All Is Within

There is a very simple lesson about life that I wanted to remind you and myself about.  That lesson is, “All is within.”  We don’t need more; we are enough.  All that we want is contained in our heart, in our thoughts, in our body and in our spirit.  We never need to go without because we can make things happen in amazing ways.

This all sound good doesn’t it?  It is true so how do we realize this truth in our lives.  I don’t know for sure but I have some ideas and here they are:

• Stop the struggle, sit down and let the struggle pass and instead go looking for the flow.
• Remember you are divine in your essences so no more doubting your deserving or whether you are enough.
• Pay close attention to what makes you feel alive, energized, inspired, and passionate.  These are clear signs of where you need to take your life.
• Think in terms of what would give you the greatest sense of relief, now make that happen by being bold.
• Follow the wisdom of your heart.  The heart knows what is right for you because it naturally expands when you are open and heading in the right direction.
• What would give you the freedom to fully be who you are?  Find a way to set yourself free. 
• Look around you and realize the abundance of the universe.  There is no shortage of what you want except in your mind.  
• Commit to dropping all ideas and beliefs that hold you back from having the life you want.  You know what they are because they make your gut get tense.
• If you get stuck, go ask for help, reach out and move beyond your deep groove of habit and the familiar.  There are many coaches, counselors and mentors that want to assist you.
• Figure out how you can make a difference in the world and go do it.  There has never been nor will there ever be another purposeful expression like yours.

You are invited to contemplate these ideas and choose at least one or more you are willing to experiment with over the next 30 days.  Then set an intention, make a plan and take the action necessary to create the results you want.

The Mind Is A Story Telling Machine

On my bicycle ride this morning, I had a further insight into the workings of our mind.  The mind is a story-telling machine.  These stories are most often fiction and we have to be aware of that or we actually believe them to be true.  As we go through the day the mind buzzes along making things up, repeating things, interpreting, obsessing about the past or future and in general is teetering on the edge of mental chaos.  On occasion the mind has insights or moments of awareness but those are often brief. 

As I watched my mind today, I was aware of looking around and tell myself different stories of what I was seeing.  At work I saw a possible concern and told myself the story of what to do and how to better handle this issue.  That was a story, whether it was true or not wasn't important.  Early I saw a mother and her two children and a story popped up in my head about their lives.  This was definitely a fiction since I did not know them.  Then I had a story come up about a client that will be in my class and the scenarios that might surface in these new roles we both will take on.  One story after another popped up throughout the day.

Where are the stories in our life?  There certainly are stories about our relationships mostly based on the one sided viewpoint we have; so we know there is fiction in these stories of our projections on those we are involved with.  There are the people we work with and the unknown of their lives away from work; so we know there is more fiction going on in us about their private lives. Then there are the stories about incidents and events throughout the day that we try to make sense out of; so we know these thoughts are often pure speculation as we try to figure how to cope, or change or find our way to something less painful or more enjoyable.  Also there are many stories in our minds about what happened in the past and hopes for the future: these stories are based on memories, which are often just stories we hold on to, and hopes for tomorrow, which are filled with images of what we desire.

Basically the mind is trying to makes sense constantly of what is going on in our lives so if it isn't sure what is, it makes things up.  These stories fill our live as if they are reality.  So we live within the stories of our mind even though they often have no basis in reality.  Knowing this about our mind and its story writing ability, it becomes very important to realize that our thoughts cannot be trusted.  Most thoughts we have are not based on truth, they are not real, they are just words we give meaning to act as if they are true.  They are not true they are just words, thoughts, ideas that are we made up and give meaning to.

Instead of living the thought novel of our life, we would do better to become mindful to what we are thinking or we fall into the false reality of our stories.  Mindfulness allows us: to be present to what is; to watching the story making in action; to separate out reality from fiction; to watch self-talk arise and not get caught up in its fictionalization of life.  We are not our thought, we are not our stories, we are alive beings living in the moment, existing as we breath in and out, sensing the world around us, feeling the flow of emotions, aware of the parade of thoughts and enjoy the joys of the now.  

Much personal freedom can be realized if we live in the reality of mindful thoughts and observations instead of the myth of our storied mind. 

The following video from StumbleUpon.com is about a guy who lives bigger than any limiting stories his mind may have.

Yes There Are Reasons To Be Angry With The Direction of Our Country

There are two topics on my mind for today’s blog so let’s see which one wins out.  The first is about the citizens of this country who are much too passive about what is going on and seem to have given up hope for something better.  The only protesting has been the Tea Party people who are crazed in their anti-government, anti-tolerance, anti-compassion stance of the world.  The anti’s can’t be the guiding force for our future, yet they keep on trying.  We need the force of social criticism that is also about seeking solutions of a better world.

Looks like I am not going to get to the second issue today because there is a big charge in me and I need to let my social critic have its say. Look around you, are things the way you want them to be?  Are you willing to do something about what’s not working?  I am sure I have asked that of you my readers already.  Let me share with you some of the concerns I think are costing us dearly as people, as a nation and as a planet.

Issues of real concern:

People everywhere are struggling financially except for those that have much wealth.  This is a nation and really a world of haves and have-nots.  The middle class truly is eroding away as we run up our dept trying to make it.  People are loosing their homes, barely getting by, dealing with rising medical costs, and for most of us life seems on the edge.  While 5-10% of the people are living in wealth so exaggerated that it is clearly wrong.  Yet we don’t demand that are economic system change.  Is it an issue of not deserving or are we so programmed to do as the media tells us and not to question what is going so wrong?

The corporate rule of this nation and the global economy is not working except for the very wealth.  The money influence in Washington DC is obscene.  Our laws support corporations over our basic rights.  The people we elect don’t represent us, they represent their funding sources.  This is so obvious and yet we don’t seem willing to do anything that will make a difference.

We are in a war in Afghanistan that the majority of people in this country are opposed to and yet we allow it to continue.  This war is breaking our nation’s financial back and we sit passively by as if we feel powerless.  People are dying over there as I write this for a cause that is unclear at best.   How come do you think we ignore what is going on or choose to look away?

Our medical system is not about caring for people, it is about making profits.  If we get sick and use up our sick time we are screwed.  If the insurance doesn’t want to pay our claims they don’t and we go broke trying to get them to do what is their responsibility.  The CEO’s and management teams of the medical products, the drugs companies, the insurance companies, are making huge salaries and collecting huge bonuses and we scrape by.  Does that seem right to you?  Yet we swallow these injustices and go on without demanding real change.

Many of the people have become so passive, so willing to follow without questioning the talking heads on the airways that they act exactly like sheep being led off the cliff of their ignorance.   The Rush Limbaugh’s of the world lie endlessly and rationalize it and many just accept what they say as if there is an ounce of truth in their arrogance.   Turn off talk radio and seek your own truth.

Free unchecked capitalism is what we tried in the Clinton and Bush years and it worked great for the wealthy families of America and around the world but left this huge financial mess.  Now the party out of power is lobbying for a return to the mess.  Are these guys idiots or are we?

People who try to question what is going on get attacked, people who attempt to point out where they see problems often face legal charges.  Have we lost a sense of hope or are we drowning in fear and anger?

More and more people blame government which is certainly not working well yet our government is a clear reflection of the influence moneys, the narrow minded partisan fighting of our elected officials, and of course us.  It is a mess because most of us are not involved in any constructive way.  

 It is 90 degrees at 6pm last evening as I write this.  I am both hot from the heat and hot under the collar because I am very uncomfortable with the way our nation is heading while we watch from the passive sidelines.  Do you and I feel powerful enough to do anything about the circumstances of our lives or the plight of our nation?  What are we willing to do?  Should we just sit there and let the profit seekers rule?  Should we watch our safety net be eroded away by the government haters who really are just greedy?  There are so many questions to be asked and so many opportunities for us to come up with creative solutions that will make a positive difference.

Things to do:

• Stop watching the nightly news and go searching for the truth.
• Stop using credit cards if you can
  
• Stand up for what you believe in
• Go green
• Stop listening to talk radio
• Support people organizing for their rights
• Stand up against hatred, prejudice and intolerance
• Stop going to churches that are dogmatic and judgmental
• Stop giving money to politicians until they represent us
• Write your elected officials daily about your concerns
• Support bailing out Main Street and demand our money back from Wall Street
• Stop buying insurance and form health care collectives
• Stop buying houses so the market will come down even more to realistic prices
• Remember when you buy cheep goods, the workers are often taken advantage of.
• Buy local and support your community economy
• Work to protect our water supply, our air, our farmlands, our seed supply and everything you think matters
• Stop taking medications that are ruining your long term health, be your own healer
• Explore alternative medicine
• Boycott corporations who don’t respect people, who damage the planet, who take away benefits, who pay management huge wages and employees barely enough to get by own
• Question all those who claim to be experts and who really are just full of empty opinion
• Stop blaming and complaining and take positive action instead
• Question the status-quo
• Join an organization you believe in and get involved
• Advocate for the homeless, the hungry and the less fortunate.
• Make having a compassionate open heart a priority
• Make having an open mind essential
• Seek each day to be more conscious and kind

Isn’t it time we got so involved in ways that we make a real difference? Do we really have freedom of the press and freedom of speech?  Find out by exploring both and be a social critic when it is needed but also be part of the solution.



An Inner Call To Your Full Expression

With my new college teaching assignment I now get to figure out the task of how to grade my students.  Grading is such a primitive system but that is what I have to work with.  Grading would not be necessary if people learned for the sake of learning instead of learning to get a degree.  Most of what we do is done for an outcome and that is human nature.  Learning however offers a unique opportunity to: learn to be a better person, learn to acquire understanding, learn to be informed, learn to expanding our mind, learn to explore another language or culture, learn to explore interests and many other reasons in search of enriching our life.  

This seeking of a fuller expression and richer exploration of who you are is innate within all of us.  Can you hear, feel, sense, intuit, that call now in your life?  Sometimes the call inside is loud and clear and other times it is more of a whisper.  That call is always there so you are invited to listen.

What are the guiding forces that call you to be who you are?

There is the human ego driven thought factory called the mind.  The ego’s influence is a widely accepted conceptual aspect of personality that is driven to protect you out of fear.  More simply stated, the ego is a mental state of survival.  The ego-mind always wants you to be in control, right, looking good, and the alpha dog.  The ego’s call is: you have got to win, be on top, out do everyone, be smarter and more clever, look better than anyone else, and never admit to being wrong or at fault.  This way of being in the world is about fear and how to survive.  The ego mind will rationalize anything it needs to for the purpose of being in control.

There is the way of the heart, which is about loving, about having compassion and respect for the uniqueness of all of life.  This call is about connecting to others, about exploring your capacities to be compassionate and kind, about accepting a diversity of ideas, points of view, and cultural and racial differences.  This is the way of seeking to understand at a sensing and feeling level beyond the wordiness of the mind.  The heart’s journey is towards being more open and a greater expression of love in the world.

There is the guidance of intuition that is centered in a knowing that comes from life’s experiences, from human consciousness, and from gut instincts.  This guiding force seems to know what is right for you and when listened to will greatly enhance your life.  Intuitions is available if we tune in and the more we tune is and pay attention, the more this force guides us to where we need to go.  Intuition comes in the form a quiet message that says this is the way for you.

There is the guidance of your higher self or spirit.  This call is from beyond your human experience and may come in the form of intuition.  This is a knowing wisdom that represents truth for you. This source of spirit, of your infinite nature is not bound by human limits of thinking and has a “beyond this life journey” perspective.  In other words this knowing force of insight and inspiration in you existed before your body came to life and will continue onward after your body ceases to breathe.  The knowing of the divine creative force of the universe (Great Spirit, Divine Mother, God, Allah, Source Energy, Yaweh or whatever name you call It) and your spirit are one. 

All these guiding force are calling you, what level of insight and expression do you wish to live at?  

Twelve Qualities That Help People Be Successful

The new teaching opportunity is now definite.  YEAH!  I love to teach and this class of 24 students is in for a very interesting and insightful class of the theory and practice of counseling.  I have been told that this is a unique population with people in recovery and people very concerned about finding work when they complete their degree in Human Services.  Even in the most difficult of times people who have self-awareness, who are skilled at helping others, who have the capacity to communicate successfully with others will always find work.  People skills are always useful. 

This got me thinking about what are the qualities people need to interact successfully in work, in relationships, and in life?

1. An ability to listen and understand what another or others are telling you.  Good listening skills let people know you understand and they trust your ability to get things done.  Relationships have a much greater chance of success when the people involved can really listen with compassion to each other.
2. A mind that can focus is another import asset in being successful in the world.  When things get busy it is a mind that can focus that creates the best results.  Focused minds also allow us to get clear about where we are going and this makes us better able to make things happen. 
3. A likable personality is important.  If we are approachable, respectful, kind, supportive, encouraging and other qualities we are going to be well liked by people we interact with at work, in relationships and in life in general.  Friendly and nice people make great friends and valued employees.
4. A person who is aware of self and others is important in helping to make the world function more successfully.  Awareness means we are tuned into what is important for both us and those around us.  Awareness brings understanding and more healthy and successful choices.  Aware people bring light into difficult situations.
5. A patient person is appreciate by all.  Patience seems like a human quality in short supply these days.  It is however a wonderful quality because the people we are around need patience regularly in the speedy world we live in.  Patience means being able to be present to what is in a way that allows things to happen when they can happen.  Relationships need patience, life will demand patience often and work appreciates patience on a regular basis.
6. A sense of humor is a valuable asset in most situations.  When we get into sticky or stuck situations a sense of humor can save the day.  A sense of humor is essential in most work situations especially those dealing with people on an intense level.  Relationships all need a sense of humor or they can die from seriousness. 
7. A creative person is a hugely positive asset in most situations. Creativity is needed to move things forward.  Creativity fires up the imagination and unlocks a huge flow of energy.  Creative people are in touch with a greater inspiration beyond themselves.  Constant innovation is part of the world we live in and this is creativity in action.
8. A person who has a passion for life is an energizer bunny for all those around them.  Passionate people bring energy to life, to love, to what they do, to helping others, to making the world a better place and so much more.  They are also fun to be around and can get us all motivated when needed.
9. An open heart keeps things working better and more enjoyable.  Loving, compassionate and caring people are a joy to be with.  Open hearts mean people have access to a much greater wisdom inside and are in touch with their higher values.  Open hearts are able to come up with great solutions to the problems of the world.
10. An open mind helps encourage ongoing discovery and the expansion of possibilities.  Open minds have the ability to learn and synthesize what needs to be understood.  Opens minds are not blocked by limiting beliefs and ideas and cannot be controlled by fear.  Open minds move people and organizations towards realizing their potential.
11. A positive goal setter helps focus the intentions and attention of those around them.  If we know where we are going we can make it happen.  Intentions are powerful forces for making things come into being.  When we put our attention on our goals and focus our intentions we can move mountains to create the world we imagined.
12. A big picture person helps stretch everyone towards bigger and better results.  When we hang around dreamers we learn to dream big.  When we expand our mind to what we think is possible, we then open to the bigger actions needed to bring about greater results.  Look around and see all that humans have created from the big ideas of each other.

I hope you find these qualities helpful and inside of you.  Each one can be nurtured and grown so they are part of the way you interact in the world.

Consciously Engaged Spiritual Activism

I have been regularly practicing restraint lately by not writing about politics here at my blog.  I see many frustrating things going on and I am shocked that so many people follow others who lack consciousness, compassion, objectivity, wisdom, higher values or honesty.  The way of politics and too often religion is one of controlling the masses by fear, guilt, and manipulation.  It seems like too many have put their questioning mind on hold and instead let the rationalizing ego-mind run them and their lives. 

As a thinking, conscious and mindful person, with a compassionate heart and a deep sense of spirit I feel the need to be engaged in social activism.  This activism for me is:

• Promoting world peace through inner peace
• Working for a better world by writing and spreading consciousness
• Advocating for the those with mental health and addiction issue
• Having compassion for the less fortunate, for the hungry and the homeless
• Promoting the "green" activities for environmental health, clean air, drinkable water and protection of our farmlands
• Supporting organic foods and healthy food production
• Encouraging the exploration of the human potential as a way to come up with solutions to our social concerns
• Advocating for government regulation of all Earth damaging and greed run corporations
• Keeping the Web/Net neutral
• Finding ways to end our dependence on oil with alternative sources of energy
• More equality in the distribution of money and resources on the planet
• Holding the news media accountable for reporting the truth and exposing programs run by bias (Fox News) and the misrepresentation of the truth. 
• Seeking a better balance when most of the talk radio programs in this country have a conservative bias and this is filling the minds of this nation with narrow points of view
• Promoting improving education based on real learning not biased programming of our youth.
• Working to empower the rights and needs of the people over the profit seeking of the private sector
• Advocating for a government for the people and by the people not a government for the corporations nor the destroying of government by those who hate government
• Ending all wars by refusing to finance them
• Providing universal health care for each person on the planet
• Turning communities into bike friendly, town centers made for pedestrians and lots of public transportation at cheap rates
• Having reasonable housing for everyone
• Focusing our vast human minds towards creating positive outcomes for all humanity
• Promoting appreciation for diversity and differences
• Encouraging creative expression
• Appreciating the wisdom of those wise with age, open minded, and excellent sources for mentoring
• Asking people to question the dogmas and beliefs of their religions since these ideas are often the cause of conflict
• Wanting change in Washington DC where there seems to be only really one political party and that is the money influenced party
• Campaigning against intolerance and hate because these emotionally driven points of view are very unhealthy
• Encouraging the expansion of NGO's that advocate for all the above

What issues are important to you?  What actions are you willing to take to be part of the forces for positive and progressive change?



Move Towards Desire and Away From Fear And Anger

Desire is a natural part of being human. Desire is about growth and expanding what is possible in our lives.  Sure there are things we want but those are more on the surface and are about basic needs.  Under the surface is a very strong force of desire that is seeking a more full realization of who you are.  This urge to deeper expression is always there if we listen inward.  We want to have a meaningful life because we know that is why we are here. 

What gets in the way of following our deeper desires?  The answer for most of us is two powerful emotions: fear and anger.  When fear or anger are driving forces we are closed down in the heart.  How can we realize our hearts desire for a meaningful life if we are closed down? How can we make what we want to happen if we are always mad about what isn’t?  How can create the life we hope for if we spend our thoughts worrying and in fear?  

The origins of fear and anger are usually about the past and too often even as far back as childhood.  Think about it, if you have been angry or fearful for a long time you have suffered because your heart is closed down in its capacity to love and have compassion for self and others.  We are not what we feel but powerful unresolved feelings shape how we see and experience the world.

We can free ourselves to express our full uniqueness if we heal and better deal with our past.  How do we move towards manifesting our desires and away from the contractions of fear and anger?  The following are five simple but sometimes not easy action steps for opening to your deeper desires of meaning and purpose:

1. Break from the past by doing today differently.  If you are run by habits and the familiar then you are run by the past.  If you change things up regularly you can have a fresh outlook on life and encourage yourself to move towards more open expressions.  Mix it up, move out of the old groove.  Small alterations can inspire big changes in results.
2. Take an inventory of past issues with people and circumstances and commit to completing them in s constructive way or to letting them go.  The best form of letting go is forgiveness, which you can do now about anything anytime if you so choose.  Feel the lightness of being when you let go.
3. Explore what things cause irritation to you and go looking for what the underlying feelings are that need to be expressed or released.  Most anger and fear are just thoughts we carry with us and these thoughts can be changed.  Positive thoughts about life will make you feel more positive and open.
4. Focus on what you want not on what you don’t have.  It is so easy to get caught up in: what isn’t, what should be, who is to blame, and years go flying by.  If you learn to listen patiently and respectfully to the wisdom of your body, your heart, your intuition and your spirit, you will always be guided towards the full realization of your deepest desires.
5. Start each day with a positive plan or image of the results you want to create.  Be open to course correction as the day offers both guidance and challenges.  Make it your goal to have fun and enjoy what you are doing or do something different that makes you happy.  Imagine your life filled with joy and the freedom to be ever expanding in expressing your unique gifts to the world.

You are the master of your own life if you choose to seek mastery over it or you can be a passive observer and instead feel more like a victim of others, circumstances and situations.  Use the five suggestions to take positive action and you will have many good reasons to celebrate your life. 



On The Journey Of Self Development

On the bus yesterday morning heading into Denver, I was excited about going to new faculty orientation at a local college.  This feels like an adventure because I have never been to this campus and never taught at this school.  The course I am going to teach is a counseling theory course, which I am well acquainted with having taught theory courses in three other colleges.  It is a joy for me to teach basic theory of counseling because that means I get to positively influence people who are entering the field of counseling where the basics are very important.

This will be a very full day coming back to my regular job in the afternoon, going to the gym in the evening and making a dish for our summer employee picnic tomorrow.  Life is full and that feels good.

Lately I have been thinking about personal development both as a journey of self (ego) and a journey towards Self (spirit).  Our ego selves have needs that can dominate because they are about survival and the needs of life.  As we secure our basic needs and feel safe in our lives we are able to turn more towards nurturing our spirit. 

These two, ego and spirit, run along differing paths sometimes in direct competition with each other.  The ego is run by fear; the spirit is run by love.  The ego wants to control the situations of life; the spirit is much more into being present with what is.  The ego is very concerned about getting the approval of others; the spirit is seeking to be its own unique expressing.  The ego wants to be right; the spirit seeks the truth.  The ego believes life is battle; the spirit sees life as an exploration of potential.  The life agendas of each are very different.

So we can see why these two aspects of each of us can cause inner conflict.  As we grow more in touch with ourselves we get better at monitoring the ego and it powerful agenda.  We begin to become aware of the forces that are calling us to a greater Self other than the needs of the survival self.  The Self is waiting to encourage us: in awakening, in being more conscious, in finding our truths, in creatively expressing our interests, in exploring innate capacities wanting to be realized.  The journey of the Self feels much more rewarding because it is about exploring at depth who we are and who we are capable of becoming.

These two journeys when done with awareness can help us be more conscious human beings while allowing us to transcend the ordinary and go for highest and most beautiful expression of our spirit.



Inspiration, Inside Or Out, Is Waiting To Be Discovered

There has been lots of inspiration coming my ways lately and I am grateful for it.  Just recently a new teaching opportunity in Denver at a local university came my way where I get to teach my favorite course on the Theory and Practice of Counseling.  Teaching is a passionate expression for me and it makes me feel very alive while I get to inform and inspire others. 

I also recently listened to several very inspiring podcasts, which I would encourage you to listen to soon. The two websites I have really gotten great stuff from are over at Sounds True where I heard an interview with David Ison who healed himself from a terrible car accident through techniques he explored.  His story is very inspirational and so are his ideas.  The second place uplifting podcasts have come my way is over at the Theatre of the Mind, which I referenced  here at my blog last Thursday. I want to again refer you to this site and this particular podcast because it will expand your view of what is possible.

I appreciate inspiration and I search for opportunities to be inspired.  These are some things that inspire me, what inspires you:

1. Ideas that invite me to see myself and the world around me from a more expansive viewpoint
2. A walk in nature on a summer day, especially along the ocean, in the mountains or aside a stream
3. When my heart is open in moments of love, compassion, caring or kindness
4. In the stillness of the now when ideas bubble up into my awareness
5. When watching people being moved by powerful experiences of life
6. Watching or participating in sports events when teams or individuals reach their goals
7. Moments of transcendence when I step away from my small sense of the world and experience my larger connection to all beings and things
8. Sitting or walking quietly and being mindful, tai chi works well also
9. New experiences that invite more potential in me to be expressed
10. Watching movies and reading books that lift me up
11. Creative expression pulls me fully into the now and soon the energy of inspiration flows through me
12. Traveling and exploring new places and states of mind
13. There are so many YouTube videos and a variety of places to hear expansive podcasts and presentations
14. A great conversation with a friend or somebody new
15. A sense of unity consciousness

What would you add to this list?  Are you active in seeking out inspiration?  If you are, you will experience more inspiration and your life will seem so much richer.



Inception In Our Own Minds

Last night I saw movie Inception and it got me thinking about human capacities and potentials.  There is still so much of the mind for us: to tap into, areas to explore, and potentials to realize.  Two particular potentials come to mind from this thought provoking film, one is the potential of our dreams and the other is the potential of ideas in our mind.  The movie by the way was more violence then I like but the visuals and the concepts make it a must see for those of us interesting in expanding our capacities. 

The dream state offers so much to explore.  Lucid dreaming is a way to explore our dream state.  Stephen LaBerge Ph.D. has been a recognized expert in this field.  His book on lucid dreaming would be well worth reading if exploring the potential of dreams is of interest.  In lucid dreaming the person is aware they are dreaming and learn to shape the dream.  In the movie the idea of a dream within a dream sounds intriguing.  The complicate piece of this is the human psyche. 

In theory dreams are where we work out the unsettling and overwhelming stuff of life.  People who don’t have dream time often become mentally and emotionally unstable.  It is unknown what happens if we began to control our dreams.   In my work I have come upon people that use their dreams to plan their life and create positive results so I know there is a vast potential there yet untapped.

The potential of a thought planted in our mind is in essence the work of a counselor, psychotherapist, social worker and other mental health professionals.  Most clients are run by the many limiting thoughts already planted by families, schools, and beliefs systems.  The addicts I work with are filled with guilt, doubt, limited beliefs and low self-esteem much of which were seeds planted long before their was any drugs or alcohol involved.  These seedlings grew into addictions as coping mechanisms to unhealthy concepts of self. 

Ideas sprout from: the ideas of others we learn, abusive situations, neglect, loving and caring parenting, positive role models, our interpretation of life events and many other influences.  A good psychology professional helps by bringing awareness to the limiting ideas of the mind and by replacing them with positive seeds that can grow into a positive sense of self.

The potential of a seed of thought within the mind is endless and incredible.  All amazing human creations and actions have begun as a single thought that grew into a powerful force within the individual.  This single thought when nurtured by supportive ideas, imagining, passionate emotions and a person’s hopes and intentions can grow into a Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein, Alice Walker, Bill Gates, or Al Franken. 

Yes in you is the same potential waiting to be explored and expressed.  What ideas are you planting today?

Note about blog changes:  If you are a regular visitor to my blog you will notice new things going on over to your right.  I would appreciate you checking out my e-books and if you are interested purchasing them.  I have more books on the way that I am very excited about making available to you.  You can also sign up for my newsletter, which I just started as a way to keep more in touch with you my readers.  There will be more to come so stay tuned. 



Walking The Edge Of Awakening, Part Two

Another step along the edge of awakening is to get clear about what the perfecting self desires.  This desire is not things like a new car or the home of your dreams.  Those kinds of desires are often ego driven and will not satisfy your deeper urges.  A desire in the direction of perfecting what is possible in you might be: freedom, higher consciousness, understanding of your true nature, compassion for humanity, inner peace, a deeper connection with spirit, or other possibilities.  What higher desires to you hear calling you at this point in your life?

Another edge can be the search to find the passion of your life.  This passion is about meaning and purpose and is unique to this incarnation of you. No one else can express with their life what you have to express.  This is a sacred call to be the you, you are here to be.  Exploring and expressing deeper and deeper levels of this passionate purpose clears the way for the universe to help out, to provide what you need.  Again as in Part One, you being clear is the most powerful way to produce rich levels of your perfecting expression.

Is there anything greater than pure freedom to do and be you?  What are the liberating forces you have access to that can aid the realization of your freedom?  Freedom is possible and multiple levels.  You can be free to have things you want, free to not work for others, free to explore your interests and other wonderful freedoms.  Then there are the freedoms of true knowing, of compassionate understanding, of pure awareness, of clarity of choice.  What is the highest level of freedom you seek?  What keeps you from that freedom today?  Can a part of you stretch you far enough to have that freedom?

Further along the edge you may encounter doubt, questions of deserving, fear of the unknown etc.  Yet these are just old programs that need to be replaced by the remembering of the urge toward more perfect self-expression.  Under this thought game is a totally open and receptive being that can make things happen in the moment you get out of your way.  This dance of limiting ideas and unlimited expression is a powerful one that calls you beyond the ordinary towards the extraordinary but only if you allow it.  Are you capable of allowing it, of course you are or you would not have the capacity to make choices as the level you do.  Follow the path towards more openness.

Lastly in my edge waking today is a call to you to explore the sense of relief.  Emotions are powerful and energizing and the specific emotional sensation of relief is unique in it neutral stance.  In relief you can feel the deeper flow of what is possible and not get the ego all pumped up to make things happen.  Relief is a flow of presentness free from expectations and rich in appreciation.  The perfecting instinct thrives in the relief of an open and free expression of your expansive Self.

As I write this I realize the limits of words to express these ideas so my invitation to you is to move away from the noise and wordiness of the mind and instead seek on the counsel of your silent knowing.  There will be great satisfaction in this journey and powerful results.  



Walking The Edge Of Awakening, Part One

As is often the case I am going exploring again using myself as the test subject.  What I am experimenting with is stepping out of my own way.  For my entire life I have been trained, conditioned, imprinted upon, influenced and taught a large variety of ideas, biases, beliefs, view points, judgments, opinions etc. 

Like a blank slate early on I accepting most everything as truth.  As I matured and developed my capacity for critical thinking, I sorted more carefully through the information flow coming my direction.  As I woke up more and expanding my awareness and consciousness, I began to take back the inner programming from my past and upgrade to a more thoughtful, less ego-driven, heart guided and intuitive way of being in the world.  The latest version is quieter, more compassionate, peaceful and knowing from an ever expanding and inclusive sense of truth.

So my question is - what is the next step in my own evolution of consciousness?   An inspiration came to my question listening to a podcast from Theatre of The Mind late the night before.  Check this very unique message from an even more unique source and be as inspired as I was.

Refinement of self is a life long journey that most people put little direct focus on.  I am different that way and I am sure many of you readers are also.  If I am not growing I feel restless and not satisfied.  The following is the leading edge of my growth as of today:

Most of our lives we spend navigating the information our mind presents to us that is a jumble of falsehoods, inaccuracies and myth.  These thoughts seem like familiar friends but in reality they imprisoned us in limiting beliefs and critical self-talk.  The greater reality exists in a fresh look at all we say to ourselves, all we criticize and all we are so sure is right. 

There is a good chance that we have been living in a very distorted world of incorrect thoughts and emotional reactivity to the thoughts from our earlier development.  As a reminder to myself and my readers: OUR THOUGHTS ARE NOT REAL, THEY ARE JUST THOUGHTS.  I want to make this statement clearly and boldly because even though I know this to be true, I still often get caught up in my thoughts as if they are true. 

What is true?

As living beings we are perfect creation minus our thoughts.  Some would argue that anything imperfect about us is a product of wayward thinking not imperfections in our bodies.  Perfection is who we are if we stay out of our own way. This perfection is not ego based but the reality of our higher nature. 

So if we are innately a perfect creation then what gets in the way of our living in that reality.  The answer is that we do and the solution is to get out of our way.  We must clear away the piles of lingering resentments, harsh self-judgments, unrealistic expectations and the limiting ideas of the past.  To do this we need to learn to sit in the moment and be clear enough to know the deeper reality of who we are in our highest expression. 

On my bicycle ride yesterday morning I was contemplating this idea of the natural perfection of us humans and all of nature.  As I road my bike I was appreciating the radiant beauty of the all the living things I passed on the path.  Then I became aware of the rushing stream and the morning birdsong symphony.  Soon I noticed a butterfly on my shoulder as I sped along as if the universe was recognizing me recognizing it.   I acknowledged being acknowledged and the butterfly went on its journey.  

There is much more to explore here and I will return tomorrow for part two of my experiment of me walking the edge of awakening hoping to be fully awakened someday.



Thoughts On Work, Predictability, Biodiversity And Instinct

Yesterday at work I participated in interviewing two possible people who want to be the director of the place I work.  I realized in the midst of the interviews that I have an investment in this process because whoever gets hired will significantly shape my work experience.  Yes I know that seems obvious but sometimes we miss what is going on inside in the way of reactions.  My tendency I noticed was to favor the familiar candidate over the outsider because it feels more predicable.  Watching my own reactions of thoughts and emotions to this process was most informative.

This loosing my boss, picking up many of his responsibilities, experiencing the weight of the job, and now interviewing for his replacement so far has been a real learning experience.   I now see more clearly what interests me, what causes my attention to wander, where my energy is and when it expands or shrinks.

I am a counselor/therapist/coach/teacher and that is what has meaning for me.  Running a program and dealing with all the numbers and details of doing so causes my attention to wane.  The dynamics of the counseling process feels like it brings out the best in me and I greatly appreciate being able to work from my heart, tuned into my intuition, and be fully present for the journey of my client. This feels much more meaningful than satisfying funding sources, keeping people on top of their paperwork and the numbers game of budgeting and forecasting.   I am a sensing, creative and compassionate person who finds real purpose in making a difference in people's lives.

These insights are not so new but they do reflect a refinement of sorts.  For years I was not so clear, explored other options and more or less seemed missing in focus.  That could have been because I was burnt out or because I was not taking my work to a deeper level of growth for myself and for my clients.

The other learning I am doing is to see how much it matters to me to find someone I can work with comfortably.  The quality of my work experience seems very important.  I have been given a lot of leeway in this job and I would prefer it to remain that way.  This leeway gives me the room to be myself and to work with clients in away that works for both of us.  A happy therapist can last much longer in a job like this than one who feels too confined or over managed.  (My self-serving theory of the benefits of making therapist happy.)  Honestly not wanting to let go of the control I have had due to the lack of structure is what this in all about.  I like to feel in control of my own destiny.  I suspect we all want that, is this true for you?

One last thought, while writing this I took a dinner break and watch Nova on Public Broadcasting.  The show was about ants and it expanded into biodiversity.  The leading scientist involved in the studies presenting in this show was Ed Wilson.  His studies have been extraordinary about all the levels of life on our planet.  This program got me thinking about the topic of my blog post for today.  Every species from ant to human is involved in protecting and providing for its kind.  My simple worry about who will be my boss is rooted deeply in my own survival both in protecting the way I do my work and in providing for my future.  This helps me to understand and value my own instincts because they are there for a purpose that has great value; that value is to continue on. 

What instinctual knowing is trying to guide you?



Knowing Beyond Logic

There are a number of ways of knowing beyond the logical mind.  This post will explore this higher knowing which is available to you.  First you may ask, is there a greater knowing than logic?  The answer is that logic is the working of the mind and is therefore limited by beliefs, past experiences and ideas, and the rambling nature of thoughts.  The second part of why logic is limited is that a logical mind can also rationalize (things like war, hate, greed etc.)  and that makes it a very unreliable source of knowing.

Now let’s explore 7 more reliable ways of knowing:

1. Intuition is the knowing that comes in the moment from a place of clarity and is more like a flash, a sense of what is right for you.  When you listen to the wisdom of your intuition you are always guided towards a fuller experience of life.  Ignoring your intuitive knowing often causes suffering.
2. Your heart center is a place of excpetional knowing.  Your heart tells you: what feels right, when to open to love or not, what gives you meaning, and what is the best path for your life.  A heart filled path is the most rewarding journey to take.
3. Each of you has a Higher Self.  This is the part of you that was here before you came into the body and will continue on after.  This might be called your spirit, your soul or your life force.  This Higher Self is aligned with the creative source of the universe and divinely knows beyond your human capacities.
4. There is a body wisdom some might call your gut instinct.  If you want to know what is right for you just tune into your body messages.  The body knowing is not mixed up by thought, it is instead informed by your senses.  Tightness is closing down and the wrong direction.  Expanding is opening and the better direction.
5. There is a combined human knowing called the Collective Consciousness.  This collective knowing exist across the planet at a human-to-human level.   If you learn to tap into this reservoir of knowing you will experience the wisdom of all human consciousness.
6. Emotional energy is the byproduct of your thoughts and their feeling.  Emotions are knowing in a very clear way if you explore where they come from and what they mean.  Emotions that make you feel alive, expansive, open and caring are guiding you towards well-being.  Emotions that are contracting, fearful and close you down are telling you to change course.
7. These two partners in knowing are called insight and awareness.  They are when the light goes on, when you see something clearly for the first time, when you wake up to who you are beyond the masks.  Awareness allows you to make healthier choices.  Insight wakes you up to who you are at a deeper level. This knowing of self beyond the ego-mind can be very liberating.

 Each way of knowing has its own qualities but can be in a simple way reduced to this: if you tune in and listen, your knowing will be made clear.



Advice For Tiger Woods, A Good Reminder For All Of Us

Golf is an incredibly mental game that takes a variety of skills much like life.  When a person gets off his or her game it can be hard to make things right.  We all have weathered times when we seemed to struggle, when we couldn’t get anything going in the ways we wanted to, when the harder we tried the worst things got.  It seems easy to feel compassion for struggle if we tune in at all to the journey of our own life. 

If I was to consult with Tiger Woods this is the way I would work with him to get him back on his game:

First, I would say to him is that you need to find your center.  Your life has been thrown into chaos because of all that has come to light.  Your past has been filled with high risk behaviors behind the highly competitive persona.  Now the past is out and the driving force of that secret behavior is gone.  It seems in a unique way it was the balance to the driven athlete.  Without this secret life you have lost your center or more accurately what pushed you to some kind of center. 

Center means different things to different people.  Finding a new center for you is essential.  In the martial arts it might called Hara or Dan Tien, which means center.  The physical center is often located below the navel.  The mental center is a more calm and mindful state.  The heart center is about fiery with passion while cool in pressure.  The center for spirit is more the third eye, which involves seeing impartially and intuitively.  When these center points line up the chaos of the world flows by and effortless action lies in waiting.  Centering will make things feel much more in control at many levels in the moment.

Second, I would begin to do some longer term exploration of what is your truth.  Somewhere along the way you lost touch with your higher nature and instead have been run more by ego and conquest.  You now have to find what is most important to you not by societies standards but by your own inner sense of knowing.  This truth seeking is a journey often away from the seeking of approval of others towards finding peace within yourself.  

Truth is about what you value most, what you know is right for you. Truth is found in the quiet moments with self not in the busy interactions with others.  Truth is beyond religion and belief systems because those often get stuck as nothing more than thoughts.  Truth is knowing inside what matters and living according to that, no matter how challenging that can be.  Following your truth is the hero’s journey.  

Third, I would begin to calm the judging mind, the inner critic.  Like most of us you were trained to believe that your inner criticism and your judging of self and others were of value and essential to human nature.  This critical nature pointed at others and yourself serve a very limiting purpose and that is to make you feel lousy about yourselves and often others.  No genuinely positive results are ever created from a long term program of beating yourself up.

Whatever you or the rest of us has done is in the past, it is gone and over.  How long is it necessary to beat yourself up over what you did?  The answer is that beating yourself up is never needed.  Awareness is what changes what is not working for you not your self-talk.  Once you become aware, then you have choices, which opens you to change. 

So it is time to let go, forgive and move on.  If you bring the past forward into the now, you can bash yourself over it for the rest of your life if you want to but that will make for a miserable life.  The other option is to quiet the inner critic, make yourself alright/ok in the moment and go forward with your life.  You still deserve to have the life you want even though you feel you messed up.  The difference is now you are a more conscious human being and can expand your life in more positive directions.  

It is ok to win.  It is ok to feel positive about yourself.  It is ok to do what you know is right for you. It is ok to leave the past in the past and be a better person from what you have learned.  Let the struggle of your mind go and find the way to the wisdom of your center.

(Just a note about my background seems appropriate here:  I have spent over 30 years working with addictions and other mental health issues; during these years I have counseled a number of athletes and teams seeking to perform at higher levels of success)



May The Optimizing Force Be With You

I love podcasts because they enrich my life with ideas.  There are many free resources out there including my favorites like Sounds True (see ad to the right), Alan Watts, Theatre of The Mind, The Moth Podcast and others.  On one of the podcasts I listen to recently Patricia Albere was interviewed at Theatre of the Mind about her work called the Evolutionary Collective.  She talked about an optimizing force in the universe and that got me thinking about the possibilities of that force in our lives.

As is usual for me questions come to mind:

What is the optimizing force?

How do we tune in and/or open to the force?

Can this force be directed by human beings or are we to follow its direction?

Is this force able to transform the planet to higher levels of consciousness, peace and compassion?

Imagine, if you will, an optimizing force waiting to assist us all towards a richer expression of humanity.  Now more questions to contemplate:

How would you intuitively tap into this force? 

What optimal direction would you want to take the planet in? 

What if we all came together with our intentions and worked to awaken consciousness, to evolve mindfully towards the wisdom of our hearts and the expansive nature of our mind and spirit?

Explore this if you are drawn to these ideas:

Take some time over the next week or so and see if you can get acquainted with this optimizing force. 

Once you have a sense of this force see if you can deepen your relationship to it. 

Imagine that millions of others are also tuning in and activating their relationship with this force. 

Now imagine you and the rest of us seekers all coming together for the transformation of humanity. 

Then imagine the amazing results we could manifest. 

Keep that imagining active and feel the collective consciousness expand. 

Now imagine the social structures in need of change getting caught up in this energy and changing more effortless than anyone could ever imagine.  

 May this force be with you.



Adaptability And Enthusiasm Are Wonderful Human Traits

It has been a very busy week at work and I am in the TGIF mode.  My job has expanded significantly since my boss left and now there never seems to be enough time to get everything done.  I appreciate my boss even more now then I did when he was here. 

In the last year we have lost many of the more experienced staff, a number of enthusiastic young staff and the director.  These changes have been both positive and draining.  As the staff stands now, we have an excellent crew and we all seem to be dealing well with the inevitable nature of change in this work of helping those with addictions.

We humans are incredibly adaptive; we often are able to flow with change rather effortlessly.  It seems people in the human services tend to be flexible in mind and heart and that makes going with the nonstop current of change easier. 

This flowing with the current of life is so valuable these days.  Leadership plays and important part in making change happen with more ease.  If people understand the challenges they face and what are ways they can succeed they tend to step up to what is needed.  If people are uncertain and no one is steering the organization then chaos often occurs.  If people have a vision or sense of what is going on they tend to do their part naturally. 

Another aspect of positive change management is energy and enthusiasm.  People who bring energy to what they do are like the lifeline to a well-run organization.  Enthusiasm comes from positive thinking and hopeful anticipation.  Together energy and enthusiasm has the ability to transport people through even the toughest of times.  People that bring these states of mind to a company, to human services, to schools, to any work or social change organization are the heart center.  Without heart and the support of optimistic thinking little constructive change would ever happen. 

How are you energetically and how is your state of mind?  Do you uplift and encourage the people around you?  Do you raise people up because of your passion and purpose?  Your expansive and supportive ways are huge difference makers.  Are you holding back in any way because we all loose out if you do?

Find your energy source within, tap into it daily, be an inspiration to others, make it your goal each day to enrich those you interact with.  This will create two amazing results: one is that you will make a significant difference in the world and two is you will feel as if your life has great meaning and that you are a person of worth.   This positive sense of self will fill you with aliveness, love, compassion, joy and peace of mind and you will be a light to all those around you. 

Taking Time For Yourself Throughout Your Day

This post is a reminder to myself and to all of you out there that get caught up in the day and forget to take care of ourselves.   I am not talking a major and unrealistic adjustment to your life.   There are little things you can do throughout your day that can make a real difference to: your peace of mind, your over all effectiveness, and the quality of your life experience.  Take these ideas and use them starting immediately and you will create very positive results:

• Take downtime a few minutes here and there.  This could look like a walk to get some water, a walk outside for some fresh air, changing the focus of your eyes by looking out of the window at something a ways away, or quick chat with a co-worker who has energy to spare or just a spin or two in your chair.
• Take time to meditate.  Meditation is the ultimate self-care, human potential booster.  Meditation can be on a walk, sitting quietly before breakfast, on the commute to work, before dinner time to slow down, and really anyplace you can just tune in even if for only a few minutes.  Mindfulness, a form of meditation can be done anywhere at anytime.
• Cross off activities you can do without.  This means dropping all the stuff that isn’t nurturing to you or essential.  Obligations driven activities can be put off or aside unless you enjoy doing them.  The world will continue to spin off its rocker whether you show up at a meeting or not.  Say “no” to what is not positive or healthy for you.
• Break time means out of the stuck and muck of what you are doing.  The human brain runs off track if it isn’t given opportunities to reset, to slow down, or move out of redundancy.  If the mind gets too grooved it looses elasticity and creativity.  Quieting the mind or slowing it down regularly each day is necessary for optimal functioning.  This means leaving the comfort zone and moving past old patterns. 
• Take time to smell the flowers and hear the birds.  Nature is naturally healing.  Hear the birds as you wake up or head to work.  Smell the beauty of a fresh morning or the late night breeze.  Listen to a stream or the muffled sounds of you feet on the sidewalk or path. 
• When you first wake up become aware of being in your body and its emotional and energetic currents.  Pay attention as the day unfolds to the bodily and emotional responses.  Feel the source of aliveness within, notice the depth of your breath, listen to the wisdom of your heart.
• Let go of holding patterns and resentments.  The past is for those who have no life, the future is for the dreamer.  The now holds the infinite.  Release and let go off all past issues because they are weighting down your lift off for the life you dream deeply for.  Resentments are walls that keep those we care about away and not necessary unless you are unwilling to let go of the past.
• Play even if just briefly during your day.  Sometimes play at work is essential for mental health.  Find people around you who enjoy playing and set up little games and off beat competitions.  Play could be a fun thought, a kind gesture, a date for later, a creative jolt of expression, and so much more.

 In just moments a day you can enrich almost every experience.  Let me know what works well for you.



Conscious Capitalism Is On The Rise

This has been the hottest summer by far since I moved to Colorado 5 years ago.  Most late afternoons the clouds come in and rain and thunderstorms threaten.  If it rains there is a relief from the heat, which is welcomed.  The heat and the threatening storms all seem an interesting metaphor for the nature of life here on the planet these days.  It feels like everything is heated-up and stormy. 

First let me share some examples of the hot and stormy ways:

• All reputable scientists agree our climate is being affected by our abuse of our planet
• More people seem hot under the collar
• People are pushing their points of view as if they are right and all others are wrong
• People are more dogmatic about their religious beliefs
• The economy is spinning the same old theories that don't work for most of the people
• The rich are getting richer and the rest of us are struggling more
• Politicians seem to be getting more rigid and less willing to work things out
• Too many corporations seem to be run only be greed with no thought of sustainability
• Money is influencing Congress more than ever
• Wars keep going on even if the vast majority of people are opposed to them
• The media is primarily interested in the sensational not the truth
  
• People are trying to loose themselves in mindless entertainment
• People everywhere are under the influence of medications
• And other disturbing trends of denial, disconnection and dis-ease.

This may seem to be kind of a dreary assessment but this is not all that is going on.

At the same time there are people who: 

• Care about the planet and are doing what they can to go green
• Are doing practices to be more mindful, conscious and peaceful
• Are seeking to understand and work with a variety of points of view
• Are leaving the dogma of the past behind and seeking greater connection with each other
• Are turning off the mindless media and finding the natural world again
• Are transforming businesses into conscious capitalism
• Are demanding more constructive accountability in Washington, DC
• Are more actively engaged in finding peaceful alternatives to war
• Are exploring alternatives to the medical establishment
• And many other positive developments. 

There are reasons to be hopeful.

Times of change are often stormy with those holding onto the past and the way things have been and those who are expanding in consciousness and focused on better solutions.  In the book MegaTrends 2010 the author Patricia Aburdene (over at Sounds True) argues that consciousness in commerce is the most notable trend these past few years.  She is incredible optimistic that where we are headed is very positive but there still may be some further decay of the present system before we are out of the woods.

I welcome the positive forecast and the impact of us being more conscious human beings.  There is hope and if together we stay focused the end results will be a significant transformation of all our present structures.

Please hang in there, even if things feel really stuck and stagnant because soon our forces of compassion, consciousness and deeply shared connection will start a major shift that will leave all that was not working behind. 

60 Ways To Bring Peace To The World – Part Two

Peace flows from inside our quiet knowing and our light filled heart and out into the other hearts of the world.  Please join me and be the wisdom and light you are.  Here are 30 more ways to tap into that peace.

1. Do what feels right, say no to what doesn’t
2. Follow your own truth and live by your values.
3. Explore, express and enjoy your uniqueness and share who you are with the world.
4. Have a purpose in life and live it with passion and feel how good that feels.
5. Only make commitments you can honor with an open heart and then follow through with them in a peaceful manner
6. Focusing on the positive and expecting good things to happen brings more peace to you mind and heart 
7. Stop the noisy mind from blaming and feel the peace that comes from taking responsibility for your life
8. Explore where your interests take you and be open to the comfort of being on your own path.
9. Wake up and see yourself having a wonderful day filled with joyous and peaceful moments 
10. Find the peaceful place inside of you and go visit there often.
11. There is within you infinite possibilities, expressing those possibilities will change you and the world around you.
12. Take a step into the flow of life, leave the worry and hurry on the shore and float peacefully along smiling in the moment.
13. Sometime midday step away from what you are doing, move around, find yourself separate from your doing and just be.
14. Before you drift off to sleep remember what you appreciate about you and your day, then sleep in that appreciation.
15. Find a place where you overlook you community and sit in the peace of where you live.
16. Go to places that uplift you, take in the vibrations, let yourself experience the inspiration.
17. An inactive body will make your restless, an active body will be more at peace.
18. Allow your uniqueness to bloom into the most radiant expression of life.
19. Tap into the stream of well-being and abundance and enjoy the richness of life.
20. Seek to balance the needs of your mind, body, emotions and spirit, nurturing each will bring a contentment with life.
21. Is your life a work of art, if so, yeah, if not, time to be creative.
22. Develop the watcher in you so you can step back and see yourself with awareness; more awareness equals more peace.
23. Peace is possible if you and I expand our consciousness; consciousness happens by awakening to our higher nature.
24. One of your main ingredients is your spirit, exploring your relationship to your spirit will be the most important journey of your life.
25. Eckhart Tolle is another great teacher of peace, he teaches that rising about our thoughts is true liberation.
26. Being open works so much better than having a closed mind and heart, peace can only happen in openness.
27. Wherever you go, there you are, so find peace with yourself and you will experience peace not matter where you end up.
28. In the silence of you is a link to all the wisdom and knowing of the universe, tune in and be guided.
29. Habit and the familiar give the illusion of peace but being real and spontaneous feel more alive and a deeper and more satisfying way to live.
30. If you want peace, choose to think peaceful thoughts.

Within these 60 ways there are at least several that will lead you on a journey rich in enlightenment and peace.  Come let’s travel together toward a peaceful world.