Thursday, July 25, 2019

What I Did On My Summer Vacation - Part One

I recently returned from my Summer vacation. The word, vacation, is a late 14c. word meaning freedom from obligations, leisure, release (from some activity or occupation). From the Old French - vacacion - it translates to a vacancy, vacant position. As most words, it comes directly from the Latin word, vacationem or vacatio, which means freedom, exemption, a being free from duty, immunity earned by service, and the word, vacare, which is to be empty, free, to leave, or abandon.

We spent several days at the top end of our vacatio at the Syncronicity Foundation, the meditation center started by Master Charles Cannon, a Vedic master, in the student lineage of Muktananda, who last January stepped into his next journey, away from the Earth. While I was there on this most luscious property which exudes love, surrounded by clean air, humidity, roaming deer, foxes and lightning bugs, as well as the very gracious residents who take care of the property and business of the Foundation, I began to think about the word synchronicity and its meaning. I discovered that the word and concept was put in the vernacular by psychologist/philosopher, Carl Jung.

Sometimes, we see things and say, "wow, look at the synchronicity of this...I'm here at this moment, at this time and wow, that's so cool." The term, synchronicity, describes events occurring with no casual relationship, yet seemed to be meaningfully related; coincidences.  Jung wrote about it in a book in 1951. The term comes from the German, Synchronizität.  We've all had that feeling. I noticed it in the planning of my recent trip. We happened to mention to a friend of our desire to find a place in the Shenandoah Mountains to relax, hike and meditate. We wanted to make sure that at least half of our trip had some of that, because in a few days we were going to a family thing and you all know how family things can be; wild and chaotic, there's gonna be a lot of people and the opportunity for spirituality will be a little hampered. That friend happened to know about a place.  So you could call that synchronicity, that we happened to mention it to somebody who happened to have been at such a place in the area we were going called The Syncronicity Foundation. Syncronicity? Happenstance?

I believe synchronicity is one of those concepts, like time, that is man-made so humankind can understand the movement of the universe. It's called 'time' and has mathematically defined parameters that we accept to explain the movement of matter in space, a measurement of change. I think of synchronicity in a similar way; a term that we that we have created to understand and identify what the Universe is doing when It's doing Its thing in the action of manifesting our desires by putting everything in line and in place, and putting the people and situations required in line and in place. It puts everything in the right order, so, though it seems to be this word synchronicity going on, it is just the inevitable consequence of our beliefs. You know, in a lot of ways, a miracle is another word that mankind has created to explain something they don't understand. And I know religion has made that word, miracle, into something that God puts together to make something happen that humankind doesn't think could happen, but you know, inevitably, it is our belief that we're going to get healed or our thoughts are gonna change, etc. that makes these things occur, not a favor from Spirit. In time, our beliefs change and then, though it may seem like a miracle, it may seem like synchronicity, but it's not really. We can use those words because it comforts us and gives us a definition, a placement of these events. But, it's just the inevitable consequence of the Universe doing Its thing to bring into our lives that which we have declared and decreed should show up in our lives. So synchronicity is the power of you and the power of me. It's another word for the Law of Cause and Effect at work, it's another word for God, it's another word for Divine Intelligence or the Presence or Spirit doing Its thing....or you can call it synchronicity. In fact, there's a new word for God...synchronicity. If that word touches your heart and soul, means something to you, then call It synchronicity from now on. That is that power that is within each and every one of us. 

I will continue in a few days with more of our adventures in Virginia.



Monday, July 8, 2019

Are You Free Yet?

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought, which they seldom use.     ~ Soren Kierkegaard
We have love affairs...some are romantic - others are with our home, a job, a hobby, etc. But we sometimes have others with things like despair, loneliness, dis-eases of various types of the mind, body or spirit. They are habits...some learned, acquired, accepted, and, too many, destructively held onto. Sometimes we don't realize they are there. We get used to them or have lost the ability to spot them. I've had relationships like that, jobs like that, eating habits like that, and even apartments like that. I have found the causes end up to be some combination of a lazy spiritual practice or a fear of success, being shackled by shame, boxed in by blame, gated in guilt, rotting in resentment or some kind of apathy because its “too late” or "I'm not smart enough" or something else enough or too much. Sound familiar?

If we take heed to Thomas Troward's decree that we are here to be happy, it's also irresponsible. But it's your right...you were born free to choose.

Being a citizen of the U.S., we are given many freedoms. Freedom of speech, unrestricted movement, religious beliefs, and others. Being an individualization of that Creative Power of the Universe, it is our birthright to have the exact experiences we desire. But, too many times, we waste the infinite possibilities the Universe has given us with these habits of hassles & unhappiness. But it's your right …. have at it!

I don't think that's what any of us really want, these hassles and unhappiness. Yes? 

I think we desire to move past the negative past. Yes? 

I think it is time to divorce, dissolve, resign from, split away, terminate, separate, vacate, abdicate, and just darn quit having hassles in our lives. Can I hear an “aye” to that?

Hell, let's Amen to that!
The freedom we seek is to use our own mind and body, to live our own life, instead of the life of the belief system. When we discover that the mind is controlled by the Judge and the Victim and the real "us" is in the corner, we have just two choices. One choice is to keep living the way we are, to surrender to the Judge and the Victim.
The second choice is to do what we do as children when parents try to domesticate us. We can rebel and say "No!" We can declare a war against the parasite, a war against the Judge and the Victim, a war for our independence, a war for the right to use our own mind and or own brain.   Don Miguel Ruiz, THE FOUR AGREEMENTS
Nobody likes to hear that the junk occurring in their lives is brought on by the same Power that brought the wonderfulness in their lives: their thoughts and feelings ... their beliefs. But it's true. The great thing about that is that we get to choose what we want in out experience ... Prizes or Plunders? 
I'll give you a moment to decide.
There is one mind common to all individual(s)... Every(one)... is an inlet to the same and to all of the same ...once admitted to the right of reason...(you) are made a freeman of the whole estate. What Plato has thought, he may think; what a saint has felt, he may feel; what at any time has be-fallen any (person), (they) can understand. Who hath access to this universal mind (each and every one of us) is a party to all that is or can be done, for this is the only and sovereign agent.                                                     Ralph Waldo Emerson, from his essay, HISTORY
That's you. The only and sovereign agent of your life. Each and every one of us...you, you, you, me...
are responsible to declare our independence from lack, strife, any ideas that do not fulfill our mission to vibrate at the speed of the Divine. And with this independence, we shall infuse energy, vibrancy, love, and peace into ourselves, our Center, our city, our state, country, and the world.

In TOMMY, Peter Townsend wrote:



I'M FREE- I'm free,
And freedom tastes of reality,
I'm free-I'm free,
And I'm waiting for you to follow me.


That is what we are going to do today, declare our freedom to ring in Truth. Declare our freedom to be in joy. Decree that we have the freedom to expect goodness, prosperity, vitality and vibrancy, love and respect, creativity and happiness.

And so here now is our New Thought Declaration of Independence:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one person to dissolve the bands and bonds of struggle, strife, lack, and faithlessness, which has connected them with a life that does not serve their greatest good, and to assume among the Power of the Universe, the separate station of Prosperity to which the Laws of Nature entitle them, a decent respect to the opinion of one who speaks in Truth requires that 
they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. 

I hold this Truth to be self-evident, that I am created equal, that I am endowed by my Creator, that which is within me, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and Happiness. That to secure these rights in my life, beliefs are instituted by me, deriving their just powers from the consent of my Mind and the Law of Cause and Effect. That whenever any Form of My Beliefs become destructive of these ends, it is the Right of Me to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new thoughts, new feelings, new perspectives, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing Its powers in such form, 
as to them shall seem most likely to effect my Safety and Happiness. 

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Beliefs, long established, should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience has shown, that many times I am more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right myself by abolishing the beliefs to which I am accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce Me under absolute or partial lack, it is my right, it is my duty, to throw off such Beliefs, and to provide new thoughts and feelings, new perspectives and beliefs, for my future security and happiness. 

Such has been my patient sufferance; and such is now the necessity which constrains me to alter my thinking and my Beliefs. 

Part of the history of my present beliefs is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over my happiness. 

And so I now declare, with full knowledge and embodying of the One Power within, that One indestructible, absolute and self-existent Cause. With that Spirit expressing through me, which is the Unity of all life, I claim and swear to use my creative thoughts to think from that eternal goodness, that eternal loving kindness, and that eternal givingness of Divine Intelligence. To act, be, and surround myself with love, abundance, vitality and vibrancy. To think, reason, and live without the bondage of any negativity from my past, without the consciousness of “no” or the shoulda/woulda/coulda of “not yet”, without the fear of a future I get to create, without water cooler gossip or the news and opinions of CNN, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, NPR, or any government or religion that may be running around in my mind like a rat in a cage, like squirrels in a whirling dervish, like chattering monkeys – 
invading my consciousness. 

I, therefore, do, in the Name, and by Authority of my birthright as an individualization of the Source and Substance of All, solemnly publish and declare, that I Am that I AM, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent of destructive thoughts and beliefs; and that I Am that I AM, is absolved from all allegiance to negativity, and that all connection between me and the State of Lack and Limitation, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as a Free and Independent personalization of God, I engage my full Power to levy Peace, Prosperity, and Love in my life from this day, forward. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection and Power of the Divine Intelligence within, I pledge to my Life and sacred Honor. 


Let us sign our signatures in the air; thus committing to this Declaration of Freedom, for yourself and the betterment of our world. And as you do, say these words: "I declare my independence from that which no longer serves my greatest good."



GOD BLESS YOU AND 

GOD BLESS YOUR FREEDOM! 






Affirmation Today I choose abundant life. I choose the freedom to express my perfection. Today I choose to feel life, embracing it fully!

Today I choose to love everybody, knowing there is always more good than bad in everyone.

Today is the day I choose to live my Declaration of Independence, knowing my Word, my vow, my declaration is powerful, palpable and shining brightly in my life right now!

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Perfect Whole and Complete

June was Effective Communications Month in the business and human resources world. When I read that it made me wonder if we are effectively communicating who and what we are to ourselves, the world, and the Law; and are we doing that daily?

The New Thought Movement tends, in the last few years, to not use the phrase, "perfect whole and complete," as much anymore. It had become, shall we say, overused, and lost some of its mojo, though it Truth wasn't in question. I know Louise Hay used the phrase a lot in her books and lectures, so maybe that how it seemed to lose its power from it being more of an 80's terminology. So too, as we entered the idea and teaching of practical spirituality, which can, at times, lose the heart of the spiritual experience as we work on Self Help and Personal Development. The perspective of who we are, where we come from, why we are here...got lost.

"Perfect, whole and complete," who might ask? "How can you even think that I am perfect? I'm socially inept. Whole? My knee hurts like a mofo and my hips, don't even ask. And complete? My job sucks, I don't have a loving relationship; I am having a good hair day but, come-on, perfect, whole and complete?"

As we put the pieces of our life experience puzzle together or, at times, back together, what are we communicating to ourselves? What is our perspective, our self-talk?





One of my mentors was Dr. David Walker. He wrote a book titled, You Are Enough (Always Have Been … Always Will Be). I was looking at it last week and noticed a note I had written in the margins about that section being about beginner's mind:
The thing in us that can make our life look the way we want, is more important than the changes we are able to make. If we don't make what we are more important than what we do, we will live a lifetime of self-inflicted pressure to perform.



L
ater, Dr. Walker reminds us that we are not our bodies, jobs, car, reviews, social media profiles, accomplishments, experience or education. It reminded me of that saying:
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
I believe it is time to re-discover the sacred in us. As Walker said in his book, it is something that "can't be taken away, only be made more aware of."

In order to shift consciousness, we must shift perception. Perception is the underbelly of all feelings. Perception is the foundation of all thoughts. Perception is the undercoating of all beliefs. Perception will serve you more than a degree, a snazzy car, an attractive mate, a big house, awards or social status. It is the engine that moves you up the hill, when you face one. It is the spring that lifts you over a wall, when you bump into one. It's the stroke that navigates you through the rapids, when you are whirling in them. The words, “perfect, whole and complete” may not seem powerful to you, but the concept/idea very much is!

It is often asked what are you willing to die for. What I want to know is what are you willing to live for? Life means what you say it means. Marianne Williamson is oft-quoted to have said:


Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.


And we are powerful beyond measure. There are stories after stories of people who changed their perspective on life, changed their thinking, feelings and beliefs and prospered. These people busted through, soared and zoomed into success.

You see, the perfect, whole and completeness of you can never be taken away. Are you dead broke....you are still perfect, whole and complete. Are you alone...still, perfect, whole and complete
Are you physically sick or have an addiction...yep, still perfect, whole and complete. Those are experiences, some not too fun, but they don't change who you are.

Change your name....still you. Born to unmarried parents...still you. Missing a limb....still you. Perfect, whole and complete is not a condition...it is the Truth. The degree of which you belief that, is how well it works in your life. This perspective doesn't remove mistakes, it removes the power those mistakes have over you. This perspective doesn't stop negative experiences, but it makes transitions easier, putting the best people and situations in play and in line to assist you.

I realize that shame, blame and guilt can be great motivators. But remember, it is a pathway that is fraught with greater pain and will slow down and taint the result.

We want to be cognizant of what ideas we are communicating to the Universe. Communication is the lifeblood of any organization and that includes the organization of YOU. Communication influences culture and bottom-line results of a company and the company of YOU.

An article by Kristin Wells on zinc.it, a deskless workforce team collaboration/communication company, lists five reasons why we should get fired up about improving business communication. This applies to our communication with the Universe, as well.

1. Strengthens Relationships

Effective communication between employees is essential for building and maintaining strong relationships and drive better performance.

The National Transportation Safety Board found that 73% of incidents occurred on a crew’s first day of flying together before they had the chance to get acquainted and learn how best to work together.

A NASA study found that fatigued crews who had a history of working together made about half as many errors as crews that were made up of rested pilots who had not flown together before.

So too, with our spiritual practice. The more we work it, the better we work it. The more we do it, the more it is done with clarity, specificity, imagination and heart. Our communication with the Divine in us is revealed stronger and more often when we intentionally connect.

2. Boosts Employee Engagement
When companies or you set out to improve employee or your engagement numbers, the biggest impact they can make is by evaluating their communication strategy.

Let me ask you:
a) Do you give clear instructions on what is expected of the employee or the Law?
b) Do you get quiet and listen for the constructive feedback from management or the Divine?
c) Are you clear and aligned on the company's or your goals and vision?
d) Do you know how you contribute to company success and do you take a moment to be grateful for every step in your progress, no matter the size?

Could you give a ‘yes’ to all of them? If not, it’s time to take a closer look at how often and how effectively you communicate with the Universe, both with intentional and unintentional messages.

3. Builds Trust
Trust is a foundational building block of relationships, within and without. Without effective communication skills, it can be quite difficult to build trust in your word, your power and your connection to the Divine.

But let me be clear, Spirit does not have a trust problem, it is you who might have a trust problem. The Source and Substance of our Supply always understands us as perfect, whole and complete and presumes that our communication with It is clear, concise, transparent and on the mark. We may not trust ourselves without daily spiritual practice. Continual development of communication skills and, in our case, spiritual practice, is the key. When you up your game in spiritual practice, you learn to trust and be more confident and expert at your prayer work and meditation work. Your leadership skills show up in the power and clarity of your word. And you'll find you're more invested in the company called YOU succeeding and prospering

4. Facilitates Innovation
Feeling comfortable, openly sharing ideas, working through options and challenging yourself, just like you would at work with co-workers, is essential with innovating your self-talk and spiritual practice. If you don't like what your saying in prayer or in self-talk....STOP and start over....”negate, negate, negate.” The Universe doesn't care if you start over.

5. Drives Productivity
Research by Watson Wyatt Management Consulting found these two interesting statistics:

a) Companies who communicate effectively had a 47% higher return to shareholders over five-year period. What would you do with 47% more wealth, time, love, vitality, creativity?
b) Leaders can inspire employees to do great work through communication that validates all the effort employees put in and so can you for you, with the use of gratitude. Gratitude is a knowing that you have received. The more you accept and expect that result, the easier, smoother and quicker it shows up. This also has to do about being grateful and attentive to the steps, no matter the size, of reaching your goals and desires.


Understand that you are perfect because you come from a perfect Source.

Understand you are whole because you come from holiest Source.

Understand you are complete because the Universe is never half-ass.

Now, this is not an invitation to put on rose-colored glasses or blinders. This perception of perfect, whole and complete is the foundation of your strength to move forward at anytime, in any situation, for anything or idea in your life.


You are enough right now!

Your are enough to learn more and create more!

You are enough to be more healthy, love more and prosper more!

The Science of Mind tells us:
Man, by thinking, can bring into his experience whatsoever he desires - if he thinks correctly, and becomes a living embodiment of his desires.
Of course, this means all person-kind. Start with communicating to yourself and the Universe that you are perfect, whole and complete right now. Know that you are the perfect, whole and complete you with the power and choice to be the best you right now, no matter the circumstances!



Affirmation 
I rediscover that the heroine/hero of my story is me, choosing Love and Light, Wisdom and Beauty to ring clear and loud, as I sing joyous praise of the Divine in Me... Hallelujah!

I rediscover the Power in my prayer, self-talk, and acts of revealing and declaring, bringing only those thoughts which equal my greatest good.

I rediscover the fiery passions of my creativity, knowing they are revealed with amazing grace.

And I rediscover my conscious connection to the loving Spirit in me. Always present and always saying 'yes."