Be Inspired From Within

I have been more the social activist in my blog lately.  I am seeing increasingly that activism and consciousness are both needed in the world.  Yes we need to keep our minds in a good place but that does not mean being passive in what we do.  Action is important but it has to be positive action and done with compassion and clear intention.

“Power to the people” is a favorite theme of mine but lately I have reservations about the many people who seem to spout the same old tired ideas of deregulation, government is bad, and a self-righteous belief in the craziness of their own thoughts (see Tea Party).  So I want to share a simple way we can be clearer in our thinking and freer from our limiting beliefs.  

Clarity of thoughts and freedom from limiting beliefs begin inside and the best practice I know for that is mindfulness.  Mindfulness is simply about paying attention to our own thoughts, our feelings, and our sensations.  The miracle of this practice is the amount of awareness and insight we gain by paying attention to our inner dialogue, our emotional ups and downs and what our bodies, hearts and intuition are trying to tell us about who we are and what is working for us and what is not.  Wow that was a long sentence here is a shorter version:  Mindfulness fills us with awareness about who we are and what is important to us.  The more conscious we become about what is going on inside of us, the more we are able to be active in the world with a clarity free of false beliefs that have held us back in the past.

Each of us has such vast potential that is waiting to be explored and expressed.  This potential is within us to express our unique purpose.  That purpose is more than making a living, more than getting through life; if we listen inward we can hear the deeper calling that we each have.  That calling is to move from the ordinary life towards the extraordinary expression of what is possible in us.  That expression is for the good of all, that expression is to make a difference in our own unique way, that expression is to leave the world a better place. 

Today is a good day to start exploring this great expression waiting in us.  Needed are creative solutions, innovative ideas and inspired leadership and each of us has a call to provide some piece to the puzzle, some special note to the song of well-being for all humanity.  It is time for us all to sing our note, to speak our knowing, to act with wisdom, to create for inspiration, to express our hearts, to live with passion and to be the greatest we can be. 

Settling for less of who we are means the world remains in chaos. If instead we go for more of what is possible then the world will be enlightened with consciousness, compassionate, peace and harmony.  Are you ready to turn your light on?

Disasters and People Power

The fire is just about over here in Boulder and my co-workers homes are all ok.  That is very good news.  There are over 160 families who won't have houses to go home to and that is very sad.  The outpouring of support in this community is amazing.  That is often the case in disasters in this country because we Americans are amazing when it comes to showing up when we are needed.  It is as if all the differences disappear when we sense there are others who can use our help.  We like to help because it makes us feel good about what we are doing.

Why is it so satisfying when we go help others in need?  How come there is always such a positive outpouring of support in catastrophic times?   Helping others is hardwired into most of us because that is how we were raised.  Also acts of compassion always feel good.  The golden rule applies here and we sense it.  We want to help others because it feels right, we know it is a good thing to do, and we would want others to help us out in times of disaster. 

There is something very powerful about disasters that pulls us out of our homes and has us reaching out to others.  In our community there are a number of homeless people and there is not a huge turnout for their needs but there is for the newly homeless.  It seems many realize that it could have been them devastated by a disaster and they are grateful to help those in need.  This special circumstances kind of giving is easy to rationalize and feel good about.  Who doesn't like feeling good for doing something positive? 

I have only lived in Colorado for about 5 years and I have seen the people of the state as kind of stingy because they refuse to pay taxes on anything and thus money spent on education is 48th of the 50 states and mental health and addiction service is 50th of the 50 states.  Now I understand that this is not necessarily stinginess but more a dislike of anything to do with government.  This is more a matter of faulty thinking that is damaging the possibilities of education and mental health service in the state. 

I work for a government and we are poorly paid but incredibly dedicated people.  We make a difference in our community and in emergencies we show up to help.  How come people have so many issues against government, which is made up of people just like them trying to make a positive difference for the people they serve?  This seems more like false beliefs running their thinking than any reality especially at a local and state level. 

Yes D.C. is a mess and frustrating but that is only so because we are not demanding changes.  We let the money do the talking in DC and that always means our needs are secondary to those who are run by greed and power.

Yes government is made up of people.  Yes religions are made up of people. Yes corporations are made up of people.  Now what needs to happen is that people take back their power from all these institutions.

In the next few weeks I am going to write more about taking back our power because it won’t be long before elections are upon us.  Elections do have power to make changes but first we have to find a greater power within. 

No More BS In The Name Of God

The one thing about the wedding on Saturday my wife and I attended that I found disturbing was the words of the minister.   This guy kept on saying that people were slaves of God and that a woman was to obey her husband.  As I listen to both of these statements, I wanted to jump up and say this is such BS. 

These ideas are so clearly lacking in any higher consciousness and so full of the agenda of whoever wrote them.  I can’t help but think, “come on people lets look at these ideas and see where they might have come from; let’s use our thinking and gain some understanding here. “  The slave idea has to come from a rationalization of one of the darkest times in our history of this nation.  Whoever God is God is not a slave owner, slave driver nor would He or She want us to think of ourselves as slaves.  How come people listen to ministers who are obviously so unconscious?

The idea of the men being the boss and the women and they are to obey is a very ancient male agenda that has nothing at all to do with the reality of our times.   Everyone knows that men and women have their own strengths and are equally to each other.   The only place this is not true is in fundamental religions which are always dominated by ego-driven men.   The right for the man to be in charge is written by men not God.  All sacred text should be questioned because men did the writing.

The misuse of the name of God and the abuse caused by those who claim to do God’s work have made a huge mess of the world. These people by their actions clearly have no true knowledge of God and instead are clearly driven by their own ego’s agenda.  Let’s use the minds we have been given to sort out the reality from the faulty beliefs.  Let’s question those that spread their own agendas in the name of God because they are the source of so much unnecessary suffering.

God has been used for centuries to rationalize wars and other human atrocities, isn’t it time we call these people on their nonsense and help them wake up.  If we don’t, we allow them to continue to not take responsibility for their own actions by claiming some sort of twisted religious beliefs. 

One more point on this misuse of God.  So much has been manipulated and messed up because of greed, greed for power, greed for money in the name of God.  It is way past time for this all to come to an end.  If people are spreading BS it is time to call them on it.

Also please find your own way to whatever spiritual practices expand the peace, compassion, consciousness and harmony in you.



Leaving September 11th Behind

Today is September 11^th and my wife and I headed off to a wedding in the mountains in a place called Red Feathers, it is good to have a positive experience on this tragic day in American history. 

We have now returned after 4.5 hours on the road from the very nice wedding and needed to hit the gym late because there was too much good stuff to eat.  Celebrations are fun and this one was especially good because we got to spend time with lots of my wife’s family that has become mine also.  It was a sunny warm day up in the mountains and I can see I should have worn a hat at the ceremony because I got a little baked.

It is late and I am tired and this is going to be a very short post.  With the historically negative day known now as 9/11  coming to an end I feel glad to leave it behind.  A dear friend of ours was in one of the towers and she got out but is re-traumatized every year by this event’s anniversary.  I hope she heals and we all heal from that day. 

The best way to heal from the events of this day is to acknowledge the feelings that still linger within us and focus on the positive things in our lives now.  Yesterday is in the past and tomorrow is waiting full of potentials and possibilities.  We can move on if we live in the present, where truly is the only place we can life anyway.

Peace and healing to all.



Fluid Like A River

This week has been very busy with lots going on.  Work goes well, my classes are going well but the fire is far from out and many houses are still in danger.  The wind has picked up this evening as I write this post and that means the fire will spread even faster.  Sadness, grief and loss seem to be sitting heavily in the valley here as we all wait to learn the fate of the many homes in the foothills.  Waiting in this situation is not fun especially for those who have been evacuated.

On the way home from my office in Longmont this evening I was listening to a well known yoga teacher named Shiva Rea and her energy and enthusiasm was infectious.  The ideas expressed in her interview on Sounds True was a reminder for me of the importance of keeping the body and mind alive by doing things that connect us to our essence which is water and energy.  We are much more like waves of flow than solid and rigid figures.   Just watch young children at play and you will remember more of your true nature. 

Think of yourself as energy and information flowing from one moment to the next, flowing in and out of awareness, flowing enthusiastically or meandering slowly, rushing over a falls or stagnant like pond.  The body wants to move; if you listen inward you will fill the urges especially around music and in nature. 

This morning on my run I saw a guy dancing like he was in a musical with his headphones on and I felt both embarrassed and jealous for a moment.  Embarrassed for him and embarrassed for my lack of courage to join him.  Jealous he did what he did not worried about what others thought.  Yes the urge to dance, to move with enthusiasm, to express with the body, to be alive with flair that is all the body wanting to be awakended, to be energized, to flow as the water it is made up of. 

Find ways to move that are fluid, circular, expansive, enlivening, opening, and expressive.  Leave the statue of who you are behind because there is enough rigidity in the world.  Let your feet and legs interact with the ground in new and more fluid ways.  Let your hands dance across the keyboard or around what you are doing.  Keep the pelvis active in your walking.  Let you belly bounce and your chest loosen.  Feel the flexing of a spine engaged in non- ordinary movement.  Join the dance of life instead of standing on the sidelines.

 Your body can open up and move freely and your mind can open up and exploring new ways of thinking and being.  There is so much more that can happen if we leave the rigid, familiar, habitual and past ways behind. 

Note when you move today if you are standing strong, or bent, rigid or tired.  What kind of energy is in your movement?  Where in your body do you feel alive and where do you feel numb?  Would you add extra movement that makes you feel more alive?  You don’t have to dance down a busy street but you could around your house or move in subtle but creative ways.

Shall we dance, or will it be in the flow of a river or on the waves of the wind that lift us up and leave our past behind? 

Can’t We Just Get Along?

I don’t know about you but I suspect we are all tired of the political bickering going on in this country.  Since this President came into office the opposition have been on full out attack.   There appears to be no concern about what is best for the nation and the people.  The endless fighting seems to be about those out of power wanting to be back in power, not about how can we make this country better for all of us. 

The last President and his party’s unchecked capitalistic policies made a huge mess of our country.  The war in Iraq was another costly mistake.  The giant debt created and the government for the corporations from the last 8 years are now being blamed on this President, which is nothing less than ridiculous.  Yes I too am disappointed things are not going better but I can’t imagine how anything could get done in this political atmosphere of endless childish behavior by the those who have no constructive ideas or solutions except to attack, spread anger and fear.   Returning to how things were is just plain wrong.  Come on now, we are much smarter than the politicians think we are.  We need to bring about real changes for the good of everyone. 

Let start with dropping all the blaming and complaining.  The past teaches us what doesn’t work, so let’s learn from that.  We need to move on past the attacking mode and instead seek ways to turn this country in a healthy direction.  There is no Left or Right, these are just ideas that have little value except for creating drama.  The nation and its people need a government and plan that works. 

What is needed:

A country that meets the needs of the vast majority of its people

A school system that brings out the best in all the students

An economic system that is equally fair for all

An end to all wars, the killing of people, and huge damage to our nation’s economy

A healthcare system that provides for every citizen equally well

A strategy to take care of the planet

A way for all nations to resolve conflict

An end to religious fanatics of all faiths telling the rest of us what to believe

A mental health system that truly helps people with illness and addiction

A justice system free of political points of view

A world free of fear mongering and instead guided by compassion for all

A news and media focused on truth rather than opinion

A world emphasis on kindness, freedom, and happiness

A technical focus on alternative fuels and a green and sustainable economy

A government that serves the interest of the people first and foremost

A more equitable distribution of prosperity for all citizens

Together we can solve all the problems with creative solutions. 



Our Life Is Created By Our Choices

The fire continues in the hills above Boulder and many people's homes are being destroyed.  The feelings of loss must be overwhelming for those who loose everything.  Please send your healing thoughts and prayers to those suffering.  There is hope for a rain shower this afternoon.

This disaster got me thinking about how much power we have to shape our own exprience of our life.  The world of ideas is infinite and this creates endless possibilities.  There are possibilities that are positive, conscious and expansive.  There are also ideas that are limiting, fearful and contracting.  Which set of possibilities we focus on is a matter of choice. 

Those that focus on: problems, what makes them angry, what they are afraid of, what is wrong with others, who is to blame, are choosing to come at life from a place of contraction, from fear or anger.  This viewpoint colors everything they see as not ok.  Living this kind of life is scary, disconnecting, judgmental and dissatisfying.

Those that focus on: what is possible, seek solutions, look to enjoy life, see the good in others and situation and have compassion are choosing to experience life from a more pleasant point of view.  This way of seeing the world opens us to what is possible.  Living this kind of life is fun, loving, freeing, uplifting and satisfying. 

There is really little middle ground between these two because the mind doesn’t tend to hang out in neutral.  It feels more natural for our thinking to have a preferential point of view.  From very early in our development we get the biases of those around us in the form of conditioning.  We spend the rest of our life sorting out these biases and finding our own perspective. 

Finding, exploring and creating our own view of self and the world are all part of the maturing process that each person can go through.  If we don’t question the extensive programming we have been through than we never discover who we are.  Not discovery who we are means we miss out on the possibility of an extraordinary life.  The rest of us loose out too if a person chooses to be the just person others told him or her to be.

So what will it be, finding out who we are, keep on growing, exploring new ways of thinking and viewing the world, and expanding into the endless possibilities waiting to be expressed? Or will it be trudging down the ways of the past, the predictable, the familiar, living by the views of others and feeling the fear of missing out on a better life?

The world of ideas we live in is up to us.

Fire In Boulder; People Matter Most

It was scary here in Boulder last night as there is a big forest fire we can see up in the hills above us.  The fire is now spread over 3500 acres and it is out of control.  The sky began to fill with smoke after 10am yesterday and the fire has burned fast because of winds.  I have at least three co-workers who have homes in the area and I hope they are ok.  A couple was interviewed and they said the flames were shooting two hundred feet into the air and there is no way their home would survive.  They left with the clothes on their back and a small box of possessions.  They won’t have anything left.  How will all these people deal with loosing so much?

The latest report has 3500 residents have been evacuated.  It is very smoky here and what has been on my mind is the suffering of those who have lost everything.  My home is not in danger but when I think about what I would take if I had to leave everything behind in truth there is very little I can’t live without.  

This got me thinking about loss and attachment to the stuff of life.  The people that are loosing everything but still have their lives will be grateful to be alive.  The possessions are things that can be replaced.  Starting over will be a challenge but we humans are incredibly resourceful. 

As I write this I have been trying to keep up on the news, which is coming in slowly.  My co-workers are my biggest concern because I know their homes are near the fire area and they most likely have been evacuated.  These are people I work with all the time and I just want to know they are ok.

People matter, stuff doesn’t.  I would bet everyone I know would agree with this statement.  This would also be a statement most people on the planet agree with don’t you think? 

If this is the case:

• How come corporate profits matter more than people and the planet?
• How come our healthcare is the hands of for-profit companies?
• How come those with great wealth keep getting richer and the rest of us struggle?
• How come there are wars, which are about control and property not about people?
• How come in this rich world we let people go hungry and homeless?
• How come we jail the mentally ill and the addicts when they need help?
• How come government is run my money interests and not the interest of the people?
• How come taxes are hated by so many when they provide so much to the people?
  

There are many questions to be asked and changes to be made that reflect the higher human values.



Listen To Your Soul; Be Healed By Love

Happy Labor Day!  I hope it is a fun holiday for you and those you spend the day with. 

Yesterday my wife and myself and our dog went for a hike into a place called Lost Lake.  It is a beautiful place but it certainly isn’t lost.  The road to the trail was jammed with cars and some people who seemed impatient and bothered that the rest of us where in there way.  Does it seem to you that impatience is growing inside and around you?  This seems to be the true for me at times and in those around me. 

The world is on fast forward which is an old setting from the days of tape players.  You might not remember that if you are young and texting as your main way of interacting with others.  Now there is instant messaging and texting which means no waiting to communicate with others.  More and more people are reachable wherever they are and whenever anyone wants to communicate with them.  There seems to be little or no down time and maybe that feeds the impatience?

Or maybe the world is speeding up, maybe the pace of change is going faster, maybe the transformation of humanity is moving faster than we have imagined.  Let’s see if we can figure what is going on or at least come to some kind of speculation that is worth exploring further.

There is something stirring and it feels like it is happening at several levels of awareness for me at least.  There is my body that wants to be pushed so it is stronger for whatever is coming.  There is my mind that feels on full alert and wanting even more tools.  There is my heart that feels a longing to be more fully expressed in its capacities.  There is my spirit/soul that seems to want to take a more active role in guiding me towards the full realization of why I am here in this life and this time in human history.   Does any of this resonate with you?  Is there a quickening going on inside of you too?

This all could be hopeful anticipation or over enthusiastic optimism, which would be a positive force also.  Yet it feels more life a collective energy/consciousness that is shifting the human tide towards change.  Maybe you and I are catching the wave and riding it even though we may only be partially aware of something going on?

At the bookstore the other night, I found my self strongly drawn to a book that offers some ideas about the power of the soul.  I purchased it and started reading it immediately as if I was being encouraged by a greater knowing in me.  I am already deep into the book (The Power Of The Soul by Dr. Sha) and resonating with the ideas.  Two ideas stand out for me:

1. The soul is our guiding force and we need to tune in and let it show us the way. 
2. The soul and love are the two powerful healing and transforming forces in the universe.

If there is guidance knocking that is coming from a deeper knowing, it is time we give it our full attention.   



Football, Wasting Time and A Deeper Desire

Football season has arrived and I enjoy sports but sometimes when I watch I feel like I am wasting time.  Wasting time is an interesting idea.  Yes there are times when we are tired and taking it easy is a natural thing to do.  Life however seems too short to waste any of it.  As I get older I feel the preciousness of life even more and I don’t want to let it go to waste.  Sports and movies are great distractions and sometimes even meaningful. They often feel like a passive way to go about life.  Doesn’t it seem life wants us to participate as fully as we are able?

None of these ideas are about judging what is right or wrong here but more what is it we are here to do in this life.  I highly suspect we are not here in this life to waste it. 

Who decides whether what we do or don’t do is right or wrong?  That has to be us because no one else can decide for us although there seems to be many who have opinions about how you or l should live life.   What others think of how we live is really there problem not ours.

So if I look in the mirror and am ok with who I am then I am heading in the right direction.  Of course there is always opportunity to do things that will make me even feel better about who I am.  If I look in the mirror and feel not ok then it is past time to make improvements.  Either view in the mirror is ok.  Both views give us awareness about who we are and that means we have choices.  If we are aware then we can choose to improve, continue where we are headed, take off in a new direction, experiment with other ways of being etc. 

My bias is that if life is precious and I want to get the most out of it and make the biggest difference.  That is my direction, my purpose, my meaning, what is yours? 

What I have been feeling lately is a bigger push inside to make more of a difference and I am unsure where that push is coming from.  Could it be my ego wanting more recognition?  Possibly but another reason seems stronger.  This reason feels more important, like I am a part of a larger intuitive desire or movement.  This intuitive push whispers “now is the time to help wake each other up” or it seems other forces will continue to dominate the world and keep it heading downhill.

Are any of you sensing this inner desire to show up bigger in life? Does it also feel to you that this time is important and you want to do something that makes a difference?

It seems to me the downhill forces are the status quo, the profits over people, the people filled with anger and fear, and the lack of compassion for those less fortunate (they are called entitled by the greedy).  Isn’t life about love according to all the great teachers no matter what religion claims them as theirs? Isn’t it time we get past the need for war, the need for greed, the need for exclusion? 

Have a good Labor Day weekend and remember those who put down unions are the ones who take advantages of their workers.



Thoughts That Need To Be Questioned

As I wrote about yesterday in my post, I am passionate about peace.  With that in mind checkout the free Peace Tweets book which you can get if you follow the sign up directions where you see the book to your right.   My wife and I and some friends wrote this simple but inspirational book.  You can’t beat the price and the words and ideas will help bring more peace to your life.

Speaking of peace this question came to mind as I was writing.  What keeps us from finding peace in our lives?  To answer that question, we don’t have to look much further than becoming mindful of our thoughts.  Most have us have no idea how confusing and misinforming our own thoughts are and in fact would argue vigorously in defense for what we think. 

The following could be some thoughts that are not right in your own thinking:

That guilt is a feeling that has merit

That you are not OK in some way

That you are a bad person

That you don’t deserve a good life

That desire is something you should avoid

That there is actually a place call heaven and a place called hell

That there is such a thing as sin

That God is exclusive to your religion

That hate and anger are the way you should live your life

That arrogance is a positive quality

That self-doubt is the way you are suppose to feel

That working 40 hours a week is how you have to live your life

That war makes sense

That hating government is smart

That having fun is wrong

That addiction is a sign of weakness

That being serious is a good way to live

That all people are not equally deserving of a good life

That building more prisons is the way to solve problems

That money for mental health programs isn’t important in your community

That pleasure is wrong

That divorce makes you a failure

That the opinion of others shouldn’t be questioned

That it is wrong to question authority

That ministers, priest, nuns, monks are more spiritual than you

That science is wrong and religion is right

That taxes are bad

That your thoughts are real

That others have a right to be judgmental of who you are

That you need the approval of others

That you are a better person if you follow the rules

That you are separate in any way from other human beings

That killing others in the name of God is ok

That shouting hate at those who have different beliefs is being a good Christian

That making profits is reason enough to fire employees

That unions are bad for the people

That CEO’s are to be admired no matter their policies

That corporations are more trustworthy than government

That lobbyist serve a positive purpose

That the rich deserve to be rich and you don’t

That is it ok to settle for less of who you are

That love is something you withhold to punish another

That children need to be hit and yelled at to get them to behave

That grades in school have real value

That abuse in any form is ever ok

That you are superior to others

That your beliefs are right and others are wrong

That education doesn’t matter once you finish school

That having money is wrong

That the past is more important

That worry is productive

That you should wait for the future to be happy

That you need to be in control to feel ok

That perfection is something to strive for

That you job is to life up to the expectation of others

These are just a small example of all the crazy kinds of thoughts we can have running around in our head causing us to be unhappy and to loose our freedom because of what we think.  Change your thoughts and you change your experience of life.



Possible Life Lesson For This Fall

This morning it was the coolest in a very long time.  This summer here at over 5000 feet next door to the Rocky Mountains has been the hottest in my memory.  It felt good to get on my bike and not get overheated.  Summer warmth is very comforting to me but baking at night is not much fun.  September is here however and that means Fall and cooler temperatures are not that far away. 

With Fall comes motivation to focus on new learning.  I have been in school or teaching for so many years that I get brain chemicals released that ups my interest in new learning.  Actual no chemical release takes place just an innate desire to grow and improve myself.  What I will explore and how I will grow has yet to become clear but I am confident opportunities will arise.

If I was to guess there are lesson waiting and some of these may be similar for yours:

• Patience - in this super speedy world, patience is a very positive quality and one I have nurtured for many years.  Yet I still see in my driving and in my social activism a need to be more patient.  Seems like the whole world could use a big dose of patience, doesn't it?
• Mindfulness - In my class last night I introduced the idea of becoming mindful of our thoughts and realize that all thoughts are just words we give meaning to and they should not run us but we run them.  Even though I am aware my thoughts are not reality, I still get caught up in the discomfort and emotions they stir up in me at times.  Mindfulness means I just watch what comes up with equanimity.  
• Peacefulness - One of my great passions is promoting peace, which I think begins inside of us and spreads out into our family, communities, countries and across the globe.  Sometimes I need to work on being more peaceful within and be more active in spreading peace wherever I can.  The current wars (actually all wars) seem so insane that I can't believe that we allow them to continue.  
• Hope - When President Obama came into office I felt much hope for positive change and now I see how much anger and fear is out there fighting change.  I now know I need a bigger dose of hope.  Hope for me comes from keeping my heart open and from focusing on what is going well.  I need to appreciate more of what is.
• Freedom - This is about having the time, the resources, and the opportunities to expand my expression of what is possible within me.  I feel time is too busy and resources too slim to have the freedom I want.  Freedom to me is starting each day with the time and means to be creative, be compassionate, be conscious enough to make a positive difference.
• Optimism - Maybe optimism is closely related to hope but in a way more about the view in which I interpret the world around me.  Optimism means I feel positive about myself and my interaction with others.  Some days my optimism is like a beacon that fills the room and other days it is a whisper pushing me step by step forward.
• Effectiveness - I want to do what I do even better.  I want to be a better therapist, a better supervisor, a better teacher, a better partner, a better social activist and a more awake and aware human being.  Effectiveness mean that who I am leaves the world a better place in ways that brings more light and happiness into the world.
• Compassion - The human heart’s capacity to love is infinite and too often very under realized.  I find there are moments when my heart is open and I love everyone and everything and that feels so alive.  Other times I know my heart is cautious and protected and that is mostly old stuff in me that needs to be kindly eliminated.  Compassion is the answer to most of the world’s problems
• Consciousness - This is the best secret ingredient for a better world.  Consciousness is humanity awakening fully to its potential to love, to create, to understand, and to expand into an even greater expression.  If all of us just woke up just 1% more each week then in 100 weeks the whole planet would be awakened.  That is my hope.  Would you join me?



Thoughts Beyond The Ordinary

Yesterday I wrote about not trusting the thoughts in our own mind and I stand by that as an essential way of living consciously.   The exceptions to this idea of not believing our own thoughts are: in moments of insight, when the light of awareness comes on, when intuition enlightens us, or when the heart guides us to a greater wisdom.  All these inspirational moments could be called thoughts but they are better described as knowing from our higher nature.  This knowing is not something we think about but something we know.  Yes we can intentionally have higher thinking if we know how to do that.

Let’s explore this higher knowing separate from ego-mind (which always thinks it knows but rarely does).  There is a part of us beyond our ordinary self.  That part existed before we were born into this life and will continue after we leave our bodies behind.  This infinite self comes equipped with a knowing beyond the limits of busy mind.

I have become acquainted this higher nature in myself over the years of inner practices like meditation, tai chi, yoga, mindfulness, study of these higher states, and variety of awareness provoking experiences.  These practices have opened me up to seeing and sensing beyond my normal perceptions. My openings have also come by way of my heart and a deepening relationship with my spirit.  These experiences are definitely about opening because my higher nature is only recognizable by expanding my awareness beyond ordinary thought. 

I want to share some hints for opening to your more expanded nature:

Breathing – there are numerous breathing practices that will alter your state of mind in expansive ways. 

Tuning In – within you is a deep knowing that can only be discovered by listening to the quiet wisdom inside.

Nature – being in nature naturally expands your perceptions and sensitivities to the world around you and within.

Slowing down – when you break the cycle of speeding through life you begin to relax and see the vastness of all of life around you.

Mind altering substances and practices – there is long history across cultures of using substances and practices to alter states of mind, find a guide if you want to go exploring here.

Beauty – viewing and experiencing beauty has a way of opening by moving you past the familiar into realms which invite you to live in wonder and awe of creation.

Love – think of being in love and how altered you feel.  Those “in love” states are natural and how love really is until your ordinary mind closes these feelings down.

There is much to explore here and I will be back with more to share.

Whatever You Do, Don't Trust Your Own Thoughts

There are so many examples of thoughts gone wrong in politics, religion, business, society, in families, and in our own minds that makes no sense at all.  We are often run by false beliefs and ideas and we don’t know that is the case.  Too often thoughts hold us back from creating the life we want or close our hearts down, or cause us to live in judgment of others and ourselves.  Thoughts are not worth ruining our lives over.

Let me give you some examples of thoughts that make a mess out of us and the world: 

• People who kill others in the name of God like the Crusades, like modern day extremists, like people who bomb clinics.  These are insane actions caused by disturbed thoughts and out of control minds. 
• In politics people make things up and spread fear regularly for their advantage and no one calls them on it, like Glenn Beck and all the others who shout with fervor their beliefs, which are just crazy thoughts.  These shouting heads actually believe their own thoughts and many of the people who listen to them believe their crazy thoughts and make them their own and none of them are real.
• My brother is an elected official for a county and they harass my Dad and his wife because my brother is a member of another political party than my Dad is.  These are crazy thinking people that consider it ok to harass another because his son thinks different than they do.  
• Families often pass faulty thinking down through generations.  They pass beliefs, values, fears and biases as if they are real onto the next generation.  These family thoughts are not real and many in the family actually never question these thoughts and live their lives according to this mistaken thinking that was passed on to them. 
• In corporations they talk how much they value their workers and yet fire employees to increase their profit margins, or mismanage the worker's retirement funds, or take away their health care benefits of loyal employees, or ship their jobs overseas, or deny claims and so many other products of thinking gone very wrong. These are minds stuck on greed and rationalizing heartless behavior and these people actually believe their own thoughts.  All damage to humanity and the planet has been caused by people who actually believe their own thoughts.

I could give you millions of examples of thoughts that are wrong, mistaken, incorrect, destructive and crazy and yet people believe them.  All our thoughts are not real, they are just words passing (often obsessively) through our minds.  These are just words we give meaning to, which are nothing more than a collection of words strung together and we have some kind of belief they are real.  Most thoughts are not real, they are never concrete or substantial, or something we can put our trust

If this isn't confusing then you are missing the point.  All thoughts are confusing in the regular ego mind. This mind is mostly chaos driven with hopes for the future and thoughts about the past.   Almost all of our thoughts are not even about what is going on in the now.   So please be aware and alert enough to know that all thoughts should be examined and then re-examined and then most often ignored.

There is however a greater knowing and that will be addressed soon here at the Explore Life. 



Twelve Personal Qualities Of Healthy Human Beings

In these times when there are many who seem confused, angry, fearful and full of blame, I wondered how would you and I know if we are doing ok?  So I did some exploration and came up with 12 personal characteristics of healthy human beings:

1.         Self-exploring – healthy people understand that life is an endless exploration of who we are and how we fit into the world.  Self-exploration is about lifelong growth, expanding awareness and becoming more conscious, which continues until our last breath.

2.         Self-respecting and appreciating – if we have a respect for who we are than we are ahead of the game for a healthy life.  If we appreciate who we are and our uniqueness we allow ourselves great freedom for even further expression.

3.         Aware of values – if we know our values than we can live at peace with ourselves.  Our values are unique to us and when followed we feel uplifted by our daily living.  Values can change with time and higher consciousness.

4.           Open to change – if we are open to change than we have endless possibilities.  Change is a given in the life of a human being and to go with change in a receptive manner allows us to find joy in most experiences.

5.           Living life fully – living life with all the gusto we can means we have lived fully.  No one was put on this planet to hold back, to be less than we are capable of being.  Where can we live more fully is a great question to ponder today.

6.         Authentic, sincere, honest – these three seem to go together well if we are authentic we must be sincere in our expression and honest in our actions.  Authentic people are a pleasure to be around.  Honest people can be trusted and sincerity is always appreciated.

7.         Sense of humor – what a huge mess humanity would be in if there was no sense of humor.  Humor takes us out of our unnecessary seriousness and brings a lightness to the challenges we face.  Imagine real humor in politics and religion and the world would be a better place.

8.          Loving and compassionate – Our capacity to love, to care for, to have compassion for and to be kind towards other is limitless.  If there is one reason we are here in this life according to the great wisdom traditions of humanity, that reason is to love.

9.           Living in the present – there is no tomorrow or yesterday.  A person who is healthy knows that today is all we have and to live it with the force of intention that can only come from being fully present.  Now is where all the action is.

10.         Accepting of others – if we can put to rest the endless judging of our critical mind, we can free ourselves to enjoy the world and our life.  Accepting others allows them to be who they are when they are with us, which is very liberating to them and enriching to us.

11.         Sees life as meaningful – daily living gives us an opportunity to live with purpose.  A meaningful and passionate life comes from tuning into self and expressing our uniqueness and potential for the betterment of the world.

12.         Seeks fitness of mind, body, emotions and spirit – healthy people understand that self-care is about nurturing and growing our mind, caring for our body, respecting our emotions and exploring our spiritual nature.  Each aspect of a whole person’s well-being is to be cared for to insure a life of balance and harmony.

What of the 12 characteristics do you do well?  Which ones could use some further growth?  Imagine a world where most human beings nurtured these 12 qualities in themselves and each other.



A Shot In The Dark

The sun was setting and soon it would be too dark to continue but golf can be a hard thing to give up even if it is getting hard to see where the ball is going.  Golf is one of the ways I de-stress and sometimes I play until dark after work.  Last night, while playing with three others foolish enough to continue even though it was dark, I hit a ball into the cup I could not see from about 80-90 yards away.  The only reason we knew it went in was because one of the guys checked the hole hoping his had gone in.  Instead he found my ball.  I got handshakes from the three I was playing with who appreciated my luck with me.  Our disappointment was that we all had wished we had seen the ball go in.

Life can be like that sometimes.  We make amazing things happen, we get lucky, or surprise comes our way and we get to celebrate even if we don't know how it happened.  I wonder how many amazing things have happened in our lives that we didn't see, we took a shot in the dark and it had positive results.  In my work I have taken lots of shots in the dark with people and their minds hoping a question or idea might turn the light on or awaken some aspect that needed to be understood or realized. 

Sometimes I hear from people that something I had said, or an idea I had shared took hold inside and changed their lives.  These moments are one of the reasons I do my work, to help people make the changes they need to enrich their lives.   It is my great joy that I get to cross paths regularly with people I have helped.

What ideas have you planted in your own mind that have affected you profoundly.  If you are a parent you are a seed planted from the beginning of your child’s life.  If you teach you know you take make shots in the dark hoping they will set into your students way of seeing the world.  Your co-workers are also recipients of you ideas, your thoughts and your insights and they too can be positively inspired.

The point here is that you never know what ideas, what acts of kindness, what words of wisdom and hope you spread will have a profound affect on those you are around.  Maybe its best to assume that your connection to others on a deeper level is more than you might think or be aware of?  Making that assumption means your heart and your words are powerful tools to encourage the best in others and a better world for all.

Have a good weekend and may the conscious being that you are spread your light wherever you go.



A Moment Of Silence For Glenn Beck and His Followers

If you were a followers of Beckism you wouldn’t be a regular reader here, so join with me in a moment of silence so that we might spread the light of love, compassion, kindness and awakening to those that rally in DC.  There is much need for light and consciousness both in DC and with the Beckites.  Those who preach fear and anger are closed in their hearts and minds and those who follow are lost sheeple. 

Peace and light to all



Journaling For Awareness

As I sat down to write I remembered that I had not commented on my first class that I am teaching a local college. There are 24 students and I get to take them on a journey to learn the basics of counseling theory and practice and become part of an experiment in expanding awareness.  I am very excited about this class and it seems like the students will be fun to work with.  The experiment in expanding awareness is one I thought I would offer to you my readers also. 

Awareness is incredibly empowering to all of us.  When we are aware we make more enlightened decisions about life.  A moment of insight can change our whole focus and bring light to our struggles.  Awareness helps us move from stuck to success.  My assignment for my students and myself is to keep a journal for self-reflection, moments of awareness and insight and when the light of consciousness is turned on. 

Here are some guidelines for your Insight Journal writing:

This Journal is about your insights and awareness, about becoming a more conscious human being.  You will get out of this experience what you put into it.  You are encouraged to make as many entries as you can.  A guideline would be at least daily writing something.

         *         Tune inward and notice what is going on inside you body, the sensations, the expanding and contracting, the energy flow or blocks, the guidance the body is trying to give you.

         *         Tune into your thoughts and self-talk and notice if your thought are positive, negative, fearful, hopeful, loving, judgmental etc.  Is your self-talk supportive, encouraging, critical, judging, impatient, unkind, blaming, respectful etc?

         *         Tune in to your heart and emotions and notice if you are open or closed, if you have compassion or criticism, what feelings are present.  Reminder all emotions naturally transform to other emotions on their own.  Simply turn towards what you are feeling and acknowledge these emotions, be accepting and respectful of those feelings and watch them change to other emotions.

         *         Tune into your gut instinct, your intuition, you Higher Self, your ego-self, your beliefs, you view points, your biases, your spirit, your breath, you infinite nature and whatever else is part of you.

         *         Tune into your reactions to others and the world around you, see what you can see, feel what you can feel, sense what you can sense, know what you can know, learn from the journey of others.  Be open to guidance and insight wherever if may come from.

Then let yourself write freely without taking time to be worried about editing.

The more you practice writing freely about your awareness of self and the world, the more the flow of inspiration will come to you.

11+11 Values Guiding America 2010 and Beyond

I can't seem to get my mind away from deep concerns about our future and at the same time I am filled with hope that our consciousness will win out over the ego-mind and its fear and greed.

The first set of values or lack of values are causing great harm to our nation and its people:

1. Greed - Making more profits and more money, tax cuts for the wealthy
2. Winning - only the winners matter and how you win doesn’t matter
3. Eliminate government - government cost money
4. Deregulation - government regulations are a barrier to more profits, let unchecked capitalism rule
5. Fear as the way to view the world - use fear to control the people, to drive the defense budget 
6. Power - being in power matters more than what is right for the country or the people
7. Intolerance for people who are different - immigrants, other races, gays, Muslims, liberals are the enemy
8. Truth does not matter - opinion is what matters, misinformation is rationalized, arrogance rules
9. Work for little pay and be glad you have a job
10. The Earth doesn't matter - it is a resource to be used not managed
11. Get rid of the safety net - the people don't deserve social security, medicare and healthcare for all

The second set of values are about what is good in humanity and will make us and our country great again:

1. Compassion – seek to have an open heart and understanding for others
2. Equal opportunities for all – a more fair economic system to brings everyone into prosperity
3. Planet and the People rights – protect the planet and provide for all the peoples needs, all living things matter
4. Seek the truth – there is nothing more important then finding your own truths
5. Be present – the only way to enjoy life is to be in the moment not in memory of the past or in hopes for the future
6. Work to live your life with meaning and purpose – each of us has a unique expression that is essential for us to explore
7. Government that works well - work together with others to bring the power of the people back into government so it can work for all
8. Generosity and service to all – giving feels better than taking, helping feels better than using others
9. Acceptance of all – each of us is unique and all of us are brothers and sisters
10. Trust your higher nature – explore the intuitive wisdom of your heart and spirit
11. Be in touch with your own power – your power is beyond your ego and your thoughts and resides in your infinite nature

 Which limiting ways are you working are dropping and which new ways are you wanting to realize?



Tears Are A Gift In Liquid Form

Lately I have gained a greater respect for tears.  As a therapist I have witnessed so often people shedding tears but it wasn’t until the other day that I had a deeper insight into the many ways that tears are a gift.  When we cry we do so for a variety of reasons but they all amount to expressing something deep within.  

If you feel like crying let the tears flow because they are good for you in the following ways:

Tears are gifts of relief and release 

Tears are private or public

Tears are feelings leaking out

Tears are sadness or loss

Tears are from the joy of the present

Tears are letting go

Tears are success that overwhelms

Tears are a way for a child to communicate

Tears are moments of inspiration

Tears are the moment of pride for another

Tears are not knowing what to do

Tears are reaching out to others

Tears are moments of experiencing beauty

Tears are reunion

Tears are asking for help

Tears are open hearts being touched

Tears are bodies tired and warn out

Tears are abandonment

Tears are being stuck

Tears are losing sense of self

Tears are looking back

Tears are regret

Tears are the return of freedom

Tears are swings toward the positive

Tears are expanding and awakening