You create as you think

“Your life is exactly what and how you think, you are as you are!” Pa’Ris’Ha

Have you ever heard or said the expression – “I’m having a bad day today”? Recently I woke up late and started my day in a rushed manner. Things were being dropped by me and nothing seemed to be going right. Outside it was raining and I wasn’t looking forward to getting all wet as I had to bring a number of heavy bags from my car to the office I would be working at.  As I drove to the office where I do chair massage I found myself saying “well I guess I’m just having a bad day today”, it was only 10:00 am. As I set up and was waiting for my client to arrive, I reflected on my statement about having a bad day. Why does the WHOLE day have to be a bad one just because of a few things not going my way in the morning? I’ve heard others make this same statement in many different scenarios. I had to recognize that I have learned as we think so we become. It also occurred to me that if I’m here to do massage therapy who the heck would want to get a massage from a therapist ‘having a bad day’!! I decided in that moment to simply change my outlook and  my attitude immediately, ’cause I didn’t want to continue having a bad day, my rushed morning was enough for me.  I thought about how many of us have used this expression and, in doing so with belief,  decided to struggle through the whole day as we had decreed that it would be.  In that instant my mind shifted and it felt like a veil had been lifted off me and my whole out look changed and so did my day.

Interestingly two days later while at my bank I was being helped by the assistant manager and he said to me, as we waited for a slowly reacting computer, that the computers have been slow all day and things weren’t going his way so he guessed that he was just having a bad day today. It was only 12:30 in the afternoon. I pointed this out to him, that his whole day didn’t have to be ruined due to a few unpleasant things happening right now. He had the rest of the day to live and he could choose to change his outlook. He looked surprised at the concept and then seemed pretty happy at the reality of being able to change. He said “ya know, I never thought about it that way, besides I have a party tonight and I don’t want to have a bad time so thanks for sharing that”.  I find myself really listening to how I speak and think about what’s going on inside and around me. We can easily get caught up in age old thoughts and beliefs such as this one. But we can just as easily change them into what we truly desire to be experiencing. As the quote I’ve posted above from my Elder Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha says: “Your life is exactly what and how you think, you are as you are!” shows me just how true that is and just how we have the power to make our lives what we want them to be. I also agree with the Dali Lama who says:

“I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness……..

Dina Heilman/Ano’li

Be here now

I have been working on the practice of living in present time. Being in the now totally. It seems like you do it automatically, but do you really? Is your mind thinking about what you have yet to do today, or thinking back over how you spoke or acted yesterday? I find it to be a process of practice. To be aware and in the moment. All we have is right now. To live in the moment, that is all we can really do. Yes we can plan for the future, and learn from our past actions but, to live we must live in the present, the now.

I was recently exiting from Rt 90 onto route 306 in Mentor, Oh and a red truck was driving next to me. We were both turning left. All of a sudden I heard a thunk and then I saw the red truck coming into my lane and veering very close toward my car. Just in time I swerved out of the way of the truck to avoid being hit by it. As I continued to drive forward, somewhat in shock, I looked over into the oncoming traffic and realized someone had driven through the red light and ran into the truck causing it to almost hit me. I see that as an example of not being in present time and in awareness of the surroundings. Not living in the now can turn out to be pretty dangerous. A beautiful example is young children or toddlers. Here you find a true example of one who lives completely in the now! It is so refreshing to spend time with these young people. They only know what is going on right at this moment. No exceptions, they do not even know what tomorrow or yesterday means, let alone dwelling on them. We can sure learn from their perspective.

I find that we can waste a lot of our life’s time on worrying over what was. Or what will be. Be organized and plan out how you want your outcome to be. Act as if it is already done.  Don’t waste time stewing over something not done or happening as you thought it should have been. As for me, I’m still working on it, and will continue to do so until it becames habitual. Live in the now. Tune in to all your senses of what’s really happening around you and in you. And as my Austrailian family says “no worries”, it will all happen as it needs to, worrying never really helps in any way. 

I’d love to hear how you stay in the now during your day. Have an awesome day!

“Just one optimistic person, with a willingness to allow people to grow from mis-takes, can effect 90,000 others. That’s what one person can do.” Pa’Ris’Ha (c)

A Meditation technique

I have to say meditation never seemed to come easy to me. I usually avoided it as much as possible because I felt I just wasn’t getting what I ‘should be’. My Elder Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha taught this meditation technique called Star Seed Meditation about 20 years ago and I’d like to share it with you.

For me this was doable, I really enjoy the process and how I feel afterward. It speaks to me of  creating our reality for ourselves but also I see it as a way to touch all that is. To extend beauty out to the All That Is.  So I am writing the instructions as I remember them as this was an oral teaching.

Star Seed Meditation

First you’ll want to draw your attention to your heart space in your chest, and in this place see a vibrant ball of energy, a white moving glowing beautiful ball of light.  From this ball of energy see a beam of light that moves straight out in front of you direct from your Heart space and from that ball out across the room- out of the building, across your town, city, state province, country where ever you are-across the Earth and out into space. Go as far as your imagination can take it.

This is actually a quick movement as it is light in motion, this is not a long drawn out visual. It goes from your Heart out and then you say “Beauty before me”

Come back to your Heart space and the glowing beautiful ball of white light and again see a beam of energy/light shooting out from behind you straight out moving quickly as far as your mind can go and imagine it moving outward. And you say “Beauty behind me”

Now come back again to your Heart space and the ball of energy there, and see another beam of light moving from your Heart out to the left of you. Straight out it moves – a beautiful beam of light going as far out as your mind can take it and you say “Beauty to the left of me”

Back to your Heart space and the ball of light there, see that beam of  light now move out to the right of you out as far as you can take it and beyond and say “Beauty to the right of me”

Again we return to our Heart space and the ball of energy there, spiraling moving beauty and from this place at your Heart you now see another beam of light and this beam moves from your Heart out the top of your head and moves straight up and out as far as you can take it into the sky and out into space and beyond and you say “Beauty above me”

From your Heart space now see that beam moving from your Heart down through your body and into Ela the Earth Mother then out into the Universe and you say “Beauty below me”

Returning again to your Heart and the beautiful ball of energy, and now this ball of energy begins to grow and grow until it surrounds you in that ball of light and energy and it continues to grow and expand out, it encompasses the room you are in, the building and beyond until this brilliant light surrounds our planet and continues out as far as our minds can image. And you say “There is Beauty all around me, I Am the Beauty Path”

Now from this state you can go to a favorite place in your mind (you know that happy place) and just sit and meditate. Or focus on a particular goal that you want to have happen or become. If you have an event or particular focus go to that scene in your mind and move through it and experience it using all of your senses. See the surrounding area, hear what is happening around you, smell the air and any other scents that are in this space. Focus on your sense of touch. Experience your emotional body. Move through the whole scenario as you want it to be. See it done and experience the excitement of it taking place. Knowing it is so.

When you are complete return to your Heart center keeping your eyes closed, bring yourself to present time and place, then put your left hand on the top of your head palm down and put your right hand on top of your left. Slowly begin to raise your arms above you and as you are raising your hands slowly open your eyes. With your arms fully extended your eyes are now fully open. You are complete, aware and awake. This completes the meditation.Pa’Ris’Ha 1990c

This is a beautiful powerful experience. I hope you take the time to try it out.

 

 

Liberation

I was thinking about liberty and being liberated and wanted to just share those thoughts today. Do you ever think about what liberation means? Liberty. Is it freedom, is it a surrendering to be free?

Liberate means: to set free, as from oppression, confinement or foreign control, the attempt to achieve equal status or equal rights.  What does it take to be or to become liberated? Was Victor Frankl a liberated man even when he was in a concentration camp? Liberation I believe, comes from truth. To live, speak and act in truth sets us free. Jesus said according to the Gospel of John -“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.

So liberty is a living breathing right of each and every being. Liberty gives the right to choose, the freedom to choose. From the youngest of us to the eldest of us. Freedom & liberty, truth & peace belongs to you and me as a birth right. Live your every moment in the realization of this right. Let no one take it away from you and take it from no one.

The last of human freedoms-the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances. Victor Frankl

Of course we can’t leave out: Give me liberty or give me death. Patrick Henry

Live Free – Live Liberated- Live in Truth

Some Things I Love

So this may sound weird, but I LOVE food. I enjoy shopping for food. I have fun buying fruits and veggies I have never tried before. I have been doing this for years. One of the best parts of getting an unknown food is sharing it with others. About fifteen years ago I brought Jicama to the office I worked at. I cut up the Jicama and set it out next to my desk. One of my friends, an older woman, came by, and I asked her to give it a try. For those who don’t know, Jicama is a tuber vegetable. Its also known as a Mexican potato. Its crunchy and kind of sweet. Its great raw, but I here that it can be cooked as well. I have always eaten it raw, never cooked.  Anyway, I had to convince my friend Mary to try the Jicama, and she walked away eating it. A little later, she came back and asked for a little more, saying how good it tasted. Its wonderful turning people on to new foods. Food nurtures and heals us. It is a gift from the earth. I recently bought a fruit named Tamarind. Very unusual looking, but it tastes pretty good. I feel food also makes the world a little smaller. Many years ago, we were not enjoying so many dishes from around the world. Its easy in many cities to find: Japanese, Thai, Indian, South American Restaurants. We can eat foods today from places very far away. My elder Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha has taught that we eat with our eyes first. Our plates should have lots of color. That way we know we are getting lots of nutrients. I encourage you to take home a new food item you have never eaten before. Try a really ripe Persimmon or a Sun Choke. How about Asparagus raw. If you have not tried Coconut Water yet, I say give that a shot too. Its has lots of potassium and is yummy. Anyway, I take eating and food very seriously. Eating the right food can make the difference between sickness and health. The next time you sit down to have a meal, or anything to eat, take the time to give the food your undivided attention. Chew each bite at least 30 times and really taste it. Give thanks for everything you put in your mouth. Be aware that something gave its life in order for you to be fed. Eat in honor of all your food.

Bon’Apetit!

Why do you homeschool?

I am often asked this question. Interestingly the biggest concern is for my daughters ability to get along with others. One women shared with me that it is in school that our children learn how to cope.  Personally I am grateful for the privilege to be able to home school. I am so glad we are in a place that I can stay home to be the teacher for my daughter.

We home school because my husband and I wanted to be the ones that were responsible for what filled our childs’ mind. What kind of information she received especially in the early years of her life. Our children are so vulnerable and open to all that is happening around them. They do not judge right from wrong or good from bad so much. They are just very very curious wanting to learn new things. So we wanted to be the first impact on the first years of her life.  We can choose how she receives the lesson and what curriculum to teach her with.

We have a choice.We all do in how our children are raised and taught. I imagine there are many reasons why parents home school. More and more I find other parents that totally understand and agree and wish they could home school also.

Yes some days are rough. It’s not like she approaches me with pencil in hand everyday wanting to start the session. Most days she is ready to go though! There are many sources for us to look into to choose for their curriculum and many home schooling groups to connect up with so no one need feel alone. I have good friends that have raised their children schooling at home and their children are incredibly intelligent. So I have wonderful examples of how great home schooling can be.

It is a responsibility but it is well worth the time and effort.

Making connections

I shared recently how making changes inside ourselves ripples outward to touch others, which in turn changes the whole. These changes would be internal changes. So today I’d like to look at making changes externally and as the saying goes ‘to reach out and touch someone’.

It really is amazing to see how the simplest of acts make the most profound of changes. I really enjoy people watching. I’ve found over the years that there are lots of people that will not look you in the eyes.  I acknowledge that we are busy folks and now a days most are digitally preoccupied more and more. I believe this preoccupation is putting us into these little boxes and separating us from one another.  But I want to impress upon you that the simple act of looking into the eyes of another person and speaking honestly and sincerely, saying “hello how are you?” and then actually listening to their response can and will make major changes in our world. Letting another know you are listening to their response and care about them.

That connection with intention ripples outward and if the person you’ve touched now does the same in kind, the ripple is increased/extended. So you may ask why would I do this. For me it is so cool to see the potential change in another after this kind of connection. It’s beautiful to see people light up when they smile. It really feels good. You see simple acts of kindness can and do change our world.

I encourage you to take the time today to touch at least one NEW person in your day with the honest intent of just expressing a kind connection with them. Make a connection today and change the world. Let me know your experiences.

Giving Thanks

We here in the United States call today Thanksgiving Day. A time when many gather with family, loved ones and friends. Lots of food is consumed in a thankful way. Because I love to eat so much I really enjoy the day. I must say though that when I think about it I wonder why we save it for only one day per year. Isn’t everyday a day of Thanksgiving. Each breath a gift and an opportunity to give thanks.  I just wanted to send out to all people, not just those of us here in the USA, but everyone across the world a prayer for love, health, wealth and happiness in their every moment.  Make each day a day to celebrate time with whoever it is you are with.

May you all be well and have an awesome day – everyday!! Happy Thanksgiving……….

Laughter

Laughter-it really is the best medicine. For as long as I can remember I have loved to laugh. I know it sounds kind of strange but it’s true. To me there just isn’t anything better then to laugh. Out loud and in a true silly way.

I’ve had experiences with my 3 sisters and my mom where we would just find something that we felt was really funny and off we’d go laughing until we’re were crying. Sometimes there would be no one else in the room that got what we were laughing so hard about it was just the 5 of us that found the incident to be so humorous. Still, it felt so darn good to laugh to the point where your cheeks cramped and your stomach hurt.

Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha has taught that (along with appreciation) laughter can heal us and help change angry and tense situations. Why else would the YouTube videos with babies laughing have the most hits? Laughter lightens our load and our hearts!

The funny thing is (pun intended) you can start out your laughter by forcing yourself into it, faking it, and ya know our bodies can’t tell the difference between real or forced laughing. After just a few seconds you feel so silly about faking and forcing yourself into laughter that you just have to crack up. Laughter is linked to a part of the brain that when activated produces endorphins. Laughter causes the dilation of the inner lining of blood vessels (endothelium) and increases blood flow. What could be better then increased oxygen flow in the body.

I encourage you to try this experiment; when you find yourself in a tense or angry situation with others (hey even alone) – start laughing any way you can and see how the tone in you and the other people changes and is uplifted. I hope everyone realizes that I am not talking about laughing AT someone. Or to make fun of another in an uncaring or cruel way.  It seems we (humans) take ourselves much too seriously.  You may have heard, as we change ourselves we change the world.  This is such a simple and fun thing to do. Give it a try and let me know of  your experiences.

E.E. Cummings said: The most wasted of all days is one with out laughter.

Mark Twain says: The human race has only one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.   And one more…………………

From Mother Teresa: Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

May you laugh with abandon and often.

A great story

I am going to do my best at sharing a story Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha taught us 15 years ago. It is one of my favorites. I will have to admit that after telling us the story and asking the class what we thought it meant, none of us really got it. She had to tell us!! I hope I convey it as it was given.

There was a Monk walking through the forest. At some point he realized that he was being stalked by a hungry tiger. The Monk knew he could not out run the tiger and that the animal was looking for food and he was the easiest prey around. He kept moving not interested in being the tigers next meal.  The Monk realized he had now come upon the edge of a cliff. There was no where else to go. He couldn’t go forward or he would fall off the cliff. If he went back into the forest he would be eaten by the tiger. The Monk dropped down onto a ledge where he was safe, momentarily, from the tiger waiting for him above.  He realized either choice would be to end his life. Drop over the edge and fall to his death or go back in to the forest and be eaten by a hungry tiger.

As the Monk stood there on the ledge of the cliff he turned and there growing out of the wall of the cliff was a fresh juicy beautiful ripe red strawberry.  He picked the berry, he smelled the sweet smell and with absolute joy took a bite.

Personally I didn’t get it. So what Pa’Ris’Ha also known as Grandmother to us proceeded to tell us was that “Appreciation changes everything”.

I think of this tale often. Each time I try to see, to feel and understand just what it meant and means. To appreciate changes all things .  Appreciate according to The American Heritage Dictionary means among other things – to be fully aware of,  to increase in value or price, to value highly etc.

Each day, we have been taught,  find and give appreciation for our lives and all that we are and have. Every moment a gift. Even when we are faced with things we don’t like or that are unpleasant or horrible even, if we can find at the very least a shred of something to be thankful for and to appreciate, then we would be able find the gift of the experience.  Easier said then done perhaps, but I say let’s give it a shot.  Find the light in the darkness so to speak.

Especially now as we in America approach the time called Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks and gratitude and appreciation for all we have in our life. The tiniest of things can make the biggest of changes. Ya know maybe I don’t have it yet. Im sure I still have lots to learn from this simplest of tales. One of many stories (gifts) told by one of the Greatest Women alive on the Earth today-my Grandmother Pa’Ris’Ha.  I know it’s not about her but it is she that told me the story. So it is to her I express great appreciation for that which has been given to be given.