July 27, 2016

MICHELLE DAWN: “What Happens When the Mind Looks at Itself”

In the absence of mindfulness, it is easy to get caught up in difficult situations without even realizing we’re caught up in them. Perhaps it is a difficult person, an obstacle in a relationship, or a financial struggle. It could be any type of burden upon the spirit. When we start investing more energy toward observing the burden than toward the cultivation of our self-awareness, we begin to experience suffering. We may even sometimes project the suffering onto other people. We may [unintentionally] judge someone when we are suffering in this way — especially if we perceive that person to be the cause of our suffering.

This is not compassion.

This is not awareness.

In a past situation when I acknowledged that my lack of personal awareness was what was truly affecting me, I could see that I was putting too much effort in trying to be helpful (and getting nowhere in the process) which I believed was causing me to suffer. Implementing mindfulness allowed me to communicate calmly, openly, and honestly. I now have an entirely different view and a deeper understanding of things, as well as a clear view of my own path.

We can only move forward when we recognize what it is in ourselves that is allowing the suffering to occur. Perhaps we can find ways to grow in the situation, or perhaps we find that it really is time to move on from it in order to grow. Either way, choosing to stay in the situation without any hope for it to improve infects and disrupts the situation further.

“The human mind has the capacity to look at itself.” — Thay Phap Luu

I was deeply moved by a dharma talk by Thay Phap Luu “The Practice of Non-Fear” which helped clarify how, through mindfulness alone, we can embrace difficult, unexpected, and emotional situations.

The Steps to Mindfulness

Breath | Mindfulness. Practice of mindfulness begins by following the breath. Simply noticing the breath as it flows into and then back out of the body, the way the lungs expand when we inhale, and then contract again when we exhale.

Recognizing | Developing Concentration. We cultivate our awareness as we learn to follow the breath all the way through the inhale, continuing all the way through the exhale. We notice when our attention comes away from the breath and must come back to the breath through our intention. Thay Phap Luu defines this as recognizing.

Embracing | Experiencing the Body. We can then begin to apply recognizing to other situations. For example, when we are able to recognize when our emotions are difficult, we can choose not to plant the seed of that emotion or allow those challenging feelings to turn into negativity. We can simply recognize them, choose to embrace them, and then more easily choose to let them go.

Soothing | Calming the Body. We create a larger capacity to soothe ourselves as we continue to train ourselves to recognize and accept who we are. Through this we are not only settling the mind, but also calming the body. This leads us to the threshold of creating the habits which can lead us to personal freedom.

Experiencing Joy. By continually choosing to care for ourselves in this way, we create conditions for joy to become possible. The experience of joy is a sign of freedom in the purest form.

While developing a mindfulness practice, it is important to remember that it is not something to be perfected, but rather something to be practiced. It is a continuum. The beauty of practicing is that we can and will learn from each experience, as we consciously guide ourselves to becoming more emotionally and spiritually mature.

~via ForestandCrow.com

July 23, 2016

ALEXA PELLEGRINI: “Find Yourself: Mantras for Self-Discovery, Freedom and Joy”

Our world is constantly evolving and constantly demanding that we, as a society and as individuals, evolve with it. Finding love and living an authentic lifestyle have become secondary to achieving professional success and financial security. Many of us become so immersed in our daily routines that over time, we lose touch with ourselves and our dreams.

In order to heal, we must understand that drive, ambition and materialism can only take us so far before we suffer under the weight of emptiness, regardless of how successful we are by society’s standards. Even after achieving our goals, we may feel unsatisfied and continue to crave validation or material comforts to quiet an inner lack of self-acceptance and love. Where, then, can happiness be found?

As you embark on the soul’s journey to enlightenment, you will discover the greatest success you can attain is connecting with your higher self and integrating love into your life. ‘Happiness’ is not derived from the material, nor is it attainable only to a select few. Finding happiness is simple: when we release our obsessions over attaining the ‘perfect’ success and material security, we free our hearts and move closer to experiencing an authentic, joyful existence.

Why Recite Mantras? Mantras Guide Us to Love

By accessing the power of speech through mantras, you can re-frame your thinking to purify negativity with love. Mantras are simple yet powerful phrases that are continuously recited in order to provide a healing, stabilizing effect on the mind. The repetitious quality of mantras yield the potential to open doors to achieving love, happiness and meaningful accomplishments.

Anxiety, perfectionism, guilt and pessimism are common roadblocks to finding freedom from the ‘rat race’. The following mantras offers solutions to overcoming these barriers. Ideally, sit in a serene space and repeat each desired mantra at your preferred pace. Slow pacing will calm the heart and reduce anxiety. Fast pacing will provide an intense, regenerative effect that will increase your pulse and breathing; be aware of your energy levels during fast recitation.

1. Everything ends.

When you are overwhelmed by anxiety or believe you are ‘stuck’ in a situation, you must remember that everything ends. Life is composed of cycles; every negative cycle must occur for a positive cycle to begin. Even our most frustrating, terrible cycles will come to an end. A difficult situation is not a permanent barrier to any kind of happiness.

2: I am enough.

Perfectionism is a major roadblock to incorporating love and happiness into your life. Take a moment each day to remind yourself that you are enough. Who has told you that you are ‘not good enough’? Will punishing yourself bring love and prosperity? As you recite this mantra, look at yourself in the mirror–be your own best supporter. This mantra should be repeated to counteract negative self-talk.

3: My life is my own.

This is particularly helpful for those who feel obligated to take on the responsibilities of others, and for those who feel guilty for having their own needs. Only by honoring your true desires without being restricted by the unrealistic expectations of others will you ever truly find happiness. Every being is entitled to follow his unique path — excessive self-sacrifice will only create a harmful imbalance in your life and the lives of others.

4: Let love be my guide.

There is nothing as holistic and cleansing as integrating love as a guiding energy into your life. Give into the divine will of the Universe by releasing all negative thinking; when your mind and heart have opened, you will see joy unfold before your eyes. As you recite this mantra, imagine a warm, pink light wrapping around your body like a blanket, drawing out all darkness from your auric field.

©Universal Copyright 2015 is authorized here. Please distribute freely as long as both the author Alexa Pellegrini and www.QuantumStones.com are included as the resource and this information is distributed on a non-commercial no charge basis.

April 22, 2016 Image

PEGGY BLACK: “Wisdom and Guidelines For Multidimensional Humans”

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April 19, 2016

PERRY GARFINKEL: “The 7 Habits Of Highly Spiritual People”

“The Dalai Lama giggles his way to enlightenment. Alfred E. Neuman has that eternal grin. The Laughing Buddha is, well, laughing. Spiritual people are happy.”

In truth, that headline is misleading. This list is merely a starter set, not the be-all and end-all assuring spiritual bliss. (And what’s so mystical about the number 7 anyway, other than that it appears to boost book sales?) As the unofficial and self-declared Stephen Covey of spirituality, I add this encouraging caveat: just like bad habits you can’t break, the same can be said of good habits. Try some of these, reap the rewards — those would be love for and from others, love for yourself, love in general — and they will become addictive, giving rise to many other random acts of spiritual goodness that will take over your life.

#1 Highly Spiritual People Give Rather Than Take.

To give is indeed divine. Some research on altruism suggests people commit selfless deeds precisely because such acts make them feel good, therefore refuting the notion of selflessness. Hogwash. Is breathing selfish? If we didn’t give, and give generously, we’d die. I really believe that. Giving is human nature; it’s just that we forget our own Spirit-Nature sometimes. Giving can take many forms; simply paying attention to someone is a gift.

#2 They Say Yes More Than They Say No.

Naysayers are a downer. “No” closes our hearts like cholesterol. (Naturally, this excludes saying “No” to drugs or other self-destructive, noxious or illegal behaviors.) “Yes” affirms life. People always would rather hear yes rather no. Unless it’s when you ask your doctor, “Do I have herpes?”

#3 They See Possibilities, Not Problems.

As Shunryu Suzuki writes: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.” And this may be the only time you hear Norman Vincent Peale quoted right after Suzuki-roshi, but there is something to the power of positive thinking, if not “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Spiritual people are optimists. They believe in belief. They are the lemon-to-lemonade folks, the problems-as-opportunites advocates, the positive spin
Masters.

#4 They Walk A Mile in Your Shoes.

They understand that empathy means feeling another’s pain but not so much that they take on others’ pain and become another’s pain. With that empathy, they tend to know exactly what to say or do for you to make you feel better. In gratitude, we say to them, “You are a saint.” Even when we do not mean it literally, it is true — literally.

#5 They Count Blessings in Small Wonders.

They do not expect Spirit to appear accompanied by fire and brimstone and a big neon sign flashing in the sky. They are not waiting for the Big A-ha. Nor are they waiting for the cure to cancer, the job promotion, or the love of a lifetime. They appreciate the tiny details: the smile of a child, the sparkle in an old person’s eyes, the morning’s first ray of sunlight. While others have recommended not to sweat the bad small stuff, spiritual people savor the good small stuff.

#6 They Give Compliments Generously, Accept Them with Humility.

There is no limit to people’s need for praise and appreciation. I suspect that even Donald Trump deep down is desperate for a compliment. Spiritual people do not see people’s “need” for support as a weakness or flaw. They see it as a cry for love, and they comply without hesitation. On the other hand, those who respond to a compliment with grandiose objections and deflections, who cannot accept a compliment with grace, probably feel they are not worthy of it. But they are worthy of it. Even the Don is worthy of it.

#7 They Worship Where and When the Spirit Moves Them.

They don’t need a temple or church to practice their spirituality, nor do they need a Sunday morning service at 10 a.m. They don’t even need a rabbi or a priest or a lama or sensei. Their spiritual setting is a forest, a beach, a mountain top. Their setting is a movable spiritual feast, for they know the true spiritual setting is within. And it travels with, and within, them wherever they go.

And a year-end bonus:

#8 They Laugh a Lot

Have you noticed? Santa ho-ho-ho’s his way down the chimney. The Dalai Lama giggles his way to enlightenment. Alfred E. Neuman has that eternal grin. The Laughing Buddha is, well, laughing. Spiritual people are happy. Not just the smiley-face kind of happy, but the deep-down-content kind of happy. If you have trouble getting to happy, try this trick I learned years ago from no less a sage source than the musical “Bye Bye Birdie”: “Just put on a happy face.” The act of smiling alone triggers a happy hormonal shift, from “gloomy mask of tragedy” to “spreading sunshine all over the place.” And what could be more spiritual than that?

So, let’s get to the point.

Source created perfection
You and I are part of that perfection
We inherited the DNA of Source, and we said, “Hey, you know what, we want to also create perfection.”
Source put up a curtain, and created imperfection so that we could create perfection again.

That’s it.

Our imperfect world was created so we could create perfection, instead of having it given to us. It’s like a picture puzzle. Source created this elaborate painting and we said, “Wow, what a painting! We want to create one like that.” So Source made it into a picture puzzle, separating the pieces so we could put it back together.

The chaos in our lives, the distance we feel with others — and within ourselves — is all an illusion. It’s because of the space that was created when all the pieces were pulled apart.

The effort we came here to do is to remove the space. Every time we snap the pieces together – BOOM – another piece of perfection appears in our lives.

Imagine if you were a five year old kid and I said, “Here’s a puzzle, it’s already assembled.” Would you enjoy it? No. The first thing you’d do is shake it up in the box, creating space between the pieces. The more you’d shake it up, the more chaotic it would become.

Then you’d dump it out on the floor and start building the puzzle. That’s when the fun would begin.

That’s what effort’s all about. Happiness given to us doesn’t feel like happiness. Happiness that we create – now that feels like happiness!

Create your happiness this week. Create your certainty. Create your love. If there is pain and struggle in your life, then remind yourself of the picture puzzle. Remember the Light is there, perfect, and that you asked for the sweat on your brow simply so that you could feel the satisfaction of being a Creator.

And know that whatever you are struggling with will have a positive result.

March 5, 2016

ANDREA SCHULMAN: “12 Manifestations Of A High Vibration”

At our core, all we are made up of is energy, and our vibration is simply the movement of our energy through space. Our vibrations are very important because they are responsible for how our lives unfold.

Through the Law of Attraction, we create our entire lives based on our vibrations. In the simplest terms, when we have a high vibration we create more of what we want in life. When our energy is low, we create more of what we don’t want.

It’s good to remember our vibrations are always changing across time, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with having a low vibration, because low vibrations do serve a valuable function!

Low vibrations provide signals to us that our thinking and behaviors are headed in a direction we don’t want to go, and these signals can be very useful if we are aware of them.

However, it’s also useful to know when you have a high vibration, so you can celebrate the moment and make it last a little longer!

So, here are twelve manifestations of a high vibration. Have any of these things happened to you lately?

1. Being excited to wake up and start your day

When we are running at a high vibration life feels exciting. If you leap out of bed in the morning ready to tackle the day, you can bet you are running on a high vibrational frequency.

2. Good health

Our bodies are physical manifestations of our vibrations. High quality energy results in a high functioning body, and this reduces and even eliminates injury and illness.

3. Feeling strong

When our energy is high we will feel as if we can move mountains. Feats that usually feel too challenging suddenly feel possible.

4. Being able to communicate clearly and effectively

When our vibration is moving quickly our words flow easily and effortlessly. We can communicate with others in a way that is understood, without tripping over our words or sticking a foot in our mouths.

5. Financial prosperity

With good energy, abundance moves into our lives easily. In times like these we are more likely to win prizes, receive unexpected checks in the mail or even find forgotten money in our laundry.

6. Pleasant interactions with other people

All things are easier when we have a high vibration, including our relationships. In high times, other people will treat you with kindness and respect, even if your interactions with them are ordinarily strained.

7. Going with the flow

A high vibration will keep you in an optimal state of productivity, flowing easily from one movement to the next. You will feel perfectly balanced, neither overwhelmed nor bored. You will often feel like you are “in the zone.”

8. Time speeds up

When you are going with the flow, time passes quickly. As we always say, time flies when you’re having fun, and when you’re having fun you have a high vibration.

Many people have noticed and remarked that time seems to be speeding up the older we get. Some believe worldwide time acceleration is occurring because the energy of the entire planet is raising.

This might be possible, as more and more people are becoming aware of the power of positive thinking and applying it to their lives.

9. Expressing kindness and love automatically

Those who have a high vibration are more likely to radiate love and light on others. They naturally share more smiles, hugs and acts of kindness, without strain or effort.

10. Having intuitive or “psychic” moments

When we are in a high energy state we receive information in ways beyond our five senses. For example, we may suddenly just know the answer to a question or get a vision of what’s to come.

A high vibration puts us in a greater state of knowing and understanding.

11. Feeling happiness, joy or elation

Not only do these emotions feel good, but they are also strong indications you are creating a positive future for yourself! They are also among the easiest signs of a high vibration to identify, if we pay attention to them.

12. Looking your best

Our energy affects our appearance and how we care for ourselves. When we are feeling our best our skin glows a little more, our hair shines a little brighter and we are more likely to pick out a flattering outfit.

If you’re exhibiting signs of a high vibration right now, congratulations! Keep doing what you’re doing, because you are moving in the direction of the things you want.

However, if your vibration isn’t as high as you’d like it to be, no worries! Remember, your energy is constantly fluctuating on the vibrational scale, and you can always consciously adjust the direction you are headed in.

Another thing to remember is that a lower vibration is always the result of a negative thought or belief. A little bit of personal reflection in down times can help us identify the cause of any lower vibrational energy.

Are we obsessing about our ex? Are we angry at our boss? Are we putting off something we know we really want to do? A little introspection can help us identify any negative thoughts or limiting beliefs holding us back from a high vibration.

Beyond self-reflection, if you’d like to raise your vibration, it’s also very beneficial to act as if your vibration is already high.

So spread a little love, find balance in your work or put on your best outfit. By mimicking the effects of a high vibration, you can actually trick yourself into raising your vibration to a more optimal level.

http://www.BodyMindSoulSpirit.com