My Soul Says Yes!

Where is Heaven?

When i was a child - i was told at church that i was going to Hell if i didn't accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.  And i must always be "good" to get into Heaven.  Heck even Santa paid attention to whether or not i was good, and he checked that list twice.

I never quite understood that.  How about you?  Where is this Hell anyway?  Or for that matter where is this Heaven they talk about?  I used to ponder that when i was young.  And then one day i realized that it couldn't be a physical place.  Hell was not "down below".   Heaven wasn't "up there".  God wasn't a "man".  God is Spirit.

On that day i realized that Heaven was here and Hell was here.  And when i realized this - i was still kind of young (in my early teens) - i didn't quite understand that entire thought process.   So i pondered more (i'm a ponderer) and realized that my life was what i made it.

Over the years I've come to understand this more and more.  I don't know when i realized that the thoughts in my head are my reality.  It seems i've always used the concept of visualization.  I would see something in my mind and then i would do it.  Even something as simple as laying in bed in the morning and deciding what to wear that day.  I would visualize it and then get up and put that on.

When i want to create an art piece - i feel the color in my mind, feel the texture, feel the essence of it - and imagine myself going through my supplies, pulling out what i need, putting it on the table and assembling it piece by piece, layer by layer.  Then when it is/was complete in my mind - i would go into my art studio and create.  Most times - i create it as i see it in my head, sometimes i might change it a little bit - but what i had visualized is usually what my finished product became.

My vision for myself, for my friends and family, for all people, for this city, this county, this state, this country.  Earth.  This World.  This Universe.  My vision is of Peace.  Joy.  Love.  Heaven. Abundance.  Right now.  Right Now!  We have the capacity Right Now!  We have it all within us.  We simply have to realize it.

What does it take to realize it?  I see people reading the same books - but they aren't doing the work.  They are doing the same things.  Making the same complaints.  They are stuck in this place in their heads.  They think they are doing better - but they really aren't.  They are merely going through the motions.  I know this because that was me.  I see this now.  How do we get others to see this?

I think the answer is to live this.  Begin with ourselves.  Be Joy.  Be Peace.  Be Love.  Be Abundance.  Be Heaven.  Right Now.  And when you share this - others will see this and want to be there with you.  Along side of you, riding the wave of Energy.  What about you?

It gives me such a High that My Souls Says Yes!

Be that. Every. Single. Day.

I thrive on stress.  When my mind is busy working out all of the options - calculating the time available vs. the workload - finding moments in the day to accomplish this task and then moving on to the next before the first one is ever done.  Multitasking myself through my day.

While this mind part of me thrives - the body part of me has a lot of stress - something else i thrive on.  However, the stress i feel in this body needs to have time devoted to it.  To relax and recharge.

Relaxation.  What a concept.  Meditation stretches and expands the mind.  Yoga stretches my muscles, expanding and releasing the stress build up in this body.  And Music.  Well Music is

something else all together.  When i listen to Music - i don't "do" anything else.  I listen to the music.  I'm not one of those people that always has music playing in the background.  When i play music, i'm devoting time to it and listening to it.

By relaxing in this way i find that as i listen to Music it creates a pathway from my Heart to my Mind and it spreads through out this body - i can feel it traveling through my cells, across my skin as it dances around me - clearing out the debris from the day.  Allowing this body to become in sync with the Larger Me.  I Breathe into that moment.  And my Spirit Expands.

Something i've learned is that when you are ready to allow yourself to listen to your body - to your Mind - and what you are being told by the Universe - your life will become better.  (I've had a friend telling me this over, and over, and over.  Did i say over?  I finally started listening.  Really, K. I'm listening!)

For example, today was such a great day.  I had a program at my day job.  Something i'd planned for several months.  Usually i get stressed out over the program - but today, well last week really - i decided that it would be perfect.  (Easy.)  I was standing up at the lectern watching everyone arrive and find their seats.  I found myself standing there with a smile on my face.  People walking up saying hello to me, sharing conversation.  And i realized that it really was perfect.  (Easy.)  When it was time to begin, i turned on the microphone, and began to speak.  I said everything i wanted to say, i didn't stumble over my words, they laughed at my jokes and it truly was Perfect.  I was calm.  And one of the best things - i had 55 people at my program.  That is a good day.

Now the trick is - to remember what i learned today.  Ultimately I am responsible for myself.  I have to listen to what the Universe is telling me.   And be that.  Every. Single. Day.

A Change Will Do You Good

What is it you want for your life?  Deep.  Deeply Want.  The Deeper Relationship with God.  The Deeper Relationship with Your Authentic Self.  A Deeper Relationship with other People.  A Deeper Relationship with your creativity.  Or think of it as the Bigger things.  For me one of those Bigger things is retiring from my present job of 29 years and paying off a large bill.  My Things are different from your things.  Because my things are my things.  And your things are your things.

I'm considering that for the moment.  There are a few things in my life that i say to myself - why isn't

this or that changing.  And i'm trying to figure out why.  What I'm seeing is that i keep making excuses to do something else - over doing the thing i want to change.  Avoiding the thing i think i want and not making the change.  Then i realize that there must be some fear in how if i do this thing - am i ready for the change that it will make in my life?  Because changing a Big Thing, a Deep Thing does change everything else.

Taking a deep breath on this one and seeing the need for meditation on that one.

Some of what i'm thinking: Something happened for me over the holidays.  I'm sitting here one day between Christmas and New Years.  Thinking.  Thinking about my future.  And i'm thinking about this something that happened to me.  It was a good thing.  A nice thing.  But suddenly i realized that it changed everything.  It opened the door to a BIG something that i've been wanting.  So i pulled out all my paperwork and a calendar and ran the numbers and realized that if i did this, then did that and moved that over here and OMG if i did all of this it would allow me to RETIRE.  Not in 3-5 years.  But at the end of this year, perhaps a year and a half at most.  Wow.

Recently I've been wanting and feeling the need to retire from my present job (been here 29 years).   After i'd worked here many years and then decided i'd stay on and retire from here - 30 years was my projection for myself.  But over the past several years i didn't think it would be possible.  However - still in my heart of hearts - i've held that vision of 30 years.  My 30 years will be September 16th of this year.

This past year my life changed a lot - and there are doors opening and new paths created - moving me in a new direction.  My life is so Abundant.  Filled with Love.  Wonderful Relationships with Authentic Spirits.  We share the good, the bad and the highs and lows.  I've learned so much from these relationships, i've grown, they've grown - we're all moving forward, helping each other.  And i'm ready to move forward into my future.  That future is filled with infinite possibilities.

When the time comes for change, you will desire that above all else, and make that change.  You will see the truth that without this change, you will only stay the same.

Anytime you want a deeper relationship with something, anything - it takes time and effort to create this deeper relationship.  So you have to ask yourself - do i really want this?  And if you want this - but you still aren't taking the time or effort - WHAT is standing in your way?  Besides you?  It is always You - but dig deeper there is something within you that is keeping you from your Good.

A change will do you good.

Meditate on That

Your Good is inside of you.

It always has been.

So what's in your way of seeing your Good?

You.

Stop believing all the crap that you are bombarded with.

Look inside.

Take a deep breath.  Slowly exhale.

Close your eyes. Meditate on That.  The space between the breath.

Feel it.  Feel the Good.  The Good that you are.

You always have been.  You always will be.

Be That.  Everyday.  Every moment.

And if you forget.  Take a deep breath.  Slowly exhale.  Close your eyes.  Meditate on That.

Repeat as needed.

Namaste.

Spread Love not Fear

When i see a post on Facebook or an article in a magazine or a newspaper or a television ad or commentary - there are 2 things i look for when i see it.
1.  Is this Love?
2. Is this Fear?

Life to me is sometimes a flow chart.  If this, then that.

Is this Love?  Yes - Is it relevant to you? Do you want to watch it/look at it? yes - then do it.
No? Then move on.
Is this Love? No - Then it must be fear.
Is this Fear? Yes - then move on, don't give it your power.  No? Then it must be Love, see above.

Very simplistic.  But we've got to be careful what we allow into our lives.  Into what we see, we speak, we do, we think, we spread - everywhere.

I saw a post that someone put on Facebook - which triggered this thought.  It said - "Do you know there are multiple cures for cancer but they are suppressed because cancer is worth $170 Billion dollars a year."  It just SCREAMED fear to me.

This is what i mean - by Love and Fear.

What i would rather see is something positive like this poster, on how to prevent something rather than pointing fingers and blaming someone else for the problem.

I know.  I know.  I live in my own world.  I want everything perfect.  I know the world isn't perfect.   But i can try, can't I?

I just found a bumper sticker in amid some papers i'm sorting through and filing.  "Loving Kindness is my religion" (His Holiness The Dalai Lama)

I guess that is where i am coming from.  I have to stop pointing fingers and blaming everyone else for my problems and issues.  It is one reason i'm sitting here all day today sorting papers and shredding, filing and tossing things. (i'm a writer and a genealogist - i keep everything.) I've wanted to have some people over to the house for a small gathering, but my house is such a mess i say to myself, there are papers and piles everywhere.   And you know what?   I just have to get off my rear and DO IT.   And it is feeling good.  And this room is looking so good.  And i'm planning a gathering at my house while i'm cleaning up and out.

What are you doing about it?  Let's stop a moment.  Let's Spread Love not Fear.

Be That Now

Resolutions.  Goals.  Intentions.  Rules.  Expectations.  Regulations.  Ugh.

Many years ago i stopped making "resolutions" for the new year.

I realized that when i made these resolutions and then i didn't keep them - i thought less of myself. When i stopped exercising after 2 months.  When I didn't keep the house picked up everyday.  When I didn't get fit.  When i didn't stop smoking.  Or eating sugar.  Or just simply eating less.  When I didn't stop using credit cards or pay off my debt.  When I didn't go back to school.   When i didn't find my true love.  Or buy a new car.  When i didn't meditate more.  Or find that new church.  When i didn't write that book.  Or travel more.  Or do this or do that and on and on.

I judged myself.  I made myself feel less than.  That small mind would take over and then i would feel small.  I was bullying myself into thinking that i was not perfect.  Just. the. way. I. am.

One day i decided to stop beating myself up.  And I realized that i am perfect.

Now let me say - that just because i know that i am perfect -doesn't mean that i remember it every day.  But i do remind myself of that fact when ever i begin to feel less than.  I'm bombarded with the media and people and the outside world - and their goal is to make me feel that i need something other than what i have.  Mine is to remember that i am perfect.  I have everything i need within myself.  As do you.

When i begin to feel less than - i try to figure out why i feel that way - and work through that block.   Sometimes i need assistance from others to help me work through those blocks.  That block that is keeping me from knowing that i am perfect, from knowing my Divine Nature.

I'm working through these blocks and knowing my Divine Nature more and more.

And you know what?  Over the years my life has changed.  I quit smoking one day.  I wrote a book.  Then i wrote another book.  And just this year I wrote a third book.  I went back to school.  I bought a new car.  I'm traveling more.  I'm allowing new people in my life. I've cut out most of my sugar consumption.  I'm creating more.  I'm loving myself more and more everyday.  And loving others.  I've found my True Loves, I am surrounded by them.  They are everyone.  I'm expanding my borders.  I've paid off half of my debt.  And i don't use credit cards anymore.  I save up to buy large ticket items.  I'm meditating several times a week.  I've found a new Spiritual Center.  Several actually.  And it has come naturally.  Easy.

I'm constantly trying to keep my house picked up.  But i don't care that people see it the way it is - messy.  These are simply some of my messy parts.  Yes i do need to loose weight - because i need to be healthy - not for any other reason.

And i'm feeling good.  About myself.  About my life.  And my non resolution life that is perfect!

Happy New Year!  Imagine the life you want to be and be that now.