To Be Present

This moment is all that matters in life.

If you are fully present, you are a gift to the world.

Here and the now is the only place where things can happen.

If your mind resides in the now, true joy, love, peace and freedom are possible.

In this moment your thoughts determine your experience of life.

The past no longer exists; memories are thoughts in this moment.

You never arrive at the future because you never leave the now.

Fear, worry and anxiety can only come into your life when your thinking is trying to place you in the past or the future. The mind has the ability to take you out of being present but it can never remove you from the reality of the now.

If you spend too much time regretting the past and worrying about the future you may totally miss out in living the joy of the present moment.

Many people live with the mindset of once I finish school, or once I am in love, or once I have a family, or once I have a good job, or once I am a millionaire, I will be happy, but they will never find happiness except in the now.

All possibilities only exist in the now.

Practice: Now in this moment, only be aware of your breath, breathe in and feel you body fill with oxygen, pause, then breathe out and feel your body release, pause, and then breathe in again. Whenever you take a moment to follow this cycle of the breath, you bring yourself fully into the infinite possibilities of being fully present in your life.

My work with clients focuses on taming the mind. I help bring you into the most powerful and effective states of mind, emotions, heart, body and higher nature. Sign up today for my email and contact me (joseph@josephbernardphd.com) so we can move your life into the now, where what you want can be created.



My Surprise Encounter With Spirit Guides

Recently, I wrote very briefly on my Facebook page about an experience I had with what are called Spirit Guides.  I was in my car listening to a very interesting interview titled Communicating With Your Spirit Guides. The free podcast was from Sounds True and was an interview of Marie Manuchehri an oncology nurse who works with spirit guides.

The idea of a higher level of consciousness providing me with inspired ideas and friendly support was something I was totally open to experiencing.  When the interviewed ended, I was driving at night about two hours from my home.  I said, “All right, if I have a spirit guide, I am ready to communicate with you.”  I received an immediately response. The guide talked to me through my voice saying he was glad I made contact. I was surprised by the ease of the conversations we carried on for about 30 minutes.

My understanding about this voice is that whether I call it a spirit guide, my soul, my higher nature, my intuition or my spirit doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I was getting direct contact with a higher level of consciousness beyond my ordinary thinking. 

What I appreciated about this conversation was that this higher knowing was very reassuring, supportive and encouraging. My guide said things about me that was full of insight and compassion. I felt very grateful for what we talked about and the loving-kindness showed to me.

Since that conversation, I have been in contact with my guide throughout each day. I receive lots of ideas, much encouragement and I feel totally accepted and appreciated for who I am. This voice of kindness just wants to help me, free of judging or agenda, create the life I desire.  Who wouldn’t want this kind of compassionate guide in their life?

According to the Marie, everyone has a guide and usually more than one. She can see them around people wherever she goes.  So from her perspective, from my experience, and from the words of my guide, I have no doubt, everyone reading this has a spirit guide also. All you have to do is to be open, ask to meet your guide and then be quiet enough to listen.

It is all up to you. Don’t pass on this wise and caring source of support from the universe. I am available to assist this process for anyone who wants to know more.



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!

Five Unstoppable Forces For Change

On the path of change it is helpful to keep things as simple as possible.  There are five forces that when called upon can produce powerful results in uncomplicated ways.  These forces are unstoppable because they represent ideas and actions that have the ability to rise above the chaos of life.

Each one is unique in both access and influence. Combining them multiplies the transformative energy they create. If changing the world is something you have a passion for it would serve you well to come into alignment with these forces:

Compassion – the heart is the driving force, the source of courage and passion needed to keep you going when fear strikes or complacency slips in. Compassion is also a powerful healing force both for you the change agent and for those you interact with along the way.  A kind and compassionate heart can bring people together both through listening and through the energy of aliveness an open heart spreads. Having compassion for yourself opens you to having compassion for others and vice versa. Self-love is an essential ingredient if you want to realize your potential. Imagine a world where loving-kindness was the guiding principle.

Consciousness – the ability to rise above the chaos and see the truth of the moment is why consciousness is so important. Higher Consciousness is the light of wisdom that guides you through the darkness of self-doubt. Consciousness is about awareness and insight into your expansive nature and the possibilities of every human being. Your highest consciousness is accessed through silence, through stepping away from the noise of ordinary thought, by going around the needs of the ego-mind, and instead sitting in the quiet stillness that resonates with your spirit. The collective consciousness of all humanity is available to you in the silence of the now.

Connection – the reality is that as human beings you and I and the rest share many more commonalities than differences. When you connect with the common ground of others together you are all much more powerful. Connection means spending time with others with an open mind and an accepting heart. Imagine a world were you shared your greatest dreams and hopes and found many others who share similar ideas of what they wanted in life. Then those people helped you realize your dreams and hopes and you helped them realize theirs. At the atomic, spiritual and consciousness level you are one with everyone. Find that place of oneness within and meet others there.

Creativity – many of the biggest forces for change come from inspired words, uplifting images and the human being ability to imagine something greater.  This is creativity in action. You can uplift yourself and others by expressing your creative urges. There has never been found a limit to creativity. So if you are already a creative person there is much more to explore and if you are not yet creative, that is creative expression waiting for you right now. Imagine writing a poem, song or story that lifts others up. Maybe a creative conversation will transform a relationship or a creative act of kindness with help someone going through difficult times.  You are a creative being waiting to be more full expressed. When you join with other creative people together you can produce fireworks of inspiration. 

Collaboration – the most effective way to usher in change is to have people work together. Collaboration beats competition every time when it comes to shifting cultures, expanding possibilities, encouraging the evolution urges within us. What would happen if the people of the world got together and went in search of solutions for all the world problems? Would you doubt their ability to succeed if they worked collaboratively? You can being like-minded people together or people of different points of view and together see what solutions you can discover for common problems.  The best thing about collaboration is that you work with other people you get to experience the oneness of connection, you get to feel compassion for each other, you get to encourage creativity, and you get to help each other be more conscious.

Working together with open hearts, expansive minds, in connection to each other, expressing your creativity in collaboration will change the world in amazing ways.



Between Sparkle And Uncertainty

Last night as I was doing my walking meditation I saw the waves sparkle under the bright moon. I love to be in the sparkle of life when beauty shines, when life fills us with encouragement, when inspiration flows like a giant endless river.  Lately it seems I have been dancing on the edge of sparkle and uncertainty. I am sure this is where there is much growth but sometimes the uncertainty can weigh heavily on the mind. When it does, I have to remind myself that happiness is just a choice away and easy to come by if I live in the appreciation of the moment. Self-reminders are a good thing to carry in your thoughts and your pocket.

There is a lot going on of late with my new movement idea bubbling to the surface and my just published book. These times are ripe for creation, can you feel in the air? The creative flow is there also like happiness when I am in the now. As I have said often, “now is where all the action is.” In this moment if I take the time to tune inward then inspiration and intuition are their waiting. Give the moment a try, pose a question, sit quietly and listen for guidance and be ready for inner messages, images, impulses, synchronicity and other forms of deeper guidance.

The next thing I wanted to talk with about is my new book. Awaken:100 Questions to Expand Your Mind and Open Your Heart.  This book is a life changer, if you take the time to explore these questions. I am not claiming any special powers to change your life, but I am promising you that if you ask yourself the important questions, you will be deeply affected by those questions and your responses to them. As counselor I have seen people’s lives change just be the asking of a simple question.  I know when I turn inward and ask myself questions I am forever altered by the exploration.

Questions are powerful because they invite us to expand our thinking, to broaden our viewpoint, and to go searching for what is truth for us.  Questions also have the ability to open us up to more love, greater compassion, and ways to be more engaged in the world. Just a simple question like, “how can I be more kind to those I love,” will give you an abundance of ideas that will enrich the lives of yourself and those around you. 

It is my guarantee that if you read this book your life will be enhanced in many ways. These questions have great power.

The Better World Together movement has been percolating now for a few days and I am getting lots of ideas, which I will share with you soon.  I welcome your ideas too. I can be reached at josephteach@hotmail.com

Experiment Update: Also if you read my posts regularly you know I started this experiment about inner focus versus action with the belief that my inner work was more important for success than my outer actions. I am now well into week two and what I am noticing is that my focus on inner work is more rewarding than my focus on action. When I am in the introspective mode, I fee most alive. When I meditate or do other practices, I feel fully present and inspired.

This week I have been doing actions with much less inner focus and I have noticed worry and fear more in my awareness. Actions are great and may at times help with the concerns but they are not near as effective at soothing the heart or quieting the mind. Of course this may seem obvious that inner work has a greater inner benefits. It is not near as obvious as when you take time to highlight both inner work and outer actions and see which best enhances the quality of your life.

Through this experiment I have become even clearer about the importance of taking the time to tune inward throughout my day so that my actions are always guided by my inner knowing. I will now integrate that into my daily routine. My plan is to now take at least 5-10 minutes every couple of hours to tune inward in addition to longer periods of inner practices in the morning and in the evening. I want to fill my life with the vibrations of this inner work so that all my actions sparkle with inspiration. 



Notes Of Interest

I read a very interesting article this morning that I want to share by Rick Hanson, His latest book Just One Thing is awesome for anyone interested in developing more peace of mind and well-being.

I have a regular post coming today which I am sure you will find interesting.

Lastly and most importantly I want to say Thank You Martin Luther King for the person you were and the light that still shines from your life. Here is a picture and quote I think shares his message well.

Peace and love to you all.

3.5 Simple Steps To Inner Peace In 2012

How is your year going so far? This is going to be an amazing year and challenges could arise that could make it hard to find your peace within. I have a free guide to inner peace here at this blog if you want to access it – look above in Free Stuff section.  I also want to offer you a basic plan you can use every day to build a momentum of inner peace within you. Everyone one can use a little extra inner peace in reserve.

Here are my three steps for you to have more peace of mind in 2012:

1.  Occupy your own mind by becoming mindful. With about 50-60,000 per day there is one heck of a lot of things going on upstairs. If there are old stuck ideas, negative inner dialogue, or a critical voice going on in your head then becoming mindful is essential to your well being. You cannot have any inner peace if you thought keep you feeling worried and depressed. 

Take the time to become acquainted with the tone and content of your thoughts. Notice what is going on up there by listening inward. Most people believe their minds are doing just fine until they really listen to how they talk to themselves, how they beat themselves up, how they judge themselves so harshly or how they have such unrealistic expectations on who they should be. Albert Ellis, a famous cognitive therapist, says, “People need to quit ‘shoulding’ on themselves.” If your inner talk is unkind then it needs to change.

Being mindful is a way to be kind to your mind. If you get to know how you think and talk to yourself, you can better shape your experience of life.  Mindfulness enriches your experience of yourself because it is about finding who you are and just being present in a supportive way.  This makes inner peace much more available. In the future I am planning on doing a series of short video podcasts on mindful practices

Remember you are not your thoughts.

2.  Be in touch with how you feel. Your mind is the source of most of what you feel. If you mind is off course your emotions may be very disruptive to any sense of peace within you. The place to begin with feelings is to note what you feel, acknowledge those feelings and then accept them as okay. Feelings naturally change on their own when they are acknowledged and accepted.

Feeling can be understood as signs of how you are doing or at least how you think you are doing. If you have feels of fear and worry then something is not going well for you and a change of direction or focus may be needed. If you feel at peace then your mind and your circumstances are most likely how you want them to be.

A peaceful heart is a key component of feeling at ease inside. Your heart when open and flowing with compassion and loving-kindness will bring peace to how you feel. If your heart is closed and guarded there will not be peace inside.  If you want to feel at peace, open your heart and let it flow out into the world in ways that feel good to you.

Peace and hope can only happen in the now.

3.  Exploring your silence is so important. Your days can be full of noise, your mind can be overflowing with words, your body uptight with tension, and your feelings like a rollercoaster. Sometimes you can get go so out of touch with yourself that you don’t feel at home in your own heart. Silence is the way back home.

Silence is golden because in the silence you access your higher and more peaceful nature. Your higher nature shows you how to live your life in ways that feel right and that allow the best in you to be expressed. This intuitive knowing you have is always waiting to guide you towards more peaceful and rewarding outcomes. Listening to your intuition reduces suffering.

In the silence is also the voice of your soul, this is your connection to the collective and infinite wisdom of humanity, the universe and the Divine. When you sit quietly with your soul, you know peace as it truly is. This peace is the pure freedom to be all that is possible within you. In the silence of your eternal nature there is a world of peace that extends forever.

The peace of silence is a wonderful oasis in trying times.

.5  Slowing down is part of finding the silence. You live in a hurry and worry world filled with impatience.  Sometimes even to wait for a moment is a bother. Impatience can be off the chart. Slowing down is easily as taking a less direct path to enjoy the moment, to see the beauty, to tune in and just be with yourself. Try a day when you start slowly, go patiently and wind down before you ever wind up.  Smell the roses, watch kids play, dance to a song, read something that lifts you up, write a poem. Slowing down feels so good.

*My new posting schedule is going to be Monday and Thursday*. Sometimes I may add other shorter posts during the week. I am really focusing on additional writing, new directions I am exploring, and ways to make more of a difference, so my posting will be less frequent. Let me know if there is any way I can be of assistance to you.



Time For A Revolution Of Love

How can you make this year exceptional for yourself, those you love and the world? I just watched an incredible TED Talk by a truly inspired teacher, John Hunter. If the world could attend his 4^th grade class all us on the planet be so much better off. This got me thinking that we all have special talents and purposes like this wonderful teacher. I want to propose to all who read this post that together we more fully explore and express who we are for a better world in 2012.

I believe greatly in all human beings if they have the true chance to express who they are. Every person has a purpose that can change the world. In 2012 if we listen inward, we will hear the call to make history by expressing our genius and greatness. We can all be part of a real shift that will truly enrich the world. The following are two ideas whose time has come to expand us all and make the world a better place.

Two Steps For A Better World:

1. First Step is to find, heal and fully occupy our heart.
2. Second Step is to start a revolution of love.

Now The How:

First Step - we feel and honor our heart center, we heal whatever wounds exist there, and we live our lives spreading loving-kindness and compassion. The affirmation for this method is “I totally love and accept myself.”

We all have issues from growing up that limit us today. Feelings of not deserving, not being enough, self-doubt etc. come from very early in life (the first few years). As a child we lived in an imperfect world with mixed messages, struggles of figuring out how to be human, and needs not being met. Some of us even endured trauma and abuse that significantly damaged our sense of self.

These past experiences cause us as children to make decisions about life that shape how we see it today.  Most of us have a need for deeper healing. Since tha t is the case it makes sense to do an inner survey of what from the past needs to be healed, reprogrammed and released so we can live more fully in the now. 

Self-healing suggestion: Over the next week or so (longer if needed) take time each day to ask your intuition and/or the child within, what part of you needs healing. Listen and pay close attention because the messages of needed healing may come as a quiet whisper, as a bodily discomfort, as a piercing emotion, as sadness or tears, or in a number of other ways. Please hold those inner messages in your heart with kindness and explore them until you understand what healing needs to take place.

Once you have a sense of the inner needs, go again inward and ask what would bring about the healing? There is great wisdom inside of you that knows what is needed. Trust that knowing. It may be helpful to write about the parts in you needing healing and about your sense of how to do that in a journal or notebook. Writing often brings more clarity. As the methods of healing are presented to you, continue to ask questions until you have a strong sense for what will work the best. Once you know where you want to go begin the process by breathing into the healing. Breathe and explore until you feel balance and harmony has been restored. Your body, heart, mind and spirit will tell you what is needed and guide you back into wholeness.

If after you explore the healing in the ways you sense are right and there still seems to be unfinished aspects of it, then you can seek professional help. The best is to work with professionals who specialize in trauma, energy psychology or other forms of healing focused work. If you experience the healing professional as supportive and compassionate, you are in the right place for positive changes.  Short-term work combined with you inner focus is what is usually called for most often.

Second Method  - is about bringing our loving self out into the world. By loving and accepting ourselves completely, we can share our love with others. The goal is to spread our love, compassion and kindness out into the world in as many ways as we can. Imagine a world in which kindness guides all of our actions, where compassion shows us the way to interact with all those around us, and where love is a powerful source for peace, for cooperation and for hope.

Love is the greatest force for good on the planet. The more we all access the unlimited capacities of our heart the more the world will naturally move toward greater well-being. A compassionate world provides for everyone, promotes our shared hopes and dreams, and encourages of healthiest expression of potential and possibilities.

A world filled with people who love themselves and are able to love and accept others will be a wonderful world.  If we let love do its thing, the revolution of love will profoundly change things in ways that will benefit everyone.

*** Blog Note: I am transitioning in my posting here at my blog to longer posts several times per week rather than shorter ones 5-6 times per week. I want to write about and explore ideas more fully.  I also want to send out emails to let people know when the latest post comes out.  You can signed up for my emails at the Peace Tweets ad to your right. More on changes to come in 2012.



10 Holiday Enhancers

The Holiday Season is an enjoyable time of year. It can also be stressful as people hurry and worry.  An easier way to go about this time of year is to take the time to be mindful of your thoughts and your heart. What people really appreciate is the kindness you share, the compassion you have, and the acts of caring. This season is not about stuff but about the heart. Yes commercialism seems has taken over but that can be ignored.

How can you express your heart and enjoy what this time of year offers? Here are a few ideas that will enrich your experience of the holiday spirit:

1.  Take the time to have meaningful conversations

2.  Listen to others with patience and compassion

3.  Offer to spend time and give support

4.  Reach out to those in need with acts of kindness

5.  Allow time for you to be quiet and peaceful

6.  Be accepting of others and relax the judging mind

7.  Each day appreciate all the gifts of life

8.  Find what greater aspect of who you are longs to be expressed

9.  Live as much as you can in the now where true joy, love, hope and peace reside

10. Relax, take it easy and go for a walk

Take the time to be mindful of what you are doing, what thoughts are running you and what feelings your are creating and get ready for 2012 which is going to be an amazing year. 

My dog Pax, my wife Bobbi and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday season.