I have not been showing up to write because I see myself succumbing to this bug rather than letting go to it! :) I am still so very human lol as we all are. I have some work and some learning to do!
All is well in my world!
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Monday, November 6, 2017
On a Mission to Prove it is All in Our Heads
Promoting health without encouraging others to seek wholeness is an exercise in futility. Not until we realize that our bodies are mirrors of our interpersonal, spiritual, professional, sexual, creative, financial, environmental, mental, and emotional health will we truly heal.
Lissa Rankin, M.D. (http://www.azquotes.com/author/49687-Lissa_Rankin)
I am still a little out of it as I try to transcend my perception of illness where the acute seems to be meeting the chronic. In my mind it is being translated as a "not fun experience" lol which my body picks up on...but it is truly only in our minds, is it not? Isn't all illness psychosomatic?
By all means we need to look after the body especially when we "perceive" illness and seek help if so required...but...isn't it exciting to think that we can get to the point of knowing we can heal ourselves? I want that knowing!
Well I am on a mission to prove that we can as you can tell by my previous writings. And what landed on my lap from the generous hands of Grace and Ease two days ago? ...An amazing book entitled, Mind over Medicine by Lissa Rankin, M.D. It was like wow! This is exactly what I am looking for as I look to marry the spiritual understanding of belief in illness with the scientific. It just shows up in my life!
Dr. Rankin has done an extremely thorough literature review and analyze of studies in medical and other allied health journals that help to provide evidence for the fascinating truth: It really is all in our heads. If it is in our heads we can do something about it!
I just can't stop reading it...and I am looking into the studies she looked into for even more information. (Hope that's not cheating...all credit definitely goes to her for her exhausted research and for guiding the way into the journals!!!)
I am definitely on a mission and it is not just the fever and the brain fog of a low cardiac output talking ...lol. So fasten your seat belts.
Be sure to read:
Lissa Rankin, M.D. (http://www.azquotes.com/author/49687-Lissa_Rankin)
I am still a little out of it as I try to transcend my perception of illness where the acute seems to be meeting the chronic. In my mind it is being translated as a "not fun experience" lol which my body picks up on...but it is truly only in our minds, is it not? Isn't all illness psychosomatic?
By all means we need to look after the body especially when we "perceive" illness and seek help if so required...but...isn't it exciting to think that we can get to the point of knowing we can heal ourselves? I want that knowing!
Well I am on a mission to prove that we can as you can tell by my previous writings. And what landed on my lap from the generous hands of Grace and Ease two days ago? ...An amazing book entitled, Mind over Medicine by Lissa Rankin, M.D. It was like wow! This is exactly what I am looking for as I look to marry the spiritual understanding of belief in illness with the scientific. It just shows up in my life!
Dr. Rankin has done an extremely thorough literature review and analyze of studies in medical and other allied health journals that help to provide evidence for the fascinating truth: It really is all in our heads. If it is in our heads we can do something about it!
I just can't stop reading it...and I am looking into the studies she looked into for even more information. (Hope that's not cheating...all credit definitely goes to her for her exhausted research and for guiding the way into the journals!!!)
I am definitely on a mission and it is not just the fever and the brain fog of a low cardiac output talking ...lol. So fasten your seat belts.
Be sure to read:
Rankin M.D., Lissa. Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof
That You Can Heal Yourself . Hay House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
or
Rankin M.D., Lissa (2013) Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself. Hay House
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Acceptance is Letting Go not succumbing
Man struggles to survive, not succumb.
-Paulo Coelho (Author of The Alchemist)
quote from: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/244811-man-struggles-to-survive-not-to-succumb
On Illness: Let Go, don't succumb
I want to make it clear when I speak of illness that it is important to let go and accept. That doesn't mean we are succumbing and giving up! There is a difference between giving up and accepting what is.
We want to survive the illness. Not only that, we want to be able to transcend it!
The Optimal Goal: Accepting that Illness is an Illusion
The goal of our true spiritual evolution is to get beyond all limitations including this notion that illness is real. We want to give up our belief in illness as we give up our need for ego, do we not? We first must be able to accept its presence in our lives on ego's terms before we can get beyond that belief to the point where we see that illness is only an illusion. We need to transcend to Love before we can change that belief.
Remember the core premise of A Course in Miracles:
To transcend this societal and collective belief in illness we first must accept the perception of illness in our own lives. Maybe that means, we need to look at illness through ego's eyes before we can look at it through Spirit's? We must see it in Fear before we can transcend to Love. We must climb one ladder rung at a time.
Chronic Illness vs acute illness
A chronic illness poses more challenges for us than an acute one does when it comes to our ability to get through it and beyond it.
When we are acutely ill with a bug like this one...let me rephrase that...when we perceive we are acutely ill :)- we have this belief that it will not last. We know we will get better. Bugs do not last forever. So from the onset we know what we are experiencing is temporary...with a beginning, a middle and an end. Knowing that gives us the great opportunity to practice our choice making. There is less fear so we can easily choose Love. We may believe that the illness is real but our belief that it will not last is what makes us better.
We can actually find a certain peace, if we look, in the acute illness. It slows us down. It provides opportunity for stillness. We are reconnected to our body and forced to listen to its message. There is more unity and connection of body, mind and soul. Acute illness than is a life event that provides a wonderful opportunity, as Oprah Winfrey was quoted as saying in yesterday's blog entry, to choose Love over fear.
The Challenge of Getting Beyond a Belief in Chronic Illness
Chronic illness, I am discovering, is a little more challenging to transcend. If the illness is not clearly defined and understood in physical world terms...that makes that challenge even more difficult. Despair is often seen when the mind starts believing in body or mental limitations. "The rituals of the god of sickness are strange and very demanding. Joy is never permitted, for depression is the sign of allegiance to him." (ACIM, Chapter 10: V.: 1-1-2)
We see a beginning but we do not see an end. We may be able to transcend the emotional ladder from despair but often get stuck on the rung of "frustration" and therefore are challenged to find the acceptance of the illness or the peace in it.
To transcend illness...to get to the point where we do not prescribe to the notion that illness is real...we need to get beyond a peaceful acceptance of it. We cannot do that until we let go of our resistance to the perception of illness in the here and now. Once we get in the higher vibrations of Love, we will see proof that illness isn't real. Faith is the ultimate of belief, is it not. In Love we are surrounding by faith
So getting better from a perceived chronic illness then involves a certain acceptance on the egoic level, followed by a transcendence of ego on the spiritual level induced by faith.
Confusing?
Yeah...it is still confusing for me.
What are some practical ways to help us get from a perception and belief in illness to a realization of our wellness ?
All is well in my world!
Note: subscribe, prescribe and ascribe obviously still trip me up and are often used incorrectly. I will work on that. :)
-Paulo Coelho (Author of The Alchemist)
quote from: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/244811-man-struggles-to-survive-not-to-succumb
On Illness: Let Go, don't succumb
I want to make it clear when I speak of illness that it is important to let go and accept. That doesn't mean we are succumbing and giving up! There is a difference between giving up and accepting what is.
We want to survive the illness. Not only that, we want to be able to transcend it!
The Optimal Goal: Accepting that Illness is an Illusion
The goal of our true spiritual evolution is to get beyond all limitations including this notion that illness is real. We want to give up our belief in illness as we give up our need for ego, do we not? We first must be able to accept its presence in our lives on ego's terms before we can get beyond that belief to the point where we see that illness is only an illusion. We need to transcend to Love before we can change that belief.
Remember the core premise of A Course in Miracles:
Nothing real can be threatened
Nothing unreal exists
Herein lies the peace of God.
What A Course is saying is that our absolute God given ability to be free of limitations, our inherent wellness really can't be harmed in anyway. We just "think" it can be when we listen to ego over God. Illness is the "unreal" and it doesn't exist. It is simply a creation of collective ego minds and a belief we have succumbed to and made a part of our lives as human beings. In God's eyes; in Love's world there is no illness.
Say what crazy lady?
That may be hard to swallow, I know. This belief in illness and limitation and separation from God and each other is so ingrained in us we subscribe to it without question. All I am asking you to do is question it...even a little bit? Is it possible that ego has tricked us and pulled us from God's truth.
Science and Illness
In a psychological research study it was determined that illness is often more a result of belief rather than a definite pathology, "Crucial to this is the belief that illness is not just the result of distinct pathological processes but can be meaningfully explained in terms of psychological and sociocultural factors. In particular, beliefs held by patients about their health and illness are central to the way they present, respond to treatment and evaluate their capacity for work." ( The British Psychological Society, n.d.)
Belief! Belief! Belief! That seems to be the biggest component for whether or not we get sick or stay sick.
Bruce Lipton, in his wonderful book, The Biology of Belief, explains this power of belief on our perception of illness. If we believe we can get sick, our cells will believe we are sick. If we believe we are well, our cells will stay well. It is not genetics or pathology that determines illness but our belief in it. If we change the way we believe, we change the way we see illness. Worth a read!
Step by Step ProcessTo transcend this societal and collective belief in illness we first must accept the perception of illness in our own lives. Maybe that means, we need to look at illness through ego's eyes before we can look at it through Spirit's? We must see it in Fear before we can transcend to Love. We must climb one ladder rung at a time.
Chronic Illness vs acute illness
A chronic illness poses more challenges for us than an acute one does when it comes to our ability to get through it and beyond it.
When we are acutely ill with a bug like this one...let me rephrase that...when we perceive we are acutely ill :)- we have this belief that it will not last. We know we will get better. Bugs do not last forever. So from the onset we know what we are experiencing is temporary...with a beginning, a middle and an end. Knowing that gives us the great opportunity to practice our choice making. There is less fear so we can easily choose Love. We may believe that the illness is real but our belief that it will not last is what makes us better.
We can actually find a certain peace, if we look, in the acute illness. It slows us down. It provides opportunity for stillness. We are reconnected to our body and forced to listen to its message. There is more unity and connection of body, mind and soul. Acute illness than is a life event that provides a wonderful opportunity, as Oprah Winfrey was quoted as saying in yesterday's blog entry, to choose Love over fear.
The Challenge of Getting Beyond a Belief in Chronic Illness
Chronic illness, I am discovering, is a little more challenging to transcend. If the illness is not clearly defined and understood in physical world terms...that makes that challenge even more difficult. Despair is often seen when the mind starts believing in body or mental limitations. "The rituals of the god of sickness are strange and very demanding. Joy is never permitted, for depression is the sign of allegiance to him." (ACIM, Chapter 10: V.: 1-1-2)
We see a beginning but we do not see an end. We may be able to transcend the emotional ladder from despair but often get stuck on the rung of "frustration" and therefore are challenged to find the acceptance of the illness or the peace in it.
To transcend illness...to get to the point where we do not prescribe to the notion that illness is real...we need to get beyond a peaceful acceptance of it. We cannot do that until we let go of our resistance to the perception of illness in the here and now. Once we get in the higher vibrations of Love, we will see proof that illness isn't real. Faith is the ultimate of belief, is it not. In Love we are surrounding by faith
So getting better from a perceived chronic illness then involves a certain acceptance on the egoic level, followed by a transcendence of ego on the spiritual level induced by faith.
Confusing?
Yeah...it is still confusing for me.
What are some practical ways to help us get from a perception and belief in illness to a realization of our wellness ?
- Accept the perceptual experience when it occurs but do not succumb to it. In other words, accept that you feel sick whether it be mentally , emotionally or physically right now. But know...that you can get beyond it. Don't give up on wellness.
- Choose Love over fear which will translate into wanting to feel peace, joy etc over despair, shame, guilt, blame, anger etc.
- Climb one ladder rung at a time.
- Don't stay in despair. Find something to feel better about!
- Look for things to be grateful for within the illness and beyond it.
- Read anything you can that speaks to this notion of belief
- Look at your own beliefs about illness and try changing them
- Pray and meditate your way to better health
- Embrace this perception of limitation/illness as a wonderful opportunity to choose Love and to heal once and for all in the ultimate of ways
- Weaken the belief in illness in self and others. Don't speak of your illness to others...try not to get absorbed in the conversations of others who speak of theirs. I love this passage from A Course..."Because the miracle worker has heard God's voice, he strengthens It in a sick brother by weakening his belief in sickness, which he does not share. The power of one mind can shine into another, because all the lamps of God were lit by the same spark." (Chapter 10: V:7:4-5)
All is well in my world!
Note: subscribe, prescribe and ascribe obviously still trip me up and are often used incorrectly. I will work on that. :)
References
ACIM (2007) A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, Third Edition. Mill Valley: Foundations for Inner Peace
Hallihan, Peter. (n.d.) Belief and Illness The Psychologists...The British Psychological Society. Retrieved from https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-20/edition-6/belief-and-illness
Lipton, Bruce ( 2005) The Biology of Belief. (Mountain of Love.??...not sure where that came from lol)
Friday, November 3, 2017
Letting Go to Illness
Acceptance doesn't mean resignation. It means understanding that something is what it is and there's got to be a way through it.
-Michael J. Fox (https://www.pinterest.ca/kristiebetl/quotes-for-surviving-chronic-disease/)
Succumbing to Illness
Hmm! None of us like to be sick....regardless of the so called secondary gains that may arise from illness: Time off work or responsibility, the possibility of being pampered or at least having an excuse to pamper self, and the slowing down of a busy life that is sure to happen if we do get sick. These things are not going to make any of us sign up for illness, are they? No one wants to be sick! It sucks.
The Emotional Process of Illness
So whether you are experiencing the first tell tale signs of an acute illness like the flu or suffering another pain filled day of a chronic illness...your reaction is probably going to be one of resistance. We tend to begin by denying it, "No! This can't be happening now or again! I have too much to do!"
Then it may be followed by a need to "suck it up", push past and pretend it isn't happening. What happens when we do that? Well we tend to feel worse and find ourselves even more incapacitated.
After that we may dip into shame and guilt, "What is wrong with me? Why am I such a wimp? I should be able to get past this. Look at all the work I am doing to counter this illusion of illness. I should be able to get above this. Besides I am not near as sick as some people who keep going. Man...I am such a failure and I am letting down so many people because I can't suck it up!"
After shame and guilt we may experience anger. "Damn this illness for ruining my day, my week, my life! Why did I have to get this...it isn't fair!!!"
This is usually followed by good old frustration where many chronic illness sufferers spend most of their emotional energy and where the acute illness sufferers may step briefly before they recover.
So whether we are aware of it or not we are moving up the scale to feeling better emotionally in our attempt to cope with this illness that has stepped into our lives, making itself known for the first time or for the 100th time. The goal for all people who perceive "illness" then is to get up to acceptance and then beyond on the emotional ladder.
How to get beyond acceptance?
Remembering the wisdom expressed in A Course of Miracles may help. "When a brother is sick it is because he is not asking for peace, and therefore does not know he has it. The acceptance of peace is the denial of illusion, and sickness is an illusion." (ACIM, Chapter 10: III: 7: 1-2)
Say What crazy lady?
Believe me, I know it is hard to accept that illness is an illusion when you are fevered with a sore throat; every muscle in your body aches and the mere thought of food makes you want to run to the bathroom...but I think our challenge exists because we are below acceptance of our illness "now." Right now you may feel as I do...like crap! But that is just right now...once I accept that that is my experience now, I can get through it and beyond it. Once we get to acceptance we will see that we have a choice between Love and Fear.
We need to choose Love
I love this quote from Oprah Winfrey that resonates with the teachings of A Course in Miracles and what I have spoke about in previous blogs and videos.
I believe every single event in life happens as an opportunity to choose love over fear. (https://www.pinterest.ca/kristiebetl/quotes-for-surviving-chronic-disease/)
So you get sick or experience another flare up of a chronic illness and you are wondering what possible good can come from this. Simple! It provides you with a an opportunity to choose. We can choose to stay in fear or step into Love. Every time we have a choice we are empowered and that alone should make us feel better.
That choice begins with climbing to acceptance. Accepting, as Michael J Fox states in the above quote, is understanding that something is what it is. I add to that, "right now". We need to accept that we are perceiving and experiencing "illness" right now. It does not mean by any reason that we have to stay there nor do we need to slip back into fear and beat ourselves up for being there! We just need to find our way through it!
We head in the direction of Love.
Where do we go from there?
To peace. Make peace with your experience and let it go. Make peace with the fact that you are still learning and learning is a process that takes repeated practice and error to master.
We can get to that reality that illness does not exist but only when we climb up the emotional ladder as high as we can go, one ladder rung at a time. Keep climbing, especially if you feel sick and perceive the company of illness in your life....right now. Head towards Love.
That being said, I am going back to bed lol. I felt so compelled to come out and write this down. Now I am more willing to accept this something for what it is...right now...and to pamper me as best as I can until the learning is cemented in my subconscious which probably won't be during this bug.
Someday I will truly understand just how much of an illusion illness is. It is okay that it is not today. I feel better just thinking that.
It is all good! All is well in my world!
-Michael J. Fox (https://www.pinterest.ca/kristiebetl/quotes-for-surviving-chronic-disease/)
Succumbing to Illness
Hmm! None of us like to be sick....regardless of the so called secondary gains that may arise from illness: Time off work or responsibility, the possibility of being pampered or at least having an excuse to pamper self, and the slowing down of a busy life that is sure to happen if we do get sick. These things are not going to make any of us sign up for illness, are they? No one wants to be sick! It sucks.
The Emotional Process of Illness
So whether you are experiencing the first tell tale signs of an acute illness like the flu or suffering another pain filled day of a chronic illness...your reaction is probably going to be one of resistance. We tend to begin by denying it, "No! This can't be happening now or again! I have too much to do!"
Then it may be followed by a need to "suck it up", push past and pretend it isn't happening. What happens when we do that? Well we tend to feel worse and find ourselves even more incapacitated.
After that we may dip into shame and guilt, "What is wrong with me? Why am I such a wimp? I should be able to get past this. Look at all the work I am doing to counter this illusion of illness. I should be able to get above this. Besides I am not near as sick as some people who keep going. Man...I am such a failure and I am letting down so many people because I can't suck it up!"
After shame and guilt we may experience anger. "Damn this illness for ruining my day, my week, my life! Why did I have to get this...it isn't fair!!!"
This is usually followed by good old frustration where many chronic illness sufferers spend most of their emotional energy and where the acute illness sufferers may step briefly before they recover.
So whether we are aware of it or not we are moving up the scale to feeling better emotionally in our attempt to cope with this illness that has stepped into our lives, making itself known for the first time or for the 100th time. The goal for all people who perceive "illness" then is to get up to acceptance and then beyond on the emotional ladder.
How to get beyond acceptance?
Remembering the wisdom expressed in A Course of Miracles may help. "When a brother is sick it is because he is not asking for peace, and therefore does not know he has it. The acceptance of peace is the denial of illusion, and sickness is an illusion." (ACIM, Chapter 10: III: 7: 1-2)
Say What crazy lady?
Believe me, I know it is hard to accept that illness is an illusion when you are fevered with a sore throat; every muscle in your body aches and the mere thought of food makes you want to run to the bathroom...but I think our challenge exists because we are below acceptance of our illness "now." Right now you may feel as I do...like crap! But that is just right now...once I accept that that is my experience now, I can get through it and beyond it. Once we get to acceptance we will see that we have a choice between Love and Fear.
We need to choose Love
I love this quote from Oprah Winfrey that resonates with the teachings of A Course in Miracles and what I have spoke about in previous blogs and videos.
I believe every single event in life happens as an opportunity to choose love over fear. (https://www.pinterest.ca/kristiebetl/quotes-for-surviving-chronic-disease/)
So you get sick or experience another flare up of a chronic illness and you are wondering what possible good can come from this. Simple! It provides you with a an opportunity to choose. We can choose to stay in fear or step into Love. Every time we have a choice we are empowered and that alone should make us feel better.
That choice begins with climbing to acceptance. Accepting, as Michael J Fox states in the above quote, is understanding that something is what it is. I add to that, "right now". We need to accept that we are perceiving and experiencing "illness" right now. It does not mean by any reason that we have to stay there nor do we need to slip back into fear and beat ourselves up for being there! We just need to find our way through it!
We head in the direction of Love.
Where do we go from there?
To peace. Make peace with your experience and let it go. Make peace with the fact that you are still learning and learning is a process that takes repeated practice and error to master.
We can get to that reality that illness does not exist but only when we climb up the emotional ladder as high as we can go, one ladder rung at a time. Keep climbing, especially if you feel sick and perceive the company of illness in your life....right now. Head towards Love.
That being said, I am going back to bed lol. I felt so compelled to come out and write this down. Now I am more willing to accept this something for what it is...right now...and to pamper me as best as I can until the learning is cemented in my subconscious which probably won't be during this bug.
Someday I will truly understand just how much of an illusion illness is. It is okay that it is not today. I feel better just thinking that.
It is all good! All is well in my world!
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Energy and the Body
The higher your energy level, the more efficient the body. The more efficient the body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.
-Tony Robins (http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/anthony-robbins-quote-the-higher-your-energy-level-the-more-efficient-your-body-the-more)
Energy and the Body
What Anthony Robins is saying in the above quote is so true. If we feel energetic, we feel better and the more we can do to fulfill our purpose here.
The last two days for whatever reason...I felt more energetic and I embraced that energy to do what I love to do. I even did another video and had more pep as I spoke about what is important to me. I was energetic in the classroom yesterday...I even did the stairs more than usual ( I realized that wasn't a good idea but I did them anyway :)...The energy renewal was telling me I could do anything. I believed it.
I got home and I had enough energy left to tidy up, do dishes and cook supper for everyone ( which I usually am not able to do.) I felt good!
Then suddenly ...without warning...like a balloon that was suffering a sudden pin prick...the energy just slipped right out of me and I was left completely deflated. I could do nothing...not even eat. I was so disappointed...especially when I realized my throat was wicked sore and I had a fever on top of that. I succumbed to the belief in illness
Lesson Learned
It is true. It is so important to rejuvenate with energy....to keep ourselves up vibrationally as much as we can. In these bodily forms, from Spirit...energy starts in the mind and is transferred to the body. If we keep in touch and open to the Source of all energy, work on our thinking to the point it is ready to receive ...we will feel more energetic and then we will feel better...emotionally and then physically. The mind does have power over the body.
Yet within us, are conditioned and collective beliefs so strong and prevalent about illness and sickness, that complicate the process. It is the beliefs we need to change because like the sharp ends of a pin they have the ability to limit our realities and deflate our possibilities even when we are feeling good.
I have no doubt I will be able to some day get beyond my physical limitations but it is a process that requires certain steps to be taken. Yesterday I felt good because I was ignoring my belief system. I skipped a step... of actually facing and reconstructing my beliefs.
We can't skip this step. The belief will resurface even if we are not aware of it and the body will respond with illness. So I was seemingly getting beyond my cardiac symptoms yesterday but my body...in an attempt to teach...gave me the flu...and what came with that...more cardiac symptoms...palpitations like you wouldn't believe.
Today I am completely wiped. This is the low energy version of me I will be giving to my students today.
The Point
We really need to change our belief system at the deepest level. We need to believe that we have the power to effect our vibrations ...which we do...so that wellness is all we know.
If we don't truly believe it...it isn't going to happen. If we do...it will.
Let's collectively learn to accept this truth in the very core of our subconscious minds so we all feel better.
All is well in my world!
-Tony Robins (http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/anthony-robbins-quote-the-higher-your-energy-level-the-more-efficient-your-body-the-more)
Energy and the Body
What Anthony Robins is saying in the above quote is so true. If we feel energetic, we feel better and the more we can do to fulfill our purpose here.
The last two days for whatever reason...I felt more energetic and I embraced that energy to do what I love to do. I even did another video and had more pep as I spoke about what is important to me. I was energetic in the classroom yesterday...I even did the stairs more than usual ( I realized that wasn't a good idea but I did them anyway :)...The energy renewal was telling me I could do anything. I believed it.
I got home and I had enough energy left to tidy up, do dishes and cook supper for everyone ( which I usually am not able to do.) I felt good!
Then suddenly ...without warning...like a balloon that was suffering a sudden pin prick...the energy just slipped right out of me and I was left completely deflated. I could do nothing...not even eat. I was so disappointed...especially when I realized my throat was wicked sore and I had a fever on top of that. I succumbed to the belief in illness
Lesson Learned
It is true. It is so important to rejuvenate with energy....to keep ourselves up vibrationally as much as we can. In these bodily forms, from Spirit...energy starts in the mind and is transferred to the body. If we keep in touch and open to the Source of all energy, work on our thinking to the point it is ready to receive ...we will feel more energetic and then we will feel better...emotionally and then physically. The mind does have power over the body.
Yet within us, are conditioned and collective beliefs so strong and prevalent about illness and sickness, that complicate the process. It is the beliefs we need to change because like the sharp ends of a pin they have the ability to limit our realities and deflate our possibilities even when we are feeling good.
I have no doubt I will be able to some day get beyond my physical limitations but it is a process that requires certain steps to be taken. Yesterday I felt good because I was ignoring my belief system. I skipped a step... of actually facing and reconstructing my beliefs.
We can't skip this step. The belief will resurface even if we are not aware of it and the body will respond with illness. So I was seemingly getting beyond my cardiac symptoms yesterday but my body...in an attempt to teach...gave me the flu...and what came with that...more cardiac symptoms...palpitations like you wouldn't believe.
Today I am completely wiped. This is the low energy version of me I will be giving to my students today.
The Point
We really need to change our belief system at the deepest level. We need to believe that we have the power to effect our vibrations ...which we do...so that wellness is all we know.
If we don't truly believe it...it isn't going to happen. If we do...it will.
Let's collectively learn to accept this truth in the very core of our subconscious minds so we all feel better.
All is well in my world!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Just Feel Better Video
Another Video. The videos are getting easier for me to do but maybe not easier for you to watch lol
This one took about 40 minutes to an hour from the time I thought to do it until the time it was published...so that is good.
I learn a lot of strange things about my outward appearance when I watch myself on video. I scare myself with some of my facial expressions...good thing it was done on Halloween.
I think it is so cool to watch yourself objectively as you are communicating...lets you see what others see. The experience is usually full of surprises. I actually get my Communications students to videotape themselves in a role play scenario so they can critique the way they are presenting self to others.
What I want to stress
Please know when I speak about lifting ourselves up from despair I am not undermining the challenge of those emotions. I worked in Mental Health so I am aware of how these emotional experiences can impact our judgments and decisions. I also know from my own dark times (and we all get them) how hard it can be to take the first step. Climbing up is not always easy, even if it is only one rung at a time.
Please.... I cannot stress this enough...if you are chronically experiencing things like despair and helplessness ... seek professional help. Reach out to someone. Don't suffer in silence. You are too valuable not to feel better!
Also remember there is no shame in feeling our emotions...only in the sometimes desperate consequence of denying them. Tell someone how you are feeling!
I want you, us, the whole world to just feel better!
This one took about 40 minutes to an hour from the time I thought to do it until the time it was published...so that is good.
I learn a lot of strange things about my outward appearance when I watch myself on video. I scare myself with some of my facial expressions...good thing it was done on Halloween.
I think it is so cool to watch yourself objectively as you are communicating...lets you see what others see. The experience is usually full of surprises. I actually get my Communications students to videotape themselves in a role play scenario so they can critique the way they are presenting self to others.
What I want to stress
Please know when I speak about lifting ourselves up from despair I am not undermining the challenge of those emotions. I worked in Mental Health so I am aware of how these emotional experiences can impact our judgments and decisions. I also know from my own dark times (and we all get them) how hard it can be to take the first step. Climbing up is not always easy, even if it is only one rung at a time.
Please.... I cannot stress this enough...if you are chronically experiencing things like despair and helplessness ... seek professional help. Reach out to someone. Don't suffer in silence. You are too valuable not to feel better!
Also remember there is no shame in feeling our emotions...only in the sometimes desperate consequence of denying them. Tell someone how you are feeling!
I want you, us, the whole world to just feel better!
Intention and Gratitude lists
My prayer is gratitude.
My intention is peace.
My answer is Love.
-Anna Taylor (http://emilysquotes.com/my-prayer-is-gratitude-my-intention-is-peace-my-answer-is-love/)
So we all know the value of being grateful and at the same time wanting more... at this point ...don't we? So are we putting a little commitment and effort into building up these two experiences?
I decided today to keep two lists on my desk top. One reads My Wanting List and the other, My Gratitude List. So far I have 25 pages of gratitude and 17 pages of intention.
I am no expert but I think it is essential to spend a few minutes each day coming up with reasons to be grateful and things we want to put out there into the universe. Be grateful for what you have and ask for what you want.
We can also review these lists on a daily basis to ensure we are filling our minds with these things rather than the negative thoughts. This will help us to feel better and it is all about feeling better.
All is well in my world.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Just Feel Better
On this long upward climb to Love, remember, you do not have to make the leap from feeling awful to feeling great...just take the step up to feeling better. Make it your goal to just feel better one ladder rung at a time. That is the surest way to climb.
-me ...from something I wrote along the way
The Importance of Feeling Good
Oh man, the more I learn, the more I realize that the most important thing we can do in life is to work towards feeling good. It is all about feeling good! When we feel good we vibrate at a higher level and when we vibrate at a higher level we are in sync with the vibration of Life...what was intended for us. So what is the so called "secret" of life that people write and speak and create documentaries about? Feeling Good!
Many of us know that. Yet we find ourselves in life circumstances we don't want...we are caught in the lower energy emotions of fear, shame, despair and wonder how we are to get up to the level of vibration where all the great things happen. We set out with all the greatest intention to feel good!
Setting Ourselves up For Failure
We set ourselves up for failure, however, when we try to leap from a place of despair to a place of bliss. So do not focus so much on feeling good...just better. Feel Better.
A Course in Miracles describes our life experience being divided by two emotions: Fear and Love. Fear, of course, is low energy and Love is high energy. All the negative emotions are in the fear section all the positive are in the Love section. If I am in helpless despair...at the bottom of the Fear section where most of us spend too much of our lives and I hear that Bliss is at the top of the Love section...I am going to want to climb up. My temptation is to get there as fast as I can but I need to remind myself in order to get there at all...I can only move up one step at a time.
One step at a Time
So what is above the experience of helplessness and despair? Sadness maybe. I once wrote a poem and in it I described sadness this way, "Something sweet can be found in sadness, a soft melancholy whisper that breathes life into a withering soul, filling the void where apathy once sat." So despair is apathy and helplessness and sadness offers just a tinge of hope in amongst all that melancholy. Not the greatest emotion but it is better. So I reach for sadness.
How?
Well feeling is the energy that makes the world go around but thoughts are the energies that create feelings. So in order to feel better we need to think better. We change the thinking process ever so slightly to take us from a feeling of utter despair and helplessness to sadness. We practice with the thought until it "feels right"...until it is believable. Once there, we take a deep breath and feel the relief!
Relief.
You know you are there when you feel a certain relief of the heaviness the lower energy held over you....doesn't have to be a tremendous amount of relief just enough for you to say, "I feel somewhat better."
Congratulations on your success...you are moving up!
Do we stay there?
Definitely not. Reach for the next emotion which might be shame or guilt. Then from there reach for anger and blame...Every climb from despair to sadness, shame to guilt, guilt to anger etc is going to offer a certain amount of relief. Feel the relief with each step upward. When you get to frustration you are very close to the neutral point...the halfway point that divides the Love feelings from the fear feelings. This emotion is acceptance.
Things are so much easier when you get to acceptance. Relief comes so much quicker and the move up is faster. Embrace the wonderful feeling of letting go of resistance that occurs in acceptance but then keep moving. Keep climbing until you get to where you want to be, where you are meant to be. ..at the top of that ladder.
We can get there but our focus should not be on feeling great...just better ...one emotion at a time.
References and recommended reads
ACIM (2007) A Course in Miracles: Combined volume: Third Edition. Mill Valley: Foundations for Inner Peace.
My book when it is published which won't be long now lol ( I am so optimistic because I think it is a great book with a lot of valuable learning to share.)
Sunday, October 29, 2017
The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
-Nathaniel Branden (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/step.html)
-Nathaniel Branden (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/step.html)
Urgent!
We have to live life with a sense of urgency so not a minute is wasted.
-Les Brown (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/live_life.html)
Triage
When I look at how most of us deal with life, I recall my experience doing triage in the emergency room years ago. When patients would come in I, as the triage nurse, would have to quickly assess them to determine if their need for treatment was a Stat ( right away), Urgent ( within a short period of time) or Non-Urgent (could be referred to the overcrowded waiting room for an indefinite period of time). For the well being of the patient and healing team it was essential to make this determination correctly.
In correctly triaging our own lives.
I find most of us...me included...have a tendency to really screw up the triage systems of our own lives. Too often we make life situations into emergencies and catastrophes when they are not or worse we refer our broken dreams, joy and happiness to the waiting room. While sitting on the hard plastic chairs and drinking stale coffee...our wishes and desires are easily forgotten or pushed aside by someone else's needs.
The Waiting Room!
Maybe you can relate to this. Maybe you are like me. I am world's worth procrastinator. I too often push things off onto a tomorrow I know will never come. I have dreams, plans, intentions...lots of them. And though I do not want to worry about manifesting these things or get too involved with the doing and fixing...I am realizing that just sitting back and waiting is not the answer either. That method of coping with life has not really worked out for me to date.
When I look around me and see that months, years or even decades have passed and I have still not accomplished what I wanted to...I feel so "blah!" I know then that some action is required.
Urgent! Living Required Now!
So in order to compensate I now try to place an urgent stamp on my life file. I find myself putting my life experience into small blocks of time in hope that I will be more motivated to accomplish what needs to be accomplished in order for me to fulfill my purpose.
As if I stumbling through the revolving doors of my life with a severed jugular...I see time as precious and the need to accomplish my dream as urgent. I need to fix what is broken. Replace what is lost. Fill my life with all it is meant to be filled with now. Otherwise I will soon be completely drained and lifeless. This is urgent. Living is required now.
Learning to triage correctly
There are some simple steps we can take to put our life into perspective so we avoid long waits in an emergency room
- Determine the difference between emergency, urgency and non-urgent. What is truly important to you having a fulfilling life and what isn't?
- Remind yourself that few things in life are the emergencies we make them out to be. Remove the drama.
- Put away the time wasters and focus on the urgent things in your life. Stamp correctly.
- Before you push something into the waiting room of your life, determine if it belongs there. Upgrading to the latest and newest IPhone may be something that can sit on one of those hard plastic chairs for a while. Getting that new lump checked or putting money away for school may not be.
- Remember life is short and you are bleeding. Fill your day with things that fill you up, not things that drain you farther.
- Take some action now towards your dreams. It doesn't have to be big...just one small step will do. Fill out that application; write that first paragraph; pick up the phone.
- Know that it is up to you to determine what is urgent and non-urgent in your life. Don't let others determine that for you!
- Live your life now.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Answering the last of the Soul Questions
Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.
Robert Louis Stevenson ( from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertloui205032.html)
Waking Up
Hopefully we have shed some light on most of the before mentioned soul questions to help us wake up:
Asleep or Awake?
What about the question : What am I grateful for?
I believe this is probably the most important question to answer even though it may not be the easiest, especially if we are operating from a low energy mental focus on "lack."
Are you forgetting to be grateful? I often do and I need to remind myself how essential gratitude is in my own little life and in the world at large. We need to be grateful.
How?
Psychology researchers, Robert Emmons and Mike McCullough, have conducted several studies into the nature and benefit of gratitude on the human experience. They have concluded that the creation of gratitude lists or journals are highly beneficial for several reasons:
So?
Maybe it is time we wake up, take out our pen and paper and start jotting down what it is we are grateful for in life. Keep the list handy for review on those days it is hard to remember. :)
There is plenty to be grateful for. We just need to take the time to slow down and consider it.
All is well in my world.
References
Emmons, Robert ( 2017) Gratitude and Well-being. Emmons Lab. Retrieved from http://emmons.faculty.ucdavis.edu/gratitude-and-well-being/.
Robert Louis Stevenson ( from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertloui205032.html)
Waking Up
Hopefully we have shed some light on most of the before mentioned soul questions to help us wake up:
- Who am I?
- What is that I want?
- What is my purpose? (which would tie in with What gives me meaning? How can I serve?)
- What am I here to Learn?
Asleep or Awake?
What about the question : What am I grateful for?
I believe this is probably the most important question to answer even though it may not be the easiest, especially if we are operating from a low energy mental focus on "lack."
Are you forgetting to be grateful? I often do and I need to remind myself how essential gratitude is in my own little life and in the world at large. We need to be grateful.
How?
Psychology researchers, Robert Emmons and Mike McCullough, have conducted several studies into the nature and benefit of gratitude on the human experience. They have concluded that the creation of gratitude lists or journals are highly beneficial for several reasons:
- They remind us of reasons to be grateful.
- Have been proven to help individuals want to take better care of themselves;
- create more optimism, alertness, attentiveness, energy and enthusiasm in those who write down on a daily or weekly frequency what they are thankful for ;
- help people make progress toward their goals
- increase the tendency of list keepers to reach out, connect, appreciate and help others
- build more positive outlooks towards self, society and life in general.
So?
Maybe it is time we wake up, take out our pen and paper and start jotting down what it is we are grateful for in life. Keep the list handy for review on those days it is hard to remember. :)
There is plenty to be grateful for. We just need to take the time to slow down and consider it.
All is well in my world.
References
Emmons, Robert ( 2017) Gratitude and Well-being. Emmons Lab. Retrieved from http://emmons.faculty.ucdavis.edu/gratitude-and-well-being/.
Friday, October 27, 2017
On Learning and Changing
Change is the end result of all true learning.
-Leo Buscaglia
According to this American writer, speaker and professor of Special Education...if we want change we do so through learning.
Life Is full of lessons from which we can learn...some of them not so fun! Each time we encounter a struggle or heart break we can curl up and succumb to it or we can learn from it and move forward. We will at some point recognize we want things to be better than what they are. We want change ...so we learn and move on.
In this address Buscaglia also says that:
-Leo Buscaglia
According to this American writer, speaker and professor of Special Education...if we want change we do so through learning.
Life Is full of lessons from which we can learn...some of them not so fun! Each time we encounter a struggle or heart break we can curl up and succumb to it or we can learn from it and move forward. We will at some point recognize we want things to be better than what they are. We want change ...so we learn and move on.
In this address Buscaglia also says that:
Change involves three things:
First a dissatisfaction with self- a felt void or need;
second, a decision to change to fill the void or need;
and third, a conscious dedication to the process
of growth and change-
the willful act of making the change, doing something.
What are we to Learn?
I would guess that we are here to learn two things: Who we are and who we are not. When we experience the dissatisfaction with self- this self ego has created- we may experience the emptiness it offers. Identification with the ego leaves us with void and need. We may question, "Is there more than this?" We begin to learn who we are not.
The Process of Learning Who We are not...
That question will set us off on a journey of learning and we will change and grow. This process will be gradual for most of us; quick and explosive for others.
The change will involve dropping the trappings of the false self and finding and embracing the real offerings of the true Self. It is not an easy change because ego doesn't make it easy. It is hard to let go of the things we defined ourselves by in a world that honors and celebrates those things.
A Conscious Dedication
What we need to see us through is a "conscious dedication" to the process. All learning requires practice, practice, practice; mistakes and learning from them. If you are anything like me you will stumble and err your way through this learning to wake up process. The trick is to stay committed...knowing who awaits on the other side of your learning...who you really are.
The Reward is Learning who you really are
All the learning, all the practicing will take us to who we really are. It will feel like drastic change as we go through it but what we may realize when it happens is that...it was not change after all...but simply a returning to who we have always been.
All is well in my world!
Quote retrieved from: http://izquotes.com/quote/339487
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
What do you want?
Three Life Rules
- If you don't go after what you want, you will never have it
- If you don't ask, the answer will always be no
- If you don't step forward, you will always be in the same place- Unknown
Taken from: https://www.pinterest.ca/explore/inspiration/
How cool is that? I recently got in the habit of writing what I want down in clear simple statements. I keep a list and man is it long lol. When something shows up in my life that I don't want...I see it as contrast and I turn it around into something I do want on paper.
Yeah...just words and mental construct that means little other than the way it makes us "feel". You need to feel good when you go through that list.
All is well in my world!
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Something Peculiar
The most common ego identifications have to do with......social status and recognition....and other collective identifications. None of these is you.
- Eckhart Tolle
Like None of these is me...really!
Well I'd be lying if I said, after all my evolution, I didn't still have a big, fat swollen ego because I do! I just have the inflammation managed (somewhat). So there are some things I feel confident I wouldn't do. I honestly believe I am far enough beyond my need for the good opinion of others that I wouldn't promote myself or my blog beyond what felt "right" to me. I could be mistaken...but...
Something Peculiar
Hmmm! I have noticed something peculiar today. I have been getting this recurrent blog site on my stats since June. I like to check in on sites who are repeatedly checking in on me for courtesy reasons. So I did several times wondering why this blog ranking site kept showing up. I would obviously be of no interest to "Top 16" nor "Top 16" to me....so why were they there?
Today I decided to scroll down and I discovered a comment from me on this blog site that promotes spirituality sites. I am concerned because the comment for all extents and purposes looks like it comes from me but as far as I know...as far as I can remember...I never actually posted it. So I am wondering how it got posted with my pic? Hmmm!
Is it my memory?
Did I have a menopausal moment where I slipped into some dementia fugue and wandered off onto someone else's site thinking I belonged there? I suppose that is possible. I may have done something I would not normally do and completely forgot about it. This menopause does some strange things to the mind, afterall. Yesterday morning I spent a good half-hour looking for the tea I just poured and where did I find it? In the fridge lol. So it is possible that I momentarily stepped out of my normal behaviour pattern and did something I cannot recall doing.
But I doubt it!
Just not me...
You see I am not one to actively promote my blog for all kinds of reasons. I mean I will write articles and include my website on my bio giving like-minded readers the choice to step into my world for a while to view the real me if they so choose. I feel I owe the reader and the site I was published on that much. But that's it. I do not tell people about my blog. I do not use social media to promote it. I do not seek rankings in any way shape or form. I just want to write.
Though I love the visits and truly appreciate the readership I receive, I will never be one of those neighbors who stands at the end of the driveway waving people down. My house is way too messy with piles of imperfections all over the place lol and I am not one for keeping up appearances.
It is, therefore, so totally unlike me to ask to be on a site that ranks sites....not that there is anything wrong with that...but it is not where I am at. And it is not where I want to go.
I just cannot see me posting that comment and all jokes aside, I am sure I would remember at least something about it if I did. So if I didn't put it up there, who did and how?
Other than learning my way around email, internet researching, and my blog site I am basically as dumb as a stump when it comes to this cyber world. So I am not sure how someone else could post for me. Nor do I know how to remove it. I have to figure that one out. It would be a little awkward to comment again to ask to have my previous comment removed but I may have to lol.
No harm done. I actually got a few readers from it, not all of them appreciative lol, but that's good. I also assume the intention for posting for me was well meaning. So I am grateful for that. Ohhhh! Maybe it was an inside job? I have some questions to ask around here.
Regardless...it is all good! Why don't you check out the sites ranked on Raise Your Vibration Today https://raiseyourvibrationtoday.com/2015/03/14/consciousness-websites/ . It is, after all, all about you finding what works for you...not about the peculiarities in my own blogger life.
Raise Your Vibration seems to be a great site with a lot to offer...as well as a great referral to other sites. Isn't it wonderful that so many people are waking up?
All is well I my world!
- Eckhart Tolle
Like None of these is me...really!
Well I'd be lying if I said, after all my evolution, I didn't still have a big, fat swollen ego because I do! I just have the inflammation managed (somewhat). So there are some things I feel confident I wouldn't do. I honestly believe I am far enough beyond my need for the good opinion of others that I wouldn't promote myself or my blog beyond what felt "right" to me. I could be mistaken...but...
Something Peculiar
Hmmm! I have noticed something peculiar today. I have been getting this recurrent blog site on my stats since June. I like to check in on sites who are repeatedly checking in on me for courtesy reasons. So I did several times wondering why this blog ranking site kept showing up. I would obviously be of no interest to "Top 16" nor "Top 16" to me....so why were they there?
Today I decided to scroll down and I discovered a comment from me on this blog site that promotes spirituality sites. I am concerned because the comment for all extents and purposes looks like it comes from me but as far as I know...as far as I can remember...I never actually posted it. So I am wondering how it got posted with my pic? Hmmm!
Is it my memory?
Did I have a menopausal moment where I slipped into some dementia fugue and wandered off onto someone else's site thinking I belonged there? I suppose that is possible. I may have done something I would not normally do and completely forgot about it. This menopause does some strange things to the mind, afterall. Yesterday morning I spent a good half-hour looking for the tea I just poured and where did I find it? In the fridge lol. So it is possible that I momentarily stepped out of my normal behaviour pattern and did something I cannot recall doing.
But I doubt it!
Just not me...
You see I am not one to actively promote my blog for all kinds of reasons. I mean I will write articles and include my website on my bio giving like-minded readers the choice to step into my world for a while to view the real me if they so choose. I feel I owe the reader and the site I was published on that much. But that's it. I do not tell people about my blog. I do not use social media to promote it. I do not seek rankings in any way shape or form. I just want to write.
Though I love the visits and truly appreciate the readership I receive, I will never be one of those neighbors who stands at the end of the driveway waving people down. My house is way too messy with piles of imperfections all over the place lol and I am not one for keeping up appearances.
It is, therefore, so totally unlike me to ask to be on a site that ranks sites....not that there is anything wrong with that...but it is not where I am at. And it is not where I want to go.
I just cannot see me posting that comment and all jokes aside, I am sure I would remember at least something about it if I did. So if I didn't put it up there, who did and how?
Other than learning my way around email, internet researching, and my blog site I am basically as dumb as a stump when it comes to this cyber world. So I am not sure how someone else could post for me. Nor do I know how to remove it. I have to figure that one out. It would be a little awkward to comment again to ask to have my previous comment removed but I may have to lol.
No harm done. I actually got a few readers from it, not all of them appreciative lol, but that's good. I also assume the intention for posting for me was well meaning. So I am grateful for that. Ohhhh! Maybe it was an inside job? I have some questions to ask around here.
Regardless...it is all good! Why don't you check out the sites ranked on Raise Your Vibration Today https://raiseyourvibrationtoday.com/2015/03/14/consciousness-websites/ . It is, after all, all about you finding what works for you...not about the peculiarities in my own blogger life.
Raise Your Vibration seems to be a great site with a lot to offer...as well as a great referral to other sites. Isn't it wonderful that so many people are waking up?
All is well I my world!
Monday, October 23, 2017
Art
The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.
-Pablo Picasso
Art in whatever form it is expressed: paintings, writings, photography, sculpture, drama, dance etc etc etc...is a beautiful soft and refreshing cloth that wipes away ego from our human lives, for at least a moment. It is a reminder of what is real and beautiful beneath the grim this world of form piles on us. It reminds us of who we are.
Remember that it is not about being great, or "special" in your gift. It is simply about the willingness to express it. I write and I give my words away. I am not great but I have something to share. I photograph and I give my images away. I am not special in this gift but I have something to share.
My offerings may be meager but I feel called to give them away ( and I mean that literally lol ). I want to do my small part in wiping the dust off souls, mine included.
Do you?
Note: Of course there comes a time when you might want to start getting paid for it lol...just so you can continue creating what needs to be given away. Develop your skills, practice and get to the point where you know that what you have to offer is of value. Give it away freely until you know you have to make it your life's work...then look for compensation. Know that the universe will support you. If you are following the right path...you will get what is needed to help you focus more on your art. I am not quite there yet. lol
-Pablo Picasso
Art in whatever form it is expressed: paintings, writings, photography, sculpture, drama, dance etc etc etc...is a beautiful soft and refreshing cloth that wipes away ego from our human lives, for at least a moment. It is a reminder of what is real and beautiful beneath the grim this world of form piles on us. It reminds us of who we are.
Remember that it is not about being great, or "special" in your gift. It is simply about the willingness to express it. I write and I give my words away. I am not great but I have something to share. I photograph and I give my images away. I am not special in this gift but I have something to share.
My offerings may be meager but I feel called to give them away ( and I mean that literally lol ). I want to do my small part in wiping the dust off souls, mine included.
Do you?
Note: Of course there comes a time when you might want to start getting paid for it lol...just so you can continue creating what needs to be given away. Develop your skills, practice and get to the point where you know that what you have to offer is of value. Give it away freely until you know you have to make it your life's work...then look for compensation. Know that the universe will support you. If you are following the right path...you will get what is needed to help you focus more on your art. I am not quite there yet. lol
Life Purpose: What are you going to give away?
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
-Pablo Picasso
Wow! Isn't that an amazing quote from the greatest modern painter of all time? If we follow his wisdom we will work hard to discover what gift we were born with to share and then we will put all our energy into sharing it. Why? To make the world a better place and to bring you joy (believe it or not...I am coming to see they are the same thing!).
Finding Your Gift
So how do we know what gift we have? Most of us would answer with, "I don't have any real gifts." How sad is that for all of us to hear? We too often down play, neglect to develop, or strive to express these innate gifts we possess because they are not "special" enough.
They do not have to be special! They just have to be you!
We all have some unique thing that has the ability to help expand life, create beauty, inspire, motivate, soothe and heal within us but we don't tap in to it. So often we are so self depreciating in this ego competitive world that we do not see ourselves having anything "special" to offer. We assume we need to be "better than' or as "great as" in order to say we have a gift that is worthy of sharing. But we don't.
We just have to share what brings us joy and bliss...that right there is a big pointing finger sign that says "This way to Your purpose! " Your gift is a gift to you and a gift to the world.
What do you love to do?
What makes you lose track of time? What makes you smile or laugh as you do it? What makes you want to rush home and say, "Guess what I did today?" These are the things you have to offer.
Some of us can create great works of beauty that reflect how amazing the world is. If that is your gift...you need to create
Some of us may have voices that vibrate with the angels. If that is your gift, you need to sing.
Some of us have healing hands, minds and hearts that help in some small way or some great way to put an end to suffering. If that is your gift you need to heal.
Some of us have a gentle touch and a caring heart that helps the world and it's beings to grow. If that is your gift, you need to nurture and grow.
Some of have minds that strive to solve humanity's issues. If that is your gift, you need to problem solve.
Some of us have a desire and ability to build great things, important things, and useful things. If that is your gift, you need to build.
Some of us have the ability to teach the world what it needs to know and inspire humans to set an example. If that is your gift you need to teach and inspire.
Some of us have the ability to express what the soul is saying through words and speech. If that is your gift, you need to write and to speak.
Give away what feels good.
There are so many gifts out there. What you feel "good" doing is your gift. What benefits the world and self...even in a small way...is your gift.
Find it within yourself. Then...Give it away.
All is well in my world!
References
Pablo Picasso; Paintings, Quotes and Biography (n.d.) Pablo Picasso and His Paintings. Retrieved from https://www.pablopicasso.org/
-Pablo Picasso
Wow! Isn't that an amazing quote from the greatest modern painter of all time? If we follow his wisdom we will work hard to discover what gift we were born with to share and then we will put all our energy into sharing it. Why? To make the world a better place and to bring you joy (believe it or not...I am coming to see they are the same thing!).
Finding Your Gift
So how do we know what gift we have? Most of us would answer with, "I don't have any real gifts." How sad is that for all of us to hear? We too often down play, neglect to develop, or strive to express these innate gifts we possess because they are not "special" enough.
They do not have to be special! They just have to be you!
We all have some unique thing that has the ability to help expand life, create beauty, inspire, motivate, soothe and heal within us but we don't tap in to it. So often we are so self depreciating in this ego competitive world that we do not see ourselves having anything "special" to offer. We assume we need to be "better than' or as "great as" in order to say we have a gift that is worthy of sharing. But we don't.
We just have to share what brings us joy and bliss...that right there is a big pointing finger sign that says "This way to Your purpose! " Your gift is a gift to you and a gift to the world.
What do you love to do?
What makes you lose track of time? What makes you smile or laugh as you do it? What makes you want to rush home and say, "Guess what I did today?" These are the things you have to offer.
Some of us can create great works of beauty that reflect how amazing the world is. If that is your gift...you need to create
Some of us may have voices that vibrate with the angels. If that is your gift, you need to sing.
Some of us have healing hands, minds and hearts that help in some small way or some great way to put an end to suffering. If that is your gift you need to heal.
Some of us have a gentle touch and a caring heart that helps the world and it's beings to grow. If that is your gift, you need to nurture and grow.
Some of have minds that strive to solve humanity's issues. If that is your gift, you need to problem solve.
Some of us have a desire and ability to build great things, important things, and useful things. If that is your gift, you need to build.
Some of us have the ability to teach the world what it needs to know and inspire humans to set an example. If that is your gift you need to teach and inspire.
Some of us have the ability to express what the soul is saying through words and speech. If that is your gift, you need to write and to speak.
Give away what feels good.
There are so many gifts out there. What you feel "good" doing is your gift. What benefits the world and self...even in a small way...is your gift.
Find it within yourself. Then...Give it away.
All is well in my world!
References
Pablo Picasso; Paintings, Quotes and Biography (n.d.) Pablo Picasso and His Paintings. Retrieved from https://www.pablopicasso.org/
Saturday, October 21, 2017
You either get bitter or you get better. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you!
- Josh Shipp (motivational speaker)
Wow! Don't have much to say today. Tired and a little off center. I won't bore you with the details. Just hope that regardless of how you are feeling right here and right now you reach a little higher for a better experience. :) Whether it is raining, snowing, freezing or sweltering in your part of the world...I also hope you get out there to enjoy the beautiful day in any way you can! It is sunny here and I intend to slip outside and sit in the sun...P.J's, bedhead and all. I will do what ever I can to find relief and feel better! It is all great!
All is well in my world!
Quote from: https://www.pinterest.ca/explore/better-person-quotes/
Friday, October 20, 2017
"It" Whispers
It Whispers
It whispers to me
from somewhere
beneath all the noise.
It reaches out and grabs me
through the darkness of misunderstanding.
It holds me down and keeps me stable
while the swirling vortex of chaos
surrounds me.
When I feel like I am lost
and wandering through
unfamiliar territory,
it directs me and shows me
the way home.
It assures me that beneath
the pain and frustration,
I allow to consume me at times,
there is a peace,
a love,
a light so healing,
ready to guide me to
a new tomorrow.
It whispers
as it patiently waits
for me to know the truth:
I am so much more than this.
Dale-Lyn 2011
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Witnessing Suffering
May all beings be free of suffering and the cause of suffering.
The Buddha
There is so much sadness in the world.
It seems that a lot of the people around me are depressed enough to take their own lives (or at least attempt to). I worked in psychiatry so I seen this a lot in the professional context...that was hard enough... but when it happens to people you see everyday, waving as you walk or drive by...the reality of this suffering hits too close to home. Then you hear of broken hearts as relationships that you assumed were strong from the outside looking in fall a part. Cancer rears its ugly head in relatives and you know your loved ones are suffering because of this presence in their lives...and you feel there is nothing you can do.
That's it! I guess, our own suffering is worsened by having to "helplessly" witness the suffering of other sentient beings around us.
How do we cope with this helpless feeling?
Step One: Accept! I believe the first step is to acknowledge and accept, as Buddha taught, that there is suffering in the world. Living beings suffer. That is the truth.
One unhealthy way that human beings tend to cope with this reality is through something called cognitive dissonance...by closing our minds to the truth of suffering, our eyes to the sight of it and our ears to the sound of it. We often do not take responsibility for our part in it...no matter how small that part may seem. Without responsibility...there is no power. We allow suffering to continue by pretending it doesn't exist.
If we really want to do something about the suffering in the world we need to accept that it exists. We need to take our heads out of the sand. There is suffering!
Step Two: Don't Collect suffering! Once you accept suffering, do not be tempted to collect evidence of it. It is easy to get lost in the suffering of others or our own. "Bad things" always seem to happen in batches. We may come to believe that suffering is all there is. We may collect the suffering we witness or experience, creating a huge collage in our overworked minds...that leads us to look out upon the world as a place that "causes nothing but pain."
Yes there is suffering!! But there is also light, peace, joy and love in the world! There is goodness and generosity...strength and harmony. The world is a beautiful place and life is a precious, precious thing very much worth experiencing fully.
Of course when someone is suffering from the darkness of fear or depression...it is hard for them to see that. Their vision is too blurry to see clearly. The world around them appears to be so very dark .That leads me to the most important step of dealing with suffering in the world.
Step Three: Be the Light! In order to end the suffering in the world, we need to end it in the place it exists...the only place it exists...in our minds. If we want the world to be a place of light, peace and love ...we must begin in the only place where we truly have control...our own minds. If we find our way past suffering there...we will radiate like a light that helps others to see.
If I experience peace and calm...I will bless the world with a certain peace and calm. If I experience joy...I will offer joy to the world. If I experience Love in its purest form...I will bring the healing power of Love to the world. The better I feel...the better the world will feel!
We all must strive to feel as good as we can! The more of us that do that...the less suffering there will be.
I truly believe that!
All is well in my world.
References:
McLoed, Saul (2014) Cognitive Dissonance. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html
Quote from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/309904018092866978/
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Time to Go Guys?
As with the migrant birds, so surely with us, there is a voice within if only we would listen to it, that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown.
-Elisabeth Kubler -Ross
All is well!
Pic from me: :)
Quote from Thinkexist.com: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/how_do_the_geese_know_when_to_fly_to_the_sun-who/13269.html
-Elisabeth Kubler -Ross
All is well!
Pic from me: :)
Quote from Thinkexist.com: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/how_do_the_geese_know_when_to_fly_to_the_sun-who/13269.html
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Beyond the Weakness of the Flesh
The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
(Matthew 26: 41; NIV)
We all have good intentions do we not? We all strive to be the best people we can be...to reach the height of some spiritual pinnacle (whether we call it spiritual or not). We feel pulled by Spirit's intentions at some point in our lives. We might hear the call, reconstruct our psyches so they are more in tune with spirit's voice than body's and set our to achieve our goals.
What happens if our flesh, the body we are in, just does not want to cooperate?
My flesh is sometimes weak though I know my intentions are good. Last night at Two a.m. I was reminded of how weak that flesh was. I awoke with what I first thought was intense heart burn and now realize it was much more than that. I am very weak today as a result and once again find solace in having my nitro near by. I at the same time feel very defeated.
You see, I had convinced myself that if I could push thoughts of physical limitation out of my head...use my mind to keep a clear path for my spiritual awakening...I could get above my body's complaints. I have learned to push aside thoughts and speech about what my body is feeling and doing. I "ignored" its weakness. I was as convinced, as the disciples were at Gethsemane, that I could "stay awake," ...only to realize that I couldn't!
And when that happens instead of nurturing and caring for my body in its weakness, I turn on it and I turn on my mind. I get mad at it for not "trying " harder. I get angry at my mind for losing control and discipline over this vehicle my soul is driving. What I am doing, in a sense, is what my Catholic upbringing told me would be the greatest of sins, I am spitting on the altar. The altar I am spitting on is the altar of my Being.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own? 1Corinthians 6: 19 ESV
Instead of stopping, slowing down, seeking outside help...I tend to push myself harder. It didn't matter how I felt during the night...I got up at five , made breakfast and lunch for everyone and drove my son to work. I didn't tell anyone about my experience, until much later in the morning, because I was ashamed.
On the way home I had another epiphany. Basically...that this is absolutely crazy and I am indeed acting like a crazy lady. I had a bad attack and the more I push past those attacks and ignore them the less likely I will get to where I want to be. If I want Spirit to do what it is here to do, I need this body and I need to take care of it!!! Regardless if I get the external help I need...I need to accept, respect and accommodate my body for where it is at now! That's up to me.
Maybe you had similar experiences. Maybe you can recall times when you pushed yourself past a limitation because you were angry at your body or mind for being weak, afraid of what that weakness would mean in terms of you reaching a goal. There is so much out there promoting this "drive" to get past pain. There are slogans like "Just do it!"; "No pain; no gain!" etc...Yet when we adhere to these suggestions are we not just spitting on altars?
Are our bodies not communicating with us when they act up? Are our minds telling us something needs to be addressed when they too misbehave? Why can we not just listen understanding that the body, mind and soul work together for a common goal? Harmony...And without harmony in Self how do we expect to have harmony in the world?
I love this quote from Yogi, B.K.s. Iyengar,
Sometimes our body is willing, but our mind is weak. Sometimes our mind is willing, but our body is weak. Do not be afraid. Strive to extend your capacity but do not be disappointed with yourself. What does not challenge us cannot change us.
-B.K.S. Iyengar (Yogi)
Life is just one long complicated yoga pose. We need to strive to extend our capacity without being disappointed with ourselves. We will get to where we want to go but only if we put aside our fear and respect our limitations as they are now. Instead of pushing the body, let it flow naturally into the position. Instead of resisting with the mind...let go. We can, if we do so gradually and gently get past our barriers. Be patient ( and I say that to myself :)) We can grow beyond our limiting perceptions!
All is well.
References:
Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/matthew/26-41.htm
Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-19.htm
Iyengar, B.S.K. (2013) Yoga: The Path to Holistic Healing. England: DK
(Matthew 26: 41; NIV)
We all have good intentions do we not? We all strive to be the best people we can be...to reach the height of some spiritual pinnacle (whether we call it spiritual or not). We feel pulled by Spirit's intentions at some point in our lives. We might hear the call, reconstruct our psyches so they are more in tune with spirit's voice than body's and set our to achieve our goals.
What happens if our flesh, the body we are in, just does not want to cooperate?
My flesh is sometimes weak though I know my intentions are good. Last night at Two a.m. I was reminded of how weak that flesh was. I awoke with what I first thought was intense heart burn and now realize it was much more than that. I am very weak today as a result and once again find solace in having my nitro near by. I at the same time feel very defeated.
You see, I had convinced myself that if I could push thoughts of physical limitation out of my head...use my mind to keep a clear path for my spiritual awakening...I could get above my body's complaints. I have learned to push aside thoughts and speech about what my body is feeling and doing. I "ignored" its weakness. I was as convinced, as the disciples were at Gethsemane, that I could "stay awake," ...only to realize that I couldn't!
And when that happens instead of nurturing and caring for my body in its weakness, I turn on it and I turn on my mind. I get mad at it for not "trying " harder. I get angry at my mind for losing control and discipline over this vehicle my soul is driving. What I am doing, in a sense, is what my Catholic upbringing told me would be the greatest of sins, I am spitting on the altar. The altar I am spitting on is the altar of my Being.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own? 1Corinthians 6: 19 ESV
Instead of stopping, slowing down, seeking outside help...I tend to push myself harder. It didn't matter how I felt during the night...I got up at five , made breakfast and lunch for everyone and drove my son to work. I didn't tell anyone about my experience, until much later in the morning, because I was ashamed.
On the way home I had another epiphany. Basically...that this is absolutely crazy and I am indeed acting like a crazy lady. I had a bad attack and the more I push past those attacks and ignore them the less likely I will get to where I want to be. If I want Spirit to do what it is here to do, I need this body and I need to take care of it!!! Regardless if I get the external help I need...I need to accept, respect and accommodate my body for where it is at now! That's up to me.
Maybe you had similar experiences. Maybe you can recall times when you pushed yourself past a limitation because you were angry at your body or mind for being weak, afraid of what that weakness would mean in terms of you reaching a goal. There is so much out there promoting this "drive" to get past pain. There are slogans like "Just do it!"; "No pain; no gain!" etc...Yet when we adhere to these suggestions are we not just spitting on altars?
Are our bodies not communicating with us when they act up? Are our minds telling us something needs to be addressed when they too misbehave? Why can we not just listen understanding that the body, mind and soul work together for a common goal? Harmony...And without harmony in Self how do we expect to have harmony in the world?
I love this quote from Yogi, B.K.s. Iyengar,
Sometimes our body is willing, but our mind is weak. Sometimes our mind is willing, but our body is weak. Do not be afraid. Strive to extend your capacity but do not be disappointed with yourself. What does not challenge us cannot change us.
-B.K.S. Iyengar (Yogi)
Life is just one long complicated yoga pose. We need to strive to extend our capacity without being disappointed with ourselves. We will get to where we want to go but only if we put aside our fear and respect our limitations as they are now. Instead of pushing the body, let it flow naturally into the position. Instead of resisting with the mind...let go. We can, if we do so gradually and gently get past our barriers. Be patient ( and I say that to myself :)) We can grow beyond our limiting perceptions!
All is well.
References:
Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/matthew/26-41.htm
Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/6-19.htm
Iyengar, B.S.K. (2013) Yoga: The Path to Holistic Healing. England: DK
Monday, October 16, 2017
Another publication
Check out this on the Global Harmony Crew site (what a great name, eh?). Grateful for the opportunity to find my words there in amongst the great message they spread!
http://www.globalharmonycrew.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-life-the-24-hour-life/
The images are amazing!!!
Please read all the posts and subscribe! Global Harmony is something we all want, right? :)
http://www.globalharmonycrew.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-life-the-24-hour-life/
The images are amazing!!!
Please read all the posts and subscribe! Global Harmony is something we all want, right? :)
To Know Yourself.
To Know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy beneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.
Eckhart Tolle
So to answer the first soul question posed by Deepak Chopra and others, "Who am I?" ...I use the above quote from Eckhart Tolle. From that I answer, using the limitations of words and mental concepts: We are what is underneath the thinking, the mental noise, the pain. We are Being. We are stillness. We are Love and joy.
I believe, however, that who we are is not meant to be understood with words. It is meant to be understood by feeling and experiencing it. How do we do that? We stop doing or at the very least slow down; we go inward in and we embrace the Being within us all....at least for a few minutes a day.
We all can do that, can't we? Wouldn't the rewards be worth it? Imagine experiencing freedom, salvation and enlightenment.
All is well in my world.
Eckhart Tolle Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eckharttol571625.html
Eckhart Tolle
So to answer the first soul question posed by Deepak Chopra and others, "Who am I?" ...I use the above quote from Eckhart Tolle. From that I answer, using the limitations of words and mental concepts: We are what is underneath the thinking, the mental noise, the pain. We are Being. We are stillness. We are Love and joy.
I believe, however, that who we are is not meant to be understood with words. It is meant to be understood by feeling and experiencing it. How do we do that? We stop doing or at the very least slow down; we go inward in and we embrace the Being within us all....at least for a few minutes a day.
We all can do that, can't we? Wouldn't the rewards be worth it? Imagine experiencing freedom, salvation and enlightenment.
All is well in my world.
Eckhart Tolle Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eckharttol571625.html
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Who Are We? Why are we here?
We are what we believe we are.
C.S. Lewis
To answer the question Who am I and why am I here? I look to someone I admire and respect. Albert Einstein was a brilliant scientist but he was also a deeply spiritual man. Beyond the theory of relativity he teaches of what it is to be human and connected to something so much greater than our little selves.
In a letter he wrote to a grieving friend he explains that who we are right now is delusional. He alludes to a need to free ourselves from this self imposed prison by changing what we believe about ourselves. We need to remove this false idea of separation and reach out with compassion to the entire universe.
A human being is a part of a whole, called by us "Universe"; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as somehow separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons near to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. (brainpickings)
One of our roles and purposes for this human existence then...is to get beyond the delusion of self to the reality of Self.
How do Science and Spirituality Fit Together?
If you are anything like me, you probably see the spiritual and the scientific as two distinct fields of thought. One is based on the mystical and the inexplicable while the other is based on the need for observation and validation. I guess when we ponder the questions: Who am I and why am I here? We want to understand the "mystery" with "empirical knowledge". Can we do that?
To truly Know is to do so only in the unseen realm where terminology and mental construct does not necessarily fit....where time and distance isn't real; where there is no separation. There is a science that studies this. Of course the "science" I am referring to here is quantum physics.
There is a book out there that explains the connection between spirituality (Buddhism) and quantum physics entitled, "The Quantum and the Lotus" by Mathieu Ricard, a molecular biologist turned Buddhist Monk and Trinh Xaun Thuan, a Buddhist astrophysicist. I will definitely be placing that on my to-read list.
All is well!
References and recommended reads:
Popova, Maria (n.d.)Einstein on Widening Our Circles of Compassion. brainpickings. Retrieved from https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/11/28/einstein-circles-of-compassion/
Ricard, M. & Thaun, Trinh. (2004). The Quantum and the Lotus. Broadway Books. (Please note: I haven't read this yet and am only recommending it on a gut level curiosity to understand.)
C.S. Lewis
To answer the question Who am I and why am I here? I look to someone I admire and respect. Albert Einstein was a brilliant scientist but he was also a deeply spiritual man. Beyond the theory of relativity he teaches of what it is to be human and connected to something so much greater than our little selves.
In a letter he wrote to a grieving friend he explains that who we are right now is delusional. He alludes to a need to free ourselves from this self imposed prison by changing what we believe about ourselves. We need to remove this false idea of separation and reach out with compassion to the entire universe.
A human being is a part of a whole, called by us "Universe"; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as somehow separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons near to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. (brainpickings)
One of our roles and purposes for this human existence then...is to get beyond the delusion of self to the reality of Self.
How do Science and Spirituality Fit Together?
If you are anything like me, you probably see the spiritual and the scientific as two distinct fields of thought. One is based on the mystical and the inexplicable while the other is based on the need for observation and validation. I guess when we ponder the questions: Who am I and why am I here? We want to understand the "mystery" with "empirical knowledge". Can we do that?
To truly Know is to do so only in the unseen realm where terminology and mental construct does not necessarily fit....where time and distance isn't real; where there is no separation. There is a science that studies this. Of course the "science" I am referring to here is quantum physics.
There is a book out there that explains the connection between spirituality (Buddhism) and quantum physics entitled, "The Quantum and the Lotus" by Mathieu Ricard, a molecular biologist turned Buddhist Monk and Trinh Xaun Thuan, a Buddhist astrophysicist. I will definitely be placing that on my to-read list.
All is well!
References and recommended reads:
Popova, Maria (n.d.)Einstein on Widening Our Circles of Compassion. brainpickings. Retrieved from https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/11/28/einstein-circles-of-compassion/
Ricard, M. & Thaun, Trinh. (2004). The Quantum and the Lotus. Broadway Books. (Please note: I haven't read this yet and am only recommending it on a gut level curiosity to understand.)
Saturday, October 14, 2017
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