woensdag 28 oktober 2009

Recipe for being perfectly miserable



1. Think about yourself.

2. Talk about yourself.

3. Use the personal pronoun "I" as often as possible in your conversation.

4. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.

5. Listen greedily to what people say about you.

6. Insist on consideration and respect.

7. Demand agreement with your own views on everything.

8. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them.

9. Never forget a service you may have rendered.

10. Expect to be appreciated.

11. Be suspicious.

12. Be sensitive to slights.

13. Be jealous and envious.

14. Never forget a criticism.

15. Trust nobody but yourself.

vrijdag 23 oktober 2009

Save the Drama for your mama

http://zenhabits.net/fotos/20091007calm.jpg

The word “drama” has taken on an interesting meaning in recent years, beyond the performance form of fiction it’s traditionally signified: “making a big deal over something unnecessarily”.

It’s about making a big production of something, when you could simply get on with things.

Interestingly, the word “drama” comes from the Greek word for “action”, which in itself derives from a word that means “to do”. And doing turns out to be the answer for unnecessary “drama” (which, by the way, you would be wise to save for your mama or other such parental figure, according to popular television).

What’s the problem with drama? For one, as the urban definition implies, it’s unnecessary. There’s no need for histrionics when you can talk about and deal with things calmly. There’s no need to get overly emotional when you can breathe, release the tensions, and focus on being happy, now, in the moment.

It complicates things, makes a big deal of little things, and ignores the little things that should be a big deal: little things like simple pleasures, and gratitude, and the simple wonderful existence of life.

Drama makes life harder. If you lose your job, you can go into a depression (perhaps understandably) and lose your home and have a hard time finding a job again — often because of the depression. But if instead you stay calm, perhaps take the view that this is a fresh start and a way to pursue the dream you’ve never had the time to pursue, look at it as a way to learn new skills and reinvent yourself … things won’t be so hard.

If you have gotten fat, instead of making a big deal about it, go outside for a walk, and make it a simple daily habit (perhaps gradually turning it into a jog). And then just start eating fresher foods — fruits and veggies and beans and nuts — rather than unhealthy foods. Start cooking for yourself instead of eating fast food. The drama will only serve to get you depressed and fatter. Simply getting on with it will solve the problem, rather easily if you don’t make a big deal of it.

How to Stop the Drama
So when you feel yourself getting worked up about something — a coworker not pulling his weight, a spouse who isn’t living up to your expectations, a daughter who isn’t doing as well at school as you’d like — stop the drama.

Breathe. Let it go. Breathe in, taking in the peace of the world. Breathe out, and let the tensions and frustrations flow out of you. Repeat until the drama is gone.

And then simply be, in the moment, right now. When we get worked up about something, it’s usually about something that has already happened (in the past) or something that might happen, that’s coming up (in the future). Forget about all that right now (you can reflect on it later, when you’re calmer and dispassionate). Right now, focus on what you’re doing. This might be sitting in front of a computer, reading. Or walking. Or drinking a glass of water. Washing dishes. Driving. That’s what you’re doing, in the moment. That’s all you should think about. As you feel your mind returning to the past or the future, return it gently to what you’re doing right now. It takes practice.

Simply get on with it. Do what you need to do to calmly address the situation. Deal with it, in as simple a manner as possible. Forget all the complications — just do.

Overwhelmed with too much to do? Breathe, focus on what you are doing right now, and just focus on getting that done.

Tired of your horrible job? Breathe, focus on now, and do what needs to be done to deal with it.

Annoyed by someone? Let it go. Focus on what you’re doing, right now. And just get on with it.

If you start getting worked up again, start back at the first step.

Also, your mother probably doesn’t need your drama either, just fyi.

Post written by Leo Babauta.

donderdag 22 oktober 2009

Stillness Speaks - Eckhart Tolle




When you lose touch with inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world. Your innermost sense of self, of who you are, is inseparable from stillness.

This is the 'I Am' that is deeper than name and form.

Stillness is your essential nature. What is stillness? The inner space or awareness in which the words on this page are being perceived and become thoughts. Without that awareness, there would be no perception, no thoughts, no world.

Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness.

Silence is helpful, but you don't need it in order to find stillness. Even when there is noise, you can be aware of the stillness underneath the noise, of the space in which the noise arises. That is the inner space of pure awareness, consciousness itself.

When you look at a tree or a human being in stillness, who is looking? Something deeper than the person. Consciousness is looking at its creation.

Do you need more knowledge? Is more information going to save the world, or faster computers, more scientific or intellectual analysis? Is it not wisdom that humanity needs most at this time?

But what is wisdom and where is it to be found? Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you.

Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalised sense of self that is conditioned by the past.

In you, as in each human being, there is a dimension of consciousness far deeper than thought. It is the very essence of who you are.

We may call it presence, awareness, the unconditioned consciousness. In the ancient teachings, it is the Christ within, or your Buddha nature.

Finding that dimension frees you and the world from the suffering you inflict on yourself and others when the mind-made 'little me' is all you know and runs your life.

Love, joy, creative expansion, and lasting inner peace cannot come into your life except through that unconditioned dimension of consciousness.

If you can recognise, even occasionally, the thoughts that go through your mind as simply thoughts, if you can witness your own mental-emotional reactive patterns, then that dimension is already emerging in you as the awareness in which thoughts and emotions happen.

The stream of thinking has enormous momentum that can easily drag you along with it. Every thought pretends that it matters so much. It wants to draw your attention in completely.

Here's a new spiritual practice for you: don't take your thoughts too seriously. It is easy for people to become trapped in their conceptual prisons.

The human mind, in its desire to know, understand, and control, mistakes its opinions and viewpoints for the truth. It says: this is how it is.

You have to be larger than thought to realise that however you interpret 'your life' or someone else's life or behaviour, however you judge any situation, it is no more than a viewpoint, one of many possible perspectives.

It is no more than a bundle of thoughts. But reality is one unified whole, in which all things are interwoven, where nothing exists in and by itself. Thinking fragments reality it cuts it up into conceptual bits and pieces.

The thinking mind is a useful and powerful tool, but it is also very limiting when it takes over your life completely, when you don't realise that it is only a small aspect of the consciousness that you are.

Wisdom is not a product of thought. The deep knowing that is wisdom arises through the simple act of giving someone or something your full attention.

Attention is primordial intelligence, consciousness itself. It dissolves the barriers created by conceptual thought, and with this comes the recognition that nothing exists in and by itself.

It joins the perceiver and the perceived in a unifying field of awareness. It is the healer of separation.

( Eckhart Tolle is the author of The Power Of Now )

woensdag 21 oktober 2009

True Love

A guest post from Patrick Stoeckmann from Unwrap Your Mind

We have all been in this situation. At first it was a passionate relationship. After a while, the fire of passion becomes a lot colder.

You get used to each other and then take each other for granted. And very often this turns into a constant sliding down of your relationship into a boring state of just staying together – losing all drive for each other just because you are so used to one another.

However, this is not how it needs to be. You can reawaken the lost passion for each other and turn a boring relationship into what it began as, a party of love.

Here are 10 tips for you to boil up the flame of passion in your relationship:-

1. Make an adventure list

Is every day the same for you? From your way to the office, your job, your meals and your relationship?

Getting too much used to your relationship and taking each other for granted is a deadly poison. But this can be counteracted by some help from Indiana Jones – simply make your life and your relationship adventurous!

Collect a list of crazy, fun things you wanted to do with your partner, but haven’t managed to do so as yet. Break your limited thinking and go beyond your normal ideas of going to the movies.

Break the usual routine and do the “not so normal” things with your loved one:-

* book a rafting trip
* go skydiving
* go on an adventure trip
* do some charity work

You see you don’t have to kill snakes to revive your love life. Just do something out of the ordinary. Do something bold and adventurous together.

2. Create a list of things you always wanted to do

There must be many things you always wanted to do. Besides the adventure stuff that I already mentioned, over the years there must have been many things that you mentioned to each other, about what you wanted to do. But then circumstances took you away from doing them.

Keep a note of these things. Write down what you always wanted to do, where you always wanted to travel, what your partner always wanted to see, and what he or she smiled at, whenever they saw it.

Keeping a notebook with all these little things allows you to come up with ideas to surprise your partner without you getting stressed over it.

Also note, what makes your partner smile. If you can enjoy these things together it will make your love and passion grow.

If you write it down on time, it will save you lots of headache in the years to come.

3. Plan your time

Don’t let another weekend slip by. Get out your lists, and remove any blocks of comfort. Make the next weekend a project of passion. Book a romantic hotel, arrange a candlelight dinner, book a safari, be outrageous and surprise your partner.

You wouldn’t take on a business project without a plan and a schedule. So shouldn’t your love life be the most important project in your life? Schedule it and share it.

Plan mini-dates, where you might meet for a romantic dinner or spend some time in a luxury hotel together. Let your imagination run wild.

4.Create precious moments of passion

Passion does not come from the big gestures, but from tiny, special gestures full of awareness.

We always think of passion as this big, explosive thing. Yet that is not what passion is really about. It is simply about the small things and the way you did and felt those special moments:-

* The way you touched, when you were deeply in love.
* The way you smiled whenever you saw each other.
* The way you looked into each other’s eyes.
* The way you held each other’s hands.
* The way you said “I love you”

Tonality and intonation convey so much more information than the actual word.

Remember how you said “I love you” in those early moments of your love – and say it just like that. I am sure the goose bombs will soon come back when you do so!

Becoming aware of these special things is the key. Be in the moment and just focus on that touch, that kiss and that look – experience it with all of your senses.

When the relationship was new, that awarenes of precious moments was automatic. Now you just have to become a little more proactive to recapture it.

5. Speak to the left eye

There is something very intimate about our eyes. They are called the windows to the soul, and looking at each other’s eyes is a very powerful way of opening up and letting your souls touch each other.

One very powerful way to do this is to get your heads real close, and you will notice that if you come real close, your eyes are switching from focusing on your partner’s left to right eye.

If you want to speak directly to your lover’s soul, you should focus on their left eye. Every word you will speak, while focusing the left eye will have a very different quality compared to speaking while focusing on the right eye.

It is because you are stimulating different parts of their brain. Looking in the left eye and softly saying “I love you” is one of the most intimate things you can do with your partner.

Try it today as soon as you can.

6. Learn to laugh again together

Laughter is one of the best medicines in the world. See this article for more information. And it is also one of the best ways to strengthen your bond with people.

Make a plan to get more laughter into your life. Watch comedy movies, join a laughter class or yoga.

Tell each other jokes, make a commitment to come each up with one good joke a day and share it with your partner, and don’t be shy with it – yes you can even share the “dirty” ones (for men: I know a lot of women, who like dirty jokes too).

7. Share your erotic dreams with your partner

Sex is a crucial part of a healthy relationship. And it is very often the first part where passion will go to sleep, and be replaced with routine and boredom. And eventually external stress will even kill that little rest of intimacy.

Again don’t let it happen. Don’t let this vital part of your relationship die a slow death.

Remember how you felt the first time you touched each other and got intimate. You had fantasies and you enjoyed the game. And it is vital to remember that sex is nothing but a game to play (yes it will also bring the kids to life, but that is not something you should focus on to reawaken your love life.) Learn to play it again. Have fun. Giggle a lot before, during and after. Don’t take it too seriously.

Also do talk to each other a lot about it. Do you have fantasies? Do you want to be touched in a specific way? Don’t think that your partner will get it via telepathy. No – tell him or her. Don’t be shy. Speak to each other about it.

And play, play, play – a lot!

8. Learn the art of touching

This tip one goes hand in hand with your erotic experience, yet touching has many layers of experience. Become aware of your own reactions to touch. If your lover touches your shoulder in that special way, what reactions does that trigger within you?

Talk about it. Tell your lover, what feels good. And where it feels good. Explore each other’s sensisitive areas. But don’t stop there.

There is a quality to hugging, embracing, holding hands, touching the neck or the face. All of these send different signals. Become aware of it and tell your partner how you feel inside.

9. Talk about your inner and outer world

Relationship is all about sharing. And it is also about sharing the world you live in as well as sharing the world that lives within you.

Tell your partner about your day, but also about your dreams, hopes, ambitions, fears, worries. Invite him or her into your world and join theirs.

Opening up yourself in this way will not only revive the passion in your life, but will open up new layers of love.

10. Rejoice every moment with your partner – since time is limited

After a while you take each other for granted. But this is just an illusion. You should always remember that your time here on earth and the time with your partner is very limited. There are only so many years you can share together.

Actually, every breath you take brings you and your partner closer to the moment, when you will pass away. But this shouldn’t bring you into a state of sorrow – instead it should bring you into an awareness of the moment.

There is only one moment, when you can fully experience joy, passion, love and happiness together. And that moment is NOW – each one of you can leave this earth the next minute (if God or whatever you believe in decides so). So become aware of the joy you can share now with your lover. Become aware of the happiness that will fill your whole being, once you allow it to.

Become aware that this moment right now is precious and a gift.

Celebrate this moment with your loved one – take the gift of life, love and happiness and rejoice in it. That’s where passion is born from.

To end, make every moment from now onwards with your partner one of love and passion – and indeed, create a party of love:-).

Why wait for Valentine's Day ???

http://mysticaminerva.web-log.nl/photos/uncategorized/2009/05/23/love.jpg

1.play footsy under the table when out at dinner with friends.♥.

2.keep a picture in your wallet always.♥

3.send cards for no reason except to say i love you.♥

4.leave a message on the answering machine.♥

5.dedicate a song to them on the radio.♥

6.plant a tree together.♥

7.make up a secret love code and use it in conversation with a crowd of friends.♥

8.write a series of love letters and send them anonymously.♥

9.send an e-kiss over the internet.♥

10.come home early as a surprise.♥

11.place an advert in the "found" column of a newspaper.♥

12.write a love message and leave it under the pillow.♥

13.write a personal love poem.♥

14.write it in the condensation on the bathroom mirror.♥

15.hire a sport car for the day and take them to nice place for lunch.♥

16.drink champagne in the bath.♥

17.be spontaneous- shout out "i love you" in the supermarket.♥

18.say it every day.♥

19.take a walk along the beach on a cold day and write it in the sand.♥

20.serenade them with your song.♥

21.pay off their credit card.♥

22.write it "backwards" in the dirt on their car's back window.♥

23.cook a special meal - if you can't pay some one else.♥

24.keep every card,letter or photograph they give you in a special place. open it up on your anniversary and reminisce together.♥

25.sponsor a pair of love birds at the zoo.♥

26.hold hands in puplic.♥

27.crave it in a tree.♥

28.write it in food.♥

29.give her your jacket when it's cold.♥

30.send a red rose for every day,week or year you've been together ( depending on the length of your relationship and the size of your wallet! ) .♥

31.buy a packet of love hearts and sneak them into a coat pocket.♥

32.make a special anniversary card.♥

33.get a tattoo and keep it a secret between you.♥

34.give them some money as a surprise and tell them to buy something just for themselves.♥

35.walk up and down outside their office with an " i love you " sign.♥

36.let them lie in and bring breakfast in bed.♥

37.organise a meal at a romantic restayrant in advance. so when you arrive, the table is covered in flowers and gifts.♥

38.cut out the letters " i love you " and post them every day for eight days.♥

39.secretly learn how to massage and surprise them with your new skills.♥

40.buy a box of chocolates and put one on the pillow every night.♥

41.send them your last Rolo.♥

42.make a tape of yourself reading a love poem and secretly put it in the car stereo so it automatically plays when they next switch on.♥

43.fill their handbag or briefcase with cut out hearts.♥

44.keep her lipstick marked coffee cup.♥

45.go to see a romantic film at the cinema and sit on the back row.♥

46.always kiss goodnight.♥

47.when they go away, hide a note or present in their suitcase to find later.♥

48.invent a cocktail and name it after them.♥

49.write it in the early morning dew outside their window.♥

50.take a picnic and go back to the place you first met.♥

51.open a joint bank account.♥

52.learn to say I LOVE YOU in 10 different languages: ♥
French - Je t'aime,
German - Iche liebe dich,
Greek - S'ayapo,
Hawaiian - Aloha wav'ia oe,
Italian - Ti amo,
KLingon - Qabang,
Latin - Te amo,
Russian - Ya vas liubliu,
Spanish - Te quiero,
Zulu - Mena tanda wena.♥

maandag 19 oktober 2009

Vaccination




Patients often ask me for advice on vaccinations. Rather then tell them what to do we like to offer people as much information as possible so they can then make up their own mind.

One of the 'hot items' at the moment is HPV. The Human Pappiloma Virus is a Sexually Transmitted Disease. In more than 90% of the cases the body is strong enough to cope with this infection and the self-heal system kicks in. In the other cases a woman can develop Cervical Cancer.

I would like to recommend a Power Point presentation by the Think Twice Global Vaccine Institute.
http://thinktwice.com/hpv_show.htm

Please remember that the information contained in this presentation is for educational and informational purposes only and is NOT to be construed as Medical Advice!!

vrijdag 16 oktober 2009

Maybe ...

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/1117/liefde1lm8.jpg

Maybe.. . we were supposed to meet the
wrong people before meeting the right
one so that, when we finally meet the
right person, we will know how to be
grateful for that gift.

Maybe . . . it is true that we don't
know what we have until we lose it,
but it is also true that we don't know
what we have been missing until it
arrives.

Maybe . . . the brightest future will
always be based on a forgotten past;
after all, you can't go on
successfully in life until you let go
of your past mistakes, failures and
heartaches.

Maybe . . you should hope for enough
happiness to make you sweet, enough
trials to make you strong, enough
sorrow to keep you human, and enough
hope to make you happy.

Maybe . . . the happiest of people
don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of
everything that comes along their way.

Maybe .. . . the best kind of friend is
the kind you can sit on a porch and
swing with, never say a word, and then
walk away feeling like it was the best
conversation you've ever had.

Maybe . . . happiness waits for all
those who cry, all those who hurt, all
those who have searched, and all those
who have tried, for only they can
appreciate the importance of all the
people who have touched their lives.

Maybe . . you should do something nice
for someone every single day, even if
it is simply to leave them alone.

Maybe . . . there are moments in life
when you miss someone -- a parent, a
spouse, a friend, a child -- so much
that you just want to pick them from
your dreams and hug them for real, so
that once they are around you
appreciate them more.


Maybe, giving someone all your love
is never an assurance that they will
love you back. Don't expect love in
return; just wait for it to grow in
their heart; but, if it doesn't, be
content that it grew in yours.


Maybe .. . . you should dream what you
want to dream; go where you want to
go, be what you want to be, because
you have only one life and one chance
to do all the things you dream of, and
want to do.


Beautiful words with thanks to Kavita

donderdag 15 oktober 2009

Ben Underwood



by Aquanetta (Ben's Mom)

Ben was born in Riverside California on January 26th 1992, and a very healthy baby indeed. He never spent any time at the hospital or doctors office, except for baby shots and oh how we all know what that's like. I'm not able to remember the exact dates, but sometime in February of 1992 I noticed that his right eye had a peculiar glow. His eye looked similar to the glow of a cats eye when caught in the head lights of a car. With in three days from the time I noticed his eye glowing, he woke up with the right eye pupil white and at that moment I noticed he couldn't see out of it. Two years old, he didn't cry or complain that anything was hurting him, neither did he act as though his vision was going. That day I took him into the pediatrician, and she immediately sent me to see the ophthalmologist. The first thing he said when he saw Ben's eyes was "There could be thirty things to turn you pupils white, but we will be looking for tumors." I believe that was the most frightening news I had ever heard. That moment began the year long trial.

The results of the testing was Bilateral Retnoblastoma (cancer in both eyes). I had never heard of cancer in the eyes. My father died of colon cancer in 1977 that experience had me totally frightened of cancer. One of the ironic things about Ben having cancer is that I named him after my father. For a moment I thought my baby had cancer because I named him Ben, and that I was so afraid of cancer, but I shook that thought quickly, my God is bigger than that.

I was told that this disease is only found in infants and up to the age of three. However, there was a case where a six year old was diagnosed with it. His tumor was a very slow growing one.

Ben's right eye was totally consumed by the cancer so it was removed after the second month a chemo. After that experience, we spent another eight months of chemo and then six weeks of radiation to try and save the left eye. Results were a failure. The doctors try to smooth things over and tell you, you can try other alternative medicine, maybe go to Mexico to save his vision. That moment I realized that I had to make a life decision for my child or lose his life. Of course, I would have him in any condition to have him alive.

Ben awake from the surgery and said "Mom I can't see anymore, I can't see anymore, Oh mom I can't see." Words of wisdom spoken to me from my pastors wife, sister Devon, "Don't let him feel your fears." After praying for strength and receiving from God, I said, "Ben YES YOU CAN SEE" and I took his little hands and put them on my face and said, "See me, you can see me with your hands," next, I put my hand to his nose and said, "Smell me, you can see me with your nose," then I said, "Hear me, you can see me with your ears, you can't use your eyes anymore, but you have your hands, your nose, and your ears." I tell this one thing, Ben has been seeing ever since.

The greatest gift in life is LOVE. What love is this for a man to lay down his life for a friend. Ben's siblings automatically took on roles and helped. His brother Derius, taught him how to find the seems of his clothing and the heals on his socks to put them on correctly. Isaiah who is Ben's younger brother always described our surroundings to make sure Ben saw everything. When we went shopping, I would let him feel on everything to see what it was. If he knocked something over and people would look, I'd just reply with, "Oh I am so sorry, he's blind." Of course, with compassion they would say, "That's OK." This was just a green light for me to tell Ben to continue looking and I would continue shopping or what ever I was doing. When I got ready to go I would hold my hand up and start snapping my fingers and say, "OK Ben lets go" and he would come from where ever he was and grab a hold to my back pocket. Everywhere we went I put his little hand in my back pocket to keep up with me. I guess this was my way of being his sighted guide.


I believe Ben started clicking probably right away. He was playing video games, riding bikes, skating, climbing trees, and doing everything he always did as if he never lost his sight. I treated him as though he could see and spoke visual. I don't know if I was in denial, but I made sure he saw everything. I'd put his had on the road and say, "look at this, the road is more ruff and the side walk is smooth." You name it, I've probably put his had on it. Ben says he practice to see how far his echo would go so he'd echo down the middle of the street. I'd say well how far did it go. He'd say "I don't know it just went away." He practiced on hearing his environment without echoing, so he could hear a trash can on the floor, almost anything around that's stationary. I say what ever works for him, do it. I'm not in a blind persons shoe, so I'm not going to judge.

When doctor Ruben saw Ben playing his game boy, he was totally amazed. He walked in the patient room and looked at Ben, walked over to the computer desk and looked into his chart, walked back over to Ben and looked in his eyes, then he look down to see if he was really playing the game. He finally look over at me and said,"His eyes are nucleated." I said, "Oh yes, he's blind." The doctor said, "How the heck does he play video games" and I replied, "He does everything, ride bikes, rollerblades, electric scooters, you name it, he will try it." Totally blown away, he thought you have to talk to other parents. People think it is the end of the world when they lose their sight he tells them that they can still lead a productive healthy life.

Since then, Ben was on the front page of the May 7th Sunday paper of the Sacramento Bee and the Observer. From there he was in the July 24th issue of People Magazine where they sent him to Sea World to swim with the Dolphins. Then we visited Los Angeles and were on the Ellen Show, after wards we were in Chicago for the Oprah. We also went to Japan and was on a talk show there for the Japanese community. There is also a one hour documentary of Ben's story coming in the early part of 2007 on The Learning Channel. The dates will be announced.

He has been on numerous radio talk shows, we also had an article in the Parenting Magazine. Ben has spoke to numerous classes and Senior centers. One of the most important thing in his life is to help someone else. I know God has a calling on his life and it isn't for him, it is for others.

Ben started writing a Novel in the 4th grade, he writes at a College level, and types about 60 wpm on a regular keyboard. His novel is Science Fiction, and I think he as written at least 20 chapters. He also wants to invent video games. I believe he has written it. This kid is so full of ideas and I encourage him to pursue them all. The sky is the limits and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to if you try. Don't stress on failure, because from their only comes perfection. The only place from rock bottom is up and failure is bottom.

Ben also loves Japan. He was already teaching himself Japanese, so when our Japanese friends came over he showed them what he had on the computer, songs, words and definitions. This blew me away, I said, "Your teaching yourself Japanese too." He wishes to pursue his College in Japan. So what I have done was get him beginning Japanese on CD, this way he could learn it easier. His school doesn't have anything for a blind person right now. You see, I am his mother and I will try ever thing in my power to make sure that he doesn't miss out on anything in life.

One thing that I truly get back from Ben being blind is that he truly sees people from within. When he hears someone say that someone else is ugly, or anything negative towards someone else. He says, "That's whats wrong with sighted people, you all look at one another and judge what you look like," I see that statement being so true. The most powerful part of it is that he can't judge from looks, only from spirit. This world would be a much better place if we all couldn't see.

woensdag 14 oktober 2009

9 lives

Today I want to share a story with you that was posted by my friend Arvind Devalia on his blog.

Arvind is writer, blogger, life coach and social entrepreneur living in London. I have met Arvind through the London Yes group and to me he is one of the kindest people I know. Arvind is as passionate about people and making a difference to others as I am.

Arvind's post is about cats and their 9 lives :-)

A cat has nine lives – you have one – start living it!

tired cat

Cats are said to have nine lives. In some Eastern cultures, cats only have a measly seven lives. This superstition that cats have many lives probably originated since cats can survive falls from high places with few, if any injuries. It is almost as if they return to life after sustaining a seemingly fatal accident.

This ability of cats to survive an accident that would kill humans or other animals is due to their small size and low body weight, which softens the impact with the ground.

So how is this relevant to us? Rather than a call to start chucking cats from high places, reflect on how many lives you have. Putting aside re-incarnation and past lives, you only have this one life. Even in this one life, some of you might have had some close shaves with death.

For example, my list includes:-

• Car accident when I was very young when I ran in front of a minibus. (The minibus was not damaged :-).
• Serious ear operation with an infection putting pressure on my brain (My ears are still funny shaped – I hope next time the surgeon can peg them back a bit)
• An aborted flight from Milan to London, when the plane developed a fault and had to turn around. (I now always pay attention to the comic instructions and apparent histrionics from the cabin crew at the beginning of each flight).

So if I was a cat, I would still have six more lives left (yippee!)

Rather than being morbid and focusing on your used up lives, let’s focus on the one life to be lived.

Just imagine that you are a cat and you have used up eight lives – now wake up and begin to live fully the only life you have left :-).

Happy purring.






zondag 11 oktober 2009

Unconditional Acceptance.


I came across this beautiful true story which I want to share with you. Even though they mention God in the text you need not be religious to get the bigger meaning.
Enjoy



I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.


I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.


Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.


He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.


I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).


Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.


I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'


I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.'


We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'


I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn : Unconditional Acceptance :
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.a

zaterdag 10 oktober 2009

Felice

http://www.uitweg.be/uitweg64/beelden/full_uitweg64_05_felice.jpg

Gisteren middag hoorde ik dat Dré Steemans was overleden.
Ik kende hem enkel als Felice van het Swingpaleis, het enige uurtje televisie dat ik nog leuk vond als ik tijdens het weekend bij mijn moeder logeerde.

Dré was 55 jaar.
En dat doet me tegenwoordig toch wel slikken.

7 jaar ouder ... wat zou IK doen als ik over 7 jaar zou sterven. Zou ik tevreden terugblikken op mijn leven. Ben ik geslaagd in mijn missie: to make the world a better place one event and one person at a time ?

Het besef dat elk uur mijn laatste kan zijn doet me nog harder werken - maar is dat de juiste weg?

Wat zou jij nog willen doen als je wist dat het komende jaar, je laatste zou zijn?
Wat zou je nog willen realiseren?
Willen zeggen?
Willen uitpraten?

donderdag 8 oktober 2009

Autumn Offer

an image

Nasa prepares to bomb the moon

http://sos.noaa.gov/images/Solar_System/moon.jpg
A friend asked me to forward her message!

Please have a look at the following links

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/5566137/Nasa-prepares-to-bomb-the-moon.html

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/10/how-to-watch-the-moon-bombing-in-real-time/


CALLING ALL SPIRITUAL PEOPLE ACROSS THE EARTH: NASA has sent a rocket to impact the moon on October 9th…

For the Shamans and Dreamers, Astral Travelers, Remote viewers, Medicine People of all Cultures and Colors: Set your intention to do some shape-shifting and focus in our dreams, dreaming, dreamtime walking, to work on the deflection of such destruction of Grandmother moon who guides our ocean tides and has been linked with mother and grandmother stories for thousands of years, and our menses cycles were once aligned to the moon at its full stage meaning women were in harmony with each other.

To the Light Workers, Prayer Workers, Energy Healers, Reiki Masters etc: Help us do our unseen work and doing what your gifts are, by sending love and light, image and visualization and prayers to keep the moon safe with a white light shield…. call in all your spirit guides, spirit teachers, god, goddess, ancestral spirits, and your higher self to send the highest good for humanity in relationship to this selfish act.

woensdag 7 oktober 2009

SaLuSa

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SaLuSa 7-October-2009

"Here we are again, and not that we ever went away, but we realize how uplifting many of you find our messages. The purpose is of course to prepare you for First Contact, and inspire you to find your own path that takes you on to Ascension. By successfully raising your vibrations you enter a higher state of consciousness, and progressively leave the old ones behind that have clouded your vision. The tasks placed before you are within your ability, and having expressed your intent to rise up much support is given to you. That is the beauty of the Spiritual structure that links in with you, the moment you make the decision to evolve in a purposeful manner. It is a wonderful sight to see the areas of Light upon Earth, ever increasing in their magnificence as they spread across it.

Your collective Light vibrations have the effect of weakening the ability of the dark Ones to control you. In consequence they resort to Draconian measures to prevent you breaking out of their hold. Their plans continue to erode your liberties, until the ultimate event leads to total enslavement. Dear Ones, do not worry unduly as you will never be completely subdued, and the more outrageous their actions the more evident their real intentions will become. Already the truth is coming out about many covert actions that have taken place. The evidence mounts and very soon shall the leaders of the Illuminati be taken to account for their crimes against Humanity. As much as they might try, they cannot defeat the Light that is growing in intensity day by day. It is a critical time for the servants of darkness, as there is disarray amongst them with less enthusiasm for the tasks at hand. It is known that there could come an occasion, when they may have to point their weapons at their own kind and for many that is unacceptable. This is an example of how the Light is reaching into people’s consciousness, and awakening them as to how they are being used.

Law and Order has its place in any civilization, but it is abused when it is turned against the very ones it should serve. You the people have immense power if only you will come together in a common purpose. Many voices speak out about what is happening before your very eyes, but many still turn their eyes away as if not wanting to get involved. Dear Ones your very future is at stake, and your actions will determine whether or not it is a smooth ride to Ascension, or one of continual conflict. We do our part but we need your support until we can directly come to Earth. Organize your selves and be ready to help out, as soon as the first declarations are made that indicate a great turn around in your destiny. It will come soon, and then those of you with prior knowledge will have important roles to spread the truth far and wide. Many still spend their lives in total ignorance of the truth about themselves, and also of what is going on around them. Lightworkers have an important role to play, and without exception have come to Earth to serve others at such an important time.

Look inwardly and you will find your reasons for being on Earth at this momentous time. We know that many of you wish to serve, but cannot find an outlet for your desires. We would suggest you live in awareness of any opportunities that come your way that will fulfill them. Be assured that one way or another Spirit will reach you, and remember that you have Guides who are doing their best to funnel your efforts into the right direction. Does it seem strange to you that the outcome of this cycle is already known, and that is because “All is in the Now” and seen quite clearly from our realms? It was known even when you first came to Earth that the cycle would complete with your successful Ascension. The power behind these events is the Creator, and although freewill is ever operating, some are pre-ordained. You are not some collection of evil souls that are being punished; indeed you are glorious souls of Light that have left the higher dimensions to experience duality. You are worthy of very effort that is being made to lift up as many souls as possible.

What is experience but the choosing of a pathway, one that takes you into new situations that challenge your ability to rise up out of them? Duality has been a tough assignment, but your desire to experience it has been motivated by your intent to rise up again through your own efforts. You are like every other soul has an innate urge to rise up higher and higher, and not even the lowest of the low completely lose it. The Creator did not force you into the cycle of duality, as you eagerly volunteered knowing you would one day return to your home in the higher dimensions. If you could glimpse such levels you would see out the remainder of your time in a joyous state, without fearing the future that is opening up to you. Far from it, you would be euphoric and know beyond doubt that it has been divinely decreed, and that no mortal can prevent your fulfillment.

Coming back to Earthly matters; we must say that we are deliberately allowing our craft to be seen more frequently. It is part of a gentle process of bringing people out of their state of denial where we are concerned. It is far better to accept our presence as benign Beings now, than to suffer the shock of having to undo beliefs that are to be shattered when we arrive on Earth. We are your family and it is time that we came to know each other, and it is not a forcing of the issue as we have been quietly making ourselves known to you for some 60 years. The waiting is nearly over for us and if your leaders do not agree to our landing, there is an ultimate date when we shall have to come regardless. You have made it clear that you welcome us, and it is your wishes that are paramount and we will not allow others to stand in our way.

I am SaLuSa from Sirius, and we have mixed crews in the Galactic Federation. Our lives are spent on board our Motherships that are sometimes as large as your cities, and you would not realize that such a complete existence was possible. There are times when you come to our ships, and have found that they replicate everything you could possibly find on land. In fact every possible amenity you could desire is there for your comfort. The Universe is our playground that gives us many adventures, but it is all for a purpose so that we can serve others who like you are evolving in the lower vibrations. We act out of love for all life, and never tire of our responsibilities."

Thank you SaLuSa.
Mike Quinsey.

maandag 5 oktober 2009

Male and Female Energy

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Jeshua channeled by Pamela Kribbe

I came across this beautiful channeling on male and female energy. Although it has been channeled in 2005 it really underlines what I have been saying on male and female energies. Itis a lengthy read but well worth the effort. Enjoy!

Dear friends, it gives me great pleasure to be with you again. I am so glad to be in your company. You have a tendency to look up to me, or to beings like me, as masters but we do not see it that way. We see you following your path on earth at a challenging time, a time when much is changing, and we see you growing towards your own mastery. We see you becoming the masters that you still look up to at times. And this is what it is all about – finding your own mastery! Do not follow any master that is brought before you by tradition or by books or by anything someone else is telling you. Find your own mastery – that’s what it’s all about.

Today I would like to speak about a theme that reaches back far into your history: the energies of the male and the female. These are old energies and a lot is going on with them right now.

First I would like to say something about the nature of the male and the female. These energies are two aspects of the One. They therefore are not really opposed or dualistic, they are one; they are two faces of one energy.

The male energy is the aspect that is outwardly focused. It is that part of God or Spirit that drives outward manifestation, that makes Spirit materialize and take form. The male energy therefore knows a strong creative force. It is natural to the male energy to be highly focused and goal-oriented. In this manner the male energy creates individuality. The male energy allows you to separate yourself from the One, from the Whole and to stand alone and be a specific individual.

The female energy is the energy of Home. It is the energy of the Primal Source, the flowing Light, pure Being. It is the energy that has not yet manifested, the inner aspect of things. The female energy is all encompassing and oceanic; it does not differentiate or individualize.

Now, imagine the energy of the female becoming aware of a certain movement inside of her, a slight restlessness, a desire for… reaching out, outside of her boundaries, moving outside of herself to attain experience. There is a longing for something new, for adventure! And then an energy comes to her that answers that longing. It is the male energy that wants to be of service and help her manifest in matter, in form. The male energy defines and shapes the female energy and by their cooperation the total sum of energies can take a completely new direction. A new reality can be created in which everything can be explored and experienced, in ever changing forms of manifestation.

The dance of the male and the female brings forth the fluctuating spectacle of created reality, of your creation. This is a spectacle of great beauty wherein the male and female energy worship each other and celebrate their cooperation and playful joining. And this is as it should be. The male and female energy belong together, they are two aspects of the One and together they celebrate the joyful manifestation that Creation is supposed to be.

It has been said that in the final realization of who you are, the only truth that matters is: I AM. And in this mystical mantra, precisely those two aspects merge. In the I is the male energy, in the AM is the female energy. The I is constricting, differentiating. It gives focus, it gives direction, it individuates: I, not the other, I. And then AM. AM is oceanic, all encompassing. It reflects the ocean of Home, the female energy, the inexhaustible source that knows no bounds, no differentiation. The flowing and joining aspect is the core of the female energy. In the I AM, the male and female come together and blissfully join their energies.

Now in the history of humanity and even before humanity existed, a conflict arose between the masculine and the feminine. I shall not go into the origin of this conflict now. But in your history there is a drifting apart of male and female energy so that they appear as opposite forces. The yin-yang symbol demonstrates the true situation very well. In the masculine there is always a core of the feminine, and in the feminine there is a core of the masculine, just as there is a white dot in the black and a black dot in the white. But in the course of history, this mystical unity of the masculine and feminine has been forgotten and these energies have become opposed to each other as black and white. The underlying unity was no longer recognized.

Right now, you are in the last phase of this history of conflict, in which the male energy has played the part of perpetrator for many centuries. The male energy has long been playing a part in which it oppresses, mutilates and destroys the female energy. It was not always like that. There have been times in which the female energy had the upper hand and wrongly manipulated and ruled the male energy. But that time is over. The conflict took a different turn at a certain point and the roles of perpetrator and victim were reversed. The male energy has been in power for a long time now and has misused this power in such a fashion that the female energy has been weakened and does not realize the integrity of her Being anymore. Whenever the masculine and feminine are in conflict, the disintegration of both is inevitable. Where the feminine gets victimized more and more and gets lost in self-denial, the masculine energy loses itself in ruthless violence and the kind of aggression you know from the many wars in your past.

The masculine and the feminine depend on one another. When they battle each other, the consequences are disastrous. But times are changing. Since the 19th and 20th centuries, the female energy is regaining its strength and rising above the role of victim. This resurrection comes from deep within the feminine energy. She has finally reached the outer limit of her self-denial. At this point she has looked herself in the face and has stated: this is as far as it goes.

By the way, this is how it always goes in the dynamic between victim and perpetrator. Change starts when the victim refuses to accept any more. The perpetrator could well hang onto his role for a longer while, for he has less of a reason to stop. Revolution starts where the victim refuses to accept any more and finally takes back her power. In all situations of repression, for example of women in their family or in society, the real moment of change is when the woman - or the feminine energy within a person - decides for herself: I will not take this any longer. This is when change truly starts to happen. External measures are useless until this moment presents itself.

The female energy has arisen and its star is rising. Actually the most urgent matter in this time and age is the transformation of the male energy!! It is now time for a new definition of male energy. I could have easily called this channeling “the rebirth of the male energy.” For I want to stress that it is only in reunion with a matured and balanced male energy that the female energy can flourish again.

The female energy has in the past century and even before that regained power and strength. It has begun to flourish in a new and more balanced way. Despite the inequality of the sexes that is still present in your society, the rise of the female energy is unstoppable. However the female energy cannot gain full strength and vitality without cooperation with the male energy. This goes for the collective level as well as the individual. The female energy cannot make its final breakthrough without the support of and connection with the male energy. This is not because of an inherent weakness in the female energy. It is because of the essential nature of male and female energies: the fact that they are intertwined and can only fulfill their brightest potentials in cooperation. This is why it is imperative now that the male energy reshape itself and venture into the new!

When you look at the interplay between male and female on a collective level, the female energy is now in a position of waiting. She is waiting. At present there is a struggle going on within the collective male energy between the old and the new. A new wave of energy is dawning within the collective male energy that honors and respects the female energy. This new wave of male energy wants to join with the female and together enter the New Age. But at the same time an older wave of male energy is still active and trying to persist. This energy is clearly working in the series of terrorist attacks that has taken place all over your world. The male energy in its old role of heartless aggressor is thereby showing its nasty side. In the ones who commit these horrendous attacks there are very dark emotions: aggression, anger and at the same time utter powerlessness and helplessness. It is from this utter helplessness that they appeal to the most brute and destructive types of power display. This male energy we are speaking of is in its death agonies. It senses that there are important changes going on collectively and that humanity is on the threshold of a new era.

One of the problems you are now facing, while growing towards a more balanced cooperation between male and female, is how to deal with this kind of ruthless energy. What are we going to do about this old male energy that is trying to create as much havoc and destruction as possible in its downfall? Let me tell you this: its downfall is a fact. The struggle has been lost by the old male energy, but it will not surrender easily and it will resist to the very last with aggression and merciless attempts at domination.

Much will depend on how the inner collective attitude will be to these aggressors. Will you allow anger and powerlessness into your own energy field as a reaction to acts of violence? Then you open up to the energy field of the aggressors. At the very moment you feel overpowered by anger and resentment toward them they have reached their target. You are then sucked into their energetic vibration and you would be willing to kill as well: kill the murderers of the innocent. This is all very understandable, but is it vital to realize what’s happening here. As soon as there are intense emotions rising up, it is wise to make a pause, in silence. Go back to the quiet, knowing part of you and ask: what is really going on here? It is all about your wisdom and discernment now, your ability to see through things and to feel what really is at stake. The world will not be taken over by terrorist powers; the old male energy has served its time and its dying hour is at hand.

The most important message I have about terrorism, this manifestation of old male aggression, is: stay conscious! Do not let yourself be taken off-center by emotions of powerlessness, i.e. by getting victimized. Know that no one will be touched by this aggressive energy if they do not allow it into their energy field. If you do not react with anger or hatred, you will not draw it to you. You will be safe and protected by your own light.

I now would like to pay attention to the more mundane individual level, the level at which you deal with the male and female energies within yourself. For on the individual level as well there has been a struggle between the male and the female energies. Everything that happens collectively mirrors processes at the individual level.

To illustrate the importance of balance between the feminine and the masculine on the individual level, I will speak of the energy centers in every human, which are also called the chakras. There are seven of them that you know of now and these are located along the spine, from the tail bone to the crown. I will go into all of these chakras briefly, to show you that they are all characterized by either a predominantly male or female type of energy.

The tail bone (root) chakra is the energy center that connects you to the earth. The energy in this chakra reaches out to the earth and allows you to manifest your soul energy in physical form on the dense, material level of reality. In view of the reaching out and manifesting type of energy in the tail bone chakra, you may call it a predominantly male chakra. A chakra is never completely male or female, but one may say that the male energy has the upper hand here.

The second chakra is called the navel (belly button) chakra and it is the center of emotions. This center allows you to experience emotions, mood swings, in short all the highs and lows of emotional life. It is a receptive center. That is why I call it a female center, a chakra in which the female flow of energy dominates.

The third chakra, also called the solar plexus, is a center of action and creation. This is a center which reaches out and allows energy to manifest in physical reality. You may compare it to the sun, the outpouring of rays and the power of the yellow sunlight (the natural color of the third chakra is yellow). In the solar plexus your thoughts, ideas and desires are transformed into outer manifestation. It is the chakra of action and outward expression. It is also the seat of the ego, meaning the earthly personality, without negative implications. The predominant energy is male.

The heart chakra is a receptive center like the navel chakra and it has the special ability to connect different flows of energy. It is the center in which the energies of the lower three chakras (earth reality) and the upper three chakras (cosmic reality) connect. The heart is the bridge between mind (head) and emotion (belly). From the heart you are also able to connect with others and transcend yourself. The heart transcends the boundaries of the ego and enables you to feel oneness with anything outside of you, even with All That Is. The heart chakra is the gateway to the energy of Home. It is clearly a center of connection and it is therefore predominantly feminine.

The throat chakra is male. From this center inner promptings, ideas and emotions are given physical shape through speaking, crying, laughing, singing, yelling etc. Here the inner life is expressed outwardly by communication through the voice and through language. This center enables you to make your inner life known to others by means of physical signals: words, sounds, concepts. It is a center of manifestation that enables you to focus your energy outwardly into the physical plane. It is also a center of creativity.

The sixth chakra, also called “the third eye” which is located in the middle of your head, is feminine again. It receives extra-sensory, intuitive impressions and transcends the boundaries of the physical (the five physical senses). It is the seat of clairvoyance, clairsentience, etc. Through this center you can feel the energy of someone else – the emotions, the pains, the joys – as your own. With this ability of empathy, you transcend the boundaries of the ego and you connect with “that which is not-you.”

Finally there is the crown chakra, on top of the head. This chakra is neither male nor female. Or you might say: it is both. In this chakra, you rise above the duality of male and female. The crown chakra is an interesting combination of both energies. When this chakra is balanced, the consciousness therein is in a state of receiving as much as reaching out. There is a reaching “upwards” to other dimensions, where it seeks spiritual meaning or support, or to deeper layers of the Self. And at the same time there is a quiet and tranquil receptiveness, a knowingness that the answers will come in good time. It is a type of consciousness that is both highly focused and highly receptive. In this “state of mind” you come very close to the unity that underlies male and female energies, the energy of Spirit or God.

I have now sketched very roughly the movement of the male and female energy flows throughout the energetic body of the human being. Now I wish to speak of the lowest three chakras in particular. These are the chakras that are most connected to the earth, that are most involved with being in the earthly realm. This area of the lowest three chakras is of utmost importance in your inner road to healing, for in this area lie the deepest traumas and emotional scars.

You often feel you are earthly beings opening up to the spiritual. But we see it the other way around. You are spiritual beings opening up to the earth. The earth is a brilliant destination, a hidden diamond that has yet to reveal its true beauty. The earth is the Promised Land!

Heaven is your birth place. But you will not return to the state of consciousness that you remember as “Home” or “Heaven,” to a state of purely spiritual being. The adventure of Creation brings you to new destinations; you are always expanding and progressing towards a wholly new type of consciousness. (We have spoken of this before in the last chapter of the Lightworker Series). Earth is an essential part of this journey.

However in your manifestations on earth and your attempts to express yourself there, you have suffered much pain. Almost all of you have severe emotional wounds in the lowest three chakras caused by experiences of rejection, violence and abandonment. This may have happened in past lives as well as in this lifetime. Almost all energy blocks in the upper chakras are related to emotional hurts in the lowest three chakras.

I will say a little about the tail bone chakra first. Your connection to the earth has become emotionally burdened, especially for lightworkers. Because you have met with grave resistance over many lifetimes, there is much fear and reserve in you when it comes to truly grounding yourself. Grounding yourself means being fully present in your earthly bodies and expressing your innermost inspiration in material reality. The resistance to grounding yourself fully has been discussed before (in the Lightworker series). It has mainly to do with you “being different” and having been rejected for it.

In the second chakra, the emotional center, you have also been affected deeply by experiences of being threatened or deserted (literally or emotionally) and by being severely restricted in your self-expression.

With these traumatic burdens in the lowest two chakras, the solar plexus (third chakra) is also heavily affected. The solar plexus has to do with life force, creative energy and power. You know few examples of what true power means. With this I mean power that is not aggressive and destructive. In the solar plexus chakra you often see that a person manifests himself or herself either in an aggressive, controlling way, or in a subdued, overly modest way. Both ways are the result of underlying feelings of helplessness, stemming from a wounded first and second chakra. In the third chakra it is all about finding a balanced way of dealing with power and control, it is about a balanced ego.

Ego is okay! The ego has a proper function; it lends focus to your consciousness which enables you to create and manifest as the separate individual that you are. Yes, you are part of a greater Whole but you are also “I,” separate and different from anyone else. The ego is a necessary complement to the spiritual part of you that transcends the “I.” The energy of the ego is fully honorable and justified in the energetic reality that you live. True power is in the joyful alignment of ego and Spirit.

The area of the lowest three chakras is the most important area in self-healing and inner growth. The greatest spiritual challenge to you now is to take care of this wounded area in yourself. Meditating to transcend physical reality or connect to elusive cosmic levels is not your main goal now. Your goal is to give your gentlest understanding and loving support to that hurt inner child within you and to restore its beauty and playfulness. This is your spiritual journey; herein lies the greatest treasure. Cherishing and respecting the human side of you, the child part of you, is your road to divine compassion and enlightenment.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that within this energetic area, two out of the three chakras concerned are male. This shows that especially with regard to the male energies within each of you, much healing work is to be done. Therefore my message to you now is: heal the male energy within! The feminine energy is in many ways recovering and acquiring the strength needed to express itself fully and beautifully. The female qualities of intuition, sensitivity and connectedness are being appreciated more and more, individually as well as collectively. But it is not so clear what a balanced male energy truly looks like. The male energy somehow got lost in false images of what it means “to be a man,” stereotypes that always boil down to power through aggression. It is vital to recognise and express the true nature of male energy. The female side now needs the balanced male energy to be able to truly fulfill her role. The female energy is waiting, not just at the collective level but also on the individual level. The female energy is getting out of its victim role, regaining its self-esteem and it is now wanting to manifest itself powerfully and joyfully through reunion with the male.

So, what then is the power of balanced male energy? This goes for the male energy in both men and women.

In the first chakra, a healed and balanced male energy leads to self-consciousness. The male energy does not have to fight and struggle anymore, it is present through self-consciousness. Presence, i.e. being fully present with all of your soul, is an essential quality of the first chakra. Being present self-consciously means to stay aware of yourself, remaining centered, not getting lost in someone else’s opinions, expectations or needs. It is about finding the balance between connecting with others and being true to yourself. A balanced male energy in the tail bone chakra allows you to remain centered and aware of yourself while you interact with others and the outside world.

It is essential to develop this quality of self-consciousness, for it will protect and guide your female energy. The female energy is naturally inclined to connect with others (other living beings) and to be present with the other in a caring, nurturing way. The male energy makes for boundaries and helps find a balance between giving and receiving. With regard to the flowing, connecting female energies, the male energy in the lowest chakra fulfills the role of anchor and backbone. It is the point of coming home to yourself, the point of releasing ties to other energies you have connected with.

The solar plexus or third chakra fulfills the same role in a different way. This chakra is, as I said before, the energy center of the ego. You still have trouble with this concept of the ego. Especially among lightworker souls, there is a tendency to look upon the giving, self-transcending energies in the human being as “higher.” But it is not so. You live in a world in which two energies play together and form the building blocks of Creation. One tends to connect and seek for unity, the other creates separation and individuality. And the latter energy is just as viable and valuable as the former one.

It is important to make peace with the male energy, to embrace your individuality, your uniqueness, your “I-ness.” There is an essential “aloneness” in life which has nothing to do with loneliness, but which has everything to do with you being an “I,” a unique individual. To embrace this aloneness does not stand in the way of experiencing deep connections to others. If you truly embrace your individuality, you become an empowered, independent and creative individual able to share your energy deeply with anyone or anything, because you are not afraid to lose yourself in it or give up your individuality.

The male energy of the solar plexus helps you become truly creative and empowered. That is what the female energy in you is waiting for. Your heartfelt inspiration wants to make itself known on the material level, it wants to come out in a very earthly manner and bring tidings of love and harmony to the earth. The female energy is the carrier of the New Age but it needs a balanced male energy to truly manifest itself and grow roots into material reality. That is why it is of such great importance that the energies of the first and third chakra are healed.

The energy of a healthy ego, the healed solar plexus, is self-confidence. In the first chakra it is self-consciousness, in the third chakra it is self-confidence. This is not the kind of arrogance you see in an inflated ego. It is about simply trusting yourself: “I feel that I can do it!” It is being aware of your own deepest inspiration, your own creative abilities and then acting accordingly. Let your energies flow out of you, trust your natural talents and gifts, trust who you are and show yourself to the world! Especially for you lightworkers who carry so much inner knowledge and wisdom, it is now time to show yourself and not hide anymore. It is time. This is your destination and in this you will find your greatest fulfillment.

Make peace with the male energy within. Do not hesitate to stand up for yourself, to receive abundance and to take good care of yourself. Be egotistical, in the pure and neutral sense of the word. You are an ego, you are an individual. You cannot and need not be forgiving and understanding all the time. It is not spiritual to tolerate everything and anything. Clearly there are moments at which you have to say “no” or even “farewell” and not compromise who you are. Do this without guilt or fear and feel how the male energies of self-consciousness and self-confidence empower you to let the delicate flower of your female energy flourish and shine.

It is all about the cooperation between the energies. Male and female energies have gone down together in a long and painful struggle. They will also rise together, for one cannot be balanced without the other. Now that the female energy is ready to rise from the ashes of humiliation and repression, there is an urgent need for a rebirth of the male energy. This rebirth of the male will become visible on a collective scale eventually, but it will first manifest in each of you separately, man and woman. You all are the keepers of these ancient energies within you, and it is your birthright to make their partnership equal and joyful.


© Pamela Kribbe 2005

vrijdag 2 oktober 2009

Star

Replenishing your Soul

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When our mind, heart and body are tired, our Soul will feel drained. Sometimes we push ourselves too much and we forget the natural state of who we are. That’s fine as long as we remember at some point and bring ourselves back in alignment. You can do that by taking a time out from the everyday responsibilities. It’s more than taking time for you. It is taking time from you. A lot of us do not realize that we do need to take time from ourselves. This is where our Spiritual self realize that we need to be replenished at our very core.

After several trial and errors, I have learned what replenishes my soul. Music, dancing, writing and food I ate as a child in my native country Jamaica are now essentials for replenishing my soul. In my native culture we have a lot of delicious sweets. Two of my favourites are Coconut Drops and Gizzadas. The Coconut Drops are made with diced coconut, ginger and sugar. You boil all the ingredients together and then you scoop up spoonfuls at a time and then place them on a banana leaf to dry. The mixture sticks together to form a delicious snack. Loved them as a child so that is what I feed my soul. I do not know how to make Gizzadas, but I ate them all the time as a child. I find that when we go back to the things we loved as children, our souls feel contented. It’s a ride back to innocence.

Learn to listen to your soul and what it is asking for. Replenishing your soul requires more than just taking a physical break because your body is tired. Matter-of-fact, your mind, and body could very well be in working mode and you do not feel physically tired. You may feel some discontent in the center of your chest and even deeper you feel disconnected from the rest of you. It could be heartburn you are feeling, but chances are your soul is restless.

You will know when your Soul is being replenished. It’s the feeling you get when you sink into a warm Aromatherapy bath. Oils, candles, various scents can help to relax you. Maybe it’s taking a walk in nature or sitting by the Ocean. You may read a book that takes you away from the everyday issues of life, take you away from your issues with you and transport you to a place that elevates your soul. I would also suggest no alcohol. Remember you are taking time away from you.

Don’t push against yourself. Don’t fight against the natural state of who you are. If you are in the mood to work, then work until your soul tells you to stop. Then you stop. If you begin to do something but your body is offering resistance, then stop doing what you are doing and chose something else.

If we learn to work with all four quadrants of our physical self our mind, body, heart and soul then we will be able to become whole in all that we do.

For example, if your mind has a thought, check to see how your heart is responding.

Does your heart say go ahead? Good.

Now check with how your body is reacting. Is your clenched or is it relaxed?
Relaxed? Great

Now that your mind, heart and body are in agreement, what does your Soul say? Is it feeling contented with the decision of the other three colleagues? If yes, then bingo, you are in alignment.

This comes with practice because we were never taught to think with the other quadrant of our Spiritual self.

When the four quadrants of the physical self are aligned we will now experience the full essence of our Spiritual selves.


About The Author:
Trudy-Ann Ewan is a Motivational Speaker, Author and Coach, who is passionate about helping individuals create their passionate life. She motivates and educates individuals on how to fall in love with themselves and create a balanced and (w)holistic life by developing a better relationship with themselves without judgment

donderdag 1 oktober 2009

Astrid Thoening

This story just about brought me to tears when I read it.

So it is with great joy I share with you the story of Astrid Thoening.

Astrid Thoening celebrates her 100th birthday while working ...

AP – Astrid Thoening celebrates her 100th birthday while working as the receptionist for the Thornton Agency …

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Astrid Thoenig got dressed, went to work and sat at her desk smiling Thursday as she slid her finger gently under the envelope flap of yet another identical birthday card. They don't make that many that say "Happy 100th."

Thoenig was interrupted by a steady stream of deliverymen bringing bouquets, chocolate-dipped strawberries and stacks of cards to the Thornton Insurance Co. in Parsippany where she's been answering phones, keeping financial records, handling payroll and typing up documents for more than 30 years.

"It's another day — it's hard to explain," Thoenig said of turning 100. "I don't feel old, and I don't think old."

Born Sept. 24, 1909, in Bloomfield, N.J., Thoenig's earliest memories start in 1918, when she witnessed something so traumatic, "it erased all memories of my childhood before that."

"I remember coming down the stairs from my bedroom and saw these two coffins in the living room: one white, for my sister, and the other for the grown person," she said, recalling how the flu pandemic of 1918 killed her father and her 10-year-old sister within hours of one another. "To see my father and sister — of all the things I can't remember — that's very vivid in my mind."

Thoenig, her remaining sister, and her mother also were infected but survived. Her mother lived until 101 and her sister, who suffered permanent hearing loss from the illness, was 95 when she died. A few years ago, scientists tracked Thoenig down and took blood samples from her as one of the few remaining survivors of the pandemic of 1918-1919 that killed an estimated 30 million to 50 million people worldwide, including thousands in New Jersey.

As Thoenig turns 100, her grandson, 43-year-old Peter Thornton, said she couldn't have picked a better era.

"If you had to pick a dramatic century to live, it has to be Astrid's," he said. "The invention of the automobile and the airplane, television and computers, the moon landing and two world wars. 1780 to 1880 would have seen changes from a musket to a rifle."

Thoenig says "thinking young" has helped her take a century's worth of technological changes in stride. The daughter of Swedish immigrants, she credits her strong constitution, a wonderful family and getting up every day to get dressed and go to work with keeping her mind sharp.

Thoenig once sewed all her own clothes and still dresses elegantly, accenting with gold jewelry, colorful glasses and a full head of blond hair that makes her look decades younger. Her strong, agile hands come from a lifetime of typing, knitting and embroidering.

Married twice — her first husband died from injuries that earned him a Purple Heart in World War II — Thoenig started working shortly after high school, and has held positions at banks, lawyer's offices and for the borough of Caldwell.

Her current job is her favorite — working alongside her son, John Thornton, and grandson Peter at the family-owned insurance company.

"I'm 67, and one of our jokes is: 'How can I retire before my mother does?'" John Thornton said. He says his mother is a meticulous worker, reviewing contracts, preparing the payroll, making sure bills are paid, and is always pleasant company.

Thoenig credits her son for giving her the job, taking her to work — although she still drove until age 98 when a botched hip operation made it difficult to get around — and always being patient.

The growing stack of birthday cards may have identical motifs, but the messages inside them each touched her in their own way. Some, sent by people she's never met, were from seniors who continue to work and are inspired by her example: "I'm at my job 37 years and still love it," someone wrote.

She took special delight in a bouquet from her dentist with the message: "This is only the beginning!"

Astrid Thoening works as the receptionist for the Thornton Agency in Parsippany, N.J., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009. Astrid is celebrating her 100th birthday and still working for the same company for the last 32 years. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Lekkere pompoenrecepten

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Gisteren lagen er bij de groentenwinkel super dikke pompoenen. Ik moest er wel een beetje om lachen. Zelf heb ik een klein exemplaar gekocht, gewoon omdat ik vind dat die meer smaak hebben.

Ik geef graag een paar eenvoudige recepten door:

Recept: Pompoenmarmelade door Lieve Embo

Ingrediënten: 700 g pompoen / 400 g ui / ½ citroen (sap en schil in fijne stukjes) / 1 kaneelstokje / 1 kl miso / gember / ½ kop tarwestroop / 2 kl agar agar (geleermiddel)

Pel de pompoen en snijd in blokjes. Pel de ui en snijd in halve maantjes. Leg ze in een pot met 1 kop water, kaneel en miso. Breng aan de kook en laat gedurende zeker een half uur sudderen. Haal het kaneelstokje eruit en draai alles door een zeef. Voeg nu de stroop, citroensap en citroenschil en agar agar toe en laat nog 5 minuten sudderen. Laten opstijven in de koelkast.


Recept: Miso-pompoensoep (voor 4 personen)

Ingrediënten: 1 el wakame (zeewier) / 1 ui / 250 g pompoen / 450 g knolselder / 4 el miso / gember / water / peterselie of kervel

Week de wakame en snijd fijn. Snijd de ui in halve maantjes, de pompoen en knolselder in blokjes. Leg in een grote kookpot een laag wakame, dan een laag ui, daarboven knolselder en tenslotte pompoen. Overgiet met water en breng aan de kook. Laat minstens een half uur sudderen. Zet van het vuur en breng op smaak met miso en gember. Serveer met wat peterselie of kervel.


Recept: Nishime met pompoen (voor 4 personen)

Ingrediënten: 2 koppen pompoen in grote brokken gesneden / 2 koppen koolrabi in grote brokken gesneden / 4 cm kombu (zeewier) / 1 el witte miso / 1 el mosterd / citroensap

Leg de kombu onderaan de kookpot. Leg daarop de koolrabi en dan de pompoen. Strooi er een snuifje zout over en overgiet met wat water. Dek de pot af en breng aan de kook gedurende zo'n 15 minuten. Meng de miso met de mosterd en smeer het op de pompoenbrokken. Laat nog zo'n 15 minuten verder garen. Sprenkel wat citroensap erover voor het opdienen.


Recept: Pompoenschotel met kikkererwten (voor 4 personen) door Ingrid Degrieve

Ingrediënten: 4 koppen vaste patatjes / 4 koppen pompoen (grotere stukken dan de patat) / 1 ui heel grof gesneden / 200 g gare kikkererwten / zonnebloemolie / grote geut soya-room / geut shoyu / geut water / komijnzaadjes (beetje gewreven in de vijzel) / geraspte gember / look / peper en zout

Alles rauw (behalve de kikkererwten) samen in een afgedekte ovenschotel voor 35 tot 45 min in de oven.



If you love pumpkins here's an absolute great book!