teach me to stop foreseeing
the future that won’t be mine
this end is my new beginning
don’t let me mistake my time

this means there will be no maybe
no if, no perhaps, no wait
my life must continue daily
constructing my own fate

my fate is a beautiful journey
my passions will find their fill
my love and faith will exalt me
my strength will conquer the ill

so here’s to ultimate future!
where I am the owner in charge
and greener there isn’t a pasture
with malachite roads to march
—
Friday, November 27, 2009

When I was young, I looked forward to changes.  I knew they were coming.  I was looking forward to graduation, college and whatever would be next.  It was an exciting time.  I had no fear.

I am not sure when fear started for me.  I don’t think that it was really until after I was married for the first time.  I gave up everything when I got married.  I gave up my job to move to another state.  I gave up my name which felt like my identity.  And, maybe it was.  I was a very strong woman who had for years said that I would not change my name if I ever got married.  I had given up a previous relationship to pursue my education so I could have a career in art, which was what I was always planning to do.

Now, I found myself “born again” and submitting to a husband.  Unfortunately, I was involved with churches who would say to a woman that it is much more important for you to do what God says, that is, obey your husband, than it is for him to do what God says, which is for them to love their wife and lay down their life for his family.

I am sure that is not really what they meant, but that is how it worked out practically.  I had to do the right thing, whether he was doing the right thing or not.  This set me up perfectly to become emotionally abused.  He had hit me early in our relationship.  Of course, I recognized this as abuse and we counseled with our pastor and other uncertified lay people in our church for 7 years.

Instead of seeing this as a problem, did I see this as commitment?  And whose?  Apparently, only mine.  Nobody in this Christian community that we were involved with suggested professional counseling, which may have identified his chemical imbalances earlier, they just continued to encourage him to stop sinning.  It would be a good thing for him to stop sinning, but nobody understood that, for him, this was a much harder task than for you or I.  I like to think that anybody can change at any point in time that they make their mind up to do so.  I am not sure that is always the case.

So, here I was, married to a man with chemical imbalances that I would not know about until 15 years had past.  I was working with him in a business with the hope that when it was well established, then I could be an artist.  And, of course, like any good fundamental Christian, I was having children. 5 in 10 years!  Well, I guess that proves that it wasn’t all that bad.

Ultimately, I divorced him.  I have grown in so many ways and know that more changes are coming.  I am not only an artist, but a writer, too.  Just another form of art.  My hope is that by sharing my life stories, which you can find on my blog, sharinluv.wordpress.com, you will learn about emotional abuse. I am overcoming my fears in this process.  I encourage you to make changes to improve your life and the lives of those around you.  

Sharin Luv

The Susquehanna Writers, of which I’m an honorary member, have been reaching out to support area Indie bookstores.  We gave out gift baskets to two Indie bookstores this fall, and now we’re banding together for a group booksigning at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA, on December 19, 2009. A large group of authors will have books for sale and will autograph them for you. From romance to history, from mystery to self-help, from thrillers to YA; you’ll find something to please everyone on your holiday gift list. And if these books aren’t enough to entice you (though they certainly should be), the Midtown Scholar offers the largest array of rare and used books between New York and Chicago. They have more than ONE MILLION secondhand and out-of-print books in all fields.

Need a gift for that hard-to-please person? Consider a book. It’s a gift they’ll treasure for a lifetime.

If you want to know where and when to show up, here are the additional details:

3-5 pm, December 19, 2009

3401 N 6th St
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 236-2665

And I’ll be there to sign copies of Rihanna and Summer Lovin‘. Feel free to drop by and get your copy signed if you already have one, or pick up some as gifts for the teens in your life.

by Chaundra McGill

When I was kid, I sporadically wrote in my diary. I wrote about my current crush or the latest drama at school. I think I wrote about two weeks worth of entries in my whole seventh grade year.

Fast forward 18 years, I carry my journal everywhere I go. My journal is a part of my mental checklist before I leave the house: car keys, cell phone, iPod, and journal. My journal is my lifeline.

But how can a blank book be this important to anyone? The fact that the book is blank has limitless possibilities. Rather than just a recording of daily minutia, my journal allows me to vent my frustration, express my emotions freely, reflect on my past, meditate on my present, and prepare for my future with new insight.

My journal helped me properly grieve my uncle’s murder, recognize destructive behavioral patterns, and just plain make sense of my life.

My renewed sense of possibility and perspective stopped making journaling seem like a chore. Journaling became a privilege because this was time exclusively for me. But you may be wondering how my perspective of journal writing shifted, and more importantly how can it shift for you.

The answer: Reflective Writing Therapy. Reflective Writing Therapy combines the descriptive qualities of reflective writing and the therapeutic qualities of writing therapy. By answering four painfully simple questions, Reflective Writing Therapy can aide self-discovery, emotional well-being, self-expression and inspiration.

What?
This is the descriptive and emotional level of Reflective Writing Therapy. Before you can begin Reflective Writing Therapy, you have to know upon what you are reflecting. At this stage, you simply capture the details of the event, the people involved, your feelings about the situation, and so forth.

Why?
This is the outlook and evaluation level of Reflective Writing Therapy. After you have described the situation, you can begin digging a little deeper by looking at the good, bad and the ugly. Determining the positive and negative consequences, what this situation tells you or teaches you, and so forth.

Why now?
This is the analysis and relevance level of Reflective Writing Therapy. There is a reason that you have decided to evaluate a certain event or incident now, so this stage is where you figure out why. This is also the stage where you began to consider other perspectives and other sources of knowledge that can influence how you view the situation.

What now?
This is the conclusion and planning level of Reflective Writing Therapy. The final step is the whole point of reflection: to obtain clarity and a plan of action. At this stage, you can determine how this situation or outlook of this situation will affect your future, what you need to do, and what steps are you going to take based on what you’ve learned.

For more information on Reflective Writing Therapy, download the free e-book, $1 Therapy.

Do you keep a journal? How has journaling helped you?

Chaundra McGill – Thank you for submitting this article.

If I told you that you can become an expert in a particular field for under $50, would you believe me?

Before you answer the question, here are two things to consider:

1. The average American citizen reads an average of one book per year!

2. In order to achieve expert status, one must read a minimum of 3 books.

Craig Valentine, author of WORLD CLASS SPEAKING, stated that he didn’t want to learn about marketing and avoided the topic for six years. When he could no longer avoid the topic, he decided to invest one year into learning and mastering marketing to boost his speaking business. In one year, he read 62 books. Larry Winget, known as the “pit bull” of personal development, stated that he read over 4000 books in a 20-year period on areas of self-improvement, sales & marketing, business and entrepreneurship.

If you seek to boost your expertise in your field, you should work to read ideally one book per week on your field. You should also read newspapers, magazines and other periodicals to keep your knowledge base in “real time”. Positioning yourself as the leading authority requires study and application of the knowledge.

As for the $50 thing, if you go to Barnes & Noble or BORDERS, most books average $15 in price. If I want to enhance my expertise in math, all I would need is to purchase 3-4 books for $50 and achieve the minimum of expert status.

So, get reading…

What an incredible day. I woke up later than I wanted to. I set the alarm for 6:00 am but snoozed it until 7:00 am. However, I woke up and immediately threw my shoes on and ran to the beach and back. It was about a 2.5 mile run so I feel great and really proud of myself.

Let me tell you that your life starts to take shape so quickly once you start to actively mold it the way you desire. If you want to experience an incredible life, start your day with an hour to making your body the way you want it to be. Talk about increasing your personal power. Every conversation and interaction I have today will be done with a better attitude, better energy, and more confidence than if I had not. I stand taller, feel better, think better, if you are looking for a miracle pill that will give you an edge I will sell you a box of sugar pills and tell you, “take two of these, run two miles, do 20 push ups, and 20 sit ups, and do this everyday for the rest of your life and I guarantee you will always feel great, I could charge you $50 a bottle for that. You don’t need a pill, you just need to act.

So after I took my shower and drank some protien I did 30 minutes on my new radio show while I was on the bus. Then I wrote a prayer on the Divinity Water Project Blog, and now I am writing this blog. I am still enroute to my job and it is only 9:07 am! I feel like a giant because I can still get so much accomplished today.

Wow, I look really stupid. That’s cool. I will look better in time. Step by step. It is really cold outside and I am white as a ghost. I will keep running on the beach, give my skin some color and tighten up my body and the change will show clear. I will write more later today.

Through this Science Fiction idea, based upon the Stargate, I could not share everything you need to know. Not everything you have read has been perfect as a doctrinal statement. I have used a great deal of Scripture, yet, not every issue could be covered fully.

I hope I have given you a new way of looking at the Scriptures. I hope I have awakened you to the reality of how God’s realm and this earthly realm work separately and also together.

I hope I have made it clear that the only way to receive salvation from this realm and be guaranteed a favorable life outside of time and in God’s realm is through Jesus Christ who is the Son of God.

I hope I have sparked your interest in the Scriptures and what they are trying to get us to understand.

The Bible is not just some rule book that when the principles are followed will help us to live good lives while we reside here on earth. The Bible is a book that reveals to us the truth of another realm that exists although we cannot see it with our physical eyes it is real. It is a book that reveals to us the God of Creation and how He works within His creation.

The Bible is a far greater book than most people are aware of or understand it to be.

As I conclude I hope your desire to know God and His realm has been elevated by what you have read.

See, I don’t really like living on this planet. Most of the people that reside here are way too attached to this place. They think that this is the only place to live and they fight amongst themselves for control of the planet. They want to force everyone to live in an orderly system controlled by the most powerful person or group. They use education, religion and law enforcement to keep the people controlled to their specified outcome.

I have found that following the Son of God’s way seems to be best because it eliminates the need to control this realm. The Son is leading us through this realm with a focus beyond the here and now. He teaches us that, although we are in this world for now, we are really not a part of it and should be setting our sights on things above the Stargate and not below it.

So I will continue to follow the Son’s way because it has proven to be a much more peaceful way to journey through this realm.

I have a strange inner sense that keeps telling me that there is something better available. Most of the inhabitants that I have met believe this planet is all there is and they are so shortsighted when it comes to enjoying this realm. They hang on to this place like their lives depend upon it. It’s a sad situation. They need to know that there is far more available to them than this place. Maybe if they could understand this greater truth and that their time here is short they would live a little more freely.

It’s time to prepare yourself for the inevitable and get ready for your journey back through the Stargate.

In the meantime you need to follow one more of the Apostle Paul’s instructions…

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

I have to end this journey through the Stargate. I hope and pray that it has been as enjoyable and educational for you to read as it has been for me to put it all together.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another devotional thought but thanks for journeying with me through the Stargate.

I bet you worry about something every single day.  Perhaps you worry about a lack of money, your job, your relationship or your health.  Maybe you have become so accustomed to worrying every day that you cannot imagine NOT worrying.   You know you should stop worrying but don’t know how.

Worrying is nothing other than a complete waste of time!  There is no doubt about it.  Worrying is never useful.  It creates a whole quagmire of negative thoughts in your mind, which go on to become negative feelings.  Before long, you feel anxious, miserable and possibly depressed. 

Surely you want to stop worrying and focus on something else instead, free up your mind and energy to start improving your life instead of worrying about it?  Worry prevents you from living in the here and now because you are obsessing about the future – usually about something over which you have no control.  Our world is populated by people who are wasting time worrying over this or that, making themselves thoroughly miserable and living in negativity.  Worry is certainly a common occurrence in our society and the stress caused by worry has been shown to cause many health problems and had also been proven to shorten a person’s life span.  Imagine that – you can literally worry yourself to an earlier death! 

So how can you stop worrying?  Well, once you realise that it is a huge waste of time, that’s a step in the right direction.  You need to also realise that worrying is completely different to planning for the future.  No amount of worrying will change anything, whereas making plans, taking action, can bring about change.  Worry only serves to keep you immobilized.   Without worry you will have a lot more time to make plans and carry them out, set and fulfill goals. 

Consider your past for a moment.  I am sure you worried about a lot of things.  Did any of your worry moments make any difference?  How much time did you spend agonizing over problems that never happened?  When you stop worrying you are free to enjoy the precious moments you have now, not squander them on negativity. 

Remember, a lot of what you worry about you have no control over.  You can worry as much as you want about climate change, the recession, possible disease or terrorism but you won’t bring about any change.  As an individual you have very limited control over these issues.  And you have to realise that much of what you worry about either never happens or is not as bad as you anticipated. 

Here are some strategies you can follow to stop worrying:

* Start living in the NOW.  Stop focusing on the future and trying to predict events – especially if you only ever see the worst case scenarios.  When you catch yourself worrying, immediately start doing something productive – go for a swim, meet a friend, do something as action is the best antidote to worry.

* Realise how silly it really is to worry!  Realise that if you stop worrying, you become a far more sensible and productive person.

* If at first you are finding it really tough to limit your worrying, give yourself “worry moments”.  Set aside a maximum of five minutes a day to blast out all the worries you have, then stop and do something else.

* Ask yourself “What is the worst thing that can happen to me if…….happens?

* Act in a way that deliberately contradicts your worry.  For instance, if you are concerned about saving money, worried that you will be penniless in the future, begin spending your money today.  Spend it on something you want rather than need.  Obviously we aren’t talking about excessive spending and getting into debt!

* Make a list of the past and present worries you can remember.  Did any of them materialize?  Probably not many.  When you see this for yourself you will realise how vital it is to stop wasting time worrying and truly start living in the present moment.

Do you want to know more about how to stop your worrying and banish negative thinking patterns for good?  Thought so.  Visit http://www.self-confidence-matters.com/  and claim your complimentary super-confidence videos.

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Science of Getting Rich

There is a science of getting rich, and it is an exact science, like algebra or arithmetic. There are certain laws that govern the process of acquiring riches. Once these laws are learned and obeyed, one will get rich with mathematical certainty. The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a Certain Way; those who do things in this Certain Way, whether on purpose or accidentally, get rich; while those who do not do things in this Certain Way, no matter how hard they work or how able they are, remain poor.

Here are Ways #s 4 and 5 from the last post which promised you 5 Ways to Be More Great-full (Boost Your Gratitude Attitude)…

#4: FAMILY (or couple’s) GRATITUDE BOOK
We just spent a very pleasant hour doing this great art & writing interactive project. So simple and yet so meaningful and fun! Quality family time!

We do not watch television, nor do our children. We are dedicated to parenting consciously and strive to support a vibration of love in our household. Yet, given that my husband and I are both entrepreneurs, with seven businesses between the two of us, and given that our children are still quite young, we know how important and sometimes challenging it can be to come up ideas (not to mention time, energy and materials) for positive family experiences.

I myself am about the least craftsy person you will ever meet and can draw a stick figure on a good day! So believe me when I tell you: Yes, you CAN do this project, and probably with what’s already available in your home. It really ranks high on simple, high on fun, high on memorable, and low on expense. (I can NEVER do those Origami things, puuleeeeeazzze, can we talk?)

Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to do this Family Gratitude Book…but of course so is any day that ends in “y.” Monday, Tuesday…. Enjoy!

Materials:

All you need is:

Some blank paper (we used printer or copy paper, white)

Construction paper

Ribbon or brass brads to secure the book

Markers, pencils, hole punch and/or scissors

Optional: Stickers, stamps, other art supplies, scrapbook, photos

Definitely: A little bit of time and lots of love!

We started by making a brainstormed list of everything we are grateful for. You can do this any way you like; follow your own creative impulses & inspiration. We have four family members, so I decided to color code what we wrote on this collective page or you could just all write and draw without attributing who said/drew what, or make a chart, have sections of the page, etc. The things my 6-year-old called out first were written in yellow, my 10-year-old chose blue, I picked purple and my husband green. We made a color key on the page and wrote and drew various things we are thankful for: Our dog came first, followed by a lovely torrent such as family and friends, food, a good home, music, the Earth, music, health, God, life and so on.

Then I gave each family member a separate page on which to do whatever they like, the only requirement being that whatever is on the page relates to or represents what they are thankful for. We stuck in some more blank pages, so we can add more later as we are inspired.

The kids each got to pick a color for the front and back covers. The older did the words, the younger did the drawings. We punched holes, added brads, all signed the masterpiece and voila! A Family Gratitude Book.

Not only a wonderful way to spend part of our Thanksgiving Day, but a precious keepsake, and, I trust, a new family tradition as well. We will be sharing this book with family all weekend long and inviting them to add to it as well. And of course, it can be done any day! Every day bears its own gifts if we just open the package.

Today we focused mainly on what we are thankful for in our current lives (now), but we could also include wonderful memories (past) and gratitude for all the blessings on the way! (future)

Alternative for Couples: You can also do this as a Couple’s Gratitude Book or Journal, a beautiful way to show appreciation and deepen connection. So few marriages last or are happy, as we all know, and I am blessed to have a deliriously, deLIGHTfully ecstatic marriage, 12 years strong and better every day. One of the reasons is of course, the selection of the right mate; but in order to do so, we had to do the necessary self-healing and inner preparation to bring whole, healthy individuals to the relationship. Much of this work is presented in my book: The Radical Self-Love Workbook. But it is also essential to nurture even the best of relationships, and my husband and I do so daily in many creative ways such as this.

More tips on love and relationships are at

www.LoveandSpirit.org

and at my love blog: loveandspiritblog.wordpress.com.

Whether you do the Gratitude Book as a homemade book like we did today, like a scrapbook or journal, and whether you do it as a family activity or a couple’s relationship-enhancer, it will help you see your life through the eyes of love and gratitude, and bring you even closer with those you love. Enjoy! And I welcome you to send me a comment or email to share your experience.

#5: Honor the 4 Directions and 4 Sacred Elements:

Earth, Air, Fire, Water

You do not have to be Native American to appreciate one of their traditions, which is to honor the Medicine Wheel, facing each of the four directions, thanking each one for their gifts. This is also a tradition in all indigenous cultures including pre-Christian Europe (a.k.a. Wicca, Druidry, paganism, et al.), Africa, Australia, Hawaii and South America.

In fact, if you scratch the surface beneath contemporary religions on any part of the Earth, you will find an ancient shamanic tradition that honors all the directions and all of nature as sacred.

All things follow this cycle of birth, growth, fruition and quietude, whether we are looking at seasons, a lifespan, a day, or a garden. The beauty of Medicine Wheel ceremony and the paradigm itself is that it can be applied to our lives in so many ways.

So how do you honor the directions and elements, to give thanks for what they give to us so generously? Here are a few ideas:

* Altar: Create an altar to each direction or a Medicine Wheel altar encompassing all the directions/elements. This can be in your home or outside. My husband specializes in creating Medicine Wheels as a sacred practice on the land, and has helped others to do this as well.

* Cherokee Dance of Life – You would need to learn this in person from someone who has learned it, oral tradition. This is an incredible moving meditation to all 4 directions, peoples, and elements which also honors Mother Earth and Father Sky, balances their energies as sacred partners in our hearts, and helps us give away the gifts of Spirit that are our special medicine to share with the world through our right work and service. Occasionally my husband and I share this Dance with our community. If you live near Sacramento, and would like to experience this dance, let us know so we can invite you. Or perhaps Spirit will guide you to another teacher of this beautiful tradition.

* Drum, chant, play flute to each direction

* Give offerings such as cornmeal, tobacco or sage smoke to each direction

* Speak aloud from your heart to each direction and give thanks

* Sweat lodge

* Vision quest

If you do either sweat lodge or vision quest, please do so with the guidance of a Native elder to be sure you do it properly and safely.

* Journal or journey (shamanic meditation) to discover what power animals comprise your personal Medicine Wheel of your own energy field. I love to lead these meditations when I am called to do so. Honoring your own inner Medicine Wheel supports a strong aura and keeps you connected to your spirit guides, if this resonates for you.

Associations with Each Direction

Depending on which culture or even which tribe you consult, there are somewhat different associations with the directions, colors, elements and meanings, the medicine or power that direction helps us receive and embody. The one I am most familiar with follows but this is not dogma, merely a summary of what I have found to be the more universal associations. Follow your own heart and work with any spiritual practice in the way that resonates for your own heart and inner truth.

While I have a small amount of native blood, I was adopted and was not raised in that tradition. I discovered shamanism after my initiation and spiritual awakening 15 years ago. I do not claim to be a tribal elder or teacher of any one tradition. I am an interfaith minister, meditation teacher, hypnotherapist, energy healer and intuitive life coach. I have been on the path of Spirit, studying, practicing and sharing healing and wisdom teachings from many cultures for several decades, so I offer here a simplified summary as a starting point for your discovery journey. You would do well to study more in depth with a local teacher steeped in the particular tradition that calls to your spirit, and of course feel free to research further on the Web, in books, classes, and listen to your own inner guidance. I always say the best way to pray, do ceremony or ritual is the way that feels best to you, with harm to none, of course. But we do need to honor the specific traditions so they are not all diluted through multiculturalism.

From the East we have the yellow people (Asia) and the gift of Air, Brother Wind, clarity of vision, inspiration, the new day, new beginnings, establishment of purpose and intention, and springtime.

From South, we receive the wisdom of the black people (Africa), Fire. The tools, strength, perseverance and energy to follow through and manifest, midday/ noon, summer, also humor and passion, innocence and trust.

The West gives us the culture of the Red people (such as Native Americans), the setting sun, Water, emotions, the fall season, self-evaluation toward completion, looks-within time, peace, rest and healing.

And the North represents the White (European) people and all their cultural gift. The sacred mountain, winter, midnight, time to slow down, go within and be still to receive guidance for what comes next. Completion, what you keep from the past cycle and all that you have accomplished and learned. It is also associated with the Spirit and wisdom.

Note: You can also honor the other 3 directions: Earth (below), Sky (above) and Center (within).

I hope you enjoyed these five creative ways to give thanks and I wish you abundant blessings on your journey!

Finally, in the spirit of Sufi mystic poet Rumi, I invite you to kiss the ground. Blow kisses to the sky. Bow to everything. Everything is sacred.

With Love,

Sage

More resources for your path, including free special reports on abundance, love, transformational classes, soul and energy healing sessions, intuitive readings, matchmaking and more are at:

www.LoveandSpirit.org

Taylor@LoveandSpirit.org

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.

There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”

- Rumi

Dreams are rarely peaceful.

Or maybe it’s that we usually remember the unsettling ones.

Adrenline helps in creating memories, so perhaps there’s something to that idea.

In any case, I welcomed the quiet, peaceful dream below:

I’m all alone, tending to a large place out in the country.

I enter a dark shed and go to an opening in the back wall.  I can see a shaded grassy field just beyond a short metal barrier.  The grass at the edge of the field is an strange shade of green—bright and highly saturated.

I’ve been to the field before.  I know that I have to walk out and around to get there.  I want to return.  I will return.

So, it’s a perfect setting, right?  But there’s that odd shade of green.  For that matter, I should be able to jump right over that barrier, instead of going the long way to reach that field.

Does this peaceful dream actually contain a problem, a conflict?

As I thought about the dream, I realized that though the grass looked strange, it did not appear artificial.

And I understood, somehow, that taking the long route to that field was the right thing to do.  It didn’t seem to make much sense, yet it still felt right.

I think there are times to jump the barrier, to climb the wall, to force my way through.  But usually, progress is made step by step—by going the long way around.

In the dream, I can see where I want to go, where I need to go, where I will go.  But that doesn’t mean I get to take any shortcuts.  It’s not a punishment—I would lose so much if I didn’t take the long, convoluted route.

© 2009, Michael R. Patton
sky rope (subterranean rappel): http://skyrope.wordpress.com
taking new steps: http://mythsteps.wordpress.com

Take a moment. lean back , and remember that you are a wonderful person. You are worthy and capable to make your life the way you want it. You have the universe on your side rooting for you!

So have a great day, champion!

come visit me at facebook www.facebook.com/optimistgreen?_fb_noscript=1

Happy Thanksgiving!

“The eye, altering, alters all.” – William Blake

I recently saw the movie Up with my family and we were touched by the sweet message that it is the most simple moments that have the most meaning for us. I call those moments, like when Russell sits on the curb counting red and blue cars with his dad and then with his new (grand)father figure at the end of the movie, the “pearls on life’s necklace.” Individually, they are precious and delicate, yet strung one after another, they form a true treasure.

In an earlier post, I shared several reasons why it is so essential to enhance our gratitude attitude. So now, as promised, here are some fun, practical ideas for how to become even more grateful (great full), how to count more of those pearls and value them with your heart, while they are in your hands:

1. My Feet Touch the Earth.

A Native American custom is to give thanks to Mother Earth each morning upon rising, when your feet first touch the floor or ground. This helps us remember that the land we live upon is alive and sacred, worthy of our deepest respect and greatest appreciation. It also helps you receive her bounty, through food, health, abundance and every good thing you can touch or experience through your senses, and to feel more grounded and “in your body.” Another thing I love about this practice is it takes zero extra time; it’s just a shift in consciousness, and isn’t that what we are most striving for?

2. Write a (different kind of) Thank-You Letter.

Well, you already know about the traditional thank-you-for-the-gift kind of letter. I believe it’s on the Endangered Species List. (When’s the last time to sent or received one of those?) I highly recommend we resuscitate these as they bring and spread so much joy, especially the kind of letters, cards and notes you can actually…what’s that called?….Oh, yeah, TOUCH with your actual hands and reread over and over without having to go online. What a concept!

In addition to writing to give thanks for specific gifts or favors you have received, I propose you explore writing Thank-You Letters to:

* Your loved ones…just because

* Yourself

* God/The Universe

* Your Body

* Money

* Your Ancestors

* The Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Sun, Moon, Stars…

You see, the possibilities are as infinite as your abundantly grateful heart.

3. Take a Gratitude Walk.

Dedicate a walk to the awareness of thankfulness. This is a walking meditation and is best done in silence or punctuated only with your statements of appreciation or a simple mantra such as:

* Thank you, God, for all that is.

* Right here, right now, beauty all around me.

* I give thanks.

* I am thankful.

Your gratitude mantra can also just run in your mind without being spoken aloud. You can rhythmically coordinate the mantra to your steps, or not; follow your own guidance and what your body tells you to do.

Another option is to think or praise something with each step or everytime you notice something you are thankful for, such as: “Thank you for my feet that I may walk. Thank you for these trees I see…. Thank you for the air I breathe. Thank you for my children (husband, wife, etc..). Thank you for my home. Thank you for my dog. Thank you for my car. Thank you for my work. Thank you for music….”

While you are walking, you may give thanks for gifts from Spirit which you can see and hear and touch in the present moment, or other blessings in your life, counting your pearls, but the key is to keep every step, every breath, every moment focused on hearful, mindful appreciation.

This is an excellent exercise which combines nourishing your body through the movement itself with nourishing your mind, heart and soul by returning your awareness to what is precious and good, all around you and within you.

As a meditation teacher for the past 11 years, I have frequently met beginning students who lament, “I can’t meditate because I can’t sit still so long. My body hurts and gets fidgety.” Some meditation disciplines and teachers simply reply to this: “Just sit. Let the distraction of the mind chatter and body aches just fade away and just sit anyway. They are all illusions, and your mind will eventually clear as you ignore the ‘monkey mind.’”

This is true for some people, some of the time, as with so much wisdom. However, some people really do need to move more often. This can be due a medical condition, a tendency toward being highly kinesthetic, and/or a need to move energy and remember they have a body through touch and motion.

I am solidly in the latter category myself and find that I benefit optimally from a kaleidoscopic, multicultural meditation practice, drawn from Eastern and Western traditions – like the Meditation for Busy People course I designed for and taught at Kaiser Permanente. Sometimes still, some moving, sometimes silent, others with chanting or music or sacred sounds, sometimes focusing on the heart, third eye, or other chakra, other times aware of the whole body and energy field, sometimes open-eyed (gazing meditation is called “tratakam” in India), sometimes closed, focused on the inner space. Let me know if you would like to me to share more of my knowledge of meditation in this blog column. I teach many methods in my workshops, teleseminars and private practice and share them also on my meditation audios.

For whatever reason, if you do not enjoy an extended sitting meditation practice, you will likely give up on it, so I highly recommend exploring moving meditation such as Tai Chi, Chi Gun, Native American Dance of Life (Dance to the 4 Directions) and even some dynamic forms of yoga, or simply authentic body movement and dance as a meditation. Walking meditations like this gratitude walk is another wonderful way to integrate Body, Mind, Heart and Spirit, so give yourself permission to move while you meditate, and give yourself credit for “meditating” if you are moving consciously and feeling a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefit.

Anything you do that brings your awareness to the present moment, that cultivates mindfulness and what I call heartfulness, is a form of meditation, be it walking, stretching, drinking a cup of tea, even cooking or cleaning.

As Buddhist monk and teacher Thich Nat Hanh says, whatever you are doing, even if you are washing dishes, it is the most important thing in the world.And it can be done joyfully and gratefully. Absolutely anything and everything is a meditation when done with focus and appreciation. Right here. Right now. Love.

So I invite you to join me in striving to live Life as The Grand Meditation. The Prayer of Thankfulness that Never Ends. The moment of choice, the moment of change, the moment of power, healing and grace, is now.

∞

As for me, time to go practice gratitude with my family. Right here. Right now. We are about to create a Family Gratitude Book! I’ll let you know how it turns out, and I suspect that may become Gratitude Tip #4.

Your life can change in a moment’s notice.

And the moments you notice can change your entire life.

So, my friends, have a beautiful day…and another…and another…Keep adding to, and treasuring those precious gifts of moments of simple pleasure, in oneness, and in the company of loved ones, the pearls on your necklace of life.

With Love, Sage

P.S. Please share in comments:

What part of this article did you most resonate with?

What are your favorite ways to deepen your gratitude attitude?

And what are you most thankful for this season?

(what are some of your precious pearls)

Just click on the article title to add a comment if the box is not visible below. Thanks for visiting!

www.LoveandSpirit.org

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop ~ Mother Theresa of Calcutta

You were born extremely confident. You came into this world knowing how wonderful you are. You were so perfect when you were a tiny baby. You didn’t have to do anything, you were already perfect, and you acted as if you were aware of that. You knew you were the center of the Universe. You weren’t afraid to ask for what you wanted. You freely expressed you emotions. You mother knew when you were angry; in fact, the entire neighborhood knew it. And when you were happy, your smile lit up the whole room. You were so full of love and confidence.

Little babies will die if they don’t get love. Once we’re older, we learn to live without love, but no baby will stand for that. Babies also love every inch of their bodies, even their won feces. They have no guilt, no shame, no comparisons. They know they’re unique and wonderful.

You were like that. Then somewhere during your childhood, your well meaning parents passed on their own insecure feelings and taught you feelings of inadequacy and fear. At that point, you began to deny you own magnificence. These thoughts and feelings were never true, and they certainly aren’t true now.

Love your self as it grows when you are a baby. Choose new thoughts to think about yourself, and choose new words to tell yourself how magnificent you are and that you deserve all the good that Life has to offer

Self esteem is merely feeling good about yourself, and when you do so, you develop confidence. Confidence then builds self esteem, each step feeds upon the other. Once you get the rhythm going, you can accomplish almost anything. Since self esteem is what you think about yourself, you have the freedom to think anything you want. So why would you want to belittle yourself?

You’ll never have good self esteem if you have negative thoughts about yourself at the same time ~ Louise L. Hay

~ Louise L. Hay

Hi There Everyone,

Great News I now have an official Facebook Fan Page!

Simply search for “Ashleigh Alexandra Louise Smith” on Facebook and Join my Fan Page today as that is where
photo’s and Video’s and News is being posted more regulary than at this blog.

So my advice is to join my facebook fan page and keep checking back here on a regular basis as the plan is to release
some exclusive photo’s and videos via this blog every now and again which will not appear on my facebook fan page and
then also put some stuff on Facebook which won’t appear here!

As you can see in the above video I sleep very well even when in noisy room’s, indeed
I reckon I could sleep through an earthquake I take after daddy like that : ) !

To finish for today here’s a quick video clip which daddy made by accident when he
was trying to take a picture of me on his mobile phone..

So Remeber to go to Facebook and search for “Ashleigh Alexandra Louise Smith” in the Manchester Network (England)
and join my Fanpage today!

Keep checking back as I have some important and amazing news coming very soon!

Hugs

Ashleigh

Today, Thanksgiving Day, we honor cooperation, peace, sharing, support, gratitude and giving.

But do we truly honor these ideals if we nurture them but one day a year? Do we truly honor these ideals if we don’t put them into practice on a daily basis?

Truth be told, our thanks are hollow if we do not choose love, sharing and cooperation every day in every decision we make in our lives.

To truly honor the ideals of Thanksgiving and to be consistent with the principles of love and peaceful coexistence, it would behoove us to do more than simply praise and celebrate the symbology one day a year.

Were we to do this, were each of us to choose to be grateful for what we’ve got and to share our blessings with others less fortunate on a daily basis, we would generate an abundance of joy and love in our lives that would help transform this sick, decaying world we’ve toxified and corrupted.

That being said, let’s make a resolution to give thanks not just today but everyday, and to find some way, everyday, to make the world brighter and better for one of our fellow travelers.

I have a hard time going to the movies, reading books, playing video games, watching TV, listening to music.

That is, I have trouble putting faith in that media when I don’t know how it ends. Or at least understand the main thrust before walking in. I want to know what happens before it does.

I play the same video games over and over again. The same movies. Read the same books.

Because I know what to feel and when to feel it. And I love it.

It can be a big problem. Never taking risks. Self-fulfilling prophecies.

And I’m doing it again. Right now.

B and his blue backpack. Covered in white scrawl. Jokes and band names. The pulp of his life.

I did everything I could. I threw away “No Strings Attached” and popped in “The Moon Is Down”. And I knew it wouldn’t work. I knew it was hopeless. Which is why I walked down that path.

And I’m doing it again. Right now.

It’s a good feeling, rejection. It reinforces everything you’ve come to believe. It’s almost a relief to know that there simply is no chance.

I’ve arrived in this place in less than six months.

The process of digging out begins now.

Hi everyone.  You can truly eat some delicious foods and not gain weight.  Even better, you can eat delicious food and still lose weight.  That is the benefit of my weight loss with hypnosis program.  Participants find that they eat less and are satisfied sooner.  They also find themselves gravitating towards healthier food choices.  Healthier does not mean it tastes bad.  In fact, one delicious recipe I will share is for sugar-free chocolate milk.  Take 2 tablespoons of xylitol (natural sugar substitute) or 2 tablespoons of cinnamon (but the xylitol is better) plus 1 cup of certified fat-free organic milk (you could also use “regular” milk instead of organic, but I do not recommend it), plus 2 tablespoons of Ghirardelli Natual Unsweetened Cocoa (aka All Natural Premium Baking Cocoa).  See, chocolate, by itself in reasonable amounts, is not fattening.  It is the commercial chocolate that is – the added sucrose (table sugar), the high fructose corn syrup, and even worse, the trans fat that is now being added to many, but not all chocolate bars.  The pure baker’s chocolate is a bitter chocolate, but mixed thoroughly as I suggested tastes delicious.  Ghiradelli Natural Unsweetened Cocoa per tablespoon has 0 grams of sugar, only 1 gram of saturated fat (the same as an egg), 0 grams of trans fat,  only 3  grams of carbohydrates, and even 1 gram of protein as chocolate is a bean.   It is full of antioxidants.  That is not a misprint; PURE chocolate has ZERO grams of sugar.

Quit the quitting habit

Overcoming obstacles of poverty and sadness with dogged persistence

Never enough to eat and doing odd jobs at a young age

But a lot of stubborn to persist till the end to make things happen

That’s why he is so well known today as Charlie Chaplin!

The iron hand of his conquerors pushed him to the limit

His people sometimes thought of his approach as obsolete

Little did it tell about him from his appearance when people saw him

But he didn’t retreat and that’s why he is known as Mahatma Gandhi today!

His associates told that he didn’t have the face or grace to make it

And the initial career graph showed a downward curve for others to mock at

When the odds were against him, he worked hard toward his ideal

That is the reason he is known today as Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Just a small garage as his office to work with and nothing else

But had great ideas boiling between his ears and the desire to execute them

No education, but determined and undertook great entrepreneurial ventures

That is why he is today popularly known as Steve jobs!

Experiencing educational difficulties because of her alcoholic dad

And shook off the gender criticisms and doubts by others on her ability

And conquering the air with her sheer guts and stick-to-itiveness

That’s why she is known as today as Amelia Earhart!

Schooling was the remotest thing to approach for this child

For he had little or no schooling and a “Hopeless” for many

Nature was harsh on him; stole his hearing faculty

But never could his “will to win”, for today he is well known as Thomas Alva Edison!

“what’s in store for me in my life?”, this person had been wondering

Until one day God showered His blessings on this child more than ever

That little soul relinquished the “Quitter” cloak and resolved to be courageous

after that wonderful soul stumbled upon a few lines of truth written for it;

Behold! And record your name here:— —–, for it is you who are to be the great among people!!

Wish you all the riches to come with God’s blessings

Peter Anand

Radio show host Roy Masters sure knows how to get his message across so that we can really understand it. Click on the link below to get this free 3 page ebook from Roy Masters free………..click on the link…..the power of liars

The_Power_of_Liars

Loving yourself can be a hard thing to do when you live with regrets.

For me, the regrets began within the first year of my first marriage.  Maybe even before that.  The way that I lived up to that point in time, allowed me to make what I could look at as a mistake.  My 5 children help me to know that it was meant to be for at least 5  reasons.

I don’t know if I thought of these feelings as regrets at the time.  I just thought I was angry or even briefly upset.  I also thought that I got over it.  I was forgiving.  That helped me.  Looking back, I don’t think I even knew how to deal with my feelings or work out conflicts.  As a born again Christian, I had made a commitment to this relationship and had every faith that God would work out these conflicts, keep me safe and work all of this out for good.  And, this is so!

Don’t get me wrong, I married a fun guy.  We had fun, we had good friends and he seemed to enjoy kids.  All the kids in the neighborhood would flock to our home after school.  We would play games and watch movies and sometimes they would help me with projects in the office.

He would play outside with the kids.  We lived in a trailer park, so we were surrogate parents for some of these boys.  We would even take them on trips with us.  One boy we kept in touch with for years and attended his graduation in another state.

It wasn’t all that bad, but, looking back and knowing what I know now, I wish I had known then about the patterns of abuse that I was experiencing.  It is so easy to see now.  I have struggled with the feeling that I should have known.  I should have made changes sooner.  These thoughts have beat me up and I didn’t even realize that they were there.  Has my desire for change created this revelation or will this revelation allow me to finally move forward in ways that I hadn’t even planned?

I am in a process of growth.  We are all in a process, not everyone is moving forward, but that can change at any time that you decide you want it to.

Loving yourself here and now means you accept the past as unchangeable.  You allow your past to help you grow so you are better now and in the future.  And you turn the regrets into gratitude.  For those experiences you regret are the very ones that have brought you to where you are now and will take you to your next destination.  A much better place.

Happy Thanksgiving!  I am thankful for my past and even more thankful for what lies ahead.

Sharin Luv

It’s time to see the rewards that are available to those who overcome this world. These rewards are so great that to receive them you should know in advance that they don’t come without great struggles, many fights, harsh battles and even all out warfare. You must stand firm in your faith to win the victory over this world and its ways.

Revelation 2 & 3

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

All we have to do is overcome this world and we will win the victory.

How hard is it to overcome this world? Humanly speaking it is impossible but with God all things are possible. This is why we need the Holy Spirit living in us empowering us to stand firm while being strong and courageous.

Are you ready for the battle?

Most people do not understand that there is a war being waged for their soul. We have an enemy that has set up a system of entrapment. Down every street, around every corner, under every rock, within every system and organization there are traps.

These traps can be as dangerous as roadside bombs. You will not be expecting them and they can steal, kill and destroy you and those around you.

Most of these roadside bombs are wrapped in attractive coverings. Many of them look very reasonable. Some of them are even good on the surface but deep within they are a detour for your faith.

Revelation 21:6-8

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

There is a great deal at stake in this war. Your soul is an important possession. Your enemy desires to keep it from becoming awakened to the truth. Your Savior calls you to stand firm in your faith. He promises to send you a Helper but the decision is yours.

Who are you going to serve? Your decision will determine your future beyond the Stargate.

Tomorrow I will finish my Christian Sci-Fi.

Practicing the Practical Power of Gratitude

By Jerry Posner www.jerryposner.com

Thanksgiving, 2009

I like easy ways to make life better … and I prefer “the specific” as opposed to “the vague.”

I like “cliché-like wisdom.” and I prefer stuff that works. That’s why I practice the practical power of gratitude!

“Practicing” strongly suggests “doing something” – not just once or twice, but repeatedly.

What to practice?

1. FEELING GRATEFUL for the good things, the love, the laughs, the lessons, the people, the opportunities, the help, the stuff, the miracles, the food, the music, the technology, etc.
2. EXPRESSING GRATITUDE for the good things, the love, the laughs, the lessons, the people, the opportunities, the help,    the stuff, the miracles, the food, the music, the technology, etc.

How do you FEEL when you feel grateful?

Happy? Peaceful? Blessed? Centered? Generous? Secure? Calm?

This year, when you have holiday dinner with family or friends, suggest that “we go around the table and everyone say one thing that we’re really, really thankful for.” It will invariably make everyone smile, and voila – a little more harmony, less bickering, better digestion, perhaps!

This works in business meetings as well. Start your meeting by going around the room and have everyone share one thing they love (or like) about their work. One technique I use is to ask the attendees to name the thing they would miss the most if they left. Often, the answer is “the people.”  And that makes “the people” feel good!

Thinking and expressing thankful thoughts, and amplifying feelings of gratitude can reduce stress … improve relationships … and minimize pettiness!

You can’t lose with gratitude!

Thank your customers, coworkers, friends, and family. Thank your vendors, suppliers, supporters and fans! Be liberal and generous with your gratitude.  Do it all year round.

Write yourself some gratitude-oriented “focus phrases” (reminders) on cards and sticky-notes, and put them where you’ll see them every day.

For example:

I CHOOSE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE GENEROUSLY AND LIBERALLY.

I EASILY AND REGULARLY GIVE THANKS.

I FEEL GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF MY GIFTS AND BLESSINGS.

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

Because of others, we are where we are today. We’ve had LOTS of assistance. Do we remember? Are we thankful for them? Here’s a fun and enlightening “grati-tool” –- make a list of 15 people who have helped you get to where you are right now.

We might be reminded of that kind childhood neighbor, or high school guidance counselor whose caring changed the course of our life. When we remember how kind and generous people have been in our lives, we might be inspired to pass it on, or “pay it forward.”  We might even reclaim some memories of our personal history that we’d forgotten.

So, thank the people! Show some appreciation for them. Send thank-you notes. Tell the people you love, that you love them. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

If you want to better manage your moods and attitudes … if you want to be less cranky, less petty, and more openhearted … or if you want to experience your own point-of-view transformation, experiment with THE GRATITUDE BREAK. First, select something specific about your life that you are truly, deeply thankful for (person, condition, or thing). Then … close your eyes (not while you’re driving, please) and spend just one minute thinking about, and vividly imagining, that person, condition or thing. FEEL the gratitude as you visualize!

Try a gratitude break once a day, and see what happens! Twice a day would be an interesting experiment.

A favorite “grati-tool” is THE GRATITUDE JOURNAL (a.k.a. “Five Good Things”). Here’s what to do: every day (that would be DAILY), write down five things you are grateful for. They can be deep … shallow … serious … funny … spiritual … material.

Just list five things you’re grateful for on paper or computer. Not in your head. Write them down.

Over time, when you write your “daily five,” you’ll inevitably experience some awareness and behavior changes (and probably feel more happiness, too). Focusing attention on “your good stuff” every day, builds a habit of NOTICING MORE “good stuff” — and making choices RESULTING in more “good stuff!”

During challenging times, regular focus on gratitude can restore much needed balance. Not to deny the adversity, but to remember that there are wonderful things and opportunities available as well.

Make every day, a day of Thanksgiving. So many benefits … so small a cost!