Transformation Magazine: Renew

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3 INSPIRATION 4 Good Samaritans 6 Why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work 8 How to Choose the Right Attitude 10 A New Year Adventure: An Invitation from a Store Window 12 Life on Earth: Living Defferently and Creating Consciously, Part 1 15 Change the Way You Look at Your Goals 16 TOOLS & TIPS 16 How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution 18 3 Steps to Breakthrough 20 Inspired Awakening: How to Empower Your Own Journey 22 The SMART Way to Set and Accomplish Goals 24 Trade in Those Puny Thoughts for Great Ones 25 Hurdle to Happiness: The Need to Be Right 26 The End of Worry 29 SPIRITUALITY 29 Ms. Spiritual Matters 30 Make Self-Care Your Path to Self-Aware 33 The Children of Light 34 Walking in the Light of the New Year 36 A Vision of the New Earth 38 Why Self-Care?

40 A Woman for All Seasons

© Copyright 2016 Transformation Magazine. All rights reserved. www.TransformationMag.com

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Inspiration

By Linda Commito

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

—Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:39) The phrase “good Samaritan” is so commonly used that it’s listed in the dictionary.

It comes from a compelling parable told by Jesus in response to a lawyers’ question, “Who is thy neighbor?”

While on a journey, a man is beaten, robbed and left by the side of the road to die. Many pass him by, including those of his own tribe, and some even go across the road to avoid him.

No one offers help until a despised Samaritan stops to assist him, dresses his wounds and takes him on his donkey to a nearby town. Not only does the Samaritan secure a room and food and nurse him through the night, he pays for another two nights and

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offers the innkeeper extra should there be a need, before taking his leave.

Jesus asks, “Who was the good neighbor?”

Such munificence to a total stranger, and to one who might have looked down on him under other circumstances, is remarkable. The Samaritan generously treated the stranger as though he were a dear friend, and set a new standard for compassion that was passed on for more than two thousand years.

In today’s culture, given the Internet, television, and easier access to travel, the faces of our neighbors have changed. Or do we still consider “neighbors” to be the members of our church, club, social circle or geographical neighborhood? What about the objectionable person in need, who just happens to show up in our lives? Are we as apt to extend our love and compassion?

Writing my book Love is the New Currency motivated

me to ask lots of questions, not only of myself, but of numerous people in all kinds of settings. It has taken me out of my comfort zone, as I engage in meaningful conversations with people, many of whom I’ve just met.

One evening at a popular local dance club, I chatted with two women, Melissa, to whom I’d recently been introduced, and her friend Bonnie. When I mentioned that I was collecting individual stories of everyday kindness, Melissa nudged her friend and said, “Tell her what you did to help that man.” Apparently, it was a story that had been shared with only her closest friends, and it took some convincing for Bonnie to tell it - with the stipulation that all names be changed.

The following story is a modern-day version of The Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Saved by the Kindness of a Stranger Have you ever done something that wasn’t part of your usual routine, but there was a prompting—a voice in your head or a feeling in your gut—you simply couldn’t ignore? It probably felt like you were being led to a person or a place for a reason. You might have been asked to participate in an event with results that were life-changing. Upon reflection, you realized this is exactly what was supposed to happen.

One morning, Bonnie decided to go out for a cup of coffee and a newspaper, something she rarely does. The local coffee shop/market was out of newspapers, but she spotted a freestanding newspaper box across the street and walked toward it.

Lying on the ground, she saw what appeared to be an elderly homeless man—filthy, disheveled and smelling so badly of urine that it was difficult to move closer to him. In fact, several people kept their distance as they walked by.

As Bonnie approached, she noticed that this man was disoriented, out of breath and barely able to move. She felt a moral obligation to help him: “I just had to. It was the only Christian thing to do.”

“It looks like you need help,” she said. He answered affirmatively. And without a second thought, she put him in her car and drove him to the nearest hospital.

Bonnie waited with him until a doctor could check him out. The doctor said, “Thank God. You’re an angel and have most likely saved his life.”

When the hospital called later to say he was ready to go home, she replied, “But I don’t even know him.” They said she was the only one they could call. What to do?

Bonnie drove back to the hospital to pick him up, with no idea of where this ride home would take her. Expecting to follow his directions to a local shelter, she was totally shocked to end

up in an exclusive neighborhood. Through their conversation, she discovered that not only did Sam, a retired businessman, live in a gorgeous home, he was wealthy and used to the finer things in life. He was also lonely and coming to the realization that he couldn’t do things by himself anymore.

At 83, Sam had just flown 1,000 miles on his own, returning from a visit to his girlfriend. Upon his return, he had become disoriented and distressed, a situation probably aggravated by his heart condition and mild dementia.

Sam was so touched by Bonnie’s generosity and her unwavering determination to help him, a total stranger, that he later offered her a job as his personal assistant. And Bonnie was grateful that she could continue to make a difference in the life of the man she’d saved.

• In what way have you been or would you choose to be a Good Samaritan?

• What are your limits in terms of safety or your comfort zone? What would you have done if you were Bonnie?

• Have you ever met someone whom you judged to be a certain way, only to realize later that you were dead wrong?

• How can you do more for other in need in 2017?

••••••••••••••

Linda Commito, author, speaker, entrepreneur, consultant and teacher, is passionate about her vision to leave this world a kinder, more loving, and interconnected place. Her award-winning book of inspirational stories, Love is the New Currency, demonstrates how we can each make an extraordinary difference in the lives of others through simple acts of love and kindness. Linda believes that in order to inspire a kinder world the place to start is with children.

She recently volunteered at a Title One elementary school, working with over 500 students, to create and facilitate “Kindness Starts With Me,” the results of which include a website (www.kindnessstartswithme.com) and a book for children. Also visit www. loveisthenewcurrency.com for more information and/or to sign up for an uplifting monthly newsletter.

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Inspiration

By Natalie Rivera Here we go again… another New Year’s Resolution.

Haven’t we learned by now that a declaration to change because another year ticks on the calendar is an ineffective form of commitment? The excitement and hope that surrounds the symbolic progression of time gives us all a sense of possibilities for renewal, re-alignment, and change. Yet, all too often, within weeks, or sometimes months, of January 1st we find ourselves back to living our old news. It’s disheartening, but we brush it off—we tell ourselves,

“It was only a New Year’s Resolution, no one keeps those anyway...”

We’re so used to failing to keep our resolutions that we don’t even usually notice when we rescind on them. The problem is that any time someone moves forward with a desired change, already expecting it to fail (even unconsciously), the outcome is predictable: more of the same. Now, I recognize that most of us genuinely believe we’ll really quit smoking this year, our eating habits will be forever changed, and we’ll finally stop the patterns of disharmony in our relationships. We feel inspired, we’re ready—but we’re fooling ourselves.

So, if you find yourself filled with anticipation and motivation as this New Year is upon us, or if you yawn with indifference about the whole New Year’s Resolution thing, I urge you to consider whether you are REALLY ready to make changes in your life.

• Are you tired of repeating the same patterns?

• Are you sick of feeling less-than-healthy or less-thanhappy?

• Are you genuinely seeking positive change?

• Are you really ready to take control of your life?

• Are you read for a breakthrough?

If so, start by being real about the fact that the changing from one calendar year to the next takes place on an ordinary day.

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Then, decide to do things differently and stop believing in the collective delusion that changes on a whim will be lasting.

Ok, I’m done ranting now. Here’s the inspirational part! You CAN change. You CAN stick to your commitments.

You CAN create an amazing life! The GOOD NEWS is that there are simple keys that unlock the powerful potential within ALL New Year’s Resolutions.

Failure no longer has to be an option. Neither does doing nothing and staying stuck where you are. Before you go making another New Years resolution you probably won’t keep, take some time in self reflection and be brutally honest with yourself.

Is your desire for more, for fulfillment, for happiness finally strong enough that you are willing to encounter the obstacles and endure the fear? If so, congratulations, you will succeed—you are ready to transform!

But wait… that’s not entirely true. Having a strong enough desire to reach your goal is only one part of what sets apart those who achieve their goals from those who do not.

Below are the 9 reasons why New Year’s resolutions don’t work: 1) Not setting them: Everyone wants things, but in order for a goal to be attainable it must be stated explicitly.

Setting goals matters because with goals we create our future in advance. Our only other choice is to deal with whatever hand we’re dealt, which usually means doing what we “should” and living other people’s dreams. Yuck .

Creating your destiny is a much better way to live than accepting the default.

2) Having goals that aren’t inspiring, usually because it’s not what we REALLY want. We don’t know WHY we want it and we don’t want it bad enough.

“You see, the meaning, the purpose behind why you want what you want is more important than the outcome… it’s not about the accolades or the stuff—it’s who you become because of them.”

—Anthony Robbins 3) Not being specific enough: For example, a man that says “I want to be a leader for my family” which begs the question is “well, what’s preventing you from being a leader for your family?” He responds “I’m not focused enough.” Leaving the question, “well, what does that mean? Focused on what?” Without a specific goal it’s impossible to identify what you need to do or change.

4) Not writing it down: When you write your goals and desires down you become a creator. Seeing it on paper helps bring clarity. It makes it REAL. Writing it down tells yourself that you really mean it. Every study that we’ve ever read about success and goal achievement shows very clearly that taking goals out of your head and making them concrete by writing them into a statement (or better yet, a plan) is absolutely mandatory for achieving that goal.

5) Not creating an actionable plan: A “plan” means a “plan of action”—otherwise it’s just a neat list of ideas.

Writing down goals is important, but breaking them down into steps that can actually be taken is the only way to have any power to create those goals.

6) Not taking right action: This is the defining step that most people miss… taking the steps. There’s a big movement of people are waking up to recognize the power of their thoughts, focus and INTENTIONS… but they fail to understand they fail to realize that “intend” means “intend to DO.” It is true that you cannot force anything to happen—and, in fact, you shouldn’t try.

Goal attainment isn’t about relentless action, it’s about right action. It’s about getting your mind focused with clarity on the outcomes you want and then taking deliberate steps in that direction 7) Letting road blocks derail you: The biggest road block of all is being caught off-guard by road blocks. The key here is to anticipate that there WILL be setbacks and obstacles along the way. No matter how meticulously you plan, life will always throw something on your trail. It will never be perfect. Not being prepared for this can lead a bump in the road to knock you off course for good.

8) Continuing to do what doesn’t work: You say “I’ve tried like 1,000 ways” but when I ask you to name those ways, it turns out it’s really about 3, and you’ve tried those same 3 over and over again. You need to assess

what is working and not working and regularly re-evaluate your plan. Just like a baby who is learning to walk, don’t give up after falling 3 times… keep trying NEW strategies until you find the one that works.

9) Not having accountability: Most people don’t address the fact that starting or stopping a habit or making a long-term change can be really hard. Commitment to change takes vigilance, which takes accountability to something or someone outside of themselves.

So, now that you know what leads to failure, you know what leads to success (and what you need to do)!

• Take the time to determine your goals • Get clear on WHY you want them • Make sure your goals are specific and achievable • Write this all down • Write a strategic, detailed plan of action • Take action steps and commit to following through • Prepare in advance for road blocks • Evaluate your strategy and adjust accordingly • Find an accountability partner We have used these goal setting techniques for ourselves and our clients, and they’ve proven over and over again to be a catalyst for success.

The truth is that change isn’t hard. Life changes in a single moment.

Everything else leading up to that moment is planning, preparation and inspired action, getting you ready to take advantage of that opportunity to transform when the timing is right.

THIS IS YOUR YEAR!

••••••••••••••

Natalie Rivera is a firestarter, speaker and entrepreneur. She is passionate about empowering others to GET REAL and live authentically. After a decade of living a life that wasn’t hers and developing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Natalie let go of everything and completely transformed. Through her journey to healing she rediscovered her true self and greater purpose—to inspire others to transform their lives. Natalie “retired” from the rat race at 24, put herself through school as a freelance designer, created a non-profit teen center, and later created Transformation Services, Inc., which offers motivational speaking, curriculum development, life coaching, event management, and publishing. She is also the Publisher of Transformation Magazine. Visit www.ignitelife.me.

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Inspiration

By Michael James I’m sure you know the story of Victor Frankl. His career as a psychotherapist and neurologist was interrupted by the Second World War and the Holocaust. He spent three years in four Nazi camps: Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Kaufering lll, and Turkheim. He lost his wife Tilly, and his father, mother and brother in the camps. Surviving, he wrote Man’s Search for Meaning and I quote a paragraph to you: We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the hut comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offered sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance, to choose one’s own way. And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you will become the plaything of circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity to become moulded into the form of the typical inmate.

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I hope you don’t find it too big a jump or even disrespectful of me to relate the experience of Frankl and the thousands upon thousands of other victims and survivors of the Holocaust, perhaps one of the most hideous expressions of human behaviour in history, to something so comparatively unimportant as the sport of tennis. However, if you can stay with me just a bit longer, then perhaps we can explore the amazing message in Frankl’s words and how we can apply it to our “everyday.”

As a coach and father I’m always encouraging my students and my own two boys to think positively and that our attitude and mindset is truly a choice. Even for those we label as positive thinkers, negative thoughts, images, fears, anxieties will invade the mind. Why? Because we’re human! Far more esteemed and knowledgeable people than me, such as Dr. Steve Peters with his “Chimp Paradox,” have done extensive work on what is fundamentally the unevolved “reptilian” part of our brain that is constantly on the hunt for danger—our flight, flight or freeze responses. Just listen to the honest and humble interviews of Rafa Nadal, who after winning 14 Grand Slam titles is still only too aware of his “chimp” within. The key, however, is whether we

submit to these thoughts and emotions and let them control us (Peters would call this the chimp running riot) or whether we exercise our freedom of choice and respond in a different way which gets the chimp back in the cage.

The sports psych guys out there, especially those with backgrounds in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) will tell you: thoughts influence your emotions and your emotions influence your behavior—so catch, challenge and then change your thoughts! I entirely agree with this, but also sometimes think that the best way to change an attitude, emotion or feeling (they’re all linked) is to “fake it until you feel it!” In other words, is it easier to think your way into a new way of acting or behaving or act your way into a new way of feeling (and therefore thinking)?

The saying “Where your attention goes, power flows” is directly linked to these ideas. Whatever my attentional material, the more I focus on it, the more power I will give it. Best then that our attentional material, which is so often from an internal perspective, our own self-talk, is constructive and helpful in nature. Can we move from: “This is too hard” to “This may take some time and effort”; or “I’m no good at this” to “I’m on the right

track”; or “I give up” to “What new strategies can I use?”

The great thing about our sport of tennis is the numerous opportunities it provides us to “fail.” We lose points, games, sets and matches and in these “failures” (if we choose to call them that), and we have the opportunity to choose our attitude, to exercise our ability to respond in a different way.

A bit like life really...

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Author’s note: This article is an excerpt taken from Michael James’ new book Everyball (Panoma Press), which is available on amazon.com.

Michael James is a performance coach and consultant who is passionate about unleashing human potential to maximize performance and improve results. In his new book Everyball, James delves deep into his own tennis experiences, first as a child growing up playing on the “murram” courts of Kenya, then to the hard courts of Tucson, AZ, and finally to a 22-year coaching career in Great Britain, to bring alive his coaching philosophy. He currently serves Director of Tennis for Halton Tennis Centre (An LTA High Performance Centre) and the founder of its coaching brand Everyball Tennis. For more information, visit www.coachingbymike.com.

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Inspiration

By Terez Hartmann As I sauntered through Citrus Park Mall in Tampa, FL, during this past holiday season, a certain window display completely stopped me in my tracks. Rather than finding the typical trappings of shiny baubles or neon signs with “Sale! Sale! Sale!”, this particular shop (Eddie Bauer) had something completely different in store: A list of 50 of the highest points in the United States and beyond, along with a way to follow the journey of two intrepid female mountaineers—hardly the traditional holiday fare!

Naturally, my eyes fell to the pinnacle of their journey, mighty Mt. Everest, and immediately my brain began to show me gripping images of freezing weather, primitive camping and oxygen tanks. Needless to say, I was, at that moment, only seeing this as “their” journey. BUT when I shifted my focus to the BEGINNING of the list and saw that the first stop would be FLORIDA—and that this trail of pinnacles included a peak in Kansas called Mount Sunflower—a new vision began to shape that included...ME! What if I decided to follow this path of peaks, but did it on MY terms?

I could choose to climb only one mountain or several.

I could reach one peak per year, per month, per decade, or per century, simply based on what would work best for me at any given time.

I could share all or part of my journey with my sweetheart and favorite human beings, or opt to climb solo when it felt right and good to me.

As I played with the idea of even choosing to BEGIN this journey, my heart soared and several thoughts came pouring in like waterfalls after a heavy rain! In addition to having the joy of drinking in gorgeous views from each of these beautiful high plac-

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es and spaces, I could also discover: • Amazing new trails!

• Stunning new terrain!

• Hidden gem cities and towns!

• Scenic drives and off-the-beaten-path routes!

• All sorts of birds and wildlife!

• Fabulous flowers and plants!

• Fun local coffee shops!

• New wines, beers and ciders!

• New lodging options!

• Art galleries and artists!

• Great food!

• Great moments with cool people!

• New ideas!

• New music and songs to write and share!

• New material for books and articles!

• Deeper connection with my true self, the ones I love and my Source!

• Memories and more great tales of fun and adventure!

• Abilities and skills that I never knew I had!

• The potential for elevating my “joy threshold” beyond anything I have ever experienced before!

• More beginnings of more new journeys!!

Wow! Wait a minute...

This is starting to sound familiar. Kind of like...LIFE. Perhaps choosing to climb a mountain, write a book, learn a language, start a new career or better yourself in some way, etc., is just an excuse to accept an invitation to engage with

and enjoy LIFE ITSELF? What if instead of feeling like you HAVE to do everything on any given list, you choose to only do the things that matter most and that have the greatest potential for joy and fun?

What if the only one who is truly judging you or your progress in this life is actually just Y.O.U.—and that as THE judge and jury you can break, bend or remake the rules as YOU see fit?

What if you answered the call of a new adventure and allowed yourself to explore new territory simply because you WANT to do it?

What if you remembered that in this New Year—and EVERY year—you truly are free to decide to DO—or not to do.

Whether you choose to climb every mountain, reinvent yourself, find inspiration in a store window or simply try a new wine, may this bright and beautiful New Year be one more great excuse to ignite your inner fire and decide to really, actually, fully LIVE.

••••••••••••••

Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann,“Your catalyst for all things Fab-YOUlous,” is the author of Allowing Your Success!, a proud contributing author of Transform Your Life! book one and two, a professional Keynote Speaker/Workshop Facilitator, Singer-Songwriter/Recording Artist, “Allowing Adventures!” & “Savor Vacation” Facilitator, and true Renaissance Woman, and Visionary. She keeps her fire lit by embracing and promoting a lifestyle of “Allowing,” and by using creative expression to elevate and ignite the human spirit, a passion that she shares with her husband, soul-mate and creative partner of over 15 years, John Victor Hartmann. Together they share “Allowing TRUE LOVE” workshops and experiences designed to help others attract, allow, and maintain extraordinary relationships, and create custom jingles and voice-overs in their studio, THE Creativity Express.

Visit: www.TerezFirewoman.com

“There’s an open road before us A new chapter to begin It’s time to take a leap of faith—and I›m jumping in!»

—From «Here We Go!» (c) 2016 TTRH, from the musical, «12»

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Inspiration those moments from an infinite palette of possibilities. Sh-e-e-e-e-e-ez!

And it gets better, way better. Your innate, supernatural default setting is to thrive!

You are pegged to succeed! Inclined to do so within every lifetime (although, in each lifetime, success is entirely up to you) and destined to do so overall.

Do you believe it? Or do you see evidence the world over that begs to differ? Stop looking at the world over! Look at your life for the proof you seek! Haven’t you seen that you are fantastically more inclined to succeed than fail? To smile than frown? To be healthy than ill?

To have clarity than confusion? To laugh than cry? Even to have abundance than lack?! It’s as if your positive thoughts are 10,000 times more powerful than your negative thoughts, because they are in alignment with the truth of your heritage, being of God, by God, for God, here to rock and roll. Thoughts to the contrary are lies and are, therefore, much harder to manifest than thoughts and statements of truth because they contradict all that makes your very life, this moment, possible.

Life is not fair. Hallelujah!

By Mike Dooley Religion was so much easier—good versus evil, God deciding everything, putting the needs of others before my own . . .swaddled in everlasting guilt . . . praying in question marks . . . Well, OK, so religion wasn’t all that easy. Instead, you say, I’m loved? A God-Particle? Supernatural? Indestructible? Able to shape my future? I can start happening to life instead of the other way around?

What do I have to do? What does life want from me?

Welcome home! Time to get reacquainted with your hip old stomping grounds, life on earth. It’s time for a little refresher on living deliberately and creating consciously upon your floating oasis, amid a loving Universe with supportive principles and conspiring elements.

First, although you may find this rather obvious, for the wrong reasons, life is not fair. Hallelujah! The cards are so stacked in your favor, every second of every day, it’s like you’re cheating. Remember “Nothing makes you less; everything makes you more”? Now consider, too, that “nothing” and “everything” are never just randomly tossed your way; instead, you only create them when you’re ready. Life is not about “how you take it.” Sure, you want to roll with the drama until you finally realize you’re creating it, but in the grand scheme of things, there’s no taking, just making. So, not only are you being added to by every moment of your life, but you get to choose

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Life didn’t choose you. You chose life.

Remember, you came first! Contrary to popular and religious lines of thought, life’s presumptive question is not, “What does life want from me?” but “What do I want from life?” Your answers will evolve over time. There’s never just one, nor are there any wrong answers. Yet each time you answer, adventures will unfold and be made possible, enhanced and accelerated when you proactively go out and get what you want! The world is your oyster and you are its farmer—a truly symbiotic relationship. This is what you were built to do. The earth exists to make this possible for you and all of its inhabitants.

Make this practical for me.

In spite of the fact that it’s generally the outer, physical world you wish to change, the trick is learning that to do so, you must begin within.

If you woke up in the morning and went to the bathroom sink to shave (or to put on makeup), would you apply the shaving cream to your reflection in the mirror? Would you put eyeliner on the glass in front of you?

Of course not. Why? Because that’s just a reflection. Instead, you’d go to the source of the

reflection to initiate change, which would then appear in the reflection.

In the physical yet illusionary world, it’s the same. You don’t have to figure out all the logistics nor manage or manipulate the physical props on your stage and decide upon the perfect marketing and finance plans—although it seems as if you do. You don’t have to know the right people at the right time to get the right gig—although it now seems so true. These are all the reflections of the world you’ve earlier created in your mind through your thoughts, beliefs and expectations.

Creating change boils down to what you know. Particularly in the spiritual, metaphysical sense. If you want to change your fortunes, improve your health, or have creative, fulfilling work, go within. See it in thought. Playfully, as if you were dealing with a make-believe world (which, ahem, it is), visualize that you’re already there. These mental images, your thoughts, create molds that the elements of time, space and matter can rush to fill and that you will meet, as long as you subsequently, physically go out into the world where you will then be predisposed to life’s socalled coincidences, happy accidents and serendipities. Without attachment or insistence, thoughtfully and playfully, you might: 1) Dabble with logistics—make some phone calls, call some meetings, put pen to paper, draw schematics, read a book, take a class, or get your license.

2) Consider, study, review possible partners, marketing strategies, financing solutions, and all other known, relevant issues that may contribute to your success.

3) Actually do what you can, with what you have, from where you are, however seemingly inadequate.

Knowing metaphysical truths is no excuse for not getting out more, knocking on doors, and turning over stones; although such knowledge will radically cast your “baby steps” in a brand-new light— making them more fun, easier, less crucial and more effective.

By first going within, you program and summon life’s magic. You do not program the “hows” of your dream coming true; your vision ordains Divine Intelligence to do this for you. You just settle upon and get clear on the outcome you seek, your desired end results. In the instant you do this, Divine Intelligence knows all the possible “hows,” just like once you give your GPS navigator your desired destination, in a heartbeat, it knows “how” to get you there. Yet the “hows” of your dreams coming true are constantly changing and shifting as you grow and evolve, plus they change and shift as seven billion other players in the world also grow and evolve. Still, at any given moment in time, the shortest, quickest, easiest and happiest path is known for you to experience the manifestation of your greatest desires, and necessary reroutes are executed on the fly.

The “hows” might be called cursed, given how much you tend to insist upon them. In doing so, not only will you feel you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, since you’ve effectively excluded all other possibilities, but you’ll have limited the ways life’s magic can reach you.

In reality, with the “hows” constantly changing because you’re constantly changing, as is everyone else, you simply can’t attach to or insist upon how (nor with whom nor when) your dream will come true, even as you can insist upon a totally rocking

life of your dreams, which will come with its own hows, whos and whens, in alignment with all of your other thoughts and dreams.

By physically moving (aka living your life, out in the world, just doing stuff), which is metaphorically putting your GPSled car in gear and driving, you are creating possibilities and socalled miracles through which your life can change, based upon your new thoughts, aka new end results.

The Miraculous Mechanics of Manifestation (Your Personal GPS Navigator) 1) Give the “system” your desired destination, aka your end result (your hoped-for outcome). It knows where you are; you just need to tell it where you want to go, and it will work backward, calculating all possible roads you might travel, their speed limits, and traffic—in other words, the “hows”—selecting the route that will take you there the quickest and happiest way.

2) Take action, show up, go out into the world. Put your car in gear because the system is designed to not help you if your car isn’t in gear! Right? Not even a vision board in the backseat will help you. If your car, or life, is in Park, you’re beyond help because there’s a major contradiction afoot: you have a destination, toward which you refuse to move!

3) Know that the miracles of our progress are almost always invisible, which doesn’t mean they aren’t happening! Do not judge your progress with your physical senses alone, as they were not designed to see the workings of life’s magic. Which means you have to go on faith, which can be instilled when you truly understand how the system works, knowing that you’re alive in a safe and loving world.

These are the general steps necessary for all manifestations, tangible and intangible, for homes or hugs. Curiously, did you notice any hint of Universal or divine judgment—deciding who gets what, when, and where—involved? You did not. Any hint of tests that must be passed? Lessons that must be learned? Sacrifices that must be made? Dues that must be paid? You did not.

All this works, of course, because of the immutable law [that] our thoughts become things, or better, they become the things and events of your life.

What about the thoughts that haven’t?

The reason some of the things you’ve thought about in the past haven’t yet come to pass is because other thoughts you’ve thought about have. The only thing that can block a thought from becoming a thing is another thought. Therefore, thoughts in contradiction of stated desires or passionate fears, whether intentionally or accidentally, can keep others from coming to pass. “Can” instead of absolutely “will,” because just as you may have unknown contradictory thoughts, so will you very likely have unknown supportive thoughts that may be strong enough to bring the stated desires or fears into being.

Take, for instance, the person who dreams of climbing to the top of the corporate ladder. They want it with their heart and soul. They want it for all of the “right” reasons, to give their family a better life. So, they think thoughts about being in that corner of-

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fice. They see themselves in their mind’s eye, making big decisions, marshaling the forces. Yet if that same person comes home from work every day and says, “Honey, no one at work has any idea of the difference I could make. Honey, nobody at work has any idea of all that I have to offer,” those kinds of thoughts must do what all thoughts do: strive and struggle to become part of the thinker’s life.

And so, the person who thinks they’re underappreciated becomes underappreciated. And that’s not where you want to be if you also see yourself climbing to the top of the corporate ladder. Just because you don’t always get what you most want, doesn’t mean you don’t always get what you think about. The reason that some of your thoughts have not yet become things is always because other thoughts of yours have, and they got in the way.

Lest you now feel that you are vulnerable to every stray, errant, negative or fearful thought, worry not. Remember, you are inclined to succeed! You’re an ancient, intergalactic gladiator of love and joy, here to creatively set your life ablaze. Remember, your positive thoughts are far more powerful than your negative ones. Therefore, when feeling scared, lonely, lost, confused, angry, hateful, negative or afraid, simply do your best to understand and banish them, and moreover, don’t worry that you worry! You’re not vulnerable. You’re going to continue rocking your life, just as you have up until now—no matter how else things may appear.

What about the thoughts I didn’t think that happened anyway?

Whenever you want more of something in your life, like wealth and abundance, friends and laughter, or less of something, like calories or credit card debt, by working with your thoughts you’re actually commissioning the entire Universe to bring about a change. If you will, you’re starting this journey from point A in time and space, and you want to move to point B, in time and space. Very often, the only way to make this kind of journey is for your thoughts of point B to draw you through unthought-of territory, once your “car is in gear.” This doesn’t imply that anything could happen in your journey.

Everything that does happen in all of your journeys is always predicated and based upon all of your other thoughts about life, people, happiness, et cetera. Nevertheless, if you want to effect a change in your life, you’re commissioning the Universe to take you on a journey from point A, your starting point, to point B, the place you are thinking of, during which you’ll be drawn through lots of unthought-of territory.

God doesn’t give anything to anyone!

You’re here to learn how to give things to yourself.

Metaphorically, when you get in a car to drive for hours, maybe headed to a new friend’s home, during your journey you have no idea what smiling or frowning faces you’re going to see on the turnpike or in the toll plaza. You have no idea where you’re going to stop for gas, where you might stop to rest or get a quick bite to eat. You don’t know before that journey begins where the highway might be under construction and force you to take a detour. Yet all of those experiences in your journey will be necessary to get you to your friend’s, the place that you were thinking about.

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The same is true in life. Whenever the unexpected lands on your path, whenever you experience the unthought-of—good, bad or otherwise—it is always a stepping-stone in a journey to another place beyond it that you have been thinking about.

Wait…I thought life was made up of tests, if not to be judged, then to prepare us for whatever comes next.

Why would you be tested? What would that achieve?

As if you might be left behind? As if you might get moved to the top or bottom of a class that teaches there are no real “tops” or “bottoms”? As if Divine Intelligence didn’t already know all? As if you weren’t a love being, motivated by good? As if whatever came next for a God-Particle required something that you don’t yet have? You’re not here to get ready for somewhere else, you are here to be here!

You aren’t tested. Never have been. It’s another powerrobbing idea, including the seemingly benign notion that “God will never give you more than you can handle.” God doesn’t give anything to anyone! You’re here to learn how to give things to yourself.

That’s the name of the game. Yet when you experience the unexpected, you assume it couldn’t have come from your own thoughts; it must, therefore, be a “test,” and there goes your power.

What you experience is always a function of your inner energies (prevailing thoughts, beliefs and expectations), which, when confused, bring about chaotic half-manifestations at best.

Secondly, it’s not as if there’s any such thing that you can’t handle; you’re indestructible. For example, the less appreciative you are of yourself, the less you honor yourself, disregarding the truth of your magnificence, the more it will seem the rest of the world takes you for granted, and, thus, the more trying your circumstances will be. Still, you are eternal. No tests are involved. And nothing can take anything away from your true inner brilliance.

There’s no going around your creative powers—own them, accept responsibility for them, and ultimately you shall be free of all things unpleasant.

••••••••••••••

Editor’s note: Stay tuned, Part 2 of this article, appearing in February, will address life lessons, emotions, intuition and other ways that we can live differently and create consciously.

Mike Dooley is a former PriceWaterhouseCoopers international tax consultant turned entrepreneur. He’s the founder of a philosophical Adventurers Club on the Internet that’s now home to over 800,000 members from virtually every country and territory in the world. His inspirational books emphasizing spiritual accountability have been published in 25 languages, and he was one of the featured teachers in the international phenomenon The Secret. Today Mike is best known for his free “Notes from the Universe” e-mailings, social network postings, and his New York Times bestsellers Infinite Possibilities: The Art of Living Your Dreams and Leveraging the Universe: 7 Steps to Engaging Life’s Magic. Mike lives what he teaches, traveling internationally to speak on life, dreams, and happiness. Visit his website at www.tut.com “Reprinted with permission from Life on Earth: Understanding Who We Are, How We Got Here, and What May Lie Ahead, by Mike Dooley, 2016, Hay House. The book is available at HayHouse.com and all retailers.”

Inspiration The awareness of seeing that what I am doing on a day-today basis are not pointless tasks but part of a bigger purpose—my bigger vision—changed how I felt about doing them. I embraced and celebrated the irony; I did not need to change a thing. I just needed to shift how I saw what I was doing, change the meaning I was giving it.

The belief that I would only be able to live the life I desired once I no longer had this massive list of things to do was gone. I realized I am already living the life I want to live, right here, right now.

So, as we enter 2017, I encourage you write down your goals and the incremental steps you need to take to achieve them. Look at your daily routine and to-do list each and every day as a stepping-stone that will move you along the path of achievement. Happy New Year!

•••••••

By Ann Darwicki

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”—Wayne Dyer A few days back, I woke up with a message imprinted on my mind: “Write down your goals and the steps needed to achieve them.” I immediately set to work on this job, unsure of where it was going to lead me and why it was even necessary.

At the same time, I had been feeling stressed and overburdened with my never-ending “things-to-do” list each day. It felt as though I would cross one thing off my list and five more would appear in its place. I knew I had every reason to be happy, yet I had a hard time cultivating and continuing to feel gratitude throughout my day. I truly desired a lasting shift in my perspective; I knew the real reason for my dissatisfaction was the lens through which I was viewing my life. Despite being able to count all of my abundant blessings, I still continued to focus on the things in my life I felt just weren’t right.

Have you ever felt like this?

As I wrote out my goals and the steps needed to accomplish them, I also felt the need to include why a particular goal was important to me. Then I noticed the change: I felt an excitement as I wrote everything out, felt my energy lift and my perspective shift as I began to connect the dots. My “things-to-do” list actually included the individual steps I was taking each day to accomplish my longer-term goals!

Ann Darwicki, RN is a Certified Professional Life Coach who completed her training at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. She is the owner and founder of Whole Being Coaching, specializing in coaching others to live the life of their dreams. Prior to becoming a life coach, Ann obtained as Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Delaware Technical and Community College. She has 25 years of nursing experience caring for women and children, with a lifelong affinity for holistic medicine. She is a Reiki practitioner and Nurse Luminary. She is also a freelance writer. She can be reached at 302-750-0574 or by email at adarwicki@comcast.net.

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Tools & Tips

By Rena Greenberg It’s the dawn of the New Year, and your motivation is high to take charge and change for the better. As you assess your life, your attention is steered to an area you’d like to improve.

Whether it’s to lose 10 pounds, eat nutritious food, begin an exercise regime or quit smoking, your goals are noble and feel like they’re within reach.

Just as you’re beginning to feel great joy at the prospect of being all that you can be, the dreaded voices of doubt inevitably begin to bombard your inner dialog. “Who are you kidding, you make this commitment to yourself every year. Why would this time be any different? What makes you think you can do it? Why set yourself up for disappointment?”

Before you succumb to these negative messages, rise up to meet them and embrace the following eight steps, which will help insure your success and help you to create the life of your dreams in 2017.

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1. Make Goals Realistic Don’t set the bar too high. In other words, if your goal is to begin exercising, avoid the temptation to run five miles the first day and then fall over in exhaustion, breaking your inner commitment to get in shape. Instead, remember that slow and steady is what ultimately wins the race. If you want to stop drinking and cold turkey has never worked for you before, begin to cut back and set guidelines for yourself, e.g., “I only drink on Saturday evening” or “I will not drink alone at home.”

2. Stay Focused on Your Vision Rather than putting all your attention on possible failures, focus your awareness on the outcome that you desire.

Spend time fantasizing about the rewards of achieving your higher potential. If your goal is to become an excellent public speaker, imagine the audience clapping and smiling with delight as you approach the podium. If you have been battling with nicotine addic-

tion, use all your senses to help you relish the wonderful feeling of living your life smoke-free, breathing easily. Take time to sense the relief and joy of having your hair, clothes, furniture, and car smell clean and fresh. Hear the voices of loved ones supporting and congratulating you.

a few stops early and walk the rest of the way. Have comfortable shoes in your bag to make it easier to follow through on this goal, despite the fact that it may be raining or you may feel tired. Commit to taking these small actions regardless of your moods or the weather.

3. Model Success Find those who have already accomplished your coveted goal and learn from their experience and wisdom. See if you can distill the steps they took to achieve what you desire. Use people who have already succeeded at what you are attempting to achieve as a model to help you break free from any obstacles.

Chances are they encountered similar challenges and by studying their methods of success, you can obtain valuable information on how to get beyond difficulties.

7. Ask for What Your Want Sometimes we are afraid to ask for what we want for fear that we won’t get it. If we don’t request it, however, we are far less likely to realize our dreams. Faith is essential when we are stepping into a new way of being. Take a few moments each day to bow your mind to your heart and just ask your Higher Self, God, or even the deepest place within your soul, to help you find the courage, strength and wisdom within to master this area of your life and be all that you can be in the world. Ask to be shown how you can not only change for yourself, but set a better example for others by living in this new way. Often, when we set goals not only to improve our own lives, but to create greater good for mankind, those positive impulses help to propel us forward.

4. Believe in a New Possibility for Yourself The past need not be a barometer of the future. You are worthy of attaining the goals that mean so much to you. The key is to believe in yourself, as well as embody perseverance and persistence. If you feel discouraged, remind yourself that it took Alexander Graham Bell 14 years to invent the telephone. And remember that even though baseball player Babe Ruth was famous for having the most homeruns, he also had the most strikeouts.

Failure and success go hand in hand when you are playing the game of life. Stay strong in your belief that you deserve the best life possible.

5. Set Attainable, Measurable Goals It is much easier to experience success when you have measurable, realistic goals. For example, rather than focusing on a large goal that looms in the distance, such as eating only organic foods that you grow yourself, tell yourself that you will plant a garden with five or six fresh herbs and/or vegetables within the next 10 days. Find a time when you can comfortably shop for the plants, fertilizer and pots, and schedule it on your calendar. Then plan a few meals that will allow you the delicious reward of eating the nutritious greens that you have planted yourself. Setting these types of specific, reachable goals insures the likelihood that you will ultimately live the life you desire.

6. An Action a Day . . .

Establishing positive momentum is key! Take at least one proactive action toward your goal each and every day. For example, if that goal is to lose 20 pounds, keep one or two full glasses of water near your bed, so that when you wake up in the morning you can be sure to start your day with sufficient pure, fresh water to cleanse your system. If you take the bus to work, get off

8. Write Your Goals Down There is power in writing. Write down, very specifically, what you wish to create for yourself and be sure to include details.

For example, you may jot down in your journal, “I am happy and vibrant. Every day I put on my headset and walk, jog, dance or rollerblade. I love to be outside in the park exercising, enjoying the fresh air and all the delightful sights, sounds and smells around me. It feels so good to be alive and move my body.” Writing goals down will strengthen your own personal commitment.

Follow these eight steps and you will improve your ability to accomplish whatever you desire! Every day affirm that you are worth it. You don’t have to let life’s challenges and distractions get in your way. This year, 2017, truly can be the year that you step into the fabulous, beautiful live that you truly deserve to live!

••••••••••••••

Rena Greenberg, a Hay House author, can be reached at EasyWillpower.com. Her weight loss and gastric bypass hypnosis success has been featured in 150-plus news stories including USA Today, Woman’s World, The Doctor’s, CNN, Good Morning America and Nightline. PBS stations nationally aired Rena’s show, “Easy Willpower,” in August 2015. Her wellness program is sponsored in 75 hospitals and 100-plus corporations. She conducts hypnotherapy sessions with people all over the world on Skype and in Sarasota, FL.

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Tools & Tips So, when you tell yourself that you “can’t” or you “don’t know” and an opportunity comes along you can’t see it because you have a blind spot that has been created by the story that you have told yourself.

Ask yourself the following questions: • What area of your life you want to breakthrough?

• What would this change look like?

• What would it mean?

• What is preventing you from getting there?

By Joeel Rivera Many of my client’s come to me because they feel STUCK and are ready to breakthrough and transform their lives. They feel on the verge of transformation—either life is pushing them to change or something they’ve been wanting feels just out of reach. In fact, most people are seeking to break through in one way or another.

Wanting to improve their lives does not take away from their current success, achievement, or transformation—it simply demonstrates that they understand that they’re ready to take it to the next level or may be very close to a quantum leap of progress.

Some feel that their current financial situation does not reflect who they truly are, and so they’re ready for a financial breakthrough. Others may be ready to breakthrough in their relationships, careers, direction of life, parenting or any number of other aspects of life. So, what is it that holds them back from achieving that breakthrough? What they want isn’t clearly defined.

1 CLARITY: The first step to breaking through is to gain clarity: What often keeps people stuck is that they have not defined what their desired “breakthrough” actually is. They are not specific enough about the outcomes they seek and therefore do not truly understand what they would have to do in order to get where they want to be. For example, someone will say “I want to have a lot of money.” I then ask, “so what does that mean?” and they look at me confused, as if I would have the answer to define what “a lot of money” means to them. You see, the statement itself is so vague—undefined—that it will not help them come up with actual solutions to achieve the success that they desire.

Many people tell me they do not know what they want or why they have not achieved what they want, but at their core they actually already have the answers that they are looking for. I challenge them by telling them, “I know you do not know the answer, but if you HAD to tell me something what would it be?” Surprisingly, they tell me the answer. Why? Because they are used to saying “I don’t know” and they have told the story so many times that they start to believe it.

Once you tell yourself a story enough times it becomes your reality.

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2 STRATEGY: The second step to breaking through is to find a strategy: Find a strategy that works for you, but don’t reinvent the wheel. Learn what works by finding other people who have successfully done what you want to do and follow their formula. Remember, everything has a strategy and if you can find the right formula it can save you years of trial and error.

The benefit of living in the information age is that we have access to strategies all around us. We can get on our phone or computer, buy a book, go to a workshop, take an online course, join a group and so on.

So ask yourself: • Who has already achieved the outcomes you’re looking for?

• What strategy did they use?

What’s the formula?

• What do you need to do?

This is why I invest so much time and money into my growth and exposing myself to new experiences, people and information that will help me develop strategies for the outcomes I want.

3 STORY: The third step to breaking through is to change your story: Even with clarity about the transformation you seek and a solid strategy, the biggest obstacle to breaking through is the story you tell yourself.

People tell me all the time

that they have “tried a million ways” but nothing works. However, when I asked them what strategies they have used they can only tell me at most 2 or 3. Then, when I probe a little deeper I find that they tried those same unsuccessful strategies over and over again until they started to believe that what they want is not possible.

The only thing keeping you from what you really want is your own story, so you have to divorce it, cut ties with it and marry the truth.

The truth is that if you can find someone that has done it, then you can do it as well. The only thing that separates them from you is that they choose a different story.

Find the Right Story You have to be selective about the story you choose. You have to find a story that is going to empower you to act because even if you have the right strategy the wrong story will keep you from taking action. And, even if you do take action, you still may not truly commit to it because you need to fail in order to justify the old story that tells you that it does not work.

So, ask yourself: • What story about yourself, your problem or your goal do you tell yourself and others about why you aren’t where you want to be?

• What new story are you going to tell about yourself? Your problem? Your breakthrough?

• What evidence can you find that supports this new story?

What I do is find people who live the story I want. I listen to their journey and learn the tools and formulas that they have to offer. I listen to them over and over again until I believe that it is possible for me, at an unconscious level. I also write down my own story and am clear about what I want. I make vision boards and hang them in my house. I use affirmations and tell everyone I can about my new story. I find the right strategies and implement them, and when I fail I find what was working and what was not and I modify my strategy until I create the results that I want.

Breakthroughs happen when you combine clarity of purpose, a successful strategy, an empowering story, and inspired action. When you’re prepared and the right opportunity presents itself, transformation happens in a single moment.

••••••••••••••

Joeel A Rivera, M.Ed., is a visionary, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. From an early age, Joeel faced adversity, including immigrating to the United States, failing his freshman year of college, losing his brother, and being in a nearly fatal car accident. These experiences inspired him to return to college, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Education and is currently completing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Psychology, with an emphasis on happiness. Joeel opened a nonprofit teen center in honor of his brother and developed curriculums for the Juvenile Justice System. In almost a decade, Joeel has reached over ten thousand people as an educator, entrepreneur, speaker, and consultant. Visit www.ignitelife.me.

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Tools & Tips

By Janice Carlin Twelve years ago, my life looked very different than it does now. My young son was struggling, and my own health was declining severely. I was determined to use a natural approach, but nothing we tried was honoring of our high sensitivity, or effective enough for us to be able to thrive. I researched intensely, while at the same time developing my intuitive skills, as I moved through the decade it took for me to awaken, heal, and step onto my path as my true self.

My own journey was long and difficult, but I know now that there are more efficient and smoother routes. Here are some insightful gems to empower you upon your own journey of awakening: Be Willing to be Present.

All that you do will be more effective if you do it from a state of presence. Show up in your full, unique light and shine!

Your Beliefs Create Your Reality.

Make sure that your beliefs are positive, empowering, and of your own choosing. Let go of the limiting ones that you have been indoctrinated with throughout your lifetime. Replace them with fresh, new ones that align with who you really are and the life you want to experience living!

Be Brave When it Comes to New Things.

Try things that may seem out of your comfort zone. Once you commit to changing your life for the better and shift your beliefs to make the space to do so, the doors will open for you to new experiences and opportunities. If you do not walk through them, you will feel the resistance more painfully and uncomfortably.

Let Go of Labels.

What you or your child are experiencing may fit into the parameters of what doctors label as medical conditions, but this can be limiting in finding real solutions. Allowing yourself to look beyond labels will bring your awareness to other opportunities and possibilities. You may be experiencing something, but you do not have to own it as a permanent part of you, no matter what any medical professional tells you.

The reason you are feeling anything that is painful or unpleasant is be-

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cause you are alive on Earth right now – a place where a lot of violent, unpleasant things exist. Do not judge yourself or let anyone else judge you for sensitively reacting to them.

Make Sure to Thoroughly Detoxify.

All of the levels of yourself are connected and affect one another. The high vibes cannot manifest fully for you if you are not keeping the low ones out. Detoxifying on multiple levels involves keeping yourself and your space clear of low vibrational, toxic energies, and is a necessary piece in healing. Dealing with the beliefs I talked about above is an essential first step. Physical detox involves eliminating chemicals from your diet and home, and keeping the body clean inside and out. Consistently using energy clearing techniques attends to the etheric and spiritual levels.

Sometimes You Have to Go at It Alone.

In order to break free from those beliefs, which limit you, you may have to distance yourself from the people who believe in them. This could include your family members and friends, or even changing jobs or moving to a new location. Do not worry, new people and opportunities will be waiting for you when you make these changes.

Use Discernment with Your Intuitive Gifts.

Awakening is about choosing to live in the light, and being consciously aware and discerning in your daily decisions. With this, your intuitive gifts will probably make themselves more apparent, and it is important to use them.

However, know where your information is coming from, and do not listen to fear-based energies. They are tricky and confusing. Listen to the voice of light that guides you rather than other’s opinions or advice – no matter who they are.

Empower Yourself with New Knowledge.

You do not need a special degree or certification

to be able to thrive. However, it does help to have information and tools that you were mostly likely not taught in school. Nourish and engage the mental level of yourself by feeding it knowledge of how energy works. This can empower you to shift your experiences away from struggling and suffering, and into peace and vitality. Some concepts in new science illustrate this: • Epigenetics ® You can change how your DNA expresses itself!

• String Theory ® Everything is made of vibrations, and the low vibrational ones are toxic to you.

• Fractals and Holograms ® You are designed in the same ways as nature; any change to one part affects the whole.

• Quantum Entanglement ® Beyond what you can see in the 3rd dimension, everything is connected. Sometimes you may feel badly due to something that your own energy is entangled with, that is nowhere in your physical vicinity.

• Nutrition ® Keep your mind open, learn the truth about how what you eat affects you, and use your intuition to know which types of foods you and your family need to thrive.

There are Always More Possibilities.

What works for one person may not be effective for another; everyone is different. Be brave and listen to your guidance as it leads you to the ways that you and your children need. Ask questions like, “What is in my highest good to do?” “Is this in my highest good to eat?” “What can I do to support and help my child that is in their highest good?” Allow the answers to present themselves to you. In our case, in being so extremely sensitive, I had to take all that I had learned and the skills I had developed, and create something new that would work for us. Keep the faith, and know that when you ask for assistance from The Divine, you will receive it.

Always Persevere!

Hang in there— you will make it through. The Light is stronger than the darkness and you are of The Light. Believe in yourself and trust your power!

••••••••••••••

Janice Carlin, M.M., is an intuitive channel and the author of The Sensitivity Factor, Be Free, Toward Ascension, Empathic Sensitivity, and The Foundations Healing System Guidebook, a revolutionary healing system she developed for highly sensitive people. She is passionate about sharing information that empowers people to care for themselves, their children and the Earth in the most honoring ways possible. She has a Master’s degree in music and is a certified Holographic Sound Healing practitioner. A leader in teaching the direct links between science and spirituality, which empower people in their everyday lives, she can be found at Empowered Thriving, www.janicecarlin.com

This article is a chapter from the book Transform Your Life! written by 60 real-life heroes and experts and available at Amazon.com, BN.com, www.Transformation-Publishing.com and all ebook formats.

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Tools & Tips

By Carrie Katz What do you want out of life? Do you want to live your vision of success? Do you want to accomplish your dreams?

How many of us want more, dream big, and look for balance or advancement—only to set goals without ever accomplishing them?

If this sounds like you, I would like to introduce you to a basic goal setting idea called SMART. Although I did not invent this method, and I am not alone in using it to help my clients realize their dreams by setting goals, I want to share this technique because this is where true transformation takes place.

If you are at all like me, there is always some resistance in the gap between what I want to achieve and getting through the tiny steps it takes for a tangible achievement! My big life goals in the past five years have been to record a 14-song CD of original songs and write a companion book. The true end goals aren’t even in those accomplishments, but in touring, promoting, and living a larger calling. When I looked only at the end goals, I was completely overwhelmed. So I began to break them down, step by step, and I learned how to celebrate each win as a victory, a mountain I climbed. I then rested a bit, looked up and across, and in the pause saw the next peak on the horizon. There is nothing more empowering than celebrating your wins! And nothing is more rewarding than having a vision and being passion-

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ate about what you love and getting stuff done!

This acronym, SMART, refers to the essential elements in goal setting that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant and Time-Framed.

The objective here is to give you the framework to set your goals in a way that makes them well-defined and clear. If you follow these guidelines your chances of success will increase because you are using one of the most effective ways of formulating an action plan.

SMART goal setting can be applied for and within any creative process: be it for personal growth; professional, entrepreneurial or organizational goals; or artistic and creative projects. It works because it requires that you create a written plan. In terms of coaching, SMART asks that you consider reasonable and measurable long-and short-term objectives. You are held accountable!

SMART also is a technique that adapts to your reality, your needs, and your time frame. It took me four years to record my CD, for example. You are the only person to know if your goal is SMART for you. You can begin by asking yourself what you want, and start with a long-term, “by the end of the year” type of statement. Short-term goals follow: you can include, daily, weekly, or monthly targets that will move you toward your reasonable goals.

Here’s how it works:

SMART Outline • SPECIFIC: BE SPECIFIC: A goal must be specific, not vague.

“I’ll loose weight” vs. “I’ll loose five pounds this month” or “I want more clients” vs. “I want five new clients.”

Get detailed. There is another important reason to get clear about what you want: The power of visualization is known to be effective. In the professional athletic world, for example, players and teams visualize winning! There is power in training the mind. It’s an important exercise in getting to know your true desires, of dreaming big, and getting better at articulating exactly what you want and what it looks like.

Clearly state what is to be achieved—by whom, where, and when. If necessary, state why the goal is important. Even if these questions may not apply to every goal, your task is to make your goal setting as clear as possible.

• MEASURABLE: Make sure your goal is measurable! A MEASURABLE GOAL provides concrete information, such as “I will present my product to three potential customers this week.” Quantifying the results, making them concrete, is a definitive way to measure your success! Also, pose the question of quantity—how much, how often, how many?

Your milestones are your personal roadmaps that keep you on track in achieving your goals.

• ACHIEVABLE: Your goals must be achievable and therefore reasonable and doable, not just practical. One person I worked with wanted to become a published author but hadn’t written anything. However, he did have master’s degree in education and lots of teaching and storytelling experience, so this was achievable—but we had to break down the blocks and steps necessary for it to happen. He is now working on his second book!

You want to set yourself up to succeed. You (or your group) need to have a buy in; you need to believe it’s possible. Consider the time factor and your available resources.

• REALISTIC: BE realistic! BE relevant! Honestly evaluate yourself and make sure you don’t overdo it. For example, if you are considering making a presentation to 300 people but you have difficulties and lack practice in public speaking, you might want to get some training and practice under your belt. This honesty is not a procrastination tactic; rather, it is pushing yourself to build experience to achieve success on your terms. So it takes more time to be trained and get comfortable on stage. You and your audience are worth it!

Having an action plan and getting realistic

about your limitations is part of goal achievement. This is not a race. You set a realistic time frame and foundation in your action plan so that you can succeed. What is most realistic for you? In this case, you might consider starting with a beta group of four people and gradually increasing your comfort level for larger audiences. Each up-leveling is a win.

Your goal must be relevant to what you want to achieve and in-line with your personal vision, mission, and purpose. Think long-term and short-term goals.

• TIME-BOUND: Have a Time Frame! Having a set time frame gives your action plan structure, and it creates a sense of urgency and the impetus to act. Talking about “someday” is not going to get you there. You need an end date, a deadline to measure and monitor your progress, to motivate you into action. Procrastination is a pitfall most are all too familiar with, and deciding what you want to do and having an action plan will help you figure out the next steps. It is always better to have an action plan and to know what you need to do in order to get to where you want to be.

SMART is your action plan, your roadmap!

You can achieve and live a life of full potential!

And remember to be kind to yourself !

•••••••••••••••

Carrie Katz is a professional singer/songwriter and writer who has been performing for over 20 years. She has worked professionally in other creative fields such as; Film (Documentary and Feature), Television, the Music Industry, Performance Art and Theatre, which gives her a unique position for creative entrepreneurs and media/ arts/entertainment, as Life Coach for Creative Professionals. She gives workshops and writes articles, and is currently writing her first book that will be published with her upcoming CD Launch. Carrie’s mission and passion is to motivate and support creatives to sort out what values are at the core of who they are and how to achieve their goals while being in alignment and integrity. In short, to unleash their potential and be a gift to the world. Visit www.carriekatzcoaching.com.

This article is a chapter from the book Transform Your Life! written by 60 real-life heroes and experts and available at Amazon.com, BN.com, www.Transformation-Publishing.com and all ebook formats.

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Tools & Tips

by Rev Marla Sanderson

“And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”—ASV Romans 12:2 This ancient text from the bible is a formula for happiness and success.

In today’s society, it’s hard not to be “fashioned according to this world.” You are subject to the homogenizing influence of Movies, TV, music and social media 24/7. We get constant conditioning to think alike, act alike, speak alike and like what everyone else likes.

We learn to work at things, go after stuff and try harder.

We jump on the treadmill and hope for the best. Whether it’s love, money or stuff—we all want some.

We all develop our own ways to get what we want. Some people charm, some manipulate. Some create tremendous good in the world and others suck it all up. Some work hard, others lie, cheat and steal.

No matter what action we take, we often find nothing has changed. The new relationship looks like the last one. The new job is as stressful as the old one. The programs on the new super 3-D HDTV are as boring as those on the old set.

This is where the “renewing of your mind” comes in.

If you take the old consciousness into a new situation and expect different results you set yourself up for more disappointment.

Thought is creative. Trade in your puny thoughts for great ones—your puny ideas for better ones. As thoughts and ideas grow more positive and expectant, so will your life expand accordingly.

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It’s both simple AND easy. Become more aware of your dayto-day thoughts. Stop judging yourself. Don’t think of yourself as anything less than a glorious and worthy expression of the Infinite Creator.

If you trip, you don’t need to call yourself a klutz. If you make a mistake, it doesn’t mean you’re stupid. If you say something that doesn’t go over well, you’re not unlikable. Think well of yourself. It isn’t conceit—it’s the Truth.

With a “renewing of mind,” things get easier and come about in the most amazing ways. You find yourself in the right place at the right time, or notice an opportunity you might have overlooked before.

You deserve the good things of life. That’s what “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” means. It’s something better than you see now.

The “something better” represents a possible future for each of us. No matter how good things get, this “perfect will of God” combined with higher-level thought will lead to a better situation than you now have.

It’s not just positive thinking. It’s a Law.

••••••••••••••

Rev. Marla Sanderson has been a student of spiritual practice for more than 35 years. She began as Assistant Director of The Next Step, a psychic and spiritual community in a New Mexico ghost town. She’s been a workshop leader, teacher, practitioner, and minister of Living Love, and the Science of Mind. She recently founded the New Thought Global Network, a virtual “church” that offers inspiration anytime, from anywhere. The site showcases many powerful Science of Mind and New Thought speakers and writers, and intends to expand these teachings to the world. Check it out at www.newthoughtglobal.org.

Tools & Tips

By Gregg Sanderson The pursuit of happiness is a right. Catching it is optional.

There is no greater obstacle than the need to be right, indicated by the three “J”s. Their purpose is to make us think happiness depends on other people or circumstances.

They deprive us of unconditional love and the full range of joyful experiences. They apply to all areas of life, and come from unconscious limiting beliefs. For starters, here’s how the “J”s show up in relationships.

Judgment Judgment determines what’s right and wrong, good and bad, worthy and unworthy. It shows up in • Attempts to control: “I’m in charge of this relationship.”

• Insults and put-downs: “How can you be so stupid?”

• Demands and expectations: “If you love me, you would___.”

And a multitude of variations.

It’s often two-sided, and hardly a formula for a happy life together.

Justification This covers up the fear behind every judgment.

• “I have a right to be angry.”

• “Everybody says so.”

• “Mercury is retrograde.”

And a multitude of variations.

It proves I’m right and you’re wrong.

Junk

Junk is anything I must have to be happy. It’s anything material that isn’t me. It could be • Person: Mr. or Ms. Right, your boss, a one-night stand.

• Situation: A party, a vacation, a divorce.

• Stuff: A new car, the latest ____, money.

And a multitude of variations.

If it doesn’t make me happy, at least I’ll suffer in comfort.

Jump the hurdles

“What is” is the situation at any given moment.

Love would not seek to get even, insult or deprive. Love would accept. “That’s the way it is.”

You can identify which of the “J”s are active. Judgment breeds anger, Justification comes from fear, and Junk yields frustration.

When JUDGMENT is challenged, the immediate response is anger. Love says, “It’s OK if ‘what is’ is.”

JUSTIFICATION comes from a fear of being wrong, and we’re taught all our lives that it’s wrong to be wrong. Love says, “I’m OK, even if ‘what is’ is.”

JUNK addiction is characterized by frustration when you don’t get it, or when you don’t get enough of it. Think of money or sex. Love: “It’s OK if I don’t have ___, I’m OK even if I don’t have ___.”

Once you view “what is” from love, what can you do?

You’ll have more options because anger, fear or frustration won’t cloud your perception.

If you want to change “what is,” you can take whatever action you choose.

You might also discover, as you view from love, that “what is” is fine just the way it is.

Remember too, you don’t have to judge yourself when you aren’t pure love 24/7. Life is an ongoing process.

That’s the way it is.

••••••••••••••

Gregg Sanderson is author of Spirit With A Smile, The World According To BOB. He is a licensed practitioner in the Centers for Spiritual Living, and a Certified Trainer for Infinite Possibilities. His earlier books were, What Ever Happened To Happily Ever After? and Split Happens—Easing The Pain Of Divorce. His latest project is the New Thought Global Network, where subscribers can enjoy the best in New Thought presentations from anywhere at any time. You can see it at www.newthoughtglobal.org.

“What would love do; what would love say?”

Definitions: Unconditional Love is the emotional acceptance of “what is.” Happiness is your emotional state as you approach Unconditional Love.

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Tools & Tips

by Rebecca A. Watson

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.—Benjamin Franklin A friend and I were on a beautiful hike through the redwood. It was early morning, and the mist still hung in the trees, but the sunlight had started streaming through the branches, little beams of heaven.

“I hope I locked the car,” she wondered out loud. We both looked at each other and started laughing. Here we were in arguably one of the most beautiful and special places on the planet, and she couldn’t help but worry about the car doors.

It’s something we’re all guilty of, and it’s a tough habit to break: worry. It can rob us of our sleep, our joy and, in many cases, our sanity.

When I was only 21, struggling to pay for school and other bills, I made a rare discovery: Worrying won’t make me more money. It was like a light bulb went on for me. Of course, it didn’t make me stop worrying completely, but I started to see worry for what it really was, and I knew I could beat it.

Over the years, I’ve become much more adept at managing my inner worrywart, and I’d like to share some of that insight because I believe, with a little practice, worry can be a thing of the past. And when it leaves, it creates more room for peace, love and beauty in our lives.

Insight Into Your Inner Worry The reason most people are angry, stressed out or filled with anxiety is because they can’t answer the burning question inside them: Why? In order to answer that, you need to get the hard data. This is the easy part, but it takes some legwork.

The following is a two-step process to gaining insight and understanding into your worries—recognizing what they are, when they happen and what triggers them.

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1. Identify Your Hot-Button Issues.

Keep a small notebook with you for three days. (Trust me, it’s worth it.) Divide the pages into three columns. Every time you worry, write down what you worry about, when and where you are. After the three days, go through your notes and tally up your “what” column. There are usually a few big ones that stand out. These are the hot-button issues that cause us to worry. For me, it was money and how people perceived me.

2. Identify Your Worry Triggers.

This is where your “when” and “where” columns come into play. Grab a piece of paper and a pen. Draw out four (or less) columns. Write your top four hot-button worry issues at the top of each column. You may have more or less hot-button issues than four. The point is to keep it to a maximum of four worries. I had two reoccurring worries: money and how people perceived me, and I just focused on these two for this exercise.

Write down the times and locations of each worry instance.

Once you’re done, look through each column for patterns. Notice if you tend to worry more during a certain time or activity. These are your triggers. For example, I found that I would worried about money after I looked at catalogs or magazines. Pay attention to the “whens” of each column—where you find yourself worrying about things—and start to become sensitive to them. Take proactive steps to avoid your triggers. For example, in my case, I unsubscribed to a lot of magazines.

I quit looking through catalogs. Immediately, I felt a lot better.

When you can’t avoid your triggers, be aware that you might worry more but try not to take it so seriously. Tell yourself: “I’m just worrying about that right now because of A, B or C.” And move on.

How to Deal with Your Inner Worrywart Learn to have conversations with your inner-worrier.

This is vital. The voice in your head that worries is there for a purpose. There are certain things that should make your hair stand up. But just because that worrier is supposed to be there doesn’t mean it belongs in the driver’s seat. This is when knowing your triggers becomes vital, because it gives you factual ammunition that can help your worrier calm down.

1. Be Kind and Encouraging.

I’ve read a lot of self-help books that say you’ve got to be aggressive toward certain parts of yourself in order to tame them into submission. I disagree. We have enough tough love in the

world. It’s time for a little kindness. Your inner worrywart is frazzled enough working overtime, oftentimes in unstable conditions.

When you start chatting with the part of you that worries, remember that this part of you can be like a child: Handle with care.

Try to avoid chastising or saying hurtful things.

Use phrases that are friendly. “I understand that you are worried.” Be empathetic. “It must be hard work worrying like this all day. ” Offer to be helpful. “What can I do to make things easier for you?”

2. Ask Questions.

Start with the easiest: “What are you worried about?” And then let your worrier talk. Then ask: “How does worrying make you feel better?” Listen to what it says.

Then talk with it about the triggers. “Do you think you’re just worrying because we spent time doing this activity?” Your inner worrier might have a bit of an ego, but if you’re kind, it will usually admit the truth. Then ask the kicker: “What will worrying about this do?” The answer is almost always nothing. “So why do you continue to worry?” To which your worrier can’t say much.

3. Gratitude and Compliment.

When your worrywart gets to that point where it admits that there isn’t really a reason to worry, celebrate with it! When you notice it’s been quiet from worrying, compliment it. But understand that it may still want to hold onto the habit because it feels like that is all it’s good for. It may feel useless without the unnecessary worry.

This is why it’s important to acknowledge how grateful you are when it’s quiet. And it’s also important to compliment it when it speaks up in a situation that’s questionable. “Thanks so much for speaking up when I thought about going through that deserted field at night. That was a bad idea.”

4. Be Vigilant But be Patient.

Worrying is a habit that, for many of us, is as old as we are.

You can’t break a habit like that in a week. Or even a month. Even now, a decade after my realization, I catch myself worrying about finances, going over my bills in my head or mentally balancing my checkbook.

At this point I have to remind myself that I trust myself, I make good choices and, most importantly, that worrying isn’t going to make my bank account balance go up. And then I move on.

The End to Worry If you spend some time working with yourself and make a commitment to worry less, I can guarantee that other parts of your life will become more beautiful. The space you create by removing worry will be filled with wonderful things. You will have more mental and physical energy and your body will thank you for it. I encourage you to grab a notebook and give it a try!

•••••••••••••••

Rebecca Watson is a Truth Advocate and Soul Connection Coach who supports women who’ve dealt with trauma and abuse to find and express their truth in harmony with their soul. A recovering journalist, Rebecca uses journaling and writing as a tool to teach women who feel unheard, broken, and misunderstood to listen to their own truth, trust their instincts, and connect with the divine part of themselves. You can read more of her work and learn more about her coaching programs at sunnysanguinity.com.

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Dear Ms. Spiritual Matters, I am not looking forward to some of the parties that happen at the beginning of the New Year. My wife’s family always wants to share what they will vow to change in the coming year. This plays out in a gathering at my in-law’s house, where we traditionally sit in a circle the first Saturday after New Year’s Day. We are given strips of paper with our names on them and asked to write down three things we will change in our life— like become proficient at a new sport—over the next 12 months. The papers are collected and sealed with wax in a jar.

Then, my father-in-law unseals the jar from the previous year and reads the person’s name and goals aloud. Those who have not accomplished their planned activities are booed and must clean up after the party.

My wife’s sisters and brothers are competitive and know how to win this game. They write down things like “take a yoga class” when they are already signed up, “coach soccer” when they do this every year for their kid’s team or “take a class at the university” when they are already are enrolled. I find this process meaningless, but choose not to criticize my wife’s family tradition.

I want to be more serious than this family gaming about gaining new abilities in the New Year. Any suggestions?

Regards, Joe Dear Joe, Maybe you would enjoy changing your perspective. Instead of deciding how you will change for the better this coming year, consider letting the events that happen around you during the year shape you. You do not need to establish changes ahead of the year. You just can be open to them.

Each year unfolds with surprises. Our job security may unexpectedly go away. We may move to a new home or city. Or new people move in our neighborhood.

Our family circle may welcome new members. Someone we are close to may fail in health. A loved one may die.

We could experience a storm of disaster proportions. If we let them, all of these situations spur us to think about who we are and who we want to be. Paying attention to events the universe is sending our way may increase our

awareness of what we want to do with our time. Happenings may not just propel us into action. They may help us evolve. Personal reflection when an event occurs increases understanding of ourselves and gives us the momentum to go forward with new vigor, hope and purpose.

The change in the New Year may not be a skill you learn, but it could be a different way you feel about yourself, your friends, family and the world around you.

For example, the death of an uncle could teach you that you want to be a helpful nephew by periodically checking in on your aunt. You could do this by taking your mother and your aunt out to lunch every couple of months. Or if your town has a flood due to changes in climate, you might volunteer with the Red Cross, help people and make new friends in the process. You may decide to travel to far-away continents when disasters occur.

But, remember a New Year’s gathering is a party.

Enjoy it! Party time is for social merrymaking where we whoop it up and enjoy our friends or family. My advice to you is to forget the big picture at your wife’s family’s New Year parties and enjoy spoofing on what big accomplishments you will achieve. Put down climb Mt. Everest or have your newly created YoTube go viral.

You can keep it secret that the events that unfold around you hold the key to unlocking the really important changes that will occur in you in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Susan Schoenbeck holds Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an experienced educator and teaches nursing students at Walla Walla University -- Portland, Oregon campus. She is an oblate of a Benedictine Monastery where she learned centering and contemplative meditation practices. She is author of the book, Zen and the Art of Nursing, Good Grief: Daily Meditations, and Near-Death Experiences: Visits to the Other Side.

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Spirituality keeping up. There were more facets to this “self-care” business than I realized.

I was dealing with so many deeply held issues, for many clients who struggled profoundly, that I wasn’t very often in receiving mode, and I definitely was out of balance.

This showed up in many ways. My money was depleted before the end of the month; I was often drained and didn’t have enough solitary time and playtime to restore. I regularly worked until late into the night, rarely ate at a decent hour and always felt “I should be doing more.” I started having chronic back pain, as well.

And it wasn’t as if I didn’t know better; for many years, I had been receiving very clear guidance that I needed to raise my rates and receive weekly bodywork to keep myself from taking on too much and having it pile up physically and emotionally. While I am generally really great about listening to my inner guidance, I resisted implementing both of these “suggestions” for many years.

How Does Self-Awareness Play into the Picture?

Self-awareness is the first step in creating what you want and mastering your life. Having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions, also allows you to understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude and your responses to them. Ultimately, where you focus—your energy and attention, your emotions, as well as reactions and behavior—determines where you go in life. Having self-awareness allows you to see where your thoughts and emotions are taking you, and subsequently make the changes you want.

By Kumari

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world...as in being able to remake ourselves.”—Mahatma Gandhi I used to think that being spiritual meant not really thinking about yourself, but devoting your life to service and God, aka, the asceticism of Mother Teresa. For over 20 years, I was deeply committed to my spiritual life, and I performed thousands of hours of spiritual practices, plus enormous amounts of seva, or “self-less service.”

But when it came time to take care of myself in other ways, I thought that was not really my job. I had great faith that God would provide...and all that. No doubt about it, I received much in return and have no regrets. Yet my attitudes and behaviors around self-care and, subsequently, self-awareness were lagging behind.

This is strange, in retrospect, as I certainly recognized the negative impact on many other people of not caring for self—not sleeping enough, not eating well, not having healthy relationships, and/or not tending to spiritual needs. Finally, after many years of offering energy healing to clients, I began to sense that my own meter was bordering on empty. Even though I did daily self-healing with Reiki, I found I was not

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“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”—Aldous Huxley Permission and Modeling As I became more self-aware regarding my blocks to self-care, I became very curious about how other transformation and thought leaders were managing their lives while still having a huge impact on the world around them.

I began to ask some conscious and successful people (traits I used to think didn’t go together) and they all said the same thing: their income and overall success didn’t really climb until they started reclaiming their boundaries and gifting themselves more free time—for families, for fun, for selfcare. It seemed totally counterintuitive to so many work ethic paradigms I was raised with.

Finally, a friend took me to a women’s retreat with a fabulously successful business coach, and I was hooked. It was not because of how she could help me totally restructure my business, which I really needed; the big draw initially was how she balanced her life. She went into great detail about her weekly schedule: regular chiropractic care and massage each week, each evening watching a movie with her hubby, early am rides on her horses. No work on

weekends…I thought, THIS IS FOR ME. My multimillionaire mentor described her week like this: Each morning I meet my trainer and ride my horses first thing; around 10 a.m., I check in with my manager on the phone to plan the day; each evening I have dinner around 6 p.m. with my husband, and then we watch a movie together; each week I have two treatments (chiropractic and massage). Most weeks, Friday and the weekend are off.

She is assisting thousands of women to create prosperous and transformational businesses while also living their dreams.

What a concept! For so long my spiritual life and needs dominated my world, and while I do not regret my path and decisions in the least, in the end I was way better at struggling and barely surviving financially than I was at thriving. And my dear husband was having some serious health concerns. I knew something had to shift, as I really wanted to step up and support our household even more.

I realized on some level I wasn’t “walking my talk.” I was teaching all my clients how to better care for themselves, via Reiki energy healing, and most of them needed way more self-care as well. So instead of just telling them to seek for self-care, I realized I had to model it myself. This was illuminated when I met Marci Shimoff, and she spoke of how she took a weeklong silent retreat in the midst of a book launch, as she had planned it a year in advance. She almost backed out thinking it was really bad timing and too long to be off the grid. Yet this was when she received her BIG IDEA for Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul!

My journey of giving myself more spaciousness, more time to focus on what is important in my life involved many aspects. I had to begin delegating out some tasks both in my house and in my business; I had to learn how to set boundaries with clients and family; I had to rearrange some priorities and let go of activities that didn’t fit anymore; and I had to heal core aspects of the need to over-give; I had to stop feeling a lack of self-worth if I wasn’t totally exhausting myself; and I had to overcome a resistance to fully receiving. Of course, a big bonus was that as soon as I was able to do this more skillfully, I was able to help all my clients as well.

Model Successful People Overall, modeling other people’s positive lifestyle changes has truly given me permission to make some serious shifts.

Growing up, my parents both were very hardworking; my father was a surgeon and he rarely came home before 9 p.m. His version of a day off was no surgeries, but a day of doing his rounds, which often became a full day as well.

It was seen as a badge of honor and devotion to pull allnighters in preparation for just about any event. Now I view this more often as poor planning, unhealthy boundaries and possibly over-committing. Only rarely does it feel that working that late on anything is beneficial for any purpose or person.

My mentors have helped me see that you can have a huge impact in the world, while still enjoying a happy, healthy and balanced lifestyle—maybe even as a result of that balanced lifestyle.

I now see a happy, healthy and balanced lifestyle as a prerequisite for the “ease and grace” I choose to emulate. The more that my consciousness evolves, the more that “Balance and Ease” is my mantra. It is almost as if the “gear” of struggle and self-sacrifice has been eliminated; anymore, it is barely possible for me to get out of sync with ease and harmony and happy. My whole being just shuts down and says, “Not happening.” This was a bit unnerving at times because I wondered if I had lost the drive and devotion give it my all. But, in truth, I am being totally supported to maintain these boundaries so I can remain even-keeled.

As a result, I am truly walking my talk, and for that I am grateful.

And happy. And serene. This is the vibration, the possibility, the new paradigm, the ripple I wish to send out into the world.

If you are looking for someone to “give you permission” to enjoy more self-care, more “you” time, and more nurturing of self and spirit, I certainly give you permission today. Now. Don’t wait. I believe it is one of the best gifts you can give to the world.

Today, I am proud to report I have accomplished the dinner and movie every night starting around 6 p.m., the weekly 90-minute massage/Reiki session, regular working hours, weekends off (or taking off midweek through the weekend) and early morning time to do a little gardening or just sit with cup of coffee, contemplating...not rushing. I have created spaciousness in my schedule to accommodate more teaching and writing, which enables me to reach more people. I feel ease and balance more often than not. Trust has replaced worry. More and more, I am being the change.

My back is hardly ever a problem because my self-care diffuses tensions and imbalances before they manifest structurally. I am grateful because it is truly wonderful to feel this good in your own body! Once I began to receive massage and Reiki every week, my husband started getting regular bodywork, and it has released a lot of pressure between us because we no longer need to deal with each other’s aches and pains and general grumpiness around being overextended.

When we make other’s happiness and well-being a priority over ourselves, we are setting up a dissonance, a discord. We are sending a double message. Self-care also is quite necessary to bump up if you are a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), or an empath who tends to feel what others are feeling, as I am. HSPs may require more frequent self-care than others to stay in balance.

Ultimately, if we choose to live at ever-increasing levels of harmony, happiness and fulfillment, self-care becomes a necessity. This is just what we need to do...

Self-Care = Happy!

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

—Mahatma Ghandi Ultimately, I now view life much more expansively. Rather than focusing only on my austere practices of meditation, my spiritual practice now includes time to just unplug, take care of my body and prepare healthy meals infused with soul. I now know that Spirit is able to work through me so much clearer when I am

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in receiving mode, when I love myself enough to allow more time and space for contemplation, for pondering, for meandering in my garden, for doing things I love, for nurturing relationships and for being HAPPY. Self-care really raises your happy meter, which, of course, naturally raises your vibration—a key to all spiritual and healing endeavors. Once my teacher exclaimed: “You have all done so much ego-death work; so much past karma has been released. It is now time to be HAPPY!” What a concept! I embraced it as Truth in that very moment, and everything in my life began to shift as a result.

Happiness is the core of all desires anyway...Underneath everything you want is the goal of feeling happy. So why not go for happy?

“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.”—Mandy Hale Contemplations for Self-Awareness around Self-Care: What do you feel when you do things that are only for you?

• Do you feel guilty?

• Do you feel you don’t deserve it?

• Do you feel like you are taking away from someone else (kids, parents, spouses, business or clients)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these three questions, then ask: How can you reframe this for yourself?

• What do you think can open up for you if you begin to nurture yourself more?

• What else may ease up in your life if you are in balance?

• Who do you know that has self-care habits that you admire?

Take one of these people out for coffee and ask for tips.

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.”

—Deborah Day

••••••••••••••

Kumari is an internationally acclaimed intuitive coach, master healer, best-selling author, spiritual evolutionary, and animal mystic.

Her deepest joy is empowering others to unwrap their innate intuitive, manifesting, and healing gifts. Kumari hosted “Co-Creation Activations” radio show on World Puja Network and the Internet TV program “How to Heal Anything Live.” She is coauthor of the bestselling book Empowering Transformations for Women and just released her new eBook Animal Communication Magic & Miracles: 13 Keys to Deepen Your Bond with Your Pets, Improve Health & Change Behavior Immediately. Kumari is a catalyst for spiritual evolution.

Through energy alchemy and unveiling the human/animal spiritual interconnectedness, she has helped thousands around the globe experience bliss, our true divinity and Oneness. For more information visit www.kumarihealing.com.

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Spirituality her how he could live his life for peace. Realizing the influence this young boy would have on the world, she told him, “Rafael, call upon the Buddha. Disassociate with anger. Go back to your in-breath and on the outbreath be calm. The bucket of water that is your mind was agitated. Now it will be calm.” Then she named him “The Master of Peace.”

By Jo Mooy At an equinox ceremony many years ago, I watched a little girl sitting on the edge of the stage. She was playing a drum that was bigger than her. But she played it with intensity, pouring herself into the rhythms set by the adults behind her. There was a glow about her with the moonlight washing over her.

Suddenly, everything around us dissolved and she was the only one on the stage. Transfixed, I wondered to myself, who is she? Then I heard a voice from deep inside say these words: She is your great-great-grandmother.

It sounds far-fetched but think about it. Human consciousness has been evolving at a rapid pace since the last century. We’ve been meditating and praying for changes to the old patterns of thinking and being. Thinking outside the box, this little girl is the answers to those prayers. She’s the promise of humanity’s future and represents all our great-great-grandmothers.

In the years gone by I’ve met other children just like her. There’s a serene quality about them. Most children are afraid to stand up in front of an audience of adults, but not these kids. They exude a confidence and they bring us a message of peace and hope. Realizing this, I’ve tried to include these children in sacred ceremonies and events. When asked, they step up without a moment’s hesitation. This is the story of two of them and how their journeys began.

Rafael

Rafael was 10 when he first stepped into our circle on the Winter Solstice, which took place on the beach in Sarasota, FL. Shy and no doubt overwhelmed by the large number of people, he fearlessly told his story.

He wrote his own personal prayer for peace in the world, spending hours before the ceremony to make it right. When he read it to the assembled audience, the only sound was his clear voice against the waves and the wind.

His sincerity and devotion was evident in his wishes for war and hatred to be dissolved. He truly wanted people to live in harmony with each other. From his voice, that future was possible.

Two years later Rafael and his family moved to Spain. His mother told me he continued to be dedicated to his peace work. In Spain, Rafael met Sister Chan Knong, the first disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh, who is currently in charge of the International Plum Village community. Rafael asked

Lincoln The second boy’s name is Lincoln. At age 7, he is already a healer of some worth. When his mother learned techniques in Sound Toning and Healing, Lincoln wanted to be taught. He practiced toning every day with his mom. Most kids ask their parents for toys.

Not Lincoln. When given a choice between a toy and a crystal, he easily chose the crystal for his altar. Like most children, Lincoln loves animals. When he learned that two dogs belonging to friends were desperately ill, he wanted to make them well. One of the dogs was not expected to live out the night. Using the Sound Healing techniques he was taught, Lincoln began to systematically tone for each of the dogs. Over the course of several weeks, both dogs fully recovered and are back to their old lives. The vet of the dog who was not expected to live calls her “the miracle dog.”

Lightbearers for the Future These are but two stories of the Children of Light. Today, I can still see the image of the little girl and easily hear the message on that equinox full moon.

She was a drummer in the vanguard of The Children of Light. These children are everywhere. We encourage them by including them in our ceremonies. The ones we’ve had the privilege of teaching spiritual practices will take humanity forward in consciousness. They are the ones we summoned in our prayers so very long ago. They are the lightbearers for the future generations coming to earth. When we return to earth, we’ll remember they were our great-great-grandmothers and grandfathers.

••••••••••••

Jo Mooy has studied with many spiritual traditions over the past 40 years. The wide diversity of this training allows her to develop spiritual seminars and retreats that explore inspirational concepts, give purpose and guidance to students, and present esoteric teachings in an understandable manner. Along with Patricia Cockerill, she has guided the Women’s Meditation Circle since January 2006 where it has been honored for five years in a row as the “Favorite Meditation” group in Sarasota, FL, by Natural Awakenings Magazine. Teaching and using Sound as a retreat healing practice, Jo was certified as a Sound Healer through Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing Association. She writes and publishes a monthly internationally distributed e-newsletter called Spiritual Connections and is a staff writer for Spirit of Maat magazine in Sedona.

For more information go to www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com.

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Spirituality There have been many cliché phrases in and out of popularity over the years. Many are very profound when we stop to think about and analyze them.

The one that most often comes to my mind is, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” This is very true, and I request that you take a minute right now to think about this. If, for example, you are reading this on January 3, 2017, then you must stop and think, realizing that January 3, 2017, will never be again. The choices are to live today, knowing that it can never be recaptured or relived, or to waste it worrying about what happened yesterday, what you WISH was happening today, or agonizing over what will happen tomorrow. The choice is yours alone. If I can give you one gift to begin this year, let it be carpe diem, seize the day!

People ask me why I end all of my columns, letters, cards and even my answering machine message with the phrase, “Walk in the Light.” Some call this the Christ Light. As a student of the Tarot, I see it as the Hermit’s Light. The Hermit is Major Arcana card number nine, and it is the card that represents God and the highest of all protective forces that surround us. The Hermit tells us to,

“Ask and it shall be given.

Seek and you shall find.

Knock and it shall be opened to you. Look up and see the light, for it is always there.”

By Marcia Bender I wish you and yours a joyous, healthy and happy New Year, with all of your wishes fulfilled and all of your dreams and miracles coming true! When the New Year begins, it is as if life is giving us another chance, a new page to write on, a chance to reformat and redefine our ideas and our lives.

We hear people speak of New Year’s resolutions, and we know that most of these intentions—no matter how well meaning—are generally broken before the end of January. However, I believe that as more and more people become spiritually enlightened, they will be led to understand more about self and the connection of self to a Higher Power and a Higher Consciousness.

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The symbol is a bearded ancient, high on a mountaintop, looking down at those of us who are seeking guidance and trying to find the way to enlightenment. He holds out a lantern, called the Lamp of Truth, which is said to hold the answers that we seek, but the Hermit is not coming down the mountain. He will patiently wait until we, the Seekers, find the way to the Light. The guidance and help are there for all who seek it, but the ultimate responsibility of reaching enlightenment is our individually, an inner journey to discover higher aspects of self.

As we struggle to find self, we realize that it takes faith and courage to emerge from

the spiritual darkness and Walk in the Light. We also realize that as we begin the journey into Higher Consciousness, the rewards are bountiful.

It is my belief that as humans strive to self-analyze, attempt to find meaning for their lives and existence, and decide to make each day of their lives meaningful and significant, they have to learn to understand that they are not a physical being have a spiritual experience, but a spiritual being having a physical experience! It is very difficult to detach from the physical reality of our lives. We are physical beings in physical bodies, dealing with a myriad of physical reality experiences, and often those experiences are anything but pleasant. It is easier to intellectualize our circumstances and not take responsibility for trying to understand why we are experiencing the changes taking place in our lives.

Change is a constant and the only thing that we can be really certain of in a lifetime. The changes in life are always the most difficult and frightening of experiences. It is easier to remain stagnant, fearfully resisting change, than to realize that the dreaded changes were necessary and important in our life’s progress. I can guarantee you that it is much easier to deal with life’s changes when spiritually connected. I can also assure you that it takes effort to become spiritually connected. I use this quotation on my business card:

“To search for truth is to unveil knowledge of self.

To know is to understand the task that lies ahead.

To never know…is infinite agony.”

—Craig Junjulas Please take some time, in this first month of 2017, to go deep within, to let the White Light of Protection and Spirituality surround you, to surrender your intellect and submit to allowing your Higher Consciousness to allow you to catch a glimpse of things that are beyond your physical reality. When this is accomplished, you will understand what it means when I say:

Remember, knowledge is the greatest power, so walk in the Light.

••••••••••••••

Marcia began her career as a school teacher, working with preschool through inner city high school students. She has worked with all aspects of Metaphysics for over 40 years and specializes in Tarot and Numerology. Marcia’s clients and students are in every state and throughout Europe. Marcia has taught over 400 students to “read” the Tarot for the purpose of self-guidance and to use the powerful symbolism of the Tarot to reach higher levels of spirituality. Her column, Spiritually Speaking, originally ran for 8 years in Attitudes Magazine. Email marlou2000@aol.com.

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Spirituality

by Owen K Waters A great shift to a higher consciousness has been accelerating since the 1960s. The progressive portion of humanity is stretching the envelope of human consciousness deep into new territory.

As “The Shift” progresses over the decades ahead, intuition will bloom and people will begin to notice that their five senses have acquired a new subtlety.

The Earth will be seen as more beautiful than ever, filled with subtleties of color and perfumes that were always there and yet were never before detected. The spirit of humanity will be focused on peace and hope for a new tomorrow, which will unfold as if it were the arrival of heaven on earth.

Tomorrow’s humanity will develop in the direction of cooperation, not competition. People will treat other people as loved ones and as if they were dear family, because they will see the light within each other and know that we are all connected.

That which used to be a burden will now become a joy, as people work to help each other and support each other.

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Gone will be the old way of focusing primarily upon materialistic gain because people, being heart-centered, will want everyone to have everything that they need and everything that helps make life a joyful experience.

On the technology front, energy will one day be clean and plentiful after we learn to tap into and convert the life-giving etheric energy that flows from the Sun. Etheric energy has been utilized for thousands of years in non-technological applications under the names chi, prana, and universal life force. It is the primary energy of the Sun, while the more dense electrical energy is a relatively minor secondary energy. Nikola Tesla, the inventor of today’s alternating current power systems, experimented with etheric energy, recognized that it behaved quite differently to electric power, and described it as ‘cold electricity.’

It is less than 200 years since the key principles of electric energy were discovered. When the principles of its big brother, etheric energy, are mastered, the door can potentially be opened to a wide variety of long sought-after technologies. These can include abundant clean energy, gravitational shielding, magnetic space vehicle propulsion, protective force screens, teleportation and, because etheric energy is vital life energy, a wide array of advanced healing technology.

A Word About Chaos Eventually, all forms of toxicity will be addressed and remedied. Gone will be thoughtless pollution by toxic chemicals and the smoke of burning fuels. Gone will be the toxicity of human suffering that pollutes the mental atmosphere that we all share. Gone will be the toxicity of fear and all of its disempowering manifestations.

Love will be the way, and “The Way will be Love.”

People will see the God within others and hold a sense of allowance for everyone to pursue their own unique spiritual path.

Gone will be the rivalries of small-minded religious factions. The new vision of the nature of God will be universal and all-inclusive.

Gone will be the toxic need to exert control over others, as the fears which cause this will dissolve and softly drift away with the wind.

Humanity will build a world of great beauty in harmony with nature.

Nature itself will be honored as a beautiful expression of the Creator. People will give thanks to the consciousness of the Mother Earth that supports us and to the consciousness of the Sun, which continually nourishes us with life-giving energy. Most of all, people will give thanks to the consciousness of God for life itself and for the joy that communion with the Divine Spirit brings to our very souls and to our deepest sense of being.

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Owen K Waters is a cofounder of the Spiritual Dynamics Academy, where a where a free spiritual growth newsletter awaits you at: www.SpiritualDynamics.net. He is an international spiritual teacher who has helped hundreds of thousands of spiritual seekers to understand better the nature of their spiritual potential. Owen’s life has been focused upon gaining spiritual insights through extensive research and the development of his inner vision. For the past 12 years, he has written a spiritual metaphysics newsletter which empowers people to discover their own new vistas of inspiration, love and creativity. Spiritual seekers enjoy his writings for their insight and clarity.

The recent election results in America have turned the country from one deeply divided into one filled with a sense of chaos.

Today, we stand at a turning point where almost anything can happen. The deciding factor, as always, will be the level of consciousness that is applied to situations as they arise.

Groups of people—even entire countries—share collective states of consciousness. Each one of us affects our shared atmosphere of consciousness for better or worse.

As spiritual people who appreciate the vital need for higher consciousness, we have far more power to affect world consciousness than we realize. It is a silent power that almost seems lost in a world filled with billions of people and, yet, your individual practice of gaining higher consciousness can actually raise the thoughts of millions of other people!

This principle of powerful influence through higher states of consciousness is detailed in my book, The Shift: The Revolution in Human Consciousness.

Another section of the book deals—appropriately in today’s world—with chaos. In the chapter, “A Word About Chaos,” it states: “In physics, chaos is a phase that occurs during transformation. You can resonate a container of water with sound waves that generate a balanced, symmetrical pattern on the surface of the water. Then, if you turn up the frequency a little, chaos will ensue. The neat pattern on the surface of the water will become choppy and discordant. However, when you turn the frequency up still more, a new pattern emerges, one that is even more complex and beautiful.

“The chaos was a temporary phase between one natural state of harmony and its transformation into a higher form.

“It is much the same with the transformation of humanity through “The Shift.” The frequency associated with the Old Reality has already been increased. The old pattern has been disturbed and is beginning to go away.

In its place is a choppy pattern that is searching for its new form. Discords abound at a personal and social level as old wounds arise seeking attention and resolution. As the frequency rises even more, the chaotic outbreaks upon the surface of life will settle into a new pattern, one which is even more complex and beautiful.”

Author’s note: The new, updated edition of this groundbreaking book, The Shift: The Revolution in Human Consciousness, is now available for immediate download at http://www.spiritualdynamics.net/ebooks/theshift.htm

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Spirituality

by Mark Pitstick, MA, DC You have a miraculous body. You possess a powerful mind with rich emotions. You are a timeless being of energy/ spirit/awareness.

Your essence/soul/consciousness is visiting earth because of the many exquisite opportunities for service, adventure, growth and enjoyment. Further, your essence came into this world clearly knowing that: • life on this planet would be difficult at times • you have everything you need to meet all life’s challenges/changes with style • when balanced, your body-mind helps your inner light to always shine brightly • you have special gifts to share and purposes to fulfill • assistance and guidance from Universe/God/Source is always available • your time on earth is a totally safe and magnificent adventure amidst eternity You are a wise, infinite, special and powerful being. Irrefutable proof—clinical, scientific, religious/spiritual, and firsthand experience in nature—clearly shows that your essence came from the Light/God/Creative Energy. When your physical body dies, your real self will return to its Source.

While on this planet, you can remember this and live accordingly—including optimal self-care—or not. Whether you do

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or don’t greatly affects the quality of your earth-journey.

Please re-read the information above and let all that settle in for a moment. Then, take a deep breath in and out and consider the following question.

Given this vast and varied evidence, do you think that your consciousness/energy/spirit came to earth to: A.) Be depressed, fatigued, overweight, in pain, overwhelmed, disappointed, sad, unsuccessful and inactive? And then, after a life that falls short of your dreams, to move on after a death that few people notice or care about?

B.) Be happy, healthy, energetic, peaceful, successful and fully engaged in a rich, purposeful life? And then, after living the life of your dreams, to move on while others say “Bravo! Well done! We’ll miss you greatly but we celebrate your graduation and look forward to seeing you again!”

If you chose (A), maybe you should read the above again.

But if you picked (B), you can you make that your reality.

So, looking back at your time on Earth to date, how are you doing so far?

Has your life been more like (A) or (B)? Or, has it been some of each and you want it to be much more like (B)?

During your short time visiting this planet, you can be awakened and clearly remember who you are, why you’re here, Who always walks beside/inside/all around you . . . and live ac-

cordingly. You can fine-tune your body-mind and enjoy the greatest life you have imagined.

And that, my friend, makes all the difference in whether your experience on earth will be like hell or heaven, a sad failure or a successful victory, like (A) or (B).

If you really want, you can be radiantly well now and always. You can deeply know and show your magnificent nature as part of All That Is. You can fully and vibrantly participate in the miracle of life every moment—no matter what is going on around you.

Let me explain . . .

Again, you are an eternal being who is visiting this planet for a very short while given the span of eternity. While on Earth, your five senses indicate that you are just your physical body but, in truth, you are much more than that.

Here are a few facts that indicate how little of reality you can actually perceive with your five senses: • most humans use less than 1 percent of their brain capacities • much of your brain’s function is inhibitory, that is, it limits what you can sense • if all the existing light and energy—what life is ultimately comprised of—were the size of Mt. Everest, your five senses only can detect a portion the size of a golf ball At the same time, the universe is amazingly vast on a macro scale: • approximately 200 billion stars like our Sun exist in our galaxy, the Milky Way • about 100 billion galaxies exist within our known physical universe • physicists theorize the existence of multiple universes and dimensions, an ever-expanding cosmos of matter and energy in the totality of all that exists To get a sense of just how awesome and huge life is, view photos taken by the Hubble spacecraft. Most astonishing to me are the nebulae that release pod-like structures, each with the potential to spawn new star systems. Amazing.

(Don’t worry, the science lecture will be over shortly, but this information is vital for you to make sense of your earth-experience. The exciting news? The same energy and intelligence that births new worlds also courses within every cell of your body.)

Now, let’s go the other way, on a micro scale: • your body’s 15 trillion or so cells each have smaller components (organelles) • these, in turn, consist of molecules, atoms and sub-atomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) that are made of even smaller particles (quarks, etc.)

• if the nucleus of a hydrogen molecule were the size of a marble, its single electron would be ½ mile away; that’s a lot of space amidst seeming solidity • upon closer inspection, the smallest particles have properties of both a wave and a particle, existing as an interplay between energy and matter What’s all this have to do with self-care and optimal well-

ness? Well, everything.

Until now, you have most likely been looking at reality through a very small pinhole in a seemingly impenetrable wall.

You have only seen a minute fraction of the completeness of life, but it’s all you could see so you thought that’s all there is. With that limited vision, you may mistakenly have thought that you and your loved ones die—that you could ultimately fail—that life was cruel and chaotic—that God, if any such Higher Power existed, was impotent, uncaring or asleep at the wheel.

Fortunately, there is much more to life than meets the eye. And none of those limiting beliefs are true. Modern science and ancient spiritual traditions now agree that life is, most fundamentally, comprised of energy and light that is ever-changing but never-ending.

And, if you’ll recall, that’s what you and everyone else really are: indestructible beings of energy and light. The implications of this knowledge for personal and global change are immensely far-reaching and powerfully transformative.

Yes, I know, no matter how well you live, your physical body will die someday. Even Jack LaLanne passed on at age 96.

But—and this is a big but—optimal self-care is your best strategy for enjoying the greatest quality and, probably, quantity of life.

And, more importantly, when the temple of your soul is balanced, you can best realize and reflect your inner light, even to the moment of death and beyond.

You’ve heard the old saying, ‘When you die, you can’t take it with you.’ That’s true except for a few exceptions: when you pass on, you take your consciousness with you. (You also take all the love you gave and received.) Your energetic state is the direct result of your past thoughts, words and deeds. So tuning up your body-mind benefits you here and now and in the next page of life’s never-ending saga.

••••••••••••••

Mark Pitstick, MA, DC is an author, clinical psychologist, holistic physician, frequent media guest and workshop facilitator. He is Director of The Soul Phone Foundation, Vice-President of Eternea, and board member of Helping Parents Heal. Mark can help you know and show that—no matter what is going on around you and even though it may not seem like it at times—this earth-experience is a totally safe, meaningful, and magnificent adventure amidst forever. Visit www. soulproof.com for free articles, newsletters, and radio shows with top consciousness experts. Email Mark at mark@soulproof.com with your toughest questions about life, death, and afterlife.

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Spirituality

by Berenice Andrews No one probably noticed, but at the beginning of the twelfth century in Europe Spirit was in action and paradox was happening.

It was a time when what remained of the populace was barely beginning to emerge politically and culturally out of the ruins of the Dark Ages (500-1,000 AD), a time when the spiritual maxims of the Christian Church were the main “glue” holding society together. In this framework, life was to be so ordered that all the women (who carried the taint of Eve) were the obedient servants of the men, and all the men were the obedient servants of the Church.

But there were many men (and some women) who were more involved with the “worldly” than the spiritual. Popes were organizing their supporters in the “upper class,” hiring armies and using the weapon of excommunication to wage war against would-be emperors. They, in turn, were fighting back with their own “upper class” supporters, armies and anti-popes. Meanwhile, the lives of the “common” people (who vastly outnumbered them) continued to be nasty, brutish and short.

Thus, it was that at the beginning of the twelfth century in Europe the times were ripe. The established social structures and mores were being disturbed by much turbulence foreshadowing change.

And into that scene, right on cue, there stepped a most remarkable woman. She appeared both as a forerunner...one who carries the consciousness energies of the future...and as an ancestor...one who carries the consciousness energies of the past.

(Nine centuries later, Carl Jung correctly “pegged” her as the archetypal prototype of the West’s emerging woman. But he didn’t quite know what to do with her. In her own day, very few

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people did, either.)

She was Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179).

Hildegard...the Masculine Forerunner In the context of holistic consciousness energies, the powers of Hildegard’s outer-oriented centers of consciousness (the root, solar plexus and throat chakras) were such that she could live as a woman in her own century, yet develop and express her futuristic masculine beingness. With Spirit-in-Action, this was accomplished.

The Early Years Hildegard was the tenth child of “upper class” Rhineland parents, who gave her to the Church when she was eight years old. She went to live with her teacher and guardian, Jutta von Spanheim, in tiny quarters attached to the Benedictine monastery of Disibodenberg. There, Hildegard received monastic training that included a thorough command of her own Germanic language and of Latin, the language of the Church.

During those “growing up” years, which lasted until her late thirties, Hildegard’s razor-sharp mind was made ready. It revealed itself in a business acumen that would do credit to a twenty-first century corporate executive, an organizational ability that any modern manager would applaud and a political astuteness that Hilary Clinton would envy.

Moreover, this expression of a special life in the making could be perceived as Spirit-in-Action—as the unique shaping of a “masculine” forerunner.

Yet being a woman of her times, Hildegard sought to remain safely within a socially acceptable “feminine” framework

and perceived these accomplishments with dismay. She reluctantly used her intellect and stepped out of the properly subservient attitude only because she believed that most of the powerful men (clerics, rulers and minor nobility) around her were suffering from a “fatigue of discernment.” In her voluminous correspondence with them, she chastised them for their lack of awareness of their God-given male responsibilities.

Here again Spirit was at work, for Hildegard was enabled to express these ideas safely. She was protected by her friend, Bernard of Clairvaux, a much respected and revered churchman. Later she enjoyed the military protection of the powerful emperor Frederick 1 (Barbarossa). With these men ensuring her safety, she could forge ahead to accomplish some amazingly “un-feminine” work.

The “Unfeminine” Years In her late thirties...it was after Jutta’s death...Hildegard was elected as abbess of a growing community of Benedictine nuns at Disibodenberg. Afterward, she began attracting so many new communicants that she decided (with papal approval) to establish a separate convent. Despite considerable opposition from the monks, who wanted to retain the benefits of keeping her at Disibodenberg, Hildegard founded Rupertsburg, a splendid new facility that she designed (including indoor plumbing).

Many years later, when this community had become quite large and famous, she established yet another, Eibingen, across the river. And Hildegard did not hesitate to limit the membership of both convents to women from the “upper class,” since women of the same social level, she indicated, would understand and cooperate with each other. In this, she displayed a very modern executive awareness.

That managerial ability was (and still is) required by the Rule of Saint Benedict, which made Hildegard a very busy abbess, indeed. Not only was she to plan for and manage all the inner details of the convents—the religious and other duties of both the nuns and the lay people—but also to deal with the outer details— the vegetarian food supplies, the clothing, medical treatments, repairs to the premises—everything that made her convents selfsufficient. She had immense responsibilities and she shouldered them for almost half a century.

Grounded in this experience, Hildegard in her later years traveled extensively around Europe to teach both clergy and laity about developing and maintaining thriving spiritual communities.

For a woman even in the twenty-first century those masculine qualities would be formidable!

But, paradoxically, Hildegard always perceived herself as a “weak woman” who had been “forced” into those actions. Not surprisingly, she assessed all of them within the context of her religion. In her old age, she made her strenuous teaching tours and other efforts only, she said, to counter the influence of ungodly churchmen and any others—the gnostics and “heretics” (eg., the Cathars) of her day—who were endangering the Faith.

The Final Adventure Yet when put to the test, Hildegard was capable of holding out even against the Church.

Near the end of her life, she and her community were placed under a papal interdict because they had provided burial for a man decreed “excommunicated.” After actively preventing his exhumation, Hildegard and her nuns were not allowed Holy Communion and were commanded to chant their prayers in whispers. Although it was a terrible hardship, she refused to surrender.

It took a year before the ban was lifted.

Thus, as a masculine energy, Hildegard can be regarded as an amazing forerunner of empowered twenty-first century womanhood.

But Spirit had ensured that she was much more.

Hildegard...the Feminine Ancestor In the context of a holistic consciousness energy field, the powers of Hildegard’s inward-oriented feminine centers of consciousness (the sacral, heart and third eye chakras) were so great that she belongs with those other special people who have been described as the spiritual descendents of Wisdom (the Divine Mother)...the world’s prophets, visionaries and shamans. All of them, by whatever name, have been the knowers that Spirit has sent to us since (at least) the Ice Age.

What a remarkable “inward expressing” feminine energy Hildegard revealed as the feminine ancestor who carried the consciousness energies of ages past!

In the numerous accounts now available about her life, she has rightfully been referred to as a visionary. But her many admiring biographers have not accorded her the ancient (and pagan) depths that were truly hers. That is not surprising, since she did not perceive them herself.

Yet all of Hildegard’s creative accomplishments could be said to have had their roots in her feminine third eye’s pagan visioning gifts. Although there were people close to her—Jutta, her teacher; Volmer, her secretary of almost 50 years—who might have sensed this, the only one her biographers mention is her protector, Bernard of Clairvaux.

After hearing about her visioning gifts, he persuaded her to publish them. It took 10 years to produce her first book, Scivias: Know the Ways. He then persuaded his important fellow churchmen to read this remarkable book. They endorsed it and Hildegard’s fame spread across Europe, even into England. (Over the next 20 years she added two more deeply spiritual books...The Book of Life’s Merits and The Book of Divine Works...that clearly

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revealed her visioning gifts.)

But much earlier than this, she had become quite wellknown for the music she had composed for her religious community. In her day, the plainsong (she wrote 70 of them) and the opera (“The Way of the Virtues”) she produced were so far ahead of the norm that her singing nuns were often stretched almost past their vocal limits. Even today, the music can be challenging!

And she had other wonderful creative gifts. They included two more books Natural History or the Book of Simple Medicine and Causes and Cures, the only medical texts (they included gynecology) known to have been composed in the medieval period. She was a painter whose artistry included portraits and finely detailed engravings, and she was an ecologist long before anyone even thought of the word.

And how can we “explain” this work of the Spirit?

Genetically, Hildegard came from Celtic ancestry. Even in her day there were traces of the ancient traditions in her Rhineland birthing place, where the Celts had originated. It could be suggested that she carried her “visions” and orientation towards expressive artistry, such as the music, because she was the offspring of Celtic paganism.

There is also much to suggest that she was a Celtic shaman. Her descriptions of her Living Light and of the other light that would sometimes come into her have been experienced by many shamans, especially the Celts. They were blind and forced thereby to focus only on their inner light. It was a Light that had been with Hildegard likely from her birth, but which she first experienced when she was only three years old. She must have struggled against this gift, for she reported becoming immobilized by migraine headaches, but only after she had resisted connecting with her Living Light. Other unwilling shamans have reported the same problem throughout the centuries.

Hildegard was also shamanic in her relationship with her animal guides. Although many of her visions seemed to be outside of her, her guides could come into her and empower her.

Her shamanic “power animals,” whom she loved and trusted, all carried the energies she needed. It could be suggested that all of them were Spirit’s way of helping her.

Then, there were her visions. Although she interpreted their contents within the framework of Christian theology, they were filled with ancient pagan and shamanic symbolism.

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And she carried that pagan flavor into her religion. It was thoroughly marked and maintained by her veneration and devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary. That consciousness energy has ancient roots in Ma-Ri, the feminine face of God. She has been here with us in all our societies from the very beginning.

In other words, Hildegard was a twelfth century embodiment of our ancient feminine ancestor.

Summing-Up In the context of a sacred story and life plan, Hildegard was a woman for all seasons. That’s not a usual occurrence in the evolution of mankind. Spirit-in-Action brings the great ones forward, often centuries ahead of their times. When we look at them closely, we realize that the seemingly separate “threads” in the evolutionary “fabric” have been woven together quite well.

Thus, Hildegard has reappeared in this twenty-first century as an inspiration for modern spiritual seekers. She gives us a beautiful insight into the mind of the heart and the heart of the mind. (See my Transformation Magazine column from December 2016.)

That mind/heart “dance” has been off-balance right from the beginning because one of the “dancers” (the feminine) had fallen out of step. Now that we’re slowly becoming aware of the necessary partnership of our human masculine and feminine consciousness energies, we can go back to Hildegard and look into those lost androgynous energies. And we can perceive her as an important part of our spiritual evolution, our twenty-first century path of emerging compassionate rationality.

••••••••••••••

Berenice Andrews is a shamanic teacher/healer. For more details about the healing practices mentioned above, see her book Rebirthing Into Androgyny: Your Quest for Wholeness...And Afterward. See also her articles “Finding Your True Self: A (Sort of) Socratic Dialog,” September, 2014, and “Understanding the Human Energy Being,” June, July and August, 2015 in Transformation Magazine. If you are interested in reading more and/or becoming her student, see her web site: thestonecircleclassroom.com.