What Kind Of Planet Is This????

What kind of planet is this where you tell me You like me, You think my work is good, You think my work is great, You think I am a good worker, a good 'employee' but You don't want to pay me fairly and decent for what I really deserve? What kind of planet is this where one person has a billion and another person can't afford a piece of bread? What kind of planet is this where rich Housewives fight, bitch, and complain while single mothers beg for pennies? What kind of planet is this where a person goes to prison for speaking the truth and another person is free for telling lies? What kind of planet is this where we punish those who stand and fight for justice and we reward those who perpetuate injustice? What kind of planet of this where people are slaving for hours for pennies while another person is cashing in on their enslavement? What kind of planet is this where a people are denied their basic rights and services and then are told they need help because they are going crazy from starvation? What kind of planet is this where you tell people 'Come on Get Happy' while they are suffering from unemployment, violence, poverty, police brutality, and can't even pay the rent? What kind of planet is this where you pay for water, light, breathing with an air conditioner? What kind of planet is this where you get paid millions for kicking a ball down the field, and bouncing down the court but you only get paid a little to teach hundreds of kids this in school? What kind of planet is this where we tell our children how much we love them when they come into this world but then we kick them out of the home because they don't want to play by our 'rules' and believe in what we believe? What kind of planet is this that feeds people until they are so fat and then tell them and sell them diets and programs for getting fit? What kind of planet is this that tells kids to stay in school but sells them stories of men and women who dropped out of school and became millionaires and billionaires? What kind of planet is this that tells young people to settle down but sells music and images of wild parties and drinking? What kind of planet is this that teaches people to go to school and get an education only to hear years later that your degree wasn't the 'right' degree? What kind of planet is this where billions of people believe in a God they believe is 'good' and 'right' but they fight over and use their God to justify their laws of discrimination, separation, condemnation, and mutilation? What kind of planet is this where people kill, deny, ignore, and condemn, reject those who speak the truth but cheer, accept, celebrate, and reward those who continue agreeing, believing, deceiving, and achieving so-called success under a lie? What kind of planet is this???????

The Imaginable Life: Notes From My Inner Self (For Now)

These are notes from my inner self...reminders on the journey of life:

Stay grounded.
Listen to your dreams and visions and practice using them to assist you in creating a better life & world.
Use your conscious mind to make decisions that lead you in the direction of your dreams.
Keep to feelings of love & compassion within. They always come handy.
Allow yourself to be as you are.


You are a light, a shining light, beyond and within your world.
See the world and all its events as a mirror of many worlds within your being.
What reflects your highest thoughts and feelings?

Bless every soul you meet and share your joys and loves with them and every living creature on Earth.
Remember life is a gift no matter what your circumstances or dimension you live in.

Understand the official reality as being a reality based upon limiting ideas of the self as you encounter individuals who have allowed themselves to live in limitations.
Imagine surrounding yourself with people who are intelligent, conscious, aware, honest, warm, open, accepting and loving as you are imagining yourself to be.
Imagine

This is the imaginable life.
Imagine what you want.
To be, do, or have.
Now imagine everything you want is already there.
Just imagine things getting better...

"No matter how qualified or deserving you are, you will never reach a better life until you can imagine it for yourself, and allow yourself to have it."-Richard Bach

Happy imaginings!-M.L.F.

Even A Christ Loves Balloons: Thoughts On A New Year's Resurrection

I'm sure you can think about the best and worst events of 2011, in your personal and professional life, or someone else's life. You can think about how tough the days were, how your life and someone's life was becoming more and more difficult to handle, or maybe the opposite was true: your life began to get better, or you were witnessing someone else's life improving. It was a year full of sheer excitement, amazing adventures, positive news, and enlightening events.

I won't bore you with the details of my 2011 life adventures. However, I will say this: It was a year of allowing myself to receive new ideas, remember things I'd forgotten, and connect with greater aspects of myself. It was a year of helping family and friends. It was a year of reminding friends how valuable their lives are just as much as the people they worship perhaps.

2011 was a year of embracing abundance and the beauty of being in a physical body. It was remembering that there is an important lesson in accepting myself as a physical creature on Earth. It was a year of prosperity and trusting in the goodness of the universe. It was a year of witnessing millions of people stand up for what they believe in. It was a year of getting grounded and doing the work. It was a year of being in the wisdom of knowing there are wonderful tools and teachers from all walks of life who can assist us in developing ourselves as spiritual beings. It was a year of moments of despair and despondency. It was a year of renewal and remembering.

Also, when I reflect upon '2011,' I think about the 'un-events'-the events that did not take place, in this world, the probable events of my soul, events happening on the other side of time and space-and how they affect my journey this years as much as the events I gave birth to. Now this may sound a bit strange. If you are used to thinking of life in linear terms, then I understand. There are many many choices that I considered making that were not manifested. They live in another dimension somewhere else, in parallel universes. But I will save that discussion for another 'time.'

As we slide into another new year, our ego will also shift, collapse, rise, fall, melt, merge, and shift again individually, and collectively into greater realizations of being. Perhaps, you have experienced something in yourself this year that is 'dead' and seeks transformation-death of a job, relationship, beliefs, or your perspective. Perhaps this year, you were buried in the grave of old beliefs, feelings, and experiences, and now you are waking up. And maybe, just maybe that 'death' experience is creating an awakening inside of You.

I don't know you. That is true. I am an explorer, a multidimensional soul, from another side of the universe, another time, another space, who enjoys creating, imagining, and sharing ideas as usual. Whatever your dreams are, it is my intention to continuing creating a space for joy and courage in manifesting your personal vision, though the journey may be long. The time has come. The party is about to begin!

So, cheers to your resurrection in the New Year, my friend. Even a Christ loves balloons. Happy New Year!!! Love, love-M.L.F.

Kiss of The Reptilians: Using Dreams To Overcome Fear

In an age of paranoia and fear, one must continue to use all their resources to escape the tyranny of insanity and people's dogma. On the journey I've found the ability to use dreams as therapy and a powerful source of visioning probable realities. In the past few days, I've found myself personal questions that relate to this spiritual journey. Before I go to sleep, I ask a question. Sometimes I write them down in my journal, while other times I simply allow my mind to sit with the question, feel it out.

There is a lot of talk in alternative spiritual circles of reptilians, particularly, readers of world-renowned author and lecturer David Icke's books and other metaphysical teachers. I cannot say wholeheartedly there are reptilians ruling the world. What I can speak for is my own confrontation with my fears. Recently, those fears have led me to encounter the reptilian race in the dream state who are represented by crocodiles, alligators, and snakes. I've witnessed them in those worlds and they surround our planet, not with threats but with a presence that involves growth and recognition.

In my dreams, I've walked into the family of reptiles and stood before them face-to-face. They did not speak and many of them were smothered in the bowels of this earth, covered in the mud of earth's dreams; others were dead. The snakes are alive and react immediately to the presence of love. I wanted to know more about fear, and my own.

The reptilian race exist in a parallel world made of dreams and they have survived through their ability to camouflage themselves across the earth. Their journey is a dark reality that blinds them, and leads them to encounter souls who can assist them along the path of spiritual growth. They are not entirely dark, but they have come to represent the 'dark' side of our beliefs and attitudes about ourselves, bodies, emotions, and physical world.

My dream encounters with the reptilian race has helped to face my own fears. You have to learn to be brave in a world full of fear-based thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. To use dreams as therapy allows you to prevent the manifestation of a physical event that may bring illness, disease, and death. Using dreams to overcome your fears can become a powerful tool for remembering what you are, and creating what you want. There are many books, teachers, techniques, and programs out there that also can help you overcome your fears. I just find dreams an easy approach to dealing with my challenges. Plus its free!

So look within. Ask the questions that are important to you. Your dreams will answer. The symbols will speak to your soul. Then you make peace with the world. You use the energy of fear for spiritual growth. That's the kiss of the reptilians. Being present with your fears and the fears of the world is a recipe for freedom. Only you can make your own escape.

Happy travels, my friend.-M.L.F

"A Million Ideas..."

I have a million ideas in my mind,
And they spread themselves
All over the place.
Like a lovely virus in my brain,
They come with attraction
And elegant haste.
Some of them are incomplete,
Some of them are full,
Some come in the day,
And others the night-no bull.
They rain on my head
As I shower & clean.
They knock on my soul
From a beautiful dream
A million Ideas
So free,
so true
To an Open Mind
And A WELCOME sign saying:
"How do You do?"

Third Person: Seeing the Sacred You...From A Distance

Lately, I've been speaking in 3rd person. It is my gradual shift and practice towards recognizing my bigger soul-all over again. That bigger soul holds everything that you are as precious and sacred to the universe. Yes, your life is sacred. Everything in life is sacred. Even those who act as profane, their creativity is sacred.

Through 3rd person speak, I can see myself from a more expansive POV, a greater perception. Perception is everything. You see yourself as having an experience as you create your experience. But who is the You that is creating? This is the journey. Many religious views hold that is God that you must give praise and thanks to. I won't argue with that. But if God is everything, then a chocolate cookie and glass of milk deserves my gratitude as much as the Wal-Mart associate, and hands that sewed my socks!

Back to 3rd person: It is as if I am watching myself in a movie. I am learning to be more aware of him, this personality called Maurice, and get to know him-inside and out-as I continue the journey of sharing my life with other souls. That's the power of 3rd person: Seeing things from the perspective and spirit of a dead man!

It's good practice. Frees him up from the old story of his life. Perhaps a switcheroo in his mind will be the fix. Stretch his personality and thinking. Gives him a bit of distance.

Try it out my friend on your happy travels.-M.L.F.

On Spiritual Maturity Pt. 2

In Part 1, I spoke about moving towards a place of spiritual maturity that doesn't rely on external authority-a teacher, a religion, an -ism, a book, or any system that comes with rules or dogma. So what does it look like? How would spiritual maturity show up in your life?

One of the things I've recognized is how much we live in a society that is built on the need for approval. Spiritual maturity goes beyond the need for approval and leads you to self-approval while allowing others to be on their path. As a famous spiritual teacher and author says, and I paraphrase, you don't go pissing on people, no matter how much they don't approve of you or you disagree with them. You don't need people to validate your ideas and dreams although you might feel the anxiety and pain of loneliness around people who don't 'get you.' You learn to respect others as you respect your own journey and where you are.

Spiritual maturity is integration and transcendence, simultaneously. You learn to be in this world, serve people, animals, Nature, as part of the path of expanding your consciousness. You can work in the office or restaurant with conscious awareness, or mindfulness. As you do, you are going to face bumpy roads. You are going to meet shadows and how you handle it makes all the difference. Spiritual maturity is facing those shadows without the whiny part. Whining and complaining about injustice, unfairness, only creates more injustice and unfairness.

Yes, the system can be cruel, people greedy, violent, but you don't let it rain on your parade, as the saying goes. You embrace the dark that you see 'out there' as evidence and aspects of your own soul, God, Source, and a world that is still maturing. You take charge of your life while obeying the rules of the game, at the same time.

There is a comedy in that kind of consciousness, an awareness that you begin to feel, and know as you grow spiritually. Forget trying to please the world, family members, lovers, co-workers. See if you can be okay with the new self that others is emerging. There is a beauty in that blossoming forward, a surprise element springs forth from your being, and your life transforms.

This spiritual awakening becomes an ordinary and natural part of life. For example, you walk into a store like Wal-Mart and you notice the people, the place, the items, and your feelings about it. You don't hate Wal-Mart or the people for working and shopping there. You accept its reality, and see beyond Wal-Mart corporation and all the horrible things you have heard, read, and experienced with Wal-Mart.

Now, you are not denying your angry feelings, or disgust for Wal-Mart. You let those feelings come through you and move on. You look at it and see what's down there in you, where it is come from, that anger, disgust, and you will be surprised what you will find when you do. You respect people and the place no matter how you feel about it. Again, you don't go pissing on the parade. As a spiritual mature soul, you work to create beauty in something that is nasty and ugly. You greet the associates and strangers as much as they greet and take care of you. You choose to create a unique experience that goes beyond the 'facts.' Ultimately, you will grow confident in choosing to be and feel different about something others perceive as negative or 'bad.'

It is a never-ending challenge that is full of heartaches, disappointments, rejections, indeed. But there is something healing and important to learn from all the things you perceive as wrong with yourself and the world. At first, you feel the impulse to protest that darkness, that 'evil' out there, but then you soften up a bit, and cradle that old wound, that stored pain you want to heal so badly. You learn to walk away more and more from the problems 'out there' and live from 'in here' because that is the 'real world.'

I'm the last person to tell you how to live your life. So much in this world speaks of pain and sorrow. But there is a beauty and goodness here as well. That beauty is grace in a blossoming consciousness that is You. It is the emerging You who is expanding through your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in this lifetime. It is You remembering something you had forgotten long time ago. Perhaps you are someone who understands beyond these words I've written.

The maturity I speak of is a celestial one. It is remembering why you came here to Earth, how to work through your challenges, how to resolve conflict, and make your life work for you. There are many people, tools, and skills available along the way.

That's the cool part about these times. Well, happy travels on the path, my friend.-M.L.F

On Spiritual Maturity Pt. 1

There comes a point in your life when you will no longer need an external authority to tell you what to do. Right now, the world still operates off an external authority system rather than an inner guidance system. As you become mature in your spiritual thinking, you will not be afraid of listening to your own inner guidance. Though you may seek the wisdom of others, ultimately, you will rest back into the bed of your gut feeling. This is the power of spiritual maturity.

The challenge of spiritual maturity is releasing limiting beliefs that have plagued the consciousness of mankind for centuries. Part of maturity is confronting the shadow beliefs that limit your potential for wholeness, greater love, and understanding of All There Is. We are surrounded by the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of individuals, groups, and media that tells us different from what our intuition says: "Go the other way. Come. Listen." The child who once suffered at the hands of the Parent/Elite Authority must grow up and throw away the crutches of fear and ignorance and create a New Way.

Many people around the world are remembering to listen to their inner authority. They are allowing themselves to shed the skin of their fears and move into creating lives based upon this awakening. This awakening to a new authority will not be taken lightly for there will be those who seek to uphold the old model of authority and as we see in many parts of the world, enforcement officers will be lurking abound.

Be not afraid as you grow in your spiritual maturity. Face those with badges, sticks, and guns with loving arms. This is your path of spiritual maturity, the way of remembering the authentic You. You are not bound by the authority of any other. Listen to your own wisdom and knowledge.

The path of spiritual maturity recognizes the power of finding your highest right and what's true for you and not what relgion, science, and government tells you. Trust your own abilties to steer the expansion of your consciousness. It is there if you look closer. It is there if you will choose to see it. It is there if you intend it. It is there if you notice it.

You don't have to give up things of the world. You can be 'ordinary' while feeling extraordinary. Spiritual maturity doesn't mean giving up the fun and joy of life for a boring reality that dreads the shadow of time and space. It is perception. It is transcedence. It is the courage to move beyond the wounds of your inner child and embrace a new philosophy of life that is your own. Most of all, it is the birth of your personal freedom.

And the beginning of the rainbow.

Happy travels on the path of spiritual maturity, my friend.-M.L.F

Facing The Future: Why I Choose To Be Optimistic About Today’s Youth

Recently, I rented the movie Grownups starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Kevin James. In the movie, the guys reunite after hearing about the death of their junior high school basketball coach. Though the movie is filled with humor and tender moments of friendship and family gathering, you get the sense that its message is more about how we change as they get older, lose touch with our youth, yet we can reclaim those days of youths even though we live among a different generation. We can face the future and all its changes with hope and optimism rather than with fear and cynicism.

How many of us adults have similar conversations with our family and friends? Or even our children? Co-workers? When you talk with them, do you talk about how things have changed since you were a child? Do you reminisce about the ‘good ole days’? So many people talk and write about the state of our youth but when they do, they speak in terms of ‘problems’ and labels using names such as “the dumbest generation” the “most miserable generation”, “laziest generation,” and the latest popular one: ‘the narcissistic generation.” How can expect them to be any different when we perceive them in this way?

I sense there is a belief underneath these conversations and labels that says there is something wrong with our children and things are getting worse. Here’s typical conversation: “Just look at our kids. Look at how they act, what they do with their time, and how they think and feel. They are out of control, and don’t care,” we say to ourselves and others. Are the children responsible for our pessimistic and cynical view of the future?

In 2010, Michigan State University professor Brent Donnellan published the results of a provocative study on youth from 1976-2006 and they concluded today’s young people aren’t ‘ego-driven’ as we believe they are. Donnellan also found today’s youth are no more cynical than earlier generations and that cynicism was true abroad; our young people have high educational goals and expectations; and the current generation is less fearful of social problems. The study found that today’s generation is no different than other generations: they want to find their place in the world, know who they are, and be happy. There is hope for the future after all and studies like this shed a different light on our stereotypes.

I’ve worked with youth for most of my life and I believe there is something missing in our private and public dialogue about today’s youth that follows Donnellan’s study: optimism. I am not speaking of a sentimental optimism that ignores the harsh realities that many of our children face in today’s world and will have to face after we are gone. I am not speaking of a utopian optimism either that echoes Kumbayesque communes. I am speaking of an amazing optimism that is based in a notion of practical idealism. By practical idealism, I mean engaging the world of youth in a way that reinforces our desire to learn, explore, and share in their creative growth process as much as our elders helped us in our personal growth and development. It means going beyond the facts and stereotypes and getting in the trenches with today’s young people.

For 20 years, I’ve spoken to over 10,000 students from every grade level in the public schools. I’ve learned in working with youth that they are naturally optimistic in their pursuit of a better life. They really do want to create a better life even if they appear pessimistic at times. They want to move forward and enjoy new successes. They want to be recognized for their efforts and rewarded for their labors. They want to find their own answers as they seek our support and wisdom. I choose to be an optimist because I’ve the seen the results created by these young people who are making a difference in their own lives.

Listening to their challenges, how they choose to overcome them, and watching them pursue their dreams has taught me how to be optimistic in a world of cynicism and pessimism. Their thoughts and visions reminds me that everyone wants to be fulfilled in some way and needs encouragement, support, and love no matter who they are and where they are from. Through teaching life skills, I believe our young people will grow up knowing there are tools and opportunities in the world to change their lives for the better no matter how tough their circumstances.

One of my heroes is Mattie Stepanek, the poet and peacemaker who died in 2004 at the age of 13. Though he suffered from Muscular Dystrophy all his life, Mattie proudly and courageously shared with the world his gift of words and visions of peace. In his poem, ‘Facing The Future,’ he wrote:
Every journey begins
With but a small step.
And every day is a chance
For a new, small step
In the right direction.
Just follow your Heartsong. journey begins

Our young people want to believe in a better tomorrow, share their visions of a positive future, and create a better world. Though they fall, cry, and fight along the way, they are learning, as we are learning, that each day is an opportunity for taking small steps towards the right direction. In facing our future, the youth, perhaps, we may learn to face something in ourselves. :)

On The Awakened Mind

It is said that nowadays many people are 'waking up.' Many people around the world are taking charge of their lives. They are taking a stand on important issues. They are reclaiming their power. They are learning to listen to the 'wisdom' of their bodies and intuition. But what does this really mean? What does it mean to be awakened in a physical body? It is the body that goes to work in our society. The body goes to work while the mind goes off to other things. The body is doing what the mind is telling it to do because the mind has been taught to behave in a certain way. The body is typing away because it has been trained to type and uses this ability when it called upon. But while the body is typing, the mind is doing other things as well. The body is cutting away, walking around, picking up papers, making phone calls, while the mind is thinking about yesterday, or 2 weeks ago, or tomorrow, or lunch hour. It is the body that is always doing something. Unless it is not.

If the body is doing nothing, the mind is always doing something. The mind is never present in the body. Rarely is the mind present fully in the body. The mind is gone. It is not there. The body can be trained to act as a robot. But you are not a robot even though you may act in robot-like ways. The mind is multidimensional. It can be in many places and many times. Can you become conscious of your body being many places and many times?

Somebody is talking to you at the store. Who are they talking to? You are not there. You are somewhere else. You are nodding your head, saying yes to them, while thinking about food, or the little girl that is crying for ice cream, and the parent that is scolding them. Where are you? Who is listening? The body responds because it is taught to act in certain ways in socialization.

When you sleep, your mind travels off to other things. The body is still and the mind wanders. The body is awake and the mind wanders. The mind is thinking about many things, people, and places. It is dreaming. But who is the dreamer? The body=awake + sleep. Is the mind awake? Does your mind sleeps? The mind never sleeps. The mind does not awaken. The mind is there. It is dreaming. But who is dreaming?

When the mind awakens, the body is no longer there. It appears and disappears. An awakened mind doesn’t need the body to be awake. It is conscious of the body as an expression of itself. The mind is never still. It is multidimensional. It flows through avenues of thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The mind is like a river stream flowing endlessly. It looks inside and out. The mind doesn't need the body. It forgets the body many times. The mind likes to play. It enjoys a fertile playground for swinging, dancing, jumping, tossing, swirling, singing, shouting, screaming, rolling, lying, and running.

What happens when your mind is fully present in the body? What do you feel? How does it feel to be awakened in a physical body? How does your body feel when you become consciously aware of the thoughts in your mind? Where is your mind when it is not present in the body?

Watch your mind. Where is it? What is it doing? What are you conscious of at this time? Forget words like 'meditation.' This is not an exercise in enlightenment. You are already awakened. Your body knows. Your awakened mind knows because it is multidimensional. Be free. Have fun. Play and remember.

On Being A Multidimensional Artist

Are you someone who is open to an infinite reservoir of ideas and attitudes that do not fit into any particular 'box' that has been handed down by your family, friends, schools, and institutions? Do you feel a connection to worlds that transcends time and space? Are you learning to integrate the wisdom and knowledge of those inner worlds into your daily life?

There are many people in our world who I consider 'multidimensional artists' who are learning to consciously mold and create their lives using the knowledge and wisdom from the celestial worlds. They may not consider themselves as such and yet possess a life orientation that belies description. They understand the futility of explaining complex ideas, though they work to design their lives according to what matters to them. Creating what matters to them allows the multidimensional to live in many worlds. They work with the many levels of energy through family, work, relationships, and personal life. They use energy in a way that brings color to their lives and those around them.

If you are a multidimensional artist, then you are living in a time, indeed, where there many souls like yourself while living 'outside' of time. You don't define yourself according to what others say and do particularly the times you live in. You enjoy the power of painting your own life with its rainbows and light shows. You respect other people and their decisions and you support them on the journey of life. You express your ideas but you realize you can change them at any moment. When you are faced with challenges and problems, you work to create better solutions. That is the true nature of a multidimensional artist.

Some people would say these persons are a bit strange, and I have never met anyone on the spiritual path who were 'normal.' Natural, yes, for remembering their purpose, and yet outside of official thinking they live as they use official realities. They are not particularly famous, yet they carry a light about them that speaks of ancient power and mystery. I know a woman, in her 60's, she is an amazing energy healer, who runs a 'mystery school' in New Mexico, and she also works as a counselor in the public schools. She lives in many worlds: teaching, counseling, and assisting many souls in developing their spiritual abilities and gifts whether they are conscious of it or not. She integrates her healing work into her public life as a professional counselor working with elementary school kids during the day and teaching energy medicine in the evenings and on the weekends.

No matter what their chosen careers, they act differently from within, and are creators of living masterpieces wherever they go. Multidimensional artists are aware of themselves as both physical beings inhabiting physical time/space and simultaneously aware of themselves as nonphysical beings who are developing themselves in creative ways.

Through my eyes is a world I perceive based on my own ideas and beliefs that are ever-changing and expanding. I use these thoughts and feelings to color my world as I connect and experience others around me. We are all learning how to be multidimensional artists; how to be our infinite selves in a world filled with limiting beliefs and ideas. We challenge ourselves through difficult circumstances and remember we are not limited by our circumstances. We work to hard to offer the best solutions as we allow our own lives to be an experiment in being a multidimensional being in a physical world.

Perhaps you visit those other worlds like myself, discover new insights, and learning to use the wisdom of those discoveries for your personal life and career. Perhaps you are learning to have fun with the energies as you develop your perception.

There are no special techniques, methods, or tricks to being a multidimensional artist. You are one whether you believe it or not. You are born with the gift of gods to create a life with others for the purpose of fulfillment, growth, and creativity. It is not a divine privilege of youth, although we are witnessing many children demonstrate amazing abilities. Each one of us are learning to expressing our gifts even if they appear quirky, corny, or strange to others.

The famous Dutch artist M.C Escher once asked, "Are you sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling?" And that is the soul of a multidimensional artist: perception. Do you have the courage to see things differently and express that without the need for approval? Can you run backward while others run forward and be okay with it? Can you see the beauty in your orientation as you flow with the world? Can you sense the grace of being multidimensional? What lies beyond the offiicial order of the day? What will you create that is different, original, and yet follows a divine pattern from your soul?



Only You can imagine.

The Fox & the Goat

"A fox tumbled into a water tank and couldn’t get out. Eventually, along came a thirsty goat and, seeing the fox, asked him if the water was good. The fox jumped at the chance. He sang the praises of the water with all the eloquence at this command and urged the goat to come down. The goat was so thirsty that he went down without stopping to think and drank his fill. Then the two began to consider how they were to get up again.
‘I have a good idea,’ said the fox, ‘that is, if you are willing to do something to help us both. Be so kind as to place your forefeet against the wall, and hold your horns straight up. Then I can nip up, and pull you up too.’
The goat was glad enough to comply. The fox clambered nimbly over his haunches, shoulders, and horns, reached the edge of the tank, and began to make off. The goat complained that he had broken their pact. But the fox only came back to say, ‘You have more hairs in your beard than brains in your head, my friend. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone down into the tank without thinking how you were going to get up.’"

The fox is like so many people in this world who will do whatever it takes to get what they want. They don't care about your well-being. They will use tricky devices to lure you into situations that you believe that you can't get out of. They are sly, deceptive, and manipulative. At least they learned to be this way in the world. Most of our institutions are this way: the media is sly(FOX news), religions lie, doctors lie, pharmaceutical companies lie, parents lie, teachers lie, and so forth. Hay House bestselling author, and spiritual teacher Stuart Wilde in his audio CD set Journey Beyond Enlightenment says: "The only thing that's available is the lies." He made this statement out of the awareness all true knowledge is hidden. So the fox becomes important in this story on the journey of the goat. This fox we know in our lives has something valuable to teach us. The fox are the limiting beliefs that trap us on the journey in search for truth.

The goat is that part of us that believes in the lies of this world and complains about the lies that were told. He is the mind that asks questions because he doesn't believe his own answers. He is the mind that agrees to the illusion and promise of happiness and 'well'-being given by others. In our lives, we believe our partners when they tell us,"I love you." We believe authority figures who tell us they will make things better for us. We believe the media and advertisers who sell us products that persuade our thinking. We believe we can help the world because it will help us as well. We are thirsty for life and so we will do what it takes to save ourselves while we believe we are saving another.

How do you free yourself from being trapped in difficult circumstances? What methods do you use to escape from difficult situations?

Are you the fox who finds himself in a situation with others that is difficult and decide to manipulate others as part of the solution?

Or are you the goat who kindly offers to help others but find yourselves betrayed by your acts of kindness?

Are you willing to give up your freedom and awareness to satisfy your thirst?

Can you see how you can become trapped by living in survival mode?

Can you see how you allow yourself to believe the lies of others so you can get what you want while believing you are helping them get what they want?

When we don't trust our intuitions, we get stuck in circumstances that exacerbate our life challenges. We become a goat who is blind and falls for the trap in front of him or her. Or we live like a fox who believes we must lie our way through the trappings of life. When we believe what others are telling us, and take it as truth, we meet limitations.

I say if you're gonna be a goat, keep on moving. Tell the fox you will find water somewhere else. And you once you take care of yourself, tell him you will be back later with help!

The Power of Letting Things Collapse

Sometimes I trip over my computer chord when I'm not paying attention. Sometimes I am not looking and step on one of my cats. I remember one time I was riding my bike as a child and I slammed into my brother. It was painful. I learned not to pay attention. I remember the day I was expelled out of the teaching program in college. My mind went blank. It was like having an out-of-body experience. I went numb at first, then the emotions of that 'reality' set in and I had to move on. I remember when I lost all my luggage during the summer of '96 and I became homeless for the first time in my entire life. I lost everything. It was a miserable time. My world collapsed. Everything I thought, felt, and believed to be true was not.

In physics there is a theory that says black holes are formed when there is a gravitational collapse of stars, especially heavy, dense stars. I don't know if that is true. I am not a scientist. But I've seen those stars falling and black holes being made all my life. And when things collapse, they really collapse. You are probably someone who understands how things collapse in your life and becomes a black hole that you enter. What's on the other side? That is the universe of your self-defined success and a story in progress.

In Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and many other countries we are witnessing the collapse of centuries' oppressive governments and dictatorships. For the past 2 years in the US, we have seen the collapse of financial institutions, and networks that have resulted in massive lay-offs and shifts in personal and public lives. In Wisconsin and Ohio, we have seen large groups of people gathering together in protest of union cuts. Whether we view these changes as positive or negative is not as important as accepting the value of things collapsing for the emergence of new systems of ideas, beliefs, and feelings.

Are you someone who has it all put together? Or you pretend? I know I have been someone who acted as if I had it altogether when inside and outside things were falling apart. And I didn't want you to know they were falling apart because of the shame. And the shame meant pain and I didn't want to feel that kind of pain.

But in the end, either you change your reality or circumstances forces you to change. Relationships, health, money, career, and mostly, your idea of reality, your beliefs must change. But why would you want to change when things have been going good for you? Why would you want to change if you have everything you need? Why would you want to change if you believe your life is perfect?

And who am I to tell someone to change? What I know is that when our lives collapse, when the system of beliefs and ideas collapses, and fall, something in us is cracked and stirred like eggs cooked in a skillet of a new day. Sometimes I am not so grateful, and I forget the power of being alive, and I get lost in my own self-importance, money-making adventures, and hidden impulses. Suddenly, things collapse and I feel powerless, helpless, and old beliefs of blame, shame, and victimization resurface. But my inner self knows the wiser and better half.

Their lessons are not hidden and mysterious. Their messages are not coded. What I am ready to remember will make itself available when I am open, and ready. Often I ask myself, what will happen if I don't change? What will happen if I continue to believe what I am told? do as I am told? What will happen if I choose to curse myself and others silently? What will happen if I choose to run away?

We are stepping out of comfort zones, reaching out to people, learning new skills, developing new models of thinking, and living. As we collapse, we are seeing things we never seen before and doing things we have never done before. And though we may want to hold on to the 'good ole days,' it is important to remember that every moment and every day is an opportunity to create a new masterpiece for living.

Yes, things are screwed up in this world. Yes, there are some people with dark beliefs and ways. Yes, there is violence. Yes, there are some painful things beyond human imagination. But it is this very nastiness that we are evolving beyond; it is the collapse that we are rising from with speed.

In letting things collapse, a new awakening happens, a new power is born within the ego that perhaps believed otherwise. We are redeemed, saved by ourselves through recognizing our fears, our ignorance, our pain, and imperfections. And through this collapse we can remember to trust and have faith in ourselves again.

The Positive Side of So-Called Negative Feelings

Sometimes I don't want to smile. But in a capitalist society, smiling is money. And it pays to smile. It's healthy to smile. It's healthy to think positive. And I will agree, being positive has its benefits like that new job you just got. So what about when you don't want to smile? when you don't feel like being positive?

Children are not allowed to express the full range of emotions as children. In schools, they are not allowed to cry and when they do, there is a feeling something is wrong. We are told as children 'don't cry' when we want to cry and this is where it started. Crying is seen as something negative, and so we are taught to stop crying. 'Big boys don't cry" and now there is 'big girls don't cry.' How many of us when we cry turn our heads away? Or run for tissue? There is a hidden belief in our world that there something bad about crying. They are also not allowed to be angry and seen as dangerous if they demonstrate less than academic cheerfulness.

The conspiracy against what we call negative feelings and thinking is rooted in a belief that showing anything less than positiveness is dangerous, evil, and bad. Our negative feelings must be locked up at all cost, we are taught, and even teach others. Religions and new age spiritualities have a belief that being spiritual means always being calm, cheerful, and showing our best face. I've learned that some of the most negative people can be the most spiritual as they preach a happiness philosophy and yet hide their shadows.

Am I telling you to go out and show your anger, sorrow, and anxiety? No. Each person deals with their feelings in ways that works for them. Maybe they express those negative feelings with a therapist, a family member, friends, strangers, pets, or just to themselves through some kind of creative arts, sports, etc. Don't you just want to vent sometimes? Let it all out? Don't you hate when somebody is telling you that you are being 'negative' or a 'downer'? If you are being negative ALL THE TIME, then it can definitely be a problem but if you are expressing a point of view, or something they perceive as negative, then that is not your problem-its theirs.

What I am speaking of is allowing ourselves to be fully human through expressing our emotions and moving beyond labeling them as positive and negative. We are meant to express our feelings and unfortunately we are programmed to believe that something is wrong with us if we express anything less than positive, anything critical, and anything that makes others uncomfortable. There is something uplifting, powerful, and deeply spiritual in crying, anger, and so-called negative feelings.

I don't want to bore you with my metaphysical ramblings but we are not here to be perfect by any means. We need a place to express our discomfort as we also search for places of peace and joy. We need a place for displaying all emotions and not just a few. We need relationships and a spirituality that embraces the total human and not part-time human. Could this be why we love sports, arts, music and how they allow us to express those emotions we cannot express at work, at home, or among well-meaning friends.

I cry a few times each month. Its good for me. I get the blues and I'm riding a river of tears. Then other times, I am angry-at myself, world events, people-but then I learn to let it go. The traumas of life is in not being able to express ourselves, our living energies. All life is expression. Whether we call our feelings positive or negative, we deserve to experience ourselves fully in the moment.

And now is the moment. Life is Now.

Living With A Loose Tooth Part 2: Creating A New Bridge of Beliefs

What do you do when a loose tooth has fallen? What do you do when the bridge has broken apart? That's what I asked myself when my loose tooth fell a few days ago and as I said in my last blog: the answer is simple. You create a new one. You fill in the gap...well, the gap is already filled by your decision to create a new identity, a new life, a new world, a new system. And that is what many of us are dealing with today.

But how do you do that? I will be the first to admit there is no right way, only YOUR WAY. So I can only speak from my experiences, examples, and ideas. There are loads of books, teachers, and materials to help you along your way, so what I offer are simple suggestions, with the intention of being playful, in both spirit, and practice. So have fun!!

Get out of a sheet of paper or journal if you keep one. Write the words "SHADOW TALK" at the top of the paper. Spend 5-10 minutes writing down the most negative and worst words, thoughts, feelings you have about yourself, others, and life in the language that you are familar with. When you are finished, read your list out loud. Try not the judge yourself when you do or the words that you use. You are simply noticing your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. You are allowing yourself to confront your darkest beliefs. Be gentle with yourself. And after you finish tell yourself: "I am not these thoughts. I am not my beliefs." Notice how your body feels after this exercise. Does it feel relaxed? relieved? still? energetic? Write down how you feel.

Keep the list of words, phrases, thoughts available so you record any changes in yourself and the results. Building new bridges takes time.

Take out another sheet of paper and do the opposite "LIGHT TALK". Write down the most positive, uplifting, inspirational words, thoughts, feelings about yourself. Read your list out loud. Notice how your body feels with this list. Write down how you feel.

Notice how you feel after doing these exercises. You are becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings but you are not attached to them. You are allowing yourself to express the unpleasant thoughts and feelings as much as the pleasant ones. Allow yourself to create a new bridge between the gap of your mind and body.

Creating a bridge of new beliefs involves a simple process of loosening the old beliefs that are not real, though you believe they are, and reconnecting. And when the old beliefs loosen, they will fall because that is what is they are meant to do. It is inevitable. Many years ago, I stood on top of that bridge, slept under the bridge, and left it to create a new place inside myself-one that speaks of a new strength, a new courage, and a new belief about myself in the world. Something tells me you are an explorer as well, of an unexplained, strange journey, who has fallen into that hole beneath the bridge, seen it, felt it, tasted it, and has worked valiantly to resurrect yourself at its crossing. I congratulate you.

At times I became mentally lazy, and so circumstances forced me to see the gap and make a decision. I resisted the yearnings of my inner self, denied it at times, and now I know that way can be painful. I wouldn't recommend it.

If a lot of this sounds familar to you, then good. So much of what we are learning requires repitition and practice.

So chop, chop! Let's get to diggin' again, and create a new wayyyyyyy!!!!!

Living With A Loose Tooth: Harnessing The Power of Intuitive Decision-Making

You can hardly see it but its there. You can hardly notice it but I know its there. A loose tooth. Yeah, lately, I've been walking around with a loose upper front tooth. And the tooth is not real. It's part of a bridge that I got 10 years ago and now the bridge is falling down. It's been quite a distraction that gets my attention every second now. I know I must make a decision: go to the dentist or continue living with the conscience of my dental vulnerabilities. If you are reading this, you can probably relate in some way.

It's interesting that my tooth has come loose at a 'time' where I'm shifting identities, morphing, moving into new realities. And part of that reality is attending graduate school, challenging myself, and facing more of the world 'out there'-a world I perceive as a bit spooky, scary at times, and yet beautiful, whole, and loving. If I open up to this world, will I be safe? That's been the question I've been asking myself most of my life.

But what does a loose tooth have to do with going back to school? My intuition tells me it has to do with making decisions. See, I've been struggling with making a decision to go back to school after 15 years and so it felt different yet familar to be sitting in a classroom this week with other students. Not that I haven't been in a classroom that long but experiencing the actual reality of my decision to be in a grad school program is a surprise after so many years of contemplation. Simultaneously, I'd been struggling with my teeth, going to dentists, peridontists, orthotondists, for cleanings, abcessed tooth removal, and even dental surgery over many years. Going back to school, going back to the dentist. Should I? Should I not? I've haven't been to the dentist in a while so now it is time to go. To set my school & dental record straight-once and for all.

Then I began to wonder: Is this the right next step? What is happening here? Its been a trip of dipping in and out of parallel worlds of serving food, serving youth, serving clients with intuitive readings, and serving myself doses of metaphysical, self-help wisdom and dreams that needed some real field testing. And so my life up to now has been this colorful adventure(not a safari one), enigmatic in ways that I'm still exploring, and learning about. It's a strange life of new beginnings and endings. Ins and outs. Drunken fights, sober nights. Reckless driving, constant striving.

Along the way, we make decisions in life, and these decisions can be made using our intuition. As we intuit our decisions, we grow in harnessing its power. I've always been a bit timid about making decisions, loose, and maybe weak in the eyes of others. Is it my upbringing? Lack of confidence? Feelings of powerlessness? I've learned, as an adult, my best decisions are now intuitive ones that feel right, good, and gives me the knowing that I am moving in the 'right direction.' Making intuitive decisions takes practice, like a martial artist catching a fly with chopsticks, but in the end there is accomplishment, self-realization, and a sort of inner peace. You feel something there inside of you quivering, and you are being drawn, pulled in a particular direction, that will lead you towards what you want.

A loose tooth is easy to fix once you make the decision to get it fixed. Would you rather live in constant fear and worry? Or would you rather give yourself the gift of a healthy smile? "Keep it simple," a friend once told me. In keeping it simple, there is something I remember. I know what to do: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!

I am a Speaker. I enjoy speaking. I want to feel confident when I speak in front of people. And I want to have healthy-looking teeth while I do. So I can smile...MORE! :)

New Year's Reservations: Table for 2...011

Perhaps it's just me whose feeling strange about writing those numbers: 2011. It began with '2000' and it felt like the world needed to be seen flying in cars, and rotating rooms, and escalators in high-rise buildings. That's my Jetson cartooned imagination working itself overtime as I prepare myself for a new year and another journey of challenges. I don't do predictions and as for resolutions? Well, that's being resolved.

So what's left to say about 2010? It was a probable year. And by probable, I mean it didn't have to happen, but it did because I chose it. But I could have made other choices as well. Anyway.... It was a year of many ups & downs, highs & lows, hits & misses. It was the year I celebrated a Thankgivings birthday with a lot of wishes. It was the Year of the Tiger that added 7 cats to the household. It was the year that I was accepted into graduate school. It was the year of healing and dealing with changes in a world. It was the year I left my full-time job working with youth only to return as a contractor in the fall. That was one of the best feelings in the world. It was a year of more and more Facebooking and adding friends. It was a year of seeing & speaking to family & friends. It was a year of financial worries and meeting daily ends. It was a year of crop circle music dreams, lavender oils and fragrant creams. It was a year of leaks & spills, geeks & freaks, droids & pads, multiple births, and cheating dads.

It was a year of changing the channels in my life, creating my own network of dreams. Yeah, 2010 was a different kind of dish I ordered on the menu. It was difficult to swallow in the beginning but in the end it was the perfect meal.

And so I have reservations again for 2..011. But this time, can we have the sturdy table or a noiseless booth? Clean silverware with knives sharp as a razortooth? Can we get the section with soft earthly colors of browns, vanillas, and blues? And surround sound with wordless music like jazz or the blues? And the smells of homemade recipes, and exotic teas? Can we have the lights turned down a bit while I stare into her eyes as I sit? Can we also get the service this time with no hurry and pay our bill without the worry? Oh! Can we please get a peace of mind and enjoy our time?

Perhaps you will join me this year with trust and good cheer? I have prepared a wonderful occasion for us all. What will you order? Oh, what will it be? A different kind of meal, gourmet, elegant, a culinary fantasy? Or will it be the usual, your favorite, or the daily special? They have the 'create-your-own' entrees, and the best appetizers, but no superdeals or supersizers.

But you asked for something different? I know, I know but not toooo strange. Something that's magical & charming, yet a tiny bit re-arranged. Okay this may sound deranged and even insane. That's why I'm asking you to join me for a change.

Everything is paid for and everything you need is there. Are you ready to go? And do you even care? Maybe you do and maybe you don't. I will go regardless even if you won't. You have a whole new year to choose, and live as you please. I told the waiter you will be coming soon, but in the meantime, I will order a bottle of champagne and cheese!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!!!

The American Fistbump : Thoughts On Living In Absurd Times

I don't who was the first person I did it with. I know it was with a guy not a woman. The fistbump. You know what it is. Its become an American way of communicating with everyone and everything. And it happened overnight. Even Obama and Michelle did it during the elections. But lately I've been growing weary and suspicious of my own conditioning and how I arrived at this place of 'fistbumping.' And thus, my feeling that I live in absurd times but that's only the surface.

"Reality." That word that has been exploited so easily by media entities and used to attract our attention these days. And 'they' have done an almost perfect job. Sort of. Is it me? Is it the aging? I don't think so. Even though I consider myself observant, there is much that I miss. And for good reason. There is a part of me that doesn't care. Or a lot of this stuff in our culture has nothing to do with me. And yet I can't seem to escape from it like the American Fistbump.

Call me boring. Call me too serious. Call me lame. But there is more to 'reality' than a TV show. I just think what's happening 'inside' of me is more interesting than what's out there but you won't see any cameras in my home. Too much peace, too much awareness, too much knowing here, and too many cats. Sorry.

And no, I'm not a hermit. I live around people. I don't live in the mountains. I work with kids. I enjoy going out to eat. I enjoy shopping. I enjoy hanging out. I go to the casino, and occasionally, that ominous place called 'the club.' And I enjoy having an occasional drink. My friends know me better. They know me as a thinker, a reader, a healer, a counselor, a writer, a coach, an actor, but above all else someone who revels and explores the unknown reality. That's just my nature. So I do love learning from others, hearing their ideas, and even supporting people in working through their life challenges. So I do get out and 'shop' for experiences, collecting psychic artifacts for my later reflections, and depositing my adventures into the bank of memory. I'm hip to the script, but slow to flow, and sink to think inside an ocean of silent dreamy.

It's how I survive these days-and maybe have always. I felt the absurdity of reality as a kid but I went along with it as children are taught. But adults can be scary to children and so kids learn to keep silent and hide their impulses, desires, and feelings until they get older, and remember their own authority. Well, at least I did. And now as an adult, I see the times have become even more absurd. And by absurd, I mean irrational, ridiculous, realities that can come from the human imagination.

What happened? How did our world become so absurd? And how can we survive these times? Maybe you are someone who lives a quiet life, free of drama, free of this absurd, yet you are a neighbor to others whose lives are chaotic, cluttered and filled with ridiculous excursions into self-aggrandizements and petty disturbances. Maybe you work with people and groups whom you perceive as engaged in the ridiculous cartoon of daily life and you are easy to flow with those kind of realities. Or maybe your life is a roller coast ride of exciting adventures, and explorations. Only you know...

For instance, in the schools, things are becoming crazy for our kids who are acting out anyway they can. I am witness to the things say to kids and my heart drops every time, these teacher police the children. I heard a male teacher threatened a female student, probably in 2nd or 3rd grade, and I was struck by the injustice. It was ridiculous. And part of me silently wished this teacher would get a taste of his own medicine. But I'm not too quick to interfere for I'm a visitor and not a staff member. And I don't want you to wait for superman. You know the fire drill.

But its not just the schools. It's the crap you see on TV and the Hollywood movies that I have realized have nothing to do with my daily world, here in small town Santa Fe. I saw a preview for a new romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman and then it hit me: the stories of a lot of these movies have nothing to do with me. And then I got it. It wasn't just the movies that are out there and their subjects, I began to realize so much that's been shoved in my face have nothing to do with me: sports, religion, music, TV, movies, etc. And that brought an empty feeling. I was faced with my shadow: a reality of the absurd.

So where does that leave someone like me? How can I survive this kind of reality? Let me share with you what works for me...

1. Accept your reality as valid. Your life is valid as much as Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, and Will Smith. Even if you are waiting tables, sweeping poop off the floor, or sitting at home like a bum, your life is important.

2. Don't let yourself get stuck with labels. Even though I call it 'absurd' I know it has a purpose. It has been put in front of me for a reason. It's a part of my belief system and beliefs are not facts. I can change my ideas tomorrow. And that's refreshing.

3. Turn it off.-for now. I'm not advocating any resistance to the absurd as much as noticing it. What's important is your world AND the world of co-creation. The greatest invention is the Remote Control and that includes my own mind, the original RC. Changing our thoughts is changing the channel in our minds. You can always make a nostalgic return.

4. Your life is its own reality show. Being hip doesn't mean just knowing the latest news/fads/gossip times but being hip to your inner self is just as cool as being hip to what's 'out there.' Your inner world of dreams, thoughts, and desire has as much value as the news, knowledge, and information of AOL, CNN, and all the news networks combined.

5. Use the absurdity of our times as focal points of heightened awareness. What this means is this: an absurd world is meant to be a reference point for learning about ourselves but it is not the end of times as much as an awakening to the times. It's a peculiar way for mankind to shift into another gear of spiritual growth & development. It's the quickening where billions of people have the greatest opportunity for accelerated growth and development through witnessing multiple life experiences and challenges.

Ask yourself this: In what ways are some of the things in your life absurd? Your community? Workplace? Relationships? How can use the energy of the absurd to align yourself in rapid changing times?

The fistbump is here today. Gone tomorrow. So what's absurd in many ways has become a way of life. Then on to the 'next best thing'.

Maybe tomorrow we will greet each other with "The Knuckle Pop." Who knows? You decide...

Life Is Not A Game, And I'm Not In A Race!: Making Peace With Your Shadow

"To honor and accept one's own shadow is a profound spiritual discipline."-Robert A. Johnson, author of Owning Your Own Shadow. "Life is a game." I don't buy that. Life is not a game. Because life is not a game to me I am not in a race. I don't have to 'pull the race card' to get what I want or to be seen. We used to live in a world where people felt obligated to live according to what they were taught by well-to-do family & community members. And what they were taught was fighting against others, racing against others, and this is all based in a belief in survival of the fittest which is alive and well today-just look at your reality shows. And in this belief of 'them vs. me' there is born a shadow, our projection of our fears. And a belief that life is a game. But I beg to differ. For me that led to a life of inner chaos where I went along with the sheep mentality of my community. I got the college degree. I worked hard and made decent money. I partied until I passed out. Then a break-off point occured. Then one day I jumped off the sheep train and woke up like Neo in the Matrix. I don't want to rewind those moments or years but they particularly involved my beliefs about race & culture-overall, my sense of identity. Who am I? What am I? What does it mean to be a man of color? all that stuff which is important to examine. I don't want to fill up this space with my somber racial experiences, and neither do I want to make angry with you. But I have realized that I am more than what the world says I am even though the world may not ever see me as I really am and so continue to use its beliefs of perception to see me as they have been taught to see me.(What a mouthful!!) In other words, I am more than just a black man, but you won't see me trying to convince you that I am! We live in a world that we can focus on a new purpose, a new reason to live, beyond racial, cultural, and even religious obligations. We don't have to burden others with our stories of pain & sorrow. We all have one. But you have to go past your story, and create a new one. You have to go past your need to be right and special if you want to be free in this world. And that is what I have learned. Now it doesn't mean that I live in denial. It means living according to what matters to you, beyond racial, cultural obligations. It means knowing that you are not limited to the circumstances of your past, present, community or racial group as I've learned over many years. There is a grace of life that comes when you let go of your stored pain and see that you have been sold a bill of goods and perhaps may even continue to use those goods, i.e the belief in victimization, the belief in Us vs. Them, etc. But first you must learn to let it go: let go of projecting your chaos and pain upon others. Let go of making others the devil, the monster in your dreams. What I speak of your ability as an individual to reach an oasis of peace as you move through this world. Yes, people die. Yes, people get murdered. Yes, people get sick.Yes, people lose their jobs. But this is not about being 'realistic' as much as taking responsibility for your own pain, being honest with yourself, and then as you remember what matters and the circumstances are not the dominant force but YOU ARE, then you create a life that reflects your intentions, desires, and purpose. That's the power of pulling the grace card. The power of making peace with your shadow. You are more than what you think & believe and we have been told THIS IS ALL THERE IS. And so we have bought into the old beliefs & limitations passed down to us. Now we are faced with an incredible choice of confronting everything we have believed that is not true or live in denial or arrogance of what we think we believe is true. To live in grace is to live according to your inner nature, as you continue to learn and develop yourself as a soul. It is stepping outside of your own box, that which you have imposed upon yourself, the limitations you have agreed to in this lifetime. Its making peace with yourself, the light and shadow within. If you need to be out there fighting the world, then charge forth you mighty soldier of the Light Brigade. There is no rush. This is not a race for eternity. What I am speaking of requires a different kind of honesty: one that means stepping back from the world and seeing how you project your thoughts and feelings upon it, how it all comes back to you in some form, and more how you can stop running away. 1. Tell yourself this: 'Everything I believe about myself and the world is not true." This statement can produce the greatest magic in your thinking and feeling. It unleashes you from the tyranny of what you have believed about yourself and the world. 2. Then try this: Remove anything that has to do with 'time' from your view for 6 days. Newspapers, cellphones, clocks, etc. Let yourself sense the timelessness. This moving towards grace. 3. Get out a sheet of paper. Draw a line in the middle. On one side write at the top, 'The Best Thoughts about Myself' and other side 'The Worst Thoughts about Myself.' Be as honest with yourself as much as you can. If you think, 'I'm angel' write it down. If you think, 'I hate my stomach' or 'I'm so mean to my co-workers' write it down. Now after you do this, go back to #1. 4. If that doesn't work, then just sit with those thoughts and feelings, and watch them as they pass through. Notice how they feel. Why do you believe that about yourself and others? How do you know its true? Is it true about all reality? If it not true, then you must accept that it is a belief and not fact. 5. Have fun with this! I know that this may sound like a bunch of new age hooey, and I'm not here to convince you of anything as much as share with you the fruit I've picked off the tree of my life travels. And I want you to know that the grace of life is alive, breathing within you as you read these words, and this grace serves as its own indoctrination, its own ritual, and way of being. We are living in a both an amazing, wonderful time and strange one as well. Either way, we are on the brink of blossoming as a new species through all the events happening today and beyond. Out of these events will come a new consciousness that allows for personal peace, fulfillment, and understanding. Happy travels my friend!

The Relationship Race: Ending The Competition for Love

Are you in a relationship race? Are you 'competing' against family, lovers, co-workers to be at the top? How important is it to you to pause & reflect upon how you are being, thinking, and acting? How important is it to 'check yourself' as you work to check out others? For so many years, I know I was one of those guys who believed I wanted to be in a good relationship but I was not really healthy myself.

Developing new relationships these days can be difficult if we are carrying around our baggage, having the need to be right, making others feel inadequate, or walking around as if we have it all together, or even better than others. And yet, they can be the easiest thing in the world if we begin to become more aware of the unhealthy habits and behaviors we are in.

One of the things I've noticed these days is this yearning for independence in a lot of people while also yearning for real intimacy. However, having intimacy doesn't mean you have to exclude independence. We live in an co-dependent universe, or inter-dependent world. So you can have your intimacy and independence too.

This need for intimacy-that is really natural, and effortless-can lead to competition. But its the kind of competition where you are racing against time, or competiting against someone whom you see as a threat, or you are racing to show others how strong, powerful, & talented you are. It's a survival of the prettiest, survival of the smartest, survival of the wealthiest, etc. And when you are set out on the quest to consciously to create happiness and intimacy, no competition is required.

But how do you take a break from the Relationship Race where you are silently racing against others or ourselves in a relationship? How do you get out of it? Here's 3 easy steps:

1. Get clear about what you really want. You may say this is what you want BUT you may also have contradictory beliefs that get in the way of attracting what you want. Or you may just be lazy. And if you are mentally lazy, there is no hope for you! Sorry...

2. Focusing upon what's right with ourselves can do tremendous wonders for your health. Too often you hear people demonizing others. It's hard to rise above the tide when you are stuck below the waters. And I meet a lot of people who want to be in healthy relationships BUT they don't have the right mind-set. They point the fingers at others so much they become blind to their own fingers! Or they are just looking for someone to dump on, looking for someone to fight with, looking for someone to abuse. What's right about you? What's right about that person who irritates you?

3. Working on your beliefs & emotions can free your agony & pain. If you really examine what you believe about yourself, then you will see why there you have relationship issues. Healing the joy & pain works both ways!

This blog is not about getting the right partner or spouse. This is about ending the competition for love and one that has been distorted by reality TV. You can do it if you want to. If you don't want to, not ready, fine. If you are, try it out. Worked for me!!!

And if you are happy & you know it clap your hands, snap your fingers!

Now move on, you love demon!