I swear, I did not know about Wayne Dyer's new book when I came up with this title for my Sunday Celebration, of Sunday, June 21st. But I am amused as to how often ideas, thoughts, themes find their way into the collective unconscious and how many individuals if they are listening will tune in at the same time.
BTW, in case you want to check my Center: http://www.cslnj.org/
Whenever I hear someone else and especially myself begin to explain why I did or did not accomplish something, a task, a phone call - anything - I have begun to recognize how incredibly impotent I am when I live life from excuse to excuse. So I have been looking at taking away the reasons and the excuses and replacing them with greater intention. When I set my very real and powerful intention in motion, I know that worlds open up to support me. Yes, I am giving up excuses and moving toward greater and greater integrity.
Not the moral type of integrity, simply the type that says that I will do, complete and follow through on my word. I am choosing to be my word. More and more, as much as possible. And what I know is this: when I am willing to take responsibility for my world, and stand in true authentic power than there is no where else in the world that I would rather stand.
Monday, June 15, 2009
What are the seeds of violence?
This blog offering is a response to my renewed/old friend Jerry DeMarco's article in the Examiner about a beat cop in Passaic.
The seeds of violence that produce the fruits of abuse, violence in the home, war and all manner of crime are not hard to find, to track and to understand. What is difficult is the processing of uprooting the violent seeds and replacing them with seeds of love, patience, peace and an abundance of compassion.
Just think about the conditions that must exist, that would allow ANY human being to hurt, harm and do damage to any other human. Think about what must exist and what must be missing. Some time back I hit a deer while going home one night, it got up and ran off but I am sure it was hurt. I was sick to my stomach knowing that I harmed this beautiful creature. Having said that, I cannot imagine raising a hand to purposefully harm another.
But we know that this level and frequency of violence exists and so it would behoove us to understand its roots so we can be on the lookout for it and rework the formula.
The evidence of violence exists where the seeds of self-love, self-acceptance and connection with all other humans have not been properly propagated. In the places in life where we move in communion with one another, in a rhythm and syncopation, we rarely do harm. But one of the main seeds of violence is the belief that we are separate from one another and out of that belief is the overall belief that "they are against me." Anywhere we are measuring anything by means of us and them, separation begins. Anywhere where we are consumed with the me, me, me, my, my, my and more, more, more, there in that mindset grows greed, separation and looking out for number one.
The seeds that need to be propagated are the seeds of: we are all ONE, there is no private good, when anyone succeeds - all succeed, no one is against me and so much more. Violence cannot exist in these places. Violence exists because of fear, pain and wounds. But if take time to heal those wounds, to relieve the pain and to release the fear, then suddenly and what might seem miraculously what appears is a sense of peace and a foundation of possibility.
I feel deeply for the victims of crime and violence but I also feel for the perpetrators because of what conditions exist inside of them that made room for this possibility. If you care and if you want to make a difference, healing begins with planting, watering and fertilizing the seeds of love, acceptance and compassion first with yourself, then at home, at work and in your community. WE WHO CARE MUST BE THE CHANGE, there is no one else.
The seeds of violence that produce the fruits of abuse, violence in the home, war and all manner of crime are not hard to find, to track and to understand. What is difficult is the processing of uprooting the violent seeds and replacing them with seeds of love, patience, peace and an abundance of compassion.
Just think about the conditions that must exist, that would allow ANY human being to hurt, harm and do damage to any other human. Think about what must exist and what must be missing. Some time back I hit a deer while going home one night, it got up and ran off but I am sure it was hurt. I was sick to my stomach knowing that I harmed this beautiful creature. Having said that, I cannot imagine raising a hand to purposefully harm another.
But we know that this level and frequency of violence exists and so it would behoove us to understand its roots so we can be on the lookout for it and rework the formula.
The evidence of violence exists where the seeds of self-love, self-acceptance and connection with all other humans have not been properly propagated. In the places in life where we move in communion with one another, in a rhythm and syncopation, we rarely do harm. But one of the main seeds of violence is the belief that we are separate from one another and out of that belief is the overall belief that "they are against me." Anywhere we are measuring anything by means of us and them, separation begins. Anywhere where we are consumed with the me, me, me, my, my, my and more, more, more, there in that mindset grows greed, separation and looking out for number one.
The seeds that need to be propagated are the seeds of: we are all ONE, there is no private good, when anyone succeeds - all succeed, no one is against me and so much more. Violence cannot exist in these places. Violence exists because of fear, pain and wounds. But if take time to heal those wounds, to relieve the pain and to release the fear, then suddenly and what might seem miraculously what appears is a sense of peace and a foundation of possibility.
I feel deeply for the victims of crime and violence but I also feel for the perpetrators because of what conditions exist inside of them that made room for this possibility. If you care and if you want to make a difference, healing begins with planting, watering and fertilizing the seeds of love, acceptance and compassion first with yourself, then at home, at work and in your community. WE WHO CARE MUST BE THE CHANGE, there is no one else.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Those Darn Emotions
I am all for "honoring" the emotions, I am, truly. But there is a subculture within this society that can seen more and more and it is eating away at the fiber of us humans showing up as powerful and available. This subculture is made up by individuals who are led by, distracted by and governed by their EMOTIONS. Oh yes, those lovely emotions that so often we confuse with intuition and that we think we can do nothing about.
Not being able to do something about them is simply not true. But first let's see if we can identify what they are so we know what we are talking about. (By the way, I am clear that my opinion is not new at all and has been taught by many teachers greater than myself, this is simply my take from my experience.) Our feelings are a measurement - yes truly that's what they are. They are a barometer for who we HAVE been. Your emotions are a signal for when you are tip toeing on past issues, pains, wounds and history. Clearly I am talking about feelings of grief, pain, anger, fear, jealousy etc. We focus on and separate out these emotions because when these emotions are present our energy is sabotaged, decreased and sets up a toxic inner landscape that leads to ill health, discord and dis-ease - physical, mental, and spiritual.
These (negative) emotions exist at a very low vibration so it is easy for them to exist in the world as we know it. It is when we want to lift ourselves up and increase the vibration that greater energy is required. At a higher vibratory rate, trash (error thinking) cannot stay connected and hang on. Low level emotions on the other hand are available to anyone who has not trained their minds to be strong.
Now, let's go back to my opening. Living life at the mercy of one’s emotions is like trying to sail a boat without a rudder. Impossible! Our feelings must be honored because we are human – beautifully human. Yeah, wonderful, hip, hip, hooray. (some Jersey sarcasm) It is part of what creates our sensitivity and magnificence. Through our sensitivity and depth of compassion, we move into our experience of the ONE. BUT, being driven by our emotions is comparative to putting a five year old behind the wheel of a Mack truck – not a good idea. Let’s acknowledge that we are Spirit having a human experience and work through the limitations of our humanness so we can embrace our stronger divine entity.
I suggest that we take all measures necessary to learn how to rise above their influence and hold on us.
How do we go about doing this, transforming this crippling experience into one of expansion and liberation?
We begin by noticing them and what prompted them – ask yourself this: Where is this feeling coming from; is it familiar, and does it empower or dis-empower me? Then it is our turn to be loving, patient and gentle as we look upon them. And we then do whatever is necessary. And what is the way, well you get to decide, there are thousands of “ways and paths” and not just one way.
One thing I do know is this: we can actually use our higher, lighter, vibrational feelings to redirect and lift the lower, heavier, slower vibrational feelings. Use whatever method you know or ask a friend or pick up one of thousands of books on the subject but don’t for a second underestimate the value of NOT LIVING AT THE MERCY OF YOUR EMOTIONS. We are so much more than that and when we create an elevated point of view then we can take a stand for the world and help to heal what is happening all around us simply by being healed and whole.
Not being able to do something about them is simply not true. But first let's see if we can identify what they are so we know what we are talking about. (By the way, I am clear that my opinion is not new at all and has been taught by many teachers greater than myself, this is simply my take from my experience.) Our feelings are a measurement - yes truly that's what they are. They are a barometer for who we HAVE been. Your emotions are a signal for when you are tip toeing on past issues, pains, wounds and history. Clearly I am talking about feelings of grief, pain, anger, fear, jealousy etc. We focus on and separate out these emotions because when these emotions are present our energy is sabotaged, decreased and sets up a toxic inner landscape that leads to ill health, discord and dis-ease - physical, mental, and spiritual.
These (negative) emotions exist at a very low vibration so it is easy for them to exist in the world as we know it. It is when we want to lift ourselves up and increase the vibration that greater energy is required. At a higher vibratory rate, trash (error thinking) cannot stay connected and hang on. Low level emotions on the other hand are available to anyone who has not trained their minds to be strong.
Now, let's go back to my opening. Living life at the mercy of one’s emotions is like trying to sail a boat without a rudder. Impossible! Our feelings must be honored because we are human – beautifully human. Yeah, wonderful, hip, hip, hooray. (some Jersey sarcasm) It is part of what creates our sensitivity and magnificence. Through our sensitivity and depth of compassion, we move into our experience of the ONE. BUT, being driven by our emotions is comparative to putting a five year old behind the wheel of a Mack truck – not a good idea. Let’s acknowledge that we are Spirit having a human experience and work through the limitations of our humanness so we can embrace our stronger divine entity.
I suggest that we take all measures necessary to learn how to rise above their influence and hold on us.
How do we go about doing this, transforming this crippling experience into one of expansion and liberation?
We begin by noticing them and what prompted them – ask yourself this: Where is this feeling coming from; is it familiar, and does it empower or dis-empower me? Then it is our turn to be loving, patient and gentle as we look upon them. And we then do whatever is necessary. And what is the way, well you get to decide, there are thousands of “ways and paths” and not just one way.
One thing I do know is this: we can actually use our higher, lighter, vibrational feelings to redirect and lift the lower, heavier, slower vibrational feelings. Use whatever method you know or ask a friend or pick up one of thousands of books on the subject but don’t for a second underestimate the value of NOT LIVING AT THE MERCY OF YOUR EMOTIONS. We are so much more than that and when we create an elevated point of view then we can take a stand for the world and help to heal what is happening all around us simply by being healed and whole.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The generator of Love
I am a lover. I love deeply, profoundly and completely. I forgive easy and accept what sometimes appears to be the unacceptable. This is who I choose to be. This is my calling card and hopefully what I am remembered for. I am, however, absolutely clear that although I generate my love from my beingness, the true source of it is not the small me, it is the I AM OF ME. That I am is the I am of Spirit, the universal I am. I know this because I know that no one person could possibly contain the same amount of love that one can be available for.
Being available for love to move through you is not the same as containing it. Being a container of love is not the same as containing all of it. When you are truly willing to BE love itself, it is with the awareness that something huge is happening in you and THROUGH you. I am grateful to have this awareness because then I will never allow myself to be fooled regarding the source of this good.
But here in lies the problem.
When individuals come into my company and experience the love that is present very often they think that it is "me". If they have not moved into the awareness of its true source, then they will be distracted by the human form from which the love is physically emanating and do not realize that it couldn't possibly be contained in that human form.
I love when the love that I exude is noticed and appreciated but this must be known, IT IS NOT ME except by means of my willingness. On the same note, if I notice It in another, it is not their love that I am feeling. What is happening is that we are in RESONANCE.
When you are in the company of someone with whom you feel this amount of love, it is imperative that you know that YOU ARE THE REASON YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IT. Love responds to love and if you are not aware of the imprint of love within you than you could possibly think that it is outside and separate and IT IS NOT. When you see beauty in the world, it is because beauty resides in you. When you see compassion and human connection, it is because your caring exists in you and you are simply seeing the confirmation in the world. We live in a time when individuals are stepping away from their old religious experience, more and more primarily because their inner beauty, joy, power, love and so much more is not supported. Spiritual and religious leaders are busy taking credit or at the very least not redirecting one's attention to its true source.
How about this idea for a "new religion", a "new spirituality"? The knowledge that the true source of all good and all love is always available to each of us in complete form and we do not have to do anything to deserve it. Now that is a religion that I can live with. Only when we recognize the beauty, power and love of all other beings equal to our own, only then we will be truly free.
Being available for love to move through you is not the same as containing it. Being a container of love is not the same as containing all of it. When you are truly willing to BE love itself, it is with the awareness that something huge is happening in you and THROUGH you. I am grateful to have this awareness because then I will never allow myself to be fooled regarding the source of this good.
But here in lies the problem.
When individuals come into my company and experience the love that is present very often they think that it is "me". If they have not moved into the awareness of its true source, then they will be distracted by the human form from which the love is physically emanating and do not realize that it couldn't possibly be contained in that human form.
I love when the love that I exude is noticed and appreciated but this must be known, IT IS NOT ME except by means of my willingness. On the same note, if I notice It in another, it is not their love that I am feeling. What is happening is that we are in RESONANCE.
When you are in the company of someone with whom you feel this amount of love, it is imperative that you know that YOU ARE THE REASON YOU ARE EXPERIENCING IT. Love responds to love and if you are not aware of the imprint of love within you than you could possibly think that it is outside and separate and IT IS NOT. When you see beauty in the world, it is because beauty resides in you. When you see compassion and human connection, it is because your caring exists in you and you are simply seeing the confirmation in the world. We live in a time when individuals are stepping away from their old religious experience, more and more primarily because their inner beauty, joy, power, love and so much more is not supported. Spiritual and religious leaders are busy taking credit or at the very least not redirecting one's attention to its true source.
How about this idea for a "new religion", a "new spirituality"? The knowledge that the true source of all good and all love is always available to each of us in complete form and we do not have to do anything to deserve it. Now that is a religion that I can live with. Only when we recognize the beauty, power and love of all other beings equal to our own, only then we will be truly free.
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