Of course you can. Most likely you were raised by parents who lived by a set of values and rules for behavior. They passed those values onto you. As an adult you may have revised those values/rules to fit with your view of the world. The point is you have values and guidelines for behavior. (I purposefully left out the 10 Commandments since they are too religious for me.) Here are rules of human behavior that seem worth following today:
1. Be honest and truthful
2. Don’t steal from others
3. Do not kill others, respect all of life
4. Treat others as you want to be treated
5. Only use money for good
6. Be humble not arrogant
The above six rules especially the 4th one, which is the Golden Rule, seem to cover most of what is expected of us as far as acceptable behavior. What would you add?
My next question is why do you or I allow or even pay attention to those who violate these basic values of acceptable behavior? Do you question the right and wrong of the following:
• The radio and TV talking heads that make up things as they go just to stir their ratings
• Politicians that say what you want to hear and seem to have lost touch with being truthful
• People who fight for the sanctity of life and then are loud advocates of war
• Corporations who use money to get their way and influence lawmakers for their benefit even if they hurt people, fuel war, and destroy the environment
• People that are run by big egos and only care about growing these egos
• Insurance companies that say they are there to serve their customers yet drop clients if they hurt their profits
• Those in the military that say they are Christian and yet train to kill others
• Religious organizations that speak of charity and giving yet have huge holdings and surround themselves with wealth
• News stations that claim to be fair and balanced and yet have a clear political agenda
• Those that stir fear in others to take advantage of them
• Those that preach family values and have affairs
• Those that disrespect others and are outraged when their behavior is questioned
This list can go on and on. The point here is that we do know right from wrong, isn’t it time we expect that of others?
What Are We Made Of?
Lately my mind seems to be in this mode of inquiry. I was thinking about, "what are you and I are made of?" in search for a deeper understanding of our essence. We are not simple creatures but incredibly complex in so many ways. The following is what I was able to come up with about who we are:
• There are organs, brain matter, tissues, muscle, bone, cells, and particles.
• There is the collective history of humankind in our cells
• There is an endless parade of thoughts many of which are repetitive
• There are many emotions in reaction to these thoughts
• There is a guidance system which uses these emotions to let us know if we are on track or not
• There is an immune system that is constantly trying to fight off disease
• There is a mind processing a non-stop variety of regulatory actions including: digestion, liver function, daily and seasonal rhythmic adjustments, sleep patterns, blood sugar, stress responses and so much more
• There are the ever-present senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch
• There are the deeper senses of intuition, survival, gut-instinct and heart
• There is the ability to love, care and have compassion that is endless
• There are the creative urges to express oneself
• There is the desire to have purpose and meaning
• There is at a deep level the awareness of the unity of all living things
• There is an energy/refueling system that burns strong for each person's entire life
• There is a link to the collective wisdom and consciousness of all of humanity
• There is a profound knowing when one explores the place of silence within
• There is a life force in us that existed before this life and will continue after
• There is the spirit or soul of each one of us that is a direct link to the creative force of the universe
• There is a smile on one's face and the sparkle in ones eyes that has the ability to light up the world
• There is the ability for intention and commitment that can make each person a huge positive force for change
• There is a dream life that may be as real as our awake life
• There is a connection to nature that resonates at a powerful level and in fact this connection is to all living things
• There is an unlimited potential waiting to be explored
• There is an inner ability to be an objective observer of our life
• There is the capacity to see beyond our judging mind and instead be open and accepting of all
• There is the ability to make music, to inspire others through movement, to design beautiful structures, to write poetry and so much more
• There is the self-discipline to do whatever it is a person gets clear about
• There are the skills needed to greatly enhance your fitness and health
• There is an awareness for appreciating beauty and to be moved to tears over it
• There is the possibility to be truly in peace, joy and love by being fully present throughout your life
• There is the potential to be inspired and to inspire others
• There are the inner tools necessary to completely heal oneself of any disease
• There is the capacity to have fun, laugh often and live a joyous life
• There is the ability to do complex calculations, understand complicated problems, and invent solutions
• There is the gift to dream of something and then have the power to create it
• There is a sense of humor developed to various degrees in all of us
• There is the power to spread light and invite in others the realization of their own light
• There is the skill to listen with compassion and kindness
• There is the mind power to rationalize anything
• There is an ego-mind that is set to protect and is best regulated by a higher mind
• There is an ability to go against great odds and succeed
• There is a will to live that can stir endless inner resources
• There is the inner knowing and sensitivity towards what is going on inside of others
• There is this inventive mind that can come up with cures for disease, the amazing internet, and the art of Sistine Chapel without even hesitating at such a challenge
What would you add to this list? Have a good weekend and enjoy the limitless possibilities awaiting you.
The Best Secret To Success At Everything Is
The simple secret is, "Just Show Up." This is really not a closely kept secret but it remains out of most people's awareness because they are rarely if ever fully present for their own lives. When you show up success is guaranteed because this is the optimal state for making anything happen that you desire. If you show up your career blossoms, your relationships thrive, your inner sense of self is rich, and you discover joy and love are natural products of being fully present. Let me share with you what to "just show up" would look like in your life today.
Showing up means:
• Being fully engaged is in the quiet wisdom of the now
• Interacting and learning with an open and wise mind
• Having a loving, kind and compassionate heart
• Quiet enough inside to be totally present with yourself or anyone else that matters to you are
• Aware and respectful of your emotions in a healthy and accepting way
• Tuned into any self-limiting ideas or beliefs so you can revise them to set yourself free
• Able to listen to another sincerely while seeking to understand who they are
• Placing your ego in check and instead being guided by your Higher Self
• In touch with your Spirit and developing the observing Self
• Free of the need to judge
• Completely genuine as a person and in your interaction with others
• Patient enough to be with things as they are; at the pace they need to be
• Willing to be accepting of the unique expression of each individual
• Receptive to new learning by retaining the beginner's mind
• Having found inner peace, willing to be at peace with others
• Humble enough to learn from all experiences
• Supportive and encouraging of the others
• Living in the now free of any unfinished past or any pursuit of a restless future
• Aware of the connection between all living things
• In the joy of being fully in the moment
• Appreciative of the beauty and possibility of all creative expression
These qualities are a gift to you and the world and they come from you being a mindful, awake, alert, aware, present, and conscious person.
Stay tuned here at this blog for more about showing up and if you are interested, take some time to explore my past posts because there are many relate to this topic.
Last Night Was About Being A Sports Fan, Go Blazers
Today’s blog wanders from my usual topics of consciousness, personal growth, progressive politics and working towards a better world. It is about a life long passion that you might or might not identify with. It is about being a sports fan and Tuesday evening was a big night for me.
When I was a kid, I use to listen to the Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League on the radio. That was when I became a real sports fan. When Portland got a NBA team, the Trail Blazers, my sports fan self evolved and expanded. Every year since 1970 this is a special night for me. It is the season opener for the Portland Trail Blazers. There have been some lean years for this franchise but this year has the markings of an exceptional ride through 82 regular season games and the playoffs. As I wrote this blog post I was at my computer following the game on a website and will excitedly reading the stats after the game.
There is something really fun about sports because in the big picture they really don't matter but in the alternative reality of sports fanaticism our teams take us through an emotional rollercoaster from bliss to bummed. I always read the sports news first because it provides a context from which to view most of the other news. This context is one that says, "it really doesn't matter but it sure feels good to be all fired up about something." Yes news does matter but much of what we get is not real news but more media happenings and opinion.
Sports seems more real because it is about scores and interesting numbers, about developed skills and exceptional talent, about determination and will power. These are games and they are meant to be played for the joy of all who participate and watch. If you have ever competed you know how it feels and if you have ever succeeded at a high level you want more but eventually humility arrives in the form of a lesson called age and loss.
Sports are not life and death but some kind of pursuit of excellence that you want to cheer about or at least hope for better results next time. Being a fan is something you enjoy or you would not be one. If sports disappeared you (and I) as fans would miss its ability to set us free from the seriousness of life. That would be a big loss for many.
It is my hope that if you are a fan of any sports teams that you get to share with them the great joys of winning and success. At best sports might serve as a reminder to play with your life, to explore the willpower and joyous expression of great athletes and teams as a model for what you do. In the end sports may teach you about the potential you have to be a winner despite odds that seem overwhelming.
Go Blazers Go! They now have a winning streak of one.
Living Wisely
With the intensity of living in these times comes a need to more fully realize our potential. There is no way we can afford to be on cruise control because we will be left behind. These are proactive times and we need to bring together our inner resources to be successful, prosperous and create the life we want. Here are 15 ways to live with a wise heart:
1. Always question your thoughts – most thoughts you have are habitual and limiting, they are just a collection words you give meaning to and are probably not real
2. Keep your eyes open for the workings of your ego – key signs: wanting to be in control, fear driven, approval seeking, and past or future focused
3. Explore all your beliefs because many are false – you have many years of family, social, school and religious conditioning that clog your view of self and the world
4. Learn to open your heart – a compassionate and loving heart will make you fully human and a gift to the world
5. Develop an active relationship with your spirit/higher self – you are spiritual being having a human experience, not a human having a spiritual experience, this relationship will make you an amazing person
6. Find out how to listen inward, pay attention to your intuition – there is a vast amount of knowing and possibilities that come from developing and inner relationship with self
7. Take care of your energy – eating well, exercise, mindfulness, centering, rest, relaxation, quiet time, seeking inspiration, supportive friends, martial arts, massage, walks, and whatever it takes to recharge you
8. Live in the present – spending time reliving or rethinking the past and rehearsing the future will mean that you miss the joys of living in the now, this now moment is all you will every have
9. Take full responsibility for your life – your life is what you make of it so don’t waste time blaming or complaining, instead do what you need to do to make it work out as you want it to be
10. Live with purpose and passion in whatever you do – settling for less doesn’t work and will make you unhappy, going for life with all you got will bring real joy
11. Practice being patient – you live in a hurry and worry world where patience will aid you to take action when it will do the most good for you, for those around you, and the world
12. Focus on appreciation and you will have much to be grateful in your life – if you focus on what is good and positive, you will feel so much better
13. Set goals and make commitments that stretch you – when you look back you will see how much you have gained from being you as fully as you possibly can
14. Looking inward to find peace and happiness – these are both qualities that happen inside first and then spread out into the world
15. Pay attention to your emotions – real freedom comes from being ok with who you are, with what you feel, and expressing yourself as fully as possible
Live boldly each day paying close attention to the higher wisdom that is yours if you simply tune in and listening. You always know what you need to know to live the most amazing life.
A Big Need For Doing Good In The World
The new week is upon us and I am so grateful for the life I have. Getting my haircut on Saturday the stylist asked me about my work. She then shared that her brothers, sisters and her were raised by abusive alcoholic parents. Several of her sisters and brothers now live the nightmare of addiction. She also shared her daughter who is an Osteopath examined her back and said it was broken when she was 16. Her dad in a drunken rage had thrown her against a wall. Now she says she feels the need to keep her life separate from most people because she fears the judgment of others because of her past.
There are so many out there that have these stories in their closets, unfortunately because of their trauma their behavior got them in trouble and many ended up with addictions and time in prison. I know because I have heard more horror stories than you would ever want to hear.
If you were raised in a family that cared, that didn’t abuse you, that tried to give you a good life, you have much to be grateful for even if they had their flaws. You and I had it better than many.
This is not even considering the challenges of the millions who live in poverty around the world. The previous night I tried to watch Slumdog Millionaire and couldn’t because it is about child abuse not matter how it turns out and this is the type of young people who end up seeing me. How can people watch this and make it an award winning film and not do something about the truth of child abuse and poverty?
If you had a terrible upbringing and you are breaking that cycle of abuse or addiction, you also have much to be thankful for because something in you was able to overcome tremendous odds. You are an amazing person but probably have no idea that is true.
Yes the weight of the world is really heavy for so many. What will it take for love, compassion, caring and kindness to be the guiding force for all humanity? There is enough money and resources to alter this perpetuating disaster. Find a compassionate cause you believe in, give your time, your energy, and/or your resources and help others have as blessed a life as you have.
This would be doing good in the world and it would feel great.
Nature, The Most Sacred Cathedral
Later this morning I will be heading into the nearby mountains for my run. Sometimes when I am running on these trails I have to stop and enjoy the beauty and feel the sacredness. My church going time is spent in nature. The forests of the Pacific Northwest seem like the greatest Cathedrals there are on the planet. The Redwood forests are also incredible sacred and beautiful places to contemplate, pray and give thanks.
The trees and nature I will visit today inspire awe and wonder in me and always remind me to feel grateful. Standing on a beautiful vista, walking along a whispering stream, sitting on a bluff overlooking the ocean, hiking a trail surrounded by beautiful landscape all stir in me a greater sense of spirit.
When I stop and breathe in the scents, the fresh air, see the colors, shapes and exquisiteness of all I sometimes tear up in appreciation. Just to feel the touch of nature leaves me expanded as if I have stepped into a unifying field where the deep endless connection of all things is unquestionable.
What places in nature near you do you wander through and get an opportunity to be revitalized? Do you feel the sacredness of these places? I have been in many of the most amazing Cathedrals here in America and in Europe and all though they feel holy, they at best only equal the powerfully uplifting affects of nature’s holy places of forest, streams, mountains, open spaces and oceans.
You are invited to explore nature this weekend. Take the time to appreciate the place you go to and while doing so feel your body being alive and resonating with that space. Then tune in and feel your inner vibrations and notice how these vibrations align with the gentle buzz of the forests, the twinkle of the stars, the inhale and exhale of the waves, the hum of the stream and know that whatever is Divine is flowing through you and all of life.
Friday’s Mix Bag of Ego, Peace, Michael Moore and Action Sports
Yeah!!! It is Friday and I am glad for a few days off. There has been some stress in my life lately but so far I feel good. Once source of concern is my wife and I have to find a new home because the owners want to move back into the house we are renting. I feel open and ready to finding just the right place.
There is also a personnel issue going on at work and from my viewpoint it seems like a battle of some ego’s with a dose of blaming. This seems like a no-win situation with the rest of us having to deal with the overflow of this battle. Staff are feeling the tension in a place where we need to feel safe as a team. Recently the tension has begun to spill over into meetings and that seems so wrong. I know I am not the only one that is feeling unsafe and unsure about being there.
The ego is the source of all human problems and the reason we have killed over 100 million of our fellow humans in the last 100 years. When will consciousness win out?
Now onto some other Friday thoughts, the first of which is to check out the new Peace Together Ad here at my blog. Peace Together is my wife and my social artist site where we offer great organic t-shirt with messages of peace. Please stop by our website and order now for the holidays and all your peace oriented friends and family will be very pleased. This supports our efforts to spread peace and our work to promote a better world.
This weekend I plan to see Michael Moore’s new film about Corporations. His work is amazing because he questions the status quo in an artistic and very informative way. Those that support keeping things just the way they are really dislike Michael Moore. This is a sad commentary again of the power of the inflexibility of the ego-mind. Unfortunately we can’t count on our corporate driven media to truly question what is going on. Here are 15 Things Every American Can Do Right Now by Michael Moore if you want to take action to take back this country from corporate rule.
As you go into the weekend, what is on your agenda to relax, to recharge, and to have some fun? I need some action sports like ping pong or badminton to get me going in an energetic and fun way. Golf maybe after work today will be too sedate because there is not enough action. Action gets my mind, heart and body all going at once. What gets you going in ways you enjoy? Have a great weekend.
No Blaming, Just Getting Together For Change
Today I am fighting the urge to write about some political issues that I feel need to be addressed. The reason I am trying to not go there is because I realized that this thinking that things are wrong and someone is screwing up has a tint of blame to it and frankly more than a little blame at times. Yes there are many corporations out there that fall short of what seems right and responsible but who am I too take it personally or blame these companies.
Blame is not the angle I want to take because as soon as I blame I become powerless to do anything. Blaming means I don’t feel I am responsible for what is going on because I am putting the responsibility on someone else and therefore there is nothing I can do about it. In the case of insurance companies or bank fees, I can always go shopping for something better unfortunately there often is not any better options. So what do I do? I could explore how to self-insure or how to work with money not using banks. If I choose to go the way of insurance companies or regular banks I have to give up my blaming or I am setting myself up to not feel empowered.
From now on I want to look at how I can talk about the need for change without blaming. Sometimes I seem to be able to do that and other times I get upset and react by pointing my finger. This is not ok because I want to and commit to acting with more consciousness. This means questioning to understand, exploring to be informed and still maintaining compassion for all involved. This compassion is because I see more clearly that people are trying to do their best in providing for their families and themselves. Some have to do what they have to do to survive. No judging is allowed or I am allowing the ego-mind to be in charge.
I see an abundant world where there is enough money and resources so that we all can meet our basic needs of food, home, education, healthcare, and purposeful expression. In order for this to happen we need to all get together as brothers and sisters of planet Earth and figure this out. All are better off, safe and secure if all have what they need.
Your Mind Is Out Of Control And You May Not Even Notice
What is on your mind today? You can explore the following questions to answer about what your mind is up to. Do you pay attention to your thoughts? Do you believe what you think? Do you live in the present, past or future? Is your self-talk truly supportive or does it tend to be judgmental towards self? Do you blame others for how you feel? Do you focus more on problems instead of solutions? Does your mind ever quiet down or is it constantly racing? Do you ever catch your ego running your life in unhealthy ways?
These questions are important because most people have little or no understanding about how out of control their minds are. The reality is that our thoughts tend to be: less than supportive; stuck in a worrying state of mind about the future or obsessive about the wrongs of the past; constantly repetitive much of which is the same thoughts we’ve had since we were much younger; and in fear because of the unknown we want to avoid. Yes our thoughts are a mess much of the time and that’s not working unless of course you prefer to suffer through life.
So what is a person to do with a mind ramped up on fear and hardly ever present to the unlimited potential and possibility that is only located in this moment. Would it be possible to explore the idea that there is only one moment you can live ever and that is right now? There is no tomorrow because when you get there it is today. There is no past because when you spend time thinking about it that is in the now. Now is all there is but our mind and ego will argue with all their might that there is only the past and the future. The ego-mind argues so vociferously because in the now it has no power. In the now the power belongs to our highest mind of consciousness and awareness.
Please take the time to do the following exercise to explore both the self and the Self in the moment beyond the distracted mind. You may be surprised to discover what is waiting to be realized.
Find a quiet place where you can be free of distraction for the next 15-30 minutes. Then begin to feel your body as your breathe in and breathe out. Become sensitive to the moving of your body in relationship to your breath. As you follow each inhale and exhale you will naturally begin to relax. Soon your feel your breath deepen and you will notice that who you are is starting to slow down. This is a beautiful moment when you realize that you can alter your state, you can quiet yourself down very simple by breathing mindfully.
Once you notice the relaxation response happening, invite yourself to tune into the energetic flow of the body and it’s relationship with your thoughts. Act as an observer and just notice your thoughts and feeling without judging them. As you develop this watching presence you invite a more expanded sense of awareness into your life. You become a more conscious human being. In these now moments be aware of the aliveness that flows through you, be aware of the deeper forces that want to help guide you and heal your body, be aware of the intuition that wants to make itself known, be aware of the life force that occupies you, be aware of the purposeful impulses that encourage your expression, and be alive to the rich abundance of peace, joy and love that is in you when you take the time to be fully in the moment.
Notice as your eyes see more clearly and in brighter Technicolor, you ears hear the more expansive sounds of nature and the rhythms of the earth, you sense the pulse of living in you and in all of life, and find your heart wide-open as if you have entered into an unconditional love fest with all things. Unity consciousness is this sense of heartfelt alignment with all there is. Enjoy yourself in your natural state of expansion.
After you coast for a while in this expanded state take the time to slowly come back into your life. Appreciate the feeling of the peace inside.
Soon enough you will be back up to full speed ahead. Don’t forget to return to this peaceful and awakened place within at least once a day.
Questions And Tips For Emotional Health
In my more than 30 years of work as a Mental Health professional I have noticed many of us have trouble dealing with emotions. We tend to deny or undervalue our feelings as if they are not important. Us men are even worse at this in general than are women.
Here are a number of questions that you the reader might find helpful about your emotional health:
· Do you feel numb even when there is loss or other powerful emotional events in your life?
· Do you sometimes feel like nothing has much affect on you?
· Do you every feel upset with yourself for feeling the way you do?
· Do you feel embarrassed for feeling what your feel?
· Do you get angry with yourself for having your emotions?
· Do you avoid crying because you think it isn’t ok?
· Do you ever feel out of touch with your heart?
· Do you tend to bottle up your emotions?
· Do you ever feel so angry that you feel out of control?
· Do you ever feel taken over by emotions?
· Do you ever feel like the negative emotions are running you even when you are trying to be positive?
· Do you feel it is realistic to feel good all the time?
· Do you every try to force yourself to feel some other way than you do?
If you answered yes to some of these questions then you may be struggling with your emotional health. Let’s review some ideas to help your feel better emotionally.
1. Most important to realize is that there are no good or bad emotions. All feelings are ok even if they don’t feel ok.
2. It is best to not judge your feelings and instead practice unconditional acceptance of them.
3. Feelings workout best if you simply feel them and acknowledge them.
4. Feelings validating internally tend to quickly transform into other feelings.
5. Developing your ability to simply watch what you are feeling will help you be much less reactive.
6. Next time you feel emotionally overwhelmed take a few minutes to feel what you are feeling, breath deeply, and soon you will be feeling better.
7. If you practice accepting all your feelings, soon you will feel more accepting of yourself.
8. Feelings happen where your thoughts meets your body so pay attention to what is going on inside.
9. Feeling your feelings will make you feel more alive and energized.
10. Feelings are feedback about if you are on track with your life or not. If you don’t feel ok, you are off track.
11. Most feelings are caused by your thoughts, if you don’t like how you feel, than change your thoughts.
12. If you suppress negative emotions you also suppress your ability to experience positive emotions.
13. Learn to listen for your feelings and the feelings of others. You will feel closer to yourself and those who matter.
14. No one makes you feel anything; it is your thought about what happened that causes your emotions.
15. The difficult emotions come from not being in touch with your higher nature.
16. Joy, love, peace and freedom come naturally if you are fully present to the now of life.
I hope you find these ideas thought provoking, emotionally enlivening and helpful. Have a meaningful day feeling all of who you are.
Both An Inner Purpose and An Outer Purpose
Wow where did all this warm weather come from? Last weekend it snowed and yesterday it was 79 degrees. People who live here always say that the constantly changing weather is just the way Colorado is. Seems true after being here for 5 years.
In my continual exploration of the writings of Eckhart Tolle, I came upon an idea that most of us never would think about, that idea is that our life has both an outer purpose and an inner purpose. Each of us has our own unique expression of our purpose. My work as a therapist seems clearly one of my outer purposes as does my writing and my activities as a social activist. This is what I do to make a difference. This purposeful work can be seen and I can feel positive about it. What outer purpose are you engaged in?
The inner purpose is something we all share. That purpose is about being fully present and conscious in the now. We all are here to awaken, to be enlightened, to be fully conscious human beings. Most of the time many do not even recognized this inner purpose and instead are focused on realizing their outer purpose in the future.
The outer purpose is made up of a million steps as you continue to work away at realizing this personal work that matters. It can last an entire lifetime and it usually does. The inner purpose is about one step, the step you are taking right now. The outer purpose is driven by the illusion of time and the inner step knows only the moment.
As we live fully in the now our light of awareness expands into more fully being who we are here to be. This inner self-realization actually enriches out outer purpose. The more we realize our higher self, the more effective our work will be out in the world.
As I write this I am also just beginning to understand these ideas and I find some questions popping up. Which purpose will actually make the most difference? Isn’t the inner purpose more the guiding force to a successful outer purpose? Where should I put my emphasis on my inner work or my outer expression? Could it be that they are equally important to have a fulfilling life? Can the outer purpose get caught up in the workings of the ego-mind? Isn’t my inner work anti ego because it resides in the now? What questions come up for you as you think about these ideas?
Have a good and fruitful week with your minds eye on both what you have going on in your life and on the moment-to-moment journey of the self toward Self.
Are Corporations More Important Than Individuals?
Seems like a comments day since there is always much to comment about and this time is a familiar theme about the dominant place corporation play in our government and our lives.
Blog Action Day was a big success as far as spreading the awareness of the concerns about climate change. Over 9000 bloggers wrote about climate change, they were in 150 countries and have a combined readership of over 12 million people. That is a lot of energy to offset the greed principle driving many companies who pollute our air and water and are reckless about human life. Congratulations to everyone who cares enough about our Earth to get involved and do something that makes a positive difference.
Our government’s bailout is working very well for many of the investment firms that used our tax moneys to save their business. They are reporting huge profits and expect to get very generous bonuses. Hum? Wealth is a wonderful thing to have, I was wondering when the American people will get some of that prosperity from our government in the form of: a truly reasonable health coverage for all; the end of corporate dominance in Washington DC and almost all aspects of life; protection of our environment; quit sending our young people into war to die for no good reason and better mental health care instead of more prisons, etc.?
Did you hear that 30 Republican Senators argued against women’s right to be protected from rape at their job’s. Here's a list of the names of the 30 Republican Senators who vocally argued that companies have a right not to be responsible for rapes of employees by other employees. Am I reading this wrong or have these 30 Senators put corporate protection over human rights? Where is the human heart in their decision to protect corporations not women?
Another sign of something that doesn’t make sense; people are being arrested outside insurance companies protested for better health care when many of these companies are not held accountable for their heartless actions. Remember recently people were at a President Obama talk and they were armed with weapons. No one was arrested there. Does that mean the right to carry arms is more important than the right to health care for all?
I am very hopeful about those who get involved and do more than just talk and complain. The momentum is clearly in the hands of big money interests but it has always been that a few well intended people guided by a higher purpose have won out over those without heart or compassion
Best 30 Self-Help Books Ever
Yesterday I was working away and I got an idea about giving my clients in treatment the best reading list I could come up with to encourage their ongoing growth. The follow are the best self-help books I know for inspiring a happy, peaceful and loving life. You can get most of these books used or at the library if your budget is limited. Enjoy and let me know which ones impacted you the most. Each book has been very inspirational to me.
1. Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
2. Stillness Speaks – Eckhart Tolle
3. A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
4. Being Peace – Thich Nhat Hahn
5. Old Path White Clouds – Thich Nhat Hahn
6. The Miracle of Mindfulness – Thich Nhat Hahn
7. Buddha – Deepak Chopra
8. Way Of The Peaceful Warrior – Dan Millman
9. The Law Of Spirit – Dan Millman
10. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
11. Book of Secrets – Deepak Chopra
12. You Can Heal Your Life – Louise Hay
13. The Joy Diet – Martha Beck
14. Be Here Now – Ram Dass
15. Zen Mind, Beginners Mind – Shunryu Suzuki
16. Book of Secrets – Osho
17. Illusions - Richard Bach
18. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse
19. The Power of Intention – Wayne Dyer
20. The Celestine Prophecy – James Redfield
21. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success – Deepak Chopra
22. Conversations With God – Neal Donald Walsch
23. Wherever You Go There You Are – Jon Kabat Zinn
24. The Autobiography of a Yogi – Yogananda
25. A Path With Heart – Jack Cornfield
26. A Return To Love – Mariannne Williams
27. The Four Agreement – Don Miguel Ruiz
28. The Power of the Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy
29. The Law Of Attraction – Ester Hicks/Abraham
30. No Boundary – Ken Wilber
Note: Most of these authors have a number of other books worth reading.
If you truly want to be free and happy these books offer all the information you will ever need.
I offer coaching for anyone who wants to move toward higher consciousness, become more mindful in daily life, open your heart and find your way to happiness and peace of mind. My first session is free and my monthly rates are very reasonable. Contact me at josephteach@hotmail.com
Blog Action Day - Let's All Do Something About Climate Change
Today is Blog Action Day World Wide. Over 7000 bloggers are joining together to spread the awareness of climate change and the importance of us taking action to protect our planet for us and future generations. Many people are so caught up in their own lives that they don’t have the time to see the big picture. The earth is the big picture and we need to take care of the most beautiful gem in our solar system.
Please take a few minutes today to walk outdoors and appreciate the beauty of nature, the clear sky, the flow of a stream, the roar of the ocean, and the majesty of a tree. Next in the silence of your awareness make a commitment to do your part in taking care of our precious planet. You can recycle, be more mindful of water use and waste, walk more and drive less, join a conservation group or become an activist for clean air, water, etc. You can also sign this petition.
If you want to become more informed check out this excellent information presented by the organizers of this Blog Action Day.
No matter what some say there is serious concern about climate change and all unbiased scientist agree. Our planet does matter and we can do much to protect it from any further human destruction.
We are all global citizens why don’t we all act together for the good of us all? Peace and planetary health to you.
Trusting Change, Going With The Flow, and Finding Peace
How is your energy lately? What are you excited about? What are looking forward to? Where is your energy going, is it toward what you want or just survival? Do you like your life as it is? Are you ready for change? How do you know what changes would be positive for you and what ones would be less so? I ask these questions because you never know when a new opportunity to make a change will be presented to you.
My wife and I were given notice yesterday that the owners of the house we rent want to move in so it is time to look for a new place. I am excited about this because change pushes us to take a greater look at the possibilities for our lives. We have been renting while we sort out where we want to live and how to create the life we desire. We may have been playing it too safe or need a push out of the comfort of what is familiar? Renting is good for that sorting process because you have more flexibility. I prefer flexibility so I can make changes easily when I know they are right.
Now we get to figure out where to go and what changes we want to make. We can remain in this area, or look at moving to a new part of the country or back to where I lived before in Santa Barbara. I am going to suggest to my wife that we present to the Universe or a Higher Guiding Force that we are ready to be shown where we should go, where we can have fun and purposeful things to do. Maybe she and I at our best have been trapped by our own limiting thoughts? Maybe we both want to stay where it is familiar? We still need income so that is important. We want to live some place we would enjoy living. Most likely a smaller city without lots of stress is ideal. I enjoy the West Coast particularly the warmer end.
My inner work has felt really lively lately and I feel much more in the flow and trusting that things are going to work out for the best. This feels very positive to allow trust and flow to be how I live. You can invite this flow into your life by stepping into the gaps in your thinking and fully learn to listen to what is right here and now waiting for you to explore and express.
Still no newborn, this one is staying in the Mom Hotel as long as he or she can.
Check This Out: Over at Peace-Together.com my wife and I have really great organic peace shirts we have designed. They feel super on and have great cuts for both women and men. We want to expand this business especially on the Web. We would appreciate you stopping by and ordering shirts that promote peace and support our social activist work.
This is a very important time to take a stand for peace with Obama deciding on what to do Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to speak up. It seems a cautious yet protective disengagement is necessary.
Peace starts inside and spreads out into the world.
The Self Not Identified With Our Thoughts
One of my co-workers/friend is at the hospital giving birth as I contemplate what to write about last night. She was working until the end of last week and we all felt for her as she was hoping the birth would come very soon. It did and she hoped it wouldn’t happen over the weekend and it didn’t. This got me thinking that maybe we have much more to say about how thing workout for us in life? In past posts I have written about thoughts and their influence over the outcome of things. Now I want to update/revise this idea by suggesting that it may have nothing to do with our typical thoughts but may be a deeper knowing beyond the endless treadmill of our past and future obsessed ego-mind.
This greater knowing is what could be called the Self not identified with our thoughts; the spirit in us not limited by any learned beliefs. Can this higher knowing shape the outcome of our life much more than ordinary thinking? My guess is yes in profound ways. What is your guess?
Many have written about the subconscious mind as a powerful force, which isn’t a place in out brain but a theoretical human formation, which could otherwise be known as spirit, Higher Self, the part of us in unity with the creative force of the universe. I feel as if I am walking out on a branch that is beginning to sway as I attempt to explore these ideas while writing here. There is still so much for us to learn and explore about our human capacities.
Are ideas for you sometimes on the edge of what you know and you wrestle with them trying to put them into words beyond what the ordinary mind can comprehend? Speculation is interesting but real knowing is profoundly altering. When the light of consciousness begins to shine the world is never seen the same again.
In my reading today, I came upon an article about Luck from a research project. Basically it said people shape their “good” luck from being fully present in their lives and from have a positive mindset. People who have bad luck seem to believe in it.
Back to the pregnant staff member she and her husband are keeping us updated on Facebook. I guess I will have to read if it is a boy or girl in the morning when I edit this. Newborn babies are such a wonderful gift to the world as an unlimited potential aligned with the divine within waiting to be their fullest expression of who they are in their life time.
I am rambling about, I hope you have a connection with your Self, have something really lucky happen, and if your have great fortune today you will get to hold a new baby.
P.S. In a great show of compassion and care for people, the insurance companies threatened to spike the rates if Congress passed healthcare reform. This is a very telling moment that all of us should pay attention to and please let your elected officials know to do what is right for the people not for their profit margins.
Today Step Past The Delusion Of Time
It is Sunday evening and I am sitting here writing my first draft of today’s blog. Dinner was late because my wife and I had a massage at Massage Envy, which we joined (great prices) and use monthly. Self-care feels so good sometimes.
Time has been on my mind lately. Time is a mind thing and if you watch your mind you will see that it is always planning/rehearsing for the future or replaying the past. The ego-mind uses time to keep us from being present. If we are future seeking or past reviewing the mind is very happy because we are only in touch with our thoughts. Underneath these thoughts of ours however is a much more dynamic experience of life. This experience is about our contact with the greater reality of our unlimited potential, about being in relationship with the spirit within and our Higher Self.
These past few days and for the next couple weeks I am rereading the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. My second time through is much more powerful than the first reading and that amazes me since the origin read seemed to alter the way I saw myself and the world. This book will absolutely rock you from the foundations of what you thought was true and leave you in a wake of new insight and higher consciousness. If personal growth is your thing, like it is mine, this book has to be number one of must read or must rereads.
So Tolle says that if we stop the mind from pushing us into the future or dragging us into the past, we will be forever free to live in the now where all that is really real happens. Taking time out of the mind equation means the end of personal suffering because all the pain of life has to do with wanting to be someone else. If we eliminate the longing for the illusionary future or the identity with the past, we are free to fully experience the present.
The now is called the present because it is a gift of peace, love, and joy. These positive feelings naturally arise when we are present because it truly a wonderful place to be. There are no bad times in the now, there are just the amazing experience of life free of the suffering that comes from the mind tripping along under the confusion of time.
Eckhart Tolle writes about these ideas with such clarity. Please if you don’t own this book go to the nearest local bookstore or Amazon and purchase a copy. It will set your world free in ways you may not even be able to imagine yet.
Have a good week and watch your mind's determination to be either in the past or future. This watching will open you to a higher level of consciousness and lead to your total liberation.
Congratulations To President Obama For Winning The Nobel Peace Prize.
I want to share a brief note about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. This highly honored prize is about the hope that resides in all of us, the hope for a peaceful world, a world where compassion and kindness win out over the ego driven desire for power. President Obama represents real hope for a better world especially after the last 8 years of unconscious leadership. That great depth of that hope resides in you and I, our neighbors, our community, our nation and around the globe where there are people who have passionate and enthusiastic hearts, open and wise minds and the deeper knowing of spirit.
Let this award be a call to all of us who care about what is truly right and just, who have compassion for all, and who seek to build a better world. Let this call inspire in us to do more and be more of what we know is possible in our potential. Let this award serve as a reminder to begin to find our peace within and to spread our peace from that place of calmness and awareness. Let this peace intention expand so that all relationships are peaceful, all actions of business are peaceful, all interactions of nations are peaceful.
This is all possible and it can begin today if you and I commit to ignoring the thoughts of the ego-mind and instead follow the deeper wisdom of our hearts and the spirit that resides in us.
Be Peace
World Mental Health Day
Today is World Mental Health Day. The purpose of this day is to serve as a reminder that mental health is a key to individual health and an integral part of any well functioning health care system. I have been a mental health care professional for over 30 years encouraging people to find their way to a life of love, joy and inner peace. As a counselor, teacher, trainer, group facilitator and consultant in numerous settings I have journeyed with many in the midst of great struggle. From all of this, my compassion and understand has grown as to the intensity of challenges many face because of their thinking and their emotions.
This blog is dedicated to providing inspiration and information to all those who want to have mental health from the perspective of raising awareness, expanding consciousness, mental and emotional well being, and the deeper reality of living in the light of the present moment.
This is what I have learned through my work in mental health and through my search of the best ideas and practices for the well being of our hearts, minds, bodies and spirit:
• Most of live in the mistaken self-identity of our thoughts. We are not our thoughts but a much deeper and more expanded potential.
• Almost all suffering has to do with this identity with our mind and our not living in the present moment. Hanging out in the past or the future causes suffering.
• Addiction to drugs or alcohol is often about self-medication because of the suffering caused by our own thoughts and the past trauma perpetrated by those caught in the insanity of their thoughts,
• The majority of people in jail in this country are there because of mental health problems. We jail them because we lack awareness of the fear in our own minds, lack compassion, and don’t value treatment.
• Successful treatment has to involve expanding the awareness and consciousness of both the therapist and the clients. Mental health is an ongoing process of growing our awareness of thoughts and feelings and not being run by them.
• Most insurance industry providers do not serve the needs of those with mental health issues as if they don’t matter. This is a huge problem and a major reason we have so many prisons.
• Most people are unaware of their own thoughts and live lives of such discontent because the suffering their minds cause them. This suffering is completely unnecessary and resolvable with a higher level of consciousness.
• That higher level of consciousness includes living in the present, watching our thoughts and feelings, realizing they are not real and going deeper into the truth of our higher nature. Read past blogs for lots more information about this.
• In this moment as we live it there is no suffering unless we bring it along, there is only the pure joy of our expanded nature free from the delusions of our past or future oriented ego-mind.
• Mental health issues can be summarized as loosing touch with the reality of our higher nature. The main causes of these issues are the identity of self as defined by our thoughts and the collective insanity of an unconscious society.
• Everyone can be free of this insanity of thought simply by developing a watcher presence within, an impartiality free of self-judgment, and by living in the now.
I hope you choose to have a mentally healthy day by being present.