By passion I consider myself to be an artist. I gravitate toward all things beautiful and people who inspire beauty. Therefore when I looked at how I could lend a hand in Haiti, I immediately thought of the Artisan community in my local area.
And so I decided to call art galleries and ask if they'd be willing to contribute a percentage of their sales for one day over the next month to the restoration and relief efforts in Haiti. I provided a list of relief organizations through which they could contribute and asked for a pledge of their commitment to provide support. I logged this information along with their email address and phone number and made a note to thank them personally, the day after their pledge date.
My thinking is this. If all of us who are enjoying the ease and comfort of undisturbed living, can use the recent disaster in Haiti as an opportunity to give thanks, then take action to generate restoration there, we can collectively raise the vibration from devastation to manifestation. Our collective efforts will create a ripple effect, attracting all that is needed to restore balance.
Make the effort today. Ask for participation from those in your local area, then followup with an acknowledgment of gratitude on behalf of the Haitian people. By each of us taking action locally, we infuse our piece into the worldwide tapestry for peace.
Here's a couple more ways we can gather the good for Haiti:
1. Give a Haiti relief charity gift to a Facebook friend.
When you give a charity gift on Facebook, you are buying a specific item needed on the ground in Haiti. We have several new gifts in the Facebook Charity Gift Shop, including:
Water for Haiti from Oxfam
Light a Candle for Haiti from UNICEF
Food for Haiti from CARE
Shelter for Haiti from the American Red Cross
Survival Kit from World Vision
Visit the Facebook Charity Gift Shop to see all the Haiti relief Gifts.
2. Join and donate to a cause.
Many nonprofits have started fundraising projects, with funds specifically for Haiti relief, such as:
Doctors Without Borders
Friends of the World Food Program
International Rescue Committee
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Destiny Is Variable by Owen Waters
I've never post someone elses article on my blog before. Owen Waters is someone I have enjoyed reading for quite some time now and would like to share him with my readers. If you like this article, find value in it and wish to be on Owen's mailing list his web site info is at the bottom of the post. Enjoy the read.
In the Old Reality, things were seen as opposites - black or
white, hot or cold, good or bad, this way or that way. In the
expanded view of New Reality consciousness, life is seen in a
unified way. Opposite sides of the coin are viewed, not as
polar opposites, but rather as just being different aspects of
the one coin.
In the New Reality view of the world, the opposite extremes of
black and white become, instead, endless shades of gray. Hot
and cold become variable degrees of warmth. Good and bad become
different shades of human nature; free of the judgment, hate
and fear that comes with Old Reality, polarized thinking.
In the Old Reality, destiny and free will were seen as
mutually exclusive. The reasoning was that, if destiny exists,
then it controls everything and, therefore, free will does not
exist. On the other hand, you can prove that free will does
exist by making a choice. So, as the thinking goes, if free
will does exist, then there can be no destiny.
But, wait. Perhaps that choice of "free will" was really a
pre-destined one. Perhaps the person was destined to make that
choice all long, so the experience of choice was just an
illusion. At this point, people usually give up on the whole
question because it has turned into one of those brain teasers,
like asking which came first - the chicken or the egg.
Brain teasers keep your mind in an endless loop until you try
stepping back from the situation and seeing it in a wider
perspective. The new, wider perspective allows for the
inclusion of non-materialistic factors. In deciding whether the
chicken or the egg came first, for example, you just have to
step back and see that the Creator designed the chicken to be
self-perpetuating.
When you step back and see destiny and free will from a wider
perspective, you realize that nothing has to be absolute. If
every event in your life were pre-ordained, there would be no
such thing as free will or self-determination. As we do have
free will, destiny cannot be fixed.
Destiny is therefore variable, not fixed. Destiny and free
will both exist as interwoven facets of your life. Like threads
in a tapestry, they interact with each other and blend to form
the outcomes that are the events in your life.
Your destiny is created by plans that you made at a soul level
of consciousness. Before you were born, you made your main plan
for this life. Then, the minute you were born, the rules of the
game demanded that you also get a case of amnesia about the
whole arrangement. Such is the game of life in the physical
realm.
However, at night when you go to sleep, you have the chance to
visit the deepest levels of human consciousness and review how
the original plan is unfolding and make changes to your plan if
desired. When you return to your physical body and awake in the
morning, amnesia strikes again. Within seconds of your
conscious mind returning into your physical brain, you forget
both the surface dreams and the deep experiences of the night.
Amnesia may be a part of the game we are playing in this life,
but inner guidance is always is always available to anyone who
pays attention to it. Your intuition is your link to your soul,
or inner being, which is also linked to the rest of the
universe and all levels of Creation.
You are never left alone to fumble in the darkness of a purely
physical life. Your inner being is always there with you,
expressing itself through the quiet whisperings of intuitive
information. Thanks to this inner compass of knowing, you can
always sense which choice feels right. You can always tell when
your life is running on plan, and you can tell equally well if
you've become temporarily distracted from your plan. You always
have the means to be right on course, or get back on course,
and explore the fascinating themes that make up your life plan.
The most productive use of free will is to explore your true
potential within the themes of your life, thus gaining the
greatest possible experience from your life plan.
Destiny is an influence that comes from your inner plan. There
is nothing absolute about your destiny. It's a pressure which
constantly seeks the best route to unfold into manifestation.
Free will provides the means to manifest that destiny in a way
that provides the learning that you came here to acquire in
this life.
Destiny is variable. It adapts to the circumstances of your
life every second of the day. As destiny unfolds, you feel it
within as a sense of being a part of the flow of life, of
manifesting your potential in the way that you planned for this
day and that you planned for this life.
Destiny is the plan. Free will is the action. Experience is
the result.
That's what being human is all about.
*If you enjoyed today's article, forward it to a friend!
They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Owen Waters is the author of the e-book, "Discover Your
Purpose in Life," which is available for download now at:
http://infinitebeing.com/ebooks/purpose.htm
In the Old Reality, things were seen as opposites - black or
white, hot or cold, good or bad, this way or that way. In the
expanded view of New Reality consciousness, life is seen in a
unified way. Opposite sides of the coin are viewed, not as
polar opposites, but rather as just being different aspects of
the one coin.
In the New Reality view of the world, the opposite extremes of
black and white become, instead, endless shades of gray. Hot
and cold become variable degrees of warmth. Good and bad become
different shades of human nature; free of the judgment, hate
and fear that comes with Old Reality, polarized thinking.
In the Old Reality, destiny and free will were seen as
mutually exclusive. The reasoning was that, if destiny exists,
then it controls everything and, therefore, free will does not
exist. On the other hand, you can prove that free will does
exist by making a choice. So, as the thinking goes, if free
will does exist, then there can be no destiny.
But, wait. Perhaps that choice of "free will" was really a
pre-destined one. Perhaps the person was destined to make that
choice all long, so the experience of choice was just an
illusion. At this point, people usually give up on the whole
question because it has turned into one of those brain teasers,
like asking which came first - the chicken or the egg.
Brain teasers keep your mind in an endless loop until you try
stepping back from the situation and seeing it in a wider
perspective. The new, wider perspective allows for the
inclusion of non-materialistic factors. In deciding whether the
chicken or the egg came first, for example, you just have to
step back and see that the Creator designed the chicken to be
self-perpetuating.
When you step back and see destiny and free will from a wider
perspective, you realize that nothing has to be absolute. If
every event in your life were pre-ordained, there would be no
such thing as free will or self-determination. As we do have
free will, destiny cannot be fixed.
Destiny is therefore variable, not fixed. Destiny and free
will both exist as interwoven facets of your life. Like threads
in a tapestry, they interact with each other and blend to form
the outcomes that are the events in your life.
Your destiny is created by plans that you made at a soul level
of consciousness. Before you were born, you made your main plan
for this life. Then, the minute you were born, the rules of the
game demanded that you also get a case of amnesia about the
whole arrangement. Such is the game of life in the physical
realm.
However, at night when you go to sleep, you have the chance to
visit the deepest levels of human consciousness and review how
the original plan is unfolding and make changes to your plan if
desired. When you return to your physical body and awake in the
morning, amnesia strikes again. Within seconds of your
conscious mind returning into your physical brain, you forget
both the surface dreams and the deep experiences of the night.
Amnesia may be a part of the game we are playing in this life,
but inner guidance is always is always available to anyone who
pays attention to it. Your intuition is your link to your soul,
or inner being, which is also linked to the rest of the
universe and all levels of Creation.
You are never left alone to fumble in the darkness of a purely
physical life. Your inner being is always there with you,
expressing itself through the quiet whisperings of intuitive
information. Thanks to this inner compass of knowing, you can
always sense which choice feels right. You can always tell when
your life is running on plan, and you can tell equally well if
you've become temporarily distracted from your plan. You always
have the means to be right on course, or get back on course,
and explore the fascinating themes that make up your life plan.
The most productive use of free will is to explore your true
potential within the themes of your life, thus gaining the
greatest possible experience from your life plan.
Destiny is an influence that comes from your inner plan. There
is nothing absolute about your destiny. It's a pressure which
constantly seeks the best route to unfold into manifestation.
Free will provides the means to manifest that destiny in a way
that provides the learning that you came here to acquire in
this life.
Destiny is variable. It adapts to the circumstances of your
life every second of the day. As destiny unfolds, you feel it
within as a sense of being a part of the flow of life, of
manifesting your potential in the way that you planned for this
day and that you planned for this life.
Destiny is the plan. Free will is the action. Experience is
the result.
That's what being human is all about.
*If you enjoyed today's article, forward it to a friend!
They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Owen Waters is the author of the e-book, "Discover Your
Purpose in Life," which is available for download now at:
http://infinitebeing.com/ebooks/purpose.htm
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Hanging Out In The Vicinity Of Brainstorms
The news of the Iguanas falling out of the trees in Florida, due to the falling temps, sparked an awareness for me. I realized there was a message here, a connection if you will, between what was happening with them and what was happening with me. As winter set in and temps fell, I too experienced falling out of my tree.
I'd recognized myself to be at the effect of a condition an old friend once coined as 'gritchy' - a cross between grouchy and bitchy! Not really angry but not very happy either. At first I assumed it to be the lack of light due to short days and long nights, and so I beefed up my vitamin D intake. No luck, still felt an edge of irritation precluding me from connection with inspiration. And so I started investigating. I mean after all, life situations are nothing if not opportunities to 'Clue Track' right!
The fact that the Oh HO HO of the Holiday Season had come and gone, leaving a chill in the emotional air of things, and the new year hasn't really kicked off yet, sounded like a good 'reason' for the lack luster vibe I was experiencing. However something told me to dig deeper and so I did.
The soul-searching spiral took me into a place where I found something different than what I'd expected. Here I came face to face with the culprit of my discontent. I had fallen out of alignment with the natural ebb and flow of the season. In the northern hemisphere we are experiencing winter, which is the time of renewal. The winter solstice heralds in the beginning of downtime. Here's where we get to go within, regroup with ourselves and rejuvenate .
I had been gearing up instead of slowing down. I had intended to use my will to push through the end of one calendar year straight into the next, without skipping a beat. It never occurred to me that because I was going against the grain of the natural order, my vibratory frequency was out of sync with the vibration of joy - thus the 'gritchy' uninspired feeling associated with burn out.
While attempting to 'keep up the momentum' I was falling out of my tree. I had become a casualty of the old paradigm I so loath. I was functioning congruent with the idea that 'the end justifies the means'. Interestingly enough I had been charging all those around me with being guilty of this very act. I could see it outside of myself but wasn't aware of my own participation with this cup half empty perspective. Until I stopped and looked at how my actions were creating what I was experiencing, I wasn't able to see where I needed to make changes.
I've been in the business of inspiring change through the development of human potential for more than three decades. I know better than to use the power-over strategy with the natural rhythm of things, and yet it appeared I had forgotten. My new status as a network marketer had me so excited, that I forgot the golden rule - 'The end never justifies the means'.
It's still the season of renewal, time to regroup, relax, regenerate and psychically prep for spring, that time of vision. It is not time for the Big Push forward but rather a time to take a step back, rethink old strategies, soft focus the lens and open to whatever we need to sustain our well-being. Indeed our cup is very much half full, even during this relentlessly harsh weather pattern.
But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself and let me know what it feels like to be in alignment, as compared to experiencing the contrast associated with not being. Success can be measured in a myriad of ways. Garnering energetic gifts from aligning with the natural flow, often produces surprising results.
Be well, take care and enjoy the season of renewal.
I'd recognized myself to be at the effect of a condition an old friend once coined as 'gritchy' - a cross between grouchy and bitchy! Not really angry but not very happy either. At first I assumed it to be the lack of light due to short days and long nights, and so I beefed up my vitamin D intake. No luck, still felt an edge of irritation precluding me from connection with inspiration. And so I started investigating. I mean after all, life situations are nothing if not opportunities to 'Clue Track' right!
The fact that the Oh HO HO of the Holiday Season had come and gone, leaving a chill in the emotional air of things, and the new year hasn't really kicked off yet, sounded like a good 'reason' for the lack luster vibe I was experiencing. However something told me to dig deeper and so I did.
The soul-searching spiral took me into a place where I found something different than what I'd expected. Here I came face to face with the culprit of my discontent. I had fallen out of alignment with the natural ebb and flow of the season. In the northern hemisphere we are experiencing winter, which is the time of renewal. The winter solstice heralds in the beginning of downtime. Here's where we get to go within, regroup with ourselves and rejuvenate .
I had been gearing up instead of slowing down. I had intended to use my will to push through the end of one calendar year straight into the next, without skipping a beat. It never occurred to me that because I was going against the grain of the natural order, my vibratory frequency was out of sync with the vibration of joy - thus the 'gritchy' uninspired feeling associated with burn out.
While attempting to 'keep up the momentum' I was falling out of my tree. I had become a casualty of the old paradigm I so loath. I was functioning congruent with the idea that 'the end justifies the means'. Interestingly enough I had been charging all those around me with being guilty of this very act. I could see it outside of myself but wasn't aware of my own participation with this cup half empty perspective. Until I stopped and looked at how my actions were creating what I was experiencing, I wasn't able to see where I needed to make changes.
I've been in the business of inspiring change through the development of human potential for more than three decades. I know better than to use the power-over strategy with the natural rhythm of things, and yet it appeared I had forgotten. My new status as a network marketer had me so excited, that I forgot the golden rule - 'The end never justifies the means'.
It's still the season of renewal, time to regroup, relax, regenerate and psychically prep for spring, that time of vision. It is not time for the Big Push forward but rather a time to take a step back, rethink old strategies, soft focus the lens and open to whatever we need to sustain our well-being. Indeed our cup is very much half full, even during this relentlessly harsh weather pattern.
But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself and let me know what it feels like to be in alignment, as compared to experiencing the contrast associated with not being. Success can be measured in a myriad of ways. Garnering energetic gifts from aligning with the natural flow, often produces surprising results.
Be well, take care and enjoy the season of renewal.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Train Is Leaving The Station
For those astrologers in the group, you've probably had your bags packed and been ready to go for quite some time now. The rest of us may just now be realizing the impact of the change which IS upon us.
This Gemini Full Moon Dec 1st and 2nd is pulling out alllllllllllll the stops. No kidding, the energy associated with this lunation really IS the big daddy of major change.
I share this only because as one who picks up on the energetic tangents brought on by planetary constriction and expansion, I can tell you for certain, we ARE in expansion mode now. For the first time this year ALL the planets are heading in direct motion. In other words all systems are go and like it or not, we are moving forward.
If ever there was a time to shift into high gear it is NOW! Why? Because Uranus, the planet of major forward thrust, the archetype associated with sudden and swift change, is going direct. After 5 months in a holding pattern, the planet named after the Greek God of Chaos is being set free once again.
Each of us will channel the energy of this cosmic force in the universe differently, but rest assured, channel it we will. Whatever you've been "trying to change" or "just putting up with" is about to get very up close and ever so personal, in such a way as to cause you to evolve way beyond any mundane considerations or idle thoughts surrounding taking up residence in anything resembling a comfort zone.
And the energy embodying the momentum of this movement forward is Pisces. Piscean energy tickles our intuition, emotion and spiritual awareness in such a soft and gentle way as to cushion the expansion of Uranus, allowing us to move forward in our personal development.
So then, we have a surge of power thrusting us forward and aligning us with the vibration of our vision and our dreams - what's not to like about this!!
Bottom line - there could never be a more appropriate time than now to check in with ourselves and listen to our own inner knowing of what is real, right and true for us. It is time for us to take our shot in the firing sequence, and that may include doing something very different than anything we've done before.
For many this past year has been a time of unprecedented change, due in part at least to the economic down turn. More home businesses have started up in the past couple years than in the last decade. More people are focused on quality living, creating wholesome lifestyles for their families and becoming entrepreneurs. From corporate execs to stay-at-home moms work from home businesses are on the rise.
Donald Trump, one of THE most successful entrepreneurs the world has ever seen, is expanding his horizons to include network marketing. The Trump Network offers a stellar opportunity for anyone interested in an entreprenurial lifestyle. The opportunity to connect with highly-advanced, scientifically-proven health and wellness products, coupled with state-of-the-art training from professional network marketing hot shots, is recipe for success across the board.
If you want to be a force for positive change, have a desire for something that will enhance your life and put money in your pocket you may be interested in finding out more about what "The Donald" is offering, if so go to http://www.lifeenrichmentopportunities.com
Indeed the train IS leaving the station, there's no question about that. The question is will YOU be on it?
This Gemini Full Moon Dec 1st and 2nd is pulling out alllllllllllll the stops. No kidding, the energy associated with this lunation really IS the big daddy of major change.
I share this only because as one who picks up on the energetic tangents brought on by planetary constriction and expansion, I can tell you for certain, we ARE in expansion mode now. For the first time this year ALL the planets are heading in direct motion. In other words all systems are go and like it or not, we are moving forward.
If ever there was a time to shift into high gear it is NOW! Why? Because Uranus, the planet of major forward thrust, the archetype associated with sudden and swift change, is going direct. After 5 months in a holding pattern, the planet named after the Greek God of Chaos is being set free once again.
Each of us will channel the energy of this cosmic force in the universe differently, but rest assured, channel it we will. Whatever you've been "trying to change" or "just putting up with" is about to get very up close and ever so personal, in such a way as to cause you to evolve way beyond any mundane considerations or idle thoughts surrounding taking up residence in anything resembling a comfort zone.
And the energy embodying the momentum of this movement forward is Pisces. Piscean energy tickles our intuition, emotion and spiritual awareness in such a soft and gentle way as to cushion the expansion of Uranus, allowing us to move forward in our personal development.
So then, we have a surge of power thrusting us forward and aligning us with the vibration of our vision and our dreams - what's not to like about this!!
Bottom line - there could never be a more appropriate time than now to check in with ourselves and listen to our own inner knowing of what is real, right and true for us. It is time for us to take our shot in the firing sequence, and that may include doing something very different than anything we've done before.
For many this past year has been a time of unprecedented change, due in part at least to the economic down turn. More home businesses have started up in the past couple years than in the last decade. More people are focused on quality living, creating wholesome lifestyles for their families and becoming entrepreneurs. From corporate execs to stay-at-home moms work from home businesses are on the rise.
Donald Trump, one of THE most successful entrepreneurs the world has ever seen, is expanding his horizons to include network marketing. The Trump Network offers a stellar opportunity for anyone interested in an entreprenurial lifestyle. The opportunity to connect with highly-advanced, scientifically-proven health and wellness products, coupled with state-of-the-art training from professional network marketing hot shots, is recipe for success across the board.
If you want to be a force for positive change, have a desire for something that will enhance your life and put money in your pocket you may be interested in finding out more about what "The Donald" is offering, if so go to http://www.lifeenrichmentopportunities.com
Indeed the train IS leaving the station, there's no question about that. The question is will YOU be on it?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
New Moon New Beginnings
New moons are always great times to make new agreements with ourselves. The energy is ripe for a fresh start, new beginning.
At this new moon I plan to cultivate sharper awareness of what is and what isn't. In other words I am removing the veil so to speak and allowing myself to view the full picture of my life as it is, without the airbrush or the hope. I figure it's time to dig in and go the distance here, tell the truth about what is and isn't working and move on.
Discipline is a big one for me. I have to be vigilant to keeping my word with myself or I can veer off into fantasy and never be heard from again. I have a plan in place for that now. I have successfully invested enough of my time, attention and money into projects I know little to nothing about and so have no choice but to roll up my shirt sleeves and get to work. Learning curves are great opportunities to challenge ourselves to be all that we know we can be. And I have certainly saddled myself with some hefty ones this time.
I'm learning how to navigate the world of social networking. I am not nearly technical enough to wrestle this beast but I am up for the challenge. I want to be able to market my home based business to the masses in such a way as to produce results that will not only make a difference to a large group of people, but also will move me to toward greater success.
I am using the energy of this new moon to start a new business venture in which engaging with Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In etc will be of the utmost importance. Now, for someone who was certain back in the mid 90's that the internet was a fad that wasn't likely to catch on, so why bother learning it, I have to say I've come a long way baby. Am I ready to take on the masses via social networking, can I deal with auto responders and all that jazz, who knows but here goes.
I am affirming the positive, using visualization to ensure the end result has already turned out as I've planned and am aligning myself with the vibration of success - I'll keep ya posted!!
At this new moon I plan to cultivate sharper awareness of what is and what isn't. In other words I am removing the veil so to speak and allowing myself to view the full picture of my life as it is, without the airbrush or the hope. I figure it's time to dig in and go the distance here, tell the truth about what is and isn't working and move on.
Discipline is a big one for me. I have to be vigilant to keeping my word with myself or I can veer off into fantasy and never be heard from again. I have a plan in place for that now. I have successfully invested enough of my time, attention and money into projects I know little to nothing about and so have no choice but to roll up my shirt sleeves and get to work. Learning curves are great opportunities to challenge ourselves to be all that we know we can be. And I have certainly saddled myself with some hefty ones this time.
I'm learning how to navigate the world of social networking. I am not nearly technical enough to wrestle this beast but I am up for the challenge. I want to be able to market my home based business to the masses in such a way as to produce results that will not only make a difference to a large group of people, but also will move me to toward greater success.
I am using the energy of this new moon to start a new business venture in which engaging with Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In etc will be of the utmost importance. Now, for someone who was certain back in the mid 90's that the internet was a fad that wasn't likely to catch on, so why bother learning it, I have to say I've come a long way baby. Am I ready to take on the masses via social networking, can I deal with auto responders and all that jazz, who knows but here goes.
I am affirming the positive, using visualization to ensure the end result has already turned out as I've planned and am aligning myself with the vibration of success - I'll keep ya posted!!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
How Do I Get From Here To There
I was in Washington D.C. this weekend to visit my son. It had been almost 2 years since we'd seen each other and we were both anxious to get together. I was looking forward to celebrating his 32nd birthday and wanted to acknowledge him for having kicked a drug problem.
He and his housemate picked me up at the airport and drove me through the glittering lights of our nations capitol enroute to their residence outside the city. The feeling was high-tone and the conversation jovial.
As we approached the house my son rents a room in, I could see how shabby and rundown it looked even in the dim light. Once up the concrete steps I noticed cigarette butts scattered about the entry way. The address had a classy zip code but the property was not upscale.
We entered the house through the living room, a cluttered disheveled room containing a large, unmounted flat screen TV and a worn out couch. The kitchen off the living room served as storage for odd furniture, boxes, a bike and various other bits of this and than. My son sloughed off the messy ambience saying, 'well, what can you expect from 4 guys living in a bachelor pad'.
Motioning me on he stated 'this is my room' , waiting to see what my response would be.
My son is moving into the mid third of his life, that place where what one is doing is usually what they will be doing for the mainstay of the adult years. His residence reminded me of the kind of place most 20 somethings call home before they get what it is to actually be responsible in life. I did my best to conceal my disappointment and my son did his best to hide his embarrassment by joking and moving us out the door quickly.
Next we went to his favorite watering hole, his version of 'Cheers' the bar across the street. My son ordered me a glass of wine while downing a couple shots of something and chasing them with a beer. Before long he was off to the back stoop for a smoke, then back in to order another round of shots for him and his friends and whatever I wanted. It had been my understanding that we were going to have a drink with his friends and then go to dinner but when I reminded him of that he told me he wasn't hungry and was happy to stay right where we were for the rest of the evening. At that point I ordered a plate of onion rings and a beer.
At last call I was presented with a tab that resembled the national debt. I was angry and upset. My son had told me Friday night would be his treat and I agreed to take him out on Saturday evening. It wasn’t the spending of the money that bothered me but rather what it was spent on and the fact that I felt like I had been manipulated and taken advantage of. I was also appalled by his lifestyle and by the fact that I had not been wise enough to set some boundaries around the consumption of alcohol.
I had been living in the fantasy version of my hope for how his life had turned out following his drug addiction. Unfortunately however, not much had changed, he was still abusing substances and he had not yet become responsible for his finances. I had come to visit for the purpose of acknowledging how far he'd progressed, only to realize he hadn't made much progress at all.
After paying the bill and indicating my disappointment in spending so much for so little, I hailed a cab and went back to my hotel.
Next morning I awoke hung over and very upset with myself and him. I wanted to call someone but I didn't know who. I wanted to blame someone, but I knew that wasn't the answer. I wanted to crawl back under the covers and cry but I knew I couldn’t.
And so I got up, showered then headed out for a brisk walk. Following a cup of coffee and a good breakfast I felt more on track physically, but my mind was still spinning. I wanted to scream at my son for his lifestyle. I wanted to call his father and blame him for having done such a poor job of raising him, I wanted to berate myself for the ten millionth time, for having allowed my son to remain with his dad following the divorce. Mostly I wanted reality to line up with my desire to be happy.
I walked aimlessly feeling angry and upset. At one point I even found myself in a mob in front of the White House looking skyward, waiting for a view of the president's helicopter as it took off. Regardless what the distraction, my mood was one of doom and gloom.
I observed as I waffled between viewing the cup as half empty as compared to half full. I had to work at holding the highest thought possible, then another and another before I was able to release myself out of the groove of negative habitual thinking.
I clung to the notion that if I could just think one high thought after another, I would have a shot at giving myself a boost up over the top of this mountain of adversity. I knew the only way to do that would be to find something to be grateful for. I knew gratitude was the key which would leverage me out of the abyss I'd fallen into.
At first I found nothing to feel grateful for. Then as I passed an elderly man in a wheel chair seeing him triggered my gratitude for the ability to walk. I then noticed the beauty of the day and how good the warmth of the sun felt on my face and gave thanks for that. Now I was inspired. This inspiration gave me the urge to find a purpose for the day, a goal to move toward.
The only purpose I could think of was to become enveloped with inspiration. And so I headed in the direction of the National Gallery of Art. Once inside the east building I began to feel my energy rise. I was now feeling inspired by the creative works of others and feeling the surge of my own creative impulse.
I ate lunch next to a water fall then visited a book store and was eventually inspired enough to take out my camera and start shooting.
By 2 pm my son called. I could tell he was testing the waters to see if I was running hot or cold, was I going to rant and rave about the night before or would he get to skate on this one seeing as it was his birthday and I was only in town for 2 days. I spoke from the place of my cup being half full. I stayed positive and kept my cool. I could tell he was ready for a battle, I felt baited but I was determined to not loose my center. I did not allow him to hook me into a negative clash of tempers or emotional outbursts.
Originally our plans for Saturday evening were to have drinks at a fancy bar overlooking the city, then dine at a fine restaurant of his choosing, but instead of solidifying those plans, he ended the conversation by telling me to enjoy my outing and saying we'd connect later.
Once back at my hotel I opened my email and found one from my son who had sent me a message at 2 am that morning. He knew he'd messed up by running up the bar tab and then expecting me to pay for it, but instead of saying so he dodged a bullet by saying he was checking in to make sure we were 'ok' with each other.
There it was, the opportunity to tell the truth. I told him I recognized his problem with alcohol had escalated and suggested he may want to consider seeking professional help. I also told him that I loved him but I fond it to painful to spend time with him when he was drinking to excess.
He retorted with resentment, hurt feelings and the attitude of a victim. I suggested we meet for dinner but only if he had not yet started drinking. He didn't reply.
By 10 pm I sent him another email this time with a picture attached of him and a friend from the night before. I wanted him to see for himself what he looked like under the influence. I also decided to give him another opportunity to choose to do something different. I suggested we meet for brunch at noon the next day.
In the next e mail he agreed to brunch but after I replied, clarifying my preference for an alcohol free get together, I never heard back from him until 1:30 the following afternoon, after I'd checked out of the hotel and changed my flight to an earlier departure time.
Bottom line - this was not the trip I had planned, I didn't do what I thought I was going to do, I didn't get what I thought wanted but I got exactly what I needed. I saw how I'd been holding tight to the idea that my son was suppose to fulfill my expectations so as I would feel better about myself. I recognized the degree to which I have been attached to him being a certain way so as I would not feel guilty for having left him. I wanted him to turn out so as I would feel less like a failure as a mother.
I let go of all that this weekend. And as a result of letting go I disengaged myself from the image of what it is to be a mother, as well as from the image of what it is he should be as my son. I can't be hooked now by his attitude, behavior, his problems, or his addictions. I let go of it all by doing something different. By remaining positive, giving thanks and seeing the beauty all around me.
By restoring my own sense of well-being I was able to turn adversity into opportunity.
I couldn't know for myself that the process worked without working the process. The path of personal development is not new to me, the process of giving thanks isn't either but staying the course, not giving in to the negative programming, not falling into the groove of antiquated beliefs, this is new to me.
By working the process I saw that no matter how painful it was for me to watch him destroy himself, I wasn't going to be able to save him from himself. I understood that in no way was I guilty for not being able to save him from himself because this was not my job. My job was to provide him with the opportunity to see the consequences of his actions by staying true to myself.
As soon as I let go of the attachment to the outcome, I felt my energy shift. I felt high spirited and aligned with Source Center, despite the circumstances.
My son did call, at 1:30pm, to check in with me before I left. I told him I was good and let him know I was leaving. I could tell he was disappointed and that he didn't really get that he was the one who had set it all up to be exactly the way that it had turned out, but that was ok now. I no longer felt the need to lecture him or confront him on his actions, I was able to just get out of the way and allow him to be where he's at without trying to change him.
How do we get from where we are to where we want to be - by having the desire for something different and then by taking action. That's the only way anyone ends up having what they want. By believing before seeing we set ourselves into vibrational alignment with what we want and so it manifests.
I am home now and I continue to feel the gratitude and the joy synonymous with being in alignment with my own Source Center. I know this connection occurs when I do the right thing, I know that I get from where I am to where I want to be by staying focused on the positive and taking my shot in the firing sequence when it’s my time to do so.
If you are interested in tools that can transform the quality of your life go to:
www.knowforyourself.com use coupon code 148251 & get 20% off on product purchase - enjoy!
He and his housemate picked me up at the airport and drove me through the glittering lights of our nations capitol enroute to their residence outside the city. The feeling was high-tone and the conversation jovial.
As we approached the house my son rents a room in, I could see how shabby and rundown it looked even in the dim light. Once up the concrete steps I noticed cigarette butts scattered about the entry way. The address had a classy zip code but the property was not upscale.
We entered the house through the living room, a cluttered disheveled room containing a large, unmounted flat screen TV and a worn out couch. The kitchen off the living room served as storage for odd furniture, boxes, a bike and various other bits of this and than. My son sloughed off the messy ambience saying, 'well, what can you expect from 4 guys living in a bachelor pad'.
Motioning me on he stated 'this is my room' , waiting to see what my response would be.
My son is moving into the mid third of his life, that place where what one is doing is usually what they will be doing for the mainstay of the adult years. His residence reminded me of the kind of place most 20 somethings call home before they get what it is to actually be responsible in life. I did my best to conceal my disappointment and my son did his best to hide his embarrassment by joking and moving us out the door quickly.
Next we went to his favorite watering hole, his version of 'Cheers' the bar across the street. My son ordered me a glass of wine while downing a couple shots of something and chasing them with a beer. Before long he was off to the back stoop for a smoke, then back in to order another round of shots for him and his friends and whatever I wanted. It had been my understanding that we were going to have a drink with his friends and then go to dinner but when I reminded him of that he told me he wasn't hungry and was happy to stay right where we were for the rest of the evening. At that point I ordered a plate of onion rings and a beer.
At last call I was presented with a tab that resembled the national debt. I was angry and upset. My son had told me Friday night would be his treat and I agreed to take him out on Saturday evening. It wasn’t the spending of the money that bothered me but rather what it was spent on and the fact that I felt like I had been manipulated and taken advantage of. I was also appalled by his lifestyle and by the fact that I had not been wise enough to set some boundaries around the consumption of alcohol.
I had been living in the fantasy version of my hope for how his life had turned out following his drug addiction. Unfortunately however, not much had changed, he was still abusing substances and he had not yet become responsible for his finances. I had come to visit for the purpose of acknowledging how far he'd progressed, only to realize he hadn't made much progress at all.
After paying the bill and indicating my disappointment in spending so much for so little, I hailed a cab and went back to my hotel.
Next morning I awoke hung over and very upset with myself and him. I wanted to call someone but I didn't know who. I wanted to blame someone, but I knew that wasn't the answer. I wanted to crawl back under the covers and cry but I knew I couldn’t.
And so I got up, showered then headed out for a brisk walk. Following a cup of coffee and a good breakfast I felt more on track physically, but my mind was still spinning. I wanted to scream at my son for his lifestyle. I wanted to call his father and blame him for having done such a poor job of raising him, I wanted to berate myself for the ten millionth time, for having allowed my son to remain with his dad following the divorce. Mostly I wanted reality to line up with my desire to be happy.
I walked aimlessly feeling angry and upset. At one point I even found myself in a mob in front of the White House looking skyward, waiting for a view of the president's helicopter as it took off. Regardless what the distraction, my mood was one of doom and gloom.
I observed as I waffled between viewing the cup as half empty as compared to half full. I had to work at holding the highest thought possible, then another and another before I was able to release myself out of the groove of negative habitual thinking.
I clung to the notion that if I could just think one high thought after another, I would have a shot at giving myself a boost up over the top of this mountain of adversity. I knew the only way to do that would be to find something to be grateful for. I knew gratitude was the key which would leverage me out of the abyss I'd fallen into.
At first I found nothing to feel grateful for. Then as I passed an elderly man in a wheel chair seeing him triggered my gratitude for the ability to walk. I then noticed the beauty of the day and how good the warmth of the sun felt on my face and gave thanks for that. Now I was inspired. This inspiration gave me the urge to find a purpose for the day, a goal to move toward.
The only purpose I could think of was to become enveloped with inspiration. And so I headed in the direction of the National Gallery of Art. Once inside the east building I began to feel my energy rise. I was now feeling inspired by the creative works of others and feeling the surge of my own creative impulse.
I ate lunch next to a water fall then visited a book store and was eventually inspired enough to take out my camera and start shooting.
By 2 pm my son called. I could tell he was testing the waters to see if I was running hot or cold, was I going to rant and rave about the night before or would he get to skate on this one seeing as it was his birthday and I was only in town for 2 days. I spoke from the place of my cup being half full. I stayed positive and kept my cool. I could tell he was ready for a battle, I felt baited but I was determined to not loose my center. I did not allow him to hook me into a negative clash of tempers or emotional outbursts.
Originally our plans for Saturday evening were to have drinks at a fancy bar overlooking the city, then dine at a fine restaurant of his choosing, but instead of solidifying those plans, he ended the conversation by telling me to enjoy my outing and saying we'd connect later.
Once back at my hotel I opened my email and found one from my son who had sent me a message at 2 am that morning. He knew he'd messed up by running up the bar tab and then expecting me to pay for it, but instead of saying so he dodged a bullet by saying he was checking in to make sure we were 'ok' with each other.
There it was, the opportunity to tell the truth. I told him I recognized his problem with alcohol had escalated and suggested he may want to consider seeking professional help. I also told him that I loved him but I fond it to painful to spend time with him when he was drinking to excess.
He retorted with resentment, hurt feelings and the attitude of a victim. I suggested we meet for dinner but only if he had not yet started drinking. He didn't reply.
By 10 pm I sent him another email this time with a picture attached of him and a friend from the night before. I wanted him to see for himself what he looked like under the influence. I also decided to give him another opportunity to choose to do something different. I suggested we meet for brunch at noon the next day.
In the next e mail he agreed to brunch but after I replied, clarifying my preference for an alcohol free get together, I never heard back from him until 1:30 the following afternoon, after I'd checked out of the hotel and changed my flight to an earlier departure time.
Bottom line - this was not the trip I had planned, I didn't do what I thought I was going to do, I didn't get what I thought wanted but I got exactly what I needed. I saw how I'd been holding tight to the idea that my son was suppose to fulfill my expectations so as I would feel better about myself. I recognized the degree to which I have been attached to him being a certain way so as I would not feel guilty for having left him. I wanted him to turn out so as I would feel less like a failure as a mother.
I let go of all that this weekend. And as a result of letting go I disengaged myself from the image of what it is to be a mother, as well as from the image of what it is he should be as my son. I can't be hooked now by his attitude, behavior, his problems, or his addictions. I let go of it all by doing something different. By remaining positive, giving thanks and seeing the beauty all around me.
By restoring my own sense of well-being I was able to turn adversity into opportunity.
I couldn't know for myself that the process worked without working the process. The path of personal development is not new to me, the process of giving thanks isn't either but staying the course, not giving in to the negative programming, not falling into the groove of antiquated beliefs, this is new to me.
By working the process I saw that no matter how painful it was for me to watch him destroy himself, I wasn't going to be able to save him from himself. I understood that in no way was I guilty for not being able to save him from himself because this was not my job. My job was to provide him with the opportunity to see the consequences of his actions by staying true to myself.
As soon as I let go of the attachment to the outcome, I felt my energy shift. I felt high spirited and aligned with Source Center, despite the circumstances.
My son did call, at 1:30pm, to check in with me before I left. I told him I was good and let him know I was leaving. I could tell he was disappointed and that he didn't really get that he was the one who had set it all up to be exactly the way that it had turned out, but that was ok now. I no longer felt the need to lecture him or confront him on his actions, I was able to just get out of the way and allow him to be where he's at without trying to change him.
How do we get from where we are to where we want to be - by having the desire for something different and then by taking action. That's the only way anyone ends up having what they want. By believing before seeing we set ourselves into vibrational alignment with what we want and so it manifests.
I am home now and I continue to feel the gratitude and the joy synonymous with being in alignment with my own Source Center. I know this connection occurs when I do the right thing, I know that I get from where I am to where I want to be by staying focused on the positive and taking my shot in the firing sequence when it’s my time to do so.
If you are interested in tools that can transform the quality of your life go to:
www.knowforyourself.com use coupon code 148251 & get 20% off on product purchase - enjoy!
Monday, October 19, 2009
So Now Tell Me Again - You Did What At That Conference. . .
Three super hot motivational speakers headlining a personal development conference at a fabulous five star resort in the middle of the Caribbean, added up to both an inner out adventure of immeasurable value.
By the end of day one I realized I was not in my version of 'Kansas' anymore. What I mean by that is this. All the insecurities that come to the fore when one is in a large unfamiliar group, trying to stay hi-toned and be of good cheer, when in fact and in truth all the unpopped kernels surrounding worth and value are surfacing like sea debris at high tide, make for much in the way of discomfort. I knew from the get go I was not going to make it out of this one, personal baggage intact!
Each of the 3 speakers drove home a point that hit me right between the eyes.
Yossi Ghinsberg, teacher of 'survival is a choice', spent enough time lost in the Bolivian jungle to frighten the holy bejesus out of most of us, and him. And because he lived to tell about it, and was walking repetitively across a stage not more than 30 feet in front of me, I felt like it was my experience too. I felt the impact of his experience because even though I have not been any farther south than the woods adjacent my backyard, I could relate to his experience of being totally out of control w/out even so much as a hyper-link to help.
From the jungle we headed for the desert with Steve Donahue who told his story, complete with drum accompaniment, of his experience of the desert as metaphor for change. His pithy storytelling, humor and self-deprecating style were upstaged only by his ability to be totally present in the moment when sharing his feelings about his father being on his death bed as he spoke. Any closed hearts opened fully at this point and we totally gave it up, as a group, for Steve.
This conference required all of me in every moment. No time to worry about weather I fit in or if I was hair style appropriate. The fact that the extra 10 pounds I've gained in the last few years made me look matronly in group shots by comparison to the younger more juicy looking participants, paled by comparison to what had been experienced by the presenters on the stage.
The last speaker, Neal Petersen hit the stage running and never stopped. He drove home the point that 'in life there are no barriers - only solutions'. His nine months at sea alone, 27,000 miles in a boat on water, coupled with his determination to not let a little thing like 'Apartheid' keep him from fulfilling his dream, offered a whole new dimension to the meaning of the words courage, faith and tenacity.
And if that wasn't enough to open me to the full experience of who I am beyond the small insignificance of my ego-mind, a mountain of excuses and a slew of 'issues' there was the cloak of natural beauty which held me in a soft embrace. The ever-changing hue of light, the low hung cloud formations portending release, just in time for relief from tropical heat and the abundance of eye-popping color in the water and on land, were significant in upping my frequency and shifting my vibration.
The nightly serenade from the frog community and the early morning banter of the striking sapphire blue Parrots were the talisman of the whole experience, along with the emerald green waters and the heavenly scent of Plumeria blossoms and tree orchids.
Indeed this was an interdimensional experience. And just as I'd expected, I came back with way more than just pictures. To find out more about the group that sponsors these events go to www.polarismediagroup.com/alison
By the end of day one I realized I was not in my version of 'Kansas' anymore. What I mean by that is this. All the insecurities that come to the fore when one is in a large unfamiliar group, trying to stay hi-toned and be of good cheer, when in fact and in truth all the unpopped kernels surrounding worth and value are surfacing like sea debris at high tide, make for much in the way of discomfort. I knew from the get go I was not going to make it out of this one, personal baggage intact!
Each of the 3 speakers drove home a point that hit me right between the eyes.
Yossi Ghinsberg, teacher of 'survival is a choice', spent enough time lost in the Bolivian jungle to frighten the holy bejesus out of most of us, and him. And because he lived to tell about it, and was walking repetitively across a stage not more than 30 feet in front of me, I felt like it was my experience too. I felt the impact of his experience because even though I have not been any farther south than the woods adjacent my backyard, I could relate to his experience of being totally out of control w/out even so much as a hyper-link to help.
From the jungle we headed for the desert with Steve Donahue who told his story, complete with drum accompaniment, of his experience of the desert as metaphor for change. His pithy storytelling, humor and self-deprecating style were upstaged only by his ability to be totally present in the moment when sharing his feelings about his father being on his death bed as he spoke. Any closed hearts opened fully at this point and we totally gave it up, as a group, for Steve.
This conference required all of me in every moment. No time to worry about weather I fit in or if I was hair style appropriate. The fact that the extra 10 pounds I've gained in the last few years made me look matronly in group shots by comparison to the younger more juicy looking participants, paled by comparison to what had been experienced by the presenters on the stage.
The last speaker, Neal Petersen hit the stage running and never stopped. He drove home the point that 'in life there are no barriers - only solutions'. His nine months at sea alone, 27,000 miles in a boat on water, coupled with his determination to not let a little thing like 'Apartheid' keep him from fulfilling his dream, offered a whole new dimension to the meaning of the words courage, faith and tenacity.
And if that wasn't enough to open me to the full experience of who I am beyond the small insignificance of my ego-mind, a mountain of excuses and a slew of 'issues' there was the cloak of natural beauty which held me in a soft embrace. The ever-changing hue of light, the low hung cloud formations portending release, just in time for relief from tropical heat and the abundance of eye-popping color in the water and on land, were significant in upping my frequency and shifting my vibration.
The nightly serenade from the frog community and the early morning banter of the striking sapphire blue Parrots were the talisman of the whole experience, along with the emerald green waters and the heavenly scent of Plumeria blossoms and tree orchids.
Indeed this was an interdimensional experience. And just as I'd expected, I came back with way more than just pictures. To find out more about the group that sponsors these events go to www.polarismediagroup.com/alison
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