Our Most Powerful Tool For Well Being & Happiness

Our Most Powerful Tools

As a hypnotherapist, I have supported my clients desire for greater health and well being, by showing them how they can better use their imagination. I believe imagination combined with intention, are possibly our most powerful tools for well being.

Intention
I often experience just how powerful intention is when I'm teaching a drum lesson. As my student is focusing on embodying the rhythm, I hold the intention that they are playing the rhythm with ease, their hands and bodies are relaxed, and that they feel the groove of the rhythm. As I place all my focus completely on them, it's remarkable to see how quickly they get the rhythm. What's also remarkable is that the moment that I'm distracted (I have a thought about something or someone else), they lose their focus and the rhythm! Without my saying a word, without doing a thing, they lost the rhythm!

We seemingly combined our consciousness, doubling our energy and focus towards their embodying the rhythm.

I encourage you to explore this phenomenon. Start with a loved one. Join with them in their focus as they are engaged in some activity. Watch what happens when the two of you are completely focused and what happens when you are distracted. Then bring this to other people: strangers, performers, people struggling. As you support these people, you are living the Golden Rule. You are giving them what you want: loving support. By giving it to others, you'll fill with the gratitude you feel when you receive support.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited"  ~Albert Einstein
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” -William Arthur Ward





Imagination Combined With Intention
I'd like to share these powerful tools (of intention combined with imagination) with you, in a guided meditation, designed for greater happiness: yours and all peoples. I invite you to give yourself 10 minutes.
To set the stage, see that there is nothing in your surroundings that may distract you for the duration.

Start by holding the intention of harmony with all beings, with all life. This simple act may well be the most important step in this process
Make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and breath deeply. Allow your breath to enter in through your nose, filling your lungs and abdomen. Exhale through your mouth. Give yourself a minute to slow your breathing to about one breath for every 30 seconds. Give yourself a moment for this.

Now imagine a beautiful light above your head. Imagine this light as the Light of your Higher Self. You may wish to give it a color. See it scintillating with Vibrancy. See It radiate out in all directions. Take a moment.

Now imagine a beam of this Light descends into and through your head, into your heart. See it grow in your Heart. See it pulsate with Life and Love. As you breath in, feel the elation and joy in your heart. Take a moment.

Now send a steady beam of this Light and Love to someone you love dearly. See this person receive this Light in their heart. See them relax as they breath it in. See it grow in their chest, reaching into their internal organs; feeding their entire body like the most real nutrition. See them grow in vitality and joy. Take a moment.

Now send this Light to the people in your life; to friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, community leaders. Send it to people with whom you are in conflict. As you love them, you are loving yourself. Take a moment.

If you find yourself questioning your right or ability to Love so large, consider the following words. "We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. ”  ~ Marianne Williamson

Now send this Light to the people in the world you believe most need it. Imagine it traveling around the world and raining Beauty on people everywhere. Swami Muktananda said "It's always raining Grace. You just need to take down your umbrellas". Imagine all people having "taken down their umbrellas" to deeply receive this love. Imagine the entire world in harmony, in celebration,  song, dance, music, and however you are inspired. Do this now.


Enjoy this.....
"Just imagine a world where there is no conflict, no selfish competition,only loving cooperation. Imagine a world free of pollution, free of want, free of disease, free of disaster. Imagine a world populated with smiling, laughing, happy, joyous people, all radiantly healthy, all abundantly supplied, all loved and loving. Get the feel of such a world, and put yourself right in the middle of it. Think of yourself as filled with life and energy and vitality, with a body that is strong and vibrant. See yourself surrounded with abundance and enjoying true prosperity. See yourself doing what you love and loving what you do, unbound and free. See yourself with the capacity to embrace and love and serve every single man and woman and child on this planet, regardless of who they are or what they have done and feel that unconditional love radiating from you to all, and returning from all to you. And then see everyone in the world as you have seen yourself in the ideal. Let there be peace in your heart, the excitement of victory in your mind, and joyous words on your lips."  Selamat Ja! Sheldon Nidle & Colleen Nidle

May all being be happy. May all beings know Peace.

For Valentine's Day: Ready to LOVE Bigger Than Ever?

In this article, I explore ways we can open to and express Love

Relationships

We enter relationships for innumerable reasons. Most often, it's with the intention of getting certain needs met. Some of these are being understood, being accepted, receiving compassion, and companionship. To best get these needs met, with each person you are in relationship, I suggest you first ask yourself:
1) what do you want from that person?
2) what do you feel with this person?
3) what do you want to feel more of with them?
Once you have discerned what you want in relationship to them, turn that desire into an offering to them: a gift, if you will. Extend to them the very actions that may give them the experience you are wanting.  Because in the end, whatever need(s) you are attempting to get met, you'll do so by "giving unto others what you want to receive from them".

Whenever you meet someone (anyone), I encourage you to ask yourself one simple and easy to remember question; "Have I built a bridge to this person?"  In other words, "Have I walked in their "shoes?". "Do I have compassion and empathy for them?". "Have I applied the Golden Rule?"  As we apply this approach to relationship (all relationships), we create a "bridge". This bridge can be built from you to all people. The more bridges we create, the more we get our needs met, the fewer expectations we place on others, the less conflict we experience.  Eventually, creating bridges  becomes our natural approach to all relationships.

I encourage you to take this ideal to all of life. Animals and plants, vehicles, buildings, everything. As we create "bridges" to everyone and everything in our life, we see the Sacred manifest, as a continual stream of Beauty. We see the Hand of God weaving Itself through each moment.
The term "Namaste" expresses this. meaning  "The Light within me sees and honors the Light within you".

It's been said that there are two basic choices in life: to love or fear. We choose love because it feels better. We may fall back into fear, but as we keep choosing love, our "love muscles" strengthen to the point that we no longer choose fear. At this point, we experience the 'choiceless choice' to Love.

Intimacy

Traditionally, we have held that intimacy is an experience between 2 people. The sweetness of connection. The giving and receiving of touch, of loving words and sentiments. Seeing deeply into The being of another. Indeed, this is exquisite! Yet, we spend much of our lives in search of that person (or people) we believe can "give" us that experience. The great irony (and the great redemption) is that the sweetness we identify as the experience one "gets" in a loving relationship is completely available within us, in every moment!

I like to think of true intimacy as "In-to-me-you-see". To the extent that we allow ourselves to be "seen" is the extent to which we feel intimacy. It's an inside job. As we become comfortable with ourselves (our past, our addictions, our secrets), we have less to hide. With less hiding, we have less desire to find someone else to show us love. We are now loving ourselves.

To the extent that you no longer hide (your inner world is no longer hidden from your outer world), do you experience intimacy, moment to moment. Call it Freedom. The freedom to Be exactly who you are, at every level of your Being. A great spiritual teacher of mine Swami Muktananda, said "When every thought, word, and action are aligned, one experiences True Freedom."  That's Intimacy!

Recently, my son Elijah (precocious as he is) said "Isn't the word 'intimacy' "In to me I see"?  Haazzaa!!!! Out of the mouth of babes!  (OK, so he's 15 years old and almost as tall as me. But you know, he'll always be me baby)

Unconditional Love 

Muktananda was once asked "What would you do if I shot you right now"?  His reply: "I'd die loving you".
How can we open to unconditional Love?
I invite you into an exercise that will give you an immediate opportunity. Give yourself 10 minutes.
Imagine the person with whom you are presently experiencing the greatest conflict. See them standing in front of you. What do you feel? Don't push these feelings away, don't dwell on them. Allow them. Do this now.

I now invite you to recognize how this person is presently the greatest "Angel" in your life. Just by being in relation to them, you are aware of the area in your being where you are experiencing the most suffering. This is likely the area in your life where you are presently offering the least love. And if love is what you want, you can now bring love to the darkest place in your life. Right now. Are you ready? If so, continue...

Imagine centered in your heart, a brilliant colored light. Let this be the 'Light of your inner Love'. Breath in this Light and let it fill you. Send a steady stream of this Light to the heart of this person. See them receive it. See them fill with joy, gratitude, and peace. See this Light fill their chest, traveling out their arms, down their legs, and up into their heads. See them rejuvenated by this Cosmic Light, as though they are receiving the most enlivening Nutrition. See Joy fill their being. See them feel Inspired, Creative, and Loving. Do this now.

Now see in their heart, a brilliant, colored Light of Love. See a steady stream of Light and Love extend from their heart to yours. Allow yourself to receive it fully. Let it fill you as they have just been filled.  Do this now.

Envision a flow of Light and Love from your heart to theirs and from their heart to yours. Feel the gratitude for having loved. For having chosen the single most important aspect of life.  Do this now.

This Valentine's Day (and every day), my wish for you is that you choose Love. May this 25 minute video inspire you. http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/consciousness/a-message-of-hope.html If this link doesn't take you to the site, paste it into your URL.

Conflict Resolution, Part 2

When we verbalize our emotions, we are using linear descriptions to express a non-linear aspect of our life. Emotions are "energy in motion"; not a linear description. To access and authentically express your emotions in a healthy way, I offer a very powerful technique that I occasionally use in support of couples in my counseling practice. Sit facing each other about 5' apart. Whichever of you is feeling the most intensely will start this process by holding a drum between your legs and drumming what you feel. No words are spoken as they can actually distance us from this very visceral expression. Although, I encourage you to non-verbally vocalize what you are feeling, as it will assist you in even more effectively expressing your emotions. While one of you is drumming what you feel, the other says nothing, just listens and opens in an empathic way to what is being expressed. This technique requires no drumming experience or technical ability whatsoever. In fact, it's best to let go of technique all together. Let go of anything linear; rhythmical patterns, tempo, and words. This will allow you to better let go of "thinking" your way through this emotional exercise and to more fully express your emotions. "Drum out" your feelings as long as you need.

 Now it's the other persons turn. Repeat this same process. Take turns, back and forth until you feel "done". When you both feel complete, talk about what each of you felt while the other drummed.

As I mentioned in last weeks blog, although there are myriad variations of emotion, they boil down to 4 basics, making them much easier to identify. These 4 are sad, mad, glad, and scared. By remembering these, we can have a basic navigation of this inner watery realm of emotion.
We often confuse emotions with action words. We say things like " I feel betrayed" or "I feel abandoned" or "I feel alone". Betrayal, abandonment, and being alone are actions, not feelings. These terms imply that we have been victimized. They also imply that the person we are in conflict with is the perpetrator.

Here's a list of descriptive variations of emotions, for more accurate identification and communication.

Sad                             Mad                     Scared                  Glad        
sorrowful                     resentful                afraid                     happy    
melancholy                  irritated                  fearful                    content   
gloomy                       enraged                  frightened              satisfied    
heavy-hearted             furious                   timid                      rapturous   
mournful                     annoyed                 nervous                 enthusiastic
dull                             indignant                anxious                  inspired     
discouraged                bitter                     apprehensive          vivacious   
somber                      angry                      terrified                  exhilarated 
dismal                        infuriated                horrified                  joyous                     

Here are more variations, so that you may never again be at a loss for words.

Confident            Doubtful            Interested
secure                  skeptical              fascinated
 resolute               suspicious            curious
 certain                 hesitant                engrossed
 bold                    indecisive             intrigued
 determined          perplexed            concerned
                            wavering             absorbed

After witnessing your partner express their feelings, tell them what you now realize about them:

1) Do you recognize experiencing the same feelings they expressed in your own life?
2) What needs do you see they were attempting to get met as the conflict started?
3) How do you attempt to get these same needs met in your own life?
4) Tell them what needs you were attempting to get met when the conflict started.

As we recognize the needs of another in ourselves, our love and compassion deepens. We see that everyone has the same feelings and needs. We see ourselves in everyone and everyone in us. We see that it is through our humanity that we experience our Divinity, or Oneness with all Beings. We are motivated less by fear (based on the belief that we are separate). We live more out of being inspired by Love.

It's been said that in essence, there is only one choice; whether to be motivated by fear or inspired by Love. As we develop our "loving muscles" we choose fear less and less. Eventually we no longer choose fear. Once we have chosen love enough, we'll no longer choose fear. We no longer consider fear as an option. At this point, we experience the 'choice-less choice' of choosing only Love."

"Get into that state which is beyond thought,
beyond change, beyond imagination,
beyond differences and duality.
Once you have begun to get into that state and can stay there…you will see your own Self in everyone around you.
Then the flow of love from within you will be constant and unbroken." –Swami Muktananda

The Elixir Of Chanting

The Elixir Of Chanting

 Wed, Oct. 30th, 7-8:30pm

The Center For Spiritual Living, 2075 Occidental Rd. Santa Rosa

(707)546-4543. A by-donation event.
           
Join Sufi Dance leader Tui, chant leader Jens, Sahar on tablas, with Linda Weber (vocals), Bruce Haushuldt (gongs), & poet Neal Grace.


"Through chanting, love arises. If love arises, it means that you have attained God, because God’s true nature is love. By chanting the Name of God everything becomes pure and auspicious. The atmosphere becomes pure, even the earth and sky become pure. To chant the auspicious name of God is to make the tongue, the ears, and the heart auspicious and pure:"
~ Swami Muktananda




Celestial music in a beautiful sanctuary, with the lights down low;   a p.a. system that brings out the subtlest nuance, while creating a beautiful balance of voice and instrument; chanting with hundreds of fellow bliss seekers, this is a sublime venue.