Inner Practice #2 For Awakening and Awareness

How often do you take the time to really evaluate yourself and what you are up to? Do you just put your head down and charge forward or do you examine your path and your ways to make sure you are creating success within, in your relationships and in you work?  Are you awake or asleep as you go through life?

Slow down for a moment and become an observer of yourself and your process.  Break from the pattern of full speed ahead and instead look to see what is in the wake.  What results are you creating?  Are you feeling good about where you are in your life and who you are?  Are you realizing your potential?

When you step back you get to view your life without the harshness of a critical parent, more from the compassion of a good friend that resides in you.  The observer part of you is able to watch without attachment.  That means this higher part of you gets to see what is going on and do so without getting caught up in any personal drama you may be going through.  You are just watching and becoming more aware. 

The watcher watches and simply observes the ways you are and the results that you create.  That watcher does not judge just reports what it sees.  Stepping back means to watch and learn about your nature.  Stepping back is about becoming more aware.  When you become aware you awaken to infinite amount of possibilities. 

This learning about self is called insight or awareness.  The goal is to become aware enough so that you know who you are, what you need, what works for you and doesn’t, areas of strength, and the parts of you that would benefit from growth.  Awareness brings choices into your life.  Without awareness you are blind to how you are and to the potential in you awaiting expression.  With awareness comes choices and when you have choices you can change your life and keep changing it until it works out the way you want it to.

Stepping Back Exercise:
Image there is a part of you that is just above you are maybe even standing next to you like a spiritual double/ guardian angel.  This watcher gives you constant feedback because it is simply watching free of the biases of the judgmental ego mind.

Imagine being this watcher traveling through the day with you paying attention as you go.  See you get up in the morning and what goes on in your mind, body and heart.  Watch yourself engage in life throughout the day, again noting the mind, body and heart.  Everything you do is watched with awareness free of a judging self.  Your actions and behaviors are neither good nor bad but evaluated as to whether they working for you or not. 

This practice provides more opportunity for awareness and for awakening.  Explore it and enjoy the endless benefits of being a fully alive and conscious human being. 
 

Major Issues Need Real Solutions: Over Population, Climate Change and Extremism?

These times we live in seem to be calling us to awaken or else we are destined to continue headlong into what could easily be major altering of life here on the planet even to the point of human extinction.  The danger zones ahead seem to be the following: the explosion of the population which will be surprisingly soon more than the Earth can sustain; the negative impact of the human race on the earth, water, and atmosphere which may already be irreversible; and the ever expanding extremism of those who seem unable to tolerate others who think differently than they do.

There seems to be reason for optimism however.  We may be able to come together to resolve the pressing problems of our time.  People are beginning to question the status quo and wonder out loud if there isn’t a better way.  The expanding movement toward spirituality in a variety of old and new forms, the seeking of higher states of consciousness, the importance of compassionate action, and the increasing world wide connection of people all over the planet, all make hope possible.

Let’s now consider the three pressing problems lingering outside our doors.  First the problem of overpopulation needs to be addressed.  This is the problem no one wants to address.  Birth control must happen no matter what any churches advocate.  If we continue at the present birthrate the planet will soon be so over populated that there will not be enough food or clean water.  This takes planning and everybody working together.  Are we up to this planning is the big question?  Many have doubts because this is a very passionate subject.  It will take at least 10% of the people to agree that we must control population growth.  The next ten years are critical to bring the growth rate down.

The second issue is the climate change that is already happening.  There are some who disagree that the issues even exists but they are easily fooled by their own biases.  Together all nations must come together to reduce toxins, to clean up the mess already present, and to formulate substantial policy to make the planet more important than corporate profits.  We absolutely must protect the air we breathe, the clean water and the food supply.  There are strong forces working on all these fronts.  Those advocates whose task it is to protect our water supply and to keep it public need more help.  Those who work to keep our air and atmosphere safe are vocal and energized but can use more resources.  The health and sustainable food movement is gaining momentum.  Everywhere more people are understanding these issues and getting involved.  This all adds up to reasons for hope.

The third issue is about regional and religious extremism.   Thoughtfulness and the raising of consciousness are needed now more than ever.  The ego driven nature of this problem has been the source of conflict and war for much of human civilization.  There is a growing awareness that we have the weaponry to kill everyone a hundred times over.  The fear of rogue factions causing worldwide damage has awakened the collective consciousness enough so that many now see the wisdom of all of us coming together.  We must work together to deal with those extreme elements so that they don’t wipe us all out in a mad expression of righteousness.  This is where a massive dose of compassion and understanding mixed with a solution-focused approach is called for as soon as possible. 

The answers lay in the compassion of the human heart, the thoughtfulness and understanding of our minds, and it the full realization of our spirit.  Please let us all join together and wake up to our highest nature.     
 

Healthcare Debate: Greed Vs The People

Frankly I am becoming very impatient about the healthcare debate by our elected officials.  It is so clear they are heavily influenced by a trail of money that leads directly to the health insurance industry, and those who profit from it.  Not only are they in bed with these corporations but so too are their family members and there former staff.  There is so much conflict of interest here that no one in Washington DC has a clear conscience around healthcare. 

The Republicans vote against everything so Obama isn’t successful.  They would rather make a worst mess out of this country than have Obama succeed at anything.  He inherited their mess and they even have the audacity to blame it on him.  This is a planned effort to take back power.  They basically are saying screw this country until we get back into power and then we can continue to screw the people because all we care about is supporting corporate profits.  They support these profits because they benefit from them.

The Democrats lack courage to take a stand because they are afraid some that their campaign funds may be lost if they legislate for the people against the corporations.  It is all about staying in power and yet they say they are working for the people.  That is not accurate.  The so-called Blue Dog Democrats are simply Republicans claiming to be Democrats.  Our political system is not working for the majority of people in this nation.

The people who are protesting healthcare reform are feed endless misinformation and apparently can’t sort out truth from fiction or maybe they simply support corporate greed over their own well-being.  Any person who has their critical thinking capacity working can tell that healthcare reform is badly needed.  The Polls even show that a vast majority of people support significant reforms including a public option. 

There are no clear values that run either party except greed and remaining in power.  This is a real mess and most likely won’t change because the influence comes in the form of billions of dollars to keep things the same. 

Healthcare coverage for all Americans is essential because greed is running the healthcare industry, hospitals, doctors etc. and causing many people to loose all they have when they get ill.  This system is sick and the people are taking the brunt of it.  Healthcare Executives, shareholders, hospitals, drug companies, doctors are all running to the bank with their profits while many people are going broke because of the costs.  Does that seem right to you in any way. 

Change has to come from the influence of the people and if we passively complain nothing will happen for our benefit.  Please contact your elected officials today and let them know you want healthcare for all and you are going to hold them responsible to make it happen. 

 

What Would Make You Good To Go?

Yesterday in a focused conversation with one of the clients in treatment I gave her very clear feedback about her plans for her recovery.  My message to her was there was little or no chance for success especially when she had such a passive attitude about her treatment and the mistreatment she has received in her relationship.  She has to have legs under her, a strong sense of self to take her life back and any hope for recovery.  She has a long ways to progress before she feels good to go.

Most of us don’t find ourselves in significant legal problems and being run by an addiction, yet we can stay stuck as we passively stumble through life.  We fall into feeling like a victim, or placing all our energy into blaming and complaining.  We don’t feel as if we are even ok enough to have the life we want. We waste energy trying to live up to the expectations of others.  We live in the fear of failure and play it safe.  If any of these mind states sound familiar then we will never feel good enough or ready to go.

Take an inventory of your life: are you smart enough, are your flexible and willing to learn, do you have enough focus and willingness; can you take feedback and course correct; does it matter enough to you to do what it takes; do you get excited about the possibilities that are in front of you; do you believe in yourself in a way that will make success possible; and are you in any way in touch with your divine nature and the infinite possibilities waiting in you for espression?

What it takes to make you good to go is the following:
•    Clarity about where you want to go
•    Belief in yourself
•    Realizing you have infinite potential 
•    Knowing what you want is ok to have
•    Openness to learn as you go and become more effective
•    A plan that you feel is realistic and doable
•    Willingness to go all the way to the finish line even when it gets hard
•    Positive intention to more fully express who you are in what you do
•    Willing to connect to your higher nature to be guided to your fullest realization

Right now you are good to go if we are willing to embrace all that resides in you and through you.
 

Follow The Path Of Passion

What are your passions in life?  Are you doing any of them today?  What passions inside of you want to be expressed?  Life is so busy doing stuff that you have to do.  When do you do what you love to do?  Are you somebody that does or hopes to do?  Like the blog yesterday mentions about being passive or active in life, are you a person that stands on the sidelines and hopes to get in the game or do you make what you want happen?  
 
I have a passion to do both meaningful and fun things in life.  My passion for doing things has guided me to have many wonderful experiences.  My work has been very rewarding because I get to make a difference in people’s lives.  I get to explore new ways of helping others and that is also a joyous part of doing my work as a counselor/teacher/consultant.  

In the fun category I have many activities that make my life enjoyable including public speaking, teaching and inspiring others, singing, painting, writing, tai chi, great discussions, and playing sports like, table tennis, tennis, basketball and trail running.  When I do any of these activities I feel energized, fully awake, and positive about life.  

What fun things do you do that make you feel alive?  Are you waiting for the future before you have fun?  Have you lost touch with your playful nature?  Have you gotten overly serious about life?  When do you cut loose in enjoyable and healthy ways?  

Make a commitment to do something fun soon.  If you are a parent take your kids and do something you would all enjoy.  If you have a spouse do stuff together you both love.  Life is way too short and one day you will find yourself regretting that you had not done some things you intended to do.  The only time you can truly enjoy life is now.  No more delaying is allowed.  If you learn to have a really great time then you get to live a joyous and satisfying life.
 

Awareness Is The Great Liberator.

Yesterday I had another opportunity for a new perspective.  At work an expert on Addictions from the VA who had a Ph.D. From Columbia gave a presentation about an approach to therapy called ACT.  This approach is complicated to explain so I will not attempt to do so.  He was a character who acted as if he was not afraid of what others might think of him.  As a matter of fact he even said early in his talk that some of the 40 or so people in the room might be evaluating/judging him, thinking about being elsewhere, worried about problems in their life or any number of things going on in which they were not really paying attention to what he said.  He said that to point out the nature of the human mind, which is processing so much more than we ever perceive.  He shared many good ideas and before long he had the attention of everyone in the room.  

The presentation got me interested enough to want to go to an ACT experiential training next time one comes to our area.  I recognized that I really do enjoy fresh perspectives because they seem to make me feel more alive.   As he came to the end he asked if anybody was willing to come up and learn a new dance. Most stayed glued to their seats but I found my body jumping up and heading to the front of the class, four others joined me.  We learned this very silly preschool dance and it was fun. 

The other 35 people watched.  He asked us participants how we were feeling?  I shared I felt alive and others said they had fun and although anxious were glad they did the dance.  Then he asked about those who watched and some wanted to join the dance but held themselves back; some made excuses; and some didn’t want to budge.  I wondered if this was a metaphor for how we do things in life.   Are some of us active participants?  Do some of us want to join the fun of life but hold back?  Are some of us excuse makers?  Are some of us unwilling to try new things or step out of their comfort zone?  No judgment about who is right of wrong about this but do you have tendencies that open you up to experiences, play it safe, or close you down? 

One of the approaches of this technique is to explore a person’s values and ask them if their behavior matches these values.  What values matter most to you and are you living them?  Again self-judging is not necessary but awareness is valuable. 

If you find yourself run by old patterns, self-limits, fear, habits, playing it safe then to become aware means you can make new choices.  You can learn to observe who you are and what you do and keep the patterns that work and discard the ones that do not.  Awareness is the great liberator. 
 

Inner Practice #1 To Encourage Your Spiritual Awakening

You and I live in times where there is a deep longing for a more meaningful life.  This longing is a powerful force within us encouraging a more full express of who we are.   This expression we sense will be of benefit for humanity and to expand our self-realization. 

It is my hope that his blog supports and gives sustenance to this desire to more fully awaken.  Today I share a practice and it is my plan to regularly share new practices to assist in our awakening to the spiritual potential within. This weeks practice is Buddhist in origin and I am confident you will find it very helpful.  The following practice is called the Maitri Meditation.
 
Find a quiet relaxing place to sit and take a couple of long slow relaxed breaths.  Pay attention to the full cycle of inhale and exhale.  Let the breath deepen naturally.  After a few minutes direct the following thoughts toward yourself:

May I be peaceful.
May I be happy.
May my heart remain open.
May I know the beauty of my own true nature.
May I be healed.
In my healing, may I heal others.
 
Repeat this practice daily as many times as you feel is takes to sink in at a deep level.  Once you begin to feel these words and ideas vibrate inside begin to send the energy of this practice towards those you love and eventually to all living beings on the planet.   Be patient with the process and soon you will begin to feel the affects internally and then spread those affects around the globe.  Only when you truly feel compassion for yourself can you feel it for others.

God Is Not A Christian

The title for this blog came as I was skimming through a magazine and thinking about the always-vocal Christian movement in this country.  The original settlers and founding fathers came to the United States to escape religious prosecution.  They were not Christian per say but more Deists who believed in a much wider definition of who God was.  We were not founded as a Christian nation even though many want us to believe that.  Our Nation was formed by those who believed in a God that was not necessarily Christian, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, nor any other religion.  

That original intent has lost out to fanatical religious people in this nation and all over the world who insist others think and believe as they do.  These so-called religious people ignore science, advocate for war, kill people who go against their believes, and seem to have little or no understand of the most important teaching of all religions, the teaching of compassion for others.  

The other ignored important lesson of all religious teaching is that we are all God’s children.  Instead ego dominated religious people kill each other as it they are right and the others are wrong.  The bumper sticker that says, “Who would Jesus bomb?” seems to hit the nail on the head.  One thing for sure, Jesus was certainly not ever about killing others because they didn’t have the correct beliefs.

Are the religiously vocal and righteous actually in touch with their divine nature?  If so would they be supporting war, acting without compassion, speaking falsely to support their points of view, building huge mega churches will people go hungry, shouting down the views of others, and so many other acts that lack compassion and understanding?

God is not a member of any religion; there are no right religions and wrong religions.  All the great wisdom traditions share many higher truths.  Isn’t it time for a maturity of behavior and beliefs to come about?  Isn’t it time to drop the “I am right and you are wrong” point of view?  Isn’t it time to question all beliefs and instead focus on the common ground of true human wisdom?  Haven’t we had the dominance of ego in control for long enough?  

We are a brother and sisterhood who share the wisdom that we are not the creative force of the universe; that we were given our minds to understand and our hearts to have compassion; and that we are all connected from a particle level all the way to the highest and wisest of human consciousness.  Whoever God is, that God is in you and I and everyone and if we learn to live with that thought the rest will take care of itself.    

These Two Points Will Totally Alter Your Life

Two ideas have been on my mind this past few days and I wanted to share them again here at my blog and see if I can emphasize these ideas more because they seem so important.  The first idea is that happiness, peace and love are natural occurrences of being in the present moment.  The second idea is compassion for self is very important as a way to offset much if not most of our upbringing.

If you are able to spend most of your days moment by moment then happiness, peace and love will be your experience of life.  When you wander in your mind from being present then you lose your happiness, your peace of mind and contact with your heart.   The Now is the doorway to your highest and most satisfying human experiences.  Actually what else is there than the now except in the human mind, which tends to prefer the longing or regretting the past and the worrying and hoping about the future.   This mind obsession about past and future keeps you far from happiness, love and peace of mind. 

The best ways to keep present include: mindfulness, meditation, quiet contemplation, listening with empathy, developing the inner watcher, and other present focused activities (see past blogs for more information about these practices).   If you learn to be in the moment you set yourself free to live a joyous and fulfilling life.

The second point of having compassion for yourself seems very important.  My own story of being raised Catholic and hearing almost constantly about what was wrong with me and all humans soured me towards others and myself.   It took me years to shrink away the self-doubt and self-dislike of the early programming from my family, my schooling and my religious misguided education. 

Today I actually saw that old not deserving messages creep back into my thoughts.  My wife and I are looking for a new home and two we looked at earlier in the day were in our price range but they were not ok and my doubting self was willing to settle for much less.  That settling for much less comes from lacking enough compassion for myself.  I deserve a wonderful place to live. 

Those who have self-hatred don’t understand this sense of self is learned from the teachings of those who have faulty beliefs about themselves and the world.  Compassion is the opposite of self-hatred.  Self-hatred is a mental construct that needs to be deconstructed and that is best done with compassion.

Compassion for you and I simply is a better and more accurate way to relate to who we are.  A compassionate heart is a powerful tool for transforming all that is wrong in the world to peace, love and happiness.
 

If You Have Trauma In Your Body. . .

Today I was at a conference about addiction, trauma and self-care at Boulder County.  The presenters Dr. Robert Scaer, Neurologist, Dr Paula Riggs, Psychiatrist, Rachel Katz, P.T. and Marguerite McCormack, MA, LPC.  were all amazing experts at their topics and they gave us the attendees lots of valuable information which I plan to use with my clients. 

What stood out most for me was the part trauma plays in the lives of most of us.  Doing the work of helping others is often traumatic because of the clients we serve.  We often receive secondary trauma as our clients share about the abusive lives they had as children and the abuse they either received or caused as adults.  80-95% of all the people in prison were abused as children; almost all of our clients were abused as children.  Prisons do not rehabilitate they just re-traumatize people who were victims as children.

Yes I have mentioned prisons several times lately because I can’t get over the idea that we need to help these people in jail not punish them if we want to break the cycle of abuse.  Trauma that goes without expression or healing resides in the body and over time tends to get worse.  If you are abused as a child your self-esteem never recovers as long as the trauma remains in the body as tightness.  This emotional holding zaps your energy, fills you with self-doubt, and often time leads to more trauma.  The cycle can be endless unless the emotional scaring is brought into the light of awareness and worked with in some way that can return the person to wholeness. 

Even what may have been forgotten trauma or what you thought was minor may be inside of you limiting your experience of well-being.  There are traumas caused by: birthing, surgery, accidents, emotional neglect, addiction of your parents, hurtful actions, physical, mental, emotional and sexual trauma and many other forms.  Have you buried any trauma in you from the past?  Do you feel unable to experience certain feelings?  Do specific circumstances cause you to strongly overreact?  Is your body uptight or blocked in any ways?  Was growing up in your family a traumatic experience?

Self-hatred can be a product of the traumas of our past.  If you can take the time to develop some compassion for yourself, you have taken the first step toward the healing process

If you have trauma there are ways to deal with that.  There is counseling which will help identify your blocks or issues.  Talk usually doesn’t complete relieve the damage of the past.  Often a body-oriented therapy is important.  There are too many here to discuss but if you have some concerns drop me a note at josephteach@hotmail.com and I will suggest some ideas.  I will write more about this as I explore some resources I acquired through these presenters.  Have a fun Friday and be kind to yourself this weekend.  

How Are You A Gift To The World?

Over at the blog Quantum Learning by Ian, he is asking his readers to leave comments or send emails about what are ways his readers are a gift to the world.  I love that idea so I thought I would spread it here at my blog. 

You may not even see yourself as a gift, which would be sad.  I invite you to take the time to write down the ways you are a gift to those around you and to the world.  If you want you can leave them in the comments section at Quantum Learning. 

Here is my list as to why I am a gift to the world:
•    Each day I try to spread consciousness, awareness, compassion and inspiration through my blog.
•    I am always exploring ways to be a more conscious and compassionate human being.
•    Through my inner work I am able to spread peace and inspiration through my interactions with others.
•    My progressive politics are about who is taking care of the needs of the people not the corporations. 
•    In my work I help people who have addictions to alcohol and drugs, I give them ideas and hope.
•    The staff I work with appreciate my support, my kindness and my teaching of skills for self-care and counseling.
•    My wife appreciates my cooking and our meals, which are often inspired by recipes I like to try.
•    I have a warm smile and people respond positively to me
•    I invite the best in people I interact with throughout my day
•    My dog Pax appreciates me taking him for walks, playing with him and his toys and feeding him.
•    Recently one of my clients had an awakening and I provided him with the ideas and readings that seem to help bring this about.
•    My brothers and sisters appreciate me for who I am and my support of who they are.
•    I will leave the world a better place through my work and writing.
•    I have developed excellent skills in asking people questions that provoke thought, new ways of looking at the world, and the insight needed to bring about personal change. 

I hope this list inspires you to come up with your own list too. You can also share them in my comment section below.



 

Achieving Lasting Happiness

What many of us are trained to believe as we grow up is this one simple lie, that we can cure our lack of peace: if we can simply control more of the events and people in our life to be the way we want them to be, we would achieve lasting happiness.   This lie is very prevalent in most of our upbringing and still guides our attempts to make our lives happy and peaceful.  What are the chances that we can control the events and people in our lives to be the way we want them to be?  My guess is it would be about 0% chance?  Does that match your guess?

So if controlling others and situations is not possible then what is the answer to bringing peace and happiness into our lives?  To begin we must be able to step past the conditioned mindset of the idea that peace and happiness comes from outside of us in having a better partner, a new car, more toys, a bigger house, finish raising the kids, get the right job, have the right income and so many other ideas we may tell ourselves about the future.  The truth beyond the conditioned mind is that peace and happiness are inside jobs and not based in the future or the past.

The place to really bring about significant change occurs between the ears in a place called the mind.  There are two aspects about this mind that seem important in this discussion.  There is the ego-mind driven by fear and survival and there is the wise-mind guided by the intuitive wisdom of your higher self.  The ego-mind's job is to keep you alive and going after what you need to survive.  This mind is often important because it can be a powerful driving force to make sure you have food and shelter. 

The wise mind is the higher wisdom within us that is linked to the consciousness of all of life.  That wisdom comes through intuitive moments, in the silence of contemplation, in the blinding light of insight, in the fully present moment.  This is the clear knowing of what is right for you, your purpose, your values, your code of ethics, your way of the heart. 

Happiness and peace come from being in the moment, from being open to the wise mind and from living according to consciousness and compassion within you.  Happiness and peace are natural occurrences of being fully present.

I have a work holiday today, so I am off to play first by taking my dog Pax for a hike in the mountains and then maybe some golf.  Enjoy your day and let your wise mind and each moment show you the way.   
 

Heartless Greed Runs Our Country

The social critic in me is stirred up.  This is not about blame but about asking what can we do to make our economic, legal, political, and social system work in a way that has compassion for all?   There are a number things very wrong and no one in Washington DC cares to do anything about it.  The following examples stand out because they are indicators of a system that has gone wrong.  The problem is not that money or business is bad, it is that greed is the dominating force of our country.  
 
The House passed new healthcare laws.  The Senate will most likely not pass significant healthcare reform.  There is one reason for that; to be a senator costs lots of money and insurance companies and most other corporate associations have invested millions (most likely billions) of dollars in our elected officials to make sure the laws stay in support of corporate interests not for what is best for the people.   Election reform that removes the influence of money is essential.  
 
Banks and Credit Card companies have spent millions in promoting credit card use/overuse and now they are raising interests on those in debt to them as a way to clean up their bad financial decisions.  We who pay taxes and use credit cards helped bail them out and now they are turning around and making us pay again.  They have returned since their bailouts to again doing questionable investment practices so the crisis will arise again soon.  Who is looking out for the people?  Get out as soon as possible from using credit.  
 
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan Chase were helped through the financial disaster of the past year and now they plan to give almost $30 billion in record bonuses.  Here is part of the article in Bloomberg and a reference for the entire article.  
 
"The firms -- the three biggest banks to exit the Troubled Asset Relief Program -- will hand out $29.7 billion in bonuses, according to analysts' estimates. That's up 60 percent from last year and more than the previous high of $26.8 billion in 2007. The money, split among 119,000 employees, equals $250,400 each, almost five times the $50,303 median household income in the U.S. last year, data compiled by Bloomberg show."

Does this seem right to you?  Check out this site for more information about where we have gone off course because of greed and inequality.

When I look around in my community and I see a growing homeless population, (one of the homeless froze to death the other day).  There are laws in this community and many others that make the homeless criminals.  I hear of many people here without work or struggling to find work.  I hear from people there that the jails are overflowing.  

One of my clients went to court in Denver and it was so crowded that it took him 45 minutes to get in the building and then it was so packed that it was shoulder to shoulder.  This is the criminalization of America, the justice system that is about creating crimes and punishment.  Many if not most of these people have mental health or addiction issues and they need help not prison.  

Does this make you wonder what is wrong?  Is our present social structure working in which there are few who have all the resources and most are struggling to make things work?  How come greed is allowed to dictate our laws and criminalize those who are without resources? 

Embrace Your Feelings

How is your emotional health these days?  It seems there is a lot of stress out there as regular people like you are I try to figure out how to make it work in these financially challenging days.  Are you aware of what your emotions are?  How well are you dealing with stress, with disappointment, with loss, with anxiousness, with anger and other difficult feelings?  Here are 8 tips you will find helpful in managing your emotional well-being:

1.    Emotions can be quiet and out of your awareness if you are not paying attention.  It is best to check in throughout your day to see what feelings are coming up.  When you notice what you are feeling simply acknowledge and accept those feelings without judging.
2.    Emotions are caused by thoughts you have in response to the circumstance of your life.  If your thoughts tend toward blaming, complaining, self-doubt or fear your feelings will tend to be negative and unpleasant to handle.  If your thoughts tend toward seeking solutions or enjoying challenges your feelings will be more positive.
3.    Feelings are guideposts and serve a very positive purpose.  If you are feeling poorly or negative about what is going on then it is time for a change in direction.  If you are feeling positive and energized then you are heading in the right direction.
4.    Feelings tend to be felt in the body.  Your body is the place where emotions gather.  If your body is feeling tight, low energy, or anxious then you probably have the bottled up emotions.  The best way to release those emotions are to pay attention to them and express them in some constructive way like: conversations with friends who listen, exercise, writing about them, and feeling them, relaxing and letting them go.
5.    Emotions inside of you belong to you not to anyone else.  Take responsibility for what you are feelings.  No one makes you feel anything, it is your thoughts in response to others and situations that cause your feelings.  If you don’t like how you are feeling then change your thoughts.
6.    Feelings are all ok; there are no good or bad feelings.  Appreciate that you can feel because that means you are alive.  Practice accepting all your feelings and appreciate them for telling you how you are doing.
7.    Emotions can be difficult to express.  Feelings like anger may feel scary to talk about but if they are shared with respect to those you are talking with then they can be heard in a receptive way.  Feelings like hurt, sad, loving, joyous and most others can be shared in ways that are enriching for you and those that matter to you. 
8.    Feelings are often linked to your heart.  You feel because you have a heart.  Having a heart that is open allows you to feel love, caring, compassion and act with kindness.  If you suppress your emotions, your heart will close down.  If you express your emotions even the difficult ones your heart will remain open.

Emotions let you know very clearly you are alive so make it a daily practice to enjoy and embrace all you feel.   
 

Is God Dead? Hopefully The Way Many Want Us To Believe Is

There seems to be always a debate between religion and those that claim to be atheist.  There are writers like Richard Dawkins who have stimulated this debate.  I for one highly encourage this discussion.  All Religion needs to be totally questioned.   What has been done in the name of religion by so-called religious people is what has been the major source of madness on the planet.  Whether God is dead or not is in much greater hands as a matter of our own personal experience.

My hope is that God is dead as he has been identified by so-called religious men like Haggard, Olsteen, Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, and so many others who from my viewpoint have zero understanding of anything that is truly sacred or spiritual.   The God of most religions is a made up fantasy of very limited minds driven by fear and the need to be in control.  Those that don’t question these so called belief driven practices are doomed to live the unconsciousness of them.  Be leary of the Religious leaders like heads of churches, popes, priests, ministers, etc. and in their place put the guidance of your own higher nature.

Instead of being a follower, it is my suggestion that you become an explorer of what is spiritual and holy for you.  I suspect you know much more about what is sacred than most who claim to know God personally.  To have a relationship with your spirit, with the infinite wisdom of all creation would have to be something that comes from within.   Books like the bible may inspire people but frankly there is much greater inspiration in the eyes and hearts of each other, in the beauty of nature, in the stillness of the moment.  

Churches provided the benefits of community but don’t let them tell you what to believe and think because they know less than you do.  Practices show you methods but don’t confuse methods with being awake.   What if you are already fully awake but are held back by beliefs and the limiting conditioning you have received?

There is so much worth exploring out there about your higher nature, about consciousness, compassion and the connection between us all.  Make that your personal sacred journey and then you and only you can answer for yourself is God dead or maybe the divine in you is the holiest you can know.   

This Is Your Mind On Happiness

This phrase came to me the other day and I decided I wanted to write a blog post using this for my title.  As I regularly do, I write mindfully listening inward for inspiration and guidance. 

My first thought was about a client I work with who has become an excellent practitioner of mindfulness.  The tough guy who kept his heart blocked from years of being abused as a child has blossomed into a conscious and loving human being.  This blossoming is the product of a watching and wiser mind than use to be running him.  His ego has begun to shrink away and is being replaced by a compassionate heart. 

Another example of the mind turning to a place of happiness is when a person is neither caught up in the ramblings of the past nor the anxiousness of the future.  This mind is present and in being so, happiness naturally arises.   This mind is also able to be quiet, which allows it to be peaceful and open to a deeper knowing. 

Happiness is our natural state when the ego mind is no longer running you and instead the higher self is in charge.  An example of that is when you clearly know what is your higher path of action.  That knowing comes from a part of you that transcends the ego and personality; that isn’t bound by past conditioning or fears about tomorrow.  That knowing is a calm intuitive sense whose source is the spirit within.

Both peace and happiness are byproducts of mindfulness.  If you learn to be mindful, happiness and peace will be part of your daily life.  Take some time each day to explore the following mindful technique and you will treat your mind and your life to large doses of peacefulness and happiness:

Begin any or all activities from showering in the morning, to driving to work, riding a bus, walking into your office, sitting in front of a computer, eating meals, doing your job, working out or whatever you are doing with an awareness of your breath.  You don’t have to alter your breath just notice the inhale and the exhale.  As you go through whatever you are doing remain aware of the breath which may deepen or become quieter.  As you follow your breath you will notice how much more you are involved in the moment.  This being fully involved in the now of your activities is being mindful. 

Happiness and peace will always be part of your life experience when you are mindful.  


 

Expanding Our Compassionate Hearts

Lately in my reading and work the idea of expanding our compassion has been on my mind.  In this issue of ODE magazine Religion author Karen Armstrong writes about compassion and asks all people and religions to be guided by compassion.  She says compassion is the heart of all religious teachings.   Compassion is about having an open heart while seeking to understand yourself and others.

The following are ideas to help you expand your compassionate heart, give them a try and notice if and how the different ideas work for you:

•    Began by slowing yourself down and tuning into the beat of your heart.  If you can’t feel the beat, place your fingers from on hand on your pulse on the other hand.  Breathe into the pulse and feel the energy of the heart

•    Find out who touches your heart and spend time with them, notice how you feel

•    Do activities that make you more aware of your heart like   walking uphill or exercising and feel the power of the heart

•    Imagine your heart filled with love and then you spreading love wherever you go

•    Feel the heart center in your body, notice the influence of the heart in your interactions with others

•    Notice that your heart is wise and listen to what it is telling you about living your life

•    Be aware what your open heart feels like and see how long you can keep it open as you go about your day

•    Have compassion for your imperfections and for the struggles of those you who matter to you

•    Explore fully loving and accepting yourself even though you have problems in the life, your heart is much bigger than any problems you face

•    Feel the courage of the heart, if your heart is open you will see that your loving and compassionate heart is stronger than any fear you might have

•    Imagine loving yourself, filling your body with love, loving all those around you, and then expanding that love to completely cover the Earth and all living things

•    There is no limit to love, so you can love everybody you meet, and every human being on the planet, and still have an endless amount of love to share

If we all opened our hearts to our potential for compassion we would transform the world to a peaceful and joyous place.  

Please President Obama Don't Send More Troops to Die In Afghanistan

These times are not for expanding our commitment of troops into Afghanistan.  The military is not who you need to consult about this because they are driven by ego and ego has only made a bigger mess out of bad situations.  There is no chance of victory, look at the history of other wars in this country, look at Vietnam for a further history lesson.  The people of Afghanistan don't want us occupying their country no more than we want other nations occupying the United States.  This was bad idea started by a totally misguided administration.  Please cleanup the mess we have left and start exiting immediately.  That is the only sane thing to do.
 
I feel compelled to write because inside the DC Beltway you get no impartial advice.  There is way too much vested interest in all those who want you to do what they think is right.  War and escalating war is never a good idea no matter how much the rationalizing mind argues in support.  What are the alternatives?  Have you heard from anyone who has a very different view on how to handle this mess?  I say build more schools, provide books, feed them, and help them have homes and we will save billions in military hardware and many lives.  This is not complicated.  
 
Please replace any military leaders who go to the media to advocate for their plan as if they know better than you.  They do not know better because you represent the people and we elected you to be thoughtful, to explore impartially what is right, and then act wisely for those lives that might be endangered.  This must not be a fear driven decision but one of critical thinking and a compassionate heart.  We all share this planet together and there is always ways to work out our problems that is better than killing each other.  Isn't it time that we humans evolve past the big stick into genuinely communicating with each other in search of solutions?
 
Keep up the good work; I understand your job is a very hard one.  These times will invite you to more fully realize your potential for greatness.   Most of us want you to succeed for the benefit of our nation and the global community.       

Recovery, A Very Challenging Journey

It seems as I look at my recent blog posts that I have gotten into being a list writer.   I have felt very inspired lately and the ideas just start to flow.  I enjoy when this process flows so effortlessly.  Isn’t that the way life is suppose to be?  When things are right there is a flow that comes easily and with little effort.  As I write this entry I don’t really know where I am heading.  Let’s see what happens.

How do we really bring about change in our lives?  This question has been in my head lately because of my work with addicts who are trying to reshape themselves into people in recovery.  This going from an insane life and oftentimes homelessness to getting their life back is a huge transformation.  Not only is the addiction a powerful force but often too are the mental health issues that have to be worked out.

There is a beat up guy over in Detox today and often who has tried treatment twice with us but seems to be unable to make the break from himself and the power of his addictive illness.   Every time I see him back in Detox I feel sad because I know he really wants to break from this cycle of homelessness and alcohol addiction.  He suffers so much that he almost feels he has to drink to soften the pain.

How do we help people who want help but can’t seem to get out of their own way?   We can plant seeds, we can help break the cycle regularly, offer them a respite, and some time to clear their minds.  The damage of trauma from childhood, of low self-esteem, of a mind unable to think clearly, of emotions like fear, quilt and shame running a person, and other factors make recovery a very challenging journey.

It has to start, as it does for the rest of us wanting to make changes, with the clarity of awareness that this is not working and they are now willing to ask for help and do whatever it takes to make things better.  That moment of insight makes the rest of change possible.

How do you go about making big changes in your life?  When do you know it is time to change?  What does it take for you to move into action?  Do you pace yourself or are you fast acting?  Do you have the patience to wait for what is right or do you settle for whatever? 

The process of change especially significant change is amazing because there is so much inertia, so many forces to keep what is familiar, to play it safe however in the end when change is clearly needed then we can call on vast inner resources to make it happen. 

Here’s hopping that the changes you face today find effortless success tomorrow.