I dont know

I don't know

I have heard this phrase countless times with always a sense of frustration, yet I myself use it often. When I ask someone a question and their response is " I don't know" it aggravates me. So I analyzed why am I irritated or frustrated  or even perturbed by it. Perhaps it is more that I was indecisive in that area of question and so I was handing over my power to make my decision over to someone else, and when they could not give me direction, I was feeling unsettled. Yet " I don't know" is very grounding. It take a lot to hold the ego at bay to shrug your shoulders and repeat these words. It takes a lot to hold back the shame to admit " I don't know." The ego wants us to give an answer that may not be true as ego always want to be right and be first to respond and be in a state of pride, yet the shame does not want to give the answer that may be true due to lack of confidence, or courage. Both play important roles in keeping our conversations flowing and our minds in motion.

Yet when we say " I don't know" a genuine state of balance emerges. Neither ego nor shame have a say. One might say with confirmation " I don't know"  where this is a genuine lack of knowledge. Perhaps. Yet to admit it, takes confidence to be correct ( ego and shame together in harmonic balance). It is powerfully humbling to make this statement of " I don't know" as it centers and re-equilibrates the  mind with the heart to allow a more focused and true response later on. It is the pause between decisions and the connection between the beginning and the end of a conversation or idea.

Never be too proud to admit " I don't know" and never be too ashamed to state " I don't know." In the end these four little words can stave off a bad decision if you are inclined like me to open my mouth first and later check what came out !!

Where do we go from here? Honestly, I don't know.
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I love you (of that I am certain)

Gratitude journal

Having gratitude is one of the single most empowering act I can perform. I am a firm believer in adopting a habit of writing in a gratitude journal. I cannot be grateful for the big things in life if I am  not grateful for the smallest things that happen daily in my life.

(Small Excerpt from my gratitude journal)

I am thankful for this universe
I am thankful for this galaxy with all its stars and planets
I am thankful for this solar system for our planets
I am thankful for our sun that provides light, energy, nourishment.
I am thankful for this planet.
I am thankful for this country
I am thankful for this state
I am thankful for this county
I am thankful for this city/town
I am thankful for this neighbor hood
I am thankful for the neighbors I have around me
I am thankful for the house we live in
I am thankful for the functional fridge for it stores food
I am thankful for the functional dishwasher as it washes dishes
I am thankful for the functional stove to make food
I am thankful for the running clean water in the home
I am thankful for the electricity in the home
I am thankful for the functional cars that help us go to different places
I am thankful for the furniture I have
I am thankful for all the functioning appliances and possessions
I am thankful for the bed i sleep in
I am thankful for my wife and kids
I am thankful my parents
I am thankful for my extended family
I am thankful for my functioning healthy body
I am thankful for my eyes for they can see, and I have beautiful things to see
I am thankful for my ears for they can hear, and I have beautiful things to hear
I am thankful for my nose for it can smell and I have aromatous things to smell
I am thankful for my tongue for it can taste and I have delicious foods to taste
I am thankful for my skin for it can protect and touch, and I have things to touch
I am thankful for all my well functioning organs
I am thankful for limbs
I am thankful for my bones, muscles, tissues, ligaments
I am thankful for my blood
I am thankful for my DNA
I am thankful for my brain
I am thankful for my intellect
I am thankful for my many gifts
I am thankful for the ability to help others
I am thankful for the opportunities that come my way
I am thankful for being a healer
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It is very easy to complain about anything around us, yet by becoming grateful or thankful we restore balance to our mind, heart, body, consciousness, and spirit
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I love you 

Remaking yourself

We are constantly rebuilding ourselves. Day in and day out. Every idea that breaks our thought patterns is there to challenge us to rethink our life, and our place in it. Any new teachings or experiences that we encounter may either break our foundations or become the ingredients to rebuild it stronger.

I have encounter this on numerous times throughout my life, through readings, teachers and explorations of new experiences that will cause me to rethink and reshape my foundations and ideas and afford me the opportunity to rebuild anew. When paradigms shift so the energetics. The body not the mind is the filter to our soul when new experiences are encountered. I try to always ask my body before I make a decision whether it is as simple as going to the gym, or picking a meal to eat, or more complicated life decisions. For centuries we have called this our gut instinct, but there is truth to this. When I hear about someone else's experiences my mind wants to make it mine, or if I am told to do something, it is my body that feels the "pressure" to do it. Yet a simple pause and quiet query to my body will get the answer to either do or do not.

It is very important in this high speed digital age of social media and connectivity to be able to slow down for a few seconds and take control of the situation. Who is running the show? The mind filters the senses and stimulations and keeps most to process through or dreams, yet the body is constantly also bombarded with the energetics of others and the shifts of experiences. The more healthy and tuned the  body becomes, the more aware we aware of our choices and circumstances. The more self aware the better choices we make for better futures.

We should never be afraid to re create our foundations and grow them stronger each day with the evolution through experiences and teachings. We are constantly rebuilding, re sculpting, and reshaping ourselves.

You are remaking yourself into the image of YOUR CHOICE.

You are beautiful the way you are each day.
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I love you

Lessons from Vines

Lessons from Vines

No garden or landscape is ever completely free of the ever present vines. They grow quickly and can take over entire lands in short periods of time. They are hard to destroy and keep at bay. Yet nature is a great teacher and affords us an important lesson. The significance of vines metaphorically has a great impact in our lives and if heeded  early can help us tremendously. Vines are very tenacious and each branch or tendril shoots off ever more of its self and becomes quite invasive in any garden. They strangle the vegetation and kill it without mercy. Trees, bushes, plants, vegetables all are equal opportunity for the destruction by these vines.

Vines represent the problematic issues  of life that effect anyone and everyone regardless of rank or status in life. They teach us the draining nature of time and effort that is spent dealing with these issues. When dealing with worldly arduous problems they seem to literally choke the life out of us on our spiritual journey and restrict and hinder our progress. Social media, news, politics are notorious for fueling distractions that keep us from our inner sacred path. We get wrapped up in these issues much like the vines and the entanglement can be difficult to extricate. We usually require outside help with this endeavor to help us sever from these issues. Vines can leave scars on their victims such as trees, and so these global distractions do the same to our psyche.

No matter how many good seeds we have planted in our landscape of garden of our minds, and hearts, these pesky vines of problems can make short work to all the fruit of our labors. Even one small vine can grow to create havoc, much like how one small negative problem can take root and upset a well balanced mind and heart that is full of blossoming love. They do not distinguish whether the delicate or the hardy plants are to be effected, and so too is the case with global socioeconomic and geopolitical climates when transmitted through news, media and idle gossip.

Not all vines are bad to the plants. Such as the example of poison ivy that hurts us but not the wild vegetation like trees. It keeps us away. In doing so, the distractions in our lives that are restricting and mind numbingly strangulating us, also serve a purpose to ground. If our path is all spiritual then we live in a high or euphoria or fantasy perceptions without getting grounded back into reality. The pause from constant spiritual bombardment allows us the time to regroup and gather our "whys" that set us on a path of enlightenment.

Lastly how do you get rid of vines. You have to get to the source. Find out what, why, how, where and when for all these troubles, see the bigger picture, and extricate our selves from the problematic negative distractions. Sever the root of the vine of life and you stand a chance at evolutionary success.
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I love you

Where does your self worth come from?

Where does your worth come from?

I have struggled with this conundrum for many a decade. Part of the problem is the understanding of the question. Self worth vs outward material worth. I think both are connected. Our material worth is inherently linked to our self worth. The greater the appreciation for self worth, the greater the material worth we create. We attract more outward to the inward when we are content and ready to receive. This state of being is a natural state when we become balanced.

Yet it is also a state that requires definition when our heart and immortal spirit are filtered through a manifested mind. Worth is itself formless. As deep as any ocean it remains constantly in motion and difficult to grasp when we observe it from the point of view of the mind. Yet when felt within the heart it appears with fortitude and passion.

Self worth is as unique as our fingerprint. It is an individualized quality that is ever present. It accompanies our psyche and molds to external stimuli if not paid attention to. If we are given praise, our self worth appears to rise. If we are berated, our self worth deflates. True self worth does not rise and fall with the tide or the waves of other peoples emotions or life's circumstances.

Self worth is created in the heart that mines the dreams and sculpts the hopes into realities. The greater the self worth, the increased likelihood of a successful career, relationships, and opportunities. Self worth emboldens self empowerment. It all starts with defining ourselves. Who are we? and What place do we have in the world?

Each of us deserve to be here. Each of us deserve to be heard. Each of us can make a difference.

You are worthy.
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I love you

View from the camera

The view through the camera.

There are times when it feels that life has not presented to me what I had believed I wanted out of it. After all, why did my thoughts not manifest the reality of my choice, like all the self help books foretell? I have agonized over this question till I understood the use of the camera. Allow me to share an idea with you.

Looking at a beautiful landscape and desiring it to be mine is akin to viewing the landscape and capturing a snap shot of it with a camera and taking it home. The landscape is the dream, the camera the mind. It requires careful observation through a view finder, and then focusing with a lens. Adjusting the aperture, the sensitivity, the shutter speed and with a steady hand taking the shot of what I want to capture. Same is with the concept of manifestation of reality.

First to be able to view the landscape requires letting go of the judgement, the prejudices and the delusions that surround the idea in order to dream unencumbered.   These are blinders to the eyes of the soul represented by the lens cap that needs removing before any image can be taken. The power of the thought then is the idea of what that dream represents. The view finder is the vision of that dream image as it still is not tangible, till I start focusing with the use of my lens. By adding the knowledge of balance and love, I modify the settings and focus of my image that is held in the heart. I must be either patient to capture the image or quick enough and this means that I must play with the shutter speed of my mind. With the correct words of intention I get ready for the shot.

With the pressing of the button I engage the power of action. The steady hand is faith  is the trust in myself and the universe that my dreams will come to pass and I will get to capture the idea. Reality then manifests when I print out my picture. Framing the picture is the success I would feel having obtaining the sought after dream.

In this way the power of thought, word, action, and focus of vision are able to create some of the most stunning photography of my life. Try it, you may be surprised that your life already has manifested your dreams in various avenues. Just because it does not match up to a fantasy does not mean that the universe did not grant your idea, request or dream.

Empower yourself, you already have a camera, and it works just fine.
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I love you

Failure is not an option

Failure is not an option, it is a choice.

When we are led to an option it is a thing, or fixed concept. When we are led to make a decision it is a choice. And so what ever path we are presented before us is an option. Which path we take however is a choice. In doing so we accept the consequences of all that will elate us or befall us.

Failure is no different. When we lament on the failure and pretend that we did not "want" this option, we are deluding ourselves. When we plead ignorance of the choice, we are simply declaring that we did not spend the requisite time to look at all the advantages and disadvantages of the option.

So when we are faced with failures of marriages or relationships, or a  job or career or a financial opportunity, or many such events in life, it is not luck or disgrace or abandonment or depression that is the cause. These are just byproducts of the disadvantages of the option that was chosen. If we look at the advantages of the same option no matter how bad it may appear, we realize that we simply did not see all the vantage points of that option before choosing.

Failure is not a bad thing, even though given a terrible connotation. Failure serves the purpose of making us look at all the options again. Start at ground zero. Relook at our flight plan. Pause, reflect, re-decide. The beautiful thing about the universe is that it will always afford the chance at re-choosing the option. Failure means accepting the vulnerability. Failure means not just getting up off the ground, but instead stepping forward with another choice.

If we have never experienced failure, then we have not lived.
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I love you