Space and Your Mind
As you begin to put your attention on manifesting your soul mate, you will want to do a space clearing throughout your home to release negative or obstructive energies left over from previous relationships. Even if you are in a new home or apartment, there can be residual negative energies from your past, or even the previous occupants or just from the environment. By intentionally clearing your energetic space you can begin with a clean slate. Simple Energy Clearing Techniques: The Native American practice of “smudging” is the practice of cleansing away negative energy with smoke from various herbs or resins including sage, cedar, sweetgrass and lavender. The tradition of smudging is becoming more commonplace and is one of the most popular clearing techniques. Your local metaphysical bookstore will have a variety of products available including smudge sticks, smudge wands, and smudge bundles. Select one that feels most comfortable to you. I prefer to use California sage and I like to smudge during the day. I begin by opening all the doors and windows and letting in as much sunshine as possible. I like to begin at the front door and systematically go through the entire home. You want to reach every corner, closet and room of your entire home. As you do this be mindful of your intention and your thoughts. In the Native American tradition it is common to pray throughout the entire process. You can use the prayers that feel most comfortable to you and something as simple as “I am grateful for the purification of this space” will also work. Your purpose is to clear all negative energy from your personal space and to welcome in new, fresh, positive energy that is supportive and loving. If you don’t like the smell of sage, or live in a small place or a home with less-than-excellent ventilation, here are some other space clearing techniques: Use your favorite incense. Move around your home in the same way as described above with three lit incense sticks. Pour a glass of clean water, add in a bit of your favorite perfume, then walk around the house dabbing the tip of a hankerchief in the cup and then generously “spritzing” the perfumed waters all about with the flick of a wrist. Another way to clear energy is to fill shot glasses with salt and put them in the corners of each room for several days. Place crystals with different properties in strategic areas to draw out and fend off negative energies.
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soulmate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
I want everyone to be free of constraints and conditioning, whether cultural, environmental or societal. When this happens, people will live with joy, love, gratitude, and abundance. When people engage fully in a Personal Growth journey they experience a new sense of freedom and purpose that they never had before. Personal Growth is, at its core, about nurturing the growth of an individual. We are holistic beings with a mind, body, and spirit. We live in a world where we are increasingly challenged to draw upon our full potential. Personal Growth helps us to rise to the occasion�"to become all that we may be and adapt to the lightning-speed changes in society. Personal Growth and Spiritual growth are very intertwined. As Teilhard de Chardin said, We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Is it an innate force that propels us forward to engage in life and everything around us? Some say the force is God, the Universe, the Divine Spirit, or something else. For me, it is the Spiritual that both moves and defines us. Personal Growth is the connection to that innate power, which allows an individual to grow and live life to the fullest. Many people are not aware or do not understand what Personal Growth is. I believe one of the core reasons is because it is called by so many names. Personal Growth may also be known by: self help, personal development, self-improvement, new age, and many others. In my opinion, once we choose a name for the concept of the growth of an individual, even more people will understand what’s possible for them and the world. I feel that Personal Growth is the best name. Personal Growth is a solo journey and one you don’t have to embark on alone. Even though you take the journey yourself, others are working on their journey as well. When we support each other everyone grows exponentially. For me, Personal Growth is a way of life �" a way of being, thinking, feeling, and acting. It begs the questions: What do you think about during the day? How do you feel most of the time? How proactive are you in life? To what level are you playing in life? Who are you? We are creatures of habit. Have you been thinking, feeling, or acting in a certain fashion for too long and want to break with old patterns? By fully embracing Personal Growth and taking action to change, you can transform your life and start thinking, feeling, and acting in brand new ways.
Manny Goldman is the founder and the visionary force behind PersonalGrowth.com. His vision is to create a community through PersonalGrowth.com that will transform the lives of billions of people. A community where it is normal for each person to share in each others’ successes, provide valuable support, encouragement and accountability. He envisions a world where Personal Growth is common practice and each person living their dreams to their full potential. http://www.personalgrowth.com
Coaching the vocation of mid-life
Coaching the vocation of mid-life by Milt Bullard - Correspondent Posted on October 21, 2005 http://www.brentwoodpress.com/html/bwdhome.htm Since moving here last July, one thing Craig Nathanson has noticed is ?the 10,000 people commuting out of Brentwood down Vasco Road to miserable jobs.? It reminds him, he adds, of his own life ?four years ago, when I left corporate America after 25 years.? Calling himself ?the vocational coach,? a trademark he instituted when he started his new business, Nathanson, 49, explains that he helps adults in their mid-lives ?discover and live their vocational passions. I?m not a traditional career counselor. I help people understand how to align their abilities and interests. I give them the momentum that they need. My goal is to help people discover what they are really passionate about doing, and then be able to make the money they need doing it.? To this end, Nathanson works with individual clients from four different countries and throughout the United States in weekly sessions, typically lasting from three to six months. Most of those he coaches are in their 40s, and a majority are women. Reflecting the results of the research he?s been conducting for his doctoral thesis over the past dozen years, Nathanson has found that ?what happens to people in their 40s is they come to the point of realizing it?s time to rediscover themselves. What we do defines what we are. When people are over 40, they want fulfillment. Many of us don?t ask if what we?re doing has value until that age. Society tends to ignore people over 40, and retirement is for people who don?t love what they do.? Noting that most of those who seek his services ?are coming out of some tragedy - illness, being laid off, divorced - Nathanson attributes to the latter and to newly empty nests the preponderance of women he coaches. The author of the book ?P is for Perfect,? published in Canada through a former client, Nathanson begins each coaching assignment with a 100-question assessment, ?helping one look at one?s whole life, the work in relation to other life aspects.? Although Nathanson speaks throughout the country, his clients come to him mostly through referrals. He regularly travels to Russia where, in his view, ?people don?t make any connections between joy and work.? Attributing his coaching skills to his academic research, corporate background, and personal experience, Nathanson says ?at the end of the day, I?m just the fellow who helps people find themselves.? Nathanson was born, and grew up, in San Francisco in, he remembers, a 300-square-foot apartment with his mom. They were poor enough, he recalls, to have to invent his own toys. He attended both San Francisco State and USF, earning two master?s degrees, one in telecommunications from Golden Gate University, and the other in human development from the Fielding Graduate Institute. In his pre-coaching days, Nathanson was a senior manager for Intel as well as one of the founders of an internet e-commerce company. With his wife and daughter and two sons, and as dictated by the job, he moved back and forth from Danville and Sacramento. Of his years as a corporate executive, Nathanson?s assessment is: ?I was good at it, but I was not liking it.? And so, effectively his own first client, he changed his life. Now in the process of finalizing a divorce, Nathanson admits, ?I?m living more of my research than I ever expected to. I walked away from the six-figure income. I gave up the fancy cars, and traded the 4,000-square foot mansion for a 400-square-foot apartment.? He also found himself with a prostate tumor, fortunately benign; used up his retirement funds; went through bankruptcy; and helped his middle son confront and combat a serious illness. The lesson, Nathanson believes, is that ?you must follow your heart. The world would be a better place if we all did what we love.? As an example, he cites ?the new generation, the 18-to-25-year-olds? who, he finds, ?really want a balanced lifestyle.? And Nathanson suspects that ?when they reach their 40s, we?re going to see a real paradigm switch.?
The Vocational Coach?s address is Suite D, 7960 Brentwood Blvd. The phone is 240-0770, and the fax is 240-0721. Online, the e-mail?s craig@thevocationalcoach.com, and there?s more information on the Web at www.thevocationalcoach.com.
Believe That God Has a Plan for You
It is very difficult to forgive someone else if you haven’t forgiven yourself. I don’t know about you, but I believe there is a Force greater than myself in this universe that has a plan for me. I truly feel I am a part of that plan. As I go around the world and learn about different religions and different cultures, I find myself talking to different groups about this concept. Do you believe there is Someone or some Force outside of you? We don’t have to agree religiously on any term, philosophical topic, doctrine, or any particular scripture. But the vast majority of people agree that there is a Force, or a Creator, larger than themselves. They may refer to it as God, or label this Force as something else. I am going to try, if I may, to stay clear of any particular religious viewpoint and to approach this very generically, allowing you to put your own label where you are comfortable. As we try to live and follow the plan for our lives, one day we may find ourselves in a position where we do something wrong that causes feelings of guilt to flow into our conscience. It happens to all of us, doesn’t it? Do you know the feeling I am referring to, that guilty feeling? It can come from little things we do in our life. Sometimes those things can be a bit larger, and then there are even bigger mistakes than that. In other words, there is a whole spectrum of mistakes that we make in life. For some of those things, we move on quickly, putting them out of our mind. Then there are the larger mistakes. Why are you still packing around a burden that holds you back from becoming the best person you can be? We have forgotten how to forgive each other or have chosen not to. All the major conflicts of the world can be linked to non-forgiveness. We need to shout forgiveness from the rooftops and the mountaintops because non-forgiveness is the root cause of the majority of the problems that we face in the world today.
Mark Victor Hansen, best known as the co-creator of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ empire (which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling non-fiction book series ever), is a walking success magnet! Between his books and speeches, Mark has helped countless millions of people become their very best. Visit Mark’s 101 E-Book Library at http://www.IdeasThatCanChangeYourLife.com.
Healing the Heart
Whether we endured a difficult childhood or experienced rejection from a hurtful lover, we all have emotional wounds in need of healing. As part of the preparation for magnetizing your soul mate you must now decide to actively begin healing the deepest wounds of your heart. Please note that I said to “begin” the healing process. For many of us this may be a lifelong process and it doesn’t mean you have to be fully healed to manifest your soul mate. In fact, one of the things a soul mate does is HELP you to heal your deepest wounds. BUT . . . I believe you really do need to clear out the stuff that is KEEPING you from having your soul mate in your life. If the walls around your heart are ten feet thick and you are unaware that you are blocking love from entering you will be sending the Universe mixed messages. One part of you will be a giant YES to having a relationship while your wounded heart is unconsciously saying “No, I am afraid of being hurt again.” Your job now is to uncover the wounds and begin the healing process so that you can send a clear signal that you are now ready for love. Forgiveness is often a two-part process: first, it involves forgiving those that hurt you and second, it means forgiving yourself for all of the times you didn’t listen to your intuition, or made unfortunate choices, or any of the hundreds of other things we blame ourselves for. In order to manifest your soul mate you really do need to clear the emotional and psychic clutter of your past. By not doing so you take the risk of attracting the same type of person you have failed with in the past. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. If you have emotional baggage around relationships, commit right now to working through it and begin laying the ground for a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life with your soul mate.
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soul mate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soul mate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
Dancing with the Squirrels
I was sitting in my chair going through a large cookbook that had belonged to my grandmother when the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came into the room. "Are you reading a cookbook?" she asked. Let me stop here and just start from the beginning. It all started several months ago when my wife and I tucked ourselves in for a nice evening sleep. I had just gotten to the point where I was ready to drift off into la-la-land when I felt a sharp pain in my right rib cage. Ever since God created Eve from one of Adam's ribs, wives have been poking men in this delicate part of his anatomy. "Did you hear that noise?" she whispered. My only sensation at the time was the pain in my right rib cage. I began to say something and then she shouted in my ear, "shhhhh. There it is again." When the buzzing in my ear subsided, I began to hear the sound that had alarmed her so. It was a faint scratching noise coming from the ceiling. Straining our ears, we could not determine what was making that noise. I suggested it was a snake and my wife hit me with her pillow. I am so glad the nightlight is on the stand on my side of the bed, far from her reach. The scratching continued all night long as well as the guessing as to the nature of the scratching. Our guessing ranged from my snake (which I only mentioned once for obvious reasons) to mice and then to termites. During the next few days, the scratching not only continued but also seemed to accelerate. By this time, it sounded like a dance party going on in our attic every evening. It was then that the ultimatum came to Yours Truly. "If you don't do something about that noise in the attic," my wife stated most emphatically, "I'm going to know the reason why." Ultimatums like this do not really make sense, at least to me. I could do several things about the noise in the attic. For one I could ignore it. However, if I ignore it I am quite sure my wife will not ignore me. After vigorous investigation on my part, I discovered the source of all that noise in the attic. We had been invaded by, of all things, squirrels. I made this discovery quite by accident. It was right after supper I was out in the backyard doing something and I noticed a squirrel running towards our house. I did not pay too much attention to it and then the squirrel ran up the wall of our house and disappeared under the eaves. Upon investigation, I discovered a small hole at that part of our house. When some people look at squirrels, they see a cute fluffy little critter. When I see a squirrel, I see a terrorist. Now that I knew what the noise in the attic was, I set about to deal with it. The first thing I did was patch up the hole allowing the squirrels access to my attic. With all the confidence of a husband who is basically insane, I reported to my wife that I had solved our noise "in the attic" problem. I love it when a plan comes together. That night I planned to have the first quiet night in about a month. As soon as we settled down the noise in the attic began. The next they I discovered the squirrels had dug out the hole and resumed their access to our attic. I fixed them by filling that hole with Brillo pads from the kitchen. They fixed me by digging out all those Brillo pads. Somebody told me squirrels hate mothballs and if I put mothballs in the attic, they would stay away. I did it and all night long the squirrels played marbles with those mothballs. Some people say squirrels are very smart. However, don't you believe it. They think every night is Saturday and they have a dance party every night. I must say I am not into dance. I have biblical feet when it comes to dancing. My left foot never knows what my right foot is doing. I have tried everything to deal with this squirrel in the attic problem. I tried reasoning with them. "Look here, squirrels," I reasoned, "squirrels live in trees not attics." They just sat there looking at me with their big fluffy tails flinching behind them. Then they scampered up the house wall and into the attic. I have also tried bribery. "Look here, squirrels," I bribed, "I will give you all the nuts you can eat if you leave my attic tonight." Then I put a cache of nuts way in the back of our property under some very nice trees. They took all of my nuts and ran up my house wall and back into the attic. Now, getting back to that cookbook. "Are you reading a cookbook?" my wife asked. "Yes," I said in a very calm manner, "I'm looking up grandmother's recipe for squirrel pot pie." I was reminded of a verse in the Bible. "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” James 3:5 (KJV). It is not the big things in life to give us the most trouble; rather it is the accumulation of all those small things.
James L. Snyder is an award winning author and popular columnist living with his wife, Martha, in Ocala, Florida and can be contacted at jamessnyder2@att.net.
Communicate
I accept myself as I freely communicate. As I speak, my self- acceptance at the same time will shine Light out of the window of my soul. Self acceptance brings me in the present moment, which is the only true vehicle of authentic communication. If you read my blog about communication you would know that I have been working on a message that will be presented in our upcoming infomercial and the challenge I was facing in creating the message. This article is to continue the subject of communication and all the ways in which we communicate to ourselves and the world around us. I have discovered a huge array of ways that we communicate. There are probably 10,000 ways we communicate, the way we walk, talk, drive, dress, the house we live in, the way we look at one another, the frowns, the smiles, the music we listen to and even our hobbies just to name a few. Since I typically wear jeans and cowboy boots, I would be communicating silently the western or cowboy way of life. With so many forms of communications to choose from it is hard to know where to begin. Let's start with our voice which includes not only the words we choose to speak but the tone in which we speak them, the volume we use, and the change of pitch along with the emphasis we use as we speak these words. Sometimes we are not even aware of exactly how we have said our words or the impact they have left behind. It is a good idea to be conscious of our words. The Bible even says to be careful of the tongue (not a direct quote, but you get it). We communicate through the way we write and the meanings behind the words. They can be interpreted in a million different ways, depending on who is reading them and how they feel at that particular moment, what they believe and how they perceive what has been written. Then we communicate through pictures. We can get many varied ideas while looking at a picture, and see many different aspects of life all in one picture. As the saying goes "one picture is worth a 1,000 words". That is so true. Even a picture in your own mind can reveal untold volumes about our coming actions or events in our lives. We have a blank canvas in our minds to create pictures as to what we want or what we dream of in the future. I'm reminded too of the saying my mother was fond of when we were kids "little pictures have big ears"! And of course we also have sign language as a form of communication, which is an art of its own. Along with other forms of communication we look back in time and see the caveman drawings, and the signs or painting on the cliff walls left by the Indians. Ever try to guess what the ancient Egyptians were trying to tell us with the pyramids? But perhaps the most important communication is the conversations we have with ourselves and then next with the people we desire to connect with. I recently ran across a quote by Malcolm Forbes, "People will forget what you said; People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel". When we communicate with ourselves and the world how do we want them to feel after we are gone? Yes, even ourselves; do I want my communication with myself to leave me feeling positive? Accept myself, communicate honestly with myself, be authentic knowing I have the ability to change how I communicate and therefore how I am. As I personally don't tend to be the most outspoken person, although there are definitely certain subjects that once you get me started talking about I can go on forever. I still believe writing is the best form for me to communicate my true thoughts, whether it is in articles, stories, poetry, prayers and an upcoming book. Take a look at your own unique style of communicating and make sure it is authentic in order to let your light shine. Rebecca Hofeldt
Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player, Rebecca Hofeldt fulfills her Entrepreneurial Calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: Success
WithInAsThru You �" The Real Power You Are!
The buzz these days is all about "self-help" and "personal growth." However, many teachers would have us forever seeking something outside of us in order to change or become, when actually the opposite is true. How many times have we heard, "the world is changing"? Or, "things are different now." Well, change is an eternal truth. And the clearest truth of all is that the world is changing WithInAsThru You!
How would you live your life differently if you truly understood that you're already the answer to ever question you've ever asked? Would you show up differently each day? Would you treat others differently? Would you even be the same person if you believed - really believed - that you are the source of your own happiness, health and success?
Nothing in your life is ever happening to you. Your life, as you live IT, IS occurring WithInAsThru you. The path to enlightened living is formed by taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Everything that is experienced, attracted, felt and observed occurs with, in, as and through every one of us. Your life, as you live it, is occurring withinasthru you.
The idea of WithInAsThru may be new to many people, but parallel concepts have been around for centuries. Every great teacher that has ever lived has taught that the key to personal awareness lies in finding the source within our selves. It has been called many things: ecstasy of silence, contemplation, inner reflection and meditation. But whatever name it goes by, the intended result is the same: a deeper connection to one's own self.
Withinasthru holds profound implications for your life and your future. It has attracted thousands of minds to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters (http://www.WithInAsThru.com) because of its irresistible simplicity.
The first step is to open your mind. Make your desires clear and begin to create with what you already have withinasthru you. Open your mind and trust that whatever you conceive, whatever you know, whatever you produce, has always been in you, has always been you. You created it long before you became consciously aware of creating it.
While many people are spending their money, time and energy trying to change who they are, the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters offer simple and practical systems such as writing and meditating that celebrate who you already are.
Stepping into unfamiliar territory can be daunting, but remember that no enlightened idea ever came out of routine thinking. The WithInAsThru yoU! Letters is a series of letters offering simple perceptual techniques to keep your thinking on track, as well as recordings and links to other sites that can help you get comfortable with new ideas and processes. There are individual phone sessions available, as well as inspiring thoughts and inspirations.
Go here now to subscribe to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters: http://www.WithInAsThru.com
Remember, you've been the answer to every question you've ever asked because your life, as you live it, is already occurring withinasthru you. Now isn't it time you stepped into your real power?
Scott Kiere – Spiritual Wisdom & Direction, Social Entrepreneur, Visionary Strategist & Poet – (http://www.ScottKiere.com) is Co-founder of MECA Communications, Inc. and serves on the board of directors for Social Venture Network. Scott’s eZine, "WithInAsThru yoU! Letters" is available at http://www.WithInAsThru.com.
Simplicity, Patience And Compassion: The Three Treasures
According to Eastern tradition there are three treasures on the pathway to enlightenment: simplicity, patience and compassion. At first glance, such simple ideas. Yet after contemplation one easily recognizes: it?s these basic thoughts, when woven into our day, that can lead each of us to a contemplative, peaceful and more fulfilling life.
In this short article then, I invite you to take a page from Eastern religion: explore the three treasures and become aware of your relationship to them.
Simplicity
The first treasure: simplicity. Simplicity in thought and action. According to author Thomas Cleary in his translation of Taoist Meditation, simplicity leads the seeker on the Way. Simplicity of thought, he tells us, can often be brought about by silence. And in the silence, we gain personal wisdom. If finding 10 or 20 minutes each day to rest quietly or meditate could bring you closer to peace, would you be more conscientious in devoting this time?
Simplicity of action, however, feels a greater challenge. It involves priorities and discovering what is truly important. Here?s how I personally handle this: When I feel overwhelmed by my ?to-do list? I create a game by challenging myself to let go of everything I can do without. Then, I remove as many things as I can from my list. What I am left with are those items of greatest importance. I devote as much time necessary to completing each task with joy and precision.
Try it now. What can you remove from the task list today that could bring you closer to simplifying your life? What will you place your attention on?
Patience
Treasure number two: patience. Yes, the virtue. And just like simplicity, it is also a challenge to move slowly through tasks until they have been completed or to remain calm when dealing with someone outrageous. I?ve found that we are often mirror images of others and attract to us parts of ourselves. This is important to note as it could manifest positive or negative events, depending on mindset. In this light, Inalya Vanzant reminds us to keep thoughts pure. She tells us to remind ourselves: "I will gain more understanding when I realize... how I interpret what comes at me is a reflection of what is in me." When faced with a situation requiring patience ask yourself: Am I casting a positive image?
In this framework, more of my favorite wisdom comes from author Richard Carlson in his new book: Easier Than You Think. In it he explains, when we are with someone, we should make every effort to pay expert attention to that person. This engages them and often can diffuse a stressful situation by simply making them feel important. With this in mind, the next time you engage in conversation or even a casual chat with someone: ask yourself if you are creating a role model's image.
Compassion
Compassion, the third treasure. I often liken it to empathy. Although we cannot always know directly what it is like to be another, we can value everyone?s need to be heard. Conflict or anger is often a cry for help. We simply need to be aware of our circumstances in effort to create compassion in our lives. We will be called to help others as we become more enlightened vessels of peace. Events will come to us as a reflection of what we need to heal in ourselves.
Thomas Cleary reminds us we should always act in sincerity. In Taoist Meditation he writes: ?to choose what is good and hold onto it firmly is a matter of sincerity.? Compassion, as well, challenges us to define what is most important to us; a reoccurring theme throughout the three treasures. To me, this involves being awake and aware in our lives to see the ways in which we are available to give sincerity and service.
Today, be aware of the ways spirit is working through you. Remember: You are the vessel of peace for others and the world. I believe, the more we become vulnerable to trust and open ourselves to sincerity, the more we can allow compassionate behavior into our lives and become enlightened each and every day.
In Conclusion:
It is my wish these positive ideas enhance your life and bring you peace. Be conscious every day of the messages you are receiving, the people you meet, your experiences. It is amazing the way these simple ideas can enrich your life exponentially. Go forth then, and be aware. Place your attention on the three treasures: in the darkness they will bring you light.
Laura M. Turner is a 15-year veteran fitness instructor, fitness trainer and natural health practitioner. She hosts http://www.body-and-beauty.com a website dedicated to inspiring and educating others about the benefits of creativity, natural health and fitness. Check out Laura's latest book Spiritual Fitness: The 7-Steps to Living Well or subscribe FREE to her online magazine The New Body News and Wellness Letter: http://www.new-body-news.com
You Are Empowered By God In Your Finances
by Karon Thackston © 2006, All Rights Reserved In the first article I wrote dealing with empowerment ("You Are Empowered By God"), I outlined several principles that pertain to God's word with relation to answered prayers. We saw how God makes covenant promises (contract or agreement promises) and how we are empowered by God Himself to bring about many of the blessings that are mentioned in the Bible. Now let's look at how Father empowers us specifically in the area of finances. We Are No Longer Under Law, But Under Grace When we, as Christians, discuss finances the subject almost always goes toward tithing. One of the most popular scriptures quoted in relation to tithing is Malachi 3:10 which says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." The word "tithe" used here literally means "tenth." Under the Law, we were required to give a tenth of our first fruits to the Lord. But we aren't under Law since the resurrection of Jesus. Galatians 3:13-14 tells us, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." That should make it easy, right, since we are no longer obligated to give a tenth? That depends on your point of view. Since the time of Jesus, we have been empowered to control much of our financial blessing from Father. Basically, He has setup more of a reward system than a system of requirements. It works very simply: the more you give, the more He blesses. Look at Luke 6:38 which says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” With the same measure we use, God will measure back our blessing. If we give a tiny amount, our blessing will be tiny. If we give graciously and generously, Father's reward will be great! That scripture proves beyond a doubt that you cannot out give God. Here's another one from II Corinthians 9:6-8: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." What happens when we sow bountifully? We put God's word into motion and God is able to make all grace come our way. The use of the word "able" suggests that God requires us to make the first move and give. When we give generously, God will also make sure we always have all sufficiency in all things. That's a lot of "all's!" Don't live by the world's standard of penny-pinching and greed. Don't limit God's flow of financial blessing by strictly giving only a tenth of your first fruits. Instead, give in abundance and you'll release God's power so that you can receive in abundance, too!
Tired of prayers that seem to go unanswered? There is a defined process in God's word that brings about powerful results. Karon's book, The Faith Process (http://www.marketingwords.com/faith.html), shows you 10-steps that will empower you to receive everything that's rightfully yours as a child of the Almighty God.
Make Room for True Love �" Clear Your Space and Your Mind
As you begin to put your attention on manifesting your soul mate, you will want to do a space clearing throughout your home to release negative or obstructive energies left over from previous relationships. Even if you are in a new home or apartment, there can be residual negative energies from your past, or even the previous occupants or just from the environment. By intentionally clearing your energetic space you can begin with a clean slate. Simple Energy Clearing Techniques: The Native American practice of “smudging” is the practice of cleansing away negative energy with smoke from various herbs or resins including sage, cedar, sweetgrass and lavender. The tradition of smudging is becoming more commonplace and is one of the most popular clearing techniques. Your local metaphysical bookstore will have a variety of products available including smudge sticks, smudge wands, and smudge bundles. Select one that feels most comfortable to you. I prefer to use California sage and I like to smudge during the day. I begin by opening all the doors and windows and letting in as much sunshine as possible. I like to begin at the front door and systematically go through the entire home. You want to reach every corner, closet and room of your entire home. As you do this be mindful of your intention and your thoughts. In the Native American tradition it is common to pray throughout the entire process. You can use the prayers that feel most comfortable to you and something as simple as “I am grateful for the purification of this space” will also work. Your purpose is to clear all negative energy from your personal space and to welcome in new, fresh, positive energy that is supportive and loving. If you don’t like the smell of sage, or live in a small place or a home with less-than-excellent ventilation, here are some other space clearing techniques: Use your favorite incense. Move around your home in the same way as described above with three lit incense sticks. Pour a glass of clean water, add in a bit of your favorite perfume, then walk around the house dabbing the tip of a hankerchief in the cup and then generously “spritzing” the perfumed waters all about with the flick of a wrist. Another way to clear energy is to fill shot glasses with salt and put them in the corners of each room for several days. Place crystals with different properties in strategic areas to draw out and fend off negative energies.
Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soulmate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com.
Maria Duval - Finding The Gift In Every Situation
Finding The Gift In Every Situation
When life places obstacles in our path, when things seem like they're breaking down and we grow weary of the struggle, it's a good time to step back and look for the gift. What gift, you say?
Every situation and experience in life holds a gift, lesson or blessing for us. Yes, even the really painful experiences, like the loss of a loved one, an automobile accident, or natural disaster. There is a gift there, if we look for it.
To find the gift, we simply have to ask ourselves, "What positive lesson can I learn from this? How can this situation benefit me? What wisdom can I gain from this experience? What makes this situation worthwhile to experience in my life?" We can learn from anything in our lives, from a snag in our pantyhose to a migraine headache. We can learn from our disappointments, our heartaches, and our joy.
We can do this with any situation too, not just negative ones. Where is the gift in a boring Sunday afternoon, a crying infant or a gray, rainy wedding day? All we need to do is choose to see the positive side of the situation. The gift of a boring Sunday afternoon might be expressing gratitude for having some free time to express our creativity or enjoy a good book. A crying infant can teach us patience, compassion and nuturing. A rainy wedding day can help us understand what really matters, the celebration of love and meaningful connections with our friends and family.
Of course, when truly wonderful things happen to us, we don't need to really look for the gift then, do we? We already know what it is. During the happier moments of our lives, we can further honor this positive energy by expressing our deepest gratitude and joy. Rather than just feeling glad about our good fortune, we can purposely focus our thoughts on massive amounts of joy and gratitude, and consciously immerse ourselves in happiness. We can shout our thanks to the heavens and affirm that we welcome even more blessings in our lives.
Choosing to focus on the positive side doesn't mean living our lives in denial. It doesn't mean refusing to acknowledge the negative or mundane aspects of our lives. It means we see them, we accept them, and then we look beyond them rather than getting mired in negative thoughts and letting them affect the rest of our day.
Looking for the gift means choosing to lift our thoughts higher than our struggles. It removes us from our victim status and empowers us. No matter what happens in our lives, we have the ability to choose our attitude and our mindset. We can choose to focus on happiness, joy, love and gratitude, or we can stay mired in unhappiness and struggle.
Focusing on the gifts and blessings in our lives won't make all of our problems vanish overnight, or at all. But it reduces their importance and helps them to fade into the background a bit. We create in our lives what we focus on the most. By choosing to focus on the positive, we attract more positive energy into our lives.
Stop for a moment and look at your surroundings right now. What gifts or lessons are available to you in your current circumstances? And will you choose to embrace them and fully benefit from them?
Wendy Betterini is a freelance writer who strives to motivate, uplift, and inspire you to make your dreams a reality. Visit her website, http://www.WingsForTheHeart.com for more positive thoughts to help you on your journey.
Self-Talk: How to Talk Your Way to success
OUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS We all have a small voice inside our head talking to us all the time. You probably just heard it say, "What small voice?" Every one of us is the result of what that little voice has been saying to us over the years. We are either the victim of, or the benefactor of those words. Tom Monahan was a very productive member of my sales staff a few years ago. During one of our Monday morning meetings, I asked Tom for the name of the prospect he was just describing, and his response was, "I don't remember. I can never remember names." I asked Tom if he thought it would help in his career if he could actually be better at remembering the names of people he meets. He responded and said, "Sure, but I just can't remember names." I then gave him the first tip. I said, "Stop saying that you can't remember names." Psychologists tell us that we have both a conscious and subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind is the world's most powerful computer. It does exactly what it is told. No more, and no less. Our conscious mind acts as the computer programmer, giving instructions to the computer, our subconscious mind. Tom's programmer, his conscious mind, was programming his computer, the subconscious mind, to forget any name he hears, because he "can't remember names". His subconscious mind accepted that command without question. AFFIRMATIONS Affirmations are statements we make that we believe to be true, and they affect our behavior. For years Tom repeated his affirmation, "I can't remember names", so that now his subconscious mind paid no attention to names he heard. My strategy for Tom was to change his affirmation from negative to positive. For affirmations to have the most positive effect, they must include the "Three Ps", � Positive — If Tom's affirmation was phrased as, "I will stop forgetting names", the affirmation is simply a reminder to the subconscious about his long history of forgetting names. It must be phrased as a positive. � Present Tense — If the affirmation is, "Someday I will be good at remembering names", the results will not come, become "someday" never arrives. � Personal — The affirmation must be something that you can accept and believe, not mere words you heard somewhere. In Tom's case, the affirmation that he decided to use was, � "I'm getting better all the time at remembering names", which was clearly o Positive o Present Tense o Personal. I told him to write that affirmation on 3x5 cards and carry them with him, clip one to the sun visor in his car, on his bathroom mirror, on the alarm clock, and anywhere else he will see it on a daily basis. I told him his results would be guaranteed if he repeated that affirmation at least 25 times in the morning, 25 times at midday, and 25 times in the evening for the 21 days it takes to form a new habit. GOALS One of the keys to making progress is being able to measure it. My management philosophy has always been, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it", and the clearest way to measure progress is by setting goals. I asked Tom if he would be meeting anyone for the first time in the next week, and he replied, "Sure. I'm in sales. I meet new people every day." We then set a goal for him to come back the following Monday and give me the name of someone he met, along with a description of them. When asked if he could commit to that goal, he replied, "yes". I then also had him write down the goal on 3x5 cards to carry with him and place them in highly visible locations. The following Monday Tom came into my office with the biggest grin I had ever seen. I asked if he met his goal. He said, "I have the names of FOUR people I met, and I can describe all of them them in detail". He then said, "You know, I really AM getting better at remembering names." Tom no longer had a problem with names. CONCLUSION What instructions has your inner programmer been giving to YOUR subconscious mind? How often is it saying, "can't" or "won't"? Make the decision today to turn your life in a more positive direction. Resolve today to create some new affirmations for yourself, with the 3 Ps: Personal, Present Tense and Positive. Set goals to measure your progress, and begin a new, more positive, stress-free life. Remember the old saying, "If you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are absolutely right!"
Howard Tangler has devoted more than 30 years to helping people live their dreams. Henry David Thoreau said, �"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation�. Tangler has guided countless thousands of people out of that misery to a life they dreamed of, but never thought they could achieve. They now found they could live their dreams every day when they followed his advice and counsel. His tips and strategies have proven their worth over the years. To learn more about what Howard Tangler has to say, click the link, http://www.StressFreeLifeStrategies.com
The 2 Modes Of Expressing Yourself �" Which Mode Do You Use Most?
We find that there is 2 ways of looking at any situation we
may find ourselves in. For instance you may have heard the
saying…
“Is the glass half empty or is the glass still half full?”
These 2 ways of expression may well refer to the same
situation, yet if we examine them both we will see that
they actually divide the world around us into light or
darkness, into positive or negative, into plus or minus.
Now which of the 2 modes do you use most when you
are thinking everyday?
Your mode of thinking leads to attracting those very
things into your life. If your goal is to make more
money and spend less time working, then you are going
to have to focus on thinking about success, and not
fearing it.
If your thinking is all dark and negative… if you always
fear failure, then you will most definitely fail. Even
to run away from your given circumstances will do you
no good. You see your circumstances will only follow
you wherever you go.
This is because your environment and present
circumstances cannot change for you until your mind
and heart does!
You cannot become unhappy if there is no doubt or
negativity in your mind, to make you unhappy.
Researchers state that the average person thinks about
70,000 thoughts each and every day. Now just imagine
the potential of your thoughts if only a fraction
were backed up by positive modes of thought and
creative action.
Unfortunately for most men and women, virtually all of
these thoughts are the same ones that the individual
has always thought about over a long period of time.
In addition, the great majority of these thoughts are
negative by nature, which in turn creates a current
negative present time in your life…
A good example of this is that most people do not
believe that wealth and prosperity is a lifestyle
choice which is fully within their own control…
Many people hold the belief that the only way they
will ever get rich is by robbing a bank, breaking
the law or by winning the lottery etc…
Other people’s skepticism can also be just enough
to kill your desire - to pursue what may have
otherwise been a fantastic opportunity for you.
Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well,
and nothing that is worth doing well can be done
without positive effort!
Still though, many people work themselves to the
bone instead of spending more time with their
creative thought because they are ruled by fear
and by pressure to “make something of themselves”
that society expects of them.
How many of your 70,000 daily thoughts are spend
on worry and fear as opposed to the creative and
positive process?
Don't let fear and worry rule over your life
anymore. Use your mind power to attract every
positive thing in life which you could ever
hope for or desire.
Go for your dreams and ignore anything else but
your creative positive mind.
Try to never take what negative-people say to you
seriously… as it is sure to discourage you from
your efforts, but this is only if you let it do so!
Dale Odeyemi, is the developer of a great new resource on personal power and development. So if you would like to get your hands on 10 Mind-Power Lessons at absolutely no cost to you whatsoever? Then simply visit http://www.YourMindPowers.com Create the life you desire - Starting Right Now...
ACTIVATE THE ENERGY OF THE UNIVERSE
Did you know that you can not create energy yourself? You can just activate the universal energy, which exists always and will always exist. This Energy gave you life. It’s always there, at every moment, for everyone. There is no such thing like people with a lot of energy and other ones without energy. The difference is that energetic people know how to activate this always available energy. And the low energy people, they block this energy, which is although always available for them too! Energy does not decide something like :”Hey I like this one so I will send her energy, and the other one over there I don’t like so he won’t get any of my energy”. This is nonsense! The same counts for diseases. A disease does not “choose” a body to attack. How would it do it? Can you imagine a cancer saying : “I don’t like the way he cuts his hair, so I will attack his liver?” or “I can’t stand the way she talks so I will attack her breast?” There is no such thing. It would be absurd. We have much more to say to our body and our life than we can understand for now or than we will want to admit for ourselves. Because to understand this is to take responsibility. Once we know that we “ask” for disease - by thinking of it all the time, by running from one doctor to another, by reading all articles about diseases in magazines, by telling our friends and family about all our pains and troubles - than we have to change our behavior and start to behave like a healthy person, who tries to understand why he got ill, and tries to see how he can change his way of thinking and handling to stay healthy. It’s much the same for energy. Energy is always there. It never goes away, it never slows down, otherwise our whole galaxy would fall apart. The same energy which holds the stars at place in the sky, which makes grass grow and turn the earth on his own axis, is available for us. Can you imagine? It’s tremendous and there for us! You can activate this energy for you by thinking the right thoughts, that is thoughts which stimulate you instead of turning you down, thoughts which bring you health instead of disease, thoughts which make you feel loved instead of fearing loneliness, thoughts which bring you wealth instead of poverty. Is thinking about all this nice stuff enough to bring it into your life? No! Otherwise it would be so easy just to lean back and think about everything you want and floops….it’s there! We all would be fairies and make the world whatever we want without doing anything. Luckily it doesn’t work like that! It would be dangerous! We need something else to make our thoughts create what we want : it is action. The combination of both will give us what we want : dreaming about what we want and putting ourselves into action, that is taking steps in the direction of our thoughts. At each step we take, the universe also takes a step toward us. By our thoughts and our actions we activate this enormous universal energy to work for us. We make it move in the direction of realizing our dreams. So the formula is pretty simple : first you dream, than you take action in the direction of your dream. This will generate energy to help you take the next step. The energy generated by this step will help you take the next step. And so on…. How do you know which action to take? Follow your guts, follow your intuïtion. It’s the best guide you can find! Stop worrying. Instead dream, think of what you want and get yourself moving in the direction of your dream. That’s it. Watch what’s happening. Let the mystery unfold itself.
Written by Ineke, psychologist, mother of four children. I offer you two free e-courses to learn who you are, why you are here, how to create passion, freedom and abundance! Say yes! Reward : an everlasting enthusiasm!
Help Yourself to a Better Life
The self-help industry has always been plagued by a bad reputation of being filled with hucksters who only care about making a fast buck and who aren't really concerned with actually helping other people. The products and services offered by self-styled gurus are often thought of as the next generation of the snake oil salesman, who'll be off to the next town with your money before you realize you've been taken with a lot of false promises.
It's easy for unscrupulous people to prey on those who feel hopeless and out of control. A snazzy sales page suggesting that a product is the solution to a reader's problems will draw people in, and the writer may not care if their book or product really helps people, as long as they get the sale.
Behavior like this can give the whole industry a bad name, but the truth is there are a lot of people out there who really are dedicated to helping people and to changing the world one person at a time.
If you do a little digging, which is easier and easier to do online, you can find out all about the "gurus" and find plenty of blog posts, web pages and reports about the success or lack thereof that people have had from different products. Of course you'll probably find mixed reports on everyone who's ever put out a product, but if an overwhelming number of people seem to have a negative opinion of a person or product, that's one you'll want to shy away from.
If, on the other hand, you're finding a lot of people singing the praises of a particular writer or method, that might be something worth checking out. For instance many people have reported very positive results from reading and watching "The Secret" and following the methods outlined there to change their lives.
Not only can you read and study "The Secret," but you can also check out the works of people featured in the movie and the book such as Abraham and Esther Hicks and Joe Vitale. You can infer from liking the tone and message of "The Secret" that you will like their products and their message as well.
Likewise if you find some other book or website that you like, look at the people who have written blurbs for the book or offer testimonials for the product. They might have other products or ideas that you would find attractive.
The main thing you need to do when seeking self-help advice is not to just give a bunch of money to the first person you come to online with a snazzy sales page and a lot of big promises. Do your homework, ask people you know if they've used a product or read a particular book, and learn all you can about the guru in question before handing over any money.
In the end, choosing self-help materials does involve a bit of a gut feeling, but it should be a gut feeling backed up by a reasonable amount of research.
Marisa Singhnarinaath is passionate about helping people solve life's problems through self-help products and understanding the law of attraction. Learn more at Self Help Product Reviews.
99 Octane Motivation Fuel
Keep them Euphoric: 5 more ways to turbocharge employees.
These are five additional ways that you can successfully create an encouraging work environment while increasing employee.
1.Distinguish your employees. It is essential that you empathize with your employees. Know about their family; know about what they do after hours, what interests them. This is not meant to be prying into an employee?s personal life, but knowing an employee can help you to resolve what motivates that employee. Different people are motivated by dissimilar things. What does the employee want? What do they want from this job, from their life, and for their future? Reaching goals can be difficult. Helping someone to reach a goal at work is impossible if you do not know what that goal is.
2.Discover more. It is your responsibility to create enthusiasm in the workplace. Therefore it is up to you to continue to study innovative ways to spur employees to action. You might opt to take classes that offered as short courses at HR firms or online universities. This will give you a fabulous opportunity to continue to learn new ways to stimulate your employees
3.Splurge special time with your employees. Take a few minutes out of your day to just talk with your employees. Give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns or simply ask how their week went. This will demonstrate how much you care about his or her happiness within the company. You can also schedule performance reviews either once a month, once a year or however often is comfortable for you. This will allow you time to sit down and spend a little more time with the employee and give you a chance to discuss the highs and lows of the period in which the review is accomplished. Positive conversations, even on a casual level are a great way to increase employee motivation. Schedule one-on-ones and leave titles at the door.
4.Understand the employees? feelings about their career. Most employees start out in a job on the bottom with hopes of advancement. One way to increase employee drive is to discuss the likelihood of advancement or lateral movement within the company structure. It might be a different position, or a promotion, in a sister company. Your employees should know that you care about the things that they care about. Let them know that you are there to help them achieve their goals and they will give you 110%
5.Be transparent. You as a manager know what it feels like when a higher up seems to be keeping something from you. Even though there may not be a secret, the big boss still hasn?t informed you on what is going on. Your employees may feel this way consistently. It is very important to keep employees informed about issues that arise in the company even if it does not directly affect them. Employees want to know about the company and they want to be involved. It is a good idea to have regular ?catch-up? meetings, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Prepare employees if a major event is going to happen, such as a leveraged buyout or inspection by the CEO. Another way to explode inspiration among employees is to hold consultations when the company is planning on changing existing policies. Invite feed back from the employees and ask if they have any ideas about how to resolve the issue.
You as manager holds the keys to create a work environment that beneficial for company and employee growth. Sun Tzu asserts that ?You are only as strong as your weakest link?. Increasing motivation among employees will make each link a little stronger and forge a tougher backbone for the company.
A master of manifestation to his associates, Joseph R. Plazo offers intense executive coaching so people can find jobs and build careers.
The Value Of Associations
This past week I ran into a friend of mine who I hadn't seen in quite some time. It was good to see him again, at least for a few minutes.
Then I remembered why I stopped associating with him in the first place.
The guy has a big heart, and you can't help but love him. Unfortunately, he is also an incessant whiner.
He is always going on about how he doesn't make enough money with his job, and how things never seem to go right for him in life. No matter what you say to him there is no shaking his loser mantality. He has chosen to be the victim in life, and to be quite honest I think he enjoys it.
But it doesn't stop there. It's not enough for him to mope and complain about his own life, he does his best to bring the people around him down as well.
He asked me how my 'little internet business' was going. Remember it's been a long time since we had spoken last.
I certainly didn't want to rub anything in here, so I just told him politely that things were moving along and that I had quit my job as a delivery driver last year.
I could see the irritation in his face. This guy was genuinely distraught over my success.
He gave a grunt and said "Well good luck."
But he didn't really mean 'Good luck'. What he meant was 'I hope you fall flat on your face and have to go back to your old job so I can feel better about who I am'.
He's a loser because he projects nothing but negative energy into his own life, and he wants everyone around him fail and be miserable alongside him. No thanks.
I spent just a couple more minutes chatting with him, then told him I had to run.
I really do wish him the best, but I'm certainly not going to spend my precious time letting him sap the life out of me with his pity party no-hoper mentaility. There are plenty of positive, success-minded people for me to hang out with and that's where I prefer to spend my time.
There is a lesson to all this, and here it is.
Think of the most successful person you know. For our purposes today, let's define success as financial and emotional prosperity. This should be someone you know on a personal level, and not a character you've read about in your favorite business or glamour magazine.
Now, ask yourself who this highly productive individual associates with. Chances are the group of folks you identify with this question won't be a bunch of lazy, negative, self-pity freaks.
Now try the same excercise with the least successful individual you know. It's not too likely that your selection for "least successful" is a person who surrounds themselves with positive, productive human beings.
The kind of people we surround ourselves with will have a profound effect on our thought patterns. Since it's safe to say our reality starts with our thoughts, the value of our personal associations can hardly be overstated.
To spend the majority of our time around people who offer us doubt and discouragement is to limit ourselves to a bleak shadow of our full potential. Alternatively, by mingling with those who project confidence and optimism, we are sure to absorb an attitude of determination and tenacity. It's good practice to socialize with individuals who reflect our aspirations.
People who want to whine and complain about how unfair life is, and how they just can't seem to 'get a break' are bad company. Especially when these people want to project their misery and negativity onto you.
One of the best things you can do for your own success and happiness is give these losers the boot and find some happier, more productive people to associate with.
Tim Whiston is a full-time entrepreneur and internet marketer. He publishes a monthly ezine, and is the author of a popular e-book entitled From Zero to Profit.
When life places obstacles in our path, when things seem like they're breaking down and we grow weary of the struggle, it's a good time to step back and look for the gift. What gift, you say?
Every situation and experience in life holds a gift, lesson or blessing for us. Yes, even the really painful experiences, like the loss of a loved one, an automobile accident, or natural disaster. There is a gift there, if we look for it.
To find the gift, we simply have to ask ourselves, "What positive lesson can I learn from this? How can this situation benefit me? What wisdom can I gain from this experience? What makes this situation worthwhile to experience in my life?" We can learn from anything in our lives, from a snag in our pantyhose to a migraine headache. We can learn from our disappointments, our heartaches, and our joy.
We can do this with any situation too, not just negative ones. Where is the gift in a boring Sunday afternoon, a crying infant or a gray, rainy wedding day? All we need to do is choose to see the positive side of the situation. The gift of a boring Sunday afternoon might be expressing gratitude for having some free time to express our creativity or enjoy a good book. A crying infant can teach us patience, compassion and nuturing. A rainy wedding day can help us understand what really matters, the celebration of love and meaningful connections with our friends and family.
Of course, when truly wonderful things happen to us, we don't need to really look for the gift then, do we? We already know what it is. During the happier moments of our lives, we can further honor this positive energy by expressing our deepest gratitude and joy. Rather than just feeling glad about our good fortune, we can purposely focus our thoughts on massive amounts of joy and gratitude, and consciously immerse ourselves in happiness. We can shout our thanks to the heavens and affirm that we welcome even more blessings in our lives.
Choosing to focus on the positive side doesn't mean living our lives in denial. It doesn't mean refusing to acknowledge the negative or mundane aspects of our lives. It means we see them, we accept them, and then we look beyond them rather than getting mired in negative thoughts and letting them affect the rest of our day.
Looking for the gift means choosing to lift our thoughts higher than our struggles. It removes us from our victim status and empowers us. No matter what happens in our lives, we have the ability to choose our attitude and our mindset. We can choose to focus on happiness, joy, love and gratitude, or we can stay mired in unhappiness and struggle.
Focusing on the gifts and blessings in our lives won't make all of our problems vanish overnight, or at all. But it reduces their importance and helps them to fade into the background a bit. We create in our lives what we focus on the most. By choosing to focus on the positive, we attract more positive energy into our lives.
Stop for a moment and look at your surroundings right now. What gifts or lessons are available to you in your current circumstances? And will you choose to embrace them and fully benefit from them?
Wendy Betterini is a freelance writer who strives to motivate, uplift, and inspire you to make your dreams a reality. Visit her website, http://www.WingsForTheHeart.com for more positive thoughts to help you on your journey.
Self-Talk: How to Talk Your Way to success
OUR CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS We all have a small voice inside our head talking to us all the time. You probably just heard it say, "What small voice?" Every one of us is the result of what that little voice has been saying to us over the years. We are either the victim of, or the benefactor of those words. Tom Monahan was a very productive member of my sales staff a few years ago. During one of our Monday morning meetings, I asked Tom for the name of the prospect he was just describing, and his response was, "I don't remember. I can never remember names." I asked Tom if he thought it would help in his career if he could actually be better at remembering the names of people he meets. He responded and said, "Sure, but I just can't remember names." I then gave him the first tip. I said, "Stop saying that you can't remember names." Psychologists tell us that we have both a conscious and subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind is the world's most powerful computer. It does exactly what it is told. No more, and no less. Our conscious mind acts as the computer programmer, giving instructions to the computer, our subconscious mind. Tom's programmer, his conscious mind, was programming his computer, the subconscious mind, to forget any name he hears, because he "can't remember names". His subconscious mind accepted that command without question. AFFIRMATIONS Affirmations are statements we make that we believe to be true, and they affect our behavior. For years Tom repeated his affirmation, "I can't remember names", so that now his subconscious mind paid no attention to names he heard. My strategy for Tom was to change his affirmation from negative to positive. For affirmations to have the most positive effect, they must include the "Three Ps", � Positive — If Tom's affirmation was phrased as, "I will stop forgetting names", the affirmation is simply a reminder to the subconscious about his long history of forgetting names. It must be phrased as a positive. � Present Tense — If the affirmation is, "Someday I will be good at remembering names", the results will not come, become "someday" never arrives. � Personal — The affirmation must be something that you can accept and believe, not mere words you heard somewhere. In Tom's case, the affirmation that he decided to use was, � "I'm getting better all the time at remembering names", which was clearly o Positive o Present Tense o Personal. I told him to write that affirmation on 3x5 cards and carry them with him, clip one to the sun visor in his car, on his bathroom mirror, on the alarm clock, and anywhere else he will see it on a daily basis. I told him his results would be guaranteed if he repeated that affirmation at least 25 times in the morning, 25 times at midday, and 25 times in the evening for the 21 days it takes to form a new habit. GOALS One of the keys to making progress is being able to measure it. My management philosophy has always been, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it", and the clearest way to measure progress is by setting goals. I asked Tom if he would be meeting anyone for the first time in the next week, and he replied, "Sure. I'm in sales. I meet new people every day." We then set a goal for him to come back the following Monday and give me the name of someone he met, along with a description of them. When asked if he could commit to that goal, he replied, "yes". I then also had him write down the goal on 3x5 cards to carry with him and place them in highly visible locations. The following Monday Tom came into my office with the biggest grin I had ever seen. I asked if he met his goal. He said, "I have the names of FOUR people I met, and I can describe all of them them in detail". He then said, "You know, I really AM getting better at remembering names." Tom no longer had a problem with names. CONCLUSION What instructions has your inner programmer been giving to YOUR subconscious mind? How often is it saying, "can't" or "won't"? Make the decision today to turn your life in a more positive direction. Resolve today to create some new affirmations for yourself, with the 3 Ps: Personal, Present Tense and Positive. Set goals to measure your progress, and begin a new, more positive, stress-free life. Remember the old saying, "If you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are absolutely right!"
Howard Tangler has devoted more than 30 years to helping people live their dreams. Henry David Thoreau said, �"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation�. Tangler has guided countless thousands of people out of that misery to a life they dreamed of, but never thought they could achieve. They now found they could live their dreams every day when they followed his advice and counsel. His tips and strategies have proven their worth over the years. To learn more about what Howard Tangler has to say, click the link, http://www.StressFreeLifeStrategies.com
The 2 Modes Of Expressing Yourself �" Which Mode Do You Use Most?
We find that there is 2 ways of looking at any situation we
may find ourselves in. For instance you may have heard the
saying…
“Is the glass half empty or is the glass still half full?”
These 2 ways of expression may well refer to the same
situation, yet if we examine them both we will see that
they actually divide the world around us into light or
darkness, into positive or negative, into plus or minus.
Now which of the 2 modes do you use most when you
are thinking everyday?
Your mode of thinking leads to attracting those very
things into your life. If your goal is to make more
money and spend less time working, then you are going
to have to focus on thinking about success, and not
fearing it.
If your thinking is all dark and negative… if you always
fear failure, then you will most definitely fail. Even
to run away from your given circumstances will do you
no good. You see your circumstances will only follow
you wherever you go.
This is because your environment and present
circumstances cannot change for you until your mind
and heart does!
You cannot become unhappy if there is no doubt or
negativity in your mind, to make you unhappy.
Researchers state that the average person thinks about
70,000 thoughts each and every day. Now just imagine
the potential of your thoughts if only a fraction
were backed up by positive modes of thought and
creative action.
Unfortunately for most men and women, virtually all of
these thoughts are the same ones that the individual
has always thought about over a long period of time.
In addition, the great majority of these thoughts are
negative by nature, which in turn creates a current
negative present time in your life…
A good example of this is that most people do not
believe that wealth and prosperity is a lifestyle
choice which is fully within their own control…
Many people hold the belief that the only way they
will ever get rich is by robbing a bank, breaking
the law or by winning the lottery etc…
Other people’s skepticism can also be just enough
to kill your desire - to pursue what may have
otherwise been a fantastic opportunity for you.
Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well,
and nothing that is worth doing well can be done
without positive effort!
Still though, many people work themselves to the
bone instead of spending more time with their
creative thought because they are ruled by fear
and by pressure to “make something of themselves”
that society expects of them.
How many of your 70,000 daily thoughts are spend
on worry and fear as opposed to the creative and
positive process?
Don't let fear and worry rule over your life
anymore. Use your mind power to attract every
positive thing in life which you could ever
hope for or desire.
Go for your dreams and ignore anything else but
your creative positive mind.
Try to never take what negative-people say to you
seriously… as it is sure to discourage you from
your efforts, but this is only if you let it do so!
Dale Odeyemi, is the developer of a great new resource on personal power and development. So if you would like to get your hands on 10 Mind-Power Lessons at absolutely no cost to you whatsoever? Then simply visit http://www.YourMindPowers.com Create the life you desire - Starting Right Now...
ACTIVATE THE ENERGY OF THE UNIVERSE
Did you know that you can not create energy yourself? You can just activate the universal energy, which exists always and will always exist. This Energy gave you life. It’s always there, at every moment, for everyone. There is no such thing like people with a lot of energy and other ones without energy. The difference is that energetic people know how to activate this always available energy. And the low energy people, they block this energy, which is although always available for them too! Energy does not decide something like :”Hey I like this one so I will send her energy, and the other one over there I don’t like so he won’t get any of my energy”. This is nonsense! The same counts for diseases. A disease does not “choose” a body to attack. How would it do it? Can you imagine a cancer saying : “I don’t like the way he cuts his hair, so I will attack his liver?” or “I can’t stand the way she talks so I will attack her breast?” There is no such thing. It would be absurd. We have much more to say to our body and our life than we can understand for now or than we will want to admit for ourselves. Because to understand this is to take responsibility. Once we know that we “ask” for disease - by thinking of it all the time, by running from one doctor to another, by reading all articles about diseases in magazines, by telling our friends and family about all our pains and troubles - than we have to change our behavior and start to behave like a healthy person, who tries to understand why he got ill, and tries to see how he can change his way of thinking and handling to stay healthy. It’s much the same for energy. Energy is always there. It never goes away, it never slows down, otherwise our whole galaxy would fall apart. The same energy which holds the stars at place in the sky, which makes grass grow and turn the earth on his own axis, is available for us. Can you imagine? It’s tremendous and there for us! You can activate this energy for you by thinking the right thoughts, that is thoughts which stimulate you instead of turning you down, thoughts which bring you health instead of disease, thoughts which make you feel loved instead of fearing loneliness, thoughts which bring you wealth instead of poverty. Is thinking about all this nice stuff enough to bring it into your life? No! Otherwise it would be so easy just to lean back and think about everything you want and floops….it’s there! We all would be fairies and make the world whatever we want without doing anything. Luckily it doesn’t work like that! It would be dangerous! We need something else to make our thoughts create what we want : it is action. The combination of both will give us what we want : dreaming about what we want and putting ourselves into action, that is taking steps in the direction of our thoughts. At each step we take, the universe also takes a step toward us. By our thoughts and our actions we activate this enormous universal energy to work for us. We make it move in the direction of realizing our dreams. So the formula is pretty simple : first you dream, than you take action in the direction of your dream. This will generate energy to help you take the next step. The energy generated by this step will help you take the next step. And so on…. How do you know which action to take? Follow your guts, follow your intuïtion. It’s the best guide you can find! Stop worrying. Instead dream, think of what you want and get yourself moving in the direction of your dream. That’s it. Watch what’s happening. Let the mystery unfold itself.
Written by Ineke, psychologist, mother of four children. I offer you two free e-courses to learn who you are, why you are here, how to create passion, freedom and abundance! Say yes! Reward : an everlasting enthusiasm!
Help Yourself to a Better Life
The self-help industry has always been plagued by a bad reputation of being filled with hucksters who only care about making a fast buck and who aren't really concerned with actually helping other people. The products and services offered by self-styled gurus are often thought of as the next generation of the snake oil salesman, who'll be off to the next town with your money before you realize you've been taken with a lot of false promises.
It's easy for unscrupulous people to prey on those who feel hopeless and out of control. A snazzy sales page suggesting that a product is the solution to a reader's problems will draw people in, and the writer may not care if their book or product really helps people, as long as they get the sale.
Behavior like this can give the whole industry a bad name, but the truth is there are a lot of people out there who really are dedicated to helping people and to changing the world one person at a time.
If you do a little digging, which is easier and easier to do online, you can find out all about the "gurus" and find plenty of blog posts, web pages and reports about the success or lack thereof that people have had from different products. Of course you'll probably find mixed reports on everyone who's ever put out a product, but if an overwhelming number of people seem to have a negative opinion of a person or product, that's one you'll want to shy away from.
If, on the other hand, you're finding a lot of people singing the praises of a particular writer or method, that might be something worth checking out. For instance many people have reported very positive results from reading and watching "The Secret" and following the methods outlined there to change their lives.
Not only can you read and study "The Secret," but you can also check out the works of people featured in the movie and the book such as Abraham and Esther Hicks and Joe Vitale. You can infer from liking the tone and message of "The Secret" that you will like their products and their message as well.
Likewise if you find some other book or website that you like, look at the people who have written blurbs for the book or offer testimonials for the product. They might have other products or ideas that you would find attractive.
The main thing you need to do when seeking self-help advice is not to just give a bunch of money to the first person you come to online with a snazzy sales page and a lot of big promises. Do your homework, ask people you know if they've used a product or read a particular book, and learn all you can about the guru in question before handing over any money.
In the end, choosing self-help materials does involve a bit of a gut feeling, but it should be a gut feeling backed up by a reasonable amount of research.
Marisa Singhnarinaath is passionate about helping people solve life's problems through self-help products and understanding the law of attraction. Learn more at Self Help Product Reviews.
99 Octane Motivation Fuel
Keep them Euphoric: 5 more ways to turbocharge employees.
These are five additional ways that you can successfully create an encouraging work environment while increasing employee.
1.Distinguish your employees. It is essential that you empathize with your employees. Know about their family; know about what they do after hours, what interests them. This is not meant to be prying into an employee?s personal life, but knowing an employee can help you to resolve what motivates that employee. Different people are motivated by dissimilar things. What does the employee want? What do they want from this job, from their life, and for their future? Reaching goals can be difficult. Helping someone to reach a goal at work is impossible if you do not know what that goal is.
2.Discover more. It is your responsibility to create enthusiasm in the workplace. Therefore it is up to you to continue to study innovative ways to spur employees to action. You might opt to take classes that offered as short courses at HR firms or online universities. This will give you a fabulous opportunity to continue to learn new ways to stimulate your employees
3.Splurge special time with your employees. Take a few minutes out of your day to just talk with your employees. Give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns or simply ask how their week went. This will demonstrate how much you care about his or her happiness within the company. You can also schedule performance reviews either once a month, once a year or however often is comfortable for you. This will allow you time to sit down and spend a little more time with the employee and give you a chance to discuss the highs and lows of the period in which the review is accomplished. Positive conversations, even on a casual level are a great way to increase employee motivation. Schedule one-on-ones and leave titles at the door.
4.Understand the employees? feelings about their career. Most employees start out in a job on the bottom with hopes of advancement. One way to increase employee drive is to discuss the likelihood of advancement or lateral movement within the company structure. It might be a different position, or a promotion, in a sister company. Your employees should know that you care about the things that they care about. Let them know that you are there to help them achieve their goals and they will give you 110%
5.Be transparent. You as a manager know what it feels like when a higher up seems to be keeping something from you. Even though there may not be a secret, the big boss still hasn?t informed you on what is going on. Your employees may feel this way consistently. It is very important to keep employees informed about issues that arise in the company even if it does not directly affect them. Employees want to know about the company and they want to be involved. It is a good idea to have regular ?catch-up? meetings, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Prepare employees if a major event is going to happen, such as a leveraged buyout or inspection by the CEO. Another way to explode inspiration among employees is to hold consultations when the company is planning on changing existing policies. Invite feed back from the employees and ask if they have any ideas about how to resolve the issue.
You as manager holds the keys to create a work environment that beneficial for company and employee growth. Sun Tzu asserts that ?You are only as strong as your weakest link?. Increasing motivation among employees will make each link a little stronger and forge a tougher backbone for the company.
A master of manifestation to his associates, Joseph R. Plazo offers intense executive coaching so people can find jobs and build careers.
The Value Of Associations
This past week I ran into a friend of mine who I hadn't seen in quite some time. It was good to see him again, at least for a few minutes.
Then I remembered why I stopped associating with him in the first place.
The guy has a big heart, and you can't help but love him. Unfortunately, he is also an incessant whiner.
He is always going on about how he doesn't make enough money with his job, and how things never seem to go right for him in life. No matter what you say to him there is no shaking his loser mantality. He has chosen to be the victim in life, and to be quite honest I think he enjoys it.
But it doesn't stop there. It's not enough for him to mope and complain about his own life, he does his best to bring the people around him down as well.
He asked me how my 'little internet business' was going. Remember it's been a long time since we had spoken last.
I certainly didn't want to rub anything in here, so I just told him politely that things were moving along and that I had quit my job as a delivery driver last year.
I could see the irritation in his face. This guy was genuinely distraught over my success.
He gave a grunt and said "Well good luck."
But he didn't really mean 'Good luck'. What he meant was 'I hope you fall flat on your face and have to go back to your old job so I can feel better about who I am'.
He's a loser because he projects nothing but negative energy into his own life, and he wants everyone around him fail and be miserable alongside him. No thanks.
I spent just a couple more minutes chatting with him, then told him I had to run.
I really do wish him the best, but I'm certainly not going to spend my precious time letting him sap the life out of me with his pity party no-hoper mentaility. There are plenty of positive, success-minded people for me to hang out with and that's where I prefer to spend my time.
There is a lesson to all this, and here it is.
Think of the most successful person you know. For our purposes today, let's define success as financial and emotional prosperity. This should be someone you know on a personal level, and not a character you've read about in your favorite business or glamour magazine.
Now, ask yourself who this highly productive individual associates with. Chances are the group of folks you identify with this question won't be a bunch of lazy, negative, self-pity freaks.
Now try the same excercise with the least successful individual you know. It's not too likely that your selection for "least successful" is a person who surrounds themselves with positive, productive human beings.
The kind of people we surround ourselves with will have a profound effect on our thought patterns. Since it's safe to say our reality starts with our thoughts, the value of our personal associations can hardly be overstated.
To spend the majority of our time around people who offer us doubt and discouragement is to limit ourselves to a bleak shadow of our full potential. Alternatively, by mingling with those who project confidence and optimism, we are sure to absorb an attitude of determination and tenacity. It's good practice to socialize with individuals who reflect our aspirations.
People who want to whine and complain about how unfair life is, and how they just can't seem to 'get a break' are bad company. Especially when these people want to project their misery and negativity onto you.
One of the best things you can do for your own success and happiness is give these losers the boot and find some happier, more productive people to associate with.
Tim Whiston is a full-time entrepreneur and internet marketer. He publishes a monthly ezine, and is the author of a popular e-book entitled From Zero to Profit.
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