song for the new year

Song for the New Year

(Thank you for reading this blog,

Hope that your mind it helps to unclog)

We welcome with open arms a new year,

A time for personal change is finally here,

Again ego based resolutions we will make,

Not from the heart so they will only break,

Let's fill our Selves with understanding and compassion,

A parade of forgiveness is the new fashion,

Letting go of the past for goodness sake,

Envisioning the joy we choose to bake,

Rejuvenated, empowered and enriched are words we sow,

Peace, harmony, and happiness we feel and know,

Love or hate is always a choice,

Let's pick the former and rejoice,

Unselfish caring for others gives us our divine connection,

When Beings of Light we see in our reflection,

We climb onto our horses of strength as we ride,

Bringing in hope to the New year we gallantly stride,

This year let's explore the realm of time and space,

Unwrinkling  our thoughts revealing a happier face,

All our troubles of the present we hereby release,

Happily our mind, spirit and consciousness are now at peace.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa

The season of joyous celebrations are here again. Whether it is Hanukah, Christmas or Kwanza, it is a time of family, friends, communing with nature and feeling the magic of it all. Delicious foods are  prepared, gifts are wrapped, homes are adorned with warm cosy decorations and musical cheer is spread through out the lands. It is a time of remembrance and a time of faith to unfold and ring in the New year. There is always a balance between hardship  and good times that we all face on a daily basis. This season is there to remind us of a vindication from ill times, troubled minds and sorrowful states with the promise of hope, love and faith regardless from where and which religion these teachings originate. 

In our hearts we have the long list of "things" that we write to our minds that we want or desire, our own personal " Dear Santa..." Yet what we really want within our hearts is peace, happiness, stability and most of all, love. Everything else that comes additionally to these ideals, is simply icing on a very elaborate cake, made with a host of unhealthy mental ingredients. The fictional letter we write in our hearts outlines our deepest desires and longing for a clearer and positive  vision for our futures. However why does this get transplanted with a materialistic filled list of personal possessions? It is the ego that jumps in at the opportunity to write this letter for You, and You then take a back step to your own center stage and watch the runaway production of your life unfold. In my humble opinion, take it back. Polish your own writing skills of your heart and take note of what you really desire. Allow the spirit of the season harness your unmet wants of love with compassion, your bitterness with forgiveness, your disappointments with faith. 

Together you can then forge a better future for yourself once your letter decisively reads " Dear Santa.. I choose to love" or " Dear Santa..I invite hope into my life" or " Dear Santa.. I am compassion"  or " Dear Santa.... I am joy." A change in tone of the letter is sometimes all it takes to make the difference in experiencing the holidays or having a holiday experience. It is with the leap of faith in not just the universe but moreover within yourself that you activate the essence of this magical season that is all around you. Once you understand this ability, you can use it at any time, knowing then truly that this season is all year round within you. Each religion that celebrates around this time has a symbolism of a candle burning. This is to reiterate to everyone that the light of love, faith and compassion shines bright and without borders of race, religion, age or gender. 

I hope that your reply to your letter comes swiftly and reads ".....may all dreams come true, love Santa"

Wishing you all a very happy and blessed holiday season !!

Competitions are not for losers

Competitions are not for losers

Just another 1/8th of a second and he could have beaten him to the Gold medal. Just another extra hour of work on this project more than the other competitors, could have closed the deal on this financial venture. Just another few more correct answers would have got me the better scorecard on the examination to get the better job that was given to someone else.  Day in and day out we compete with some other person. It is a force of nature and survival in order to get ahead. Instinctually, we do this in all walks of life. Whether at work to be more productive to make more money , at the gym trying to look better than another fellow exerciser, at the store haggling to get a better sale price, in school trying to achieve a better grade to beat another student. We teach this to our children to give them an edge to become better,stronger, faster, healthier, wealthier in order to live better, successful and happier lives. Nothing wrong with this philosophy especially since just about everybody everywhere does it. We sometimes force our children into the mind set of more education, more exercise, more, more and more is better. Society has trained us into these principles by virtue of survival. If you do not adapt, you perish. One little problem with this paradigm, we are competing against the wrong opponent. 

The opponent we should be comparing or competing against is ourselves. Striving to do better with oneself is far more nourishing, and rewarding in the long run as you yourself turn out to be stronger, quicker and more enlightened to help bring about a more advanced, a more aware and more peaceful society. We are all searching for a more improved and easier life, yet we literally kill ourselves in the process, without realizing the best possible life is the one we are living in the moment. By improving the self, we automatically improve the outcomes of our lives. For the skeptics I give you an example. 

At a pharmaceutical company the R & D division is spending billions of dollars to come up with the right drug to cure cancer. This is being done by several companies so that each one can get the patent to beat the competitor and then charge a whopping amount to make even more billions of dollars. Each person in the entire company is stressed and leads stressful lives to attain this goal. Now imagine the opposite. Each company individual strives to compete against themselves to lead healthier, more mindful lives. Through meditation, through awareness resulting in healthier exercise, mindful food choices, keeping a nourished brain and attitude, each person brings their 100% to the table from a place of peace versus from a place that they may lose their jobs. This is then magnified by everyone in the company right from R& D to sales and to administration which in turn helps to bring about a better drug to the market. Now say if all the companies choose to work together instead of against each other, not for profit, but for only helping others, how quickly do you think a cure for cancer or any other disease process could have been found? Cooperative competition, some thing to think about.

Competition is healthy as it keeps us sharp, focussed and keeps us in the game, and  moreover keeps us strong in the game, however if you keep the competition with yourself you run a stronger play in the game. You should have no one to fear, and no one to compare to, as this helps the ego quieten down. The ego is essentially your self preservation watchdog that is continuously  the surveillance to see who to compete against in order to preserve it self. Once turned off the ego can not hinder your own personal growth with doubts and fears of non-self competition. Not worrying about what others might say or think or do "against" you, you are free to flourish and  become superior to yourself at this very moment and continually improve moment to moment in the future as you progress. 

Life is a marathon not a sprint, and it is not a race but a journey to be enjoyed. At the Start line, a healthy, and aware mind will look either side at the competition and smile and see only itSelf looking back. The Finish line may be the end point in life, but getting there is half the fun, the other half is how good you look when you get there. So go win a trophy of excellence, a trophy of mindfulness, a trophy of peace and tranquility. Teaching that in the classrooms will benefit the next generation immensely as they embark on their own  journeys , their own races, hopefully not armed with the fear of competition with others but with the joyful contest within towards a brighter future in the winner circle. 

Gold, silver, and bronze medals all goes to You, the mindful soul.

Social responsibility

Social  Responsibility

This is a responsibility that we take for granted. A cardinal unwritten rule of social order, that everyone takes part for the betterment of the society as a whole. However it is far too often that individuals either feel entitled or groups feel that they are above the pecking order and so societal responsibility in general does not apply to them. Moreover entire groups come together and exercise their self declared and self appointed rights to be socially  irresponsible. Ironically they are working to the betterment of their own sub group of society and not towards society as a whole.  It is usually a group that "believes" that they have been repressed, treated unfairly, or down trodden and so revenge is exacted upon the oppressors but unfortunately the target is misdirected and becomes much larger and is aimed at the entire civilization regardless of the innocent. The group could be classified based on gender, race, religion, color, creed or orientation. There are always two sides to every story, and to this tossed coin of responsibility, one side naturally believes that they are right. The oppressed can be a group of white heterosexual  men who feel that they are disregarded when favored by other populous. It can be a group of black women who feel that they have had their civil liberties violated for decades. It can be a group of Asian monks who may feel that they have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. What do they all have in common? 

They have all pigeon boxed themselves into a category by their own volition and so when pressured by another entity, which is usually someone or a group that have also identified themselves as being different and opposite, they feel the need to fight out of a need for survival, and self preservation. In this way the responsibility to act becomes that of the self and not the society as a whole since clearly the society is factional. So the fundamental problem seems to stem from the upholding the identity of the self and down playing the identity of being part of something greater. If we are apparently more responsible towards our selves, are we truly being responsible towards ourselves by ignoring helping each other or the society as a whole? I was at a wedding reception recently where the waiters could not care less if the guests at the function were adequately taken care of. Their unwritten "responsibility" was to make sure  that the guests had adequate food, meals were served hot, and requests for beverages were appropriately and timely accommodated. This was not done as they believed they were getting paid regardless. So they stood  there out of indifference and ergo lack of responsibility. Simple courtesy towards them selves would have dictated that they "do their job" or social responsibility would have demanded that they act with courtesy.

Yet another example is the sub group of populations all over the world who use false excuses to misappropriate services rendered by the state. On grounds of mental or physical disability they misuse public offerings to the needy and deplete valuable and scarce resources. We can point fingers that it is corruption on all levels of either the group or the public administrators who turn the blind eye, yet, focussing blame on either side does not make the situation better nor does it accurately depict the problem. Both sides suffer from the severe lack of social responsibility due to the lack of self understanding. One might argue that they are both self aware, however that would mean they are both selfish, one side to take and the other selfish to not spend the time to say no. 

Self awareness is the integral part to sow the seeds of responsibilty to grow the tree of a society, and the eventual forest of a civilization. Each person taking action to help each other, to feed each other, to nourish and protect each other, then amazingly enough the circle comes right back and helps, feeds, nourishes and protects YOU !! If each person helped the person to their right, imagine your left shoulder being tapped and a smiling face saying " How can I be of service to you ?"  This is not a misguided attempt at explaining communism nor Marxism view points. This is a direct call to action to better oneself for the betterment of one Self, through the simple embracing of social responsibility. Whether you pick up stray garbage you see on your path on the street, or help a stranger find their way on unfamiliar streets, or hold the door for the next person, or pay the toll for the person behind you at the toll booth, or simply take interest and join the legitimate workforce, just make the effort of responsibility.  Love yourself, show love for your fellow beings, and embody love for your planet as a whole. There are no divisions in society, just those that you choose to create in your agitated and restless mind. 

How responsible do you feel today ?

Organized chaos

Organized chaos

How often do we find that when we plan to do a certain number of things, they usually only work out to completion about 50% of the time, yet when we have a significant number of chores to do and we do not get pressured by the concept of time, we usually get all the chores done. Is this disorganized order, or organized chaos? I have found that this happens to me on a regular basis, such that on the days that  I restrict myself to the idea that I have numerous "things to do" but only a finite amount of time to do them, less than 50% of the items actually get done. Even when I wish to cram in some fun chores, I always run out of time. This is not true when I realize that I have numerous chores but then I forget about the finite time restriction and just do the things, and then when all 100% of the tasks, be they menial or not,  are completed,  I find that not only did I get everything completed but I also saved time and was ahead of schedule. Why does this happen?

 

When we get pressured by time, we are under pressure. We freeze under the compaction of the finite time interval and so we contract and become slower than expected. The opposite is true if we are freed from the pressure of time pursuation and become lighter. We think clearer and become more productive when we are not focussed on trying to complete everything within a time period but instead  within that time period we complete everything.  We enjoy doing what we are doing, and therefore stay so focussed in the moment that we then end up filling the moments of time with more efficiency. We limit ourselves when we think that we may not be able to complete a task. Better still go over in your head all the things that you wish to do, then say it out loud or write it down, and then forget the list and systematically just start doing those items. This calls forth your powers of intention to the forefront and you engage in being more productive and peaceful. 

Have you ever wondered why some things you can be thinking about with so much concentration and then suddenly they manifest and then at other times  random thoughts pop into your head but nothing occurs with them? This is the same concept. As you concentrate in your minds eye of an important idea, such as you wanting to meet a long lost friend, and then they happen to call, or you really are desiring some particular item to eat and then "coincidently" it is on the newly offered option on a  menu at your favorite restaurant. Countless examples of this happen daily. What is happening is simply you are using your thoughts to manifest your reality. Similarly, when you are angry at someone,and deep down some streak of unkindness rears itself and wishes harm unto that person. Why does that person NOT get harmed? Your focus of manifestation did not originate from a place of strength, goodness or peace and so had  no constructive power, but moreover you cannot concentrate anger into reality since you cannot remain angry too long to allow the concentrated thought to manifest, unless of course you are the Dark Lord of the Sith from Star Wars. 

Organized chaos is my term for describing the blending of this idea of living with freeing your time and concentrating your good thoughts and manifesting them into reality.  I try to note all the things that have to get done ( whether things to buy, things to do, things to achieve) and then focus my thoughts of what needs to get done, and then let it go. To my own amazement,  I will find myself not only having completed all that I wish to at some point, but with more favorable outcomes in a better timed fashion that I was originally anticipating. Coincidence or organized chaos?  Time is fluid, and so by keeping our consciousness in the same way the two can merge for better and more improved results.The more control you seek in your life, the more it will elude you. The more control of things you think you have, the less control you have in reality. However the more you think of things that you have no control over, that is  in fact precisely where you have the most control. Having faith that something will get done and then moving to that goal, sets in motion all sorts of energies and wave patterns from your mind into the physical realm, and a new reality is manifest. As mentioned earlier,  the more focussed on a thought from a negative space, the more it will not become reality. 

Your creative engine can initiate and harness the powers of the universe and move anything into the physical realm so long as you are fulfilling your purpose. When this engine breaks down and the link and connection to the universal power is severed then states of physical disease, depression, doubts, fears, hate and anger set in. While connected, anything and everything  at anytime and any place is not in the realm of impossibility. Some would call it fate, and some would call it miracles, and others would dare to call it faith.  I call it "navigating your life and seizing  your destiny." So the question ends up being that in the course of your day, are you going to organize and compartmentalize your chaos or are you going to set it free and go with the flow. Spicing and varying your routines are one such way to let your mind and body not get used to set routines of complacency such that any deviance from your "plan of action" leads to the fall of the house of cards.  Mix it up a little.

I would champion the idea that when you stop thinking in a limited dimensional box of time and space, and allow those walls to fall, you enable your soul, your quietly awaiting spirit to shine. When you do this your creative energy is released to create with dimensionless drive, your joy is compounded with your happiness, your courage becomes boundless, and you exponentially rise into a state of abundance in all that you think, say, do. Your Self shines brighter than the effulgence of the sun so handle your "chaos" with enthusiasm and vigor.

Have you organized your chaos or have you created chaos in your organization? 

Thanks and Giving

Thanks & Giving

The time has come yet again of celebrating the time honored tradition of ThanksGiving. A typical fun fall time tradition of saying "Thanks" and stuffing yourself with gastronomic delights with friends and family. The holiday has really a double meaning. True that it literally means "to give thanks" however this time  I decided to  interpret it as two separate entities. " ThanksGiving"= thanks and giving.  Sure we can  and should be filled with gratitude and give "thanks" to not only friends and family and always remember the kindness of others such as the Native Americans who provided food and shelter to the starving pilgrims to the New World at a time of need. Yet I would submit that it is a great time to bring in the concept of simply giving. This simple act of giving of oneself unconditionally unto another brings with it its own rewards of gratitude and satisfaction. 

Giving can become manifest in infinite forms and certainly not limited to materialistic gifts. Giving unconditional love to another human being, with no desire to ever see it given back to you at that instant. Helping yet another with random acts of kindness is also a part of giving of oneself such as a sincere polite smile to a passerby, a gracious hello to a not so social coworker, holding the door for a perfect stranger, giving away your coveted parking spot to another random car, paying for a coffee for the next person behind you in line, or paying for the toll of the car behind you.  Giving your precious time is another fun concept. Time to spend with a little child who is making some wildly imaginary project with household pots and pans as you become "their" assistant or as you give your time to help read to the children's story time at a sick ward at the local children hospital or spend the time to help an angry troubled teen sort out their emotions and choices, or yet again spend time silently with an elder just to have them heard, or even give away your time to educate or mentor someone in a field of your own proficiency. 

Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. Two opposites of the same rope that is constantly in a state of a tug. If one does not give, one does not receive. If you are thrifty, miserly, and unyielding in your inability to share, then that is what you will receive in return. If you give from a place of love, it will be received with gratitude as that is the only way it can be energetically thrust forward. Giving with compassion will be received with compassion. Giving with less burdened heart will be received by another with sincerity and joy. It is your ego that gets in the way and expects immediate gratification from that same person, and if promptly disappointed, then it scorns the other person for being "ungrateful", " inconsiderate", " useless" etc. essentially a flood of unnecessary emotions and reactions.

No one in their right mind (minus the ego) is emotionally disturbed when they "give"  The moment you are involved in the act of giving you are actually receiving happiness as the very physics of giving, unloads you so that you are now in a state of receiving, and ergo you receive more of that which you have given. Nature abhors a vacuum. Give away clothes to help the under privileged, you receive an abundance of clothes, give away time to help someone, then some other person unbeknownst to you shows up to help you with an entirely different problem or issue. Give a person  flowers with love, your own compassion and soul blooms with love. Feeling lighter after giving of oneself with selflessness, consideration, compassion and gratitude fills the momentary void with feelings of empowered, renewed, rejuvenated, and so equipped to tackle anything, anywhere, anytime or anyone.  Giving also can be towards oneself inward and not just to another person outward. You can "give up" and in doing so receive only " getting down", or you can "give down- to a lower state of need" and in doing so receive "getting up" and you move to a higher level of your own consciousness.  The mental and spiritual freedom that is derived from when you give, affords you the luxury of freedom to give more and the receiving of inherent freedom. 

Giving just like attitudes can become quite infectious. Yet what if all your positive actions of giving lead to an equal tug of positive reactions, and is carried forward, then perhaps the circle of life is big enough that you too will see the effects of your selfless giving as you end up at the receiving end. Think of this Thanks Giving holiday as a wonderful practice of the art of giving just in time to get ready for the even bigger event of Christmas and the excitement and revelations that that particular holiday brings round the corner, but that is another story !

  Wishing you a wonderful day, Thanks for giving, and for giving Thanks. 

Have you given enough or have you more than enough given?

Quick quick quick

Quick Quick Quick.

Rushing around we try to get from point A to B then to C in fast order. We eat quickly, we think quickly, we do things quickly and speak too quickly. All we are really doing is hurtling quickly to our eventual demise without living. We think we are living,  but in fact we are just running to nowhere quickly, as if running on a treadmill without anywhere to go.  On the spot running is good if you are trying to lose weight and exercise in other words, with a purpose, but not if you are being chased. What are we bing chased by, you might wonder? Time. However if you sharply stop and turn around and face your adversary you might actually become the victor and not the victim. Make Time your friend, and your friend ,time will become. Being and not just doing becomes a state of mind and matter, and you then start to live. 

Quick, quick, quick... you might miss out on a really tasty savory gourmet meal as you wolf down your specially prepared meal at your local restaurant.

Quick, quick, quick... you might miss the opportunity to help a poor homeless person on the street as you look the other way rushing to your destination.

Quick, quick, quick ... you might miss the blooming of the beautiful tulips that will not come back for another year and only bloom for a few weeks in the year as you keep looking at your smart phone.

Quick, quick, quick... you might miss your child or grandchild being young and playful as  you are too busy doing chores.

Quick, quick, quick,, you miss out on a real bargain on a quality purchase at a store as you race for the advertised sale on cheaper items.

Quick, quick,quick... you might miss out on the breathtaking sunsets as you try to find parking as you go out for dinner to a restaurant. 

Quick, quick, quick you might miss out the tone and subtly in a conversation with your friend trying to tell you about  a fateful thing that had happened to them, as you rush through to get to your talking turn and agenda of speech.

Quick quick quick... you might miss out on learning anything from that book as you speed read through the chapters.

Quick, quick, quick.. you might miss the red traffic light as you are too busy texting or talking to someone on the phone while driving and not concentrating on the road.

Quick, quick, quick.. you might miss out on your entire life, as you are not mindful of your surroundings. 

All too often this plague of "quick, quick, quick" infiltrates our mind, and body and consciousness and then your new set point for your life begins at 200mph.  It is time to slow down and feel the moment. Meditation on a routine basis helps with that, such that it becomes your normal state of thought, speech and action. Time is on your side, but only depends on whether you accept the abundance of it and walk with time beside you as your friend, or not as your adversary that is chasing you. On the former you will have the abundance to live, and in the latter the scarcity to die. Look at your own internal clock and then look around you. 

When people say statements of fact like " things have changed so much" or "kids grow up so fast" or "time and tide wait for no man." These are maybe relatively true, but at which point of reference are we speaking about matters. The flowering plant, or child or entire cities that change, do not change in an instant or at the snapping of your fingers. It takes time for change to occur. The only reason why it feels like the passage of time was an instant, is because you were not mindful and so missed it. You awake from your dream-like state of chaos and "living quickly" and you have zipped way past any coherent sense of orientation of time and space. There is no reason to keep hurrying unless you have a big S on your chest, wearing blue tights,a red cape and saving the planet. Quick, quick, quickly  hurry up and slow down before it is too late for you to enjoy the moment that may ironically lead to the eventual opportunity that you would have missed to lead a happier, healthier and peaceful life.

Spend some "time" to really feel the passage of time. This is a very satisfying practice, and then you can say that you have truly " lived". Seeing the development and the changes of your city, or garden, or the growth of your child are worthwhile gestures to undertake for sure, but the evolution of yourSelf in your own body is a feat unto itself. Your soul or spirit or Self is immortal, and you are inside this mortal ever changing body as you jump from minute to minute, day to day, year to year, decade to decade. You are in fact "body jumping. " Leap frogging in time is basically what we are doing. I would propose that we walk into and  through the moments and while you are at it simply enjoy the walk ! 

What is your speed limit today?

Knowing nature

Knowing nature.

When we pause to look around us we see interesting marvels unfold. Look at the trees. They know exactly when to shed their leaves or bring them forth. They sense the sunlight durations, the temperature, the moisture and their innate life force that brings them back from hibernation. The birds know exactly when is the right time to start making nests, and on which branches of the trees to set up shop. Grass knows when to regrow. Salmon know exactly which stream of their birth to return to, to start mating. Spring is here and with it all of nature comes alive, as if an elaborate computer program was initiated and various subroutines are being carried out on a planetary scale. Nature relies on itself and its connection with the universe. It just knows. It seems to have a kind of faith and instinct of survival and an evolutionary trial and error mentality.  If we are part of nature do we have this same ability?

Yes we do is the simple answer. We too share this innate ability of knowing what to do next. We exist in our lives with the constant bombardment of stress, anxiety, doubt leading to fear and depression and moreover indecision. We lose our way and find comfort in habits that only further hinder our progress. Alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction and over eating are just some of these habits. There is no  wrong or right issue about these habits, given the fantastic nature of free will, however it is simply that these habits do not let us progress and evolve and grow. Disease states such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and eventual heart  and brain disease are simply out of sync states of our bodies when we are maligned with our mind, spirit and the true nature of our consciousness. When ripples in water are disrupted from their natural direction, so their flow of energy is impaired and they pocket and accumulate in one direction or the next. Similarly when your own flow of energy is disrupted disease accumulates in our bodies. Overindulgence in any habit, be it alcohol, drugs, smoking, eating, lying,  promiscuity upsets the delicate balance and flow of  your nature leading to the disarray of your personal evolution. 

Restoring the balance is key to leading a healthier, non judgmental and free existence. It is a necessary step in order to branch out from " existing " and then learning to "live". Having the courage to face and accept these habits, realizing that you have them and that they do not have you, is a start. We must all realize that we are more than the sum of our parts, and that just like nature, you too can maintain the balance. Humbleness and gratitude are all part of that knowing. The tree is humble in the protection it provides to the birds that rest on its branches, and has gratitude that the elements sustain its own life. So too we can find the essence of peace through understanding natures' time tested methods of survival.  Trusting in our genetics to do the right thing comes from trusting in ourselves, and the faith of simply knowing that everything will work itself out. This is not a fool hardy endeavor, as the only thing stopping you is the naysayer voice of fear that you allow yourself to hear in anything and everything you do. Blocking this voice, and listening to the voice of your Self allows the connections to grow, the opportunities to arise, and the desirable goals to manifest. 

Do you know your nature as well as you know your backyard?

Taking your prescription

Taking your prescription

We have pills these days for everything and anything. We have a pill to make you happy, or cut back the excessive happiness. We have pills to control your cholesterol and your blood sugar, only to help you eat more fast food and sweets. We have pills to make you fertile or make you infertile depending on your preferences. We have pills to increase your blood pressure or decrease it too. We can get a prescription, in other words, a health care provider gives you a pre-scribed medication for your particular problem. However compliance is always an issue. I find that if you ask someone "are you taking your medications?" the answer is usually yes. If you ask " how many times have you missed the medication this month?" The answer is usually surprisingly revealing of an average 60% non compliance. 

When you wish to feel better from whatever illness you must take the medication prescribed, if warranted of course. You cannot expect  results to occur if you just sit there and look at the pill in the bottle and hope for results. A quick leap of faith and a gulp of water helps the medicine go down, and healing processes begin. But you have to take the pill. Now supposing the ailment that requires attention is more non physical. Such as the feeling of lack of creativity, the lack of joy, the  feeling of hopelessness. Well there are lots of metaphorical pills for such ailments that are  prescribed by the universe. You have to take the leap again and take the prescribed pill. Meditation helps like as if going to the doctors office. Narrate to the universe what is your problem situation and just as you expect that the doctor gives you a solution after you tell him or her what  are your symptoms, expect that the universe will do the same. You have the diagnosis, the treatment is forthcoming always with a good  prognosis. 

Let's see what is in your pill box.

For lack of joy, there is the pill of being in the moment. Being still and conscious of the moment allows the joy of just being to creep in. No judgement of the moment enables you to ENJOY the moment, in other words ENter JOY.

For lack of creativity there is the pill of letting go. By freeing yourself you allow the creativity to return back to you like a boomerang. Holding on too tight suffocates the creative spirit within. Letting go sets it free to return with more positive force

For hopelessness there is the pill of faith. Having faith  in the moment of hopelessness, leap frogs you out of despair and directly into being hopeful.

For fear there is the pill of love. If you redirect your fear with feelings of love, the healing is rapid and instantaneous.

For jealousy and envy, there is the pill of respect. The more you respect yourself, there comes a point where you value yourself more than seeing your disillusioned "lack" that leads to envy and jealousy of another. Hence you then respect others for whom you only held envy and jealousy.

For pity there is the pill of compassion. Instead of pitying another person for their perceived deprived situation you fill yourself with compassion such that you are compelled to help them to rise them to an elevated level. Once elevated they are no longer lower to a imagined standard and so no reason to pity them.

For anger there is the pill of mindfulness. By being constantly mind-full you have no room for the emotion of anger as you are "full" of being aware of not only your surroundings but also all your emotions and so can have the pause momentarily to breathe and catch yourself from your passion of anger.

For hate there is the pill of forgiveness. When the extreme and destructive emotion of hate rears its ugly head, you can only send out beams of forgiveness at whatever you are hating. By forgiving what ever you believe has hurt you, the feeling of hate gets starved of its fuel and melts away like fog being hit by the morning sun. 

For uncertainty and doubts there is the pill of gratitude. By being thankful even before something has happened in your life, you bring forth the expectation of a good and favorable outcome. If you know the future you are prepared for it. So bless your future with gratitude and see it come true of your own devising.

The effect of these universal pills are cumulative. The more you practice and consume these pills, the more healing and progress you make, then one day you may be so much in a state of mindfulness you do not "catch the proverbial cold" Compliance is very important. We all fall off the band wagon from time to time but getting back on your regimental pill taking habits with regular meditation and mindful behaviors you can achieve your goal of staying spiritually healthy. A healthy spirit translates into a healthy mind and body and consciousness.

Have you taken your pills today? 

Down into the rabbit hole we go

Down in to the rabbit hole we go.

Do you remember the famous tale of Alice in Wonderland? She chased a rabbit into a hole and landed into a bizarre world. She was chasing the curiosity, which led her into trouble. A most interesting lesson if you can follow through the storyline, especially when you realize that you are in fact Alice and you go down a hole every day of your life. The question really then becomes have you come out of the hole or are you still burrowing and have lost sight of the entrance hole. What world are we living in, if not a fragmented psychedelic version of Wonderland  that we like to call reality ?

Whether it is in the jobs that we drudge through or the drama of family reenactments, or simply the mountains of stimuli that encase us, we are overcome and overwhelmed. The pressures and stresses of our lives leads us further down the hole that we have chosen to go through. The key words here are that "we have chosen." No one puts a gun to our head or makes us do anything that we choose not to do. Our lives are our own, till we choose that it is  not, and in the process lose ourselves. We have no one to blame but ourselves for allowing that loss of identity and the loss of control of our lives. One day we turn around and cannot see the hole entrance and then the subsequent feelings of being overpowered by this tunnel of misery come flooding in. The tunnel appears to close in on itself and on top of us. Getting buried alive is not to be taken lightly. It not only makes it harder to find a way out, but chokes the spirit till we finally die a silent meaningless death inside without the chance to cry out, "save me, I want out..."

All is not as grim and all is not as lost. You have the chance to build strong scaffolding that will ensure the tunnel of life stressors does not collapse upon you. Being aware of your surroundings is your tool, your spade to dig you out of the mess. "Letting go" and not constantly being in a state of  reacting, allows you to dig a wider tunnel with adequate space. Your strength of resolve ensures that you have a second shaft for air, a necessity  that all expert tunnel  builders will tell you. However in the end, your ability of free will, is what helps you to choose to go or not to go down the rabbit hole. Many will say that they live for others and have given themselves to others so completely that they have lost their identity unto others. You can easily make excuses and blame someone, something or a particular  circumstance but again that too is a choice of your life. Live a life of excuses or live free of excuses. There are plenty of people in the world who live free and simpler and perhaps more peaceful lives. Avoiding the rabbit hole does not translate into avoiding to live. It means you either are better prepared to go down the hole or find a better hole to go down to explore. 

If you do go down the hole, I would strongly suggest taking a flashlight. The more in tune you are with ourself, the brighter your inner flashlight to help you illuminate your path. Listen to your heart and brave the journey into the hole and out the other side. Most things through the hole and in your tunnel of your life are in fact beautiful but cannot be touched with anything except your heart.  Your pride will tell you that this is impossible. Your sense of experience will alert you that it is too risky. Your rationale will inform you  that it is pointless. Your heart and your soul will whisper "give it a try". 

Enjoy your personal Wonderland, just do not  be led by a strange rabbit, even if he had a cool hat.

Mirror mirror on the wall...

Mirror Mirror on the wall.....

It is very interesting that we look at ourselves in the mirror and we only see what we choose to see. We actually do not see who we really are, physically, mentally or spiritually. This is very much akin to visiting the circus  and going into the hall of mirrors. Each mirror depending on its concavity or convexity can portray distorted images of ourselves. These reflections vary according to our own opinion even if the mirror is appropriately and correctly made. 

We see ourselves through myopic vision and through a muddy filter of self criticism. Our ego sees us as grandiose and larger than life. Our mind sees us as inferior and ugly. Our experiences may see us through shame and inadequacy. Our pride may see us as self loathing. Our heart may see us as wounded and vulnerable. Our soul sees us as pure, bright and whole. It is not the mirror that needs to change but which part of ourself sees us. Moreover once this slight fine tuning of attitude occurs, we then reflect that image of the truer self in other words,  the image we wish to portray. 

Try a little exercise. Look at yourself in the mirror in the morning after getting up. Do not hurry to put on your Egyptian sarcophagus mask of make up, and simply look at yourself. Then see yourself. There is a subtle difference in words but an enormous  difference in reality. Write down what you look in one column and what you see in another. You will be surprised that the list is exactly opposite. When you "look" you are observing the superficial you. When you "see" you are observing the deeper true You. Try this exercise with a few trusted friends, but instead of the 2 columns just ask them to make a list of what they see. Instinctively your trusted friend will observe a very different persona and list of attributes that you may or may not have come up with. However this clearly demonstrates that observation is in the eye of the beholder, and moreover self criticism can be dangerous in that the true you may never come out if all you do is listen to this albeit false "version" of yourself. I have spoken to friends and asked them what they thought about themselves and found they may have a very self defeating portrayal of their identities. In fact most of the times I pointed out my observations about them, that were not only the opposite, but more positive. Was I wearing my myopic positive corrected   prescription glasses or was I simply seeing their truer natures?

Indeed self criticism  is important to help you  improve your personality, your goals and sharpen your skills. However this can lead to a darker path of self deprecation that ends up locking you in your cupboard and afraid of the world. Both extremes are possible without the leading rope of our spirit to guide us to a better and genuine self image and reflection. If unchecked a mirror of vanity can unleash an ego on the path of fabled destruction as seen in Snow White and the Seven dwarfs !  A cracked mirror is a sign of a fragmented mind. A shattered mirror is a sign of a broken heart.  Fears, doubts, anxieties and over self criticisms are usually the forces that initiate the damage to the mirror. An inability to see clearly through the broken pieces of mirror or see the forces that cause the fracture in the first place, is what leads to our eventual collapse. This inability to envision your Self is clouded by the ego. But how do you start seeing yourSelf?  Start by using different senses to see.

Courage to even look beyond your bad experiences is the first step. Then comes the acceptance to see through your wounded ego. This is hard as your ego will put up a terrific fight. Forgiveness to your aching heart comes only after you have tamed your windy mind with patience. Penultimately faith in yourSelf cuts through the negativity and reveals your awaiting  spirit. Gratitude at everything past and present that has happened or is happening to you, releases you to launch into a future with a clearer and truly representative reflection. 

"Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?"

The mirror replies: "You tell me...."

My my what a big stick you have

My My What a big stick you have?

 Have you ever noticed a person walking with a cane or a stick? They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and materials. The mechanics are most interesting. They are designed and fashioned to act almost like a tripod or in most instances as a crutch or to be an assistance in ambulation. They take the stress off most of the weight or full weight while either sitting down or standing up or in between the ambulation steps. The purpose is to provide support for the injured  party during a period of weakness. So too is the nature of a helpful friend, a supportive spouse, a nurturing parent or caregiver. One must never forget the individual who has to put up with the stress. In many cases it can be you as the injured party needing support, or you can be the kind stick providing the stressful support. 

With each step a lot of force and pressure is wielded into the stick or cane. Overtime if appropriate care towards the stick is not given it may crack or break under the exorbitant pressures. Even these supportive devices need a break from time to time. Have you ever talked to your cane, or crutch and asked this helpful individual as to how they are doing. Perhaps they need to relieve some pressure and tell their side of the story. This aide has been with you at a significant period in your life when  you most needed them. Perhaps reuniting with them before the stress fracture occurs is just as important as connecting with them at the beginning of the journey. According to Newtonian physics and third law,  there is an equal force placed on the stick as is placed on the individual, namely the law of action and reaction. So if you understand this principle you realize that this happy coexistence, this equal measure of force,  will not hold up unless both sides are equally strong. 

Your supporting person is only as strong as they are allowed to become. Through caring that they show you, you get stronger. So too this can be reciprocated. Be it a friend, a spouse, a parent or a primary care provider, the relationship is that of a much needed supportive cane. Treating him or her with respect, attention  and love,  is as valuable as you treating yourself in the same manner. Hence this develops the much needed strength to fulfill Newton's third law, ensuring many more years of steadfastness of your supportive device.

How strong is your stick or cane on any given day?

Looking up at the stars

Looking up at the stars

The loud  noises of the car horns, the brightness from the city street lights,  the luminescent buildings and electric commercial  signs, combined with the fast pace of our lives leave much to be desired as  we keep our heads down towards the ground and get to our preconceived destinations. We sometimes even miss our fellow walkers as we bustle through our day neither  making connections nor connecting to our surroundings. Yet we are always looking up at the stars for guidance to our personal chaos. When we get the rare chance to be outside at night, and the light of man made origin turns off, we see a new sort of radiance of light emerge as we readjust our eyes to the night time. 

The stillness is deafening. The serenity can be disconcerting to an agitated and distracted mind. The radiance is that of the star light. Like pin holes in the heavens, the night sky shines brightly down with effulgence. It is unfortunate that we either miss this amazing sight due to the artificial light pollution or our eternal material distractions in life. So too is true when we turn off the outside light and look inward at the beauty of the light of our souls. We look to the heavens above for guidance, yet it is the soul within that is always in connection with this heavenly pathfinder. The infinite stars not only represent the light to guide our nights, but also the infinite possible directions that we can take with our lives. Shining bright through our creativity, our Self expression, our inner radiance guides our day and night lives. 

How do we tap into this light? In my opinion, first acknowledge that you are You, and accept yourself for who you are. Perfections and flaws alike, simply accept that who you were, who you are today and who you will become in the future. Once you do this, you are giving the true You a chance at recognition by allowing your ever ominous, looming and overbearing mind to bow gracefully in acknowledgment at something other than itself. This chance gives way to the spirit, your true nature to start voicing its opinion.  

Next comes facing the next hurdle which is your fears and doubts. By confronting them all head on with a warm embrace. Feel the light from the candle of your soul start to burn brighter, and brighter till it has engulfed your fears and shone the light to disperse all the darkness. No corner of the room of your mind's eye should be left without being illuminated. This almost is like a mind cleansing of your old thoughts, doubts, anxieties, worries and more over your own self critisizm. Once you have dealt with these "demons"you become lighter to float and be as airy as the luminesence that you are trying to reveal. 

Being free to touch the stars with the belief that anything is possible is the next stage of evolutionary mindfulness. Dispensing the notion of disbelief is accomplishable if you try in the physical to be present at night time outside and feel yourelf as part of the stars above. Why do we look to the stars for guidance when we know that our souls if unburdened by the chains of the mind, have the  power to connect to the creator and the universe in an instant. The infinite stars are like infinite destinations waiting to be explored. To borrow and paraphrase a quote that " as it is on earth, so it is in heaven" I would add that as the inner light shines within, so does it shine from above, as seen in the twinkling of the luminescent night sky.  

Standing outside, the more our eyes dilate in the night and we get accustomed to the darkness, the clearer we see the stars, and if you have ever focussed on these stars you see more of them and with progressive brightness. The "twinkle" is like the stars looking back at you and winking as if to say we see you, we  hear you and we are here to help. Similarly the more you clean up your mind to start experiencing the stillness, the clearer the mind's eye vision gets to start seeing the bright star of your shining true Self glow and take over your sky, your life, and your experiences. The clearer your mind, the clearer it can see your spirit and its  ever present and progressive radiance. A fun exercise that usually only children do and easily dismissed by the intelligent and more evolved adult is counting the stars as they come out every hour. It is interesting how many more stars a child can count than the adult, since not only is their mind more free of clutter but also free and innocent enough to enjoy the experience of the moment. How many stars can you count?

Look at all the stars out tonight, which one do you want to touch? The night is yours and so is the destination.

"I am"prejudice

" I am " prejudice

We are constantly bombarded by the media with the news reports of hate crimes. Bigotry, infidelity, nepotism and crimes against cultural, religious,gender or societal groups are so common these days that it does not even phase us for the most part. We see these reports, it may make us feel sick and angry briefly but then we quietly continue our daily mundane lives as if all these things do not effect us. We act as if this is all just happening on television and not really to any one  individual or group somewhere else in the world and sometimes even in the next street or town over. The world has become a much smaller place to live in, and with continued depletion of earth's resources, we really cannot afford prejudice against anyone or any group lest it continue to plague us with violence, war, hate, death and destruction. 

Where does this prejudice come from? Clearly we know that little children do not have such attributes when they are born and while their innocence lasts, peace reigns. So taking a page out of their book several questions arise. At what point does this change for them? Is it when they enter preschool, kindergarden, or further on  in their educational and life experiences? How can we extend out this range of peaceful coexistence that they have revealed to us for the entire length of their lives?

Some answers may stem from the all mighty " I am " that develops very early on in our lifetimes. We have to create this "I am" in order to form this sense of self and belonging. We try to do this so that we understand our place in the universe, our place on the earth as we then try to broaden our sense of purpose. We embed ourselves into this identity that the ego formulates and so cannot change, or can we? We will join into packs and groups and work cooperatively as little children in school but any threat to that fragile ego or the self, results us in shutting down and protecting the " I am"  at whatever the cost. We form groups with other like minded individuals who are unknowingly also fearful. Then to preserve the " I am " or the newly formed "we are", we systematically gravitate to a single ideal not based in fact but more in fiction led by an individual ( arguably the most frightened with the most to lose), and rally behind them. The only way to preserve an ego is to stomp out all other egos with the declaration of not just " I am or we are" but " I am right and you are wrong". Armed with this mantra we proceed to dismantle the existent religious, societal, or  cultural structure of  others in a desperate effort of self preservation. It is truly a desperate effort as it is really just an expression  of the self, but since no one is listening to each other, the shouting to be heard becomes the typical mob mentality that we are accustomed to seeing. 

We are hardened by these reports and choose not to accept them as reality, as in doing so, it may just hone in on the fact that such things do happen and that any one of us could be victims of the same prejudice. So we choose to ignore instead of inspire change. We choose to hide instead of hinder the progress of prejudice. The next generation and the subsequent ones are inheriting a world of hate. An earth with scarce resources is what is being left for their future. You can try to change peoples minds with ideals, but you cannot change their prejudices with out changing their hearts. You change the hearts by making people want to change their Selves. If something is important to you or you know it will affect you adversely, you are conditioned and genetically programmed to evolve and adapt. If you realize that there is no threat, there is no fear. If no fear, then you give love a chance to grow within your heart, guided by the aware Self, you then change your mind. Perhaps finding differences in gender, race, religion, creed, societal and cultural values then does not become priority, and the shift to more pressing needs like reducing the burden of negativity in the world, developing peaceful cooperation and re-nurturing dwindling resources takes precedent. 

The " I am" should not to be quenched as one might think, but more  allowed to bloom with out the menacing fear of self annihilation. Children are amazingly adaptable and malleable. The role models of their parents,friends and teachers that they follow must be of sound mind, spirit and consciousness if we have any hope to survive as a species. When you find only one type of flower in an otherwise diverse garden, you do not just pluck out the flower but instead you try to grow that species of flower and broaden its survival chances in numbers. You give it the nurturing love that all life needs to succeed and thrive. If we see ourselves only as " I am" the unfortunately "We" will despair. Almost a self defeating prophecy occurs while trying to preserve the Self, we destroy the self and others in the process. When we harm another in thought, word or act, we have already harmed our Selves. 

When you see prejudice, do not turn a blind eye or turn the other cheek. Fighting prejudice is everyones problem not someone else's problem somewhere else. The " I am " concept in my opinion should be expanded to further words such as 

" I am more.." 

" I am love"

 " I am help"

 " I am joy" 

" I am kind"

"I am goodness"

"I am not prejudicial'

What extension to your " I am......" will you add on today?

Holding on to the reins

Holding on to the reins

The  freedom on the backs of a running horse, galloping on an open terrain, with the wind blowing in your hair gives you an exhilarating feeling. Bonded to the animal, you roam happily as you hold on to the reins and guide the adventurous experience. Similarly we live our lives for the most part in freedom, joyfully skipping and galloping away at times. When things in life are not in our control and they go awry that is when our horse starts behaving erratically. We get perturbed and subsequently we tighten the reins and pull harder and harder. However exactly the opposite effect occurs. The tighter we pull, the more strangulation of the horse occurs. It does end up stopping the horse, but it does also stop us dead in our tracks in life. The more control we think we are trying to exude, the harder things actually get.

The purpose of using the reins is to guide  the horse directionally. So too we try to "control" the behaviors of others to bend to our will. This unfortunately backfires when the strings of control are too tightly bound or we are holding on too forcefully, that our life stalls as we literally choke the life out of our relationships with others. Easing up the reins, enables us to breathe life back into the relationships and the horse is able to continue its journey without fear of the rider, you. Being connected  with the horse is as important as the horse being able to trust you. Such is the nature in any relationship, be it parental, spousal or a friendship. You cannot exert so much force on another individual that the reins or ties that are meant to navigate the relationship, bring it to a choking stall. 

Let go of your need for control, and enjoy the "horsing" around and the riding experience. The native americans used to have a unique bond with the horses such that they would ride the wild horses with out the need  for ropes, harnesses or reins. The animal and the rider as one. Freedom to enjoy the company of each other and the journey that is undertaken galloping on the fields of life is a blessing and an achievable goal. It all depends on your willingness to pursue this goal. It depends on your willingness to let go of the reins. It depends on your willingness to accept yourself with confidence. Such that you are not only confident in your relationship be as a rider or with another being, that you do not need a hold on anyone. That comes from freeing yourself from your own reins, and your own ropes that you have tied upon yourself with fears and self doubts.

Are your reins too tight or are you going to run with a wild horse?

Hearing the foghorn

Hearing the foghorn

It is early morning, the sun is barely up. In the early parts of dawn, you are in the water in your row boat. Off to your task of fishing, you head towards the middle of the lake. Surrounded by the morning mist, the scene is quiet and untouched and peaceful. However as you approach the middle of the lake it becomes foggier, and foggier. Visibility is next to nothing, and you lose your orientation in space and time. What I have just tried to describe is a typical scenario of confusion in our lives as we continue to deeply pursue a course of action whether in a career or a relationship. That is just the nature of things. There comes a point where you are so involved in what you are doing that sometimes you lose sight of your geographical surroundings and spiritually are adrift. You ask yourself what am I doing here, and where am I going? 

Disconnected and lost, it becomes scary at times feeling alone and genuinely frightened as you have no way of reorienting to your familiar points of navigation. This can be in a job that you are at, where the running of the company has been so disjointed that you are disheartened,dazed and desperately searching for your place. This feeling can be in a relationship that has flourished for a while but now you do not know who all the players are and moreover why the various family members  are acting the way they do. There then becomes the concern of the family or job falling apart. "Lost in the fog of life " is something that happens to everyone at some point in their existence. Unfortunately it is inevitable. However getting out of this state is not as hard and impossible as one might think. You have to listen to the foghorn of your soul to redirect you out of the fog. 

If you quieten  your agitated  mind, you can hear the solutions coming from within. Your true Self talks to you all the time, but unfortunately we do not listen as we are too caught up with our erratic thoughts that run our lives into a tumultuous ride. You will come up with innovative ideas of how to bring the family back to a sense of warm well being and connectivity. You will have the bright sparks of reformation that  will make your job more smooth, efficient and productive. Being caught up in the fog does not help matters. Listening to the foghorn you navigate forward, backwards, or sideway as you steer your rowboat in the direction of the guiding sound. The louder it sounds, this means that it is filled with  more positive energy, and the closer you are to reaching the shore. The softer it is, the less positive energy and further away from shore, and the further away you are from reaching a solution and destination.

The world is a beautiful place to be, just as the scene of the serene lake. Life happens and so the represented  fog can choke us into stagnation right in the middle of the worldly lake. Yet as with everything in nature, no fog lasts forever and it will dissipate. The morning sun with its radiant energies burn up the fog revealing the clarity and the beauty of your life once again. The fog of ignorance  is dispelled once the knowledge of the self takes hold. The  row boat, namely you, returns safely to land carried in tow  by the energetic foghorn of your soul's brightness, positive light and fully awakened status. Being consistently  mindful helps to keep your row boat balanced and always heading in the right direction, yet an additional tool that is always present and ever ready to help you is your personal soul's foghorn. It is eternally playing its tune to keep you navigationally sound, whether you heed its warnings and solutions also determines whether you find the shore line of peace or stay in the fog. 

How loud is your foghorn today?

I am stuck and I can't get out

"I am stuck in my routines and hate my life, and I cant get out"

 

I hear this from many friends, family and strangers and it happens to me on occasion. The inability to change your environment is a very disconcerting and awkward feeling. It gives us the sense of lack of control of our lives and it becomes demoralizing. With no way out, we resort to the continued struggle of our daily existence without hope. This unfortunately further digs our disappointing holes and we lead down the path of despair. How do we get this way and how do we get out of this rigamarole?  In my opinion we get into this rut by not being aware of what is happening to us when things do happen and by allowing this cycle to continue. By being flippant or brave  we keep shelving issues and locking them away into the drawer and not dealing with them either because  we are too busy and not focussed or out of fear of having to deal with the issues and facing up to the consequences. 

Nature is all about balance, and one good thing is that nature will make us face up to the imbalance even if we do not feel like it.  It does this by the way the state of affairs makes us feel. You do not feel good, you seek out better health. You are too stressed, you develop ill health that forces you to change your ways. You are unhappy with your life, you feel the urge and the need to self preserve and modify your life. The more aware you are as life gets "thrown" at you as it happens moment to moment, the less you have to make a radical shift to fix the disequilibrium. Small adjustments to your attitude regularly will then not necessitate major adjustments later. By being focussed in the moment we actually deal with things as they happen fresh, versus dealing with them later, and then having to deal with not just one issue but a mountain of issues. We think by postponing issues we are being brave, but in fact its because of deep seated fears that we enjoy staying in our ignorance and in to the ostrich hole. 

What are these issues? These are everything that comes our way in the form of stimuli. How we end up reacting to them determines how full or empty our drawers and in-baskets of misery get. Some examples. 

The pangs of hunger.... we reach out for the chocolate  donut in arms reach. We end up with sugar highs and lows, and feel horrible and in stressed conditions overeat. These continuous habits like this may lead to obesity and diabetes. We are miserable and curse the consequences and blame others for this problem that we are in. Solution, reach out for a healthier snack, and watch what you eat, quantity and quality.  If we were more aware of the moment we should be able to be conscious of what we put into our own mouths.

We need to exercise....instead we feel tired and do not seize the opportunity to get into a better healthier routine, and then ill health sets in with complications. Being aware that the feeling of tiredness will be just transient we can overcome it and then "persuade' ourselves to go exercise. 

The child is crying and trying to get your attention....you turn on the TV and say watch this for a while, just so you can get some peace and quiet.The digital babysitter becomes the digital parent and then you have lost the opportunity to bond and connect with your child, that just needed a few minutes of connecting time. It then becomes too late when they are older to change their habits. Playstations, gameboys, xbox then become their friends. Try pulling them away from their new friends now. 

Impulse buying.....you see an advertisement, or an item in someones' possession and believe owning that item will make you superior or better off. You spend your earnings accordingly and then later regret being in debt from maxing out the credit cards. Simply pausing before the purchase and thinking whether the impulse felt is a necessity or not, changes your spending habits.

A disagreement with a friend or family member... you believe your point of view is correct, as usually is the case. You refuse to think about another point of view even for a second lest your ego is bruised. A fight ensues and you refuse to talk to the other person for a period of time. Hours, days, months and years may go by. That person may have even died, and now no chance at forgiveness and remorse to set you free, despair sets in, along with guilt. The chance to have said sorry, or completed the unfinished conversation lost, the misery lingers.

The unhappiness at the job.... you continue to keep accepting the abuse, till one day all you are doing is the job for the sake of a paycheck that you are beholden too. The reasons for why you did the job in that profession lost, you are miserable, unhappy, and lose your lustre. Solution was simple to begin with, in that you deal with the coworkers or the job tasks at the time they were getting overwhelming or borderline abusive and taken corrective action. 

The impatience to get to work late....you started the day late, you rushed out the door and drove too quickly and got a speeding ticket. A little more mindful and cautionary driving would have avoided the ticket. A regrettable and unnecessary choice that in hindsight could have led to a different outcome had a shift in consciousness occurred. 

There are countless examples unique to each individual but common to us all, that occur constantly in our daily lives that impact us detrimentally. Layers and layers of issues that are generated constantly, that pile up high till one day you are stuck in the mud. Unable to move out, unable to move forward. Stagnant, hurt and upset you exist and forget to live.  A life full of different choices that make us feel that many  bad choices were taken, ergo when we should have zigged instead of zagged, and the inertia of our lives sets in. The key to getting out of quick sand or mud is not to fight it, as that makes it worse. How do we get out of the sticky mud?

Gratitude. This is one of the fastest ways of realigning yourself with the universe and the abundant energy available to pull you out of your predicament. But how can you be thankful for the rotten things that happen? That is exactly the point, letting into the force that holds you, releases you too. Gratitude stirs up positive energy, which helps attract more positivity that finally helps break the shackles. Once broken, the shackle of your fears cannot hold you down and then you start changing the orbit of your  life to higher levels, and your problematic issues descent to lower levels. At higher orbits a different perspective ensues, leading to more unlimited possibilities. 

Start off with simple gratitude exercises, such as nightly "thank you" for 5 things that happened to you that day.  Whether it is as simplistic as "thank you for being alive" or "thank you for being able to eat a meal" or "thank you for being able to come home". Whatever the list, it has be yours, and not necessary to share it with anyone. As you progress, expand the exercises to 10, 15, 20 etc thank you encounters. If you choose to increase the level of difficulty of the exercise,  you can make them non repetitive as your gratitude circle expands.  Then in the morning before getting out of bed, come up with 5 things that you are going to be thankful for in your day. Let the miracle unfold as your exercises turn into positive energy creating wands. Then like Harry Potter, start waving your positive energy directed wands at your mud. Visualize yourself coming out of your "stuck"situations, and walking free on top of the mud piles. Now walking on water, I leave that up to the professionals, which if I am not mistaken only one person has done that in history !! 

Free of being stuck? Help someone who still is....

Leaving a mark without a trace

Leaving a mark without a trace

Foot prints in the snow. Graffiti on the wall. Memories of your childhood interactions. Musical pieces, artistic paintings, Sculptures and statues. You. What do all these items have in common? They all have one unifying thread and that is they still are here and they tell a story. The footprints in the snow tell the tale of a journey. The graffiti and the paintings reveal artistic impressions. The music and sculptures demonstrate creativity. The greatest of all these stories and creations is You. It is your creations that tell the story in whatever format, pictorial or musical. 

Through out our time here on the planet we have left our mark in some fashion. Right from cave drawings to magnificent works of architecture or creations of technology we leave our mark for future generations to remember us. It is our own personal sense of immortality. The memories of our childhood are filled with tales of relatives long ago who did this or that, or those living elder relatives that had some impact on our lives, are the memories we cherish. Stories round the proverbial homely campfires are told, legends are forged, and immortality attained. We all want to leave a mark of ourselves, an imprint if you will.  Whether it is something that the world sees or just a child. You may not remember your grandmother too well, but you do remember those words of wisdom passed down by her, as well as her special recipe of your favorite feel good dish.

Kindness, empathy, forgiveness, gentleness and selflessness are just some ways you can start impacting your own soulfulness unto others, be it to a friend, a family member, a stranger or the world as a whole. Soon these qualities will form joy, happiness, instill confidence and a sense of fulfillment in all that you touch. You initiate the forging of memories through your connections with others, and so the ripple effect continues, and your immortality is ensured. Never underestimate the imprint  you can have on anyone through your interactions. If you do, you have only underestimated yourself. There is an old saying a penny saved is a penny earned. You may think that this is a really bad savings plan, however you will be surprised how one small investment in kindness leaves a small trace, which then expands to a seed of generosity in someone else. This further evolves to a state of abundance rapidly, and then preserves a mark of peace. Scarcity to abundance with one little act.  Show up and leave a mark.

Dig your heals deep and do something creative that bears your mark. Leave a trail of bread crumbs of goodness throughout your life. Find your talent. It is not a question of if a talent exists, it is simply finding out what it is. Whether you are good at just listening to others, or helping others, or creating a work of music, art, sculpture. Whether it is mediating, negotiating, or fixing.  It is a talent that makes YOU  unique. The universe with its infinite variety and diversity also made you and left its mark in this world through your existence. The trace is there. Will you leave this world without a trace or with trails blazing is still up to you while you still have the time. 

Make your mark count but go easy on your carbon footprint.