Thursday, June 19, 2008

Wake Up Call !!!

Come on folks, it's time to wake up now.

I've been poking and prodding you all for years, and FINALLY some of you seem to be stirring a bit (myself included).

But those are some tired eyes looking back at me! (and tired voices, for those of you whose eyes I cannot see).

Here's the deal:

You created you. YOU did. Not someone else. Not some old man watching you from a distance. YOU created you.

And now you're trying to wake yourself up.

I can't do it for you. Sure, I can open up the shades a bit, let a little light in. I can sprinkle some cool water on your forehead. But I can't open your eyes - you have to do that. You have to sit up and look around, wipe the sleep out of your eyes.

There is a big show about to start. We've been practicing and rehearsing for a very, very long time. And now, after a long wait, the show is about to begin. The curtain is being drawn aside. And YOU are the main character.

But there is a problem. Not a terrible problem, but certainly an inconvenience, an inefficiency:

You're still asleep! You still don't remember who you are, and why you created you. You still don't remember that you are a master creator, more powerful than all the galaxies in the universe. You are an extension of THE Creator, and you hold within you all the gifts of that Creator.

So I'm going to open the shade a little more, let a little more light in. Don't be surprised. Squint if you have to - the light can be bright!

More light is coming.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Let's Go Surfing Now

Since I'm riding a creative surge right now, I thought I'd comment briefly on surfing.

I've noticed that when things start moving in a certain direction, regardless of which direction it is, there is a buildup of momentum, a trend. Things might be going smoothly , or they might be going horribly.

Good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, trends do exist. And the worst thing we can do is fight them.

It's a lot like surfing. If you like the wave you're on, ride it and enjoy it. But if you don't like it, do you fight it? Do you try to change it? Good luck. The wave has other plans, and they are much bigger than you and your little surfboard.

Much better to simply drop back and fall into the water, wait for another wave.

But we don't usually do that. We keep riding the unpleasant wave, getting angry at it, telling everybody how much our wave sucks, and we keep right on going.

So how do you learn the discipline required to simply drop back and wait for another wave?

By paying attention. By noticing when you are in a down trend. By recognizing that you have been conentrating on difficulties, on what you don't want. And then CHOOSING (that's the tricky part) to concentrate on something else. Something you like, something you appreciate, something that's actually working in your life.

You see, the problem is never your circumstances. They are simply circumstances. Experiences. They will pass eventually, as all things do. But you must LET them pass. You can't push them away, or force them away. They will go away when you stop concentrating on them so much. Holding your attention upon them exaggerates them in your perception and perpetuates them.

Why? Because by concentrating on them and placing so much importance upon them, you are essentially telling the universe, "This is important - keep giving me more of this!!!"

So in keeping with our surfing analogy, there are many more waves to come. Learn to spot the good ones, and concentrate on them. Let the unpleasant ones pass by - they will lift you and let you fall, and leave you looking forward to the next good ride.

Surfs up, dude!

Cowabunga...

Monday, June 02, 2008

A Quiet Mind

I've been thinking this morning about the importance of starting the day with a quiet mind.

Some mornings, I awaken refreshed and ready for the day. Those are the easy ones.

But other mornings, I am scattered, hazy, perhaps a bit disorganized. A little out of whack.

I've noticed that an unbalanced mind seems to follow me all day. And I've also noticed that by calling a quick timeout, finding someplace quiet for a minute or two, and taking a few slow, deep breaths, my perception changes dramatically.

In just a minute or two, that muddy mental state clears itself. Clarity returns. The day ahead seems less challenging, the next task a little easier.

You don't need to go off in a field for an hour to meditate, though you can if you want to. But if you only have a few minutes, find someplace quiet in the house, perhaps out on the porch, and close your eyes.

Two minutes of slow, deep breathing. A short break, with nothing to do but breathe.

Many times, that's all it takes. The mental chatter slows, and clarity arrives.

It doesn't seem like much, but it is. Every good day begins with a quiet, balanced mind.

If you don't have one, get one.

And don't leave home without it.