Still having trouble coming up with things that you care about most in your life? Try a wonderfully effective exercise from Janet Atwood's book, "The Passion Test."
Sit in a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed when you are feeling relaxed and not pressed for time. Write at the top of a sheet of paper, "When my life is ideal, I____"
For 20-30 minutes (or however long you wish to keep at it) complete the above sentence with whatever phrases or ideas come to your mind. Do not judge or assess any of your ideas, just write them down as they come, even if they seem weird or insignificant to you. Stop writing when you have reached a standstill and can't readily think of any more answers.
Once you are finished, start at the top of the list and compare your first idea with the second one, asking yourself the question, "Which of these two things is most important to me right now?" Go with your gut feeling on this, and proceed to compare your "winning" answer with your next idea on the list, repeating the same question from before. Again, go with your instinct, and proceed by weighing the winning answer against the next answer. Repeat this process until you have reached the bottom of your list. The answer that remains at the end of the process is your #1 Passion (it's helpful to write a "#1" sign by this answer).
Now, you're going to repeat this exact same process with all the remaining responses you have written, until you have narrowed your list down to your top 5 passions. After you have 5, no need to compare the rest of the list. The idea here is to have 5 solid passions that you want to pursue/manifest in your life. Any less than 5 likely would get a little boring and perhaps would leave out major things you want to work on, and any more than 5 would likely feel overwhelming (especially when you're new to the process of manifestation).
So, you now have your top 5 passions written down. Some of them may seem very obvious to you, while others may be surprising. You may want to change around each of your 5 dreams a bit to make the wording stronger and more open. For example, instead of saying something like "I am not depressed," say, "I am joyful in all aspects of my life." You don't want your language to be negative or limiting. Also, it's crucial that you word your dreams in the PRESENT tense, not the future. It's vital that you do not word these dreams as off in the future, because in doing so, you will ensure that they will always be off there in the future! The only time we can work towards and live out our dreams is NOW you see, so we must focus on such dreams as if they were already occurring in our present life experience.
A good idea is to get 5 large note-cards and to write each passion at the top of each one. Now, starting with passion #1, you will be writing 3-5 short sentences in the form of bullet points to describe what will be occurring in your life as a result of working towards this passion. For example, say your passion is, "I am a successful musician." Following from this passion, you will be writing 3-5 markers below that show how you are living in line with being a successful musician. Some examples of such markers could be, "I am practicing my instrument every day for at least an hour," or "Others often compliment me following my musical performances," or even, "I am earning $2,000 a month from playing music."
The point here is that you are envisioning what it would look like for you to encompass your passion. In this example, you are asking yourself, "what does it mean to me to be a successful musician?" So your markers are a response to this question. It may be difficult for you to get going at first, but don't worry, you'll get the hang of it; it's a very fun process once you really get your imagination going! Again, don't judge or talk yourself out of something that you desire. If you desire to make $2,000 a month from your music, then write that down! You can't attract anything into your life that you don't believe you can attract. The first step is imagining what you want to manifest in your life, and the next step is believing that what you desire can and will happen! This is what sets the truly successful and happy people apart from the rest of us; those who have an unwavering faith in themselves and in their dreams cannot fail in their endeavors, the Law of Attraction wouldn't allow it!
After writing your markers beneath your passion, imagine how it would feel living out this passion. Again, using the example of the musician, in 2-4 sentences, write again in the present tense how it feels to be a successful musician. You might write something like, "I feel so thrilled and excited to be constantly making new music and performing in front of live audiences. I feel inner peace and joy from being able to spend my time doing what I love so much. I feel proud to know that I can earn a good living from my passion. I feel like anything is possible."
Really try to get in the mindset of living out your dream, and you will be able to conjure up those feelings that you are so longing to feel. Write them down on your note-card.
Below your feelings, at the bottom of the card, the last thing you will write down is, "This or something better."
Writing this keeps you aware of the fact that sometimes there are even more glorious ways to live out our passions that we are not aware of; in other words, we cannot attach ourselves to specific outcomes with this exercise. We must keep an open mind and know within ourselves that the Universe will align with our desires in the most desirable way possible, oftentimes surpassing in greatness what we originally came up with!
So, after writing down your #1 passion, the markers for that passion, your feelings surrounding that passion, and the phrase "This or something better," you will follow the same formula for the next 4 passions that you established earlier, each on separate note-cards. After you have completed these steps with all 5 of your passions, you are ready to move onto the next step: Manifestation.
Every day for a month, you are to read through your 5 cards 3 times or more each day. When you do this, it is important that you are feeling relaxed and allow yourself to really imagine yourself living out the passions. As you go through the cards, really take in what you have written and believe them to be true in your present reality. In whatever way you can, (most effectively through visualization), conjure up the feelings you have written about on your card. Feel all of those good things you have written about, and above all, feel gratitude for being able to live out these passions. If there's a nagging voice in your head saying, 'yes, but how can I feel thankful for something that isn't in my present reality?' respond to yourself with, 'It may not be here this moment, but it is on its way, and I am grateful for that.'
You see, when we only focus on what is right in front of us or on our current life situation, we lose the ability to manifest what we desire in life. To create the life you want, you must learn to focus your attention not on the things in your present reality that you dislike and not on the things in your life that you believe you are lacking, but on the things that you really do like in your current reality and on the things that you wish to enter your life experience. The Law of Attraction ensures that your life experience will match with what you think about, so if you're thinking about mostly good things and things that you wish to bring into your experience, then you will bring more good things and things that you desire into your experience.
The exercise I have outlined here is a very powerful exercise when followed closely, as you are re-programming your mind to align with those things in life that you most desire. You are not only changing the way you view yourself and the way you view your desires, but you are also changing the way that you feel about yourself and the world. You begin to feel like a powerful creator in your life experience and you begin to feel optimistic and eager about your life and what is to come. In the beginning, you will likely have nagging doubts during your exercise or throughout your days, but if you stick to it, within a week or two your defenses will start to back down and you will start to feel the excitement and the truth in what you're reading and feeling. Of course, you will also start to experience a shift in your reality. If you are mindful, you will notice that some of the things you have written down on your note-cards are starting to manifest; in the beginning it's usually a minor shift, but the more you notice and embrace the process, the more you will start to draw things into your experience that will outright amaze you. Once you start seeing some success with the process, the more faith you will have in the process, and thus the more powerful the process becomes, giving you even stronger faith and even stronger results and so on and so forth. It has already changed my life dramatically for the better, and the lives of many others as well. I say, why not give it a shot? You've got nothing to lose, only many great things to gain!
Just in case there's any confusion about the process, below is a shortened version of my own results with this exercise:
1. I have a healthy and happy family
-There is a positive energy in our home
-We listen to and support one another
-We encourage one another in our dreams and desires
-We enjoy spending time together and we do it often
I feel loved, accepted, and nurtured. I feel so grateful to have such a loving and supportive family. I feel secure in all aspects of my life.
This or something better.
2. I feel connected to others and the world
-Others easily engage with me wherever I am
-I am attracting like-minded individuals into my life
-I often notice the beauty in others and in the natural world
-I often notice interconnections between people and in the world at large
I feel connected, accepted, and loved. I feel deep inner peace and joy to be so connected to the world around me. I feel empowered and like I can do anything.
This or something better.
3. I am enriching the lives of others
-I often get feedback on how I am helping others in some way
-I am becoming more intuitive about what to say or do to help or assist others
-I give a gift to everyone who I come into contact with, whether by kind words, kind gestures, a smile, or a blessing
-I am informing others, helping open the minds of others, and inspiring others with my speech, actions, and writing
I feel deep inner peace and joy, knowing that I am helping others in some way. I feel connected to others in a meaningful way. I feel rewarded and a deep sense of purpose.
This or something better.
4. I am a successful writer
-I often write on topics of interest to me
-I inform others, open the minds of others, and inspire others with my writings
-I often get positive feedback from others on my writing
-My writing is being published regularly and is widely read by people of all backgrounds
I feel deep inner peace and joy to be able to spend time doing what I love so much. I feel empowered, like anything is possible. I feel energized in all areas of my life. I feel rewarded and a deep sense of purpose.
This or something better.
5. I am a leader in my community
-I am often noticing what I'm passionate about in my community
-I often meet others who share my passions concerning our community
-I am constantly coming up with new ideas to better my community
-I am leading others towards positive change in our community
I feel connected and empowered. I feel rewarded and a deep sense of purpose. I feel deep inner peace and joy. I feel grateful to have the support of other people in realizing my visions for my community and society at large.
This or something better.
So to me, these 5 passions are so incredibly exciting. Others may have similar or very different passions, but all I know is, for me, these are my dreams for myself and for my life experience. I have been engaged with this process for a few months now (though I don't do it as often as I did in the beginning) and have seen incredible results in all areas! When I first made my list of my top 5 passions, I rated each passion on a scale of 1-10 on how well I felt I was living each of the passions. Today, my ratings on each of these passions are much higher than there were just a few months ago, and all these results with very little "work." It's all about your mindset!
As always, if you have any comments or questions, please don't hesitate to send them my way! I'd love to assist you with this process if you are having any trouble!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
What direction do you want to go in?
Feeling confused about what to do or which path to take? The truth of the matter is, you can't make the best decision about what to do with your life until you have reached a state of inner alignment. We are in a much better situation to choose which direction to go in once we have delved within and have taken the time to understand who we are and why we are here. Do you know what your true passion is? What makes you light up? What makes you lose track of the time while you are doing it? What do you others often notice about you and comment on in a positive light? What makes you feel light and at ease? What do you most look forward to doing? What do you most want to see happen in your life and in the world at large?
Asking questions like these can open our minds to see ourselves and our passions in a very powerful way. We become open to the higher voice within us and to our purpose that we decided upon before we ever entered our physical bodies. We at once become centered and aligned with ourselves and Source energy, allowing us to manifest what we want in our lives in a way that benefits us the most, along with all other beings on the planet. We didn't come here to worry, feel fear or anxiety or doubt, we came here to express ourselves creatively through our divine calling, thus leading to more joyful, peaceful, and loving lives for ourselves and for others.
You are here because you chose to be here, you made a pact prior to coming here with your higher self or Source energy. You knew that you would be coming into a world replete with suffering and contrast, but you also knew that experiencing such things would lead to the evolution and expansion of your being. You did not come here to struggle, but the fact of the matter is, we often need to experience struggle to learn and grow. When we come from a place of inner alignment with who we are and with the Universe itself, we have all the more power to live our lives in a peaceful and joyful manner, regardless of the seemingly troublesome or conflicting circumstances that come our way.
This above all: Do not attempt to be something that you are not. Only strive to be true to who you really are and live out your life as the person you were meant to become. Always live from the cusp of where you want to be; meaning do not go through your days wanting to be someplace else further down the line, but live your days as if you were already your idealized self. Think of yourself as the divine being that you are and with all of your dreams and aspirations close to your heart, with an inner knowing that the manifestation of such dreams and aspirations are in process. You may not know how or when such happenings will occur, but you know that they will come in the most beneficial way possible, courtesy of the Universe.
When we are off our path, we often feel unhappy and unfulfilled, lacking purpose, meaning, and depth in our lives. This is because we have fallen out of our naturally perfect alignment that we came from. All you need to do to get back to your natural state of inspiration is to let go of your egoic wants and desires and start living in line with the authentic you, the inner you who knows no bounds. Shed away the extraneous layers of your personality and just keep things simple for yourself and others. Ask yourself what is most important in your life and once you have figured that out, live in accordance with those most significant passions and dreams.
Do not think of your dreams as occurring off in the future sometime, but think of them as manifesting in your present reality. Feel grateful for everything that you have and everything that you are in your current life situation, and at the same time, feel eager and gratetful for the beauty that is on its way. Whenever you start to feel doubt that something you want to occur is going to happen, repeat the mantra "It's on its way" over and over again until it really sinks in and you have no room left for doubt. Meditate on it, write about it, remind yourself daily and conjure up those feelings of excitment surrounding your dreams and desires, and use visualization methods. Use affirmations every day that keep your thoughts on track with who you are and with what you wish to manifest in your life experience.
Feeling overwhelmed by all of this? Take a few deep breaths and relax. In a state of complete and utter peacefulness and ease, make a list of the things that you really want to occur in your life and all the things that you already have that you want more of. No need to focus on things that you want to eliminate or avoid, as this will only create more energy around creating such things in your life. Focus on what you do want to create, and as long as you continue to keep a clear focus and feel positive feelings surrounding this dream and continue to have faith in the process, your dreams will be sure to manifest in your physical reality.
Read my former blog, "You are what you think about" for more information on creating the life of your dreams.
Asking questions like these can open our minds to see ourselves and our passions in a very powerful way. We become open to the higher voice within us and to our purpose that we decided upon before we ever entered our physical bodies. We at once become centered and aligned with ourselves and Source energy, allowing us to manifest what we want in our lives in a way that benefits us the most, along with all other beings on the planet. We didn't come here to worry, feel fear or anxiety or doubt, we came here to express ourselves creatively through our divine calling, thus leading to more joyful, peaceful, and loving lives for ourselves and for others.
You are here because you chose to be here, you made a pact prior to coming here with your higher self or Source energy. You knew that you would be coming into a world replete with suffering and contrast, but you also knew that experiencing such things would lead to the evolution and expansion of your being. You did not come here to struggle, but the fact of the matter is, we often need to experience struggle to learn and grow. When we come from a place of inner alignment with who we are and with the Universe itself, we have all the more power to live our lives in a peaceful and joyful manner, regardless of the seemingly troublesome or conflicting circumstances that come our way.
This above all: Do not attempt to be something that you are not. Only strive to be true to who you really are and live out your life as the person you were meant to become. Always live from the cusp of where you want to be; meaning do not go through your days wanting to be someplace else further down the line, but live your days as if you were already your idealized self. Think of yourself as the divine being that you are and with all of your dreams and aspirations close to your heart, with an inner knowing that the manifestation of such dreams and aspirations are in process. You may not know how or when such happenings will occur, but you know that they will come in the most beneficial way possible, courtesy of the Universe.
When we are off our path, we often feel unhappy and unfulfilled, lacking purpose, meaning, and depth in our lives. This is because we have fallen out of our naturally perfect alignment that we came from. All you need to do to get back to your natural state of inspiration is to let go of your egoic wants and desires and start living in line with the authentic you, the inner you who knows no bounds. Shed away the extraneous layers of your personality and just keep things simple for yourself and others. Ask yourself what is most important in your life and once you have figured that out, live in accordance with those most significant passions and dreams.
Do not think of your dreams as occurring off in the future sometime, but think of them as manifesting in your present reality. Feel grateful for everything that you have and everything that you are in your current life situation, and at the same time, feel eager and gratetful for the beauty that is on its way. Whenever you start to feel doubt that something you want to occur is going to happen, repeat the mantra "It's on its way" over and over again until it really sinks in and you have no room left for doubt. Meditate on it, write about it, remind yourself daily and conjure up those feelings of excitment surrounding your dreams and desires, and use visualization methods. Use affirmations every day that keep your thoughts on track with who you are and with what you wish to manifest in your life experience.
Feeling overwhelmed by all of this? Take a few deep breaths and relax. In a state of complete and utter peacefulness and ease, make a list of the things that you really want to occur in your life and all the things that you already have that you want more of. No need to focus on things that you want to eliminate or avoid, as this will only create more energy around creating such things in your life. Focus on what you do want to create, and as long as you continue to keep a clear focus and feel positive feelings surrounding this dream and continue to have faith in the process, your dreams will be sure to manifest in your physical reality.
Read my former blog, "You are what you think about" for more information on creating the life of your dreams.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Focus on the good in others
Feeling frustrated with or hostile towards somebody in your life? An incredibly simple yet powerfully effective exercise is to make a list, either in writing or in your mind, of all the qualities you love about this person. These qualities can be anything at all, including physical, mental, or spiritual qualities, and they can be mundane or extraordinary. An example of the physical qualities could be that this person has a great sense of style or lives a very active lifestyle. A mental quality you enjoy could be that this person is very gifted in the sciences or loves to share information with others. A spiritual quality may be that this person is very present in their interactions with others or that they are dedicated to living authentically. The possible list of qualities you enjoy in another are endless.
The point here is that in every given situation we have a plethora of things we can focus our attention on. There is never just one truth or one set way of looking at things in any of our life experiences; there are always a multitude of factors that comprise our physical reality.
For example, say you're in a coffee shop with a friend, and your friend is excited about something and is talking a bit loudly and arousing glances from other customers. You could on one hand choose to feel annoyed with your friend because you feel like they should keep their voice down to avoid the attention of others around you. When you react with a feeling of annoyance, it may seem like you do not have a choice in the matter, but in fact you very much do have control over what you focus on.
You see, if you were to approach the situation from a different angle, you might choose to focus on the fact that your friend is clearly excited about what they are talking about, and feel grateful to have such a passionate person to hang out with. Sure, others may glance your way, but you don't care, because you're just enjoying listening to and sharing in your friend's enthusiasm.
In another example, say your significant other has a certain habit that gets on your nerves. Every time you see them engaging in this habit, you feel your blood boiling and you just want to leave the room and/or scream at them to stop what they are doing. A more gentle and ultimately more effective approach would be to divert your attention to something else that didn't arouse such intense negative emotions. If you want to stop feeling so upset over what your partner does, make it a practice to simply ignore whatever it is that you dislike. Instead of focusing on what you do not like in your partner, bring your attention to what you do like in them. Make a list if you have to, and come up with as many positive qualities as you can think of. What were the qualities that initially drew you to this person? When this person is at their best, how do they carry themselves? What are the talents and strengths of this person?
You see, by doing this exercise you will be shifting your energy from what you do not want to what you do want. Since the Law of Attraction is always at work in your life, you will have shifted your point of attraction from a place of negativity and things you do not want to a place of positive energy and things you do want.
Further, you will not only be feeling better by focusing on the good qualities about your partner, but you will also be moving from a place of hostility and judgement towards a place of love and acceptance. This shift will not only benefit your own well-being, but also the well-being of your partner. Even if your partner does not consciously realize that you are being more accepting of their habits and ultimately who they are in their current state, they will pick up on your vibes on some level and thus feel better about your relationship. From a place of contentment with your relationship, they will likely tone down on their habit, unless it is a habit that has no inherent ill effects, in which case, it was probably an over-reaction or misjudgment on your part anyway.
Now, you can use this exercise for anybody at all, including yourself, your friends and family, the person waiting on you at the bank, or whoever else you come into contact with. Whenever you notice yourself starting to think negative thoughts about another, do whatever you can to shift your attention to the good qualities of the person. If you are doing this for yourself or any close relationship in your life, I suggest you look over or review this list every day and whenever you start to think negative thoughts. Negative thoughts hurt your being, you see. They only cause dis-ease in your body, mind, and spirit.
If you or another practice a harmful and/or abusive behavior, of course you should not stand by and allow it to continue to happen. Sometimes action is required to protect yourself or others, but that doesn't mean you can't focus on the positive aspects of the situation. If you're able to notice the harmfulness of your own or another's behavior, be grateful that you are aware of this. Awareness is the first step to making any kind of meaningful change. Sometimes we can transform another's behavior through our thoughts, or more accurately, through the way we view and treat another, but this isn't always the case. In such cases, we need to leave any situations where our own safety is at risk. A good thing to remember here is that we do not have control over anyone's thoughts, feelings, or actions except for ourselves. Once we truly take in and understand this idea, we become extremely empowered and learn to become positive co-creators in our lives (co-creating with Source or Spirit of course).
Even if we do not inspire others to change their behaviors or qualities, at least we can be inspired by the fact that our attitudes and reactions to the behaviors and qualities of others are completely within our control. Of course, we have little chance of changing how we perceive and react to others and our life experiences unless we are able to be mindful in our lives. Start to cultivate your awareness by simply noticing what kinds of thoughts you are thinking and what kinds of emotions you are feeling. When we are thinking negative thoughts or feeling unwanted emotions, that is a good signpost that we are on the wrong track. If you desire to live a peaceful, joyous life, do whatever you can to divert your negative thoughts to thoughts of relief or thoughts coming from a place of love and acceptance of what is. Furthermore, as soon as you become aware that you are feeling a negative emotion, do whatever you can to feel better. You can do this by thinking of all the things in your life you feel grateful for, by focusing on all the things you love about yourself and others, or simply by doing something you enjoy and that lifts your spirits.
The better you feel, the more your thoughts will reflect your true nature of love and infinity; conversely, the more your thoughts reflect your true nature, the more joyful and at peace you will feel. The more you focus on the good things in life and what you love about yourself and others, the more you will experience these events and qualities in all areas of your life. If you feel overwhelmed by all of this, start with yourself. What do you love about yourself? What are your talents and strengths? What are others often complimenting you on? How would you like to see yourself? The best way to cultivate a desired quality in yourself is to believe and act like you already have this quality. If you desire a quality, you do contain the very same quality within, you may just need to activate it with your thoughts! So I say, get to it, and have fun with it!
The point here is that in every given situation we have a plethora of things we can focus our attention on. There is never just one truth or one set way of looking at things in any of our life experiences; there are always a multitude of factors that comprise our physical reality.
For example, say you're in a coffee shop with a friend, and your friend is excited about something and is talking a bit loudly and arousing glances from other customers. You could on one hand choose to feel annoyed with your friend because you feel like they should keep their voice down to avoid the attention of others around you. When you react with a feeling of annoyance, it may seem like you do not have a choice in the matter, but in fact you very much do have control over what you focus on.
You see, if you were to approach the situation from a different angle, you might choose to focus on the fact that your friend is clearly excited about what they are talking about, and feel grateful to have such a passionate person to hang out with. Sure, others may glance your way, but you don't care, because you're just enjoying listening to and sharing in your friend's enthusiasm.
In another example, say your significant other has a certain habit that gets on your nerves. Every time you see them engaging in this habit, you feel your blood boiling and you just want to leave the room and/or scream at them to stop what they are doing. A more gentle and ultimately more effective approach would be to divert your attention to something else that didn't arouse such intense negative emotions. If you want to stop feeling so upset over what your partner does, make it a practice to simply ignore whatever it is that you dislike. Instead of focusing on what you do not like in your partner, bring your attention to what you do like in them. Make a list if you have to, and come up with as many positive qualities as you can think of. What were the qualities that initially drew you to this person? When this person is at their best, how do they carry themselves? What are the talents and strengths of this person?
You see, by doing this exercise you will be shifting your energy from what you do not want to what you do want. Since the Law of Attraction is always at work in your life, you will have shifted your point of attraction from a place of negativity and things you do not want to a place of positive energy and things you do want.
Further, you will not only be feeling better by focusing on the good qualities about your partner, but you will also be moving from a place of hostility and judgement towards a place of love and acceptance. This shift will not only benefit your own well-being, but also the well-being of your partner. Even if your partner does not consciously realize that you are being more accepting of their habits and ultimately who they are in their current state, they will pick up on your vibes on some level and thus feel better about your relationship. From a place of contentment with your relationship, they will likely tone down on their habit, unless it is a habit that has no inherent ill effects, in which case, it was probably an over-reaction or misjudgment on your part anyway.
Now, you can use this exercise for anybody at all, including yourself, your friends and family, the person waiting on you at the bank, or whoever else you come into contact with. Whenever you notice yourself starting to think negative thoughts about another, do whatever you can to shift your attention to the good qualities of the person. If you are doing this for yourself or any close relationship in your life, I suggest you look over or review this list every day and whenever you start to think negative thoughts. Negative thoughts hurt your being, you see. They only cause dis-ease in your body, mind, and spirit.
If you or another practice a harmful and/or abusive behavior, of course you should not stand by and allow it to continue to happen. Sometimes action is required to protect yourself or others, but that doesn't mean you can't focus on the positive aspects of the situation. If you're able to notice the harmfulness of your own or another's behavior, be grateful that you are aware of this. Awareness is the first step to making any kind of meaningful change. Sometimes we can transform another's behavior through our thoughts, or more accurately, through the way we view and treat another, but this isn't always the case. In such cases, we need to leave any situations where our own safety is at risk. A good thing to remember here is that we do not have control over anyone's thoughts, feelings, or actions except for ourselves. Once we truly take in and understand this idea, we become extremely empowered and learn to become positive co-creators in our lives (co-creating with Source or Spirit of course).
Even if we do not inspire others to change their behaviors or qualities, at least we can be inspired by the fact that our attitudes and reactions to the behaviors and qualities of others are completely within our control. Of course, we have little chance of changing how we perceive and react to others and our life experiences unless we are able to be mindful in our lives. Start to cultivate your awareness by simply noticing what kinds of thoughts you are thinking and what kinds of emotions you are feeling. When we are thinking negative thoughts or feeling unwanted emotions, that is a good signpost that we are on the wrong track. If you desire to live a peaceful, joyous life, do whatever you can to divert your negative thoughts to thoughts of relief or thoughts coming from a place of love and acceptance of what is. Furthermore, as soon as you become aware that you are feeling a negative emotion, do whatever you can to feel better. You can do this by thinking of all the things in your life you feel grateful for, by focusing on all the things you love about yourself and others, or simply by doing something you enjoy and that lifts your spirits.
The better you feel, the more your thoughts will reflect your true nature of love and infinity; conversely, the more your thoughts reflect your true nature, the more joyful and at peace you will feel. The more you focus on the good things in life and what you love about yourself and others, the more you will experience these events and qualities in all areas of your life. If you feel overwhelmed by all of this, start with yourself. What do you love about yourself? What are your talents and strengths? What are others often complimenting you on? How would you like to see yourself? The best way to cultivate a desired quality in yourself is to believe and act like you already have this quality. If you desire a quality, you do contain the very same quality within, you may just need to activate it with your thoughts! So I say, get to it, and have fun with it!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
You are what you think about
I'm sure many of you have heard some of the hype about the Law of Attraction, perhaps from the book/dvd "The Secret," an article you've read, or perhaps from somebody you know. Though the term "Law of Attraction" is becoming more widespread in our society, there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about how to apply and utilize it in our lives. Though there is much to say and many places to research it, below is a brief synopsis that hopefully will help you understand better how The Law of Attraction works.
The first idea crucial to understanding the Law is that your thoughts are a form of energy. Since energy attracts like energy, every thought that you put out there is attracting like thoughts and/or circumstances. Hence, if you are worried about not having enough money, you will not only be attracting further worries about your finances, but you will attract further circumstances in which you lack money. Thought of lack leads to more lack, you see.
If conversely, you are focused on abundance and wealth, you will attract further thoughts of this nature, and you will be attracting more abundance and wealth into your life experience. Thoughts of plentitude lead to more plentitude and ultimately more of what you want.
Whenever possible, you want to focus on what you do want rather than what you do not want. The Universe does not respond to the word "no" or "not," instead it responds to your thoughts with more of what you are thinking about, regardless of whether you actually want the thought/circumstance or not. So if you're thinking, "I don't want to be late again," you're going to attract more of being late in your life; if you are thinking, "I want to be healthy," you are attracting more well-being into your life. Also, the stronger your emotions are when thinking any given thought, the more powerfully you set the Law of Attraction into motion. Many of our thoughts are neutral with little or no attracting power, like when we think about what we want for dinner or are choosing an outfit to wear.
An important note here is that it doesn't matter where you currently stand in your life; you can begin to utilize the Law of Attraction from whatever situation or standpoint you are coming from. If you're coming from a place of extreme dissatisfaction with your life, that's okay, but the key to success here is to overlook your current negative feelings and replace them with more positive feelings whenever possible.
You see, your feelings are a guide post for what kinds of thoughts you are thinking; if you are feeling positive emotions, such as peacefulness, joy, or love, then your thoughts are in line with who you are and who you want to become; in this state, you will be able to use the Law of Attraction with great success.
If, on the other hand, you are feeling any sort of negative emotion, for example jealousy, anger, or despair, this is a sign that your thoughts are not in line with who you are or with what you desire. Knowing this, you can become more aware of your thoughts and thus shift your thoughts to feelings of relief when you become aware of feeling any sort of negative emotion.
So, in order to successfully attract what you want into your life, it's not only necessary to focus on those things which you like and those things you want, but you must also do it from a place of good feeling emotion. If your thoughts do not align with your emotions, then you will not be sending the desired signal to the universe to align with you and your wants.
When focusing on that which you want, you must simultaneously be feeling positive emotions in order to manifest your desire. Additionally, you must remove all doubt from your mind of whether your desire will be realized. After you focus on that which you want and conjure up good feelings about it, you must expect that this desire will be fulfilled. Leave aside all judgments and fears about that which you want and just focus on the good feeling emotions that accompany realizing your desire.
The Universe is always responding to your thoughts and feelings, you see. So when you are focusing on that which you do not want or feeling any sort of negative emotion, the Universe brings forth more of the same; that which you do not want and that which does not feel good.
To get this whole process of manifesting your desires started, you must find a way to feel good about your life. Even if you wish to change your life situation, you must find a way to accept your life the way it is currently, while also feeling joy in regards to what you wish to bring forth in your life experience. A great way to do this is to make a list of everything you are grateful for in your present life. This list can include anything including friends, family, your talents or abilties, your hobbies or passions, whatever. Once you have made the list, read this list often, whenever you have a few spare minutes, whenever you feel yourself starting to worry or think negative thoughts, and most effectively, first thing in the morning when you wake up (this will set your day off to a great start, increasing your likelihood to attract positive thoughts and experiences).
Just by becoming more grateful for your current life, you become more aligned with Source energy/the Universe, and thus you enable yourself to attract the life you want. By starting off with good feeling emotions, you enter into a positive state of being and thus a positive state of creating, so whatever you create from this state will be in alignment with who you are and what you desire.
So, to sum it up:
Feel good, focus on that which you want, and believe that your desires are on their way.
An important note here is that you do not want to think of your desires as being separate from you, far removed in the future, but you want to think of them as already in motion, part of who you are, waiting to be expressed in your life at the perfect moment.
A word of caution: Keep an open mind about how and when your desires will come to manifest in your life. The Universe often has different ideas than you about how to bring something into your life and when to do so, and always for the better. If you worry your desire will not come for any reason, you are once again focused on lack. Become aware of your thought process so you can shift your thinking back to thoughts of gratitude and abundance any time you are feeling unease, doubts, or fear.
Another thing to avoid: The whole purpose of this Law is to bring forth what you desire into your life with ease and very little effort, so you don't want to worry yourself about what actions you should take.
If you are staying true to the process I have outlined, the Universe is aligning itself with your desires and if it is necessary for you to take any sort of action, you will intuitively know what to do. Following the steps automatically makes you much more aware of opportunities, people, and circumstances that will aide you in realizing your desires. Just trust the process and let your inner guidance/intuition guide you. Doing these things, you can't go wrong!
If you follow the three steps I mentioned above, your desires are sure to come to you: it's Law.
Though it can be tough in the beginning to have faith in the process, it will get easier and easier for you as you go on, as the more success you experience, the more faith you will have, and thus the even greater the success you will experience.
For beginners, I recommend starting with small requests and desires; that way, you won't be bogged down by feelings of doubt or disbelief. Then, gradually, as you begin to understand the process a bit better and you have built up more faith in the Law of Attraction and its power to aide you in your life experience, focus on bigger and better wants and desires, and one day, you'll truly understand that there is no limit to this process. If you can hold an idea or desire in your mind, then it is possible to achieve; it's just a matter of being able to focus on your vision, feeling good about your vision, and knowing from within that your vision is on its way to entering your physical existence.
Personally, it has taken me lots of reading, talking with others, and personal experimentation to truly understand this Law and utilize it with great success in my life. It sounds a little tricky at first, but the more you work with it, the more it will sink in, I promise!
For more information about The Law of Attraction and related material, I highly recommend the following books:
The Law of Attraction by Ester and Jerry Hicks (Teachings of Abraham)
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling by Dr. Wayne Dyer
Also, feel free to drop me an e-mail with your questions or comments!
Thanks for reading! May you attract only goodness and beauty into your life experience!
The first idea crucial to understanding the Law is that your thoughts are a form of energy. Since energy attracts like energy, every thought that you put out there is attracting like thoughts and/or circumstances. Hence, if you are worried about not having enough money, you will not only be attracting further worries about your finances, but you will attract further circumstances in which you lack money. Thought of lack leads to more lack, you see.
If conversely, you are focused on abundance and wealth, you will attract further thoughts of this nature, and you will be attracting more abundance and wealth into your life experience. Thoughts of plentitude lead to more plentitude and ultimately more of what you want.
Whenever possible, you want to focus on what you do want rather than what you do not want. The Universe does not respond to the word "no" or "not," instead it responds to your thoughts with more of what you are thinking about, regardless of whether you actually want the thought/circumstance or not. So if you're thinking, "I don't want to be late again," you're going to attract more of being late in your life; if you are thinking, "I want to be healthy," you are attracting more well-being into your life. Also, the stronger your emotions are when thinking any given thought, the more powerfully you set the Law of Attraction into motion. Many of our thoughts are neutral with little or no attracting power, like when we think about what we want for dinner or are choosing an outfit to wear.
An important note here is that it doesn't matter where you currently stand in your life; you can begin to utilize the Law of Attraction from whatever situation or standpoint you are coming from. If you're coming from a place of extreme dissatisfaction with your life, that's okay, but the key to success here is to overlook your current negative feelings and replace them with more positive feelings whenever possible.
You see, your feelings are a guide post for what kinds of thoughts you are thinking; if you are feeling positive emotions, such as peacefulness, joy, or love, then your thoughts are in line with who you are and who you want to become; in this state, you will be able to use the Law of Attraction with great success.
If, on the other hand, you are feeling any sort of negative emotion, for example jealousy, anger, or despair, this is a sign that your thoughts are not in line with who you are or with what you desire. Knowing this, you can become more aware of your thoughts and thus shift your thoughts to feelings of relief when you become aware of feeling any sort of negative emotion.
So, in order to successfully attract what you want into your life, it's not only necessary to focus on those things which you like and those things you want, but you must also do it from a place of good feeling emotion. If your thoughts do not align with your emotions, then you will not be sending the desired signal to the universe to align with you and your wants.
When focusing on that which you want, you must simultaneously be feeling positive emotions in order to manifest your desire. Additionally, you must remove all doubt from your mind of whether your desire will be realized. After you focus on that which you want and conjure up good feelings about it, you must expect that this desire will be fulfilled. Leave aside all judgments and fears about that which you want and just focus on the good feeling emotions that accompany realizing your desire.
The Universe is always responding to your thoughts and feelings, you see. So when you are focusing on that which you do not want or feeling any sort of negative emotion, the Universe brings forth more of the same; that which you do not want and that which does not feel good.
To get this whole process of manifesting your desires started, you must find a way to feel good about your life. Even if you wish to change your life situation, you must find a way to accept your life the way it is currently, while also feeling joy in regards to what you wish to bring forth in your life experience. A great way to do this is to make a list of everything you are grateful for in your present life. This list can include anything including friends, family, your talents or abilties, your hobbies or passions, whatever. Once you have made the list, read this list often, whenever you have a few spare minutes, whenever you feel yourself starting to worry or think negative thoughts, and most effectively, first thing in the morning when you wake up (this will set your day off to a great start, increasing your likelihood to attract positive thoughts and experiences).
Just by becoming more grateful for your current life, you become more aligned with Source energy/the Universe, and thus you enable yourself to attract the life you want. By starting off with good feeling emotions, you enter into a positive state of being and thus a positive state of creating, so whatever you create from this state will be in alignment with who you are and what you desire.
So, to sum it up:
Feel good, focus on that which you want, and believe that your desires are on their way.
An important note here is that you do not want to think of your desires as being separate from you, far removed in the future, but you want to think of them as already in motion, part of who you are, waiting to be expressed in your life at the perfect moment.
A word of caution: Keep an open mind about how and when your desires will come to manifest in your life. The Universe often has different ideas than you about how to bring something into your life and when to do so, and always for the better. If you worry your desire will not come for any reason, you are once again focused on lack. Become aware of your thought process so you can shift your thinking back to thoughts of gratitude and abundance any time you are feeling unease, doubts, or fear.
Another thing to avoid: The whole purpose of this Law is to bring forth what you desire into your life with ease and very little effort, so you don't want to worry yourself about what actions you should take.
If you are staying true to the process I have outlined, the Universe is aligning itself with your desires and if it is necessary for you to take any sort of action, you will intuitively know what to do. Following the steps automatically makes you much more aware of opportunities, people, and circumstances that will aide you in realizing your desires. Just trust the process and let your inner guidance/intuition guide you. Doing these things, you can't go wrong!
If you follow the three steps I mentioned above, your desires are sure to come to you: it's Law.
Though it can be tough in the beginning to have faith in the process, it will get easier and easier for you as you go on, as the more success you experience, the more faith you will have, and thus the even greater the success you will experience.
For beginners, I recommend starting with small requests and desires; that way, you won't be bogged down by feelings of doubt or disbelief. Then, gradually, as you begin to understand the process a bit better and you have built up more faith in the Law of Attraction and its power to aide you in your life experience, focus on bigger and better wants and desires, and one day, you'll truly understand that there is no limit to this process. If you can hold an idea or desire in your mind, then it is possible to achieve; it's just a matter of being able to focus on your vision, feeling good about your vision, and knowing from within that your vision is on its way to entering your physical existence.
Personally, it has taken me lots of reading, talking with others, and personal experimentation to truly understand this Law and utilize it with great success in my life. It sounds a little tricky at first, but the more you work with it, the more it will sink in, I promise!
For more information about The Law of Attraction and related material, I highly recommend the following books:
The Law of Attraction by Ester and Jerry Hicks (Teachings of Abraham)
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling by Dr. Wayne Dyer
Also, feel free to drop me an e-mail with your questions or comments!
Thanks for reading! May you attract only goodness and beauty into your life experience!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
You are always in control of your life!
I don't know if you're familiar with the writer and spiritual teacher named Eckhart Tolle, but his work has been instrumental to me on my spiritual journey. His first book, "The Power of Now" opened my mind up to a completely different perspective of the world. He taught me that I am not my thoughts, feelings, desires, or actions, (in other words, I am not my ego). But most of all, he taught me that in any given situation, I have a choice in how I respond, and thus I have control over how to live my life.
Tolle writes that we have 3 choices in responding to any given situation: we can accept the situation, resist the situation, or change the situation. In cases where we lack control over the situation, for example, say we're stuck in a traffic jam, we have the choice of either accepting the situation or resisting the situation. In times when we do have control, of course we can also accept or resist the situation, but we also have the power to change the situation.
Using the previous example of a traffic jam, think about how you react to being in this situation. Do you ever think thoughts like, "Damnit, why does this have to happen to me!?" or "I'm going to be late and then I'm not going to be able to do what I want to do.. my whole day is ruined!" or even just "This sucks."
It doesn't matter which of the thoughts above you are having; all of them lead to negative emotions and thus negative emanations of energy. You see, we have thoughts like these when we are resisting what is, when we resist the situation at hand. However, feeling inner resistance makes no sense because it has no power to change the actual circumstance we are experiencing, for it only affects our peace of mind in a very destructive way.
What if instead of feeding into our negative thoughts of being stuck in a traffic jam, we were to come into a state of acceptance with what is. Somebody in this state might think thoughts like, "Well, I'm in traffic, and there's nothing I can do about it. I might as well make the most of this time," or "I'm not the only one stuck in traffic, many others around me are too, so I guess we'll all have to wait it out together." Of course, thinking these kinds of thoughts rather than the negative or helpless kinds of thoughts above leads to much more desirable feelings and peace of mind. Such ways of thinking are in acceptance with what is. While the individual who thinks such thoughts realizes that they cannot change the fact that they are stuck in traffic, they realize that they can choose to accept the situation, resulting in feelings of ease rather than dis-ease.
In cases of situations that we do have control over, say how we choose to earn our living, it also makes no sense to practice resistance. If such a situation displeases us in any way, at any time we can make the choice to do something else. Say you've been working at a company for 20 years and you can't stand this job, the work itself isn't fulfilling to you and maybe you even dislike your boss. You feel the urge to quit and do something else, but you feel inner resistance. You keep telling yourself, "I've stuck it out for this long, it makes no sense to quit now and start all over again at a different place," or "I don't really have any other skills besides what I've learned here, and who knows if anyone else would hire me."
Now, while these thoughts might have some reason behind them, they are not in and of themselves the truth. Mixed in with the truth is the voice of inner resistance, or fear, of changing your path and trying something new. Sure, you may have to start all over at a new place, but you might find something else that suits you better that you actually enjoy doing. Having a job you liked would be beneficial to your overall well-being, no? And though it may be true that you don't have too many recent skills on your resume besides your current job, that doesn't inhibit you from learning new skills that you may again be better suited for or enjoy more than the ones you are using now, in a job you dislike and dread going to day after day after day.
You see, in no way are you bound to do what you do not want to do; how you choose to act is always your own personal choice. It's easy to believe we must act according to how others want us to act, by societal norms, or any other ideas external to ourselves, but this is never the case. The fact is, even if we tried to please everybody and follow all accepted cultural standards of behavior, we could never do it. There are simply too many people and too many existing ideas and codes of behavior out there for us to be able to possibly satisfy each and every one. In fact, many of the things we are told we should do are in direct contradiction to other things we are told we should do.
So, following from all of this, it really only makes sense to accept the present moment when you lack control in a given sitation and to accept or change the situation when you do have control. We can do this easily when we become more mindful of our own thoughts and as we become more skilled at listening to our own instincts and inner desires when acting in the world. If you feel the need to change an event or circumstance in your life, then get on it! The only thing that can possibly hold you back is your own thoughts or belief system. Just think of all the stories you have heard of seemingly larger than life individuals who have overcome unbelievable obstacles to ultimately become very successful in what they do. What separates such people from ordinary folks is that they hold a vision of how they want to live and they believe in their vision; in fact, they live and breathe their vision so that it inevitably becomes their reality. Though some of these stories sound fantastical or near impossible, your life could become one of them if you only allow yourself to follow your vision, believe in your vision, and ultimately let it guide you to live the life you have always known you were meant to live. So what's stopping you?
Tolle writes that we have 3 choices in responding to any given situation: we can accept the situation, resist the situation, or change the situation. In cases where we lack control over the situation, for example, say we're stuck in a traffic jam, we have the choice of either accepting the situation or resisting the situation. In times when we do have control, of course we can also accept or resist the situation, but we also have the power to change the situation.
Using the previous example of a traffic jam, think about how you react to being in this situation. Do you ever think thoughts like, "Damnit, why does this have to happen to me!?" or "I'm going to be late and then I'm not going to be able to do what I want to do.. my whole day is ruined!" or even just "This sucks."
It doesn't matter which of the thoughts above you are having; all of them lead to negative emotions and thus negative emanations of energy. You see, we have thoughts like these when we are resisting what is, when we resist the situation at hand. However, feeling inner resistance makes no sense because it has no power to change the actual circumstance we are experiencing, for it only affects our peace of mind in a very destructive way.
What if instead of feeding into our negative thoughts of being stuck in a traffic jam, we were to come into a state of acceptance with what is. Somebody in this state might think thoughts like, "Well, I'm in traffic, and there's nothing I can do about it. I might as well make the most of this time," or "I'm not the only one stuck in traffic, many others around me are too, so I guess we'll all have to wait it out together." Of course, thinking these kinds of thoughts rather than the negative or helpless kinds of thoughts above leads to much more desirable feelings and peace of mind. Such ways of thinking are in acceptance with what is. While the individual who thinks such thoughts realizes that they cannot change the fact that they are stuck in traffic, they realize that they can choose to accept the situation, resulting in feelings of ease rather than dis-ease.
In cases of situations that we do have control over, say how we choose to earn our living, it also makes no sense to practice resistance. If such a situation displeases us in any way, at any time we can make the choice to do something else. Say you've been working at a company for 20 years and you can't stand this job, the work itself isn't fulfilling to you and maybe you even dislike your boss. You feel the urge to quit and do something else, but you feel inner resistance. You keep telling yourself, "I've stuck it out for this long, it makes no sense to quit now and start all over again at a different place," or "I don't really have any other skills besides what I've learned here, and who knows if anyone else would hire me."
Now, while these thoughts might have some reason behind them, they are not in and of themselves the truth. Mixed in with the truth is the voice of inner resistance, or fear, of changing your path and trying something new. Sure, you may have to start all over at a new place, but you might find something else that suits you better that you actually enjoy doing. Having a job you liked would be beneficial to your overall well-being, no? And though it may be true that you don't have too many recent skills on your resume besides your current job, that doesn't inhibit you from learning new skills that you may again be better suited for or enjoy more than the ones you are using now, in a job you dislike and dread going to day after day after day.
You see, in no way are you bound to do what you do not want to do; how you choose to act is always your own personal choice. It's easy to believe we must act according to how others want us to act, by societal norms, or any other ideas external to ourselves, but this is never the case. The fact is, even if we tried to please everybody and follow all accepted cultural standards of behavior, we could never do it. There are simply too many people and too many existing ideas and codes of behavior out there for us to be able to possibly satisfy each and every one. In fact, many of the things we are told we should do are in direct contradiction to other things we are told we should do.
So, following from all of this, it really only makes sense to accept the present moment when you lack control in a given sitation and to accept or change the situation when you do have control. We can do this easily when we become more mindful of our own thoughts and as we become more skilled at listening to our own instincts and inner desires when acting in the world. If you feel the need to change an event or circumstance in your life, then get on it! The only thing that can possibly hold you back is your own thoughts or belief system. Just think of all the stories you have heard of seemingly larger than life individuals who have overcome unbelievable obstacles to ultimately become very successful in what they do. What separates such people from ordinary folks is that they hold a vision of how they want to live and they believe in their vision; in fact, they live and breathe their vision so that it inevitably becomes their reality. Though some of these stories sound fantastical or near impossible, your life could become one of them if you only allow yourself to follow your vision, believe in your vision, and ultimately let it guide you to live the life you have always known you were meant to live. So what's stopping you?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
What is your Intention?
I find it extremely useful to ask myself first thing in the morning, before a big meeting or event, or even before meeting with a friend or loved one, the following question: "What is my intention?" Asking this question automatically pulls me into a state of mindfulness and forces me to reflect on how I wish to present myself and how I wish to act or be in the world. Though I can obviously experience pleasant or successful experiences without partaking in this practice, I have found that doing so almost always enhances my level of presence and my overall sense of joy and meaning of the experience.
Asking ourselves this question can be useful in any circumstance, whether extraordinary or mundane. Speaking to the former type of circumstance, I'm sure most of us would agree that asking this question would be very helpful before significant events such as a job interview or a first date with somebody we are interested in.
Asking about our intention before a job interview, we may saying something like, "I intend to be focused and clear-minded, to answer the questions openly and honestly, and to be very calm and at ease throughout the interview." Of course, doing this simple exercise increases the likelihood that we'll come across the way that we want, and it will ultimately help us to be more present and authentic in our communication with the interviewer. If you were the interviewer, wouldn't you rather hire somebody who is attentive and relaxed rather than one who is distracted or anxious?
Asking about our intention before a first date accomplishes the very same thing as in the former example. Before a big date, you may intend to "let my guard down, be a good listener, and just be myself." In each of these cases, you are preparing yourself to come across the way you desire and to be true to yourself and your inner intentions. Through being aware of this intention, you'll have a much easier time connecting with the other person and in turn they will likely have a much easier time connecting with you.
Of course, many of our life experiences are not quite as momentous as a job interview or first date, so what about those doings and interactions that we constantly are taking part in? We can very much benefit from focusing on our intentions in these areas as well. Say you're going to make a routine phone call to a client or you're about to clean a sink full of dishes.
In the first scenario, we may intend before making the phone call to be present, alert, and attentive to the needs and desires of our client. If we neglect to make this intention, we're more likely to try and rush through the phone call, and we very well might fail to hear what the client is trying to communicate with us. Just from making this intention, we are much more likely to feel at ease when speaking with our client and thus the interaction will go more smoothly. Not only will this interaction be more satisfying for you, but for your client as well.
In the example of washing dishes, (or performing any other chore for that matter), you may not particularly enjoy this activity, but all the more reason to choose your intention! Perhaps your intention could be to relax your body, clear your mind, or maybe even use the time to think about everything in your life you are grateful for. Focusing on any of these intentions, you have turned a usually unpleasant, monotonous activity into a relaxing experience charged with meaning and purpose. Sounds pretty nice, doesn't it?
If we engage in such common activities without ever making intentions, we very likely will view the activity as a means to an end; thus we'll be rushing through such activities to accomplish a certain end goal. When we are solely focused on the end goal, we consequently resist the present moment. From a spiritual standpoint, this is a very unfortunate thing, because our spiritual goal in this life is not only to accept the present moment, but to embrace the present moment as much as possible. We must be aware in the present moment as much as possible if we wish to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, because otherwise we lose ourselves in our thoughts, feelings, and activities, ultimately becoming identified with such things and missing out on the big picture.
Likewise, if we engage in the more momentous occasions of our lives without setting intentions, we will be doing ourselves a great disservice. By choosing and focusing on our intentions before partaking in those significant events in our lives, we are keeping ourselves on track with the needs and desires of our inner selves or spirits. We are delving beneath the surface of our ego and figuring out what our deepest beliefs and yearnings are, and enabling ourselves to live in line with those very beliefs and yearnings. Of course, when we're aligned with our highest selves, we are aligned with Source, and thus we are living with spiritual direction and purpose.
If you're interested in getting in touch with your inner being, becoming more mindful in your life, and ultimately living your life with purpose, try asking yourself "what is my intention?" periodically. If you're new to the practice, I suggest you start my asking this question first thing in the morning before you get out of bed and definitely before big events in your life. As you start noticing the benefits of this exercise, try doing it before any event you would like to consciously bring your attention to, events big and small. Try focusing on your intention before calling a friend, before embarking on a project at work, and even before ordering a coffee at your favorite cafe; each of our projects and interactions influence ourselves and others, you see. So I say, why not start becoming aware of your intentions, enabling yourself to put your best foot forward and become the person you want to be?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
My Underlying Intention
I know with utmost certainty that I am a spiritual being who happens to currently reside in this physical body I call my "self," or who others refer to as "Robyn." I know now that I am not my thoughts, feelings, actions, nor my possessions, titles, achievements, or failures. No, I am so much more than that. My true nature is formless, or "no-self" as Taoists might say; I am in my most basic form a bundle of energy, energy that came directly from Source or Universal Energy or Spirit or God, whatever term you prefer to use. Since I come from Source Energy, I must hold such energy within my very being. I could also say, since I am a direct creation of Spirit, I must contain the same spiritual essence that my creator is; Spirit must be a part of me and I must be a part of Spirit. Spirit and I are inseparable you see. I am Spirit in physical form, here on this planet to achieve a certain purpose that I set out to create before I ever entered this physical body. What is my purpose you may wonder? Through many years of reflection and meditation, I have come to understand my purpose as sharing my insights and revelations concerning Spirituality through my speech, actions, and writings to ultimately enrich the lives of others and aid in the evolution of human consciousness.
It's not just myself that represents Divinity in a human body, and it is not just myself that has a purpose on this planet; in fact, all human beings fall into both of these categories. All human beings, you, me, your parents and siblings, your friends and enemies, each of us came from the same place, and each of us were created by the same Source; thus, each of us are Divine beings in physical form and each of us came here for specific reasons. When you are no longer dominated by your ego and your inner being begins to guide your thoughts, feelings, and actions, you begin to understand that everyone and everything in this Universe is interconnected and interdependent. You begin to see the broader picture in which all forms of life are sacred, and no being is superior or inferior to any other. You begin to understand that people outside of your immediate circle including those you have never met and even those you dislike are ultimately one and the same with you and all other beings. Again, since all beings come from the same Source and all are inextricably connected to Source, all beings are unified as one harmonious, interwoven whole.
I am because we are, you see. You are because we all are. We all are because Source is. We are Source and Source is us. Following from this, we are most energized, joyous, and at peace with our lives when we are in alignment with Source energy. Most of us have been trained by society to align with egoic wants and desires, and when we fall into this trap, we disconnect ourselves from Source, leading to much suffering and discontent. It is only when we learn to overcome the ego and lay bare our authentic selves or our core beings, that we become aligned with who we really are, which is Source energy. My work here is to help you live the life you were meant to live, i.e. become aligned with Source and thus experience a most joyous, meaningful, and fulfilling existence. I will do this by sharing personal stories, insights from myself and others, and exercises designed to make you more aware of who you are and why you are here on this planet at this time. My intention is for this blog to inform you, open your mind to new ideas, and ultimately inspire you to live the life you came here to live. Are you ready?
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