Small Steps to Big Change


Small Steps to Big Change
Making Big Change Easier
by Madisyn Taylor

source: the daily om

When making big change in our life, it can be easier to break it up into a few small changes to avoid overwhelm.

When we decide that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small. Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, whereas sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on, and we are more likely to revert to our old ways. Even if we have gone that route and find ourselves contemplating the choice to start over again, we can decide to take it slowly this time, and move forward.

Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction. But it is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it doesn’t actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped. By embarking on the path slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow. We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not. Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.

Life doesn’t always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us. By choosing one thing to work on at a time, we focus our attention on something manageable, and eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit. Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe’s wisdom. Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe.

afternoon delight


we share an ice cream
and held hands.
i love how my heart scream
songs of love only my soul could understand.

i whisper from my eye
you smile with your heart
i could never deny
how love can be a work of art.

like the milk shake
i melt like a chocolate
when i am with you
everyday…. there’s always something new.

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everything.


when we had nothing,

we had everything….

whe we had everyting…
it felt like we had nothing…
if not with each other…

we are worth the love we have.
it is everything…l
love.

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you.


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at the end of the day
we can always choose what to say
but to have been alone
in a world that you have known…
may we alsways learn to fight
to what we believe feels right
to ourselves, to our life.
and be strong enough to stand
everyone’s scrutiny with strife
for they would never understand…

at the end of the day.
when left alone with nothing to say
…we smile… we find peace
all alone, but with a heart thats true
at the end of the day….
ALL YOU GOT IS YOU.

——
i feel that to be truthful to who we are, to our own hearts…. to face our own feelings, we are strong enough to deal with the pain and would learn to silence our inner phantoms…. to let others control us…or how we run our lives, would only lead us to be as unhappy as they are…

life is meant to be fun… to be joyful… to be magic… and for us to have all our hearts’ desires,…. all we have to do is believe in our ownselves… :-)

love. the greatest driving force

love can move mountains

In my secret haven…

I hid behind the shadows of yesterday

Myself… I have never given

The choice to let my heart lead the way. Continue reading 

simplempleasures.,


its life’s simple pleasures
that gives us enough joy
beyond measures
to last a lifetime….

a walk on the beach,
a touch in the face,
a hand we could reach
a love that cant be erased.

the earth on our feet
a smile each time we meet
the glory of the morning sun
before the break of dawn

the sunsetas she kiss
the widest of the seas
it is indeed life’s simple pleasures
that warms our hearts..
and give us joy beyond measures.

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you take me up.


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you tak me to places i’ve never been
you make me feel like a movie queen
from a movie in a silver screen
that i feel, breathe and live in.

you let me fly
high up in the sky
with just one look in the eye
in a moment of ecstacy, i could die.

and to straight to heaven
with a smile that i am wearing
as i slip into the clouds…
my heart is beting so loud
you dont know how you make me feel
i never thougt these feelings could ever be real…

homecoming.


home is where the heart is…
i always used to think that where ever or whoever we love, we find our “home” there… our sense of belongingness.. but now i reslize that it has a different meaning.
we find our home, if we open our hearts to the truth of who we are. we are at home if we share love and not expect anything in return. we find contentment upon our hearts and acknowledge its desires. we never really get lost… our minds may wander through the entire time we feel disconnected…l but it is only essential that we feel lost to finally find our way back home. home is anywhere we want it to be. it is anywhere we wish to be… it is with anyone we want to share it with. family matters, but a heart who yearns ro be home will be home even if unsupported by those who we always thought to be supportive. but as the veil gets thinner and thinner, we begin to see that sometimes, those people who we have known althroughout our lives … make us feel less at home than before. and sometimes, we wonder too, how a stranger feels more comfortable than facing our own flesh and blood.

our hearts are filled with wonders that is more than enough to find our way back home… it isnot an easy bargain, but if we learn to let things go…. get past the control we try to leash…. the end results will be worth the price we pay…
home truly is where the heart is… because right there, is the door and we alone hold the key to open it and cross the line to love… where will eventually lead us closer to homecoming.

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Staying in Pain


August 20, 2012
Staying in Pain
Stuck in the Mud
by Madisyn Taylor

source
http://www.dailyom.com/


Pain can serve as one of life’s great teachers, but it is important to move through it and not become stuck in our pain.

Pain comes and it goes. It is just one component to the grand cycle of life. And when experienced as such, pain can serve as an important teacher. It is when we get stuck in our pain that it becomes detrimental to our well-being and development. If you notice that you feel closed-off, resentful, heavy-hearted, or that you try very hard to avoid being hurt again, there may be a part of you that is still stuck in pain.

We can get stuck in our pain for many reasons. As children, it was natural for us to cry, throw a tantrum, and let the experience move through us. By fully feeling our pain in this way, our emotions would wash us clean, leaving us open and available to new experiences. With age, though, we might have determined that expressing emotion was no longer appropriate, and so we developed a variety of coping strategies to deal with our discomfort. We may have learned to stuff our feelings down or to run away from them. Perhaps we began thinking that staying closed and unwilling to try new things would keep us safe from heartbreak, safe from rejection, and safe from failure. We may have even gotten so used to being in pain that the thought of being withoutty it scares us. But, if we continue to hold onto it longer than necessary, we are expending a lot of energy that could instead be channeled into making our life experiences more positive.

If you notice that you are continually connecting with the same familiar patterns of pain, consider embracing your feelings and letting go of your hurt. Whether your pain is from childhood or from an experience last week, see if you can give it room to move. When it does, you will reconnect with a wonderful source of your own vital energy.

Knowing Our Heart’s Desire


August 16, 2012
Knowing Our Heart’s Desire

source: dailyo.com
Feeling Jealous
by Madisyn Taylor


Jealousy is a common human feeling and usually stems from a place of lack in our own lives.

Jealousy is one of the toughest feelings we come up against in our lives. There is not much worse than this aching sense that somehow life has been unfair to us, while amply rewarding someone else. It’s even worse if that someone else is present in our daily lives, making it difficult for us to get the space we need to feel and heal our pain. We may be jealous of a sibling, a dear friend, or even famous personalities. We may even face the challenge of feeling jealous of our spouse, our child, or one of our parents. Whatever the case, we can normalize our experience by understanding that, as painful as it is, jealousy is a common human feeling.

Nevertheless, it is important that we not revel in our jealousy for too long, feeding it with inner talk or gossip with others. If we do, we run the risk of losing ourselves to its negative power. Jealousy has something good to offer us, though, and that is information about our own heart’s desire. When we are jealous of certain people, we want what they have, and if we are to be conscious, we must acknowledge that. In this way, we discover what we want for ourselves, which is the first step to getting it. It may be a certain kind of relationship or a career. Whatever it is, it is possible that we could create it for ourselves, in our own lives, if we are able to honor our own desires.

Of course, there are times when we cannot heal our jealousy in this way, and then the lesson may be about acceptance and the understanding that our path is different from the paths of those around us. It may be hard to see now, but perhaps it will eventually be clear why our life has taken its particular path. In the end, the best cure for jealousy is the recognition that the life we have is full of its own meaning and beauty, utterly unique to us—a gift that could never be found in the life of another.

BELIEVE IN YOUR OWN SUCCESS


BELIEVE IN YOUR OWN SUCCESS
source: HigherAwareness

“What you believe yourself to be, you are.”
– Claude M. Bristol

Do you believe, deep down inside of you, that you can succeed in what you want to do?

Beliefs are strong, and they have the power to attract what is believed to us. If we doubt our ability to succeed, if we in fact believe we WON’T succeed, then sure enough, that’s what will happen.

What do you believe about yourself? You have the power to change your beliefs, and that will change your outcome. Set goals you believe you can accomplish. Your beliefs will shape your actions. As you achieve these goals, you’ll begin to believe you are capable of succeeding and of doing even more.

“It is better to believe than to disbelieve; in so doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility.”
– Albert Einstein

“Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.”
– Dr. David Schwartz

Our process is clear. First ‘know yourself’ – your personality and direction in life. Then ‘create a plan’. Next ‘heal yourself and what holds you back. Then you can expand and ‘grow yourself’. Are you ready to commit to changing your life for the better?

Creating Your Life And The New World


Creating Your Life And The New World

source: http://reallifespirituality.com/new-world/

May 28, 2009 by

new-world-creation

“The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides and gravitation, we shall harness for God the energy of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

This is the last installment of the Creating The New World series. Ascension presents us the unprecedented opportunity for change, and we’ve been discussing how we can create the New World based on the following five energy flows:

Love
Light
Truth
Abundance
Power

The purpose of life

While each post has some suggestions to help you better align with each of the energy flow, which will improve your personal life, the scope of the series is beyond the conventional personal development. Some of you may have thought, “Well, this all sounds nice, I wish there will be a day when this New World manifests, but I’m just an ordinary person and there is nothing I can do to help this dream come true.”

I respectfully disagree. We are born with the power to create. Creation is the purpose of life: we incarnated in this physical world to have fun creating our lives, to experience our own creation and learn through the experiences, then we create even better things, so we experience the love and abundance in a tangible way. Life is about creation.

Each of us has this power to create, and together we create the world. When you bring a positive change to your life, you are changing the world. The point is to create consciously.

The process of creation

Creation starts in the invisible energy field, the spiritual world, and manifests in the physical world. And in tern, by creating in the physical world, we transcend to the spiritual world. The physical and the spiritual are not opposed to each other. They are the two sides, or levels, of the one Universe.

This is the essence of the Law of Attraction. We create as we think, feel, and believe. The Law of Attraction is there so we can learn from our own creation. (If things happen randomly, we can’t learn, right?) Whether you are aware of your creative power or not, you are creating anyway.

What I’ve strived to achieve in this series is to present the big picture of the New World, the vision of our destination of our current creative journey. I don’t know the exact each step to get to this destination — that probably depends on each of your case, and I also think someone who is more detail-oriented and technical in thinking can do a better job in determining the steps than I can. But what are we to do when we know how to walk but don’t know the direction to our destination? My job is to present this sense of direction.

It’s you, however, who creates your life, and thus contribute to the New World from your end. I hope I have inspired you to the point you embrace your creative power.

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

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson

The New World in a nutshell

The New World is based on individuals as empowered and awakened free agent. Each of us will live as the person we truly are — in other words, we all “come out” for the authentic and unique person we are. No need to bend our truth to conform to the social norms because there will be no social norms. Our inner sense of honesty and integrity will develop to the point that social rules will be unnecessary.

The New World is filled with love. Again it’s the kind of love that celebrates the unique quality each of us present, not the love based on manipulation.

So the New World celebrates diversity. I don’t just mean the diversity of races, ethnicities, and such. I mean diversity in ways of life and ideas. For instance, all forms of love, whether it is heterosexual or homosexual, monogamy or polyamory, across the races and ethnicities . . . they are all good.

The New World is both simple and abundant. We will live simply because we know we are spiritual beings enjoying the stay in this physical world, so we don’t need to decorate ourselves excessively. It is also abundant in the same way Nature is abundant, because we fully utilize our creative power.

There will be many fundamental changes in the way we live in the New World. Breakthroughs will change the way we sustain our physical bodies, and there will be few, or no, health issues. Some (or many) of us will be living as lightbodies.

The concept of work and money will change, too. Most of us will be working for ourselves, doing what we love and are good at. Work is a way of self-expression, a way of creation. Eventually, work will be purely about self-expression, not a way to earn money, so we will just give and receive the products and services, not trading them for money. The New World will be that abundant, to the point we don’t need to keep track of numbers.

The One Energy

On the deeper level, the five energies are one. Love and Light are the same — Love is Light, and Light is Love. When Eckhart Tolle wrote in the introduction of The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment that the morning sunlight through the drapery, after his night of revelation, was pure love, he literally means it.

And when there is nothing but loving light, there is nothing that is not Truth. This light of love is also power, and is abundance. It’s all . . . life energy.

But then, on the practical level, it helps us to check our alignment with each energy flow of Love, Light, Truth, Abundance, and Power.

We as God the Creator

As I wrote in the part on Light, we, each one of us, are ultimately God. We have the same creative power God has.

It is only an illusion that we need to compete, control, manipulate, etc to get good things in life. When we use the energy negative like this, we create imbalance, and sooner or later, we will have to pay. Creating with love is a lot easier and fulfilling.

Thank you for reading this post and the Creating The New World series. Now it’s your turn. What do you think about my vision of the New World? Do you want to add or change something? Do you have any questions about the energy flows of Love, Light, Truth, Abundance, and Power?   (Photo by carf)

“Are you just going to admire the jug
or are you actually going to drink the water?”
– Rumi

I Am who i am.


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to not care what other people say….

we learn to live by our own rules….

and break the society’s.
even if people call you names,

the monent that we know ourselves,

is the very moment

that we give our hearts and soul

the power to live a joyful and glorious life.

—-not to mention the filled with L-O-V-E.

value.


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we don’t know what we’ve lost,
until we’ve lost it.

isn’t it sad when the day comes that you realize it is too late for you to take back everything you’ve taken for granted when they were there? we often fail to value what we have when we hAve it.. or them. the same with time… we waste it and in the end… waste it even more trying to recapture what is lost. when from the start, we could’ve prevented it from happening and try to take heed of the time and moments lost with them. life is too precious to waste it away. maybe if we only open our hearts, And not get too caught up in making our choices, then we would learn to keep all that is meant for us to all along….
but then, everything in life is a lesson. we always learn from past mistakes. and valuing our own hearts first is the key to keep all the thigs and the people in our lives forever. for if we lose something or someone we love, we lose a part of ourselves too.

ONE STEP AT A TIME


source:

http://www.higherawareness.com/

ONE STEP AT A TIME

“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.”
– Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Does the prospect of changing and growing seem monumental to you? Just too much to tackle?

Then consider this approach. Take a simple step of affirming your openness to experience more or something new. Or a different first step might be to let go of judgment by embracing the neutral. Begin to see the people, activities and things around you as neither good nor bad.

A journey is made of many small steps. Don’t focus on a far-off destination if you’re not clear how to get there. Build a foundation that is solid for you. We get to new places one step at a time.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

“One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.”
– John Wanamaker

10 Things to Do Even if They Judge You


 

10 Things to Do Even if They Judge You

 

10 Things To Do Even If They Judge You

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

Truth be told, no one has the right to judge you.  People may have heard your stories, but they can’t feel what you are going through; they aren’t living YOUR life.  So forget what they say about you.  Focus on how you feel about yourself, and do what you know in your heart is right.

Here are ten things to do even if others judge you for it:

  1. Take care of yourself. – Your relationship with yourself is the closest and most important relationship you will ever have.  If you don’t take good care of yourself, then you can’t take good care of others either; which is why taking care of yourself is the best selfish thing you can do.  Read The Mastery of Love.
  2. Do what you know is right, for YOU. – Don’t be scared to walk alone, and don’t be scared to like it.  Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best you can be.  Keep doing what you know in your heart is right, for you.  Because when you are totally at peace within yourself, nothing can shake you.
  3. Follow your own unique path. – Every new day is a chance to change your life.  Work on making life all that you want it to be.  Work hard for what you believe, and keep your dreams big and your worries small.  You never need to carry more than you can hold; just take it one day at a time.  And while you’re out there making decisions instead of excuses, learning new things, and getting closer and closer to your goals, know that there are others out there, like me, who admire your efforts and are striving for greatness too.
  4. Lock yourself away from the world and work on your goals.Dream big dreams, but realize that short term, realistic goals are the key to success.  Success is directly connected with daily action.  The way we spend our time defines who we are.  Successful people keep moving, by doing small things every day that bring them a couple steps closer to their dream.  They make mistakes along the way, but they don’t quit – they learn and press on.  Read Getting Things Done.
  5. Adjust your goals and dreams as life changes. – A great deal of pain in life comes from having a specific dream that you’ve fallen in love with, and when it doesn’t work out exactly as planned, you become angry that you now have to pursue a different path.  If you want to tame your inner demons and make the most of life, you must not become rigidly attached to just one specific dream, and remain open to there being an even better, equally as happy path ahead.  Life is unpredictable, but it provides plenty of opportunities to make dreams come true.  Just don’t forget that sometimes taking a positive step forward requires you to slightly adjust your dreams, or plan new ones – it’s OK to change your mind or have more than one dream.
  6. Forgive those who have wronged you.Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.  Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong and wise.  Forgiveness allows you to focus on the future without combating the past.  To understand the potential of everything going forward is to forgive everything already behind you.  Without forgiveness, wounds can never be healed, and moving on can never be accomplished.  What happened in the past is just one chapter.  Don’t close the book, just turn the page.
  7. Show everyone your love and kindness. – If you are reserving your love only for those who you have decided are worthy of it – all strangers excluded – it may come as a surprise to learn that this is not love at all, it is called judgment.  Judgment is selective, love is all embracing.  Just as the sunlight and the wind do not discriminate, true love does not make any such distinctions either.  Love and kindness is a way of living.  Where there is love, there is no judgment.  Where there is judgment, there is no love.  Read The 5 Love Languages.
  8. Stand up for others, even if it’s the unpopular thing to do. – Sometimes you will say something really small and simple, but it will fit right into an empty space in someone’s heart.  Dare to reach into the darkness, to pull someone else into the light.  Remember, strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others too, and lend a hand when they’re able.
  9. Fight through your failures. – When you are feeling down or dealing with failure, don’t be ashamed.  There’s nothing to be ashamed of.  You are going through a difficult time, and you are still pushing forward.  That’s something to be proud of – that you are fighting through it and slowly rising above it.  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
  10. Keep your head held high and keep on smiling. – Every day of your life is a page of your history.  The only time you run out of chances is when you stop taking them.  Don’t cry over the past, cry to get over the past.  Don’t smile to hide the pain, smile to heal the pain.  Don’t think of all the sadness in the world, think of all the beauty that still remains around you.

 

10 Ways to Write a Life Story Worth Living


 

post written by: Marc

10 Ways to Write a Life Story Worth Living

 

10 Ways to Write a Life Story Worth Living

When writing the story of your life, don’t let someone else hold the pen.  Make conscious choices every day that align your actions with your values and dreams.  Because the way you live each day is a sentence in the story of your life.  Each day you make a choice as to whether the sentence ends with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point.

How are you writing your life’s story?

Here are ten ideas for writing a life story worth living:

  1. Find a passion that makes you come alive. – Each new day is a blank page in the story of your life.  The secret is in turning that blank page into the best chapter you possibly can.  Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.  Because what the world needs, and what every great story has, are characters who have come alive in the pursuit of something that inspires them.

  2. Work hard on that passion. – The best dreams happen when you’re wide awake and working hard on something you’re passionate about.  A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future.  You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the new and unfamiliar.  So dream big, pursue your passion, and give yourself permission to work toward a future you know you are capable of creating.  Read The 4-Hour Workweek
  3. Live happily in your own way. – You are not in this world to live up to the expectations of others, nor should you feel that others are here to live up to yours.  Pave your own unique path.  What success means to each of us is totally different.  Success to some may mean fancy cars and homes.  Success to others may mean being a good parent, spouse, or friend.  For others, it may mean to simply be happy.  Or it can be all of the above.  Remember, success is ultimately about spending your life happily in your own way.
  4. Change your path when you must, but keep moving forward. – There are thousands of possible paths one could take up the mountain of life.  You get to choose which one you take, and you can jump from one path to another if you run into a hazardous road block.  All of these paths are unique, but lead in a similar general direction, so it really doesn’t matter which path you start off on.  The only mistake you can make is by wasting time running around at the base of the mountain, telling everyone that your life path is wrong.
  5. When the going gets tough, keep fighting. – The wisest, most loving, well rounded people you have met are likely those who have known failure, known defeat, known suffering, and have found their way out of the depths of their own despair.  These people have experienced many ups and downs, and have gained an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, understanding, and a deep loving concern.  People like this aren’t born; they develop slowly over the course of a lifetime.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
  6. Let go of the past and live consciously in the present. – Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.  The past is a good place to visit on occasion, but not a great place to stay.  Don’t sit around trying to relive or change your past when you have priceless moments unfolding in front of you and your entire future to look forward to.
  7. Embrace new ideas, lessons, and challenges. – Sometimes growing up means growing apart from old habits, relationships, and situations, and finding something new that truly moves you.  There is nothing more wonderful than seeing life as an adventure.  You should try things that you’re afraid of.  You should look very clearly into the unknown and enjoy it.  Because when you come in contact with things that you don’t know, that’s when you’re learning, growing, and truly living.
  8. Appreciate the little things in life that mean a lot. – What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you were thankful for today?  Think of all the beauty that remains around you, and be happy.  Be thankful for all the small things in your life, because when you put them all together you will see just how significant they are.  Remember, it’s not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.  Read The Happiness Project.
  9. Live honorably through kindness. – If you live honorably, no matter how old you get, you’ll never lose your beauty; it will just gradually shift from your face to your heart.  And remember, there is no better exercise for the heart than reaching out and holding the hand of someone in need.

  10. Spend quality time with people you love. – Lost time is never found again.  People don’t live forever.  Appreciate what you have, who loves you and who cares for you.  You’ll never know how much they mean to you until the day they are no longer beside you.  Spend lots of quality time with the people you love.  Someday you will either regret not doing so, or you will say, “I’m glad I did.”

 

let our love.


let our love be
as strong as the tree
even if the leaves may fall
together, we stand tall
and when the flowers
may wither…
let our love blossom
even in winter.

let our love be
the language of our hearts
the weapon of our soul
that strengthen us
when faced with a hot coal.

let our love be.
forever.
like the tree.
for all eternity.

sweet child.


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a son will always see
his mother beautiful and pretty
… a mom will always be
his first love wherever he will be.

a mother will love her son
and be there for him even when gone
a love so true, come what may
her love will always stay…

——–
as a mom, i know i am not perfect. i am not, and never will be a stepford/stewart mom. i tried to be one, succesfully but at some point, i felt restrained, stressed and a fake. it wasnt me. i was doing it to portray an image of the perfect mother, perfect family, perfect wife… but, who was i really?

until i became who i am… i know, i may never be the perfect mother, perfect step mother… perfect wife… but i know my kids and my step kids love me more now than the uptight stepford mom i was… i am more than a mother to them. i became their friend. i am a cool mom…

——
sometimes… its better to be a friend to be able to get to know them better. but we have to set our minds that friendship requires honesty and trust. its not important what other people will say… be a friend just because we are good people. not because we want to know everything and have something to judge them with. thats a cruel thing to do. especially when you act all sincere and real…..
—–
all i want is for my children and steppies to say when asked whats your mom like?
i want them to answer: she’s a great person…
—–
that alone includes a mom, a wife, a friend…. being a mom is a blessing….
we are not entitled to use that previledge to use as a power against our children. they also have to be free. to be themselves. to be able to fall down and learn.. and still love them.

back to basics


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remember when it used to be so much simpler? less complicated… more fun… joyful..

we lived like that as a child. it is possible to feel that joy once again. if we look at the world with the eyes of a child. and that is through our hearts…
but only if we are willing to own up to the criticism of the society. for people who have hit rock bottom and held on to God, life is like this. not a single care in the world…. for we know that we can live our life like a child… but when situations call for us to step up, we know we are mentally and emotionally and spiritually mature to face and own up to whatever life throws at us…
we can live as freely as a bird. :-)

past is present.


this is what yesterday’s article from higher awareness subscription was…

THE PAST IN THE PRESENT

“If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for you.”
– Louise Hay

Pick one aspect of your life, e.g. your health, your competence, your prosperity or relationships, and think back to when you were a child. What messages about this subject did you hear from adults at that time that are still playing on your subconscious tape recorder? Messages like: “Men can’t be trusted.” “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” “You’re not smart enough to succeed in business.”

How is your world reflecting your beliefs back to you, today?

“There are no limitations to the self except those you believe in.”
– Seth

http://www.higherawareness.com/

——–
a wonderful sunchronicity since i posted the money on trees at the end of the rainbow a few days ago… and i drew this again, while waiting for a friend yesterday… lol

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money does grow on trees… the sales i would make from my book …. does come from trees.. the paper, the pen i am using, the pencil i use when i draw… what else? it may not be that literal but… it does grow on trees… wouldnt it be great if the leaves were currency? hahahha…. oh well… i am content and fine … all needs met but everywhere i go, and almost everyone i talk to are in dire need of cash. its a problem… sure… but its not as bad as an issue. and when i tell them to tap into their creativity, and just not obsess on not having enough of it… because it the problem jusy dissolves by itself.. they look at me like a “leprechaun”…. works for me… cant see why it shouldnt work with anyone else…
—-
i am grateful for everything… small things, big things…. new, old… friends and partner that keep me sane and still love me even when insane…
grateful for my writing, sketchpad, laptop, ipod, pencil, sexuality, inspiration, beautiful house and room with acres of unused green lots as neighbors with the sunrise ….and the next room with the sunset… (which i made into a studio—yey!!) ….
i have so much to be grateful for. a happy disposition and healthy well being to be able to think calmly and be able to detach from material things and people freely. money is just money… its a tool. i think we’d be living a sad life if we put it on top of our list ….
nevertheless, id be happy to have plenty given the chance to be able to “buy” everyone around me’s well being ….. and be stress free. :-)

there has got to be more in life and to life than that….

last but not least…. grateful for were spared from the devastating flood, love, inner peace and love for life and guts to play with abundance… grateful for being weird… better weird than uptight…. whatchuthink, beautiful creatures? :-) :-)

Love: The Harmonious Symphony by Dr. Darryl Pokea


 

source: http://www.drpokea.com/love.html

Love: The Harmonious Symphony

by Dr. Darryl Pokea
© all rights reserved

The sovereign cure for worry is prayer
William James, The Father of Psychology

We have many diverse names and spiritual beliefs that express the Divine. We are all manifestations of the Creator throughout Creation. As John in his gospel expressed, “God is Love.”There is only one kind of Love. As Love is expressed through different individuals in different situations, it appears as though there are many kinds of Love, many levels and intensities. Love is the same and from the same Source in its multitude of expressions.

 

Love has been segregated, dissected, and disintegrated into many types: friendship, romance, maternal, paternal, patriotic, etc. This reflects the mind’s attempt to reduce, compartmentalize, and categorize love; and this separates it from the heart. Herein lies the mind’s attempt at disintegration. When the mind excludes the heart, unity with Oneness, and the experience of love is curtailed. This is the mind’s reductionism in its attempt to reduce fear through intellectual certitude. The illusions that are created by any of us assuming that our knowledge is complete, creates a vacuum in the heart. The fullness of our being is no longer orchestrated by our Spirit and the Creator when we do so. This is the real danger for all of us when we arrogantly see ourselves as the best or only expert merely because of our training or knowledge base. St. Paul clearly points out this illusion when he says, “if you have all the knowledge of everything, but have not Love, you have nothing at all.”

 

As we feel the connection of the Divine within, then we become conscious of Love. When we feel the Love within, we are able to give it to the world and we no longer are desperately driven to seek it in the world. With this realization, we also may feel that Love reflected back to us from the world. This detachment is unconditional Love. Our existence and all creation in the Universe bear witness to Love. Love is simply there. We each decide how much we want to consciously participate in it.

 

Love is synergistic. It is a blending,
a harmonious symphony of our Spirit
expressing itself, through mind and body.
Our conscious participation in Love integrates
and balances our awareness that we are Spirit.
We cannot separate ourselves from Love.

We can attempt to exclude it from our consciousness, but it remains there. Any exclusion sets up cascades of disequilibria and imbalance in our perceptions of whom we ourselves are, who each other are, and the interconnectedness of all the diverse life and forms of being in existence. Any perception of separation distorts mind, body, & Spirit connectedness and narrows perception in a linear fashion. In this state of mind, we selectively attend to merely the physical aspects of this world. The mind, in this limited state of consciousness, views everything as disconnected. It begins to distort by magnifying negative details as it loses its perception of the interrelationship between all things. Any glimpses of the “big picture” are lost.

 

The mind without the Heart, can deny the natural experience that we are connected to the Divine and one another. It creates its own false security as it limits itself to constructs rather than expansive experience. Simply put, the mind begins to worship itself, rather than experience the Creator within. The mind becomes clouded surrounding itself with itself as it attempts to block the radiance of love in and through all of us. Though there may be clouds in front of the sun, the sun, nonetheless, is always shining.

 

Divine Love, that we all can participate in through prayer, meditation, and loving intentional service and therapies, does harmonize the bodies and minds of our fellow human beings. As St. Francis prayed, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,” we all may be utilized as instruments to one another in the conscious healing of our species. As we evolve, prayer and meditation will become essential to all health care, as guiding expressions of Love. They are just as important as the actual medical or other noetic interventions, and these too can be expressions of Love.

 

Prayer and meditation are the avenues of conscious reconnection to the Divine Love in us all. A study completed by Duke University, showed that prayer deeply impacted patients who underwent angioplasty for coronary blockages. The study was double blind, meaning that neither patients nor staff knew who was being prayed for. In the same study, another set of patients undergoing the same procedure, received noetic therapy (guided imagery, touch therapy, or relaxation therapy.) The names of the patients to be prayed for by various religious sects, were E-mailed to Jerusalem, Buddhist monasteries in Nepal and France, Carmelite nuns in Baltimore, Fundamentalists, Moravians, Baptists and Unitarian groups.

 

Comprehensive physiological monitoring during and after the procedure, showed that the patients, who were prayed for by the 7 religious sects, did 50-100% better than patients who were not prayed for by these groups. In the noetic therapy group, there was a lesser, but 30-50% trend of improvement. Perhaps the difference in improvement between the two groups can be accounted for by the principle that “when we let go and let God,” we are more connected to a patient’s real needs, than when we attempt to standardize the intervention. Spirit doesn’t make any mistakes as it guides the mind, and the mind in turn guides the body. More research studies will be necessary to decipher scientifically, that this is the case. What is important from the study, is that both the groups prayed for, and groups receiving noetic therapies, did better than those who received only the medical intervention of angioplasty (catheterization.) Susanne Crater, the nurse in this catheterization study, stated that the results were dramatic enough, “to change my practice. It is possible to bring a calming, healing space into a hospital, which can sometimes seem cold and sterile.”

 

Everyone in health care, or service to anyone, must realize that what we do to others we do to ourselves. In health care, it is particularly important to treat the patients with reverence as we wish to be treated ourselves. This allows the channels of Love (that accelerates healing) to flow. As the Love flows, then we have the direct experience of the Creator within us. In this way, we are Divine instruments and we become one with those we serve, and realize that we are not separate from one another or the Divine.

 

As we already know through our experience, and this study, Love is not bound by distance, time, or space. It permeates even the most sterile environments, if only hearts are open to receive it. This intention and some level of open acceptance, consciously or unconsciously, are all that is required to participate in Divine Love. It is within all of us, and can be shared with One another. Divine love is witnessing itself through all creation, service to One another, and in each moment of this,… existence.

Dr. Pokea values your feedback as it guides him to be attuned to, contemplate, write and share more of his insights that directly touch the minds and hearts of his readers. As this article has assisted your personal understanding, well being, and perhaps healing choices in life, he would like to hear from you. Your mail or e-mail will not be given to anyone else as he holds the highest reverence for each person’s privacy in their own personal journey. As time is available, he will write back in appreciation:  feedback@drpokea.com 

 

What does it mean to be an artist? by : Amy Sundberg


 

What does it mean to be an artist?

I’ve been asking myself this question, in various forms, for most of my life. It’s a question that bears repetition because there are so many possible answers, and my own personal answer sometimes changes. When I first began creating, the question wasn’t clearly formulated and the answer was simple: Joy! As I grew older and awareness of economic realities intruded, the questions became How can I be an artist? and Should I even try?

For a year or two, I chose not to be an artist. Oh, I still dabbled in this and that, but I wasn’t wholly or even halfheartedly invested. It was a dark and boring time.

When I recommitted myself, I felt such a deep sense of relief. I was spending my time the way I was supposed to again. I was focusing on what was important again.

Perhaps that relief, that sense of purpose, is part of what it means to be an artist.

 

We can judge our artistic success on so many levels:

1. Financial: how much money we make, can we make a living as an artist
2. Recognition/acclaim: receiving opportunities, reviews, awards
3. Size of audience: how many people experience what we are doing
4. Growth as an artist: how we are improving and/or taking risks as an artist
5. Producing a piece or performance that works the way we wished it to

But perhaps being an artist doesn’t have so much to do with traditional success. Some of the most lauded artists labored in obscurity in their lifetimes. Many famous writers self published their own work. Vincent Van Gogh, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Jan Vermeer, Franz Schubert, Henry David Thoreau.

If money and fame are of less importance, then what does it mean to be an artist? It means we create. It means we dream. It means we explore the fundamental question of what it means to be human: what it means to be conscious, what it means to experience emotions because of a painting or a symphony or a poem or a novel, what it means to have the capability for empathy. The exploration is inherently of value, regardless of the outcomes.

Stephen King said, “Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.” Art supports life; it creates meaning, some semblance of order created from the complications of existence. It takes us outside of ourselves and pushes us more deeply inside of ourselves. It raises as many questions as it provides answers.

Being an artist, then, is about more than a job or a career. Being an artist becomes a state of mind. 

And the seven-year-old me was right after all. What else does it mean to be an artist? Joy!

 


 

Finding Peace In Unstable Times


Finding Peace In Unstable Times

by: Deborah Fairfull

source:

http://www.finerminds.com/happiness/peace-unstable-times/

In this article, guest author Deborah Fairfull, talks about some difficult experiences in her life and how she overcame these and found inner peace

When you are surrounded by financial doom and gloom, natural disasters and riots — it is easy to feel negative and uncertain about the future. However this is exactly the time you need to dig down deep inside yourself and tap into your inner strength. This wise, all knowing part of yourself has the ability to transform your life into one that is fulfilling, peaceful and harmonious.

During my life I have experienced many challenging times. The one thing I have discovered without exception, is that when I have been able to accept my current situation it has allowed me to relax, tap into my internal wisdom and my life has begun to flow once more.

Some of my personal challenges have included:

  • Starting up two different businesses, and being faced with challenging cashflow situations that have threatened my survival. By tapping into my inner strength and resourcefulness, I was able to overcome my cashflow problems and create viable businesses that I was able to later sell.
  • Being forced to sell the family home due to economic pressure. This led me on a path of discovery in relation to my internal world. This gave me the courage to work with my true passions paving the way to the joy of expressing my true gifts and talents. This is a different kind of joy, with more depth than the joy I’d experienced before—even though I was in a better financial situation. These discoveries allowed me to rebuild my life in a meaningful and stable way as my life is a reflection of my heart, rather than reacting to external circumstances.
  • Separating from my husband of 15 years whom I had shared three wonderful children with. We reunited four years later, just in time for our 20th wedding anniversary. This journey taught me a lot about learning to see beyond each other’s defenses and instead, appreciate the light and beauty within each other.

I used my tumultuous, unstable times as alchemy for inner peace so I could learn to experience inner stability despite what was going on around me. At the time I couldn’t understand why all these challenging things were happening to me, but I now appreciate them for the gift that they were.

How Do You Find Peace In Unstable Times?

1) Make peace with your past. Worrying over and reliving the past can take you away from enjoying the present, feeling stuck and prevent you flowing with life.

2) Make your mind your friend. Your mind takes you away from your peace by creating worry and stress. Becoming aware of your thoughts, belief and attitudes helps you to transcend a fearful mind and instead create a life that is loving and stable.

3) Your reactions are like gold. A reaction occurs when someone behaves aggressively (fight) or withdraw (flight) in a pressurized situation rather than responding from their empowered self.

However, if you are able to sit with the uncomfortable feeling that the reaction induces, rather than blaming the other person, you will heal that automatic survival response as you tap into a power greater than the reaction. You need to feel it to heal it. Next time you are in a similar situation, chances are you will not let the external circumstance take you away from your peace.

4) Let your intuition be your guide. Your intuition is like your personal GPS designed to guide you safely through life. It is your inner voice of wisdom that knows exactly what is right for you.

However it is common that we override our intuition and do what we “should” do, driven often by a fearful mind. If we make decisions based on anxiety and stress often they are not the very best decisions we can make for ourselves. When you calm your mind you are better equipped to listen to your intuition and create a life that is more flowing and peaceful.

5) Live your life on purpose. It is very hard to be truly happy if you are not expressing your natural talents or taking steps towards this. Sometimes some of life’s greatest challenges such as being retrenched can be life’s greatest gift as it opens up new doors, allowing you to step into what it is you truly love to do. If you look forward to going to work you know you are on the right path.

When you face or have faced challenging times sometimes it is easy to fall into the illusion that something is wrong with you. That you are wrong, damaged or not good enough in some way. This is the ego trying to strengthen its grip.

However, if you can remind yourself that despite any hurts you have been through you are always a divine loving individual you will be able to find that inner peace at the worst of times. When we learn to love, no matter how badly people may have treated us, we step into our true power. This gives us true strength and stability, and we remain stable and balanced despite what is going on around us.

If you’ve gone through particularly challenging experiences in your life, tell us how you overcame these and found the strength and peace within to move forward.

motherhood.


drawings i made for friends
i couldnt quite draw pretty faces but is like to think i captured the feelings… :-)

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sabrina, quinan and santi

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sharon and rafa

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april and reese

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bedtime stories

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sabrina, quinan and santi