tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90833876221579127672024-03-21T11:28:28.459-07:00Project FreedomAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-72411210303384799662016-07-11T20:32:00.004-07:002016-07-11T20:32:53.607-07:00JK - 7/11/16Uncovering Reality.<br />
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Deception is enormous, and yet, compared to the eternal Truth, even the greatest of lies cannot outlast what Truly is real.<br />
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I've discovered many interesting sources of information lately. I've watched and studied many different videos on youtube, from vastly different genres of humanity - though they all share a basic link in my own chain, tying me to a search for Truth and understanding. I capitalize Truth because I am not seeking the truth of my own unique, experiential human perspective. <br />
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Knowing I AM, means I understand and acknowledge my humanity; my capacity for choice and my resulting affection for error and miscalculation. My truth is not The Truth. It is simply a chain of events, causes and effects which got this body to this moment while the mind got organized and really, Truly, came to it's senses. And continues to do so.<br />
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There has been a trend in my life. Perhaps here it makes sense to look at my experiences and memories less like a chain and more like a rope or muscle; something flexible and made of many smaller threads or strands. This trend would be a spire or loop inside one of those threads. It's about money and ownership. Wanting, needing and having. "Making more money" holds very little appeal to me, and yet I desire it because I wish to elevate my quality of life. <br />
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"Why must your quality of life depend upon having more money?", I ask myself. <br />
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"Because society is based upon money." I say. <br />
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"So what if I choose to leave society?" I ask again, this time going one step deeper. <br />
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"You may die a painful death, helpless and alone in the wilderness." I respond. Then, I think a moment. <br />
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Would I rather die helpless and alone in the wilderness, ORRRRRR!!!!!!<br />
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In the upstairs bedroom of my parents house after a day of yoga, coffee, fixing the lights on my car, playing music, studying humanity and the keys to all infinite existence locked inside the human body waiting to be set free, facebooking, instagramming, drawing, teaching music, driving a car, and journaling on the internet in public to proclaim it all???? <br />
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At this point, it would be the latter choice made presently as a more recurring reality than the former. And yet, I dream of leaving society and dying the noble death in a daring and faithful effort to conquer the wildness IN me, by entering and facing the wildness which seemingly surrounds me. And if I can conquer my own mind to believe only in the Truth and nothing else, how can I be programmed or conditioned to die at all? <br />
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"Yes!! Why does it have to be a life or death situation, this choice you seek to make? Can you not survive the wilderness and return a hero?" Feels like classic Josh ego tripping. <i>I'm important, I'm gonna be successful. I'm gonna make it. </i><br />
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MAKE it?? What is it? Is making it defined as NOT DYING??? Because that's what seems most appealing. The tables turn again here.<br />
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"If all things have an opposite, and this is a Truth, then life needs death and IS death. So, according to this Truth, if you are alive you are also dead. That which you fear the most has already happens and continues happening every second you are also simultaneously alive."<br />
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"If I am alive AND dead, then perhaps these words are not properly describing what is happening!!!"<br />
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"Meaning...what?"<br />
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Meaning the words 'life' and 'death' might not be the actual words to describe those things...THESE things, which I have been taught to call "life and death". They are sounds I learned as a child that are not actually able to encompass the nature or structure of reality as I now percieve it. My reality is VASTLY larger than merely life and death. I started hearing my feelings and senses inside, and sensing the feelings and thoughts of others as vibrations and frequencies inside me as well, rather than the actual words themselves. So "death" is not that word, it is a vibrational state of being some have described experiencing in many different forms...JUST LIKE LIFE!!! #opposites<br />
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What's the point, what's the point...WHAT IS THE POINT!?<br />
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What I have been conditioned to accept may not be a clear representation of The Truth of life and death/reality/consciousness...whatever. I did a vow of silence for 27 days several years ago, and what I learned is that talking is a major waste of what we call time. In fact, when speech is removed, explanation is somehow removed as well. In effect, obligation and intimidation subside also. A lot of people tried to make me talk, and failed. When I remained silent, the things they said to me under the assumption that I "had to listen" because I "couldn't" talk (so stupid some people were!!), the things THEY said were sometimes shockingly emotional and real. So my silence drew out a consciousness in others that was un-manifested just a few moments before. Pretty cool, huh?<br />
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AND!<br />
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"Be conscious with your word." is the first agreement from D. M. R.. If I choose words which create a vibrational distortion in my psychic body/energy body, it means I am using my intellect to harm my own body with unconsciously poor frequencies, when instead, I could be bombarding myself with sonic beauty, bliss and the sound of love. A wordless sound vibrating within me, a booming voice. The more attention I give it, the louder it gets.<br />
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It shouts at me..."GO, you fool!!! Leave society!! These things, they aren't even people anymore. All they believe is what they can own or speak about. If history be at all true, and at this point I am willing to concede to perhaps NONE of it may be true but IF it is, than history claims to take all manner and form of reckless and unconscious civilization like this one you are in now and reduces it to ashes with war and disease and decay from within. But YOU are not decaying, you are blossoming!! You are seeking and actually finding reality." <br />
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And when I say reality, I mean the reality that is real on THEIR level too! The reality of magnetism, electricity and math and science. These things are usually restricted to "left brained people", which I feel are people who have not learned about the difference between truth and Truth, so they suffer in a distorted version of their own reality. I feel the True reality, and am aching to somehow merge with it, more so than I already have by nature. This is my "right brained" artistic, creative side. (Every person is creative if they have reproductive organs or a pumping heart, because both are symbols of self-guided generative energy, which is creation.) My imagination feels there is somehow "more to it". And there is!!! But there also isn't.<br />
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The point. What is the point? "Can you keep it simple??" :-)<br />
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The point is, it is not easy to see past all my own fear and conditioning and follow the booming voice within. Times like this, I do go back and forth a lot because I weigh many factors into the decision to abandon my life as I know it and go totally off the beaten path. Family, friends, creature comforts. Like, I fear being dirty out walking the world alone but why wouldn't I ever get to shower again, and have to end up like some long-nailed, stale-chips-in-my-beard, wandering hippie nomad that dies impoverished, isolated and alone; totally disconnected from my family and friends??<br />
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That's only one, very detailed and dark possible outcome. What if, on the other hand, I find a fuller life and True freedom?? The safety of being free of wondering what it would be like, and making it to that moment when I know I have maybe one or two moments left to drink this reality in, from this body, in this way, and know I have done everything there is to do in this life; all that I was called to and inspired to endure. Then, what is life if not the embrace of the unknown, or faith? Why live at all, if not to die living the life that means the most? What could weigh on a heart so bold and fierce as to leave it all behind in that last moment and go in peace; to want for nothing because all there is and ever was or will be, is safety, Truth and love. <br />
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Then, no words are necessary because nothing can describe a feeling of peace. Nothing can describe satisfaction. It is a fullness beyond description, and yet a person who knows pure fullness can be perceived as different by those around them. That person seems to be somehow more content than others; not trying at all; authentic. They have become naturally magnetic, because they are not concerned with anything less than beauty. They live a life so meaningful, so blessed and bound to the eternal presence of Truth that it has forgotten any feeling or vocabulary of fear and desire. <br />
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Is this a fantasy or an illusion? Is it real or impossible? What are the chances hollywood has wrecked my brain and the men in black are watching and waiting to pounce me for even studying all this esoteric mumbo jumbo? (Again, ego mind telling me I'm so important or noticeable that I should be watched by a secret organization.) <br />
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But that's for a different blog post all together. Wow!! That all tumbled out of me, and I can't quite tell if I stayed on track because these feelings and realizations happen on so many levels energetically nowadays that it proves my point about the words not doing them any kind of justice. It's a testament to great teachers who can take complex ideas and explain them simply and gracefully. One day I may be a great teacher...for now though, I'm still workin' on it my studentship.<br />
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- J<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-47621986229525534782016-07-07T07:49:00.002-07:002016-07-07T07:49:16.440-07:00CL - 7/7 "Freedom: Confidence in Action"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For a year long, I pondered Freedom. And self-worth. And why abundance evaded me. And why I was stuck in the same hamster wheel for so many years. It took me all that time to realize that financial freedom had nothing to do with money, and everything to do with what is on the inside. It took me a whole entire year to get to the point where I realized I had to do something different, and be confident about it. To feel like I <i>could</i> do something. To feel ready to take a step, even if it was a baby one. This was coined, "<b>Confidence in action</b>." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I realized the "doing" isnt really about <i>doing</i> but about being mindful. It's about our thoughts. And changing them. Shifting our focus. And it took me that full year of complaining and flailing and going up, up, up super high then down, down, down, again to come to where I am today with enough contrasting experience and knowledge to reinforce what I have apparently known for years (<i>yes, I found a <a href="http://livefullytoday.blogspot.com/2011/01/affirmations.html" target="_blank">blog I wrote years ago</a> about these concepts... which was eye-opening, slightly alarming</i>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I suppose I just wasn't ready to apply the knowledge yet to my actual experience. I was completely wrapped up in self-limiting beliefs and ceilings to ever step outside that comfort zone... though I thought I was. It's funny, looking back, how we think we know so much and do so much and have changed so much. And yes, we have. But then...another year passes. Another 5 years pass. And we are catapulted even further into a world we didnt even know existed. We can't see what we are not yet ready for. And so we move through life, in stages. The actual journey "there" is the living part. The delicious part. The part we often overlook and try to jump over but the only part that really matters and exists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once we get "there," there is someplace else we already want to be and have our eyes set on. So, we must revel in the Now. And implement what we know now. And push our boundaries now. Not when we know more, not tomorrow, or the next day. Or next year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Easier said than done. As I mentioned, it took me a year to really muster up the courage to be ready to finally take confident action steps towards the life of my desires. And to feel like I deserve that life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Confidence in action. This is when you become aligned, vibrationally, with your Higher Self and Source energy. And you can now take action steps that will bring you to your expanded Self. Remember, you already are all you wish to be. You just havent realized it yet. As you take action steps confidently towards that which you desire, you grow and expand to meet that bigger version of yourself. And that feels good. When you shrink away, that feels bad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nothing means anything until you decide in your thoughts that it does. Or doesn't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, are you <i>willing</i> to decide to take confident action steps today in alignment with all that you are? To feel good? To enjoy the moments as they happen? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It may take me another year to understand this <b>Confidence in action</b> thing. And I am pretty certain Ill have my share of flails and ups and downs, again. Because that's how I roll. But I welcome the journey and the process as part of my life unfolding beautifully for me. And I will try to really appreciate the learning and expanding and the rich experiences and contrast I came here to live and love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u>Today's Affirmation</u>: <i>I will continue to embody <b>Confidence in action</b>, building up momentum to (invite) the main event.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-53574034465581464612016-06-05T15:09:00.001-07:002016-06-09T06:08:57.033-07:00CL - 6/5/16 "(Self-Imposed) Pressure"<b><i><span style="color: red;">*Listen to a quick Audio Blog that goes into more detail on this topic by <a href="http://www.livefulltoday.com/audio/June5Blog_converted.mp3" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. </span></i></b><br>
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What's with the pressure we put on ourselves? To <i>"be:" </i><br>
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Perfect. Skinny. Muscular. Smart. Silly. Funny. Flawless. Easy going. Less emotional. More emotional. Curvy. Accomplished. Younger. Older. Different. The same. More this. More that. Less of this. Less of that. </div>
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Wow. <b><i>Exhausting</i></b>.<br>
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In my recent book, in a chapter called "<a href="http://www.therealloveexperiment.com/" target="_blank">Omissions: The Beginning of the End</a>," I wrote: <i>"How can we shine if we are so busy pulling the light away from a very real part of ourselves?"</i><br>
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The more time and energy spent being something other than we are, "<i>chasing the carrot</i>" (<a href="http://www.therealloveexperiment.com/" target="_blank">see chapter "The Potential vs. The Person"</a> for an explanation of this concept) so to speak, the less energy we have to experience our brilliance and feel life around us as it is happening.<br>
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We put an incredible amount of (unnecessary) pressure on ourselves, (and others because it's a direct reflection of how we feel inside) thereby leaving the present moment and hurrying into future worries and doubts and voids and holes. Or sinking into the past, holding shame and regret and fear and lack. But, it does us no good to berate ourselves. To wish we were more. To want more or less in our lives so much that it drives us out of our seat of awareness and into an illusory world. Nothing can be gained from this form of self destruction. It only limits us, dulls our light and keeps us very small.<br>
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Accept yourself. Forgive yourself. Live your life, feeling all the senses: touch it, taste it, hear it, see it and smell it. Soak it all in and revel in the beauty of yourself and your life. The magnificence of it all.<br>
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Be here Now.<br>
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Awaken to your life.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-54109345404354072382016-05-04T13:15:00.001-07:002016-05-04T13:23:19.033-07:00CL - 5/4/16 "Rain & Rebirth"The thunder claps. The rain falls. The old, loose pieces wash away. And so the landscape is reborn. <div><br></div><div>In reiki, rain is considered blessed. "<i>Let the blessings rain on us all.</i>" The rain brings life. And bounty. Abundance. </div><div><br></div><div>Tears fall, washing away what no longer serves. Leaving behind strength and clarity. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-63849608141504492762016-05-02T15:05:00.001-07:002016-05-02T15:06:55.727-07:00CL - 5/2/16 #JustTrustWe may never understand all of life, but trusting that each event is as it should be is helpful. And all you can do. Stay strong in your vision of what you want for yourself and live with intention and action to become that. Everything will unfold naturally and easily. Now is all you have. It's all anyone has. The next moment is unpredictable and never promised to us in these bodies.<br />
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<i>Excerpt taken from <a href="http://www.therealloveexperiment.com/" target="_blank">TRLE</a>. </i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-91670008949342109872016-05-01T05:21:00.002-07:002016-05-01T05:21:47.322-07:00JK - 5/17:48am, Westport, CT. <br />
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"I didn't wake up wanting to run out into the world, because I felt I would always be alone wherever I went. Might as well just lie in bed, take two shits and journal to myself." <br />
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In bed, saying thank you for taking shits. Expelling waste is essential as a human. If we do not get rid of all the junk we build up on the inside from eating, drinking, traveling, BREATHING, loving, hating, caring...our systems will get clogged and essentially poison us from the inside out.<br />
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Thank you for plumbing, waste management experts and clean running water. Roads, cars and engineering...Thank you for systems. The system of the body, our finest universal measuring stick, and such a marvel of machinery. Thank you body. <br />
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Fingers, face and lips. Eyelids so I can go dark and conceal the external, reveal the internal. Thank you ears, I love music and the sound of someone's voice. Thanks to whoever discovered coffee, and the Keurig people.<br />
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Ugh, such a life. I ask that my self and the radical music setup I have now be transported to a place, anywhere on Earth, where it will serve the people. May it inspire them to discover their senses and say thank you for music, learning, taking shits and drinking coffee. Maybe they already have it in many of the places I imagine going - like NOT America. <br />
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(Americans need healing just as much as anyone else.)<br />
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Everyone wants to heal. Everyone has waste to expel. Who EVER got it perfect and didn't have to "work it out", as we commonly say? And notice how the phrase "working it out" implies taking what is or has entered into us and applying our will and effort to move it outside of our self; be it body, mind or spirit self which channels the movement.<br />
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Deep thoughts. I tell myself I can avoid thinking deeply and live a simple life. Then I think deeply about simplicity. <br />
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My joints ache a bit today. It's cold outside and I will do some yoga and movement now to generate heat and feel more alive. Screens are dull. Handstands and twists are fun.<br />
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Thanks computer, thanks internet. Thanks reader. <br />
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Aho. Namaste. Word up! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-12811403731110602512016-04-30T09:03:00.000-07:002016-04-30T09:03:28.479-07:00CL - 4/26/16 "One Day at a Time"I was photographing my "inspipic" for the day when one of the notes practically threw itself onto the floor, out of the folder I store them in. I figured this was more than a coincidence.<br />
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The note said, "One day at a time." </div>
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Ha. So simple. And just what I needed to hear. Just a moment earlier, I was using my thoughts to dream up what could be for the future. I was questioning the reason behind my life and the situations presenting themselves. I was wondering what was to come in the near future. I've trained myself not to participate in this for the most part but I was indeed letting my imagination play this time. And my fears. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">When we are worrying about the past or future, we are not present. We leave the Now, and enter the world of illusion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Worry is resistance. So not only are we missing out on the beauty in the moment, but we are using our energy to create more of what we don't want, to push away what we do want. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">This very simple reminder, one day at a time, is so powerful. Stay in the moment. Live fully in each moment. Package up worry and fear and rest it aside. Use that energy to enhance your experience in the Now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Allow yourself to be here. Now. And only Now. Because that's all there ever is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Xo</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-36099988707432973152016-04-30T07:42:00.001-07:002016-04-30T10:09:38.912-07:00CL - 4/30/16 "Honeymooning"<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwixYi0kL8zXf3z_2BUpzoI-19Iz50cWW7ss__chOaLh_fCcr0npkh-J36ZrTQpb_JufwKQL91Lfrq-DFH2b9XWQrDkFzpKRdrj6ca4oQz2kS5ZxTBIy-g36gGgqqPSQcqVQQLLx6G2mPO/s640/blogger-image--1187455290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwixYi0kL8zXf3z_2BUpzoI-19Iz50cWW7ss__chOaLh_fCcr0npkh-J36ZrTQpb_JufwKQL91Lfrq-DFH2b9XWQrDkFzpKRdrj6ca4oQz2kS5ZxTBIy-g36gGgqqPSQcqVQQLLx6G2mPO/s640/blogger-image--1187455290.jpg"></a></div>It can be really difficult to see past <i>what is</i>. Even more difficult may be to shift our focus <i>off</i> of what is. We can get so stuck in our situations we have a hard time seeing out, seeing solutions or different circumstances. We can have difficulty seeing people differently. We often forget the beauty around us, all the miracles, as we get "stuck in the mud" so to speak. End up in a rut. Become overwhelmed. Bored. Feel helpless against challenges. Etc. <div><br></div><div>We often forget we are held by the unseen. That we are not limited by what we perceive now. That we are magical creators. </div><div><br></div><div>It's one thing to know information. It's another to execute and practice that which you "know" in theory. </div><div><br></div><div>Using the honeymoon period of a relationship as an example, we are so focused upon what's good about our partner and the connection that we are overjoyed. It isn't until we shift our focus onto the unwanted that our experience changes. Arguments begin. And the color and tone changes dramatically on both ends. Remember, “The people in your life will always give you exactly what you expect. No exceptions.” (Esther Hicks, Abraham)</div><div><br></div><div>As humans, we forget how powerful we really are. We have amnesia and totally miss what's really happening right in front of us. As our story changes, and our beliefs about our thoughts, our experiences change. </div><div><br></div><div>Continuing with the example I used, if we could go back to that mindframe of appreciation and discovery and excitement and love, we can rebirth and renew our relationships and our experiences. You were not blinded by love during the honeymoon phase. You were actually able to see. You were allowing yourself to create and share a beautiful experience that was aligned and felt good. It wasnt until fear and the ego kicked in and you started to judge and create stories that something changed. Maybe you fell back into old patterns or self limiting beliefs. Regardless of what occurred and was real for you, at the time, all that really changed was a shift in your perception and focus and language.</div><div><br></div><div>We have the ability in every moment to choose to focus on the good and to feel good and to create a honeymoon for ourselves and experience that in all areas of our life every day.</div><div><br></div><div>Pull your focus, not your love. </div><div><br></div><div>Let this be a reminder for you today that you can shift your focus onto the "bright side" and experience that instead of focusing on what you feel is right in front of you or limiting you. </div><div><br></div><div>Remember you are a magnet. Focus on the good. Feel good. Bring in more good. Repeat. </div><div><br></div><div>Happy Saturday, friends. </div><div>Xo</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-49280079752151824272016-04-29T05:45:00.001-07:002016-04-29T08:11:11.177-07:00CL - 4/29/16 "Death"<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I used to contemplate death often. The closest I ever came to a panic attack in my lifetime was one night when I questioned what it would feel like being in the moment of my death. My legs started to tingle and breathing became heavy. My stomach tickled with nausea and my chest felt like it weighed a ton as it labored up and down. </span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Since having my daughters, I haven't driven myself crazy with the nuances of what death may look or feel like. But it's no surprise I used to often use the phrase, "tomorrow is never a promise. Live full today." I carried it with me all these years. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We can still embody that principle without sending ourselves into fight or flight. We <i>can</i> live full today. Everyday. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And what does that mean exactly? </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Very simply, living fully means being present in every moment. That's the best we can ever do. Experience each moment. Appreciate each moment. As though it's our first. Or last. Take full advantage of all the tastes, smells, feelings, sights and sounds. Slow down enough to savor it all. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Complete mindfulness. Total gratitude. Unconditional love for all that is. And isn't. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I encourage you. Be mindful. And...Live full today. Everyday. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-82329528572439286002016-04-23T11:23:00.001-07:002016-04-23T11:23:30.519-07:00JK - 4/23Softness.<br />
<br />
It's a been a theme in yoga classes and in my emotional sphere of awareness; to soften into changes. To soften into poses. To soften around what is.<br />
<br />
What is...softness? Like, when we ask "What is freedom?", there are qualities or attributes we use to identify and define things. We categorize and classify them so we know how to identify them when they show up for us. Because identity is pretty huge for human beings, at least right now.<br />
<br />
So what is softness <i>to me? </i>What is freedom <i>to me?</i> I do not know who <i>you</i> are, so I can only speak for myself and hope some of what I feel resonates or aligns with you. These are not generalizations, they are statements of my own experience.<br />
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Softness is gentle, calm and slow. It is tender, forgiving and very humble. It sees but does not glare, and it holds but does not grip. It is space, content with being empty; not needing to be "full" of any <i>thing. </i>It is the thing it is full of and therefore, authentic and content.<br />
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Freedom is the space and boundaries. It is a state where limits are not constricting, and eternal universes of endless, beginningless possibilities are neither overwhelming or elusive...like too much space can often be. Freedom is not the absence of direction, but all direction and no direction. It is the painting, and the canvas. The painter is free to paint what he wishes, and accepts the painting has borders and exists within a set space.<br />
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Ponder this, whoever you are. What does softness mean <i>to you? </i>What does freedom mean, <i>to you?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>How soft is your freedom? How free is your softness? What qualities do you embody when you feel soft and free? What pulls you out of that embodiment, consciously or unconsciously, and what centers you back, consciously or unconsciously?</i><br />
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Exploration. It's what's in fashion here at the Free4Four!!!!<br />
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...health, kindness, space, belief, hope, care, compassion, trust...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-33014578081052780162016-04-23T10:51:00.004-07:002016-04-23T10:51:56.587-07:00CL - 4/23/16 "Desire Overload"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgxa99ZbhuDiEYAohTePA_Jm_0qGZYTM54gVsjOp4Cv6B9hEoIGyFMZ8HvINFL7CRg9Lp6Ce12DPJdr2u_fUbyD1q4xgXuxXSvFYeBQ7mS3Uhh4wzbgGbOHLZt9gWECbWXbGSPr1PTrA/s1600/42899110612771.560e7d573f291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgxa99ZbhuDiEYAohTePA_Jm_0qGZYTM54gVsjOp4Cv6B9hEoIGyFMZ8HvINFL7CRg9Lp6Ce12DPJdr2u_fUbyD1q4xgXuxXSvFYeBQ7mS3Uhh4wzbgGbOHLZt9gWECbWXbGSPr1PTrA/s640/42899110612771.560e7d573f291.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by NORDES on Behance</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I spent part of the morning scrolling through Pinterest, falling in absolute love with "industrial rustic" design homes and European cottages. I began to slip away into visions and dreams of expansive warehouse homes, remodeled to be absolutely perfect for my unique family, mixed with a secret garden-esque landscape and beach cottage feel. Silver industrial vases laced with bouquets of white fragrant flowers. A bathroom full of reclaimed wood, metal and a shower wall that says, "You look fine." (Yes, I saw this on Pinterest and find it absolutely fabulous as an affirmation and for fun) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But, I didnt stop there. After my two older girls left for the day to spend time with their Dad(s), I was nursing the baby, watching reality TV (I generally watch under an hour of TV a week). I began to wander off into the "perfect" relationship and partnership, vacations, careers... I was excited but something began shifting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Slowly, gradually, I began to get carried away with my thoughts and began to feel "lack." I wanted to jump into the future so I could have all these "things" and "situations" and for my life to look a different way than it does now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is just so much variety. So much to experience. I think we often get caught up in what I call "<i>desire overload</i>." It's so hard to choose when we have so many options. I think we experience this with every area of our lives, including choosing partners. I think that maybe we jump ship too quickly, anticipating that there is much more variety out there to pick from. We cherry pick. We hop from one thing to the next, looking for the best. We don't want to miss a thing! We feel torn between all the choices, and have a difficult time committing to just one something or someone...to accepting all that is, <i>as it is</i>. We are rarely present, as we anticipate what's to come, how to change what is, get what we want, etc. We trade in the beauty of the Now for the possiblities of the future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been doing a ton of thought-work lately. Taking full ownership of my experience(s) and catching myself as I begin to fall backwards. Today was no different, and I realized this was just another chance to learn about myself. But more importantly, this was a chance to choose something different. Normally, I would fall back into a depressed state, feeling like I was missing out on all these "things" and situations I wanted but didn't have. I would become resentful or sad, feeling voids and feeling sorry for myself and my children. Maybe starting to feel shame, or taking ownership of others' experiences like my - err - boyfriend / baby Daddy (I dont really know what to call him and don't like those words but so be it for now). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, today, I realized that something was different. I was borderline sad, but also felt sort of appreciative. Which was confusing for me. It was then that I realized we are conditioned and programmed to have a "lack" mentality. Always acting like donkeys chasing the carrot (I use this analogy and explain it in my <a href="http://www.therealloveexperiment.com/" target="_blank">book</a>). I began to peel back the layers of lack that I was conditioned to feel, societal pressures, and underneath it was an overwhelming sense of joy, gratitude and love. I was shocked. <b>There is nothing missing in my life</b>. And I am generally appreciative of all that is, as it is, right Now. This was a very pleasant surprise. Very grounding, and brought me back to the present moment. I am grateful for what I get to experience, and when, where and how I do it. Yes, there is so much variety in life that we will <i>never</i> be able to (or want to) taste it all in our lifetimes. But, the experiences we do have are profound and memorable and unique and to be cherished. They're all ours. And we can experience them <i>fully</i> in each moment. And we can appreciate it all if we so choose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I came to learn that life is like a maze. No matter which way you go, which turn you make, you end up at the same wall that boldly displays the same message: <b><i>You get to choose</i></b>. Everything is always up to you to decide. How to experience life. If youre going to be happy or sad or living lack or gratitude or what. It's never what shows up externally. It's what comes up internally and what we decide to make of it. Today was another glaring example for me of the power of our thoughts and mindset. And how it's all up to us. Always. And in every moment, we get to choose, again. We are never stuck. Never hopeless. Life begins every second that passes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I acknowledged today, that <i>yes, I love variety and change</i>. But I also love my life just how it is today, right Now. And I feel <i>so blessed</i> for the variety and contrast I get to live in my very unique situation (it's no surprise I like variety and change, if you take a look at my life and the dynamics of it, it's very obvious I'm not norm-seeking, conformist folk). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(Shaking my head) </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life is just so beautiful and chock-full of goodness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Go out today and enjoy your experience(s). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And remember: <b>You (always) get to choose. </b>Catch yourself when you begin to slip into lack, knowing that lack is just a perception and not a reality. As simply as you could make a case for lack, or not having enough, you can make a case for being full and having everything you need! You can have any perception you like that serves you. Including an attitude of gratitude and a sense of joy and love in everyday moments...and life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make it a good one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-4432731981450336292016-04-22T07:48:00.002-07:002016-04-22T07:50:35.250-07:00JK - 4/22<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="efui6" data-offset-key="8757b-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8757b-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="8757b-0-0">...and there is something spiritual in the commonest duties of life. </span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8757b-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
The nations are not bodies-politic alone, but also souls-politic; and woe to that people which, seeking the material only, forgets that it has a soul. Then we have a race, petrified in dogma, which presupposes the absence of a soul and the presence only of memory and instinct, or demoralized by lucre. Such a nature can never lead civilization. </div>
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Genuflexion before the idol or the dollar atrophies the muscle which walks and the will which moves. Hieratic or mercantile absorption diminishes the radiance of a people, lowers its horizon by lowering its level, and deprives it of that understanding of the universal aim, at the same time human and divine, which makes the missionary nations. </div>
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A free people, forgetting that it has a soul to be cared for, devotes all its energies to its material advancement. If it makes war, it is to subserve its commercial interests. The citizens copy after the State, and regard wealth, pomp, and luxury as the great goods of life. Such a nation creates wealth rapidly, and distributes it badly. Thence the two extremes, of monstrous opulence and monstrous misery; all the enjoyment to a few, all the privations to the rest, that is to say, to the people; Privilege, Exception, Monopoly, Feudality, springing up from Labor itself: a false and dangerous situation, which, making Labor a blinded and chained Cyclops, in the mine, at the forge, in the workshop, at the loom, in the field, over poisonous fumes, in miasmatic cells, in unventilated factories, founds public power upon private misery, and plants the greatness of the State in the suffering of the individual. </div>
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It is a greatness ill constituted, in which all the material elements are combined, and into which no moral element enters. If a people, like a star, has the right of eclipse, the light ought to return. </div>
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The eclipse should not degenerate into night.</div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="efui6" data-offset-key="eadgl-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eadgl-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
Albert Pike, <i>(an excerpt from 'Morals and Dogma')</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-58503507980844595062016-04-22T07:01:00.002-07:002016-04-22T07:11:05.804-07:00CL - 4/22/16 "What would I be without...?"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am so very aware of the consequences of the culmination of energy and thought. And how the more powerful the emotion and thought and belief is, and therefore the energy going towards something, the more you invite in what you're expressing. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I am sure any parent can relate to, I was having "<i>one of those</i>" mornings. And I'm quite certain I created it by allowing my emotions and thoughts to slip away with my sleep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I "woke up," (this is in quotes because I wake up about 100x a night and this week or two in particular the babies seem to be going backwards and sleeping less) exhausted and overwhelmed, trying to get the two babies back to sleep. Unsuccessful, I took my toddler downstairs, followed by my first grader. Time check: 6 AM. I had this feeling like I better change my tune swiftly but I just couldn't do it. I hung my head low, falling into my exhaustion. And it began. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Mommy...." "I need this," and "I need that." "Help" with this. And that. Make breakfast. Nurse the baby. Clean up toys. Switch laundry. Dress up for school (of course it's a special occasion dress up day!). Find coordinating costume accessories in the playroom. Oops. That one broke. Find another. Pack lunch and snack. There was not a pause or silence for more than half a minute before the next child wanted something else. "Mommmmmmmy."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>(Parents: You've been there, no? Countless times?) </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Feeling very much like a slave, I continued to slip into defeat. The next two and a half hours before the bus came were filled with chaos and more overwhelm: My landlord came out just ten seconds before I got the dogs in and so I had to wrangle two 80-pound-plus barking dogs into the house. They scared the baby who began screaming. Then I noticed she shit her diaper and it leaked all the way up to her neck. Yes. Her neck! I'm trying to clean her, the toddler is calling me and fighting with my first grader who is now asking for help finding costume accessories as she's dumping all the bins in the playroom on the floor and leaving a huge mess. I manage to sneak away for just long enough to pee and of course, I get my period! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so it went on this way, "nonstop" and crazy until this moment. Time check: 9 AM. I did more than struggle to wrangle the dogs this morning. I battled it out with my thoughts, too. And more importantly, my beliefs about those things and the feelings it invoked. If you noticed, "nonstop" was in quotation marks. When I came downstairs at 6 AM, I begrudgingly began talking to myself about how nonstop my life is and began leaving the present moment, thinking about the future "nonstop" things I had to tend to, as well, as the day continued.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since I know better, and because I knew if I allowed myself to go down this slippery slope, it would not be long before I awoke the Vampires, too, <i>totally not wanting to do that</i>, as the bus came and things slowed a bit, I was able to rein in my mind and tame him just a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time check: 910 AM. Things have quieted. The baby is napping. My toddler is resting on the couch. We are eating Carrot Cake together. Of course the orange icing got all over my pants (which are overdue to be changed, anyway, and myself showered). The difference? In this moment, I am shaking my head and laughing about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You don't have to be a parent to relate to this type of day. Anyone can relate to things spiraling out of control, and all the moving parts that add to the flavor of the poisonous pot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have to be so careful of our language, our usage of it and our beliefs about our thoughts. We attract what we focus on whether its wanted or not. The little voice warned me to check myself this morning. But I decided to dance with my demons instead. And the result was a whole lot of crazy shit to reinforce my belief that life is hectic and nonstop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just now, the dogs saw my landlord, again. This morning they ran quite a few loops up and down the deck and throughout the yard before I got them in the house. Just now, in a better frame of mind, I whistled. They came up onto the deck. I pointed in the house, and they went in. So smooth. So different than how it went when my mindframe was in an uhealthy and negative place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, how was I able to stop the cycle and momentum before it became like Alexander's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? I thought about how blessed I am. "Blessed? During that crazy morning of nonstop, chaos?" Yes. Blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I asked myself, <i>"</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>What would I be without...(fill in the blank)?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would I be without my kids that drive me crazy and make messes and whine and cry a lot and keep me so busy I don't have time to shower regularly or sleep? I would be clean, for sure. And also very empty. My life would be quiet. Which I enjoy. But, I enjoy the "nonstop" loud chaos more because it represents to me a full house of love. So much love. And being alive. So very much alive. My house is full of life and love at all times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You don't have to be a parent to relate. Ask yourself, what would you be without your pesky employer? Maybe homeless, or not able to buy your fancy shoes you just wore out last weekend. That's right, honey, you won't be going out anymore either without a job. Unless your parents are giving you money. In which case, if they annoy you, what would you be without them? Certainly without a load of love and that money they're giving you to live your life and buy fancy shoes and the money to go out with so you can wear them! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would you be without your nuisances? I bet you can find a way to feel grateful for them instead. For how they enhance your life and the privileges they bestow upon you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sure, an alarm clock at 6 AM is super annoying. But without the gift of time, what would you be? Who would you be? Where would you be without an alarm clock? What if you didn't have a room to put an alarm clock in? What if you had nowhere to go and no one to see? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You are very blessed. As am I.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The crazy days are an indicator to check our thoughts and our beliefs about them. To shift our perception onto what <i>we want</i>, not what we don't want. The immediate results are astounding. Imagine what the longterm benefits are.... <i><<<dreaming of them...mmmm>>></i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What we consider to be annoying or aggravating is simply our life expressing contrast. It means nothing until we believe it means something. In which case, we determine how our day is going to play out (or week, or month, or year or life). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time check: 10 AM. And all is well. Blessed be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">TGIF, friends.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-29168694757427071552016-04-19T06:06:00.001-07:002016-04-19T06:16:56.439-07:00JK - 4/19Regularly scheduled maintenance.<br />
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I own a car, and cars must be taken care of. They need love and attention. Sure, you can drive a car and do nothing for it, and one day when you need it most the car will "suddenly" start making weird noises or shuddering and blumbering. <br />
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Sitting on the side of the road with your head in your hands, you say to yourself, "Next time I'll be better at taking care of things I own." <br />
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Just like you said the last time something bad happened. <br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />When my car starts making a strange noise, I have two choices: It's just a noise and there is nothing to worry about, or something may be wrong and I should have a closer look, just to make sure. If you are anything like me you don't want to take your car in for service every time you hear a noise or feel a rumble or wobble, but if we had the means; the time and the money, wouldn't we always have our cars maintained, no matter what?<br />
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OF COURSE we would, and it's the same thing with our bodies.<br />
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We have bodies, and those bodies need maintenance. They need rest, good clean foods, lots of water and perhaps the most overlooked detail is a regular affirmative dialogue. Without these things, it's easy to perpetuate the habit of overlooking something we want to believe is small and insignificant until it grows into an out-of-control problem.<br />
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We often feel physical discomforts in the form of little pains or subtle sensations, signaling something is out of alignment, or not quite right. Usually, the feeling is just tension or tightness from holding ourselves in poor posture or sitting too long in a bad chair; staring down at the phone or computer, standing too long in shoes with poor support, etc.<br />
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Like vehicle maintenance, we have a choice with our bodies: <br />
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Do I just keep going and ignore the sensation, or can I take a few moments and look deeper to examine the nature of the sensation? <br />
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Unlike vehicle maintenance, we don't need to take our body to a doctor (the human dealership) every time we feel discomfort. Most of the aches and pains we feel can be confronted and better understood by following a few simple steps:<br />
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1. What do you feel and where? <br />
2. How long have you been feeling what you feel? A minute, a day, a week?<br />
3. What do you notice activates the feeling or sensation you are experiencing? What softens or alleviates the sensation, if it can be softened?<br />
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This last step is probably the most important, and can take a bit more time and focused effort:<br />
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4. Close your eyes, take a couple deep breaths and look inward (meaning connect with your muscles, bones, your nerves and your emotions). Then ask yourself, what is the root cause or core issue? Look plainly and without judgement for the choices you have made that got you to feeling the way you do.<br />
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This can be an emotionally painful process. It's never fun to admit when you are wrong about something or could have made a better choice, but thankfully the simple realization of this can point you in the direction of a different choice you can make. <br />
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If your back hurts every time you stand up from your favorite old chair, maybe it's time for a chair upgrade. If your stomach hurts every time you eat tomatoes, perhaps lessen the amount of pasta sauce and pizza you are eating.<br />
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With people, this is a bit more challenging. You may discover the pain in your chest occurs every time you are around a certain person, or every time you think of a particular situation going on in your life. In that case, you must be extra gentle and super sensitive to every nuance of the dynamic. The checklist still applies to your emotions, and often times creating a journal or a running tab of what you notice and when/why, can really help put things in perspective over time.<br />
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No matter what you feel, physically or emotionally, the solution or insight you seek may take a while to discover - and that's okay. It's totally normal not to have an answer for how you feel. Things like that take time and patience and compassion, so don't add the stress of "needing an answer" onto your discomfort. Take your time, move slow and continue your inward journey <i>until the answer you feel is most true</i> appears in your awareness. <br />
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This way, you move and act from a place of certainty and stability rather than rushing to simply cover or escape what you do not understand. This is where the regular affirmative dialogue comes into play. <br />
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Tell yourself often that you DO deserve love and attention, at least from yourself even if you don't always feel it from others. You ARE worthy of regularly scheduled physical and emotional maintenance. Take a hot bath, grab your mat and go to yoga or go for a long walk with your dog or partner on the beach. Do something great for yourself every day and allow yourself to feel good about it. Say thank you for the things you have and stop dwelling on the things you lack. Tell yourself that you matter, and you are here for a reason. <br />
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Focus on your strengths and the attributes you have worked hard to embody and achieve. The elements of an affirmative dialogue are asking questions that are easy to say "Yes" to, and help yourself feel bigger, stronger and worth the attention your body and mind are asking for. <br />
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Hopefully this blog reaches you in exactly the right time, and encourages you to take action and look deeper. Let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help and nothing is too small.<br />
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Thank you VW dealership. Thank you Body. Thank you Consciousness. Thank you Internet!!! :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-19223771591302421792016-04-18T05:02:00.000-07:002016-04-18T05:02:10.860-07:00JK - 4/18/16Sometimes I feel really selfish. Just now, for example, I opened my computer to do some writing which I haven't had time for in a few days. As I do so, someone walks in and wants to talk to me and tell me about themselves and what is going on for them. A feeling similar to that of being robbed or tied up comes through my stomach in a wave. I instantly navigate the frustrated self in silence, listening politely but all the while only waiting for them to leave. And really, I don't want them to JUST leave...I want them to know it's not a good time and kindly leave me in peace. <br />
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I'm learning what a challenge it is for people to be sensitive. How this thing I have been my whole life and could never turn OFF, others are practically unable to turn ON. It's not that they don't care and it's certainly not that they are aiming to limit or restrict me or you in any way. That's just a story brought up by my own feelings. The truth is, people are trying so hard. But I always use the analogy of lifting weights when I explain to people the dangers of trying too hard:<br />
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Let's say you have a goal to get in shape. You begin going to the gym a few hours a day. You use free weights, you use machines, you take classes, etc. While the goal is good and the system you have in place for achieving the goal is sound, if you don't know how to properly lift weights, you may be working very hard just to get injured! Or, time will go by and instead of getting injured you simply don't see any results because you know nothing about how to work muscle groups and how the system of more reps-less weight/less reps-more weight works over time. <br />
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Of course, it's totally possible to figure all this out intuitively but that's part of my point here too. Many people think they are being sensitive but they aren't. Many people think they "intuitively" understand how people and things work, but they don't. They only know their story. <br />
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Without the technique of understanding, accepting and THEN separating from your personal story, you'll never be able to truly hear and feel what another person needs. Why isn't that the topic of presidential debate? Why isn't that on the front page of every newspaper? Probably because they all rely on the story to hook your attention. They know how much you love the story, the excitement and the drama, but don't be fooled by their techniques. You must develop your own mind techniques to shelter your consciousness from all the crap people spray it with.<br />
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Meditation studies help with this, and I can also recommend the book "Mind Programming" by Eldon Taylor, to help you get more familiar with the recent history of symbols and subliminal messages.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-57557699618993471482016-04-17T17:49:00.002-07:002016-04-17T17:56:17.926-07:00CL - 4/17/16 "What Would Love Do?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><br />I invite you to stop frequently throughout the day today and question: <i>What would Love do? </i>Question your intentions, listen for the whispers of your Heart and Soul. Pause long enough to hear the silence as it speaks to you.<br /><br /><b>Angry at someone?</b> Ask yourself, <i>what would Love do? </i>How would you act if you were acting purely out of Love and not fear or ego? Would you still be angry? Use this technique to uncover your real feelings and core issues that lie deep beneath the surface anger.<br /><br /><b>Frustrated with your life or a current situation? </b> Ask yourself, <i>what would Love do? </i>If you were to view this circumstance with eyes of Love and pure light energy, would you see it differently? Is there a way to find opportunity in this challenge presenting itself? Life happens <i>for</i> you, not to you. Everything is a mirror, showing you ways you can grow and learn more about yourself. Is there a way you can find appreciation for your circumstance, rather than create more tension around it? Remember, your thoughts and beliefs become your tomorrow.<br /><br /><b>Feeling insecure or not worthy?</b> Ask yourself, <i>what would Love do?</i> How does God see you? How does your Inner Being, your Higher Divine Being see you? If you were to see yourself in this way, you would just fall in absolute love with all that you are (and aren’t). Even your “flaws” are perfectly suited for your life’s mission(s) and purpose. You are a masterpiece, crafted in pure Loving energy. The non-physical part of you just adores your “human.” You’re quite a character, you know? Really. You’re fabulous. Start believing it.<br /><br /><b>Don’t have a Love life? </b>Think again. Be your own "Someone Special", first and foremost. Give yourself the Love and attention you crave. Teach others how to treat you by how well you treat yourself. Then, extend that love out into the world through Kindness and Compassion.<br /><br />Today (and everyday), try to appreciate all the Love that there is in your life, no matter how that looks: kids, friends, family, loved ones, spouses or significant others, animals, businesses, hobbies, passions… the list is endless. Love takes so many different forms. If we look close enough, we will see so many examples of how much Love we have right Now. And don’t forget to take time to treat someone special (YOU) to some extra TLC. The world will be a brighter place: the better you feel, the bigger your shine. The bigger your shine, the greater positive impact you have on the whole of humanity. We all need you to continually ask yourself, <i>what would Love do? </i></span><div style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', 'bitstream charter', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-59008304662345197492016-04-15T11:42:00.002-07:002016-04-17T17:51:19.514-07:00CL - 4/15/16 "Planting Seeds"<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Do you feel it? </i></b>The struggle to stay afloat. To stay smiling. To stay hopeful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While we may "know" that our experience is in our total control, (though some prefer to stay unaware of this and for obvious reasons) it can be difficult to take full ownership of every moment, especially when faced with one of our trigger buttons. It's easy to cave. To give into patterns and stories and conditioned responses. To our programmed self-limiting beliefs. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, before you give in, wait for just one more moment!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>You cannot abandon your seeds and expect flowers to bloom.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3kPEZT36bRydRPcuMcByWCLIGS0d3W5JphcWwZBb_tPfEGFznHEGC1XMOVHhE1QBeiOqlDF23zhHOdGw7ai23z_b_nN7JGSZRHJsDS78kgHcdPVY1gNX7OjEj2ERXg5yWVLetHtFgc7D/s1600/green-from-ashes.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3kPEZT36bRydRPcuMcByWCLIGS0d3W5JphcWwZBb_tPfEGFznHEGC1XMOVHhE1QBeiOqlDF23zhHOdGw7ai23z_b_nN7JGSZRHJsDS78kgHcdPVY1gNX7OjEj2ERXg5yWVLetHtFgc7D/s400/green-from-ashes.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It takes time, patience and nurturing for seeds to grow. Planting the seed is just the first step. Walking away, abandoning your seed, leaves your plant no chance at sustainable life. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Planting seeds is </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">only a tiny fraction of the growing process! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And useless if you don't continue to care for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Watch your plant (life) blossom</u>:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plant your seed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give it time and practice gentleness, patience. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep a good attitude.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Water and nourish your plant continually, and as needed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Open yourself to receive, remove resistance and allow the Universe to work its magic.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">DO NOT GIVE UP.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">most important parts of the growing process is to NOT get discouraged right before the plant blooms. When do we normally turn our back? About one second too soon! And we push away the good, rejecting the blossoming right as it's about to </span>happen. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In coaching, we are taught to hold space for our clients. We are told to pause and hold silence for a few seconds longer than feels comfortable. <i>That</i> is when the magic happens: in those few extra seconds of discomfort. Discomfort allows us to stretch to find new comfort (expansion). In the silence, clients process their emotions, reflect and have beautiful ah-ha moments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is no different. The magic manifests in those moments when you hold out just a tad longer than feels comfortable. Right before you give up, hang tight. Hold the space. It is holding onto the belief that will allow the blossoming, the unfolding, the new to come. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hold the space for your seed to blossom. Just a few extra moments. And revel in your beautiful garden. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-43084081376331755372016-04-14T05:56:00.001-07:002016-04-17T17:51:41.480-07:00CL - 4/14/16 "We are Always Safe"We are always held by the divine, wrapped like a blanket and held tight with love.<br />
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Our fears may appear insurmountable, and we may feel unsafe. But, our Freedom lies in the recognition that we are always protected. Always safe. Always just one choice away from being liberated by shifts in perception. </div>
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Fear is an illusion. Only love is real. </div>
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<u>Notice the recurring theme:</u> Freedom is created by our choice to shift our focus off "what is" or what is unwanted, to what is wanted and uplifting. Continual practice leads to alignment and joy and peace. Based on the basic Laws of the Universe, more "wants" manifest and our lives becomes improved. Our thoughts become solid form. They become our life. Happy thoughts invite happy things to come to us. And we can choose happy thoughts in every new moment. Right Now. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-87096647361265241352016-04-13T09:48:00.002-07:002016-04-17T17:51:50.437-07:00CL - 4/13/16 "Perfection"Perfection.<br />
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We seek it. From ourselves. In others. </div>
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We chase it. </div>
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We run from it. </div>
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But...<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We are it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Absolutely, totally whole and Perfectly imperfect in each fabulous, perfect moment. Now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">All there is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Perfection. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Or it wouldn't be. </span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-84151555929072099182016-04-13T06:00:00.002-07:002016-04-18T05:04:34.651-07:00JK - 4/13/16Every person is free. It is an illusion to believe anything else. <br />
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It is a lie inherently borne into the structure of social conditioning: that sameness is safety and difference is conflict. That is true in many cases, but only until a person realizes they have the power to choose, AT ALL TIMES. <br />
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If a person doesn't like their circumstance and they believe they have no choice but to accept it, they are ignoring the obvious choice:<br />
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Death. We can choose to end our life, and because we have that awareness and that power, there is <i>always</i> a choice.<br />
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The opposite of death is life. If we can choose to die we can choose to live, and if we can choose how we die than we can also choose <i>how we live</i>. We condition ourselves and each other to feel stuck or trapped in what we have always been. <br />
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It is our thoughts that need shifting. How we think determines how we feel, and studies have proven this time and again. You can sit right now in a safe room, far from any threat or danger, and if you close your eyes and picture what you consider to be a dangerous threat in the room with you, your body will believe it and your biological system will react. Elevated heart rate, sweating, physical tension and emotional anxiety. All because you imagined something that isn't really there, and you know for a fact it isn't there! But you chose to believe it, and that made it real for you.<br />
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Crazy, huh?<br />
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So today, take a look at your choices and your beliefs by seeing what is actually there in front of you, physically, and search for <i>the story you tell about it. </i> Do you believe what you see? Do you feel safe at home or in your car, or with family and friends? How can you shift the storyline in your head or ask questions to learn more about what you see and observe to find out if your story is true or not? <br />
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We are here to help. If you have questions that you aren't ready to ask the people you know because you feel they may not understand or you just aren't comfortable yet, you can ask us. We care about you knowing you are free and feeling empowered by your freedom to make the choices you truly want to make. <br />
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To live the life you were born to live.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-62828222862815276232016-04-12T07:53:00.004-07:002016-04-17T17:52:00.801-07:00CL - 4/12/16 "Your Inner Child"Honor that sacred space within you that yearns for love, acceptance and nurturing.<br />
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Your inner child is beside you every step you take. She is innocent and pure. </div>
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Allow her to journey with you. </div>
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You can learn a lot from each other.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-69230515116865539872016-04-11T08:42:00.001-07:002016-04-17T17:52:12.520-07:00CL - 4/11/16 "Step Into Your Bigness"<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hello, Fellow F-Bombers,<br /><br /><i>(F for Freedom, that is)</i></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i><br /></i><u>Contemplation for today</u>: Step into your bigness, fearlessly.<br /><br />Why do we shy away from expanding into the biggest version of ourselves?<br />Why are we self-conscious?<br />What are we so afraid of?<br />Why don't we just take the leap of faith and trust in the divine safety blanket we wear?<br /></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Take one baby step today towards realizing your true Self and authenticity. Be courageous, loves. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We are all here for you. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-10282233589528629472016-04-11T06:45:00.003-07:002016-04-11T06:45:24.824-07:00JK - 4/11/16<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Monday. Something feels different. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I did ceremony this weekend with some close friends, and some not so close friends. We took LSD (only a little bit, but it was enough) and played drums all night. The close friends stayed quiet, and yes; they got carried into some of what I call 'the typical drug persona': doing strange things so everyone can see them feeling strange. Seeking attention. At least, that's how it felt/feels to me when people act in that way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As for me, I was quiet. [Yes, let me speak for myself.] Though my drum was at times very loud. My favorite moments were when I would hum the 'Oh' vowel and find the frequency of the drum I was playing. When I matched perfectly with it (which happened and then faded and then happened and then faded) it felt as though the whole room was vibration in that frequency and amplified into a unison. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The two drums I was playing were a small darbuka and a larger djembe. Both have holes in the bottom with long, cylindrical bodies that narrow about 3/4 of the way up to the top, and then expand outwards to become the size of the actual drum head. I got the idea to flip the darbuka and use it as a simulated megaphone to ask someone who was talking too much to talk less. Then I started laughing because I was really enjoying the sound. When I tried humming the 'Oh' vowel from underneath the drum, the head began to resonate when I found it's frequency and then the whole shell began to vibrate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I didn't ask for feedback from the group to see if they were feeling this shift. I just went to the djembe and flipped it over and found it's fundamental frequency with an 'Oh' sound, and that was a whole other experience. The pitch was significantly lower so it was a bit more challenging to sustain the low tone with my voice (thank you vocal training!), but also the body of the darbuka was metal and the djembe was wood, so the djembe vibration seemed fuller and richer. The metal bounced the note around the cylinder and the air from my voice activated the drum head, while the body of the djembe seemed to FEEL the note I played and both the body AND the drum skin picked up the vibration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you ever go into a music store and you see they have a djembe or hand drum of any kind with the hole in the bottom, make sure the drum is in tune and then flip it over and place the hole right on your face, like a mask. Then hum an 'Oh' sound and vary the pitch in your voice until you find the note the drum is tuned to. You can gve the drum a gentle tap with your middle finger, right in the center, to hear the note and then practice unifying it with the voice. It's quite pleasing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I feel rested today. Healed from the ceremony and the offering of time and space to the ancient ones. Things like that don't happen often, so when they do I use my time and my energy wisely. I meditated a lot after the drumming and sound activation was complete. I shared silent space with my close friend and felt his gratitude for the spiritual existence, cased in skin and bone. The experience that is us and everyone else. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After about 2 1/2 hours of deep breathing and emotional reflection, I drove back home and snuggled with my lady for a bit, then we went to yoga, where I sat in meditation the whole 75 minutes. My goal lately is to begin extending my sit times beyond the one hour mark. I find my body releases so much tension when I pass that threshold; maybe because I have conditioned myself to feel when the hour is approaching and, in a way, I become eager to get up or accomplish the mission of sitting for one hour, and my bones and muscles begin to ache and my mind goes a little haywire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yesterday though, when I felt myself pass the one hour point I made a micro adjustment in my posture and felt my entire system slow down and sink down. The last 15 minutes were so pleasant, even though the 20 minutes leading up to it I was sweating profusely in my sweatshirt and feeling immense anxiety and tension from physical discomfort. One day I hope to be able to sit through anything and feel at peace, even my worst nightmares. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Practice makes better, that's what my drum teacher used to say. Practice, practice, practice... </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15605699211729440508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-75925581974808754682016-04-10T04:26:00.001-07:002016-04-17T17:52:22.463-07:00CL - 4/10/16 "Do Something New"What was once conquered, again, needs attention and focus.<br />
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We often find ourselves in a circular pattern, unable to climb out towards a new route or straight path. We ask, how did I end up here again? </div>
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We cannot come to a new path or different outcome, if we participate in the same behaviors, thinking and patterns that got us there in the first place. </div>
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Do something new. </div>
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Anything. </div>
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And trust. And believe. </div>
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Be patient. </div>
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The seeds you plant today need time and nurturing to blossom. </div>
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Be still. </div>
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Life is working for you. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083387622157912767.post-48400690638783199242016-04-09T07:26:00.001-07:002016-04-17T17:52:34.531-07:00CL - 4/9/16 "Welcome Home..."What can I say that wasn't already so beautifully said in the last post by Josh?<br />
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I love <i>being</i> happy. It's the best. But it's sometimes a struggle to hang onto that pure joy and feelings of unconditional love. Triggers are around every corner. Sometimes in your own backyard. Or even in your own bed. Prodding the ego, coaxing him to play. </div>
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Happiness, to me, is finding and experiencing the Ultimate Freedom: not getting triggered and remaining peace and love and joy in each moment. Acceptance of all that is. Unwavering faith and trust. Total transparency in expression of Self and authenticity. </div>
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Total deliciousness. </div>
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And I'm going for it. </div>
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Right here. Right now. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15736226310491000607noreply@blogger.com0