Awakening For The Collective Good

I have to admit that my hourly appreciation practice is more like a few times in the morning, a few more times in the afternoon and a few more times in the evening.  This practice is feeling positive and enriching for my day.

The tribe I want to create is about people who care about themselves and each other.  This tribe is about being more conscious and compassionate people so we can be positive force in our own life and out in the world.  These times call for us to go for extraordinary in the face of such need for empowered citizens living by higher values.  I will call my tribe the Awakening For The Collective Good Tribe.

Want to join? Want to be more of what is possible within you? Want to change the world? If so join me and the many like minded people you can find across the Web and around the world.  Each of us was born at this time in the history of the humanity to be force for a better world. 

The best ways to awaken, to be a positive force that I know of after 30 years of exploring this include:

Expanding your capacity to love and have compassion

Questioning your thoughts and ideas until you find your own truth

Spending quiet time getting to know who you are as a soul, as a spiritual being

Taking good care of your body so you have enough time to make a difference

Live each day in the here and now where everything is possible

Appreciate yourself, those you love and all that life has given you

Live with purpose, passion and peace within

Yesterday I created this collage using a few of the agates I have been finding to represent the energies I want to work with in my life these days.  The chakra energies are powerful for mind, body and spirit.  Peace in the world begins within me.  I know I must question everything to keep in touch with my truth.  Love is the most powerful force on the planet. 

Love to you all.



Bringing Attention, Joining A Tribe

"The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention."
~Sharon Salzberg

This is so true.  When my attention is on feeling appreciation, then I find so much to appreciate.

My hourly appreciations are having some interested affects already.  I feel more energized and light-hearted.  I have a growing sense of trust in things working out.  I have a positive anticipation about what new opportunities lay ahead.  My workouts have even taken on a new intensity and purpose. 

I have been reading many different ideas lately and some that get me really inspired.  A very successful blogger Sara Robinson builds her success by creating what she calls a tribe and she gave some examples of different types of tribes to create.  My mind started coming up with ideas right away.  Three came to my mind as I was reading the article and now more are coming as I write this. 

If I allow the flow of ideas to come, the flow expands.  Here are some of the inspirations that came to me.  I wanted to share them with you so together we could be inspired:

         A spiritual tribe based on exploring consciousness and compassion, through various inner practices and sharing so we can all lift each other up.

         A social activist tribe of people who want to be active in making positive changes in the world, through the collective consciousness, through spreading love and peace and other peaceful and insight methods.

         A support tribe for people who help people because this kind of work can be very draining and inspiration is needed.  Support for those who make a difference in people’s lives.

         An inspirational book tribe where people share what fictions and non-fictions they are being uplifted and inspired by.  There could be the sharing of ideas and sections of the books with others.

         An inner adventure tribe that explored ways to expand minds and open hearts and share their insights, trials and successes.  This is a more out in the world kind of group where ways of relating can be part of what this is about.  People could get together to explore something like mindful walking or a vision board for living with greater purpose. 

         A nature insight tribe where people share their insight gained from being in nature. There are trails to walk, beaches to explore, mountains to climb, streams to listen to and so much more.

Let me know which kind of tribe you would like to join?  Would it be one of the above or what would it be?  If you were creating your own tribe what be the most fun or make you feel the most alive?  If you are a member of a tribe, how did you make it happen or get involved?



11-11-11 What If Your Were The Great Good Luck Maker

This is supposed to be a very auspicious day because of the number sequence.  I am not a numerologist but I like to think there are lucky days or special moments in time.  We in general create our own luck but it is nice when luck is on our side.  There are things I would like to happen personally on this lucky day and that would be nice if these things come true.  It seems to me the world could use a big dose of good luck too.  If you were the great good luck maker what good fortune would you spread out into the world today?

As the Great Good Luck Maker I would:

Make it possible for everyone to have a nice place to call home

Make it possible for everyone to have good food to eat

Make it possible for everyone to have the best healthcare

Shrink the inner critics in everyone’s minds

Reduce the influence of those who spread lousy, hateful, mean, unkind, and judgmental ideas

Protect all children from harm

Make it possible for everyone to have the best education

Raise the collective consciousness of all beings

Spread love and compassion across the world

Encourage life long learning by making lots of inspirational ideas available to everyone

Reduce the influence of corporations in the election process and in Washington DC

Make banks small friendly places free of all those fees and non-profit

Reduce the influence of Wall Street in our economic policies

Reduce the corporate personhood to servant of the people

Spread the wealth of the world to everyone

Transform arrogance to humility in all of us

End all tax breaks for religious organizations that get involved in trying to influence the political process

Reduce the influence of the competitive idea that winning is all that matters

Make it possible for everyone to explore their inner wisdom

Make it possible for everyone to express their creativity

Make it possible for everyone to find inner peace

Greatly reduce the influence of those who are extremists

Make it possible for everyone to vote

End all wars so we could all live in peace

Make it possible for love to be the guiding force of the world

What would you do as the Great Good Luck Maker?

Good Luck and a great day to you.



Penn State - What About Higher Values?

The Penn State situation is a real mess.  As a therapist I have worked with hundreds of clients who have been abused.  Almost all of the addicts and alcoholics I worked with had been abused as children.  Many had been both sexually and physically abused.  Recovery from sexual abuse is a long and painful process. 

How come this assistant coach was not turned over to the police immediately?  Penn State is a school and the coaches are teachers.  There must be some kind of mandatory reporting of these kinds of abuse.  How come he was allowed to come back and do programs after he was seen sexually abusing a child?  How come the legendary coach Joe Paterno, who was his direct supervisor, didn’t confront him and turn him over to the police? Was football more important than these children? Was worry about reputation more important?

I feel much compassion and concern for the victims.  This should have never happened.  Our education system driven by competitive sports in this case was a total failure.  These victims will suffer for many years because a school system didn’t take care of them. This institution of higher education didn’t do the right thing. 

The amount of abuse that goes on in this country is staggering.  The number of people in prisons who have been sexually abused, by a number of accounts, is over 80%.  As I said above, most addiction comes about because of abuse.  These young people didn’t come into the world wanting to be criminals and addicts.  They ended up this way because they were abused and acted out.  Maybe this will raise the awareness of people to wake up enough to look out for each other especially the children. 

What happened to the higher values of making sure our children are safe, putting right before reputation, and having higher education teaching the highest values?  In this case the innocent were not protected, the right action was not taken, the educators failed in their job.  Now the coach and the president are gone and shame is on them because they failed to live by their higher values. 



The Universe Looks Out For You: A Story

First a reminder note to encourage the hourly appreciations practice.  Day one went well with lots of appreciations and feeling positive about that.  I do feel the happiness of appreciation.

 

I found this photo on Facebook yesterday and I thought it was a perfect reminder. It seems to have come from Intent.com?

My novel writing is cooking and I have now over 20000 after 8 days.  I am averaging about 2500 words per day which is about 800 more then needed to make 50,000 word goal.  It is so much fun just going with the flow and not trying to do the great American novel.  I plan to take a few more days to complete the story and then fill it out for the rest of my words.

I wanted to share a short story with you from my novel.  It is about a guy who breaks from an abusive childhood and an early addiction to alcohol and transforms his life.  In this chapter he is sharing about an experience he had with what he calls a “Divine Mother re-incarnate” while he is spending time in Northern India in a cave exploring his Buddha nature.

The main character shares one of his interesting encounters with Mother Amma.

I had just left my cave and begin to go for a walk and there was Mother standing in the middle of the path.  In shock I blurted out, “what are you doing here?”  She blurted back, “where do you think you are going and she told me to get back into the cave and get focused.”  She literally chased me into the cave.  I was surprised but was thinking I guess she knows what I need better than I do.  When we got into the cave she started rolling on the ground and laughing so hard.  She was having fun giving me grief.  I was soon on the ground with her howling at the trick she had played on me.  We laughed in waves of energy and it filled us both with such joy.  Mother said, “You have been taking all of this sitting too seriously.  I thought I better get up here and give you a hand. You needed a good laugh and I knew I could bring that to you.”

I asked if she was traveling nearby. She said casually “not really, but I can go anywhere I want to.”  Then she was gone.  I laughed for a while longer and then went back outside.  As I turned the corner this time I saw a huge boulder now in the middle of the path.  The way I see it she came to save my life also.   I stood there in awe of her and in deep thanksgiving that the universe kept looking out for me.  

That the universe looks out for us is something I know to be true.  Presently I am exploring how to keep the flow of the universe happening.  Sometimes it seems I get in the way of things, not intending to, but out of old patterns. Do you every get in your own way or block what you want?  I suspect we all do that at times? Opening is the challenge when you are not sure how you are in the way. 



Hourly Appreciations For Happiness and Success

Lately it seems the universe is conspiring to remind me of the importance of appreciation and gratitude.  I keep running into reminders about the power of being grateful.  I decided that since this message keeps coming my way I better pay attention to it.  My plan is to bring my attention to what I am appreciating throughout my day. I invite you to join me in exploring and playing with this idea. 

Here is the practice:  I will call it “Hourly Appreciations” - At least once an hour I commit to making note of what I am appreciating in the moment.  I can review the hour and note what I feel appreciation for.

Let me give you an example of what this past hourly appreciation might look like.  As I look at all that I appreciate about the last hour of my life, what I am aware of is appreciating that my two-hour run is over and that my body is healthy and fit enough to do this run. I appreciate that there is a beautiful sunset as if the setting sun in a last minute effort burst through the dark clouds to let its light shine. I appreciate the relaxed walk on the beach with my wife and dog. I appreciated coming into a warm home. I appreciate the inspiration for dinner and the warm shower while that dinner cooked in the oven.  I appreciate that the dinner tasted good.  Busy hour wasn’t it and so much to appreciate.  This appreciation was last night.

Another example of an appreciation is right now as I edit my post for today.  I appreciate the blue sky this morning, the reading of the comment by someone I know on my post from yesterday, and the sound of the ocean as I write.  I also appreciate the morning quiet and the warmth inside on a 43degree morning. I am grateful for another day to explore and express love and light.   

Appreciation brings happiness and with a hourly dose of appreciation, I will have lots of happiness in my life.  Could you use more happiness in yours?  Commit to focus on what you appreciate about your life and you will be a happy person.

As I thought of this practice I was concerned about committing to an hourly note taking so I decided it was best to at least giving a verbal appreciation every hour.  Today is November 8 2011 and I commit to an hourly appreciation for the next 30 days. 

I fully suspect many positive things to happen because of this practice.  Appreciation brings more to appreciate.  I will share the highlights of the results my appreciation creates.  Please share yours also.



Eight Great Ways To Activate Your Brain

Lately I have been reading a very interesting book that I am sure almost everyone would find very helpful.  How God Changes Your Brain by Andrew Newberg and Mark R Waldman is full of findings that will enhance your life in more ways than you can imagine. I started browsing through this book at Powell’s Book Store on Friday and couldn’t wait to get home and read it.  Before I went to sleep I read part of it to my wife in bed.  I am confident that reading this book will enrich my life and yours profoundly. 

The following are 8 ideas you will want to start implementing in your life immediately:

The Eight Best Ways to Exercise Your Brain

The # 1 best way to exercise your brain is to have faith in what you believe in.  Faith in yourself, faith in your spiritual life, faith in your heart, faith in those you love, and in all things that matter.  Faith makes it possible to be optimistic and to have hope.

The #2 best way to exercise your brain is to dialogue with others.  This kind of communications is where we have meaningful conversations with each other.  Our brain stays healthy when we have social interactions and talk about abstract ideas like finding your center, exploring consciousness, and how to be more compassionate.

The #3 best way to exercise your brain is to do aerobic exercise.  Exercise makes you stronger in body and mind.  Exercise that makes your heart and lungs work enhances your brain functions.  Vigorous yoga is great exercise for the brain.  Think more oxygen and a bigger heart. 

The #4 best way to exercise your brain is to meditate.  I have mentioned this practice often and this confirms its importance for are well being.  As a way to be connect to our spiritual nature this is got to be the best.  A calm and peaceful mind is a wonderful friend to have in life.

The #5 best way to exercise your brain is to yawn.  Yeah now whenever I yawn I can tell someone I am exercising my brain.  Yawning has been linked to brain activity that helps to generate social awareness, empathy, a relaxation response, memory enhancement and much more.

The #6 best way to exercise your brain is to consciously relax.  This means you practice a relaxation technique, use calming music, scan your body and release tension.  Repetitive activities like knitting and saying a rosary can have a deeply calming affect and reduce the tension in your body.  Stress breaks you down and relaxation energizes.

The #7 best way to exercise your brain is to stay intellectually active.  Keep reading and exploring ideas, play chess or other strategy based games.  Imagination is a wonderful way to enliven your brain and to realize the success you desire.  Go to the library and get books on CD’s and listen to them.

The #8 best way to exercise your brain is to smile.  Smiling makes you feel good.  People treat you better when you smile.  Smiling stimulates brain activity and increases a positive sense of self.  If you put a smile on your face when you drive in traffic you will feel less stress according to Thich Nhat Hahn a monk who teaches smiling as a life enhancing practice.

Please take the time to read these descriptions in full starting at page 150 (paperback) in this fact filled and big thinking book.  These ideas are just a few of the many you can benefit from almost immediately.   Remember an active brain is a happy one and it will make you feel Divine. 

Thank you Andrew and Mark for all the work you did to make this book possible.  This book will make a really positive difference for the many people you help. 



Take The Journey Inward

On the drive up to Portland I listened again to an interview of David Whyte on Sounds True (enter Sounds True there ->) a marvelous poet, philosopher and mystic.  If he is ever in your city for a talk or to read his poetry, you must go see him and be blessed by his words. 

David Whyte’s interview reminded me that the most important journey in this life is the one that goes exploring inward.  He shared the importance of exploring what is going on with your soul and heart.  The inner journey is what makes life worth living. 

How much do you turn your attention inward?  Do you take the time to listen to the wisdom within your silence?  

If you are willing to turn inward you will receive the ever generous benefits of self-discovery.  You can also find out what the essential conversation in your life is.  Where is the greatness, the genius in you wanting to be invited out into the world?  How do you find the energy of a purpose filled life?  Are you willing to go inward and explore what has meaning for you, what makes you feel most alive, what stirs your soul to be a light in the world?

The daily doings of life can fill every minute unless you set time aside.  Even if for brief minutes you give yourself the gift of tuning inward, or hearing the voice of your intuition, your soul.  In those encounters the potential of all you are can be released into your life.  This liberation of your potential is about your interior wisdom guiding you to a fuller expression.  It will be difficult to access the fullness of your genius or your greatness without contact with the spirit of who you are.

Four brief practices to explore:

1. When you awaken in the morning see the results you want to create that day, breathe deeply and visualize these successful outcomes and then set your strategy for your actions. Be open to your inner guidance.
   
2. Each hour take at least two minutes to listen inward, sometimes having a journal really helps letting the guidance flow out.  The more your practice this opening to guidance the more it flows into your awareness.
3. Four times per day take the time to write down what you are grateful for.  This practice tunes you inward and appreciation is a great magnet for attracting success.  You could begin the day in appreciation, then lunch-time, after dinner, and before you go to sleep or whatever works best.
4. Set time aside daily for significant time for listening inward through meditation, walking mindfully, contemplative prayer, or journal writing.  As you listen and feel the truth of your inner wisdom begin to explore what your essential inner conversation is so that more and more you are able to set yourself free to all that is possible within you. 



Letting The Inspiration Flow

For the next few days I will be in the Portland area visiting my family.  My brother who lives on the East Coast will be there.  I rarely get to see him.  My large family likes to get together and cook up some great meals and enjoy each other’s company.  The cooking thing is kind of funny.  My mom was a very mediocre cook but we all turned out to be pretty good at making really great meals.  One of my sisters has a catering business and the rest of us cook for the pure pleasure of it. 

I won’t be writing much while I am there visiting so I wanted to share a few notes with you until I return home.   The readership of my blog has slowed down but my Facebook (Joseph Bernard) and my Twitter (explorelife) are cooking with lots of activity.  I am going to make some significant changes in what I am doing here at my blog one of these days soon. 

I love this daily discipline of writing this blog and letting the inspiration flow through me.  I have been doing this for over four years with posts at least 5 days a week and now over 1500 posts.  I feel very blessed to have such inspiration available to flow through me.  Thanks for your readership.  I so much appreciate you taking your time to check in with me and see what I am up to.

This is a wonderful time to be alive and one with great uncertainty.  I have a very strong intuitive sense that major shifts are happening now that will bring the light of a new improved world over the next few years.  I hope that I am participating in this transformation in my own simple way. 

In the next few months I will have several new books I have been working on for you to check out.  I feel excited about the writing I am doing. I hope you will also.  Until then I will write here at my blog most days and continue to let the light of inspiration flow through my fingers.

If you get a chance to leave a comment or send me a message about something that has been meaningful for you as a reader I would appreciate hearing from you.

I will be back here in a few days.  Have some fun not matter what, because fun makes life a joy to live.



A Compassionate Presence Heals

There is a quality that is essential to all who want to help others heal, grow, gain insight and feel loved.  That quality is called having a compassionate presence.  If helping others matters to you then developing the ability to have a compassionate presence is essential.  A compassionate presence is being able to be with another in a way that is fully in the now.  To be fully present with an open heart and compassionate desire to understand is a true gift to another.  

Compassionate presence begins by being centered in oneself.  It means being in your own presence and feeling love towards yourself.  In this positive inner place is the optimal condition for being with others in a truly compassionate way.  This place of inner peace and loving connection with another person is what invites harmony and healing.  The vibrations you bring to your interactions affect the vibrations of those you are communicating with. 

Try an experiment: center yourself, feel at peace with who you are and then go be with others.  Focus on just listening and being there for others.  Notice how being is a positive state influences the way people feel when you are around them.  Notice how you feel.  If you doubt this idea, remember the last time you were some place and a really angry person showed up, could you feel that person?  Of course you could because their energy had influence that dominated the place.  The same is true for positive and uplifting energy.  When positive and peaceful people enter a room others feel them.

Why does a compassionate presence heal?  When you are in a positive, balanced, and relaxed state your body and mind are functioning in a harmonious and healthy way.  When your peaceful and comforting vibrations interact with another person he or she pick up on your uplifting energy.  This higher vibrational state reminds the other person’s body of what is possible.  The body in need of healing resonates with vibrations of healing from the body in balance. 

Whether you are a therapist, Reiki master, nurse, another type of healing practitioner, or great friend, you bring healing when you have a compassionate presence, when your vibrations lift up another.   If you show up with heart and are present healing naturally occurs. 

One other important quality that is sure to assist the healing process is the ability to listen with compassion.  Everyone needs to be heard.  As a therapist, I have listen to many hundreds of people and when I am present with a compassionate heart and listen with kindness healing takes place.   

The exciting news is anyone can help others heal if they care enough to have an open heart and a willingness to listen and be present. 

Let’s go out and spread healing in the world.  It seems humanity could use a big dose of healing.



Three Powerful Ways To Occupy Your Own Mind

The most powerful change comes from the inside of us and spreads outward.  The Occupy Movement is growing and people are talking about how to more fully occupy what matters to them.  I love all the discussions that are coming up thanks to thoughtful and conscious people.  I wanted to add a few ideas that I thought would be helpful right away on an inner level.  Those interested could take these ideas and work on bringing a greater presence to who they are and find at least a degree of inner peace along the way. 

The following are three effective methods I know for occupying your mind:

The first method is about the simple practice of noticing your breath.  This method of following the breath is easy to understand and powerful with practice.   As the breath flows into you, notice how it interacts with your body.  Feel the expansion of the body on the inhale as the oxygen fills you up.  Then notice how your body shifts as you exhale.  Feel the body release as the breath empties out.  The cycle of the breath is body expanding on the breath in and body releasing on the breath out.  This form of concentration, watching the flow of your breath, has several positive affects.  The first is that you naturally begin to slow down and relax.  The second benefits is that in noticing the breath you also become more fully present to yourself, what is going on inside and around you.  You become present to yourself: you occupy the moment.

The second method is more general and it is called Mindfulness.  Mindfulness has a large variety of practices.  In this practice you watch what goes on in your mind.  This watching is done without judging and with a spirit of inquiry as to what is going on inside the stream of your thoughts.  As you listen inward, you notice that there are many conversations going inside.  Those conversations may include: an ongoing dialogue about many things; often an inner critic who beats you up constantly; a voice of fear about the mess ups of the past and worries about the future; a rollercoaster ride of emotions; and other chaos the ego-mind creates.  In this method you acknowledge what is going on inside the mind but you don’t try to change it.  The noticing and watching of the mind brings insight and awareness.  With awareness comes choice and choice makes any changes you want possible.  Getting to know your mind and its content is very valuable in getting to know you.  This awareness of self is an essential way to occupy who you are.

The third method is really one of multiple methods all originating in the practice called meditation.  Meditation is part of numerous spiritual traditions but it can also be free of any spiritual contexts.  In meditation you use concentration, mantras, breathing patterns, body awareness, ideas to explore, silence, and even walking as part of the methods you use.  Meditation has been used for thousands of years and has a rich tradition of positive benefits.  A very simple practice is to get into a meditative state by breathing in a pattern.  One pattern of aware breathing is 7-1-7-1.  A relaxed silent count up to seven as you breathe in, a count of one between the inhale and the exhale, then a relaxed count to seven as your breathe out, then a count of one before you inhale.  The goal is to do this breathing pattern in a relaxed and concentrated manner.  Soon you will settle into a deep and peaceful place.  Be aware of what comes up inside of you  in this meditative state.  This is a way to occupy the most expansive part of you.

I highly recommend these three practices.  Most cities have classes on meditation, mindfulness, yoga, tai chi and other inner practices.  The Web has many resources to supply you with instructional methods on CD’s and DVD’s.  Finding a supportive teacher is the best way to learn.  With practice in a short time you will be benefiting from the time you put in to fully Occupying your own mind, body and emotions.  



Happy Halloween To 7 Billion

Happy Halloween and lots of fun to you!

Today we have 7 billion people on the planet.  I wonder how the planet feels about that.  It seems like a lot of people but I don’t feel crowded, do you?  How do we make sure they all get the food they need?  How do we help those that need a home?  What about healthcare?  Is 7 billion sustainable on the planet?  We are a resourceful species so I am confident we can live together and care for each other.  

Why is caring for each other important?  Caring for each other means we are in touch with our hearts.  Those who don’t care about the rest of us have closed their hearts down.  To care is to be human; to not care is to have lost an important part of our humanity.   Being able to see beyond our own needs (and those we love) means we have an open and compassionate heart.  If we don’t see beyond those around us, we have missed out on exploring our unlimited capacity to love, to be kind and to have compassion.

Have you gotten to know your neighbors? Have you introduced yourself to those who look like they could use a friend?  Have you given to someone in need lately?  What ways do you give?  If you had lots of money who or how would you try to help?  These are questions to invite you to expand past self-survival, which is important but is only a small part of what we are capable of doing.  If you wanted to change the world, where would you put your energy, your resources?  What’s the passion in your heart telling you to do? 

I don’t mean to be heavy on a fun day like Halloween.  I just want to invite you out more, to have more fun because giving can be lots of fun and can make you feel really positive about yourself and what is possible in the world.  The light of giving shines brightly.  Giving always comes back to you in ways that enrich your life. 

Can you imagine a planet of 7 billion people looking out for each other?  Wouldn’t that be a wonderful place to call home? 



Activism Is Needed, Our Rent Is Due

"Activism is my rent for living on this planet." ~Alice Walker

This quote appeared on Facebook today and it sent a shot of inspiration through me.  Thank you Alice for your clarity of thoughts and your practical wisdom about action as essential. Most of the people that show up on my Facebook share lots of inspirational stuff.  I am grateful to each person who tries to uplift others. 

How we express our purpose is the way we pay rent for living on the planet.  This purposeful expression may be in the form of: committed action, compassionate acts, sharing insights, feeding the hungry, time for contemplation, acceptance of others by shrinking the judging mind, creative expression, healing past trauma, breaking cycles of abuse, or many other ways of being engaged inwardly and out in the world.  Each of us finds our own way to be uniquely who we are and make a difference.

How would you let your purpose express itself in activism?  Here are some places where activism is needed (if they appeal to you the world we be better off for you involvement):

Election reform where the influence of money needs to be removed

Corporate influence over the people who are suppose to represent us

Reduction of profit making from those who are in the war business

Keeping the air, water and ground clean and safe

Educational reform away from testing toward creativity, critical thinking and the pursuit of truth

Education free of debt

Healthcare for everyone

Fair taxation for everyone

Honesty in government

Elimination of church involvement in government

Reinstitute the idea of conflict of interests

Investment reforms to eliminate all shady practices

Hold all banks and businesses accountable for the destructive decisions they make

Remove corporate personhood, they should only exist for the good of the people

Food for everyone

Housing for everyone

A fair distribution of wealth amongst all

An emphasis on peace not on power

Make this country about compassion not profits

Build communities of support

And other important priorities

What would you add or take off this list?



Right Now There Is Hope, Joy and Peace

It is Friday when I write this post and I just returned from a morning walk on the beach.  Today’s walk extra special because when my dog and I got to the beach we saw two beautiful Bald Eagles standing on the shore like they were there visiting the ocean.  Across cultures the Eagle is symbolic of such ideas as the illumination of spirit, healing and creation.  I know I always feel touched by grace when I see the beauty of such a creation.  My dog went over to investigate and they flew onto some higher rocks.  There is always something magical about nature and these birds are a treat to see. 

The other magical thing about nature is it produces these amazing rocks called agates.  One of my favorite beach walking activities is looking for agates.  I live across the street from a great agate beach and I usually return home with a pocketful of all colors and kinds of amazing rocks. This full pocket for me is wonderful reminder of the abundance of the universe.  Here I am on this speck of a planet out traveling across this infinite universe picking up these little clear jewels of creation.  Life is extraordinary if I am present to the moment.

The sky is gray today but I am not feeling gray.  I choose to be in a positive state of mind no matter the circumstances.  I make that choice for the simple reason that I will feel much better in this state of mind than in one in which I let the outside circumstance shape my experience.  Instead of wanting things to be a certain way and letting the results of that wanting dictate my experience, I choose to be positive about whatever the moment brings. 

Being in the moment is always full of positive things.  When I am fully present what arises in me is joy, appreciation for nature and beauty, the excitement of being alive, hope for what is possible, peace of mind, and direct access to my loving heart.  That is much more fun than wishing something in the past was different or worrying about tomorrow.  I commit to myself to be as fully present as possible through out my day today.  Would you be interested in joining me in being present today?



Would You Join Me And Write A Novel In November?

In a few days I am planning on participating in a really interesting event.  You know me I like to go exploring.  November is National Novel Writing Month where people get focused, open to the creative flow and improve on their writing skills by producing a 50,000 word novel in the 30 days.  If you are interested in finding out about this event check out the NANOWRIMO organization. 

I highly recommend you give novel writing a try.  It is a great way to explore being creative, to do something you may have wanting to do or a push out of your comfort zone.  If you decide to jump in you can join me and many others and together we will spend in a month participating in an activity that will enrich our lives in more ways than we can imagine. 

Now I need to come up with a theme and you will too if you join in.  I love novels that uplift, that invite more out of the reader by inviting insight, and expanding the way the reader sees the world and what is possible.  That is a lot of agenda to add on top of writing an interesting story.  What kind of novels do you like?  I need a winning formula and I have several books in mind to look at how they are structured.  I am sure I can write with an openness to flow but when I have in the past I bored myself so much that I lost interest.  Maybe my flow is more interesting or I will tap into the muse of the great American novelist/

Why would I do an adventure like this?  For me it is about two things, exploring my craft as a writer and about being creative in a way that can be fun, energizing and rewarding.  If a good story comes out of it that is a plus; if I get to be a better writer that is great and; if I in some way I am in some way able to enrich the life of the reader that is even better.

There has to be some darkness/negative forces/bad guy, characters the reader could care about, a right of passage or some kind of challenge to bring out the best in the characters.  I am thinking Dan Brown type novel with a metaphysical Indiana Jones.  There is more to explore here as you can see.

What would your novel be like?  It could be biographical, a dream, about a parallel universe, a good guy kicks a bad guy’s ass, travel to foreign lands a cowboy fighting invaders from another planet, a steamy romance or whatever you want it to be.  I am sensing a walk on the wild side is inside of me, it is in you too? This would be so much more fun then any TV, Facebook or other distractions.  Are you up to the challenge? 



Small Shifts Can Cause Big Changes

How does change come about?  Change begins with simple changes in thought, simple changes in vibration and simple changes is action.  These changes in thought, vibration and action can alter long-standing beliefs, send the course of history off in a new direction, and bring about movement toward much greater possibilities.  Simple shifts can have amazing ramifications.

Your personal life can shift forever by being conscious of what you are doing.  If you act unconsciously you can also shift how your life unfolds.  Just recently a young man was shot and killed near a state park by a hunter that thought he saw a bear.  That shooting was not necessary if the hunter had really been fully present to the circumstances.   Now the hunter and his grandson will be forever altered by this terrible mistake. 

A shift in how you view yourself can open many possibilities.  If you go from a false idea that you are not OK to an idea you are OK, this shift in thinking will affect your ability to move toward the life you want.  A simple shift in self-talk can significantly raise the quality of your life.

On a national level a shift from putting up with all that you think isn’t right to getting involved in a movement can bring energy to your life and inspire those around you to do something to make a difference.  The Occupy Movement is about many people who are shifting off their couches, away from the TV, and out into the world.  The profound nature of these shifts is yet unknown but may forever change our nation.

Look around your life and see what small shifts will bring greater purpose, more alignment with values, and will make a difference to yourself and those around you.  These shifts may occur by replacing old limiting thoughts about what is possible with a wider more open perspective.  You and the rest of us all can benefit from changing away from what holds us back to what opens us to more of what is possible.   Let the shifts begin.



Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose

The Ted Talks, which you can see over on YouTube.com, are often so enlightening.  Yesterday I listen to Daniel Pink on motivation and was inspired by his conclusion that the keys to motivation are: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.  This I am confident his ideas true and he as the science to back it up. Thank you Daniel for the light your spread. 

Autonomy is best translated as self-directing.  When you and I are directing ourselves it feels so much better then having someone else look over our shoulders to make sure we are doing things right.  As I have created my life now I have total autonomy and I am motivated every day to create, to spread love and light, to keep fit, and to live happily.  No one else can motivate me like the freedom I have to be who I am in the moment.

Mastery is pursuing what we do with the intention of doing it well and the ultimate goal of excellence.  What we do over time with improvement in mind makes us masters of our work, our skills, and the other ways we interacting with the world.  Mastery is confidence in what we do.  There is also a Mastery of Self, which comes from our seeking of awareness, insight and personal growth.  In Self Mastery we feel the desire to be more fully our potential and possibilities.  We trust ourselves.

Purpose is something I write often about here at the Explore Life Journal because it seems so important as we ask ourselves what is our life about.  Each of us has a unique and often evolving purpose that enriches our life is so many ways as we follow it.  To live with purpose takes us beyond our own needs and considers the greater needs of those around us, our community, all humanity and our planet.  When we work for the betterment of all beings, when love matters most, we are living a purpose that is highly motivating.

Now let’s turn this discussion more personal. 

Is autonomy important to you?  Are you creating a life that is autonomous? 

Where are you seeking mastery in your life?  Is it a skill set, a way of relating, an inward journey, or maybe a way of creative expression?

What inner purpose guides your life?  What outer purpose do you live in the world with?  How will your inner/outer purpose help make the world a better place?

Just a reminder: you are built for success, you are given the tools you need to succeed, you have a mind that can bring great focus, you have a heart that is capable of amazing courage and passion, and you have the Universe waiting to assist you. 



Realizing Your Higher Self: Three Avenues To Explore

Did you know that inside of you is a Higher Self, that always knows what you need, that has the answers to all the questions you have, and can provide you with any strength you would benefit from?  If this is the case and I am confident that it is then why not get to know your Higher Self?

Can you imagine that there is a part of you that always is tuned into what you really need?  Can you imagine that there is a knowing inside that can always guide you?  Can you imagine that when you need a strength like courage, hope, inspiration, energy, power, love, compassion, determination etc. it can be there for you?  If you can imagine this kind of higher support then you can make use of it. 

The voice of the Higher Self may be in the form of intuition.  The power force behind this Self is your Spirit/Soul.  The knowing of this Self is from the collective wisdom of the Universe.  This Self is the Divine within you.

Now if you want to get to know your Higher Self there are a few ways that are simple and will enrich your life almost immediately.  Here are the methods I find very helpful in connecting to my Highest Self:

1.  The best and most powerful way to connect to your Higher Self is to sit or lie down and take a few minutes to breath and relax.  Then ask the Higher Self to connect with you.  Be open to how it communicates with you, which can be in the form of inner voice, it could be in inner images, or it could be through your heart as a feeling sense.  These are the main avenues in which this Self will interact with you.  So listen, see and/or feel this Self.

2.  You can also use visualization to connect to the Higher Self.  Imagine that there is an energy or light in the heart and it starts to expand so that it soon fills your body and surrounds it.  That can be a way to imagine your Higher Self.  This Self is supportive, encouraging, compassionate, and wants the best for you.  Imagine this energy filling you up and surrounding you in a field of love.

3.  Another way is to take out a notebook and start writing a question or note to your Self and let it write back to you through you.  This kind of writing dialog can be very helpful because it puts the inner words in plain view.  The dialog with your HS gets recorded for future reference and also when you read through the notes sometimes a whole different understanding can present it self.

If you care to let me know what you discover in communicating with your Higher Self I would greatly appreciate your sharing.  



Tips For A Little More Fun This Weekend.

I have been editing my new book much of the morning and I just returned from my low tide walk on the beach.  The beach is constantly in the midst of change.  Sand leaves and rocks appear.  Sand comes back in another place and the beach appears where there use to be only rock.  In nature change is what happens and nobody gets all riled up about it because it is just part of the process.  I wonder why we human stuggle with change so much.  Are we not natural also?  Where did our flow with change go? Maybe it is our unnatural thoughts that is the problem?

Today is Friday and it is cloudy with calm seas but 60 degrees and nice and comfortable out.  The breeze gently influencing all life southward.  Now some mist is gathering on the windows here as we prepare for a exploration of a trail that we have been meaning to finish exploring.  The sun made just a brief appearance and was cheered by all its fans. 

Hope you have a really nice weekend and remember to:

Have some fun

Be nice to yourself and those you love

Eat some good food

Go for a vigorous walk

Do something creative

Move out of your comfort zone for at least a few minutes

Change any thoughts that a blaming and complaining

Look for the beauty around you

Focus on what you appreciate

Take a few minutes at least for quiet contemplation

Do something however small to make a difference

Open your heart and spread some love

Be peaceful

Say yes to something that you will enjoy

Writing A Book Meets My Destiny With Low Tide

For the last several weeks I have been excitedly working on a book filled with questions that will be very helpful to anyone on a path towards personal growth, who wants to be more self-realized, who seeks to keep their minds and hearts open, or just want to have more fun and experience more freedom.  This book is the most exciting project I have been inspired to create.   I am sure you will be excited too when you get a chance to go exploring with these questions and the helpful hints I supply along the way.

Today my goal is to finish the first draft of the book.  What I am noticing as I write is that when I am in the flow of inspiration the words come to me just as I am ready to type them into my computer.  There is a constant flow of ideas that seem endless and as I write them I too am inspired.  I is fun growing through my own writing.  These questions are definitely thought provoking and heart touching.

What do you do that seems inspired and effortless in your life?  If not now, what do you have a sense will turn up your energy of aliveness and make your sing with excitement?  The beach where I live is alive with the sound of music and there is no Julie Andrews as far as I can see.  

Two ideas have come to me lately that I feel a strong desire to explore.  The one is poetry because a wonderful poem can touch your heart in ways that awaken something special in you in the moment.  The other is that over about a year I have been having these most amazing experiences with my out-of-body practice.  Both these areas of my exploration of life are bound to show up here at my blog soon.

I am just yakking away here and then I thought I need to leave you with at least some idea that will make your day a little better.  The questions in this new book will leave you with many great idea but for today I want to encourage you to be creative in something you do today.  It can be a flower arranging, a creative meal, the way you interact with those you love, a love poem, a playful way of doing something different.   Your choice but make it creative for the flow and fun of it

How about a short poem fresh off the inspiration press:

Ode To The View As I Write

The still ocean called something deeper

It recognized our familiarity on the shore

An I wanted to dive into its vastness

And lose something keeping freedom away

There were people on the sea-scented bench

Not venturing far from the known

The sureness chained them in to no more

Yet they sat there wondering

Where do seeker and expert meet

If not on the common ground of nature

The mystery prays for a moment

When openness prevails and hearts weep

Wow that was fun and I could play with this short three stanza for a while but my destiny with low tide calls me.