Trusting The Process Of Change

As I read through my list in yesterday’s post, I realize what I do well is what I love to do.  That makes sense doesn’t it?

Today I want to write about change as an innate process that happens more from the heart and the intuitive knowing of our higher nature.  Change is not something the ego-mind is interested in.  Predictability is important for the mind that seeks control but not for the heart or our intuitive wisdom.  There is no preplanning of results in a rationalizing need to know kind of way.  There is instead a trust in the process.  This trust comes from the belief in our higher knowing, our collective, compassionate, and evolving consciousness.

Since the OCCUPY movement began I have wondered what aspects of human nature would be the guiding force.  The ego of some must be salivating over the possible power grab or attention seeking that could happen from this movement.  Another voice within could be guided by the compassion for the suffering caused by the present policies.  Still another voice could be the evolutionary drive to move on from the limits of the present paradigm.  The voice of anger is one to be weary of unless the heart is present.   There most certainly is the voice of fear from those on the sidelines who fear change and the unknown and those with a stake in keeping things as they are.

It seems that the collective wisdom is present.  It seems compassion is present also.  Maybe this tags onto the more dramatic changes in the Eastern part of the world in a way that is less angry and more civilized because the repressive ways of the past don’t hold as strong of a hold here in the U.S.?  I don’t know and I doubt anyone does but what is clear is change is called for because we feel it is.  Yes there are many rational reasons to bring about change but those can get caught up in endless dialogue and opinion, which is not working any more.  This is a movement that must be guided by a higher voice within, by the call of the wise heart.  

If you have a copy of The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle on pages 17-20 of the paperback version, he explains the higher mind so clearly with its capacity to observe the moment.  This is the kind of wisdom needed now.  Change happens only in the now and is most powerful when a true witnessing presence is the guiding force.  This force in positive and not attached to results and thereby free of the dangerous need for control or seeking of power.

What does your higher knowing tell you about these ideas?  I feel what is right in my heart and that may be the best indicator.  Change is inevitable and to get in the way with old ideas and dogma only clogs the process.  In the flow of change with people being awake and aware, this is a process you can trust.



What Do You Love To Do?

Lately because of some of the reading I have been doing and because of what gets inspired in me from that reading, I keep thinking and feeling that the key to a better life and to a better world is love.  I know that is not a shocking idea and I have written about the power of love here many times.  There is however an aspect of love that may be underestimated.  That aspect is to love what you do.  If you love what you do if makes all of life feel better.  Loving what you do vibrates at a high level and makes it nice to be around you.  Loving what you do keeps your heart open and invites the mind to be open to.  

I want to invite you to write a list of all you love to do so that you can have it nearby when you get stuck, feel your vibrations going downward, or are having a particularly challenging day. 

I am excited to share my list of what I love to do here. 

I love spreading light and love

I love loving my wife, my dog, my family and friends and everyone else

I love expressing my Divine nature

I love cooking and eating a tasty meal

I love exploring life in many ways

I love working out in ways that energize me

I love to appreciate the moment

I love having fun and enjoying life

I love having financial freedom

I love being in the creative flow

I love writing in that creative flow

I love being in nature, walking the beach or trail in the woods

I love being inspired by great ideas

I love hearing and following my intuition

I love being a powerful force for good on the planet

I love having wonderful health and well-being in my life

I love being in the flow of abundance

I love giving and having lots to give

I love awakening and being more realized

I love supporting, encouraging and inspiring

I love teaching, speaking and presenting

I love leading workshops and retreats

I love helping people open their minds and hearts

I love having a passionate purpose

I love being guided all along the way from above and within

I love helping others expand their consciousness

I love helping people find their compassion

I love helping people through life transitions to a greater expression of purpose

I love helping people love and accept themselves

I love assisting people in expanding their health and well-being

I love teaching people how to relax and sleep better

I love helping people find happiness

I love helping people explore and express their potential, their possibilities and their uniqueness

I love teaching ideas and methods that reduce fear, worry and anger

I love helping people be more mindful

I love helping people find their way to inner peace

I love helping people become empowered

I love helping people live more fully

I love helping people realize their spiritual nature

I love helping people listen and follow their intuition
I love helping people find their light

I love helping those in need

I love promoting positive changes in the world

I love spreading peaceful ideas for inner peace and world peace

What do you love to do? 



Walking In The Peace Of Nature

The morning sky is a misty blue, the ocean is mellow and the birds are chatty.  Being in the flow of nature is calming and soothing.  If I avoid the news by staying away from the websites I use to keep up with the world then the impact of the natural world fills my experience of life.  It is difficult to not get pulled into the stuff going on out there in the world of opinion and the judging mind.

Nature does no judging, doesn’t get caught up in drama.  The roar of the ocean has no ego in it.  The cool morning air has no agenda.  The quiet stream may have some wisdom to share but is not attached to being heard.  The sun warms everyone free of bias.  The moon keeps changing effortlessly. 

What would it be like if we tuned inward beyond the voice of our ego-mind and listen for our true nature?  What would our heart tell us about how to live this moment?  What intuitive guidance would be presented to us?  How would our emotions inform us about our life direction?  In what ways would our Higher Self be able to enrich our life?  How would the wisdom of the body guide us to greater health?   How would our spirit enlighten us?

If we lived more in the silence, in the space between words, in the flow of the moment, it seems that peace and joy would be what naturally comes up.  Inspiration comes on the wings of quiet moments.  Hope arrives when wise mind and compassionate heart are in residence.

If you want to join me in a quiet morning of contemplation, I would appreciate you sharing these moments with me.  I wonder how much silence would it take to quiet the noise of the collective mind?  See you in the light of a quiet now.



Blog Action Day – Food For Everyone #BAD11, #FOOD

Today is the day that bloggers all over the world write about a specific topic to bring more awareness.  This is called Blog Action Day and it must be the 11th - #BAD11.  The topic this year is food and I have some ideas I want to share 

First no one needs to go hungry on this planet.  If you want to do something meaningful do what you can to make sure people have food eat.  Think of how rich the food supply is here in the US.  Everyone person has the right to food.

I have seen those films with people going through a dump looking for food to eat.  This makes me sick to my stomach remembering these images.  No one should ever have to do this.  We can end world hunger if we decide to do so.

The variety and amount of food at the supermarket is so amazing.  We live in such abundance.  How can we make sure everyone gets to have all the food they need?  There are people in most communities that go hungry.  How can we stop that from happening?

If you know of or see people who are having a difficult time providing food for their families and themselves than please take the time to reach out and help.  If you have any negative judgment put it aside and find the compassion in your heart.  The world needs more compassion in these challenging times.  Feeding the hungry is a noble act of compassionate.

If you want to feel positive about yourself, then give to others.  If you are feeling down, then give to others.  If you are searching for meaning, then give to others.  If you are looking for a way to make a difference, then give to others.  Food is a great way to give.   Peace and Abundance to all.



Yes To The Wall Street And Main Street Occupations

Lately I have been excited about the movement that has started with the Wall Street Occupation.  This peaceful action seems to be growing every day with towns and colleges all over America joining in.  I think change is a very positive thing and necessary in a changing world.  The old ways are not working so we have to explore new ideas and new ways to get involved.

The criticism so far is that the movement lacks focus and a clear plan. There seems to be so much that needs to be questioned that it would be difficult to decide where to put the focus.  A plan will come as the movement matures and reflects the insights they gain as they go along.  What is true for sure is that the way things have been done in the past is not working for most of us. 

As I sat down to write what I thought would be a good thing to focus on I came up with so many necessary directions that I now better understand why it will be difficult to decide where to put the focus of all these people now involved.  Maybe each person needs a list and they follow where they are called to action. 

My suggestions for what to focus on include:

• Taking away most of the corporate influence on policy because they are run by greed and care little about the people and the planet
• The tax code is a mess with those that have the most getting many ways out of paying taxes.  These loopholes cause real problems for the US budget and are not fair
• Change our foreign policy from an aggressor nation and war driven (the outdated big stick method) to one of communications, building relationships with all other nations and much less spending on weapons.
• Take all religious organizations influence out of politics or remove their tax exempt status for being engaged in promoting their political agendas
• Find a way to bring compassion back into the political discussion and into policy considerations.
• This is essential - election reform is needed, take the money influence out of elections
• Healthcare for all, not healthcare for profits
• Environmental protection is needed at many levels so we have clean air to breathe, water to drink and healthy land to grow our food supply
• If companies are too big to fail then they need to be broken up.
• Jobs are much more important then a balanced budget
• Banks have too much power, too many fees and need to be scaled down
• Reform the Wall Street gambling that hurts our economy
• The Trickle Down theory of economic has never been proven to work except for the wealthy so let’s stop pretending it is a good theory.
• Having most of the wealth concentrated in 1% of the people is wrong and needs to change.
• There must be food and a place to live available to all the citizens of this wealthy nation

My expertise is very limited on policy but my brain works fine and some things are so obvious that to ignore them is to be in denial of reality.  There is a true need for significant changes in much of what is going on in our government.  We are the only ones that can make that happen because our elected officials are clearly controlled by those who finance their campaigns.

What are you concerned about and how might you get involved?



Mind As Friend Or Enemy

Over the weekend I spent time with a person who sees the world from the view of blaming the government and president for all the problems and is angry at people who think and act differently then he does.   In the past I asked questions about what he was saying (anger came my direction) but this time I just watched and listened.  I noticed that his thoughts and his beliefs caused him a lot of suffering.  I felt for him and wished he was open to at least to a dialogue. 

I did make a recording to help him sleep and he reported last night that it works well and he is sleeping through the night.  Even though I could not help him with his thoughts, I was at least able to help him with his sleep.  He usually can’t sleep because he worries and is upset about the world. 

How come we humans get so uptight over our own thoughts?  How come we have to be right and don’t like to be questioned?  How come we would rather worry and be angry then change our thoughts and have peace of mind?  He has a really bad heart, which his doctor say can’t be fixed at his age.  Does his mind have something to do with his broken heart?  How could it not be a significant factor?

The mind is so powerful: it can be creative, it can imagine new possibilities, it can become more aware, it can figure our amazingly complicated problems and solutions, it can write poetry that touches the heart of others, and so many really amazing things.  It can also be powerful: by holding on to beliefs that put a negative spin on life, by having thoughts that are destructive to well-being, by rationalizing doing things it knows inside are wrong, by arguing against its best interests, and by filling a person with anger and fear. 

Do you know what your mind is up to?   Is it an asset for creating the life you want or is it a dark shadow that takes much of the fun out of living?  Or maybe it is somewhere in between and you try to ignore it most of the time?

Your mind shapes, colors, determines, and creates your experience of life.  If you aren’t taking control of it in some way then most likely you have some serious bumps in the road.  An unbridled mind is bound to run amuck and generate a lot of fear about what it feels it can’t control. 

Mindfulness is a wonderful practice for bringing the mind under control.  There are many helpful books out there (Thich Nhat Hahn and Jon Kabat-Zinn to name two excellent authors who write about mindfulness) that will show you lots of methods for mindfulness.  I prefer the simplest of methods and I have written about this method previously. 

This method is to bring your attention to your breath.  You simply watch/sense/experience the inhale and exhale of the breath.  Then you notice what comes up to distract you, which is most likely thoughts and feelings, and then you again bring your attention to the cycle of your breath. This method when explored begins to slow down the mind and helps you notice what is going on with your thoughts.  You continue watching, noticing distractions, becoming more aware, and relaxing naturally.  When you are aware of your thoughts (and the emotions they stir up), you can choose to change them.  This awareness can even help you see that thoughts are not real, only words we give meaning to.  From this point of consciousness you can change your thoughts to reflect a more positive, compassionate and peaceful way of seeing yourself and the world. 

It really is that simple.  If you want to suffer you can by letting you thoughts run wild.  If you want to be happy and at peace you can shape your thoughts to match the experience you wish to have. 



Appreciation Brings Happiness

Appreciation is the main source of joy and happiness.  I never knew that before yesterday or I guess I never had made this clear of connection between appreciating and happiness.  When the light went on I said to myself, “Is that true?”  Then I explored the idea for a while and sure enough it made total sense.  Now I have a new insight that will positively shape my life. 

So I decided it was a good idea for each of us to make a list of things we appreciate about our life and ourselves for those moments when we need to be uplifted.  I hope that sounds interesting enough to you so that you too make up your own list.  Really we all get stuck at times, bogged down in the grind of the mind or the chaos of life.  Why not have a resource we can call upon; a list somewhere we can pull out and use to help us feel better, to inspire us?

Please feel free to borrow as many ideas as you want from my list but be sure and add your own.

What I appreciate:

• My openness to the creative flow
• My tireless pursuit of awakening and self-realization
• My purpose of spreading love and light
• My open heart and mind
• My self-discipline for exercise and mindfulness
• My wife and our love
• My dog Pax who brings lots of smiles
• My house across the street from the ocean
• The many inspirational books that keep on showing up in my life
• Facebook because all my friends keep sharing inspirational ideas, pictures, words and videos
• The activism of all those out their occupying Wall Street and Main Street
• The open minds and hearts of many on this planet
• Earth and its endless beauty
• The power of silence
• My out-of-body-experiences OBE’s
• The guidance I receive
• The beauty of nature around me
• The beauty of human creations
• This moment
• The abundance of the universe
• The time I have now to be quiet and at peace
• The new insights and awareness in my life today
• The voice of my intuition, spirit, soul, higher self
• My Macbook
• The many ideas that flow through these finger
• The expanding sense of consciousness
• The collective consciousness of all beings and souls on the planet
• Laughter at a funny video
• Cooking a tasty meal
• The realization that we are all brothers and sisters, that our potential is unlimited, and together we can be positive forces for change.

If appreciation brings happiness, what do you appreciate today?



All Human Souls Are In Agreement

In my inner work yesterday I had a profound insight into the connection we all share at the soul level.  The insight was that all souls are very similar in the way they see the human journey.  You might wonder how I know this and what I can say is that I am in touch with the voice of my soul and the voice of the collective souls.  What I am told by my soul is that all souls are in agreement about what we human are here to do in this lifetime: 

To love unconditionally

To be compassionate towards all others

To be kind to each other

To be accepting of everyone

To be peaceful in all our interactions

To do no harm

To be hopeful for each other

To have a positive open mind

To enjoy life

To full express our uniqueness

To take responsibility for making a positive difference in the world

To be patient with each other

To love and accept ourselves

To live with purpose and passion

To live at our highest level of consciousness

To explore and express our potential

To seek awareness and insights

To find our own truths

To search for universal truths

To realize that all beings are connected at a soul level

To focus on what we appreciate

To see the beauty in each person and all of life

To question all thoughts

To remove all barriers created by limiting beliefs

To all share in the abundance of the planet

To help care for the needs of everyone

To forgive and move on from the past

To live in the present

To turn fear and worry over to trust and hope

To pass on love and hope to your children

To focus on solutions rather than what is wrong

To spend time getting acquainted with the part of you that is spiritual

Finally from what I learned it was also very clear that we all need to move away from the fear driven voice of the ego which wants to take charge and instead be guided by the wise voice of the soul.

If you do not know the truth of these ideas, you may need to quiet your mind and get in touch with your soul.

Any questions – tune inward and ask your soul.



Tension Is Given, Peace Is Found

There needs to be some tension in the posts I write, is a tip I read about successful blogs.  That makes sense like a good novel or movie there needs to be some juice of life.  This got me wondering if there isn’t enough tension these days already because of the times we live in? 

Maybe an oasis is a good idea, a place to recover from the world or maybe a blog that is about how you and I can make the best out of the life we have or maybe a social activist site pushing change certainly would have enough tension.  Then I thought “no” I am not going to write to create tension but I can still include ideas that may stir you up inside, may create some of the energy of growth and maybe even discomfort as you sort through the stuff of life in pursuit of your truth and your unique expression.  What do you think about the idea of tension being important in writing and do I need more here?

I take a deep breath in and sit for a moment on the question of how I can serve my reader more?  How can I invite further awakenings?  How can I help open more channels of the mind?  How I can encourage a more vulnerable heart?  There seems to be much of the juice of life in being full present to ourselves and the world around us with a hungry conscious seeking mind and a heart that wants to keep understanding and giving.

There is a wet storm blowing sheets of rain outside and yet I feel this comfortable calmness.  It seems things are shifting at so many levels on this planet and even inside.  My inner shifting has been my practice for the last several months and the quiet time is allowing me the space to be more present.  The outside world is abuzz so having a quiet space inside seems important. 

How do you step away from the chaos?  How do you create a place of inner peace?  Where is your oasis of sanity located? How about finding a place in your heart?  How about looking into your soul for a place of quiet rest and renewal? 

Maybe there is a power place in nature where you go to listen inward or to re-energize?  No matter how supportive the people are in your life, there still needs to be a place of comfort within. 

Here is a quiet place I find helpful:  Sit or lie down in a warm place and let your breath become the focus.  As you feel your breath you naturally start to relax.  Let the relaxation deepen and then invite your Higher Self to guide you.  This guidance is always there if you listen and feel for it.  It can be so soothing to let go and let a wiser force look after you.  In the womb of your divine nature there is great peace and a wonderful flow of energy and inspiration.  Enjoy!



Nature Guides Me Now

I recently realized that this place I have moved to on the Oregon Coast is the most nature intense place I have ever lived.  I have a stream in my back yard.  I can hear the ocean roar as I write.  During the day the birds are outside singing away.  My life is directed by the tides as to when I go to the beach and when and where I can run on the beach. 

The beach here is changing constantly.  There was a sandy beach but now that is gone and a rock beach showed up.  Now the sandy beach has moved to another area.  The stream behind the house flows into the ocean and it mouth looks differently every day especially after big waves.  Huge logs on the beach have been moved like tooth picks by the power of the ocean.  I can find agates as I walk the beach and bring them home and there is more the next day.  There is constant change going on around me.  I have learned that nothing stays the same.  Can I be as fluid as nature?

Standing at the beach naturally takes me inward to a place of peace and alignment with myself and the world around me.  I run the trails nearby aware of the recent signs of elk and bear.  The night sky is so bold it gives my house a Milky Way address.  The log trucks roll through here loaded all day long and I feel for the once standing trees.  The recent rain turned everything green in a few hours.  The sun is still available but soon it will be buried under a blanket of gray. 

The darkness leaves no doubt when night has arrived.  The sunsets are a clear transition towards shifting to the energy of darkness.   The wind when it comes up turns the waves into monsters and in minutes a warm day can turn very chilly.  There are no streetlights here.  There nearest town is about 7 miles away.  If I am quiet all I hear is nature at night and it is soothing at so many levels.  As I wrote this first draft night I thought I saw a bat fly outside my window.

What can I learn from this intimacy with nature?  I know if I am quiet I will be told the answer to that question. 



Where There Is Action There Is Hope

The protesting on Wall Street and on Main Streets across the country is so positive for the future of all of us.  The Police delivered the only violence so far or otherwise it is a totally peaceful protest.  This feels to me to be the start of something like the changes in government in Egypt and elsewhere.  The people are standing up against great odds to question what is wrong with our system of government and the corporate culture of greed. 

This is about awakening to the unhealthy reality of the ego driven world we live in where CEO’s are given the status of important gods, where profits matters more than human life, where truth takes a back seat to opinions, where big money influences all the decision of our government.   The ways of Wall Street dominance are not sustainable as we have already seen.  There seems to be actually only one political party in Washington DC, that is the bought by money party.

There is great hope however the grim the situation may appear.  The hope is because people are moving into action.  They are stirred up and not willing to just sit and complain any more.  The moving into action is a sign that we together are moving from blame to taking responsibility.  We the people are this nation.  Blaming and complaining is a powerless way to stand on the sidelines.  Getting into the game, moving into action means people have decided they are the ones that need to bring about change.  The political process itself is broken for about 99% of us. So we have to become the government. 

Now the 99% of us need to focus on the common ground we share.  Here is what I think we all share together:

We all want the best for our families

We all want hope for a better future

We all want to eat and have a home

We all want access to medical care when we need it

We all want prosperity

We all want access to education

We all want a fire department and a police force

We all want a security from destructive forces

We all want the right to believe what we want to believe

We all want love and to be a part of our life

We all want peace of mind

We all want freedom to create our own life

What else would you add to this list?  There is so much common ground, how come so often we focus on the negatives between us instead of what we can do together.  It seems to me that fear is a dominating force in our disagreements.  How come we let fear play such a strong role in our lives?  The nightly news seems to feed the fear.   Down through history fear has always been used to control the masses.

If we focus on working together for our common needs and hopes then everything can be worked out.  We can set the government aside until we get them doing what we want them to do.   Yes there will be great differences of opinion about the role of government but most would agree without any government there would be chaos.

Join the protesters in any way you feel drawn to move into action.  My daily action is writing, questioning, inviting move compassion into all discussions, and spreading the light of higher consciousness in any way I can.  Will you join me?



Affirming What You Want Your Life To Be

On Sunday we traded in my 8-year-old pickup that didn’t fit our 65 lbs dog, my wife and I very well for a 2-year-old Ford Escape.  Wow the Escape is nice to drive and Pax loves the back seat.  It is like I made a step up in the world and it feels nice to me.  I feel more in the flow of abundance with this move and my work with affirmations to enrich my life.  I know my mind (and yours) is a powerful force for creating what I (you) want to experience. 

My reading lately includes a wise book called Quantum Success by Sandra Anne Taylor, which I am finding very helpful in reminding myself about what kind of frame of mind I want to have.  This book is a fusion of quantum physics and positive thinking.  I am enjoying learning new ways of see things and being reminded of tried and true ideas.

It seems I need to read these positive mind and prosperity books on a regular basis because the ideas serve as a reminder of how I want to think and be.   I love writing affirmation of all the good ideas in this.  Writing affirmations is like charging up the battery that keeps me running on positive even when the world appears in chaos.  A positive, accepting, open, patient and hopeful mind is a true gift to yourself and to humanity. 

Here are some affirmations that you might find helpful and please feel free to use them or change them to specifically meet your needs:

I now only engage in thoughts, beliefs and emotions that attract to me the best results for my goals, hopes and purposeful actions.

I now use my imagination to soar into realms of great abundance and amazing success.

I spread love and light in all that I think, say and do.

All my actions toward self, others and my goals are filled with harmony, compassion and hope.

With my positive attitude, I am feel alive with energy in my body, with light in my mind, and with warmth in my heart.

I am aligned with the Universe in amazing ways creating amazing results

My intentions are powerful forces in my life, today I choose to be happy and at peace.

I live with purpose, love unconditionally, follow my truths, and each day become more of what is possible within. 

You can do affirmations throughout your day especially when you first wake up or before you go to sleep and whenever you need to shift to more positive energy.  Try them out, I know you will appreciate how you feel and the results you create.



There Is Love In R-evol-ution

Today’s post is inspired by the picture below that I saw posted on Facebook:

I so much appreciate that revolution is full of love.  Love certainly has the power to bring about a successful revolution.  Any revolution that has love as its primary ingredient would gather people together for a common purpose.  Spreading love is a great theme for changing the world.  Would you join a revolution of spreading love and light?

Compassion is so needed in the political arena these days with so many people shouting against love and caught in the fear of their own minds.  Compassion is also needed in organized religion where the sacred heart has been replaced by judging and condemnation of others.  Let’s all join together and grow a revolution of mindfulness, of compassion, of acceptance, of unity, of shared purpose, of growth, of freedom for all, of unconditional love, of inner peace, of happiness and of the highest consciousness we can nurture in each other.  

Revolution is so needed because corporate rule, ego-domination, war, religious extremism, and the end of the middle class are not sustainable and will leave the future generations a great big mess if they continue.  It is time we all find our hearts, grow our compassion, be accepting, seek to understand, tap into the collective consciousness, realize we are all connected, and find and focus on our shared hopes.  Agree? 

Peace, love and hope to you all. 



Twitter, Bowl Of Light, Dr. Siegel

This post is a mix of ideas but each seemed important to mention on this morning as I look out at the abundance of the universe falling in liquid form.  As you know if you spend any time here at my blog, I greatly value questions.  With that in mind I have started a series of questions called Growth Through Question (GTQ) over at Twitter.  I have an idea of creating a personal growth community on Twitter for the purpose of us joining together to raise our consciousness.  If you are interested, you can follow me under the name of explorelife.   I promise to ask simple by important questions if you are interested in growing as a human being. 

Lately in my reading of the Bowl Of Light by Hank Wesselman I came upon an idea from a very wise Shaman/Kahuna named Makua. I have been making my way through this book slowly because the ideas from the Hawaiian spiritual tradition of the Kahuna are so rich with insights.  The wisdom he shared that got my attention this weekend was that zeal is the opposite of love.   It seems the world has become a place where lots of people with zeal (zealots) want everybody to hear their point of view as if it represents the only real truth.  Religion and politics are filled with zealots as we all hear too often. 

Zeal is the opposite of love because zeal comes from a closed mind and love comes from an open heart.  Zeal is from the ego-mind and it can range from enthusiastic to dogmatic.  The dogmatic part is far from the heart’s way of being in the world.  I suspect we would all be better off to ignore the zealots of any belief system because they are not in touch with what is most important, the wisdom of the heart. 

I also wanted to share an inspired Ted Talk with you from Dan Siegel MD who is on the leading edge of mindfulness and healing both us and the planet.   In this video he talks about the importance of developing compassion.

Have a great week and remember to be present as often as you can because being in the now will help you find love and happiness throughout your day.



Let Your Love Shine Today

Today is our 5th anniversary and our love keeps on growing.  Love is the most powerful force on the planet.  It can heal us, humanity and the planet.  Let your love shine today.  Share your love with those you love and invite even more into your circle of love.  Unconditional love is such a powerful force that it could make all the wrong things in society, politics, and the planet right. 

If you like this picture here is a link.

Be love, have compassion, show caring and live with kindness.

It All Happens In This Moment

It was another beautiful day at the beach yesterday and did my best to enjoy it.  I had some guilty pleasure because a part of me thought I should be more productive.  These really nice days will soon transform into raining ones so I am enjoying it while I can.  Today and each day I am doing my best to be fully present.  That is easy to do if I am looking for agates on the beach.  However the mind can so easily get distracted by expectations, by hurry and worry, by getting too excited to settle down, or by whatever it is that comes up when I in the midst of doing what I do.  Being present is my goal and I am getting better at it but still have room to improve.

In the now all of life seems to sparkle   

By being present I mean: I am aware of myself and my connection to the world around me moment to moment; I am able to follow my breath; I am mindful in whatever I am doing; I am aware of my feelings; I am tuned into the senses, and I am fully present as I sit in silence or walk quietly. 

Right now as I write I hear the roar of the ocean.  I feel the pressure of my fingers on my keyboard.  I just felt my breath flow in and out. I hear my dog Pax moving around.  I had a thought about my wife returning from her workout.  I had a little jump inside because I thought the dishwasher was done and was appreciating the quiet and then it started another cycle.  I feel my contacts on my eyes and think it may be time to take them out.  I sense the pressure of my arms on my desk.  I thought about my wife’s concerns about a possible tsunami and want to now get caught up in fear but like the idea of being prepared.

In the now there is always lots going on.  People who say they are bored haven’t spent much time in the present moment.   So why is the now important?  It is important because there is no other time then now.  Now is where all the possibilities reside.  The future is just a thought. The past is a memory.  Neither exists in the present moment.  Everything that you and I want to make happen can only happen in the now.  Every hope can only be fulfilled in the now.  Love can only be expressed in the now.  Freedom only exists in the now.  Balance and harmony can only take place in the now.  Peace of mind can only exist in the moment.  Consciousness can only expand in the now.  Happiness and joy only are possible in the moment.

“Be Here Now,” by Ram Dass is the title of one of my favorite books because as you read the “brown paper” section of this book it helps bring you into the moment.  If you agree with me that the now is the best place to hangout then you might me interested in learning to meditate, to be mindful, to do yoga, to do walking meditation, to learn tai chi or chi kung or other practice that invite you to live fully in the moment.  

A simple practice for living in the now is to pay attention to your breath as you go about your day.  You can notice when you breathe in and when you breathe out.  Noticing the breath can only happen in the now.  You may get so busy you forget about your breath but when you remember return to following the inhale and the exhale.  You will find this practice naturally helps bring you into and peaceful and harmonious place inside. 



Where Is Your Mind's Attention?

What if where you put your mind’s attention is the key to success?  Through the many years I have explored the methods to create success and the life I desire I have come to the conclusion that where I put my attention will be one of the major determinants of the results I create.  The following are some examples about the choices you and I have for shaping our ability to be successful with our mind’s attention. 

You can put your attention on what you want to have happen or on what isn’t working – which will be more successful?

You can put your attention on accepting those around you or on their faults – which will be more successful?

You can put your attention on positive action or on anger about what isn’t happening the way you want it to – which will be more successful?

You can turn inward in search of what will make you happy or you can look to others to make you happy – which will be more successful?

You can put your attention on what you love or the things you fear – which will be more successful?

Where our mind goes shapes our experience of life.  The essence of these attention choices can, in a way, be simplified. 

Is the focus of attention on what is possible, what is now, what is expansive, what is open hearted, what is right according to our higher nature?

Or is the focus of attention on what is wrong, what is in the past or future, what is frustrating, what feels out of control, what is fearful, what is the ego’s need?

Stated in another way – is the focus of attention from our inner wisdom, the place of the spirit or soul or is the focus from the need of the ego?

These questions are coming up because of the writing project I am working on about the hopeful voice of the soul and the fearful voice of the ego within you and I.  These two voices are often the source of our attention.  The voice of the soul is more expansive and open and the voice of the ego is more fearful and restricted.  The voice of the soul seeks to encourage and inspire while the voice of ego wants to control and limit the damage. 

I will share more of these ideas as I go but in the mean time take a minute or two throughout your day to see which voice (soul or ego) is in charge.  That will be feedback enough to know whether you are heading in the right direction or not.  The soul knows what is right and the ego is trying not to do what is wrong.  



Deepen The Relationship With Self

What do you need to let go of to move your life forward?  Where have you gone off track?  What are you searching for on a deeper level?  Are you freed up enough inside to move past what has held you back before?  Is the work you do satisfying on the level of meaning and purpose?  Are you able to create meaningful relationships?  Is your heart generally open or protected?  When was the last time your really felt happy? 

Questions are so important.  If you are good at asking yourself probing questions, you can become more aware and keep growing.  How come so many people quit growing and instead hunker down to try to just hang on to what they got?   Can holding on and holding your breath through life do anything positive?

This is a picture of the the sunset last night here on the Oregon Coast.  I am always inspired by such moments of beauty.

Over the weekend I spent time with someone I knew in the past.  This person has some excellent qualities but seems very uncomfortable with silence and may not know how to form deeper relationships.  This got me thinking about how many people are uncomfortable with themselves and their lives.  They may not even know they would benefit from sitting quietly and beginning to build a deeper relationship with themselves.   This tuning inward and getting to know the voice of the ego and the voice of their higher nature/soul would significantly enhance their lives. 

The benefits of building a deeper relationship with yourself are many: 

• You can be more accepting and comfortable with who you are
• You can have more fun
• You can be open to deeper experiences with others
• You can learn to be ok with yourself even in the quietest moments
• You can feel more relaxed
• You can create greater success
• You can feel alive and full of life
• You can live in true freedom
• You can open to love and find compassion for self and others
• You can find your purpose and live it with passion
• You can heal the past
• You can attract abundance into your life
• You can find peace of mind
• You can join in unity of consciousness of all beings
• You can find hope
• You can open to the wonder and beauty of life
• You can let others get close
• You can access the intuitive genius within
• You can open to the great wisdom of the universe

There are many more benefits that can be added to this list.  How is your relationship with yourself?



What Do You Feed Inside, Love Or Fear?

The side with the most energy will win.  This is not an invented competition like Monday Night Football and it will determine the future of the planet and all of us who live here.   The energy I am talking about is the energy of love or the energies of fear and hate.  These represent the two poles of human emotional energy.  The collective energy of human emotions shapes the experience and evolutional progression of humanity.  If love wins we will have a compassionate world where peace and freedom for all is possible.  If fear and hate win then we will live in chaos and few will have any true peace or freedom. 

So what are you feeding on the planet, are you spreading the energy of love or living in fear and hate? If you watch the news who do you think is winning the influence battle? 

The corporate media is clearly backing the fear and hate with their opinion driven and fear emphasized programming of the news.  When was the last time you saw a significant news program about the positive aspects of human beings? 

People with open minds and hearts spread the energy of love, hope, understanding and acceptance.  What would a world be like if the dominating influence was love, hope, understanding and acceptance?  

What if you are interested in a world full of love, peace, freedom, hope, harmony, happiness and understanding, how would you help make that happen?  If you prefer a world of fear and hate it is easy to know what to do. Spread fear and hate and teach your children to be afraid, judge people who are different and hate those who question your thoughts.  This emotional energy creates much human suffering.

If you want a world based on love then love is what you need to spread.  Unconditional love is love you give freely without expectations and is the purest form of love.  There are many ways to express this form of love through acceptance, compassion, kindness, caring, encouragement, support, and more.  This energy lifts the collective vibrations of all humanity.  

If you want to increase the feeling of love within you and out into the world there are some simple methods:

You can use affirmations like:  I am filled with love today and I spread it wherever I go; my heart is a powerful transmitter of love that surrounds the planet for the good of all beings; or my purpose today is be loving in all that I think, say or do.

You can do a visualization like in my previous post.

You can explore ways to be compassionate and kind to all those you interact with today.

Let’s Go Love!!!



Let Your Heart Spread Outward

I have an idea.  I will write more about the why of this in my next post after this weekend. Let’s all raise our vibrations so that what we are sending out it love, unconditionally love for all beings on the planet.  How much energy would that take?  Maybe as much as it would take to get up and go drink some water, or go pour a bowl of cereal.  So not much, how about a little effort right now and a little more later and a little more a little later?

This is a simple practice you can do in just a few minutes to raise your vibrations, open your heart and bless the planet with your love. 

The amazing bonus is you feel great from doing this practice:

• Sit back take three long relaxed breaths emphasizing the exhale.  If you need to take three more do so.  The goal is to begin to slow down. 
• Once you start to slow down appreciate what this relaxing response feels like. 
• Tune in close your eyes and just be with yourself for a moment. 
• Now image a light in your heart.  (If you want imagine that light coming through you from the Source of the Universe.) 
• Now imagine that light filling your body with accepting, healing and peaceful love. 
• Next imagine this light expanding so that it fills your home. 
• Once you feel the light of your heart starting to expand out of your body into the world let it keep spreading until it surrounds and blankets the Earth. 
• Now imagine the light of your heart loving everyone without exception. 
• See the love vibration lifting all of humanity to new level of compassion, understanding and consciousness. 
• Bask in the good vibrations for as long as you want to and enjoy. 
• Then when you are ready bring the focus of your light back within. 

That was easy wasn’t it?  How do you feel?  The world is a better place because of you taking the time to do this.  Thank you, we all appreciate your efforts.