How To Be So Much More

Yesterday I was at a gallery and something connected about art and how it is a vehicle to deepen our experience of life and open our channel to our spirit.  There was a painting of a crow sitting on a window ledge and looking at the sun; it was titled at the Edge of Freedom. It seems crows are symbolic messengers for both my wife and I. For years the intuitive has come to us in a variety of forms with crows high the list. Inner messages call us to leave old stuck patterns and limiting beliefs behind and instead move into the wonder of the unexplored richness of life. This message came home with clarity looking at that painting.

As I read what I wrote above I see by my words that what I want to say is that there is so much we can become aware of and know if we allow the messages around us, the images, and the metaphors speak to us in the inner language of the intuitive.  Everything becomes more alive when we are open to see, hear, feel and sense the wisdom of the universe.

How do you make contact with the other world of knowing beyond your rational mind?

What kinds of messengers or metaphors are knocking on the doorway to your higher knowing inviting you to further awaken? 

Where do you have stuck patterns or places in you wanting to come into full expression?

What parts of you are touched by images or intuitions that keep showing up and begging you to pay attention?

Where do you keep pushing away what you know is right for you?

How do you diminish your own power by holding out against you’re your quiet wisdom?

None of this is meant to judge but to invite. You are unlimited potential in waiting; you are the grace of light longing to be expressed.



6 Little Known Ways To Self-Love

Yesterday in one of my timeouts, no I wasn’t misbehaving; I had the topic of self-love come into my thoughs and I knew it was to be my next blog post. Then the entire outline was presented to me in the form of the list of ideas including today. I sometimes feel I just need to get out of the way and let the wisdom of the Universe use my fingers.

Self-love is the absolute single most important ingredient in creating an amazing and rewarding life. If you don’t love yourself, you are carrying a false belief that is anchoring you to one stuck spot. If you would only realize that you deserve all the love you can give yourself, then you would set your life in a forward motion that know no limits. Your choice, would you rather believe the nonsense of your limiting programming and beliefs or set yourself free?

If freedom and self-love is what you choose then I have six techniques/practices that will empower this choice and help rewire your brain to fully integrate self-love into your life.

1.         There are a number of EFT (Tapping) techniques that will help you begin the rewiring. Go to YouTube for examples. The practice I would encourage has two important components: the first is this affirmative statement – “I totally love and accept myself,” which you repeat as you take your fingertips and tap around your ear.  Place your four fingertips in front of your ear and then proceed to tap gently around the ear for about one minute repeating the affirmation. Do the tapping in a circular motion around either or both ears.

2.         Look into the mirror, directly into your own eyes and tell yourself that this day you will love yourself as fully as you can. Each time you see a mirror repeat your inner message of self-love. When you get brave do this standing naked in front of the mirror and love yourself fully as you are. 

3.         Breathe self-love into your body. This technique is quiet and simple. When you wake up in the morning and throughout your day simply breathe love from your heart down into your body as if you are breathing into the base of your spine, then have the breath fill you to your center (behind navel) and lastly your breath fills your upper chest/heart and mind. Then exhale and release anything in you that needs to be released. Do this deep breath for at least 10 full deep breaths.

4.         Place your right hand on your forehead and your left hand on the lower part of the back of your head. Think of this technique as the brain rewire practice that you do at least once a day. With your hands in place, you affirm that you are rewiring your brain with love and open its full connect to your heart and affirm that you fully love yourself free of judgments.

5.         Spend at least a few minute of your day in the still place where your soul resides. This quiet wisdom is a reminder of your higher nature. The reason most people have lost touch with self-love is that they have lost touch with their spiritual nature, the part of them that is infinite and eternal.

6.         This practice is ongoing because it involves being ok with how you feel. The goal is to get to the point where you acknowledge and accept all feelings that come up in you. The more you accept without judging all you feel, the more you will love and accept yourself.

Hope you love yourself so much that your love helps awaken the hearts of many.



Making Your Relationships Important

If you are truly interested in building powerful relationships in your life there are important guidelines that will make a huge positive difference. I trust you will find these ideas very helpful for both those you love and for your relationship with those you work with and those who are your clients. The following essentials will lead to meaningful and valued relationships:

* All relationships are greatly affected by the quality of your heart. If your heart is guarded and protected, your connection to others will be limited. If fear guides how you connect to others, you won’t significantly connect to most people.

If your heart is open, if you have compassion for those around you, then people will want to connect. Everyone appreciates loving-kindness in his or her life.  Your open heart is the doorway into connecting at a deep level. This is no limit to the hearts capacity to bring love into all relationships.

* If you want to connect in a significant way with others, you must be able to accept them as they are. No one wants to be judged by you especially critically. Relationships built on the idea that you can change the other person are doomed to be frustrating and most likely to fail.

The judging mind needs to be transformed to a respectful and accepting mind if building healthy relationships matter to you. Acceptance is saying I want to have a relationship with you just as you are.

* You have to show up for a relationship to work. Many people related to others on a more superficial level and with little or no genuine interest in who they are interacting with. This lack of real contact means there is only a superficial exchange which is not a relationship. 

Showing up means you are fully present when you related to others. That means you are hearing and feeling what the other person is saying. You are listening with compassion not just in waiting for your turn to talk. Being fully present to another is a wonderful gift.  It is a gift of the heart and ones that keeps giving and receiving.

* This final relationship essential is the realization that those you are in relationship with are not separate from you. This means, “All of us are connected to each other.” “There is a little of everybody in you.”

When you help lift a person up, inspire them, give them encouragement, you are also lifted up, inspired and encouraged. If you treated others with kindness and respect they will treat you the same way. If those you connect with are expanding in their minds and opening in the hearts you too also become a more expansive person.

A quick easy relationship reminder is: 

Open and Accepting heart

Focused in the Now

Realizing Your Oneness with all

Joseph's Update: Website is continuing to go through changes and my focus is coming into greater clarity.

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Thanks for stopping by, I look forward to hearing from you and how I can serve you in ways that light up your life.



Life Lessons Keep Getting Better

Today I want to share with you about the evolution I am going through as I move into fully creating my life and income free of the dependence of working for others. I share this with two hopes in mind: 1. That you will gain awareness about your own journey in ways that eliminate barriers to the success you desire. 2. That as I write about my journey I will gain further insight into how I can more fully set myself free of any self-limits.

Lately a series of lessons have been presenting themselves to me that are important in my own growth and evolution. The following four life lessons may be of great value to you:

This first lesson is one I keep learning: when I write about what is going on for me, I always get clearer about the process I am going through. So when you get stuck, start writing about it because it moves the chaos of your thoughts into a form you can better evaluate and adjust. I always learn something new when I write things out. I make connections I haven’t made before. I see things from a fresh or different angle. I am able to shed more light on places in me that are in need of the light of higher consciousness. When I write for insight, I bring more awareness into everything.

The second lesson is becoming very clear: I need to find my own voice in creating this new life for myself. That voice is uniquely me and has to be free of trying to do it right, or of the need for approval.  In finding my unique expression, which is the collection of my life experiences and insight, I have something genuine to share that will be of benefit to others.  This is also about fine-tuning my message. I have much to give and it needs to be offered with clarity, passion, and a lightness of being that touches the souls of those who want to be reached. My voice, my message must say with brightness and aliveness that what I have is just what you need. I undersell so I need to step bigger into speaking with enthusiasm. This is a lesson that keeps giving.

The third lesson is one I know to be true but keep moving past it by doing stuff instead of just being: The busier I get the more important it is that I spend quiet time. My quiet time is an endless stream of nourishment, inspiration and energy.  By quiet time I mean: taking time to daily to practice meditation and mindfulness; taking time for quiet walks just being present; each day noticing and appreciating the beauty of nature around me; caring for my body as a temple of my divine nature; and living with an open heart even in the face of my judging mind. I love the peace of stillness and giving myself the pleasure of being quiet is great kindness.

The fourth lesson is clearer today than ever before: I am the creator of my life, not the creation of my thoughts and beliefs. I have worked with people for years as a therapist assisting them to examine their thoughts and beliefs. There is never-ever an end to that examining of your or my thoughts and beliefs. I am the creator of all my thoughts, beliefs and feelings. No one ever makes me think anything, feel anything or believe anything. I am always at the level of choice since I am the creator not the creation.  In truth, I can absolutely create anything I want. Try this on: I am the creator of the creation I call my thoughts, feelings and beliefs. I can therefore change anything in my creation that limits me.

*Update here at my blog* As you can see there are many changes going on. These changes are still happening and will come together more in the next few weeks. However changes will always be going on here because it is a reflection of ongoing growth, of new insights and awareness and the exploration of how to do what I do even better so I can better assist you in creating the life you want.

I would really appreciate you signing up for my email list so that I can send you my latest posts, tips, inspiration and special offers that I am in the process of creating right now.

Love and peace to you.



12 Essential Attributes For An Extraordinary Life

My blog is in the midst of a major transformation.  I thank you for your patience as this transformation unfolds. I am so excited about what I am working on and I have much to share as we go. 

The following 12 essential skills/attributes you will need within and out in the world to live and have the most extraordinary life:

1. Live Mindfully – this key ability is being aware of self, thought, feelings, and body; a sense of connection to self and how you relate to the world. There are many specific mindful practices that will enrich your life in many ways. 
2. Have Patience – in this fast paced times patience seems like a lost skill but it is even more important. Can you be patient enough to let things happen as they need to and still keep your focus? Step back when you feel yourself in a hurry and worry mode and patiently trust in things working out.
3. Skilled at Self-Care – taking good care of yourself is essential for your well-being and for your effectiveness out in the world. How are you taking care of your heart, your mind, your feelings, your body, your health, your energy, your spirit and your social life? If you work intensely with people you need to focus even more on self-care.
4. Are Accepting and Non-Judging – to excepting of yourself as you are and to stop the self-judging are very important if you want to believe in yourself and what you are doing. Once you are accepting of self and stop the judging you can go out into the world and be free of judging everyone or everything as “good” or “bad” and instead be accepting of things as they are.
5. Courage for Action – the biggest step is often moving into action around ideas that matter you. It takes courage to set your own course, to live by the values that matter to you and to be boldly out in the world making a difference.
6. Have Emotional Wellness – your feelings are critical to pay attention to because they are clearly telling you when you are on course or have lost your way. When it feels right and alive you are heading in the right direction. Please simply acknowledge all your feelings because they are all okay. Acknowledging and accepting all your feelings brings you emotional health.
7. Have Wholeness Of Mind – an open mind is essential in today’s world. Many old ideas, strategies and solutions are not working so your mind has to be open to learn, grow and be flexible. A healthy mind is one that questions its own thoughts and knows how to quiet down the endless thoughts. No one has all the answers, if you are absolutely sure of your right, you most likely have a closed mind.
8. Are Creative In Your Expression – to enhance you effectiveness it is very helpful to access your creativity. Your creativity can come in many forms including your leadership, the way you appreciate others, your writing, the way you parent, the unique viewpoints you come up with, the way you use humor in conversations etc. There never has been found a limit to human creativity.
9. Live From the Heart – the most powerful tool in the world is your heart, your compassion, your ability to care and your loving kindness. Listening with compassion is the best gift ever for those you love.  Love really has the power to transform you and humanity for the good of all beings and the planet.
10. Have Appreciation and Gratitude – if you can live in appreciation and gratitude then the whole world seems like a gift. A daily practice of appreciation will enrich your life in many, many ways. Appreciate those you love, the beauty around you, the gift of the moment and everything else.
11. Present Focused – the only place you can do anything is now. There is nothing you can do ever that will change the past. There is nothing you can do that will control the future. All you have is the here and now. If you can be present to life there are endless possibilities. 
12. Inner and Outer Connected – first you must find your connection to your inner wisdom, intuition and your purpose, then find your way to move into connection and unity with those around you. When connected you can be work with others in collaboration for the well-being of all of us.

These attributes are all ones you can acquire and get skilled at. My work going forward is to help you develop these personal skills so you can be a positive force for change in your life and in the world.  The times call you and me and everyone to not settle for the ordinary but instead be extraordinary in all we think, feel, and do. You are awesome!

Change Your Story

I want to thank Buddhist teacher Cheri Huber for the inspiration for today’s post. She tweeted something like, “Just change your story.” My inner voice said that is an excellent topic for my blog.

What stories am I talking about? If you take the time to observe what goes on in your mind and do so over a period of time, you will notice some regular themes. Most of these themes are ones that direct the way you see the world. Let me give you some examples:

You can have a story about money being bad, and you never seem to have the money you want. If you have a story about money being bad and you want to be a good person, then your story of money will keep you from having it.

You can have a story about not being good enough. That story plays every time you go after something and don’t get it. Soon you expect to fail and you feel that you are not good enough to have what you want.

You can have a story about how amazing you are, and everything you do turns out great. Believing in yourself usually means you take risks, follow your heart, and do what it takes to succeed. This story is one that you don’t want to change. If anything you may want to play this story more often. 

Why would you want to change your story? Stories that don’t work for you like: you not being good enough, not deserving, not okay as a person, money as bad or any other negative story limits greatly the possibilities of your life.  So when you notice a limiting story you play about who you are in your own mind, you then have the choice to change that story. You most likely have some deeply grooved stories that hold you back from having the life you desire (this is true of all of us.)

Changing your story begins by listening to what stories you have playing and then questioning whether they are serving you well or not. Most of the stories in you mind are thoughts that have been replaying for many years. These stories can be replaced once you are aware of them but if you don’t take the time to become mindful of your thoughts, these stories will limit what you want to make happen.

Simply put, pay attention to how you talk to yourself, you inner dialogue, the stories of how you see the world. As you notice ideas, beliefs and stories that are limiting you, you then have awareness. With awareness, you acquire choice. With choice you can change old themes to new ones that move you in the right direction.

Imagine having thoughts, ideas and beliefs about you and your life that make your life the way you want it to be. If you commit to listening inward, asking yourself questions about what you are thinking, and becoming aware of thoughts you want to replace, then you take back control of the life you long to create.

Here are some ideas to help you be more aware, take the time to explore these practices compassionately:

• Notice in the morning what your basic story is as your day begins. Notice what your story is about work or not working
• Notice what your story is about yourself as you go through your day
• Notice your story about your family
• Notice your story about your body
• Notice your story about your feelings
• Notice your story about the people you spend time with
• Notice the story about how you feel about your life’s direction
• Notice the story about how you feel after work
• Notice how you spend your free time and your story about that
• Notice how much time you spend in distracting yourself and the story you may be trying to hide
• Notice when and if your heart is open and the story about that
• Notice if you ever slow down or take it easy and the story of why you do or don’t
• Notice how you feel at the end of the day and the story of that day
• Notice if you ever appreciate beauty and any story about that
• Notice if you are ever grateful and any story about that
• Notice if you feel your life has meaning or not and the story about that
• Notice is you feel at peace and any story about that
• Notice if you are happy and the story about that

Keep on noticing until you understand what stories take you higher in life and which ones cause you life to close down. 

Be kind in all of this noticing. To judge yourself negatively for the stories you have would be to begin a new limiting story or add on to one you already have. The best frame of mind is to just impartially get to know what is going on inside and upgrade the stories that need to change and energize the positive ones that are already there.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I am changing my story.

Last night I placed this message on my Facebook page and today I want to share it with everyone who stops by to read my blog. I so much appreciate you and you interest in expanding your mind and opening your heart. 

I am taking a scary but exciting leap. I am going to need your support. I will now make my living with my blog, my coaching and my training and presentations. I affirm this with all of you as my cheer leading team. I am putting a plan together now, with a relaunch of my blog, a spelling out of my services and products and the building of a co-created movement called Better World Together. Stay tuned, have your thinking caps on, your hearts energized and people in mind I can be of service to. Love and peace to all of you.



5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

I am in the process of getting ready to re-launch of my blog. I have decided to fully believe in what I have to offer in helping you and others like you making a positive difference in your life and in the world. The times are ripe for those ready to get off the sidelines and fully engage in the game of life. It is time for you to live with clarity and purpose, for you to take what you were given in the way of your unique skills and desires and leave you mark on the world with distinction, determination and with considerable courage.

There never has been or will there ever be another person like you on this planet. What you have to offer if you fully express yourself is a, once in the lifetime of the planet, gift to humanity. You are up to the task or you would not be here in this life at this time in human history. At some level you are here now because you chose to be.

The task before you is basically the same as it is for all of us who care to be more self-realized and of greater service to humanity: to boldly go forward with all you have on board and to do what you are here to do, while being the absolute best you can. There is no mediocre or ordinary in this life because the extraordinary is essential in these times when the great shimmering energies of change call us into being what we are here to be.

Look no further than the messages from your heart, than the intuitive call of the infinite within you, than the urges to create what is needed to shift us all. There is a deep whisper that is requesting your participation in moving forward the process of evolution toward the greater possibilities in all of us.

Along the way you will need support, encouragement, ideas, inspiration, hope, courage, and most of all the highest consciousness and most expanded heart.  This is the intersection where our journey’s can meet. I want to help, it is my purpose to do so. My consciousness and my compassion have expanded to the point where I have something of value to offer you. Your consciousness and compassion have expanded to point where you can receive help and turn that into positive results. There is great power when forces purposefully join together.  I will have additional information about working together as my Explore Life moves to a new and vibrant level. I look forward to sharing this and to hearing how I can make a meaningful difference in your life.

In the mean time I wanted to offer you 5 questions to consider in your mind, your heart, intuitively and with your higher nature if you want to move your life toward the extraordinary:

What is the deepest knowing in you trying to tell you at this point in your life? Are you listening and what are you doing about this guidance?

How are you getting in your own way? What can’t you seem to get past?

What in your life gives you the most meaning, the greatest feelings of aliveness?

How are you working at expanding your mind and opening your heart?

What brings you the deepest sense of peace and connection with your infinite nature?

If I can be of assistance in helping you answer these questions don’t hesitate to email me at josephteach@hotmail.com. You have resources available to you that can forever expand the possibilities of your life.  

My book – Awaken: 100 Questions To Expand Your Mind and Open Your Heart, is a wonderful companion on the journey toward the  full expression of who you are.



Notes of Interest #3

It’s Friday and I have some quotes to share with you that seem to have real meaning for me and I wanted to share them with you. During the week I put these quotes on my screen for use later and today is later.  I hope these words inspire you.

As you know as a reader of my blog, I emphasize the importance of questions. I love these five questions as a guide for all of our thoughts.  Remember our thoughts are not real, they are just words we give meaning to.

 

I hope this is true and I believe it to be. We live in an information world where so much of it is with an agenda in mind. Inside is the only place you can find your truth. No one else can tell you what your truth is.

I like this one because it says all can be overcome with the power of compassion. There is no hell except when we separate ourselves from our heart by our thoughts.

As is usually the case, Eckhart Tolle brings light to what looks like the negative.  Even in our darkest times there is something of greatness ready to rise up out of our despair.

Thank you again for Facebook and the creators of these images that come to me from the posts there. 

Enjoy the weekend and dance to your own music.



Replace These 10 Inner False Beliefs Today

You have much greater control over your own mind when you are aware of the programming that has been going on all of your life. From the moment you came into being, there has been a constant barrage of information coming your direction. This information began inside your mother and has most likely never slowed down.

Since you came out into the world there has been endless influence and feedback from all the people and circumstances of your life. All of this programming adds up to a great amount of unsorted ideas, information, beliefs, etc. Unless you become mindful and/or aware to these influences they unconsciously run your life. 

This post today is about drawing your attention inward to help you become more aware of the ideas and beliefs you acquired along the way. With the hope you will become conscious enough to choose the influences that shape you and your world from now on. Becoming a more conscious human being enriches your life in endless ways and can set you free of self limits you picked up trying to figure out how to be a human being.

In my 35 plus years of working intensely with people I have come upon some very common false beliefs. The following 10 false beliefs may or may not limit your experience of life today:

1.         You are not an okay person. These messages came to you from your family, peers, your schooling, your church and now mostly from yourself as an adult. This idea of you not being okay is totally false. The people who said you were not okay were not okay with themselves. This false idea of self is programmed into most of us even by very well intended and loving human beings. They were wrong and you are mistaken if you have the belief that you are not an okay person. The good news is you can change that idea right now by changing your thoughts about yourself. Focus on accepting and appreciating who you are.

2.         You are a bad person. Like the “not okay” above this one gets more specific by telling you that you are bad for the way you behave, for the sins you commit, and for the rules you break. There is really no such thing as a bad other than a label people put on other people and themselves. Yes there are people who do terrible things but they are the exception. Sin, often linked to being a bad person, does not exist other than as a religious idea. There was no original sin that too is a human invention. The rules you violated upset the rule makers but they do not make you bad. Do your best to catch the judging mind and stop any further labeling of self.

3.         You are not good enough, you don’t deserve. This is a false message most of you have received that often is hard to shake. People who didn’t feel okay about themselves taught you that you were not good enough or deserving of what you want. Again the institutions of the world often teach you aren’t good enough. Families, schools and religion too often make you feel like you don’t deserve the life you want to have. Then when you become an adult you don’t let in the good things because you feel undeserving. You deserve the life you desire so go for it.

4.         You are not smart enough. Intelligence comes in many forms but in school it’s determined by math and language skills. If neither of those were your strengths in your early years you may graduate from school with lots of self-doubt about how smart you are. You can also be smart in body intelligence (athletics, dance etc), in creativity, in social skills, in mechanical skills and other ways of personal brilliance. You are more than smart enough for the life you want to live. There is unique genius in you waiting to be discovered.

5.         You are not creative. Your creativity may not be drawing or coloring within the lines. You could be a creative genius in graffiti, in hip hop music, in designing video games, in the way you communicate with others, or in the way you parent your children with great compassion. The more you explore your creativity the more it seems to flow. Everyone is creative. When you find your ways of creating you will feel full of aliveness and feel purposeful.

6.         Your body is not okay. This is a constant message in our society, it is no wonder you are not okay with your own body. Diet books out sell most other non-fiction books. Yes you want a healthy body but it needs to start with feeling okay with who you are and then work at getting better if that is what you want. The products industry is heavily invested in the idea of selling you stuff because they promote not feeling okay about yourself or your body. Stand in front of a mirror every day and be okay with it. If you want to change it do so with positive focus and acceptance all along the way.

7.         You are not loveable. This message is false and always will be but it comes to you from others who don’t know how to love themselves. Self-love is most important for a positive experience of life. When you love and accept yourself as you are, others will love you to. Do not waste your time seeking the approval of others. Approve of yourself and the rest will take care of itself. You may have been raised by people who had closed their hearts. That does not make you unlovable; it makes them not able to love. Treat yourself with loving-kindness every day.

8.         Your feelings are not okay. All your feeling, every one of them, are okay. Some feelings are more difficult to deal with and may cause others to feel uncomfortable. Feelings like fear, anger and hate are highly charged and may seem both scary inside and to those around you. They are okay as feelings but may need some attention. Unexpressed or stuffed feelings build a big charge inside until you numb out or explode. All feelings if acknowledged naturally change to other feelings. If you can get to acceptance with how you feel, you feel positive about yourself. All difficult feelings come from being stuck in the past or worried about the future (fear, anger, hate, worry etc.). All positive feelings come in the present moment (love, joy peace, appreciation, hope etc.)

9.         Your sexuality is bad. Religion especially seems to want to make our sexuality bad. This is a false belief generated by people who don’t want others to have pleasure in life. If sexuality is denied or suppressed it often comes out in very unhealthy ways, priests sexual abuse, porn for those who sit in piety over others, fear of LGBT etc. Being a sexual being makes you healthy and alive. Enjoy yourself and your intimacy with others and ignore those who fear pleasure.  Intimacy means you have an open heart.

10.        You are a failure. There is no such thing as failure, there is just feedback. If things aren’t working out very well, maybe you are caught up in trying to do something that isn’t right for you or trying to live up to other people’s expectations. That could feel like failure but you can change that. Schools that fail students are doing a poor job in their teaching. Find your own way and you will thrive at what you do.  Failure is a false idea invented by the judging mind. If you imagine a world that includes what you love to do, you will have great joy and real success.

Many of the above 10 false beliefs are programmed in us by people who don’t even know who they are or what their truth is. Those that judge others do so because they live by what others tell them is the truth and lack compassion for people who see the world differently. Please leave the old ideas and beliefs on the junk pile of human experiences gone off course. Instead find your own truth by listening inward to your heart, your intuition and your higher nature. Then go boldly into the world and make a positive difference just by being you as fully as you can.

One last thought, a powerful message to carry inside is, I totally and completely love and accept myself. If you know tapping or EFT then use this statement to rewire your brain. You can also simply put one hand on the back of you head and one on the front of your head and do this affirmation until you feel you have reprogrammed yourself to be the positive and loving you.

Is It Time Yet For The Great Search For Truth?

The world is so incredibly complicated. Yet many people are absolutely sure they are right about what needs to be done. This baffles me because there are no easy solutions. How can they be so sure? Even the experts don’t agree about what to do about the problems we face in the world today.

This got me curious about where this sureness of opinion comes from. Maybe they know more than the rest of us? It seems unlikely they know more than the experts. Maybe they go looking for information that supports their points of view? All of us want ideas that support the way we see things. Isn’t however important to see if what we claim is true? If we don’t question our points of view then we have this way of seeing things that is not based on any clear thinking.

Political points of view often fall into this unexplored category where ideas are just repeated over and over even when there is no proof they work or sometimes even clear evidence they don’t work. How come these so called answers to our problems aren’t investigated by those who jump on the bandwagon? Do they think the importance of finding the truth isn’t relevant or necessary?

Thank you, if you have hung on this far. It is probably time for me to get to the point. My point is that we always need to question our thoughts and our opinions. If we don’t then the beliefs we hang on to are from a closed mind. Closed minds are a waste of human potential.

I will even venture to say that people who are absolutely sure they are right about their ideas are most often wrong. They are wrong because their minds are run by the need to be right not by the need to find the truth.

This need to be right is a great problem in humanity. It is driven by the survival mind, not the higher mind that seeks truth. In the survival mind we think the world is out to get us so we live in fear and worry. Fear and worry causes us to contract, to close down. The problem with closing down is that too often that means closing our minds and even more costly closing our hearts.

In some segments of society, the world seems to be having an epidemic of closed mindedness and closed hearts. Sadly people believe all their own thoughts. Many don’t question their ideas even when that aren’t working but fit some kind of dogmatic way of looking at the world.  People actually hold onto false ideas that get in the way of positive possibilities in their lives.

There is no evidence of higher mind at work when narrow-mindedness prevails. The seeking of truth has become secondary to holding on tightly to opinion. Higher mind seeks the truth and is guided by the hearts wisdom, intuition and the part of us that is able to be curious beyond old ideas and limiting thoughts.

Maybe this epidemic is a reflection of our times where uncertainty is the only thing certain? Maybe the survival mind also known as the reptilian brain is in full protection or aggression mode for the purpose of keeping us safe? Or maybe this closed down thinking is because change is so present that people want to do everything they can to hold it back?

Change seems inevitable and part of the process of all living things. The evolutionary story of all species is one of adaptation. In humanity the old stories of might makes right, survival of the fittest and other limiting ideas are slowly being replaced by the realization of the global community and they need to work together for solutions. The survival of the planet and all of us has to be a joint effort with our minds coming together. Yes there are those fighting like mad to hold onto the old ways but they are going to loose the battle. Today is another day. The great values of the past, the ones that matter most, can be brought forward. The past ideas that represent limiting thinking will perish as do the other organism that don’t adapt. There is hope for us who seek positive changes in the world.  

***One of my favorite journalist is returning to TV this weekend - Bill Moyers’ has a new show called Moyers And Company. Bill is a great example of a person who asks real question in search of the truth.



More Love In 2012

There is little doubt that love is the answer to many of the problems of the world. Also of little doubt is the need for us all to share our hearts even more through caring, kindness, compassion and other loving ways. Why not make one of your intentions for 2012 to spread more love in the world?

If you are looking for purpose in 2012, spreading love would be the most meaningful thing you could do.

I was listening to Seane Corn (empowered yogini), interview over at Sounds True not long ago. She said one of her greatest teachers about life was a young man dying of aids. He told her that she needed to remember this most of all: Remember to love, you will never regret it.

How true that is. Even in the most difficult of times love is the best action to take. Sometimes expressing love for situations and people can be challenging. The judging mind wants to label what’s going on as bad and withdraw the heart. Even those that try your patience, push our buttons, or cause you to get upset deserve your love. As a matter of fact, the difficult people and situations in your life need love the most.

Withholding or withdrawing your love doesn’t work for changing the behavior of others. It usually has the opposite affect. You know what it feels like to shut your heart down. It closes down your aliveness and pushes those you care about away. 

There really is no reason to pull back love but the fearful mind does so for protection. The opposite of fear is love. If fear is in your heart, you need to bring your focus on what you love. There cannot be both fear and love in your heart at the same time.

If love is a worthwhile intention or resolution for you in 2012 here are some ways you can be even more loving:

Listen with an open heart

Be patient with those who test you

Lean into those who sometimes push you away

Shift the grumpy and difficult with kindness

Be kind and respectful of your own emotions

Reach out to those who may be alone

Give of your time to those in need

Donate funds to program that help the less fortunate

Start a NPO based on loving-kindness

Move from judging to be more accepting

Lend a hand to someone who needs your kindness

Visit those who would appreciate seeing you

Make a daily intention of spreading love in some way

Place you hand on your heart and totally love and accept yourself

Be encouraging and supportive of those around you

Volunteer at places that reach out to others

Send cards and letters to those who would appreciate them

Wake up each morning with love in your heart and let it grow as the day goes

Love is a powerful healing force, send love to those who need healing

Each day surround your whole body with healing and energizing love

When you see someone who needs a friend, sit down with them and listen for ways to make a difference.

Let you intuition guide you about love because it knows what is needed within and for those around you

Picture the Earth in your hands being surrounded by your love

Tell others how much you appreciate them

Sit down and have tea with someone you know needs to heard

Take a friend for a walk in nature and enjoy the experience together

Just a reminder: the love in you is unlimited so you can keep on giving love everyday all day and will still have much more to give.

My new book is almost ready - Awakening:100 Questions That Will Expand Your Mind And Open Your Heart. I look forward to sharing it with you. This book is great for enriching your life 2012.

100 Expanded Ways To See Yourself In 2012

2012 is going to be a breakout year for humanity. Can you feel the energy of breakthrough in the air? Listen, tune in more deeply, and become part of what is happening. You and I are the ones that are here at this time in history to be agents of change.  The time of gathering your information and building your confidence is complete for now. In 2012 you are called to participate in something so monumental and important that your genius and greatness will be needed to make this year sing the song of enlightened excellence.

Are you ready for this? Of course you are or you would not be here on Earth at this time.

Take a few minutes to tune into these questions:

• What aspects of you want to be expressed?
• Where in your mind and body are you feeling most alive?
• What makes you passionate about life?
• What is your intuition trying to tell you?
• How is your higher nature attempting to communicate and guide you?
• What does your soul want you to understand?
• How are you holding yourself in check when you really want to be free?
• What in you that in genuine and authentic is being too cautious?
• Where do you thoughts and beliefs hold you back?
• How is your judging mind getting in your way?
• How does your need for approval keep you too contained? 
• Where are you letting fear get in your way?

Let me propose new and expanded ways of seeing and experiencing who you are. The follow are over 100 new ways to see yourself:

Mind Expander

Impartial Observer

Awareness Finder 

Explorer Of Higher Consciousness

Freedom Seeker

Open To Learning

Humility Realizer

Limiting Beliefs Buster

Movement Starter

Tribal Leader

Healer of Self

Person Of The Now

Lover Of Humanity

Compassionate Giver

Values Keeper

Passionate Purpose Person

Connector

Inviter of Insight

Positive Person

Peaceful Insider

Mindful Minded

One Who Practices Loving-Kindness

Solution Finder

Responsibility Taker

Practical Futurist

Explorer Of The Extraordinary

Quiet Contemplator

Patient Supporter

Wise Minded

One Who Expresses Creativity

Co-Awakener

Growth Seeker

Kindness Giver

Open Hearted To All

Harmony Enjoyer

Seeker Of Balance

Action Starter

Intention Maker

One Who Focuses Attention

Mover From The Inside Out

Commonality Finder

One Who Sees Unity

Brings PeopleTogether

People Helper 

Inspiration Generator

Thought Shaper

One Who Encourages Others

Self-Believer

Truth Seeker

Silent Non-Doer

Well-being Keeper

Clarity Finder

Provocative Poet

Theme Songster

Demand Voicer

Breath Listener

Zen Minded

Yoga Bodied

Tai Chi Moved

Meditation Sitter -

Light Shiner

Peace Monger

Appreciation Advocate

One Who Remembers With Gratitude

Artistic Activist

Habitat Houser

Innovative Imaginer

Common Causer

Spirit Listener

Fear Transformer

Infinite Energizer

Flow Follower

Wall Remover

Aliveness Finder

Lucid Seeker

Need Assessor

Bold Builder

Meaningful Conversationalist

Big Picture Communicator

Mover of Masses

First Step Explorer

Mask Remover

Nature Protector

Future Generations Forecaster 

Global Togetherness Dreamer

One Who Cares For All

Forgiveness Reminder

Self-esteem Booster

Balancer Of Thought And Awareness

Feelings Finder

Story Teller

One Who Welcomes All

Relaxation Restorer

Transitions Helper

Relief Giver

Friendship Finder

Empowerment Advisor

Perspective Enhancer

Viewpoint Enricher

One Who Listens With Heart

Species Protector

These ways of seeing yourself may be expressed in your work, in your relationships and in your personal life. You choose - you are the creator of your life experience. Why not choose boldness?

I have left off nine other self-labels because my wife said they are ones I need to use as part of clarifying my expanded expression (branding). I will share these the special nine in 2012. 

You are awesome and so am I. It is time we all step up and be the light, the purpose, and the hope that resides in us.