Horizons Magazine

Working out the bugs; wasted time; self promotion

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:20:56 +0000

Thursday, February 5, 2009 My brother and I are working on several projects together, and he does all the technical work for us. The last few days we've been working the bugs out of a new system, and I'm getting some good insights from it. At first I was having a problem with some design aspects of a page I wanted to send out, like I could not get the image to insert in the file. Brothermine told me to make a version of the page without an image and that initially sent me into a headspin. It made me realize I have come to rely so much on images to convey a message. I was initially bummed that I couldn't do it MY way, but I welcomed the chance to learn another way. It took some doing - 2 days of doing - but I was happy with the result. Of course, as soon as my perception changed and I was happy with what I had, Jerry comes up with a fix for the problem and now my images can be inserted. I thought that was a good example of how the Universe works: Be happy with what you have and you'll be taken to the next level. But that wasn't the only insight. As soon as my page was finished, I had a bunch of clients I wanted to send it to. It would be a first test of the new system. When I got 41 emails back, I figured they were just old addresses to weed out of my list. Instead, the emails told me that the system only sent the first 50 of the emails and discarded the rest as being overlimit. Initially I was frustrated. I thought my time doing all the design work had been wasted - and what was my lesson if I couldn't get the actual page to the destination? Then I remembered, nothing is ever actually wasted. All the thought time doing the project was attracting to me the result I was striving for. I just didn't realize it yet. Isn't that what I always say about treasure-boarding? The time spent creating the treasure board/map is valuable and determines what I'll attract to me. That's what I say about creative visualization and pre-paving: The time spent visualizing and imagining is valuable and determines what I'll attract to me. Right now, all I wanted to attract was software that did what we paid it to do. Then I remembered my brother is a tech wizard and that he'd figure it out, he always does. In his next email to me, he'd already discovered and made the fix. It did made me think of several friends who feel thwarted after having spent years writing a book or creating a product, yet are unable to move on to the next step of getting their message out there. "I don't want to promote myself; that's not my style" is the Universal cry. They are right, it is absolutely possible to attract someone to discover the treasure of you, even if you stay shut up at home alone. The Universe can send Mr. Producer to your door in the form of the brother-in-law of the UPS delivery guy you befriend, who really thinks your book would make a good movie. Yes, these magical things do occur and you can attract them to you. But if that is not happening for you now, despite your best efforts, you might reconsider doing a little self promotion. Promotion does not have to be in-your-face and intrusive. There are subtle and gentle ways of letting people know what you have to offer. And your ability to do this is directly related to how strongly you really feel about your mission and your message. If you're next in line for promotion and your boss decides to move out of state, how strongly would you want her job and her salary? If you are watching the lottery draw on tv and they have already called out 5 of the numbers, all of which you have, how strongly would you want to hear that 6th number? If your child was drowning and you were a foot away, how strongly would you want to quickly move those last 12 inches to save him? When you feel that strongly about your mission and your message, you will be guided on ways to promote yourself. In the meantime, here are some passive ways to self promote: Have an account at FaceBook. You will be surprised at how many people you know are on there. It becomes this whole little community, like a subculture you share with your Facebook friends. Most of mine are people I actually know at this point, I just recently joined (as Andrea de Michaelis). A couple of times a day I check it and maybe type in what I'm doing, take a moment to see what my Facebook friends are doing, maybe send a message back and forth with some of them. I'm just having fun but I'm promoting myself as well, just by touching base and being visible. Promoting does not have to be "buy my stuff". Promotion is also as simple as "I'm here. I know you and you know me and we're sharing a moment together; we're sharing a community together; we're sharing a planet together." Promotion can also be where you plan a gathering of friends for tea and reading from your book and discussion on it some Saturday afternoon. Or gather a test group, asking what they think of your idea or product. People love to be asked for their ideas and opinions. Or give a free class on something mission-related and bribe them with tea and crudite'. Make it a fun presentation so that when you schedule the next one, they will want to bring their friends. That's promotion. Promotion can also be hanging out a shingle, which these days means putting your name where your market can see it. You don't have to buy big ads and plaster them all over the place. A small, consistent presence in front of your market readership will bring you success. Like, I'd rather a friend buy a business card ad in Horizons every month for a year, rather than 1/4 page every 3 months. The get more consistant coverage. They are "present and visible" with each and every issue. Or they can have 2 lines each month in the Horizons Phone Directory for just $10 per month. Wherever your market is, it will pay you to have even a small, but consistent presence in it. Consider it an investment in your future success. A tithe to the Universe. Create a website. It's easier than you think. Have the website address listed in all your advertising. on the website, say whatever you have to say. Let them know who you are and what you are all about. To me, those are examples of passive advertising. Not once did you say "buy this", but you've let the reader know who (you think) you are and what you have to offer. For me, it comes down to working out the bugs... First I begin scripting and using creative visualization to attract what I want to me. Then I remember that 90% of my job is to release resistance; 10% being having the vision and maintaining belief and expectation in the vision. How do I release resistance? To me, that means I need to find ways to get happy NOW. I need to break habitual patterns because that rewires my inner circuitry to allow for expansion. Trust me. Even just cleaning out a closet rewires you to receive things into your life that you have been waiting for. Sometimes we wait years for something, and it arrives within hours of cleaning out the garage. I tackle chores like that as a spiritual cleansing ritual, and set my intention ahead of time as to what I'd like to achieve after I've freed up the energy of the space. I've found that de-cluttering has helped me find jobs, mates, opportunities of all types. I get the best rate for the loan, I get the best car at the best price, my remodelling job proceeds smoothly, I get the contract, I make the sale, I discover a new columnist or cover artist or speaker. All of those have been achieved after the setting of an intention before I cleaned my garage, my attic, my shed, my supply closets. De-cluttering and having fun is what works out the bugs for me. So, while we're on the topic, tell me who YOU are and what your mission and message is. Really, I want to know :)

I'm liking the cold weather

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:53:56 +0000

Friday, February 6, 2009 The outside thermometer tells me it's 30 degrees but when I step out into the wind, it feels even colder. It's nice - and novel - to be able to bundle up inside, thermostat set at 60 degrees, wearing sweats and socks and even my fleece jacket. This is Florida. We're not used to dressing in layers. Eight months of the year we think less about fashion than we do about "what is the least amount of clothing I can wear this hot, humid day and still be legal and inoffensive?" I usually love winter because that means I can wear long sleeves and high collars and have some variety. But today I have on more layers than ever. I keep the house at 60 degrees; sometimes I'll kick it up to 65 if I've been outside, but I like it cool. Which is a good thing since I have learned that a couple of my windows are not well insulated. True, they have marble windowsills, which hold the chill, but I reached behind my one blackout drape on a window that right now has a storm panel up on it, and it felt 10 degrees colder between the window and the drape. It made me glad I have the drape up. And the storm panel on. I'd taken a walk around my yard yesterday afternoon and checked on the plants. I don't have many ornamentals so my foliage is pretty hardy. Most of it is under the canopy of oaks and palms that have plenty of leaves, and I knew it stayed warmer and protected under there. The pines, however, were pretty bare, so I did cover some arbicola and giant philodendron. My east woods looked like some strange kind of village setting, with indian blankets strewn about. I talked to the plants and told them I knew how strong they were and this brief cold snap was not going to get them, and they agreed. I knew they were strong, since full moon is in 5 days Monday Feb 9th, so the sap will be rising within them now. They were strong enough for this. Mine are a hearty group of plants and trees and bushes. In AndreaLand, everyone has to fend for themselves and be self sufficient. So this morning after sun up, I took a walk around the property to check on everyone and it seems we have no casualities. The banana tree was unwrapped and on her own, so time will tell with her. The grass felt crunchy as I walked. I'd gone for a bike ride earlier this morning and knew ahead of time it would feel very cold. I had on extra layers, good gloves and headed on out before dawn. Aha! Something I hadn't counted on. Breathing in the air, it was a LOT colder than just the other day when I did a predawn bike ride when it was 50 degrees. I'm not used to it, so I didn't know. I don't know that I've ever had air that cold go into my lungs. I thought, "oh, I'll just ride around some and warm up" and well, that didn't seem to be happening, so I came back in pretty quickly. It didn't take long to warm up. Before my bike ride I'd put my sleep silks and navy sweatsuit into the dryer, along with my fuzzy slipper socks. As soon as I came in, I poured a cup of hot ginger tea and changed into the warm clothes while it brewed. Ahhhh! Life is good!

Celebrity photos; does anyone have a right to privacy?

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:35:10 +0000

Friday February 6, 2009 Michael Phelps Suspended By now everyone has seen the photo of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps doing a bong hit at a party. No matter where you stand on the marijuana legalization issue, you have to admit that wasn't very smart. His saving grace is that he's young and immature and that he knows to work that angle to the media. I think he's lucky to have gotten the lesson early on that if you are out in public, even at a friend's party, know that everything you do may be scrutinized. Know that everyone you know has their own agenda. Know that your friends aren't always your friends. I mean, think about it. I didn't read the stories, just saw the headlines so I don't know who took the pic, but I assume it was not someone with Phelps' best interest at heart. The photographer had a lot of opportunities between taking the pic and releasing it to not do it. Ok, so he was young and stupid right then, the same as Phelps, is that an excuse? No, but it is obviously a reason. I'm sure the photographer didn't think, "Oh, let me see how I can jeopardize Phelps' career and ruin his reputation and cause his income sources to dry up." He may not have been thinking that at all. He may have just been goofing off taking photos or he may be jealous Phelps gets attention he would like to have and took it on purpose. From the angle, behind and to the side of Phelps, you can tell Phelps did not know he was being photographed. I just assume if I am out in public, I am visible to everyone. It makes it easy if I live my life as though a video of it will show up on YouTube or in The Star five or 20 years from now. Even at home, I assume if I am in my yard, someone outside somewhere may be watching me. I don't check the trees for paparazzi but, hey, they could be there *smile* If I am in my house and the blinds are open, I assume someone could be a block away with a telephoto lens taking pics. So I stay dressed and don't do anything I wouldn't want everyone to see, and later cry "my privacy was invaded!" I've learned your friends aren't always your friends. People who I felt the closest to have betrayed me the most. I don't blame them. I attracted it and learned from it. Someone I was formerly at odds with a dozen years ago is now one of my closest friends. You just never know how it's all going to shake out down the road. And that's not cool, taking pics without the subject's permission. Several times pics of me have circulated that I found real unflattering and would not have officially authorized but well, I wasn't asked. Here I'm talking about pics that someone across a room or in public has taken that I didn't know about. At events I'm often asked to stand for a photo with a new friend and I am always happy to do that. On the other hand, I never ask to have my photo taken with a notable author at a booksigning or the speaker at an event. I have seen so many photo albums of people posing with authors at booksignings. It used to irk me and I felt they were simply exploiting the moment for future person gain, such as "Oh, here I am in Sedona with ___ and here I am in Portland with ____." So I make a point to not do that. All I was doing, I realized later, was judging them and projecting false agenda onto them. I still choose not to ask for pics with celebrities. Hmmm... do I wonder if people will judge me for it? I will have to ponder that. I know it is my 3 planets in the 12th house in Aries that make me happy being behind the scenes. For someone else, it might be important to be seen out in front. For someone else, it might be important to knock a former friend down a notch or two by selling some photos to the media. Remember the movie The Truman Show? To me the only answer is to live your life as though it is broadcast live 24 hours a day on television. So what is your audience watching when they are dialed to your channel?

A surprise visit from my Uncle Jimmy

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:45:55 +0000

Saturday February 7, 2008 I spent yesterday morning running errands and had been home about an hour when my Uncle Jimmy drove up. Uncle Jimmy is my dad's younger brother and he looks like a younger, shorter version of my dad, who was 6'6" tall. He built my home here for me when I moved up from Miami in 1983. He lives nearby, as do several of my cousins, two of his sons and his daughter and their families. There is a whole little pack of us here. Uncle Jimmy is 75 and is in great shape. He looks and acts 60. He has no health problems and moves around like someone much younger. He's slim and has typical bachelor eating habits so it's a wonder he'ss so healthy. His wife, my aunt Barbara, passed away a few years ago and he was befriended by the Jehovah Witnesses shortly thereafter. I am sure he has his share of kindly female churchmembers vying to keep him supplied with tuna casseroles. He'd be quite the catch! But I was glad to hear he is content on his own. I wasn't prepared for visitors, but I always welcome Uncle Jimmy. He's fun and interesting. We have always gotten along really well. After his wife died, he'd come to visit for the first time after having gotten involved with the Jehovah Witnesses. I have a sign at the front walkway that says "Kindly Do Not Solicit. This includes Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Boy Scouts, etc." He shouted into my office window, "Does that mean I can't come in now if I'm a Jehovah's Witness?" I told him of course he was welcome! He just couldn't solicit me :) And this time, this visit, he took special note of all the items and images and statues at my altar and on my walls. He'd seen them before, and just never paid much attention to them. I have statues and images of Jesus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Ma Yoga Shakti, Krshna, Shiva, Sai Baba, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Ganesha, and other various traditions. We didn't get into any heavy conversations about anything, we laughingly agreed that we each thought the other might be misled and in need of illumination. So now when Uncle Jimmy comes to visit, I seat him with his back to the altar, so that he's facing more familiar home decor: a couch and tv sitting area. And we chat and catch up on what everyone is doing. He says he only hears from his sons infrequently but he understands everyone has their own life. He was cool with it, he remembers he was the same way growing up. He joked that when he died, I might not have anyone notify me. I told him I'd appreciate it then if he would give me a call once a week, just to make sure I'm ok. He laughed. He's on to my tricks. I'm excited, Mt. Dora Art fest is today!

Do you ever just get tired of eating?

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:04:25 +0000

Saturday February 7, 2009 Do you ever just get tired of eating? Ha. If someone said that to me even 5 years ago I would have cracked up laughing. Tired of eating? My main source of addiction and pleasure? No way. Now, since my eating habits have changed, I'm eating less carcass and processed foods and more vegetables and fruits. In the past few years, I have morphed into a new routine as far as eating to go low fat and largely unprocessed. That changed my cooking habits. That changed my shopping habits. Now, instead of just stopping in the restaurant down the street, it's less hassle and more variety if I just cook for myself. I used to eat out sometimes twice a day, because it was easier and I could stay more focused on work. Plus everyone was a better cook than I was. I had a half dozen favorite places and each had a half dozen favorite items I'd circulate between. This went on for a decade, during which I'd gained 50 pounds. Then the decision to go low fat and - along with it - went the beef, the butter, the mayo, the ribs, the chicken wings, the porkchops, the ceasar salads, the cream soups, the gravies, the nuts, the burgers!!!!! Aaaaugh! What to do? What to eat? At first, sometimes the effort to get thru a decent meal just made me feel tired of eating. I'm a menu collector. I found a menu from the now defunct Community Harvest Cafe and had my friend Susan Rizzo Giles' vegetarian cookbook, so I began experimenting with dishes I used to enjoy at the Harvest. I began discovering interesting vegetarian recipes online and experimenting with them. Many of them I had to make low fat versions of. Just because something is vegetarian doesn't mean it's good for you. Some dishes are high in sugar and fats, in the form of nuts or coconut. I don't care for sweets but do miss nuts. It took me a long time I will tell you, before I began to enjoy my new routine. I knew it would keep me totally healthy and that was motivation enough, but it was a slow, years-long transition until it became automatic and second nature. Now I usually enjoy my daily shopping and chopping and cooking routine. But sometimes I'm just over it. I figured I would begin looking at what I put into my body as fuel for the day's activities, and think of it as prasad, and begin looking at my eating habits as part of my daily spiritual practice. That gives me a different spin on it, when I need a different spin on it. It isn't the cooking that gets to me, it's the constant cleanup that goes along with it. I will admit I may reheat a pot of soup 3 times in one day and use a different spoon and cup each time. If I have a cup of tea, I place my cup in the sink and I may drink 3 cups a day. I like my dishes to go through hot soapy water and I don't use a dishwasher. I like the sensual pleasure of washing them mindfully in the soapy water. So at day's end I may have a sink of of dishes and I haven't even cooked anything new yet. Now I'm working on seeing the housecleaning as a spiritual practice. I'll keep you posted on how that works out. Right now I'm headed to the Mt. Dora Art Fest.

Grace and the red sweater of the growing sleeves

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:33:01 +0000

Sunday February 8, 2009 I have an oversized long red knit top I got years ago at Old Navy. You know the kind: as the day goes on, it gets longer and longer. It has long sleeves. I have long arms. As the day wears on, I am constantly cuffing and re-cuffing them. If I don’t cuff them 4-5 times and push them up over my elbows, I will end up with my sleeves dragging in the dishwater or paint. A few years ago when I saw the California style of sleeves well past the fingers, I didn’t get it. Until I experienced California for myself. I didn’t realize it gets cold there, even at the beach. I thought sunny meant hot, like Florida. I thought the surf would be warm, like ours. I always wondered why everyone wore sweaters at the evening campfire scenes on tv and in movies. Then the long sleeve idea, I realized, was genius, for young women anyway, with no body fat and constantly cold hands. I am so loving the cold weather we’re having. It’s novel to dress in layers and have the heater on. I’ve definitely been wearing the red sweater of the growing sleeves this week. I thought of how this top also symbolized Grace as it demonstrates in my life. I start out knowing I’m covered; that Grace in my life has it all covered for me. As the day goes on, and sometimes chores pile up and sometimes patience runs thin and I begin to forget who I really am, Grace expands to let me know I am MORE than covered, that there is an excess of Grace to reach from me to the sky and from me to the ground. Demonstrated by my sleeves at day’s end being halfway to my knees…LOL Plus it gives me faith every time it happens. Faith that it will happen again and again and again. Ever time I wear that sweater. Every time I need some Grace. Grace is always raining down on me. Just sometimes I have an umbrella up or a wetsuit on.

Putting personal details on Facebook and MySpace

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:34:05 +0000

Sunday February 8, 2009 I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone that all the info we blog about and put on Facebook and MySpace can be read by anyone. Even if someone is not on your Friends list and you have your privacy features on, it's possible with very little effort to hack into your comments and postings. I once Googled a friend's email address since I couldn't recall her website URL and came to another pal's Friends Comments on their MySpace page. She had only 3 friends listed and I knew them all. Her privacy settings were set to just the 4 of them. In their comments they were conspiring to put another mutual friend out of business and ruin her reputation, something they had initiated several months earlier. Had anyone told me this about any of these people I would not have believed it. J and L, whom I (and the hapless target) thought disliked and avoided each other, had apparently been friends for years. I learned all this inadvertedly, not even looking for it, going in through Google's back door of their MySpace page, past their privacy settings. Did I tell my friend, their target? No. It was something she had been warned about but she was not sure was true. She wanted to ignore it and let it pass on its own, if it was true. I saw no need to tell her and re-open the topic. She doesn't go online, so it's unlikely she'll ever see it. The bottom line is - well, what I do is discuss online ONLY anything I want everyone else in the world to know about me. Everyone. For all time. Even if you type something in and post it, and immediately go back and delete it, that may have been enough time for 10,000 search engines to catch it and record it for all time. Oh yeah, and remember that putting personal details like date of birth, hometown, school, pet's names, etc. on Facebook and MySpace is not wise if you use any of that info as online passwords. Just a heads up. We can be open but we don't have to be foolish. I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook What kind of posts do you like to read on Facebook?

Running on empty those ink cartridges are NOT empty yet

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:20:59 +0000

My Brother is an overeater. Not my brother Jerry, but my Brother MFC-665CW printer. I'm not proud of it, so I am teaching him to not be so greedy. He's like a little kid that has an ice cream cone in one hand and wants another before he finishes the first. Just before I printed out 86 invoices, he asked for a new black ink cartridge. I knew better and didn't replace it yet. Ten invoices in, he asked for a new cyan ink cartridge. Hmmm. I stood my ground. 86 invoices later, the black and cyan ink both look fine and I haven't yet replaced the cartridges. So, if you want your ink to last longer, simply hit the OK button when you get the "replace cartridge" message and it will bypass and print for you.

izzy-cropped

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:15:07 +0000

A festival at the bird bath; Izzy gets fired

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:18:59 +0000

There is really a festival of birds going on outside my office window at the bird bath. I can't identify what everyone is, but there is a pair of cardinals, who are regular visitors, and a big red topped woodpecker. There are two little finchy looking birds and one darkish brown with an orange underbelly bird that I wondered if he was a robin. They take turns having baths, each watching out for the other. Lke Rev. Michael Beckwith says, "taking care of each other". I walked through the Mt. Dora Art Festival yesterday, I love being outside when the air is cool and the sun is shining. I like to especially look at the paintings and am always seeking new cover art. It feels weird to work on a Sunday. I mean, being self employed, I work some every day but very seldom all day long on a Sunday. My family likes to have the house to themselves all day :) [caption id="attachment_1687" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Now fired: IZZY"][/caption] But on a Sunday I can sneak outside every few hours and bask in the sunlight and sweep off the driveway and water the plants and rake up the bamboo leaf deadfall. I can go hunt the kitties down and see where they are hanging out this bright sunny day. I surprised Izzy by walking right up on him as he lay basking in a sunny spot on one of the trails. He jumped up startled with his fur all rumpled and his sleepy face on. I thought cats were supposed to hear us coming from a long ways away? Sheesh, Izzy is fired from neighborhood watch.

Valentine's Day; relationships

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:02:04 +0000

Monday February 9, 2009 Countdown to Cupid: Where to find a date by Saturday That's what the AOL headline reads. Then it suggests you go online to a dating website and hookup with someone and hurry, you've only got 6 days to do it. Now I'm all for meeting people online but I'm also all for getting to know someone new before meeting them in person or going out with them alone. And it's not that I'm old school, I just don't like to waste anyone's time. I think you can begin to get a sense of someone by the time you've had about 6 hours of introductory conversation, although sometimes I've known within the first 10 minutes that someone was not for me. If he says he dresses in cowboy gear, has Nascar stickers all over his truck, is a Baptist Republican and loves Bill O'Reilly, we may not need to move on to the meeting-in-person stage. I just hate to waste anyone's time. And the worst time waster would be if we had great chemistry together and jumped into a quick relationship only to crash and burn a few weeks or months later because we really had nothing in common in the first place, except we wanted to rub molecules. Last night I did two readings back to back and the focus for each was relationship. Timely with St. Valentine's Day approaching, and also a universal topic for psychic readings. One thing I will never understand is why someone would want continue to want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with them. There is so much more to life waiting for you if you can just move past it and put it behind you. But some people after parting from a relationship, cling to the heartache and wonder ad nauseum what they did wrong and extend the grieving period far longer than it needs to be. They can take the momentum of their grief and turn it into fuel for the visualization and pre-pavement of their future partner, if they would just realize that. Just as you hear about turning your fear into excitement by changing how you perceive and react; just so you can remember with delight the chemistry you felt with your partner and the fun things you used to do together. Do not linger on the thoughts of sadness over breaking up, just note that you are having that thought, and move on to the next thought. The next thought might be something like, I would like my new partner to have many of the same qualities my former partner had. Maybe you want him to have all the qualities except the fact that the new one wants to be with you. You'd like to do a lot of the same fun things together, so vibrate your thoughts there as often as you can. It'd be fun to have a partner who could turn you on to new ideas and activities, so you could learn some new things. I've been listening to Daniel Nahmod's Everything New and thinking that I, too, am ready to bring it on, everything new, everything different, everything true, I am ready for my next thing to do; oh I know it's gonna be everything new. And so each day as I begin my meditation, I remind myself that I am open to receiving new experiences and seeing the world in a new way. I am ready for new people and ideas to come into my life, and I am ready to have some new adventures. I think it's important - if you are seeking a new relationship, or an upgrade to your current relationship (like he gets a job or begins to be more attentive) - it's important to affirm each day, remind yourself each day that you know the Universe will send you all sorts of messages during the day, and opportunities and people. You just need to get your body in motion and keep your eye out for them. Constantly remember you are looking for them. I'm no expert on relationship by any means. I've been married 5 times. Then I discovered what caused wedlock and stopped doing that. Ok, three of them died (no, not the mushrooms) and so I'm not a complete loser. But I was in my 40's before I recognized a pattern I'd had my whole life. With mates and with jobs. Two and a half to three years was the maximum, then I was on to something new. (To answer how the husbands died: car accident, liver cancer, liver cancer.) As a partner, I am controlling, selfish and self absorbed. My work isn't just a job, it's a mission fulfilling a vision I have, and the vision comes first in my life. I don't share time or space well. I've been told that time and again in "exit" interviews with former mates. No matter how good my intentions, no matter how infatuated I get with someone, after a short period it will be me sneaking off to work again as soon as I can get away, and then I'm cancelling dates, and then I'm hard to reach. I recognize the pattern of my past. And I've had some really good partners in the past. In fact, I've not had any bad ones. And each one was an upgrade from the one previous. Before any exes object, I simply mean an upgrade as far as becoming more vibrationally in sync overall with each other. I've had some interesting and conscious mates, and had fun and compatible partners. I've had to step away from some really good men because basically if I have to support you or see you sloppy drunk on my doorstep once, I'm done, but I don't regret those rules. If someone doesn't add to my experience, then it's not an upgrade and I don't need it. Life is really good right now and has been for some time. So, to the people who think they need a partner, a significant other in order to be complete, you really don't. Life is neither lonely nor boring when you're on your own. Especially when friends decide you must secretly be lonely and they try to fix you up. A few years ago a friend decided, since she hadn't seen me date anyone for years, that I was probably just secretly gay. So she arranged a few lunch meetings with a third woman in tow, and then suddenly my friend would get a call and have to leave, and I'd be alone having lunch with the new woman. The second time it happened, and I joked with her about it having happened before, she clued me in - we were being fixed up. This wasn't just lunch, this was a blind date. We had a good laugh together and even plotted to tell some scathing story to our mutual pal. So while I appreciate the well meaning gestures of all my buddies, I like the solo life. When friends ask, "Don't you never miss having a partner?" my honest answer is no. I agree they can be fun and fulfilling but I don't miss bowling when I'm not doing it and I don't miss swimming when I'm not doing it, either. To me, the more lonely feeling is being in a relationship with a really cool man I absolutely adore when I suddenly want to be on my own again. Ouch.

Baffling the neighbors; I discover Rhapsody

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:42:17 +0000

Tuesday February 10, 2009 I think I may have baffled my neighbors Sunday. They are used to it being pretty quiet all the time over here. Everyone stays to themselves doing their own thing, usually on the computer with headphones on. Sometimes on weekends I'll turn Prairie Home Companion on as I am outside in the yard. When I listen to music, it's typically very soft, low, meditative type sounds. But yesterday I began surfing thru Rhapsody.com and re-discovering music I'd not heard in a long time. So my neighbors had a little taste of industrial metal and probably wondered where it was coming from. I have a wide range of taste in music. I missed a lot of it during the 70's when I lived in monastic communities where tv and radio was not played. I got to hear pop music at work if the radio was on in the coffee room and that was about it. When I wasn't living in community, I'd go out at night with friends to clubs and hear the dance music. I liked it all. Pop country was never a favorite, but I even like the old Johnny Cash and Hank Williams (Sr.) and classics of that era. It was mostly folk and rock for me. In the late 80's I became involved with the local college radio station WFIT 89.5FM in Melbourne, Florida. I'd discovered the station when I moved up from Miami in 1983 and I particularly enjoyed their alternative music. As volunteer staff, I got to work a lot of the shows and was surprised to find I really enjoyed some of the industrial metal music. I liked the trance dance quality of it. I remember Ministry played at I think it was Palm Bay Rec Center at Turkey Creek. They were loud even with my good earplugs in. The good news is that likely most of the residents at the nursing home across the street from the Rec Center were too deaf to be disturbed by the concert. One of my all time favorite songs by Ministry is Every Day is Halloween, so I found that on Rhapsody.com and began listening to it and a few more songs. At one point I went outside to turn the sprinkler off and was surprised at how loud the music was outside! I went in quickly and turned it down. Sheesh, who knows what was going to play next for the entire neighborhood to hear coming out of my home. It reminded me of an on air mistake made at a radio station one early morning about 20 years ago. At least in my memory it was early morning. Back then you'd play vinyl and there'd be the flip side with another track. The band A Split Second had a popular cut called Colloseum Crash. The flip side was Muscle Machine, a very earthy cut with explicit lyrics, not to be played on air. I seem to recall the play copy was mislabelled but there was bold marker all over the flip saying to not play that side. It was well labelled. So one early weekend morning I hear the unmistakable sound of Muscle Machine coming out of the radio and I quickly called the station and let them know what they'd done. As usual they had friends in the booth and weren't listening to their own show. They quickly put something else on. They were lucky no one complained. There were a few friends from staff that caught it. There is a lot of music that I like the beat of, even if I don't care for the lyrics. Muscle Machine was one of them. A lot of rap is like that for me too. That's one thing I used to do as a teenager that I don't do now, just sitting and listening to music. I need to do more of that.

How were you programmed by language as a child?

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:31:20 +0000

My brother lives just outside Greenville, SC in the town he grew up in. He mentioned to me one day he had recently seen someone in town he’d known as a child. His memory was of an extremely impoverished family, with the kids going through neighbors' trash and eating scrap food. That is something I never saw as a child. It makes me realize all over again that Jerry and I had such different childhoods. The basic story is that our dad was married to Jerry’s mom. A couple of years later, he meets my mom, who doesn’t know he’s married. Daddy simply skips town, deserts Jerry and his mom, and begins to live happily ever after with a new wife, starting a new family. I am the first girl, so I am the golden child. We know nothing of his other family. Of course, in the meantime, here is Jerry’s mom suddenly raising two small children herself. Jerry by default becomes the man of the house, working to help pay bills and feed the family. He unfortunately looks just like our dad, so he hears a lot of “You’re just like your father.” And not in a good way. Jerry is a trooper and he just knew it was his work to do and he didn’t mind that he never got credit for it. We’re talking young adolescent kid here, not a 16 year old teenager working to help support the family. We’re talking a kid who was lucky to be so tall and to look older than he was, so he could get work. So it took a few years but Jerry’s mom finally tracked her husband/our father down and the families begin to merge. It sounds like the perfect setting for fireworks, but I don’t remember there being dramatic scenes. Maybe they worked it all out over the phone before we all got in person. Or maybe it was so horrible I’ve blocked it out *smile* Whatever it was, my lasting perception was that it was a fairly uneventful transition. Then it was like the Clash of the Titans, literally since dad and Jerry were both well over 6’. Daddy who was used to not having his authority questioned. And Jerry, who’d been abandoned by an uneducated and insecure father, making him have to grow up at an early age on his own. I’m sure Daddy felt tons of guilt, as well he should. I’m sure Jerry felt some resentment, which was justified. By the time Jerry was 18, the clash became so great and our father felt so threatened, that he banished Jerry from family contact. When I asked about him, Dad told me he went to Vietnam. Shortly after, he told me Jerry died in Vietnam. So when I didn’t hear from Jerry after 1967, I assumed that was why. I don’t know if my mother knew the real story, but Mom was smart enough to keep her mouth shut for the peace of the family, and we never discussed Jerry. Mom left her body on April 8, 1996, two days before my birthday. Jerry sent me an email on December 26, 2002, the day after Christmas. What?? Why did he wait so long? I think our Dad so programmed him into thinking he needed to be away from us that he wanted to do the right thing for everyone as he saw it. Our father was a troubled man. He’d had a hard life, working by 10, going into the Army at 14 - he was so tall that he looked much older. He had only a 6th grade education, yet was savvy enough to use language as a weapon and a lure. We grew up with that, every day and got really programmed by it. So I don‘t fault Jerry for being hesitant about breaching the banishment order. He didn’t know we’d been told he died in Vietnam and never expected to hear from him again. Until he read where I’d written that on my website at www.horizonsmagazine.com and he emailed, asking “remember me?” Needless to say, I was floored. Yet I almost immediately thought I knew why he’d waited so long. Synchronistically, a journal entry from two months before said: ”I’m rereading a book from 1975 called The Structure of Magic. It's about the therapeutic effects of language and what is currently called neurolinguistic programming - how we get programmed by the language we use and how our perception is programmed and distorted by what we're taught is "the norm." It's one reason I try to be mindful about the written and spoken word - I've learned the power of it. A good example is someone who is a really neat and valuable person, like my friend Todd, but has been programmed to believe they're a loser, so they act like they're a loser and all their talk about being a loser finally gets to you and you have to cut them off. They can't get past apologizing for imagined deficiencies and pretty soon you're tired of hearing it because they've convinced you to start seeing them through their own filter, which isn't a pretty picture. The book asks: "How is it possible for different human beings faced with the same world to have such different experiences? Our understanding is that this difference follows primarily from differences in (the model they grew up with.) Thus, the question becomes: How is it possible for human beings to maintain an impoverished model which causes them pain in the face of a multi-valued, rich and complex world? The difficulty is not that they are making the wrong choice, but that they do not have enough choices - because they don't have a wide and richly focused image of the world. One mechanism which we can use either to cope effectively or to defeat ourselves is Deletion. Deletion is a process by which we selectively pay attention to certain dimensions of our experience and exclude others. Deletion reduces the world to proportions which we feel capable of handling. The reduction may be useful in some contexts and yet be the source of pain for us in others." My friend Todd distorted and deleted so much from his range of opportunities that he thought he didn’t have access to anything other than his miserable world and his miserable life. What was available for others was not available to him, so he didn’t even dare dream it or consider it. Easier just to go to work every day to feed your family, keep one foot in front of another and don’t expect too much else. I think my brother had reached that point as well, and I think it was synchronistic that I’d just had the experience with Todd and had just been reading about how we get programmed by language. So when Jerry and I resumed contact, I shared with him what I’d been reading since it so applied to us. We’d been raised in different environments: I was the golden child who didn’t know Dad had another family. I got braces, I got dancing lessons, we had a good life. Jerry was the eldest, left to fend for self and family that had been abandoned by our father, with no financial support from him. I got things handed to me. Jerry had to work doubly hard to get the basics for he and his family. So naturally, we grew up having different perspectives on what kind of place the world is. We found we’d read a lot of the same books and had a lot of the same interests, philosophy, theology, hypnosis, psychic/paranormal, meditation. We'd done a good amount of parallel study and simultaneous research and it as fun to have someone to discuss it all with. So it was easy to bring up and talk about the effect on our lives that our father’s verbal abuse caused. I had been lucky. My mother was very wise and told me about my dad, “He’s not always like this. He doesn’t even like himself when he’s like this. But he feels he can’t help it. He’s sorry afterwards and that causes him pain. So just get through it as best you can and don’t bait him. When you’re 18 you will be free, it’s only xx more years.” She was smart. She took my focus off what was happening in the times of trouble, and gave me the age of 18 as a goal to focus toward. She gave me something to look forward to when I was going through tough times at home. It turned out to have been an excellent coping tool that has served me well my whole life. I mistakenly thought everyone’s mom told them things like that. Jerry didn’t have that a cheerleader like that, so he lacked that particular coping tool. I turned him on to the Abraham-Hicks work and while he’s not on board with all of it, he immediately saw that he’d been often focusing on the bad things that had happened, and not on the good. That was expected considering the mindsets he was faced with at home and growing up. He immediately and intuitively knew that appreciation was a big key and a great tool for changing focus. We had many long hours of philosophical conversation and catching up with what our future hopes and dreams are. We don’t feel the need the delve into the whys and hows of the past, we just move forward with what we currently think and do and plan for our futures. We’ve got several projects we do together and it’s fun to work on these things together. Since we’re both workaholics, it gives us time to spend together while we’re at the computer doing other work as well. As my friends and family knows, unless you have email, we don’t stay in touch. I even email my cousin roommate just because it’s easier. So I enjoy the email interaction Jerry and I have every day. Sometimes we might exchange 40+ emails and as many IM’s if we’re working on something. While we seldom have any differences of opinion, we sometimes have misunderstandings, and one or the other of us will raise our voice to get our point across. It’s out of character for each of us, so it’s a good mirror when it happens, and we like having a joint project like that to work on - what are we each mirroring to the other? We know that our parental programming had a hand in determining our automatic responses to each other. One thing I do is not appreciate Jerry enough for what he does, and the effort he continually makes on my behalf. His flaw is in making a suggestion to me in a very light way, so that I think it is something very easy for him to do. Then it may be a project that consumes him night and day for weeks, unbeknown to me. I may not realize just how complex it is for him. In the meantime, I’m bugging him with nonsense questions about items of far less priority, not knowing how much work I am really creating for him. And he’s trained to be the dutiful provider, so he quietly takes it all in without complaint. So it’s a reminder to me to be more conscious of what I am doing and what ripples I may be setting into motion in the lives of those around me. It’s a reminder to be more conscious in what effect the words I say to someone will have on them. Do I know what programming they grew up with? Do I know what simple word or phrase might trigger an unexpected response in them? It is a reminder to be more clear in what I ask for, while still being precise in asking for it. Sometimes I re-read emails I have quickly sent to friends or clients who’ve asked me some questions, and they read to me as very short and abrupt sounding. That is never my intention, and I will hereinafter endeavor to be more mindful of what I’m sending out. Short and abrupt some of you ask, laughing. Wordy me short and abrupt? It happens. Expect a miracle! RELATED POSTS Today is our father’s birthday Back to Work and Happy Birthday Daddy Vibrational matching: Read the news or read the funnies, it's your choice LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Consciousness

Getting over 103,000 hits a month already

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:13:42 +0000

Wednesday February 11, 2009 When it comes to the Horizons Magazine website, I look at the site statistics to see which pages people look at most and where my referrals are coming from. But most of the info, like bandwidth, I just don't know what it is, so I skip over reading most of the numbers. Then my brother brought it to my attention that we were getting over 100,000 hits a month, and I see in January it was 103,897. Wow, I had no idea! I wonder what it would be if I promoted it?

I've been making little micro soups

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:28:48 +0000

Thursday February 12, 2009 I've been on an experiment making little micro soups. It's part of my self-reprogramming routine. In the past, I always ended up making too much soup and so now I'm training myself to make smaller portions. Plus that means I can make a new soup each day and not have to eat the same one for a week until it's gone or freeze it. At first it wasn't easy, but I quickly got the hang of it and acquired some good cooking habits at the same time. First I analyzed. what was causing me to make way too much soup each time? Usually I start by carmelizing 2 chopped onions, 2 carrots and 2 stalks of celery with 6 cloves of garlic while I decide what else will go in the soup. Ok, right there is one problem. So what I do now is chop and saute only one onion, half a carrot and half a stalk of celery. Instead of an entire can of chopped tomatoes, I add only 1/4 to 1/3 of a can. I add 2 cups of broth, not an entire 4 cup can. If I am adding beans, or corn or potato, I add only 1/4 cup. Ok, I hear you, what are you going to do with this other half a carrot and half a celery stalk and the rest of the can of tomatoes, etc? Well this is the fun part. The tomatoes and broth you'll use in tomorrow's new soup. If I'm doing a soup, it's likely I'm making a veggie fried rice as well. The other half of the carrot and celery stalk can go in there. I've also learned to make a small pot of rice, with 1/2 cup or 1 cup of rice and the same amount of water. I like jasmine rice but will also mix rices. I used to think I had to fill the rice cooker each time I used it, then I discovered I could make just a one meal amount each time and not feel guilty about it. Here are the recipes for last night's dinner: Savory Root Vegetable Micro Soup Put 1 tsp olive oil in a small saucepan and saute: one chopped onion 1/2 chopped carrot (set other half aside) 1/2 chopped celery stalk (set other half aside) 1/2 small chopped turnip 3 chopped cloves of garlic Saute until the onions carmelize. Add 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper 1 shake of coriander powder 1 shake of cumino powder A pinch each of dried basil and tarragon 1/3 can fire roasted canned tomatoes 2 cups of Swanson chicken broth I set my timer to 45 minutes and set the soup on a rolling simmer while I prepared my rice. My rice cooker gives me rice in about 25 minutes. I like to add a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce to my rice as it cooks. I don't use salt in the rice water if I use the soy sauce. Mini Veggie Fried Rice Put 1 cup jasmine rice and 1 cup of water in rice cooker with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. While that cooks, I chop up and saute in 1 tsp olive oil in a large frypan: one chopped onion 8 chopped mushrooms 1/2 chopped carrot 1/2 chopped celery stalk 2 tsp minced fresh ginger 1 cup chopped parsley When the vegetables are getting tender, toss in the rice. it will be a little crusty on the bottom where the soy sauce will have settled. Just toss everything together and you have 2 good portions. In the past, I'd end up with 4-5 good portions, so this is a streamlined recipe. I find that making micro soups and mini fried rices are good ways for me to incorporate more fresh vegetables into my diet. Sure I take daily vitamins also, but when I eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables daily, I feel my system just gets an extra boost of vitality.

Separate checking account eases online banking fears

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:17:08 +0000

Thursday, February 12, 2009 I love paying bills online. It really simplifies the process for me. I can set myself reminders when payments are due, and schedule payments ahead of time. Only on the rare occasion do I find myself right up on the due date of paying a bill, when I'd get a late fee if I sent the check online. Yesterday was one of those days. I thought I'd be in time, but Wachovia told me I needed a week to get it there. Phooey! So I had to call Beall's and give them my banking information, something I'd just prefer not to do. Since I have to do that from time to time, I established a new account to use for just such occasions. I took advantage of Wachovia's free checking offer to open a separate new account. This account would keep a minimum balance in it and be used whenever I had to give an account number or debit card number to anyone. I'd transfer the amount needed into that account, and the account seldom holds $25 over what I'm paying. So I never worry about anyone hacking into my account and making off with a big sum. I don't worry about things like that happening because that is not what I typically attract. If I am who I say I am, then I know that my thoughts determine what I will attract to me. And this is what I think about that: I feel my money is safe in the bank and I don't worry about identify theft. I know it happens to other people, but I know that does not have to be my experience. I attract my experience to me by virtue of the thoughts I think, the beliefs I hold and the expectations I have. I think my money is safe where it is. I don't think about anyone taking something from me. I don't want to vibrate there. Only if I vibrate there will I begin to attract that. So I don't even talk to friends about it or speculate. And for that matter, I don't talk with friends about "the economy is so bad." If I wasn't watching the news or reading the paper, I wouldn't know there was an economic crunch going on. I wouldn't know about it because I see very little evidence of it around me. And I don't hang out with an affluent crowd. I've had 3 friends get jobs this year, when each had been out of work for several months. While they were out of work, they simply caught up on all the things they wanted to do. I didn't hear remarks of how bad it was, we had discussions about the new garden project and what the future plans were. They didn't sit around and lament that nobody can find work, we are in a recession, I'm afraid I'm going to lose everything. We just focused on the good stuff instead. Is it really that hard to stay focused on what's going right? No, but it takes steady practice, and willpower is where many people fall short. They simply fail to exercise the power of their own will in order to train their mind to do their bidding. It's as simple as that. They have simply gotten into a habit of pessimistic thinking, and it's easy enough to reprogram anyone who wants to be reprogrammed. I use little written cards and notes all around my home and office. If there is anything I am especially wanting to learn or begin doing, I have notes everywhere I sit to remind me of that. Years ago, the notes read "My life is getting better every day." "I have loving relationships with everyone I know." "God is my supply." I put those notes up during a time when things were not going so well for me. It challenged me at every read to think "Hmmm, if that's really true, then just HOW is my life getting better every day?" and of course when I looked I found scads of evidence right in front of me. The cards that began as affirmations for me, now reflect the truth of what my life is. I programmed myself to change my line of thought and I did it. And it's not that I talked myself into it, it's that I came into the awareness that it was really so. When I came into that awareness, when I awoke to that state of consciousness that allowed me to see it as it really was, it became even more evident in my life. The goodness started really pouring in. It only took a few years to let all my karmic momentum clear itself out and it's *really* been smoothing sailing ever since. Wait, smooth? Hmmm, in retrospect, it's been easy and smooth and flawless, an everly upward spiral. At the time, however, I might have had a little doubt and confusion and not recognized or fully appreciated what a great adventure I was on. But during the times I could let myself relax into the flow, which for me means stay away from worldly news, the ride was fun and enjoyable despite its twists and turns. I do read the headlines that AOL flashes when I sign on, and I do sometimes go to Florida Today pnline to see if there is anything screamingly urgent I need to know about, like being evacuated for a storm or to be on alert for an arsonist walking in my yard. But I glance them over quickly and move past it, same as I would a rattlesnake. I just mind my own business, watch where I place my feet and keep moving on. So do be smart about who you give your account numbers to, but also consider getting a separate account that keeps a minimum balance in it. What the heck, Wachovia is giving away free checking accounts, why not?

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Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:20:17 +0000

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Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:21:07 +0000

If you've got an ad for March Horizons, I need it tomorrow

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:07:53 +0000

Thursday February 12, 2009 OK, I'm down to the wire. If you've got an ad for the March Horizons Magazine, I need your ad and payment by tomorrow Feb. 13 at midnight. As of right now, the back cover is still available. Sell it for me for $400 and I'll give you an $80 commission for it. If they don't have a camera ready ad, they can email text and image/logo to me at horizonsmagazine@aol.com. Back cover size is 7.25" square. I take all credit cards and Paypal online.

Saturday Feb 14th at 7:00am Age of Aquarius Sunrise Circle

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:08:26 +0000

Saturday, February 14 at 7:00am – The Dawning of The Age of Aquarius Sunrise Circle on the Beach. At dawn on 14th February, the Moon in Libra enters the seventh house of relationships. And Jupiter and Mars are aligned in Aquarius in the twelfth house of spiritual transformation. Forty years ago, the intuitive words of a song called Aquarius, brought the dawning of the new age into our collective awareness: When the Moon is in the seventh house And Jupiter aligns with Mars. Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars. Forty years ago, the intuitive words of a song called Aquarius, brought the dawning of the new age into our collective awareness. A celebration is being planned for 7:00 am sunrise at Millennium Park in Indian Harbour Beach. Bring your drum or other instrument. Please RSVP to Shelia Rindge at coopmed@bellsouth.net now or 2 days in advance. As this is a public beach, if too many show up, we may have to have an alternative place to meet, thus it is imperative Sheila be able to contact you and tell you where else it might be. I'll see you there with drums on!

Initiating change to cause a different vibrational offering

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:05:10 +0000

If there's something about your life you wish to improve - perhaps something missing that you would like to include, or something unwanted that you would like to release - the Teachings of Abraham-Hicks will be of value to you. Your habit of resistant thought is the only thing that ever keeps you from allowing the things you desire. And although you certainly did not intentionally develop these resistant patterns of thought, you did pick them up along your physical trail, bit by bit, and experience by experience. But this is very clear: If you do not do something that causes a different vibrational offering, then nothing in your experience can change. (pp186-187 Manifest Your Desires by Esther and Jerry Hicks) What can you do to cause a different vibrational offering? You can sit down and write out as many of your recurring pessimistic thoughts as you can think of. Then you can write out what a more optimistic and productive thoughts would be. Then every time one of the former thoughts comes to mind, as soon as you catch yourself going down that line of thought, simply pull out your card. Read over to yourself the replacement thought until it becomes your automatic response. That's one way to cause a different vibrational offering.

A lowfat/no fat mini-Minestrone soup

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:05:38 +0000

This is an easy lowfat minestrone soup I particularly like. When I have fresh basil, I like to add about 20 shredded leaves to this soup. You can make this soup non fat by eliminating the olive oil. You won't miss the taste. Easy Low Fat Mini Minestrone Soup Start by sauteeing in 1 tsp olive oil until they carmelize: 1/2 chopped onion 1 chopped carrot 1 chopped celery stalk 1/2 chopped zucchini Then add one bay leaf and : 1/2 can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup dried pasta 1/2 can white beans 2 cups Swanson broth 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried tarragon 1 tsp dried oregano I like to cook all my soups 45 minutes. You can shake some low fat parmesean cheese on top and top with fresh chopped parsley.

A Foodie Quiz I put on Facebook

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:06:06 +0000

This was a Foodie Quiz I put on my Facebook page and I've been having fun with friends with it. Let me know what your answers are. Copy the below into an email and replace my answers with yours. Send it to your friends and to me at horizonsmagazine@aol.com What is your favorite comfort food? soup What is the fast food you grab most, whether it's a fave or not? Wendy's oriental chicken salad maybe twice a year What is the meal you eat the most, whether it's a favorite or not? soup and veggie stirfry What is your favorite dessert? fruit, if anything What particularly do you like about it? it's light and fresh What are your favorite vegetables? onions, peas, green beans, carrots, greens What are your favorite fruits? Honey Crisp apples, pears, pineapple, figs, clementines What is your favorite snack food? apples, clementines How much time each day do you spend cooking? maybe an hour total Do you make a grocery list before you go shopping? yes Do you plan meals ahead of time? not usually What travel snacks do you most often take on trips? baby carrots, rice cakes When you travel out of town, do you look for a favorite franchise restaurant to play it safe, or venture out somewhere new? If they have an Asian restaurant I will go there, otherwise any steak house where I can get a big salad and grilled chicken breast. What are your favorite franchise restaurants? Applebees, Chili's, Texas Roadhouse If you had a personal chef to cook for you every day, what would a typical day's meals be? Breakfast: Scottish oatmeal and fruit, with fresh squeezed juice Lunch: An innovative salad with grilled chicken or fish, and fresh cooked veggies Dinner: An innovative chopped veggie salad, with a home made soup Snack: Fresh melon or crudite with hummus Would you rather have a personal chef or a personal trainer? A personal trainer. Would you rather have a live in personal trainer or a live in housekeeper? Hmmm housekeeper

Friday the 13th and a Recession-Proof Life

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:13:42 +0000

Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me. Maybe that's because as a teenager I went through that rebellion stage where I wanted to think and do the opposite of everything I was told. That included making Friday the 13th be a lucky day for me. I see now that by me doing that, I was each Friday the 13th constantly looking for the positive aspects of the day. I was anticipating days before wondering what king of good things would come my way. So was it really my lucky day, or did it just become my lucky day due to my belief that it was and my expectation that it would continue? Either way, I won. Oh Andrea, are you singing that old tune again? "Expectation and belief determine your future experience." Yeah, yeah, yawn, tell me something I don't know... Well, if you know it, why aren't you acting like it? If you expect dollars to flow, are you talking about the possibilities of that with friends? Or are you talking about everyone who's out of work? Either way, simply take note of what you're saying with friends and what experience you have in the days and weeks to come. Just notice the cause and effect your words and thoughts have. If you really know that your expectation and belief determine your future experience, is there any reason not to spend time deciding what fun things you'd like to be doing in the next week, the next month, the next year? Is there any reason not to spend some time daydreaming about that? Daydreaming is an easy mode of creative visualization. Daydreaming, fantasizing, pretending. Pretend is a good one, "pre" from "ahead of time, before" and "tend" for "intend". So when you are fantasizing and pretending, you are intending in advance what you'd like your future experience to be. You are vibrating in resonance with it and attracting it to you. The earliest known documented reference to Friday the 13th in English occurs in an 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini:[ Rossini] was surrounded to the last by admiring and affectionate friends; and if it be true that he regarded Friday as an unlucky day, and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday, the 13th of November, he died. I don't find that remarkable at all. It's a demonstration of the law of attraction at work. Had he feared Mondays at 9:00am, as many heart patients have, he would have died then, as they do. I prepave that forevermore my Fridays the 13th will be filled full of wonders, new friends and new opportunities. I'll bet yours will be, too. And to me, that's also the key to a recession proof life: Just prepave your tomorrows with what you'd like instead. :) LISTEN FREE: Out of Body Experience Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

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Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:18:24 +0000

Switching main phone from AT&T to Bright House

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:45:25 +0000

Friday, February 13, 2009 Last week I called A T& T and asked if there was a better deal for my phone service. I have my main Horizons number with them, as well as a fax line. The main number has unlimited long distance, voice mail, caller id, call forwarding, call waiting, 3 way calling, the typical. They could only give me a better deal if I bundled in my internet service. So I called Bright House this morning at 321-254-3300 and just ordered them to come out to switch my main business line to their service, since I have my internet and cable service with them. I'll save $135 per month and keep my ATT fax line in case Bright House goes down. If you know of a reason I shouldn't make the switch, please let me know asap. Since I live in S.E. Palm Bay, every so often the power and Bright House cable service goes down. We've got lot of trees here and we get lots of wind here, and the lines are all above ground. Usually it's back up within minutes, sometimes an hour. I researched with several friends who have Vonage and they said they are not often kicked off. Hmmm, "not often." I work too much to take chances, so I'll try Bright House. In case I have a problem, I still have my cell phone and fax line to call out on. I don't know how they do it, but I don't need any special equipment. I spoke to Nilda at Bright House who, I learned, grew up in Hialeah, the same as me! This shows the power of using a personal connection to make a sale, although she wasn't doing it on purpose. It just kept me on the phone with her long enough to make a decision. We briefly chatted about how the neighborhoods have changed, and she told me she has had the Bright House phone service since Day One. A couple of things she said sold me on it. I don't need additional equipment. I can use the same phones I have now. Apparently even the two-line phones I have, with the main number on one line and the fax number on the oher, I can still use those phones. And best of all, for me, is when Nilda told me the new phone modem has a 4 hour battery backup, which means if the cable goes out, I still have a phone for up to 4 hours. Since although Bright House does flicker off and off sometimes, it rarely is ever down that long, so that 4 hour window makes me feel I can at least I still conduct business. I'm stoked!

Lowfat White Bean Micro Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:05:55 +0000

This is a mini version of a soup my grandmother used to cook when we were kids. You can make it non fat by eliminating the olive oil: Lowfat White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan In 1 tsp olive oil, saute: 1 yellow onion chopped 1/2 carrot chopped 1/2 celery stalk chopped then add 1/2 cup cooked white navy beans 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water 1 tbsp diced tomatoes if you like 1 tsp sea salt Coarse ground black pepper Cook for 20 minutes, then stir in: A shake of lowfat parmesan cheese 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

A Lifestyle Quiz I put on Facebook

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:06:52 +0000

This was a Lifestyle Quiz I put on my Facebook page and I've been having fun with. Let me know what your answers are. Copy the below into an email and replace my answers with yours. Send it to your friends and to me at horizonsmagazine@aol.com

What do you typically wear to work? workout clothes or pjs

What do you typically wear at home? workout clothes, pjs or gardening gear

What do you typically wear to sleep? pjs

What do you typically wear to church? a top and pants, or jeans and a tee

What do you typically wear to the beach? swimsuit under jeans and a tee and watershoes

When is the last time you went someplace so upscale you had to buy an outfit for it? 10 years

What do you do on weekends and free time? gardening, goofing, working

What would you prefer to do on weekends and free time? travelling somewhere

Do you ride a bicycle or walk your neighborhood? I do both

Do you know your neighbors? I know the ones around me

Do you do things with your neighbors? my cousin is behind me so yes but not usually otherwise

How often do you cook outside on a grill? a few times a month

How often do you sit on your porch? daily

How often do you sit outside in your yard? daily

Do you keep track of when the full moon and new moon is? yes

How do you believe you are affected Mercury retrograde? Not if I'm mindful

Do you keep a journal? yes

Do you record your dreams? the real notable ones I do

How many bandaids do you use in a year? about half a box, mostly gardening injuries

What body part have you repeatedly injured? fingers

For each part, what do you think the karmic lesson is? I will have to meditate on that

What is the biggest lesson your father ever taught you? That not everyone is comfortable in their own skin or knows how to act and react responsibly

What is the biggest lesson your mother ever taught you? That tomorrow is a new beginning and miracles happen every day

What is the biggest lesson a partner ever taught you? Romantic love doesn't last forever

What is the biggest lesson your child ever taught you? "You have to feed me whether you're hungry or not."

What is the biggest lesson your pet ever taught you? "Put me down when it's time. You know when it's time because you start wondering if it's time."

The time consuming part of my job

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:57:15 +0000

My brother Jerry is a hoot. He knows I’ve been stressing this week trying to get the March Horizons Magazine done on time, and it has to be to press by sunset tonight. He is always offering to help me. Cancer male that he is, his nurturing nature wants to lighten my load. So he emailed me this early morning and asked what version of Adobe InDesign I use to layout the magazine. He is a whiz at learning new software, and he has a real intuitive gift for it. But I answered him back and said “Someone having InDesign doesn't help me. Layout is a breeze and is maybe only 20% of the job. The time consuming part is me getting through all the emails. Like I have 207 emails to go through now but none of them are for the March Horizons, so I'll start on them when the mag is done. I usually only run about 100 behind but I've got a bunch of address changes for the newsletter all waiting for me now, too. The emails are either asking about ads, or the emails contain ads I copy and paste into layout and then format. The time consuming part is answering the phone all day while trying to download the emails, and for people who don't have email, I take their ad over the phone unless they mail it early enough to arrive before deadline. Half the calls go to voice mail starting about the 8th of the month and then I have to find time to take the voice mail off. I don't have anyone else check the voice mail, I do it myself. Friends know not to call to chat between the 5th and 25th. Another big time consuming part is every day getting the mail at the post office. I separate the mail as it comes in as bills to be paid, review copies and then everything else. The bills go into my desktop flip calendar on the date I need to order their check. The review copies of books and cds go in the back office to be logged in later. I haven't logged any in for maybe 3 months. They don't go on the shelf or get played until they get logged in. Every few days I have to pay a bill that is in the calendar, and I have 41 monthly bills right now, I just counted. I don't keep extra money in the checking account because what goes in, goes right out again each month for expenses. That means I have to make sure the money is in the account by the time I have to pay the bill. So that means 3-4 times I week I have to drive a deposit to the bank, a one hour round trip since I always combine errands when I'm out, post office, market. So then in the daily mail, people send me their address changes and their ads by mail, so I have to open them as they come in to make sure the sender included all the info. Then there's the daily emails of people inquiring about ads or emailing to tell me they like Horizons or people asking for demographics or people trying to sell me something or convince me they should get their ad for free or wanting to schedule readings. I get a lot of calls asking to be referred to someone or somewhere for this and that. The people who ask for a copy of Horizons, I put one in the mail to them. I get half a dozen of these a week. When I see a Paypal receipt for an mp3 file, I email the buyer back with the mp3 file download instructions. I know this is a redundant step and I could bypass it, but I use it as a way to let them know I received it, and am answering them personally. When someone gives me money, I want them to feel acknowledged for it right away. I know I like mine to be acknowledged. A lot of callers don't have email and I sit with them and figure out what their ad should say and how many phone directory lines does that come to and how much is that? If I am creating an ad for someone, I create it in Indesign, then I print it to a pdf file. Then I open the pdf in Photoshop and convert it to a small jpg file to email to them. I may do several of these a day. When they approve the ad, I take it back into Photoshop and convert it to a 200 dpi CMYK tif to place on the page in the magazine file in Indesign. When I get a new advertiser, I enter all their info into a card in my bookkeeping program MYOB. I create an invoice for them and make it recur every month. I have about 200 that go out each month. It keeps track for me who has paid a year in advance for their subscriptions and when I need to bill them for their renewals. It keeps track for me who has paid for their display ad 6 months in advance and when I need to bill them for renewal. Same for the calendar and phone directory and classified ads. One client may have 4 ads that all expire on different months, so it keeps track of when I should bill for each renewal. So although it's just one advertiser, it's 4 jobs to the system and to me. I have dozens of those. Everyone who has paid gets on the subscription list and people email and mail me with renewals cancellations and address changes. For each I make the change in the bookkeeping program, on their invoice, on the recurring invoice, and on the subscription label itself. Every few months, I call the churches and stores to make sure they are getting the right number of magazines each month and to make sure they are still open. The post office does not let me know. Ah, the post office, it now takes me 3 days for the mailing when they deliver the magazines. About 6,000 are mailed in stacks of 25 and 50 to locations where I have no drivers and that is the cheapest way to get it to them. They get mailed out of the bulk mailing facility that has rules for sorting, bagging, labeling, weighing and pricing. We put the stacks of 25 and 50 mags each into approved polyvinyl mailers, and label them by zone and zip code. So two full days ahead of mailing I am doing the post office paperwork of how many sacks weighing how much are going to which zone and what is the rate I used to calculate it and updating labels, putting them in the order that helps me bundle them correctly into the mail sacks, and label them and hope Gerald’s truck is available and drive them to the post office. It's about 150 sacks a month right now, weighing about 30 pounds each. The day of mailing, I’m helped by Beth, Sally, Julie, Melanie and Gerald . I am done with the post office by 2:00pm usually. Then I just need to drive it to Cassadaga and everyone else drives it everywhere else. Before the post office rules changed, it used to take me half a day to update and prepare the labels, and 3 hours to get the stacks of magazines ready for the post office to pick up. Now it’s 3 days. I'm not complaining here, I'm just letting you know what the time consuming parts of my job are and why you having InDesign doesn't help me. Ok I sat down here at 5:00 to do a quick blog post and go back to bed and now it's 7:11am, maybe I'll just let this be today’s blog post...” How lazy is that? Actually using that email as today's blog post? Wait, it’s not lazy! Today is a day of rest. Even though I will be working later, it is only because last week I spent much time goofing off one day making Facebook posts with friends when I should have been more focused. So since time is an illusion anyway, simply man’s mental construct, I’m trading that day for this. And now, I’m headed for a nap for a few hours before getting up to finish the magazine and it will be done in perfect time. It always is. Synchronistic how it all works out, huh? Almost, as if the Universe were watching out for me or something…

Magazine is finally off to the printer!

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:19:06 +0000

Sunday, February 15, 2009. 3:48pm I have just finished the March issue of Horizons Magazine and sent it off to the printer. I goofed up my timing this month and had to work the last two Sundays to catch up. Typically I always have Sundays to myself and I like to alternate between the Yoga Shakti Mission, Unity Church of Melbourne and The New Way. Not only do I enjoy the lessons and the music, but many of my friends attend each as well. It's my chance to see and say hi in person at least once a week. I miss them when I have to work on a Sunday. And I'm not complaining, I'm happy when I'm working, even when I am on deadline and stressed. I've got the coolest job of anyone I know. I work so much because I always have new projects in various stages. They keep me interested, so I don't mind working so much. I thought earlier this week how pathetic that if it wasn't for email and Facebook, I wouldn't have a clue what some friends are doing each day. But then I remember that I stay connected with whomever I am vbrationally in resonance with, no matter whether we see each other in person or ever get to talk on the phone or not. WHAT A RELIEF FINISHING THE MARCH MAGAZINE It's always a relief once I send the magazine to the printer after final layout. From the 5th to the 15th I am at the computer and phone for 12 to 14 hour days. If I'm smart, I stay focused and the last few days are easy, just proofreading and tweaking design changes. If I've let myself be lazy, the final few days can be pretty rushed and a little stressed with me barely making it in under the wire. Like the March issue I just finished. But I also know that if I don't give myself permission to goof off in the final days, then I have no way of blowing off steam and releasing resistance. And when it is pent up, I cannot be creative. It's like the story of the Chinese lettuce farmer who was known far and wide as a writer of exquisite poetry and the grower of poor, bitter lettuce. "Why don't you stop farming lettuce and spend all your time writing poetry?" he is asked time and again. "Because, " the farmer says, "If I do not grow poor lettuce, then I cannot write beautiful poetry." I can dig it.

My yard thinks it's Springtime; the entire root system is connected

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:07:13 +0000

Monday, February 16, 2009. It's pre-dawn and I'm listening to the light rain outside. I love hearing it drip from the leaves of the oaks onto the leaves of the giant philodendron outside my office window, and the birdbath beside it. As I took a walk around my yard yesterday before sunset, I noticed the mulberry tree has little green sprouts shooting out on all the branches. Two days ago it had none. The bamboo is taking off and all my arbicola and turk's cap cuttings made it through the cold snap. My trees and bushes don't know whether it's spring or winter with this weather. Mine were all lucky to have survived the cold snap, even the banana tree. My loquat trees are all beginning to fruit as well. With last night's rain, there should be mega growth on everything by end of daylight today. In November I'd cut back about 1/4 acre of palmettos down to their stumps, and the fronds/fans are just this week coming back in full force. I'd wanted to change the look of my yard and knew by cutting the palmettos back just before winter, I'd have a good 3 months of bare stumps. That let me peek all the way into my east back lot, where I have some turk's cap and arbicola taking root. If I see it, I'll remember to water it. I'd like to make a nice decorative hedge in front of my neighbor's privacy fence back there. It's all under the canopy of a very large oak, and both plants like the high shade. When the neighbor behind me dug his pool, they threw the dirt onto my lot, so I have this nice high mound now. There are several seasons of oakleaf deadfall on the ground, so it's a nice area to hang out in. In the past, I've pitched my tent there. The oak tree above has a spiral staircase arrangement of branches, making it easy and fun to climb. Also against that fence are loquat and a big silver necklace pod bush, crepe myrtle, arbor vitae and what's left of the orange bush. I learned a big lesson with the unnamed orange bush with the broad, heavy, veined, ovate leaves. My neighbor behind me was pruning his back bushes one day years ago and I asked if I could have his cuttings. He said sure, and cautioned me they'd take over. That was what I'd hoped for. I thought. I planted them and they quickly grew into a nice hedge, but also began popping up in other places outside the garden area. I didn't worry about it, simply snipped them off or ran them over with the lawnmower. Then I began spending time in my east garden and simply don't go back there for several months. And when I did, suddenly I had a third of my back yard overrun with this big, beautiful bush. So I did what I seldom do: I sprayed Round Up on the outside band of bushes. I didn't spray it too heavily, nor was it a strong concentration. I knew the roots were all connected, like the chinese tallow. I did consider, before I sprayed, what if I killed the entire bush, the entire organism, instead of just the half I had let encroach? I prepared myself for the consequence, but didn't think I had anything to worry about. My model for comparison was the air potato vine that begins to invade after springtime. That's what I buy the Round Up for and I use a double concentration. I go right up to my property line and spray every green tendril that I can see. I walk the property searching for the evidence, sometimes on hands and knees under palmettos, because when these vines take hold, they choke out all the native plants. And it's a shame, because they have such beautiful large leaves, like a big green ivy. But everywhere a potato drops, more miles of vines takes hold. Every small potato taken by a bird and rejected elsewhere, becomes a vine to start a new patch there. A friend of mine and his cousin are both resourceful types who have lived off the land for years. If it can be grown naturally and has nutritional value, they will find a way to prepare it. And the air potato even has them beat. They could not make it remotely palatable. My one neighbor is such a nature lover that she encourages the potato vine growing on her fence. I know what she means. It is not encroaching on any of her other plants so she hasn't see what it can do. I told her about mine, but I don't need to be the one who gives her that lesson. I think it's hard sometimes to do something that is so tempting and seems so harmless. Tempting because you didn't go out and buy that vine, it just came up out of nowhere and started winding its pretty self around your fences. Besides, if it is true that it causes problems, then I'll just catch it before it gets out of hand and I won't have the same experience. Right? I used to really feel people and schedules and responsibilities encroaching in upon my space. I learned to distance myself from anyone who was toxic to me. Since it's a familiar pattern to me, I've gotten used to doing it, so I admit it comes rather easily. I mean, it may take me a while to realize those lovely green tendrils are tying me to the ground and keeping me from light, but as soon as I realize it, I extract myself quickly. If I wasn't vibrating there on some level, it never would have occurred in the first place, so there's no one to blame. Ah, if only those beautiful green leaves weren't so tempting to look at... But back to the beautiful unnamed orange bush that I'd sprayed just a small amount of a dilute concentration of Round Up on just the outer band of the bush. Four months later, the entire big expansive plant is dead. I really thought I might lose up to half the plant and I was ok with that, but had no idea it would all go and change the entire landscape of my back yard. I thought I was only getting rid of one pesky plant. I didn't give full consideration to the underlying system of that organism. Just as in breaking contact with toxic friends, make sure you weigh the consequences, make sure you know who all is connected to whom and what will be the result of the break with all of them. Are you prepared for any possible backlash there in case people take sides and edge you out? If those things matter to you, then you've got a lot to consider. If you simply know it is the right thing for you to do, no matter what the cost, do it and move forward. If friends fall away, then you're just not vibrating there anymore and new ones will come to replace them. The root system, the ripple effect, the butterfly effect, call it what you will, it behooves us to remember that we are all connected and our actions will affect others down into who knows how many generations? And right now I'm going back to bed because when I am rested and happy then I exude that and everyone around me is happy, and then everyone around them is happy and then everyone around them. And so, frankly, this is part of my job, going back to bed as the sun comes up before my real day begins and just lounging around to feel good while I start the day. You're welcome :)

To de-stress, self talk yourself as if you were the favorite

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:22:18 +0000

Tuesday, February 17, 2009. There's a habit I've gotten myself into and it comes in handy when I'm stressed out. It's basically giving myself reminders in the form of pep talks when I wake up and before I go to sleep. Reminders to keep me motivated and focused on what's going right. "Good morning, beautiful," I might say. "You are the luckiest girl in the world and it is my good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. All I have is yours, and I live to make you happy. "Your every wish is my command. Once again you've gotten the magazine to press by deadline, everyone has paid on time and you are back on schedule. Make your choices today based on what you would really love to do as a priority, and don't worry how it will come to you. Let Me surprise you with the ways and the means and the pathways and the opportunities." And I wake up to the thought of having the choice to pack up and drive to California, or come into the office and catch up with the mail. LOL Pretty sad, huh? Not really, I don't think it's sad at all. In fact, when I identify something that I really want, I go all out for it. My "problem" is that I am very content with my life now and nothing other than what I'm already doing has caught my personal attention. I have no motivation to change. I have a good life. I have good friends. I have good family. I am involved in a lot of fun projects. I have no complaints whatever. So if there is anything holding me back, it is simply that I haven't yet identified it nor made it the priority. And I get a new opportunity to do that in every moment. So, until I identify something new, my morning self talk will include a briefing on the day's activities: go over to do list I made up last night, who to call first, when to open emails, check messages, pay bills, send invoices, go to bank, buy cans of cat food. 50c at Publix, 44c at WalMart, how much at Petsmart? My self talk reminds me that the day will go easily and I will remain centered and focused and move quickly through my list. I will be available for the phone calls, so fewer go to voice mail. (That is an intention that works, I can attest.) If my intentions change throughout the day, as they often do, then I will be able to easily morph and flow with the changes. I will attract to me all the help I need, and recognize all opportunities when they present themselves to me. Now if you had a sweet lover whispering that in your ear each morning, wouldn't you feel encouraged and motivated and ready to jump into your day? And the same one at night, telling you all the things you did right that day, all the good choices you made, all the beauty you saw and all the compassion you displayed, how proud they are of you. Hmmm... Even if you're just telling yourself these things on a regular basis, you can get your own neurotransmitters flowing, and get the feeling of satisfaction flowing too. When you get that feeling of satisfaction, that is your signal that you are in the cosmic flow and that's where all your power is. That is the Now they all talk about. Use it wisely.

Seeking rocks and crystals - tell me where your fave store is

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:00:53 +0000

I'm giving a shout out asking where your favorite rock and crystal shops are. I am doing a project and want to look at a lot of different kinds, large stores, small stores. Please email me at andrea@horizonsmagazine.com and tell me. Thanks.

New attorney's office needs part time front desk help

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:17:07 +0000

An attorney friend of mine just relocated his office near the Aurora and Wickham area of Melbourne and is looking for help with the phones at the front desk. Right now he isn't offering many hours, maybe 4 hours 4 days to begin with, maybe just $7 an hour. It may or may not turn into more of a job. Ideal for a retired motherly type who'd like to simply answer phones and keep the office clean for 2 nice young gentlemen attorneys, and help them stay organized. If you are interested, please email me at andrea@horizonsmagazine.com.

Eating; one guilty pleasure remains

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:38:46 +0000

Tuesday, February 17, 2009. Ok, I have to fess up. As healthy a diet as I have, and as little processed food and meat that I eat, I have retained one guilty pleasure. In fact, I have just rediscovered it after several years away. I used to never cook with canned soup. I would eat Campbell's canned cream of mushroom soup as a soup but never cooked with it. Except this one dish my mom used to make. Now that Campbell's has changed their soup recipe, it is a relatively low fat dish. I take a package boneless, skinless chicken thighs and chop them in thirds. One can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic soup. 1/4 can of water. Put the soup and water in the bottom of a shallow baking dish and mix it up. Put the chicken into the mixture and coat it well with the soup. Turn the oven on to 450 degrees. Wash your hands and everything the chicken touched, including the oven dial. Sprinkle on top of the chicken casserole dish some: sea salt coarse ground black pepper 1 tbsp. oregano flakes 1 tbsp. powered garlic Put in the oven for 30 minutes at 450 degrees Then turn the chicken over in the pan Cook for another 20 minutes at 350 degrees This is really good served over rice or noodles. You can even quarter some potatoes and put in the pan with the chicken. I've even put carrots, bell pepper and onion in for the last 20 minutes.

72-arbicola-berries-21909

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:49:53 +0000

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Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:53:02 +0000

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Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:54:39 +0000

garden-angel-xx-21909

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:05:11 +0000

I just took a photo safari in my yard

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:07:21 +0000

Tuesday, February 17, 2009. I just took a photo safari in my own yard. I found some interesting things but some wouldn't translate well into small photos. Like two cuttings of turk's cap I just put in the yard a month ago are only 6 inches high but each developed a bud and bloomed! The weather has them fooled. The mulberry blooms are too tiny to see and the loquats are still green, but my scheffelera arboricola has beautiful berries for you. I also found both my cats in the yard, here is Yin Yang to the left, who was hanging out on the cement bench in the courtyard and Izzy to the right, who was watching Yinny from across the yard. I catch Izzy stalking her all the time, but she's a real victim mentality who cries wolf, so they have definitely attracted each other. Yinny doesn't even like that Izzy gets to share the same planet with her, much less her house and yard and food. No matter that he was here first.... It's funny sometimes watching the cat politics that go on. Now that I have only two felines, it is kept to a minimum, but even a third cat adds an entirely new dynamic. When I had 5, that was always interesting to watch. Plus when there is more than three, I find, they get into eating contests to show domination, and that can get costly. (Plus when there is more than three, I run the risk of becoming that crazy cat lady down the block.) And, finally, here is the east garden angel as she looks when the sun is going behind the pines. I love to watch the light play on her as the sun moves across the sky during the day. Sometimes she seems to dance for me. I love it how the Universe arranges my world to delight me, no matter where I am.

Join Abraham- Hicks online live Thursday, February 19th

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:18:25 +0000

Join Esther and Jerry Hicks and Abraham on Thursday, February 19th and spend two hours with Abraham. Join Esther and Jerry Hicks and the non-physical consciousness Abraham to learn how to manifest your desires and live the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. Whether you want to improve your relationships, health, finances, career, or just long to feel more at peace, Abraham’s insights will show you how to live a life filled with everything that is good. Learn the many Universal Laws that govern your reality and how you can use them to deliberately create all of your experiences. Abraham teaches you what emotions are and how to effectively utilize your new awareness of them. The full two hours of this online workshop will be devoted to answering questions from callers all over the world. With Abraham’s insights into the audience’s real-life issues, you’ll achieve greater understanding of your personal value and be able to open the doors to whatever you may wish to be, do, or have. 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Eastern Time Cost $20 A Hay House Live Online Event February 19, 2009 Show: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm PST (1:00 - 3:00pm Eastern time) Pre-show: 3:45 pm - 4:00 pm PST (12:45 - 1:00pm Eastern time) Login beginning at: 3:30 pm PST (12:30pm Eastern time) Go to http://www.hayhouseradio.com/liveevents/index.php?show_id=67&episode_id=4327&schedule_id=39046

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Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:24:28 +0000

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We didn't start the fire

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:41:29 +0000

We didn't start the fire. Whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not, you probably remember his great song. Here it is, set to pictures... very cool. Had to share this one. It's a neat flashback through the past half century. Turn up volume and enjoy a review of 50 years of history in less than 3 minutes! Thanks to Billy Joel and some guy from the University of Chicago with a lot of spare time and Google. The older you are, the more pictures you will recognize. Check out the subliminals after the video, and take the survey. VERY interesting. http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html

25x-2-17-09-72

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:44:52 +0000

Still doing what I want, but what I want has changed

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:45:27 +0000

My galpal Jean Stevens in Seattle has been reading my blog and Facebook posts, where I often mention what I am about to make for dinner. She asked, "umm.. do you just think about these things, or do you actually prepare and eat them?" (I thought, now who would write about something they're not really doing? And then I remembered, oh right, this is the internet..." ROFL) When I further thought about it, I realized that oftentimes I will decide what to eat when I read what I've typed about it. I'm so visual. I love reading menus, especially ones with a photo of the dish alongside. It helps remind me of what I know and like. At home, I keep some favorite menus out in case I want new inspiration for a meal. I look over the menu and see what my favorite dish from that restaurant is, and it's likely I can have all the ingredients in 20 minutes, if I don't already have them. What Helped Me Ease Into Better Eating Habits When I changed my eating habits, the first thing I did was remove all foods from my house that I would no longer eat. The first day, I packed it all up, frozen foods, canned and boxed items, alcohol, etc. and gave it to friends. It was weird starting from scratch, but it also felt good. It felt very cleansing and like a rebirth. I stocked the pantry with items I wanted to have on hand: a variety of mustards and rice wine vinegars to use in place of mayonaisse, lowfat soups, canned fruits, vegetables and beans, jasmine and whole grain rices, jello, dried fruit, raisins, lowfat popcorn, packaged tuna in water. For the refrigerator I got salad fixings, lots of parlsey, lowfat range fed eggs, Earth Balance fake butter spread, lowfat Lorraine Swiss cheese and 99% fatfree sliced turkey or turkey ham, some fruits and juices. That way, if I get into a danger zone at night wanting to eat something, I've got good choices on hand. That's one thing I've learned to do. I used to only buy apples when I felt like eating apples. I didn't real often feel like eating apples. Then I learned that if I buy apples whether I want them or not, I will reach for one for a nighttime snack if it's there and I'll be happy with it. But the trick is to buy them to have on hand, whether you want them or not. Now I really like apples and look forward to the different kinds, and buy them on purpose. And I'm sure it's helped me keep my weight stable the past 5 years. I really do eat what I want to eat, it's just that what I want to eat has changed. That took some training on my part but I took it slowly and it has paid off. It did immensely help to be motivated by having to cut the fats in my diet way down due to health reasons. It made it easy for me to reject formerly favorite foods as being poison to me now. As a result, I've never been healthier. I had to make myself change how I thought and felt about certain foods. I had to decide real quick what tastes and textures I wanted to train myself to prefer, since the former heavy, greasy fare was no longer an option for me. I wanted something lighter, clearer, crisper, veggie-er. I began using mustard instead of mayo and whole grain, high fiber breads instead of sourdough. I began using grilled tomatoes, zucchini or portabello mushrooms to replace grilled meats. I began using different rice wine vinegars on my salads instead of oil, and discovered jasmine brown rice. I kept my fat grams to 15 per meal, 4 meals a day. I didn't count calories but kept it about 400-500 per meal. And that's a little high, that's why I'm still 30 pounds overweight, but I don't fret about it. It was not a real hard process to change my taste, to change what I looked for in a meal, and how I wanted to feel after it. It helped me the most to begin seeing my meals as fuel for my next activity. To begin combining foods to give me certain nutritional components, which would allow my body to work at an optimum level, and to keep my skin looking healthy and youthful. I added a lot of water foods, juices, melons, fruits, pho soups and the extra hydration showed in my skin. Little by little, I changed in tastes from former fatty favorites to new healthier choices. So I still get to eat what I want, it's just that what I want has changed. Viva evolution. LISTEN FREE: Reprogram Your Eating Habits Visit Goddess Grub, Luscious Low Fat Meals

Circuit City's closing sale prices are still high

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:31:10 +0000

Wednesday, February 18, 2009. I was driving by Circuit City at the Melbourne mall on the way home this evening and saw their giant sign CLOSING SALE, so I went in. They are down to only about 1/4 of a store worth of merchandise; they had no computers or monitors. I checked the prices on their remaining items and I saw that what they had marked 30%+ off was not discounted from their regular price, but from an inflated price they never charged for the item in the first place. Do stores think we don't notice when they do this?

I'm all for whatever works

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:54:29 +0000

Thursday, February 19, 2009. I remember one time I was 19 years old, and I was at my mother's home complaining to her. I had just quit a job and I didn't want to find another one. I mean, I knew I had to have a job and earn income since I was on my own, but I did not have the drive to seek another job and I had saved enough money to take the summer off. I did not have any inner urge to look for a new job. She told me to "always follow your heart" and "be prepared for the consequences you put in motion." I told her that I was afraid that if I followed my heart, I would not find a job and earn income and I would end up being a bag lady on the street. She asked me what I thought was wrong with that, if I was a happy bag lady. I told her I aspired to much more, however just in that moment I was feeling insecure and worried about it. She suggested I use the time off to practice interviewing for positions I thought were out of my reach. If I wasn't real serious about it, I didn't have anything to lose and I wouldn't feel as much pressure. It's not like they were going to actually offer me the job or anything. And that summer I learned a lot of things. I learned that even though I had just basic typing skills, as long as I was tall and attractive and friendly and acted confident, the interviews were a breeze. I learned I was probably just as smart as anyone who interviewed me, and could appear just as sophisticated and professional, by mostly keeping my mouth shut. I loved to type and typed fast, and had a quick mind for details and organization. I learned to dress on par with my female bosses and loved being support staff behind the scene to help make the star shine. I made friends easily with both sexes. That summer I learned I could have just about any job I wanted to have. Me doing those few "practice" interviews gave me tremendous confidence. And even if it was just a trick my mother used to get me back out and into an office, it worked. Even if it was just a trick my mother used to change the topic from me feeling like I never wanted to work again or look for another job, to let's make a game out of it and play with it, if you're going to chuck it all anyway, it worked. And I'm all for whatever works.

Transcript of a Psychic Reading on $$$, Breaking The Spell, How To Strengthen Willpower

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:54:45 +0000

Here is a transcript of a psychic reading I did for someone years ago. Everyone likes to read those. Names, as usual, have been changed. Question: I noticed in one of my old issues of Horizons that you are in the directory for mentoring. Tell me a little about the difference between your mentoring and the readings that you give. I saw the info on your webpage. Andrea: The difference is really that sometimes someone wants just a reading, they want predictions and others don't believe in or don't want to get a psychic reading but just want some coaching to get a new perspective. Either way, I do about the same thing, whatever they want, and I'll call it whatever they want. But they will get coaching and predictions both, because that is how it happens for me. Email me a little bit about what is happening with you and let's see what we can come up with. Cassie: I think it’s accurate to say I am stuck in scarcity thinking – worry/fear about money/future. Some of it gets brutal - sweating hands and feet, losing sleep, hot and cold flashes, no appetite. May be related to too much change/newness (and not enough "me time" to adjust), don’t know , but it seems no matter what I try, I am unable to break the cycle… and well, I don’t have to tell you about resistance. Then, I become even more afraid that I will actually bring my fears to reality. This is so vicious! I am actually in better shape financially than ever – debt free even – so this state I am in seems even more ludicrous to me, but I have had a run of unexpected large expenses and I see my nest egg at risk (especially if I dwell on my current salary). I know I need to see it differently and I am usually pretty successful at getting myself turned around, however, as head of household with two in college, I am feeling scared by and vulnerable to my kids’ financial mistakes/shortfalls/needs as well. I can’t control their lives and yet they affect mine. Hmm, and could it be related to coming to terms with the loss of the illusion of security I had down in Fort Lauderdale, a family business which I am estranged from now, for so many years? Andrea: It has to do with all of this. Think of the nest egg needing to dwindle down a little to create space for the big replenishment to come. Think of the unexpected large expenses as tithes to the Universe, an investment which will reap even larger returns. Spend time doing some imagining on behalf of the kids - daydream about them doing well, having friends, being happy and studying hard. See them making good choices about who to spend time with and what to spend time doing and what to spend money on. See them attracting unexpected scholarship opportunities and spend a few minutes feeling as excited about that as if you'd all won the lotto. Buy at least one lotto ticket for each of you each week, and make a game out of who will win the most money first. They don't have to know this. Keep track of it. I already know who it will be :) CassieAs for the intuitive/spiritual aspects… there is so much to say but the bottom line is the more I learn (through my awesome experiences) about the power to manifest and make my dreams come true, the more I realize how important it is to find right thinking again. Andrea: Aha! See you already knew this and I didn't hafta write all that long stuff up there after all! Takes awhile to catch yourself, doesn't it? Me, too. Cassie: Does it make sense that I am almost frightened by this? Andrea: It makes absolute sense. It's like being trained as a sniper. You're aware you have excellent skill but are almost afraid to get a job to prove it... You have a deeper awareness of the consequences than lots of people around you. With that knowledge comes power and also responsibility. The thought of the responsibility is often for me the weighing down factor. Although it's the freeing factor also.... Cassie: Like this power is a double-edged sword... gotta stop the downward spiral. Other experiences have left me wondering if I am clairsentient - or am I just becoming so much more in tune with things? Andrea: I bet you have always been clairsentient and you are certainly clairaudient and clairvoyant. It's just that you think the messages that come to you are your own thoughts, so you dismiss them as your own inner dialogue. You think the images that come to you are just from your own imaginings as well, and you dismiss them as the projections of your own mind. I find it helpful to meditate upon the question of "who is the thinker behind the thought" when I think I am confusing the two. It helps as a refresher and is a powerful meditation. Cassie: Andrea, it’s so hard to write all this out because there is so much on my mind. I will be happy to provide more if you need it ... I guess I am hoping to get a good book recommendation or some other suggestion to help relieve some of this. I love Eckhart Tolle, Abraham-Hicks, Wayne Dyer, Horizons Mag!!! But I think I need some specific, targeted info. After I wrote the above to you, I went to Abraham-Hicks' site and this is the inspiration I readily received: 'Know thyself!' and trust that knowledge. If you find a negative subject, you should talk about it until you feel better, rather than just blow the subject off. The idea is that the subject gains momentum as of the last place you left it. Well-being is your natural state. ~ Abraham-Hicks Also, because of the issues mentioned above and working two jobs, I hesitate to come out and meet new people. I'm certainly not much fun these days! Increasingly more stressed and overwhelmed is more like it. Andrea: I do the same thing when I feel overwhelmed with things in my life, yet when I can make myself get out and be around others, the distraction of doing that takes my mind off my previous focus, and helps me "break the spell" of it. I always think I should know better, yet several times a year I catch myself doing it again. I even stick a note in my daily flip calendar every few weeks, reminding me to get out and be with people if I am feeling overwhelmed. Without that reminder, who knows how long and how deep I would stay inside myself... Of course, if I mentioned to anyone that I was feeling that way, they would be eager to help me out of it. But you're probably like me: you say you're fine to whoever asks because you either don't want to burden them or you are just real private or maybe you want to always be an inspiration to those around you. Cassie: Specifically, two things that I would like some help with are: intense fears/anxiety about money that, in some ways, seem irrational to me, although my college-age son’s situation seems to be triggering a lot of it. Andrea: How to remedy this is simple; implementing the mechanics of it - that is, making yourself do it - is not so easy. We've got this great guidance system within us, and we can always tell what we are in the process of attracting to ourselves by how we feel as we are contemplating any particular thought or scenario. Our inner guidance knows our greater intentions: that we want to be happy, we want to be well thought of, we want to make a difference, we want friends, we want good health, and we want to be financially secure. You already know that what you think about is what you will attract into your experience. If you are thinking about something - for instance your son and what he needs for school - and you are feeling any kind of negative emotion, that is your inner guidance letting you know that what you are thinking about and focusing on, and what you are attracting, is not in harmony with your greater intention. Your greater intention is for your son to have everything he needs to complete his education. Your greater intention is that you or he will have the financial resources to make that happen. So if you are thinking about, and focusing on "Oh no, we don't have the money, where will it come from, I shouldn't have bought that ___ last week, I'm not making enough money, I don't know how to make more money, we shouldn't have moved here..." and feeling negative emotion as you think these thoughts, that is your inner guidance system saying "I hear what you are thinking. And I am glad to give you more of whatever you think about. But right now you are thinking about something - and attracting it - that you don't want. So this is your chance to catch yourself, stop that line of self-talk, and replace it with thoughts of what you would like to happen. God/the Universe is glad to give you whatever you're focusing on, but remember that every subject is two subjects. You're either thinking about HAVING something, or you are thinking about LACKING something. If the topic is money and dollars, when you're thinking about college, you can tell by the way you feel whether you are attracting more dollars into your experience, or if you are attracting more lack of dollars. STRENGTHENING THE WILL It's a fine line but you can use your willpower to stop yourself and make the distinction every time it happens. Every time you begin to have that thought. This is how you develop your will. Willpower is the inner strength to make a decision and handle any aim until it is accomplished, regardless of inner and outer resistance, or difficulty. When you have strengthened your will, you have developed the ability to overcomes laziness and negative habits, and to carry out tasks, even if they are unpleasant and tedious. Strengthening your will takes practice. You practice it every time you reject instant gratification in favor of a higher and better goal. One simple daily practice to develop will power is by refusing to satisfy trivial desires (like channel surfing, snacking or drinking soda). By learning to refuse to satisfy every desire that crosses your mind, your will gets stronger. Practice it often during the day, delay yourself by 30 minutes getting that soda or turning on the tv. That's practice. You're exercising that muscle, like going to the gym, so the strength is there when you need it. So you can use your willpower to catch yourself every time you have negative emotion. It doesn't matter if you call this negative emotion anger or grief or frustration or sadness. You know the difference between feeling good and feeling bad. If you find yourself feeling bad, stop and ask yourself, "What am I thinking about?" It will always be a thought of lack or limitation. Once you catch that thought, that is the time to do a few minutes of pre-scripted self-talk reminding yourself what it is you would like to attract to yourself on that topic. And it's important to write these new scripts ahead of time, because when you are in that bummed out place, you won't remember the words then. You will barely at first remember to catch yourself when you feel the negative emotion. We get so used to it, that we think it's normal. Some good self talk for you might be: It's important for me to provide a good education for my son. I like being able to provide everything my child needs to flourish. Through the years, it hasn't always been easy and I haven't always done it on my own, but I've managed to give us a decent living. We've always had a roof over our heads and food on the table. Whenever I have been unable to provide on my own, I have been able to attract from friends and family. Somehow God/Goddess/the Universe has always pulled me through, even though there have been some squeaky times and at the last minute. Because of this past experience, I know that the Universe will provide for me now and in the future, even if it has to come to me in a way I have no way of expecting. And your own words added to this will make it more powerful for you when you repeat it back to yourself. And the time to repeat it back to yourself is when you feel negative emotion for any reason. I personally write these down into a list and put notes up around the house or in my calendar so I can't miss it. The Universe will deliver to you whatever you're thinking about, whether you are seeing it happen, or just imagining it happen. Daydreaming and pretending are very effective tools. Pretend is an important word. “Pre” from “before, ahead of time” and “tend” from “intend.” So when you’re fantasizing and daydreaming, you’re actually in a creative workshop setting your intention for what you’d like to experience in the future. And you’re vibrating in harmony with what you want. And you’re attracting people and circumstances and events to help you get what you want. This is what Abraham calls Deliberation Creation, and Conscious Co-Creation. I found this from my March 2004 editorial that might be helpful: "Spirit is always glad to give us more of whatever we’re thinking about and talking about. I find Spirit likes to give me money lessons. Lots of us are having money lessons this lifetime. That’s a good topic to talk about because that’s the hardest topic to fake it til you make it. How can you write a check for an amount you know you don’t have in the bank? Well, you do everything preparatory to writing the check, you put everything else in motion, then trust that Spirit will follow up with the rest. So these aren’t really money lessons, they are faith and trust lessons. So how do you co-create with spirit? You work as though everything depends on you and you pray as if everything depends on Spirit. You live a life of integrity, so you’re not continually racking up baggage to work out with others. You think about what it is you’d like to do or be or have and you ask for guidance in gathering information. You take special note of anyone that comes around you during this time and you look for synchronicities. You listen to the messages in songs and on tv, and contemplate their meaning relative to whatever you’ve been asking about. You take notes about what you’d like, knowing that as you think about something and write about it, and talk about it, you vibrate in harmony with it. And as you vibrate in harmony with it, you attract more of it. As you think about it and talk about it and write about it, you will attract the people and circumstances and events into your life that can give you what you’ve been asking for, or can point you in the right direction. This is when you know you’re co-creating with Spirit. This is when you can tell you’re in the flow. Your guidance system will let you know you’re in the flow also. Your inner guidance guides you by how you feel in the moment. Abraham–Hicks describes it like a giant firehose, flowing a stream of wellbeing into our lives. The only thing that stops the flow, or puts a crink in the hose, is our own resistance. Our own worry, doubt and fear. And we don’t need to get too caught up in exactly what the resistance is all about, all we need to do is change our focus, turn the other cheek, put our attention on something else. Appreciation is really good for unkinking the hose. Abraham says we’ve already told the Universe what we want, so we don’t have to keep telling it over and over. Our job now is to simply release resistance and unkink the hose so that stream of wellbeing flows into our lives and keeps flowing. It’s our job to let go of doubt and fear and spend time thinking of what we’d like to see or do in the future. It’s our job to talk about our goals with friends, to fantasize and daydream about our goals." Cassie: The other thing is that I am becoming almost frightened by what is happening to me spiritually/intuitively. Strange as it sounds, this is also tying into my money fears and I'm becoming a big mess. I think it doesn't help that I have become so isolated from talking with others about any of it that I am unable to get a different perspective on these matters. Do you have any suggestions? I would so appreciate it. Andrea: This is kinda what is meant by "new level, new devil". Every time we are lifted in consciousness to a new place, to a higher place, everything in our life that still needs cleaning up and clearing out will begin to show up. Stuff we thought was long gone and done with will come back around to be faced and dealt with. So it's good news really. Just the knowing of this should help you release some unconscious or subconscious resistance to it. Whenever I am un-nerved by something new, I remind myself that this isn't necessarily bad, just different. And if I am able to change my perception of it to know that it is just part of the process and I will move through it just like I've moved through everything else, it makes it easier. I still don't know what to expect, but if I look at every new "obstacle" as just another hurdle to get through to get to the good stuff, then I will perceive things getting easier for me. I will stop perceiving them as hurdles or obstacles, and just see them as a stepping stone to get onto and off of quickly as I make my way down the road to my good life.

A morning in the garden

msandrea — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:26:40 +0000

Friday February 20, 2009. "Tell me I did not just bring my laptop out into the garden with me…" That's what I wrote yesterday. I thought it was bad enough that I was going to bring some proofreading out with me, when I was supposed to be relaxing in the garden before a busy weekend of work. Since I was going to proof read, I picked up pencil, highlighter, notepad… I could see where it was going so I just tossed it all into the briefcase and brought that out here. I admit it, I’m a workaholic. Here are yesterday's notes from the garden: A very loud plane is going over at 7:51am, heading west. Now that the hurricanes of 2004 and the fires took down some big oaks and pines around me, I can see a large expanse of sky from my west woods. I love that about my yard. I can see the birds flying back and forth and surfing on the winds now - before I never could. Too much tree canopy over me. I can tell the armadillos have been at it again. They root around through the soil and leave little burrowed up piles of dirt and leaves in their path. I like it because it keeps my ground nice and porous, so everything grows well. They also dig up neat things like little animal bones that I try to piece together and figure out what they are. Wow, I never use my laptop without using an external keyboard and mouse. This is quite a trip. The keys are so small and flat. Jeez, I would surely have to cut my nails down to the nubs to use this keyboard all the time. And navigating around without my trusty trackball mouse. Slow, slow, almost frustratingly slow… I will learn… I know if I use this keyboard and trackball enough I will become faster with it. I hear the cardinals are at it early. They are so loud. I always know where their nests are. When I am getting close, they set up a real fuss. I can always tell by how the male acts toward me how close I am to their nest. Little squealer blabbermouth, if he didn't yell at me I wouldn't know. I can hear a woodpecker doing his thing across the street and the owl in the hammock at the end of the road giving a final hoot before full daylight invades his shady home. I can see the pigeons/doves lining up on the utility wire, there are only two so far. The early birds. I can hear a couple of sets of birds calling out around the neighborhood. Sometimes I bring my Peterson Eastern Birds field guide out here to identify them. There are a lot of those little finchy looking ones around, flitting in and out of the oak branches. I tossed some sunflower seeds for them on the roof of the shed, where my cats are too lazy to go. I see a long, lone black snake slithering her way home under the shed. She helps me cut down on any pesky critters, like mice and moles and such, so I’m glad to share space with her. Like the bats, I see them sometimes at sundown and love them because they keep the misquito population from getting out of hand. Ah, here come a pair of squirrels chasing each other along the oak branch. I used to feed them peanuts, just for the novelty of having them so close so I could watch them. Then I thought I was enabling them so they might not fend as well for themselves when I tired of the novelty of feeding them. Plus we had peanut bushes come up all along the roadside. So now they do get the occasional peanut but mostly have to rob the bird feeders for sunflower seeds. All the leaves are coming back on the trees and the yard is getting nice and shady again. Wow, the birds are out in full force this morning, oh I know why. I am writing about them and so I am attracting them! Ok, enough typing, let me enjoy the garden. That's a common dilemma for me. Do I get to just sit and enjoy what I am enjoying, or shall I write down how much I am enjoying it in the moment of it to share it with you? I get to enjoy so much good stuff, it almost seems selfish or wasteful not to share it with everyone else.

3-09-self-love-salin-cover

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:34:49 +0000

I get to be a Good Sam

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:57:05 +0000

Friday, February 20, 2009. Today was a really busy day. The March Horizons was delivered and Beth, Melanie, Julie and Gerald and I all pitched in and got it done and to the post office by noon. I was out of the post office by 1:40pm. I decided to stop at Publix on the way home and was driving by one I've only been in twice. Then a series of synchronistic events began to unfold. First, since I was unfamiliar with the store layout, I was wandering around looking to get my bearings when a helpful clerk pointed me in the right direction. Then I ended up spending a lot longer in the store than it should have taken, only because i had to hunt for the right aisles for my items. Periodically I'd pass the same woman in a red jacket and I'd joke with her, "are you following me?" We'd laugh and I'd continue my hunt for hidden goods. So, synchronistically I ended up right behind her at the check out counter. And we joked "you again?" and chatted about the tabloid headlines. Then she joked "I might have gotten too much to carry today." The bagger said he'd help her out to her car, and she said she was walking. I asked where she had to carry them to and she replied, "to Wickham Road". We were on 192. I said "that's a long walk with 4 bags of groceries." She just laughed and replied in her Jamaican accent, "Oh, you do what you've got to do". I thought, "that's a great attitude to have." She was my age or a little older. She was fairly heavy. Her car was in the shop, she said. I told her I'd be glad to give her a ride. She accepted and we made our way out to the car. Since I'd just done the mailing, my little Toyota Prius was filled to the brim with magazines, mailing sacks, post office bins and cases of canned cat food I'd just picked up at PetSmart. It took a moment to rearrange everything but we made room and were on our way. The car was full of magazines with the cover to the left on them. I didn't think until later how freakish it might have appeared :) Now the dashboard of my car is also a makeshift altar. I have a dashmat onto which I have velcroed several holy cards of Jesus and Blessed Mother and I have a small photo of Sai Baba there, as well as two sets of prayer malas/beads. Almost immediately she asked what church I went to and I braced myself *smile* I told her Unity Church of Melbourne. She told me she was born and raised a Seven Day Adventist and I remarked that was a very disciplined tradition, and we talked about the value of having a disciplined upbringing. We had similar views on what kids should know by the time they graduate, and how they could be taught a little more respect. It was a good conversation. No one tried to convert anyone else. We talked about the views we had in common. We talked about synchronicity and how Spirit puts people together for a time, for a reason. We talked about me deciding to go into the unfamiliar store, and taking so much time as I looked for my items, and ending up right behind her and offering her a ride. It was a fun break to my day. It was an unexpected encounter that lightened up the end of a stressful week. It was a real blessing to me. She lived 4 miles from Publix. She was going to walk 4 miles home with 4 big bags of groceries. I didn't think until later, why wasn't she shopping at Walmart less than a mile away from her home? We were clearly supposed to have that encounter. Cool beans.

saibaba-blessing

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:34:53 +0000

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:50:08 +0000

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:52:05 +0000

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:53:06 +0000

25x-2-17-09-for-blog

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:00:28 +0000

chameleon-cropped-72

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:27:48 +0000

A chameleon's tale

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:29:09 +0000

Saturday February 21, 2009. The lizard doesn't lament the loss of the tip of his tail as it snips off in battle or play. He doesn't hang around the tail tip and watch it decompose or bury it and visit it every week and bring it flowers. The lizard knows the tip of his tail, indeed his entire tail, is just a small part of him, A small part of the greater He. So when we we leave one life, whether in battle or play, we may lament the body left behind, but it's only a chameleon's tale.

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:30:29 +0000

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:31:24 +0000

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Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:51:45 +0000

Being prepared and changing perception really eases my stress

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:40:09 +0000

Sunday, February 22, 2009. Doing the mailing of Horizons Magazine last week, I prepared ahead of time, was able to take the day off before since I'd done my labels and post office paperwork earlier. Because of that, I was prepared and relaxed and I had the most enjoyable time I've had in a long while at the mailing. Yes, it meant tackling the mailing paperwork immediately following getting the magazine to press, but I just realized that if I change my perception - change my mind rules - to include the pre-mailing paperwork as just the next step in finalizing the new magazine, I can ease myself into the habit of it. I usually take a day or two after mailing day to just recoup at home, not go into the office, and defrag. Since the post office mailing procedure is now more complex, it doesn't make sense to do that. That would leave me having 2 days to finish a 2 day job before the busiest weekend of my month. That sounds like no big deal, but all day during the paperwork-math-figuring days, I am fielding calls from all my helpers and drivers to coordinate getting Horizons out. Then after each call, I get to go back and see where I was in all the math and zip codes and zones and weights and piece counts and bag counts and label counts and... you get the picture. So this time, I sent Horizons to the printer Monday morning. Tuesday I began updating all the labels and began the paperwork. It was actually easier to do the job right after completing magazine layout, while I was still in my work mode. More importantly, it was a day before the calls began, so it went much quicker. By Wednesday mid day, my paperwork was done and I had loaded everything into the car. Friday I was also meeting Dennis Hollin with whom I was sharing a booth at the Expo of Heart in Fort Lauderdale today, and he'd be taking everything down for us in his van. So I also packed my car with my display banner, and all booth equipment. My little Toyota Prius was filled to just below eyeline! So by sundown Wednesday, I was done until Friday morning. That felt good. Now I could really relax. Plus it made it easier to remember any last minute details, since everything had already been checked off my list to be done. So I didn't have to worry about finishing my list at the last minute and wondering if I'd forgotten to add anything to the list. My mind could be free of those stressful thoughts the entire day before mailing day! That was both a freedom and a luxury. So mailing day Friday, I woke up early and did some work at the computer and made myself a bean sprout stirfry for breakfast. I took the time to do hair and makeup, something my helpers rarely see :) I felt confident all the paperwork was in order. It all felt organized in my mind. I began early setting up the work stations. I had refined the new mailout process by making a list outlining jobs for 4 different helpers. Instead of everyone doing everything, if each one chose one job, then no one would get confused as to what they should be doing. Meaning me :) I had everything typed on a sheet so everyone could see them, since we have to keep track of how many mags go into how many sacks and how all the sacks are sorted and labelled. I should have done that months ago, but was too frazzled to think of it. And frankly, I think my ego self liked the idea of me being the one who knew it and got to tell everyone else. That made me justified in barking out orders. hahaha I laugh now that I realize I was doing that. Part of the reason the day was so much fun is that Beth was there and I always enjoy visiting and hanging with Beth. As minister for Unity Church of Melbourne, she often is scheduled elsewhere on mailing day, so it's always a treat when she makes an appearance. I'd had to work the past several Sundays and really missed hearing her Sunday talks. Synchronistically, her talk the Sunday before was about the ego self being attached to outcome. I could have used that message that day. So I've learned that if I just change my perception to make the pre-mailing process part of the completion of the magazine cycle each month, that really eases my stress about it. And having the Thursday off before the busy weekend refuels me and energizes me for the task. The Boy Scouts had it right. Being prepared is the way to go.

NY Times today: Can talk of Depression lead to one?

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:57:17 +0000

Sunday. February 22, 2009. I don't typically read the New York Times, especially the Business Section. As I was finishing up my meditation session this morning, I had a flash of a NY Times headline saying "You create your own reality". I thought I'd go online and see what the headline today said. Well, it didn't say that, but I figured I'd been guided to the page for some reason, so I gave a glance to see what was calling me. I found it way down at the bottom in the Economic View: Can talk of Depression lead to one? I thought how timely for the mainstream media to pick up on this. I mean, if it's in the New York Times, then there's a whole bunch of people who will take it as gospel and maybe do something to change their thinking patterns. Here's the article, all italics for emphasis are mine. How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters by Robert J. Shiller PEOPLE everywhere are talking about the Great Depression. This Depression narrative, however, is not merely a story about the past: It has started to inform our current expectations. The attention paid to the Depression story may seem a logical consequence of our economic situation. But the retelling, in fact, is a cause of the current situation — because the Great Depression serves as a model for our expectations, damping what John Maynard Keynes called our “animal spirits,” reducing consumers’ willingness to spend and businesses’ willingness to hire and expand. The Depression narrative could easily end up as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The popular response to vivid accounts of past depressions is partly psychological, but it has a rational base. We have to look at past episodes because economic theory has never offered a complete account of the mechanics of depressions. This isn’t the first time that the Great Depression has become an active story. It also was heard during the recession of 1981 and 1982. To understand the story’s significance in driving our thinking, it is important to recognize that the Great Depression itself was partly driven by the retelling of earlier depression stories. In the 1930s, there was incessant talk about the depressions of the 1870s and 1890s. Robert J. Shiller is professor of economics at Yale and chief economist at MacroMarkets LLC. He and George A. Akerlof are the authors of “Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism” (Princeton University Press). Published: February 21, 2009 at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/business/economy/22view.html ### end of article There is an entire population out there that believes everything that is written. So when they read in the New York Times that our expectation of repetition of a past event may cause a future event, they will take it seriously. That means they may begin to look at the words "law of attraction" and give the idea more credibility. After all, the NY Times wrote about it... This is a glorious new year, we have a glorious new chance with a promising new president; these are not accidental coincidences. These are just the ever increasing evidence that we are indeed on an upswing. Evidence, that is, for those with eyes to see. It is my vision that the NY Times and other mainstream media will take it as an ongoing theme: "can talking of something lead to causing it"? It is my vision that they will find writers that are able to be understood by the majority of their readers. My vision is that the readers, everyone's collective thoughts of a hopeful future will drive us quickly back to economic balance, and THAT is what will be the new story of the day. That is my vision. Will you join me in it? And I'm very hopeful about our President. It's not a shame that he has to clean up a big mess before we get to see fully what kind of leader he can be. This is one way he is already showing us. He is taking on what has to be done and just doing it. That is symbolic on so many levels of the clearing away of the past, the releasing of past karma, the new beginning we are making with eyes wide open. I couldn't be happier or more hopeful. Will you join me in that also?

New study results: how a man's brain thinks when viewing women in bikinis

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:00:05 +0000

National Geographic News. February 16, 2009. Sexy women in bikinis really do inspire some men to see them as objects, according to a new study of male behavior. Brain scans revealed that when men are shown pictures of scantily clad women, the region of the brain associated with tool use lights up. (Tool use?) Areas of the brain that normally light up in anticipation of using tools, like wrenches and screwdrivers, were activated. Oh, I can use this to do that, or use it like this, or like this... In a "shocking" finding, lead researcher Susan Fiske, a psychologist at Princeton University, noted some of the men studied showed no activity in the part of the brain that usually responds when a person ponders another's intentions. They also found that a part of the brain that usually turned on during social interaction actually de-activated when they saw the pictures. Fiske had 21 heterosexual male volunteers take a test that scores people based on different types of sexist attitudes. The subjects were then shown pictures of both skimpily dressed and fully clothed men and women. The men who scored higher as hostile sexists showed no brain activity to indicate they saw the women as humans with thoughts and intentions. Shocking? Not really. Since situation comedy began, a recurring theme is some male buffoon being dazzled and done wrong by a hot dame with a nice pair... As women, we get the message as pre-teens that if we want male attention of that type, all we have to do is show them off and the crowd goes wild, and we get our way. Advertisers everywhere use sex to sell. "I wouldn't argue for censorship," Fiske said, "but I would argue that it is important to know about the impact of the images you are showing." Also in the study she noted that men who had provocative images of women in the workplace, tended to treat the women in their workplace in ways indicative of that part of the brain being turned off during social interaction. In ways that would indicate reduced activity in the part of the brain that responds when he ponders another's intentions; reduced brain activity to indicate he sees his female coworkers as humans with thoughts and intentions. "When you have sexualised pictures of women in the workplace," Fiske said, "it's hard not to think of female colleague in those terms. It has a spill-over effect in how you perceive plausible women in the workplace." We always knew it happened, we just didn't know the mechanics of it. And while we're on the subject of brain studies: Fake orgasms differ from real ones Professor Gert Holstege of the University of Groningen asked women to place their head in a scanner while having an orgasm with their partner. They were then asked to fake an orgasm and the scans were compared. The result? Different parts of the brain experience real orgasms and create fake ones. ADVICE: Fakers should not agree to a brain scan during sex, no matter how good an actress you are. I always thought it was pretty dumb to fake it. I mean, that's like driving through the take out and getting handed an empty bag and pretending that's ok. That's like going to the gas pump and learning there's no gas, but pretending you filled the tank anyway. Come on.

72_0011a

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:52:14 +0000

I don't always notice when I'm getting stressed

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:31:46 +0000

Tuesday February 24, 2009. Here I am laughing at myself for my latest delay in realization. I don't always notice when I'm getting stressed. But something my brother said made me realize that the more stressed I get, the more controlling I become, and the more I begin to micro manage things around me. Like telling my mailing helpers how to put magazines in an envelope and how to seal it... Usually I'm Mz. Go With The Flow, but when I'm stressed my myth is that I either have to do it myself or I have to supervise every step of it. If you're one of my buddies, you are laughing hysterically at me just realizing I do this, while you've watched it for years. Ok, I laughed, too. What my brother said that got me thinking was when he mentioned a situation at work where a fellow worker said he was a blessing to their group since he stood up for the rights of the ones who won't speak up for themselves. Brothermine is really a humble and unassuming guy and doesn't seek attention, so of course he gets it. He said, "I didn't set out to be the masked crusader. I've always been the soft hearted fool ready to take on the establishment to right a wrong. You are right, I try too much to reduce other people's loads. But even if it hurts me personally, I still get satisfaction from doing it. I wonder if I'm that way because I couldn't control my life's situation as a kid, and now I feel like I can control any situation? Or maybe I'm just afraid that if I don't control things, they too will control me." I replied to him, "that was pretty profound thing you just said. I was noticing this week that when I'm stressed, I begin to micro-manage things around me. I begin to start taking control of crazy little things, like how my helpers should set up their work stations, etc. My first thought was that likely because I had so little control over things growing up, that now I "want to make sure it gets done right" and I have specific ideas on what "right" is and specific ideas on what "on time" is." OMG I've turned into my father... That's a common bond we have. Not only that we shared a controlling, domineering, irrational disciplinarian of a father, who was both psychologically and physically abusive. Our common bond is that we take note of these realizations as they occur and share them with each other in the spirit of identifying and resolving any issues that need resolution. We never sit and bemoan our miserable growing up and how horrid it was living with our dad, because we just don't think of it that way. We realize he had big problems, emotional problems as well as drug and alcohol problems. He wasn't a partier, he didn't go to bars, but he took pain killers for a back injury. When the pills weren't working enough after a long day of construction, he'd drink some Canadian Club. We'd be pushing the limits, like teens do, not realizing what he was going through internally. We both realize that now, of course, so we don't blame or judge. But it's nice to have someone who understands and shares a realization like that, that triggers my own realization of what I also do that I don't realize I'm doing. What I do to Unstress When I am feeling stressed, my sure cure remedy is be alone, in the silence, in dim lighting, in cool air. If it's in nature, all the better. If it's holed up in my studio, that's fine, too. The silence is the most important factor. I'll turn off phones and let friends and family know I've "gone underground" so they don't freak if they don't hear from me. I check email even when I'm underground, in case there's an emergency. I'll do a variety of physical actions to help the unstressing begin. Do some yoga, ride my bike, use my little 8 lbs weights for some upper body strength repetitions, climb a favorite tree for a bird's eye view, move furniture around. Moving furniture is one of my favorite ways to de-stress, because it gives me something new to look at. My house is set up so that I can move things around in a variety of ways in a variety of rooms, and I do it every few months. There's something about coming into my own space, with my own beloved things around me all placed in a new arrangement, that simply delights me. I change out the lighting also. I have overhead ceiling lights if I need them, but I typically just use a lamp right where I am sitting. And not to save electricity, I just enjoy a darkened room with light focused only on what I'm doing. The darkness feels good to me when I'm stressed. It feels healing, especially combined with the silence. It's a very soothing balm to me. And that's the beauty of modern technology. Because of the computer, I am able to work in silence. I can sit in a quiet, darkened room and rest and recharge and still talk to everyone I know, like I'm doing now with you. Feels cozy, doesn't it? Just you and me sitting here in the dim parlor, drinking our hot tea and chatting silently together. Nice.

Miscommunication

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:50:29 +0000

Tuesday, February 24, 2009. My brother and I are in discord right now over a misunderstanding. I found it relevant when I got the following from a friend. It shows the power of the written word. It also shows two people who have far less communication skills than Brothermine and I have, so it gave me hope that we'll patch things up soon enough. "Here's a prime example of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" offered by an English professor from the University of Phoenix . The professor told his class one day, "Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth. Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely no talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached." The following was actually turned in by two of his students, Rebecca and Gary. THE STORY (1st paragraph by Rebecca) At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question. (2nd paragraph by Gary ) Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. " A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he could sign off a bluish particle BEAM FLASHED out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit. (Rebecca) He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspaper to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she wondered wistfully. (Gary) Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anudrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace disarmament Treaty through the congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anudrian ships were on course for Earth, carr ying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine headquarters on the ocean floor off the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized poor, stupid Laurie. (Rebecca) This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic, semi-literate adolescent. (Gary) Yeah? Well, my writing partner is a self-centered tedious neurotic who's attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. "Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of F**KING TEA???! Oh no, WHAT AM I to do? I'm such an air headed bimbo who reads too many Danielle Steele novels!" (Rebecca) A**hole (Gary) Bitch (Rebecca) F**K YOU, YOU NEANDERTHAL! (Gary) Go drink some tea, whore. (TEACHER) A+ . . . I really liked this one.

I like to do things in stages

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:19:23 +0000

Wednesday, February 25, 2009. I like to do my office administrative work in stages. Like I may open all the mail at one time, and sort it out as its opened. Another time I'll log it all in. Another time I'll make up the deposit. I find doing it in small snippets makes it more manageable nd not seem too much like work. I'm not an overly neat and tidy person, but I like to have a place for everything and keep everything relatively in its place. Granted I do have stacks of papers and books in lines and stacks in the office and home, but it's not dirty or cluttered, simply disheveled. When I'm working on something, like cooking or anything else that creates trash, I clean up as I go along so I always have a clear work surface and walking area. And also so that I don't have a big mess to clean up afterward. I can find myself falling into nonproductive habits however, if I'm not mindful. Like using a cup and not washing it out for the next cup of tea, so I may end up with 6 cups in the sink at the end of a day. Or 4 spoons in the sink, one for each time I took a bite of cottage cheese (mixed with scallions!). Another thing I do if I'm not mindful is start piling boxes and envelopes near the door to take out into the garage for recycling. Instead of walking the extra 20 feet into the garage right then, I'll stack them next to the door for the next time I go into the garage. When I catch myself doing that, I do a massive cleanup so I don't turn into one of those people whose every square inch of living space is filled with stuff. It used to be hard for me to part with items, but not so much now. I work in stages doing my yard and garden work as well. I'll go out with the clippers and make some cuts here and there. I'll toss the cuttings to be discarded on the ground (mostly my eleagnus) and I'll take the ones I'm rooting (mostly my turk's cap and arbicola) and go plant them right away and get some water on them. Then as I walk the trails, I'll cut the palm fronds and toss them at the entrance to the trail. When I'm doing my clipping and pruning, I'm usually not dressed for heavy yard work. Another day I'll take my walk outside wearing my work boots and overalls and long sleeves and gloves and I can pick up all the thorny branches and fronds at one time and get them to the street. Another day I'll carry a pail out with me so I can pick up as many air potatoes as I can find on the ground and beneath the underbrush. When I do it that way, it never seems like I am doing too much work at a time. I think I might just be lazy though. I'm never sure which. As long as I'm having fun and being productive, though, either way I win. You, too.

Gotta love A T & T

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:19:42 +0000

Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Too funny. I spent hours on the phone with several ATT techs this week placing orders for different services and today I get emails from clients I'm waiting on calls from. They say when they call my number they are told it is disconnected. I called ATT back, and they assured me my phone would be back on by midnight tonight. Yay, a day without phones, maybe I can get billing done on time! Noon update: so much for a break, phone is back on...

My clients are the best the worst turns into the best

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 05:01:14 +0000

This has been a week of ups and downs for sure. Friday was the big mailing day for the March Horizons Magazine, then being excited about the Expo of Heart in Fort Lauderdale last Sunday. Expo of Heart was a whirlwind. Named by Lifetime Television as America's No. 1 Psychic, Fort Lauderdale's own Michelle Whitedove filled all the seats in the largest speaking event with 225+ people. You can read more about her at this post. Everyone at Conscious Living Partnership did an outstanding job producing the expo and you'll hear more about it after everyone winds down from the event. Monday was a busy day. I spent the morning preparing some legal documents for friends, powers of attorney, wills, living wills. I bought two new domain dames and created a website for my friend June Brown at www.moonmother8.com. I had several people stop by on their way back from the expo, dropping off booth banners and displays. Lucky for them I'd cleaned the day before. Dennis Hollin stopped by with his visiting mom in tow, and It was nice to just sit to visit awhile after a hectic but fun weekend. Bernadette Carter with writing partner Julie arrived next. Since it was their first visit, I had to give them the whole tour. We walked outside through the trails and you could tell these two are nature gals! I pointed out my bamboo and mulberry and explained why there were burned out stumps in the west woods, from the fire of June 2003. We went inside and did the inside tour. I love spending time with interesting and fun, intelligent women and Bernandette always has information I am interested in. She and Jules and I sat here maybe just an hour or two but I could have spent twice that long because we were having so much fun. And she is always giving me business tips, in words I can understand, so I like that. I love it when I visit with new people or find a new interest that gets me really charged up. My mind begins getting flooded with all sorts of ideas that I just can't wait to sit and write down and ponder and develop. It's great to discuss something with someone when you share the same intense interest. It feels like the highest of highs, and I can feel the pure, positive life force energy flow through me. I was not surprised when at 10pm that evening I fell asleep at my computer, happy, contented, hopeful, but spent. The next morning I awaken early to get some notes down and do a blog post from my new fresh, excited mind state. I see some emails from someone close to me who is clearly miffed at me over a misunderstanding of miscommunication. Then half the day is spent going back and forth and in typical fashion, the domino effect begins. Law of attraction - I get disconnected, I get off center, and I start attracting stuff I don't want. Example: I mailed a deposit in on 2-11-09 with 8 checks in it. I learned yesterday as I was going over my statement, that the deposit never made it to the bank. I emailed and called the eight and asked them to call their bank, ask them to waive the stop payment fee since it was lost in the mail, and to reissue me payment. I also offered them a 10% discount for calling me the next morning with a credit card number I can process the same day. And so today they begin to call in and a voice mail tells them the number has been disconnected. I had changed some of my phone services around earlier this week this week on a couple of the lines, but at no point was the line supposed to go dead with a "disconnected" message on it. ROFL Here's their picture: me emailing saying I lost their check and please issue me another. Fast. And when they call, my phone number is suddenly disconnected after 24 years *smile* What were they to think?

It was a hectic day and would add up to not a very good day overall. Monday had been one of my best days in a long while, on many levels, and the next day I attracted a downward spiral from the moment I walked in the office. I'm glad I know to just keep plowing through the paperwork and keep my mind busy and it will move away fairly quickly. I knew that somehow it would all work itself out, even if I had no idea right now how.

About 10pm I decided to try the new home phone number I ordered to see if it was hooked up yet and it was. Some man answered who'd had the number for the past 5 years. I thought, "Ah what did I expect, law of attraction... I hadn't done anything to take me out of the funk, so why should I expect a good result?" I'd done nothing to resolve it within me, simply moved on to other things to take my mind off it until it passed.

I made a post it note about the situation and placed it on my healing bench to be prayed over. When I did Ho'oponopono on the bench, I did it on the situation as well. I went to bed and woke up and did another Ho'oponopono session, meditated and began my day.

I awoke and called ATT right away and got a tech who totally knew what they were doing and they fixed the phone order for me. No, I did not get the phone number I'd wanted but I managed to reclaim a previous lucky number. Synchronicity to start the day. I love it!

Then I called each of the 8 who had written the checks that were lost. I explained what had happened and why I was seeking duplicate payment. I asked them to all please call their bank to see if the check had cleared, and ask about their stop payment policy. I told them to ask that the stop payment fee be waived, because the phone techs have the discretion to do that for you.

My peeps are the best! None of them got upset. Everyone gave me a credit card number to run. Only one did I not hear back from, and one who would send a check tomorrow. And in the calling, I got 4 new ads and didn't have to ask for any of them. By noon the phone was back on. All but one of the banks waived their stop payment fee. I learned to never again place a deposit in the mail :)

I got so excited about the checks being almost instantly replaced, and the phone being turned back on so quickly, that I fairly breezed through my billing in record time. Record time! By 3:30 pm I was headed to the post office with the month's invoices.

So this week began wildly fun and creative for me. Then I let it morph into discord and a downward spiral for a day, then a day later managed to remember who I am, return to who I was, and once again turn the worst into the best. Now that's alchemy.

Take a one week news fast. How deep do you want to go?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:58:24 +0000

Friday, February 27, 2009. So which is it? Does the government and the media control whether I'm optimistic about my future possibilities? Or do I get my daily input from a higher source? That's what I wrote to a friend of mine who was not quite sure about all this law of attraction buzz. He watches the news vigilantly. "So you don't believe the whole law of attraction thang: that your thoughts bring your experiences to you?" Bob told me "Where I am right now: I do believe that factors in, most certainly. And I add to that, the belief that my attitude, at the very least, governs how I perceive what comes to me, whether I bring it in or not. No, I don't believe in my thoughts as having the ultimate authority in attracting decisive experiences. May feel differently tomorrow. And of course, if LOA is correct, I'd therefore bring in experiences that reinforce my belief. Hee hee. As in, "I don't believe in astrology, but heck, all us Libras are skeptical." I suggested that he not cut the news off altogether, simply try a one week news fast to get him back on an upward spiral. Bob: "I could try that. I wouldn't mind vibing higher, but I'd like to think it wasn't based upon denial of the world I contracted to come into. Tricky, that." Andrea: Ah, and what exactly do you mean by the world you contracted to come into? Tricky that :) So which is it? Does the government and the media control whether I'm optimistic about my future possibilities? Or do I get my daily input from a higher source? Bob: To me, that's a brilliant question. Here's the best answer I have - again, right now. I think this world is interactive. I think that it's narcissism on my part to believe my thoughts and expectations alone control my experience. Andrea: I'd say though they control your vibration and your vibration controls your experience. I don't believe in renunciation, per se, but I do believe in stepping back from particular people and activities to get perspective and to keep track of the broader picture. To make sure I'm making progress, if progress is important to me. To take note of who enhances my life and encourages progress, and who hinders and distracts. If I am heavily involved in a garden project, I am probably spending less time with my bowling friends during that time, but I have not renounced them. I agree all the sturm and drang is part of "here" and that we should never deny what is in front of us. It is just my experience that I control how much strum and drang comes into my Now. It may take awhile for past momentum to catch up and old matters to resolve themselves, but that doesn't take long and then it gets easier with time. Then you get excited about "instant karma" instead of dreading it. Bob: Not to be too philosophical, but I don't always feel I choose my thoughts. They seem, at times, to come up from a well of darkness whose true source I'm not seeing. I can, to the best of my ability, choose my RESPONSE to my thoughts, guide them and direct them once they're here. Just sayin' ... Andrea: I know what you are saying. I have found that it takes discipline and re-programming my self talk and doing it long enough that it takes over my consciousness. THEN the thoughts don't come willy nilly. Kind of like doing the Om Namah Shivaya mantra at Shiva Raatri. After you've done it several hours, you can stop doing it consciously and it still keeps going on by itself. I feel I'm successful in my meditation practice when I catch myself during the day in idle thought and my mantra is going thru my head like a ticker tape underlying everything. For ME, that's one reason I keep the tv and movies and popular music to a minimum. I know the less I fill my thoughts with what I call non essential info (and not all entertainment is non essential info), the more I can stay attuned to the other world, the nonphysical world, where that greater part of me resides. Andrea: For me, it's always a question of "how deep do I want to go? From what level do I want to work?" If I am hanging out with friends and watching movies, that's fine and fun but often ultimately less rewarding and fulfilling that other work I would prefer to do. Like at the well, do I want the surface water warmed by the sun that might have a leaf or two in it, or do I want a drink from deeper down where it's ice cold and fresh from the spring? Both will quench my thirst but one has more life in it for me.

Miracles! They can happen to you, too.

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:18:23 +0000

Wife Wins House After Husband Laid Off. AP. DANVILLE, Calif. (Feb. 25) - Susan Wells was thrilled to learn she'd won a $2 million house in a raffle days after her husband had been laid off from his job. "I'm floored," said Wells, who bought the ticket as a surprise to celebrate the couple's 16th anniversary. "I can't believe this has happened. Needless to say, my husband is very surprised." The couple already own a home south of San Francisco, and if they don't want to move they have the option of $1.2 million in cash. They're still deciding what do, but Brad Wells, who had been a sales executive for a Silicon Valley high-tech company, said the winnings are definitely a boost. "I got laid off on Wednesday and the company went bankrupt on Friday," he said. The couple got word of their win on Saturday. "It's been a really rough ride for the last year. This gives us an unbelievable lift." Now that is a nice scenario to contemplate, to prepave with your own creative visualization, to just ponder on and imagine and think how you would feel. Just think about it. And go buy a lotto ticket.

Why are Mapquest & Google directions so out of the way?

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:28:44 +0000

Saturday, February 28, 2009. Did you ever do a Mapquest or Google for directions to somewhere you already know how to get to? And you wonder why they are taking you way out of the way along side streets, and not the fastest or most direct route? Ok, that's a rhetorical question. A friend just told me that everyone knows they do that because they are making sure you pass their advertisers' businesses. Well, I didn't know that and have no idea if it's true, but it would certainly explain it. I went to Ocala this morning and had not been there in a couple of years. I knew I just took I-95 straight north and then took Highway 40 straight west into Ocala. I was going to Cassadaga afterward, so I did a Google search to make sure I still knew the way. It gave me a route taking me across 528 into Orlando and through a maze of tollroads, which saved me 3 miles but might take an extra hour simply because of Orlando traffic. So then I did a MapQuest and they initially gave me the same directions, but Mapquest gives you the option to "Avoid" a particular route and gives you another choice. When I clicked on Avoid for the 528 west exit, it took me straight north on I-95 to Hwy 40, which was the fastest, most direct and easiest. Wouldn't it be nice if every choice we didn't like had an "Avoid" button?

We do have an AVOID button - here's how to use it

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:50:25 +0000

Saturday, February 28, 2009. I'd written earlier in my post Why are Mapquest & Google directions so out of the way ? about how Mapquest and Google sometimes give you directions that take you way off course. I said I prefer Mapquest because it gives you the option to “Avoid” a particular route and offers alternative routes. I remarked, "Wouldn’t it be nice if every choice we didn’t like had an “Avoid” button?" I immediately remembered it does! We each do have a personal "Avoid" switch. It's our focus. Our "Avoid" switch is our choice of focus.

The March Horizons Magazine is now online

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:40:27 +0000

Saturday, February 28, 2009. I just put the March issue of Horizons Magazine online. I have created a bit of a monster having so many pages to update, but it does make it a lot easier for readers to skim through and find what they want. And if that's the point, then I have to work with that end in sight. My brother writes out these amazing step by step instructions that lets me do all kinds of things myself that I would not otherwise want to deal with. He always does things to make me feel smarter than I really am. He's the coolest brother ever, even if he wasn't my own. A friend asked me if I was worried that people would begin reading Horizons online and no longer subscribe. I didn't even think of that. I was just thinking that if it was online, then lots more people could read it. And if more people read it, everyone wins. That's like asking if I am worried about the competition. I don't believe in competition. I believe there's enough here for all of us. I share advertisers and subscribers with several other publications, and I know that the dollars that Jane Doe gives to them do not come out of my pocket. I know that they attract what they attract, and I attract what I attract. 'tarnation I'm loving this incarnation!

Finally! When enlightment comes...

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:23:40 +0000

Enlightenment comes when your third eye is at one with your turd eye and you can see your own shit... Christopher Wynter

Wise words from that great guru, Frank Zappa

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:25:09 +0000

If you wind up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest or some guy on TV telling you what to do, then you deserve it. Frank Zappa

Tony Robbins on the economy

msandrea — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:40:13 +0000

Tony Robbins Twittered yesterday: People are calling this an economic crisis, but it’s really a psychological crisis. Take control of your mind and find the way through.

Friends of the World Gathering March 1st Yoga Shakti Mission

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:21:33 +0000

Sunday March 1, 2009. Today was Yoga Shakti Mission's Friends of the World Gathering from noon to 4pm. The event each year is free and open to all ages. They had music and stage performances all day, as well as vendors with goods and foods from East and West. A good time was had by all. Plan now to join us next year. All are welcome to attend to attend. Yoga Shakti Mission, 3895 Hield Rd NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907, 321-725-4024, www.yogashakti.org March 18,19,20 from 6.45 - 7.30 PM Ma Yoga Shakti will give discourses on Bhagavad Gita. In the Yogashakti Temple. March 10,11,12 Ma Yoga Shakti will hold a Meditation Intensive from 6.45 - 7.30 PM ($10 per session). Classes will be held in the Yogashakti Temple.

What are you attracting out of the people around you?

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:51:01 +0000

Sunday March 1, 2009. How do you think about the people around you? How do you talk about family and acquaintances? How do you talk to them? These were the questions I was asking myself when I had a couple of days of attracting weirdness from normally stable friends. Anytime I write questions like that, I say "you" but I of course always mean "me". Because yes, it IS always all about me :) I notice that how I think about someone and how I talk about them is always a vibrational match to what I attract out of them. If I'm thinking “here comes that pain in the neck Fifi again, I wonder what horror story she’s going to try to tell me today,” well, what do you think I am vibrationally attracting if that is my dominant thought about her? Sometimes it helps me to write out my situation in the form of a question as though I was asking someone for guidance about it. Then I email it to myself and answer it a day later. I have learned that what I am giving advice about to everyone else is always a lesson I could use myself. It took me like 30 years to get that and still sometimes I forget. I do that with clients and friends also, although I don't dare pull it on my brother. But I'm safe there, we don't give each other unsolicited advice. We're smart that way. A girlfriend last week was emailing about an old situation that keeps coming up for her and preventing her from feeling free to go certain places where certain other people may be. She was fine with these people but felt they would be made uncomfortable by her presence, and asked what I thought. I told her “If you think it makes them uncomfortable to be around you, and if that's what comes to mind when you think of going there, either don't go there or stop thinking of it that way. You don’t always have to stop doing what you’re doing. Sometimes you just have to change what you think about what you’re doing. Don’t give them that much power over how you feel and where you vibrate. Stop thinking about it like it's a problem - or ever was - because that just brings the situation to the forefront of everyone's mind again. If that’s what you’re doing, no wonder resistance is in the air.” She was going to call and ask if a certain person would feel better if she didn’t attend a certain exhibition. I told her, “I would not ask her, I would not mention it ever again. I would never refer to it again. I would just go in and out of any public place as I would as if all that never happened. And if you do that, it will fall away soon enough and you'll be done with it. If you keep thinking about it and making any mention of it whatsoever, you're keeping it active. Just so you know, you have mentioned it to me several times this year so it's really unresolved within you.” She replied: “Yes, totally unresolved! You are right. I can just be driving down the street and a thought from that particular past will pop in my head. It's weird and annoying. I am one of those dwellers, "Why would they think that? Why did I let this happen? Why did I wait so long to see them? Blah-Blah-Blah!" I guess my work this week will be to get rid of that baggage.” I answered, “That's the Universe saying, hey here's another chance to work on changing your perception on that topic. How about this: Please give me advice on this scenario: I have friends who have a gallery I used to love going to. We were all friends and everything was hunky dory and suddenly now, for whatever reason, I feel like they don't want me there and they all shut up and stop having fun when I come in. They clearly don't want to include me. My feelings are hurt and when I speak to one or more of them, they tell me everything is fine but I know it's really not. They have exhibitions at the gallery I'd like to attend but don't feel welcome. Help please, what would you do? She laughed at that because I was just reminding her of what she already knows. When I do new projects, I like working with the end in sight. That keeps me focused on my goal. It helps me plan and do In The Now what will make for the most desired outcome and future consequences. If the end in sight is a happy relationship with associates and loved ones, then it helps me to keep that end in sight. Doing so gives me the freedom to be more allowing and cooperative in the now, because I see the bigger picture. Keeping the end in sight helps me make more informed decisions and choose my battles more wisely. And it's not hard to do. It usually just means remembering what you love about this person and then remembering who they really are so you can attract that out of them again. Because that’s all both of you want anyway. We have far to go and much good work to do together if we would stop letting personality conflicts take up so much of our time and attention. I've done my share of it. That's why I don't make time for it now. See, I know I am a butterfly and I know the slightest movement of my wing will set in motions worlds upon worlds of consequences. So I'm careful when and where I flutter. And while I may fly close to the flame, I know not to fly into it. Not just yet. I'll let you know when that calling comes :)

dancers-indian72

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:17:07 +0000

yoga-shakti-map72

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:18:34 +0000

yoga-shakti-map721

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:19:31 +0000

mataji-sitting72

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:21:21 +0000

butterfly-daisy-72small

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:49:01 +0000

Editing at the Source; 13 Steps Back to Balance

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:12:58 +0000

As I work on my website, sometimes I can't get the text to edit the way I want it. Maybe I want it to be bold or red and although I highlight the text and click the BOLD button, it doesn't change. When that begins happening, I can spend hours trying to make it work like it's supposed to, or I can remember that my shortest route to remedy is going into the html code and editing the text at the source. The sooner I remember to go to Source, the quicker I will be on my way to the next step in what I'm doing. Now if I can just remember that in real life also. Often when I get into the html code on my webpage, I see there is all sorts of excessive formatting hidden in there, conflicting with each other and confusing the issue. Once I delete it, the text reveals itself. It's like when aggravating thoughts pop into my head, maybe someone is complaining about the economy or I'm next to a car with their radio loudly playing a news report, or I'm on hold and the news comes on. I can choose to listen to the words and wonder about them and ponder on them and worry about them. I can spend hours or days doing that if I just take in whatever anyone throws at me. Or I can get quiet and go inside and ask internally What is the truth of this situation? I can go to Source and ask that all excessive formatting be removed so nothing remains but pure Truth. By doing that, I'm asking for the broader view. I'm saying I am ready to see it like it really is. I'm asking that I be allowed to see more options. Kind of like asking for a browser update. And all browsers are not created equally. I like working on my blog in Firefox, I just like Firefox for browsing in general. However, if I go into the administrative panel of my blog software, I get fewer options with Firefox than I do with Internet Explorer. Like my "Design" and "Theme Editor" buttons just don't show up on the Wordpress page in Firefox, period. When I am working in my blog or at my website, my brother always helps me by sending me screen shots and step by step instructions. A screen shot is simply where he uses CTRL + PrintScreen to copy what is on his monitor, then CTRL + V to paste it onto a page for me to see. Yesterday he sent me a screen shot of a WordPress page, but what he showed on his monitor was not what appeared on mine. Just this past week we've been talking about how pages display differently on the screen depending on which browsers were used. It was a real revelation to me. That's what we do, too. The internal filters we use to see the world around us are our browsers. That would explain why some people view the same scene you do, however part of that scene is deleted or not available to them because, in their browser, it just doesn't show up at all. And it's not just that some people do not notice the fine details of their surroundings, like who wore the blue shirt or what Sally takes in her tea. For some people, the option of compassion just doesn't show up for them. They don't have a button on their browser option for patience or expansion. So, as far as they see the world, they are maxxed out at all they believe is available to them. And don't try to convince them to change browsers. That would be like asking them to have their own eyes surgically removed before they have better ones installed. The idea of that blind period freaks them out so they don't even want to contemplate it. And heck they are used to where they are anyway. Good, bad, indifferent, they are used to it. And they may have learned to not expect too much anyway... The only way I've found to get someone to change their browser is to sit down with them next to me at the monitor and show them how few keystrokes they need to make their change. Show them how easy it is to do. Demystify the process for them. Make it knowable. Make it feel doable. Let them see by what I do just how it is done and how simple it really is. In real life, I've found the best way to get anyone to want to change to a better life is to let my own life be my example. To let my life be my message. To let others feel hopeful that good things can come their way if they redo some self talk on what the future may hold. Got some stinking thinking? Write a script and read it to yourself everytime that other thought comes up. Sound silly? I don't care, it works for me. It's mostly just reminding myself what I already know. Repeating phrases that I know to be true and repeating them long enough that they overtake the other thoughts and replace them. Phrases like: 1. I know I am in charge of my own wellbeing. 2. I know that what comes to me is a result of how I think about life and how I react to it. 3. It helps me stay focused on the good that is happening in my Now if I do not watch the news or listen to other's people's complaints and worries and theories and opinons. 4. I know that I do not need to attract more good into my life, I merely need to release my resistance to the good that is already available to me. 5. I know that I release resistance whenever I do something that is purely fun and enjoyable to me, when I do something that makes me be in the Now, that lets me be happy and lose time in the doing of it. For me that can be gardening, sewing, beading, woodworking. Something that requires my complete and focused attention yet is fun and fulfilling. 6. I've found that nothing can help me release resistance more than driving somewhere new, visiting a new place and doing unfamiliar things. 7. I know that anytime I look for the positive aspects in any situation, I find them. 8. I know anytime I sit and make a list of the people I love and the things I appreciate, something in me switches on and I feel better. 9. I know when I feel better, I suddenly see all sorts of opportunity around me that I didn't notice before. 10. When I see more opportunity available to me, I feel excited about the possibilities. 11. When I feel excited about the possibilities, Life expands around me and good things begin happening. 12. When I feel happy and excited, I know that's the time for effective creative visualization, and I begin running the best case scenario "what ifs" through my imagination. 13. When I begin to doubt, I return to No. 1 above and reread my list again.

Take your gold to a legitimate dealer if you want to sell

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:02:41 +0000

If you think you HAVE to sell your gold for money right now, for gosh sakes don't send it through the mail to someone you have no idea what they will pay you for it. Take it to a legitimate dealer locally. Know what the price of gold is today. Right now it's at $932 according to www.kitco.com/market. Get informed to get the best deal. Also, you might want to call your elderly friends and family and mention that to them also. They may not know. They may not keep up with anything other than what the tv tells them. Help them to stay smart! You, too. Me, too.

The 13 Steps Back to Balance bring me a good $$ day

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:04:50 +0000

Wow, was yesterday a banner day for ad sales! I had written before dawn yesterday morning at Editing at the Source; Browsers; 13 Steps Back to Balance the below 13 steps. Afterward, I did an experiment of reading them over and over to myself. I took a break at the top of each hour to read them over again and contemplated how true I knew them to be. At 12:55pm, the calls started coming in. I got five ads from new advertisers. I was excited! Then I recalled that I didn't have a back cover ad yet and sent out a message to the Universe to bring me one. A store that advertises intermittently came to my mind. I called to offer them the back cover, even though they'd never expressed interest in it the last 16 years. Bingo! I almost said I couldn't believe it. But I know how law of attraction works. And I know how I can change what I attract from the people around me by being deliberate in my creation as Abraham-Hicks says. And I know that scripting and repeating phrases to myself to re-program my self talk also reprograms what comes my way. TRY IT FOR YOURSELF AND SEE WHAT GOOD YOU ATTRACT IN ONE WEEK. Here are the 13 Steps Back to Balance again. Do a test this week for yourself. Take these 13 steps and read them over at the top of every waking hour. Do it just this week. Take them into the bathroom with you, into the kitchen, keep them in your car, in your purse, in your pocket. It will change your point of attraction. Here they are: Got some stinking thinking? Write a script and read it to yourself everytime that other thought comes up. Sound silly? I don’t care, it works for me. It’s mostly just reminding myself what I already know. Repeating phrases that I know to be true and repeating them long enough that they overtake the other thoughts and replace them. Phrases like: 1. I know I am in charge of my own wellbeing. 2. I know that what comes to me is a result of how I think about life and how I react to it. 3. It helps me stay focused on the good that is happening in my Now if I do not watch the news or listen to other’s people’s complaints and worries and theories and opinons. 4. I know that I do not need to attract more good into my life, I merely need to release my resistance to the good that is already available to me. 5. I know that I release resistance whenever I do something that is purely fun and enjoyable to me, when I do something that makes me be in the Now, that lets me be happy and lose time in the doing of it. For me that can be gardening, sewing, beading, woodworking. Something that requires my complete and focused attention yet is fun and fulfilling. 6. I’ve found that nothing can help me release resistance more than driving somewhere new, visiting a new place and doing unfamiliar things. 7. I know that anytime I look for the positive aspects in any situation, I find them. 8. I know anytime I sit and make a list of the people I love and the things I appreciate, something in me switches on and I feel better. 9. I know when I feel better, I suddenly see all sorts of opportunity around me that I didn’t notice before. 10. When I see more opportunity available to me, I feel excited about the possibilities. 11. When I feel excited about the possibilities, Life expands around me and good things begin happening. 12. When I feel happy and excited, I know that’s the time for effective creative visualization, and I begin running the best case scenario “what ifs” through my imagination. 13. When I begin to doubt, I return to No. 1 above and reread my list again.

6-16-06b-72-adm-blog

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:33:53 +0000

Donate $1 for good luck and karma

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:36:31 +0000

Hello. This is a different kind of blog post. If I've ever done you a favor or loaned you money or connected you with someone helpful or made you smile or given you hope or comfort, this is your chance to let me know. I am asking readers to each donate $1.00 to me. You can do this by using the "donate" button at the Horizons Magazine website. Or you can purchase one of my mp3 files below. Or you can mail a donation check payable to Horizons Magazine, 575 Escarole Street SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909-4802. God has no hands but ours. I thought this might be a fun way to attract it and let you be a part of it and share in the good luck and karma that comes from it. Consider it a tithe to the Universe and it will return to you manyfold. Thank you for your kind generosity. Listen to free samples, all $10 mp3s: Out of Body Experience Connecting with your Angels, Guides New - Stop Smoking Sleepytime Recharge to heal while you sleep

How to experience luck and joy when the economy is crumbling

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:40:37 +0000

Last week I drove to Ocala and stopped to get gas on Highway 40 just east of I-95. I never pay much attention to the price of gas, and locally just buy it where it's on the way. But being in an unfamiliar place, I was all eyes and ears, taking it all in. I thought I remembered gas being over $3.00 a gallon not that long ago and yet here I was paying a dollar less than that per gallon. I thought, "how cool is that!" I had to go inside for my receipt and I asked the clerk, "are gas prices changing?" She said yes, it had just gone up 14c a gallon and she was going on and on about the price increase, and the government greed and the economy... I thought, that's one good thing about staying out of the loop: here I was excited thinking about how gas prices had gone so far down, yet she - who had obviously been following it all in detail for years - was aggravated it had just gone up 14c a gallon. And I'm not completely in the dark about the news, of course. I see what AOL flashes in front of me when I sign on to check email. Every so often I'll skim the headlines in Florida Today online. But I don't get tied up in the details or the updates and I never watch it on tv. And I do that for a reason. The reason is, when I start listening to the news, then I start vibrating there. If I allow myself to get drawn into their theories and opinions, and none of them are hopeful or optimistic, I may get curious about what they say and why they are saying it. Then I may I start looking for more evidence that it's true or false, either researching online or talking to friends about it. None of these things are helpful to me and doing this simply makes me attract what everyone else is attracting. Which is not what I want. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Last week at Chevron I saw the gas prices and was pretty stoked, and the clerk complained about it. Just a difference in perception. She'd been schooled to know all the details of the gas prices as they fluctuated. I was just someone who bought gas and didn't follow prices. My ignorance served me very well in the moments I spent at the pump filling my tank that day. I thought about how great that prices had gone down so far. I felt hopeful about the economy and the new administration. I brought to mind the half a dozen friends who had been seriously seeking jobs last year and this year found them; friends who had their homes for sale for several years had just sold them. I brought to mind how synchronistic that last year I pulled money out of an investment days before the big drop, so I had it when the IRS asked for it all shortly afterward. I thought how synchronistic that before everyone wanted one, I bought a Toyota Prius. I bought one when everyone in town was saying they couldn't find a Prius on a car lot and the waiting time for ordering one was a long one. Yet when I went to Greenwise Motors, they had 4 on their lot. The thing is that when I went looking for one, I had not been told they were hard to find, so I didn't have a hard time finding several in one place to choose from. The Universe was delivering to me even when others felt they were being withheld from. My ignorance of public opinion served me very well then, too. So in the moments I spent at the Chevron pump filling my tank, I was bringing to mind all sorts of hopeful signs I'd personally seen around me this year as evidence that things were looking up and beginning to come back to balance. I spend those few moments at the pump well, doing a little creative visualization session on behalf of us all, and feeling really good about it all. As I finished up, my thoughts turned to the economy and how it can come back into balance in a short time if people stop freaking out and being fearful. I knew their experience did not have to be mine. But I also felt compassion and didn't want it to be their experience either. My thoughts changed from feeling appreciative for all the good I "luck into" and how well things were going for friends around me, to thoughts of "how can I get everyone to realize their thoughts today really DO create their tomorrow" so they would change them and stop being so unhappy. Aha! That was a crucial pivot point in my thoughts. It took me out of vibrating in a good high, fun, appreciative place, to a place of concern and worry and wanting something I had no control over to be other than it was. So, riding the vibrational wave of this thought, the pump tells me I must go inside and get my receipt from the clerk. I go inside, get my receipt, and since the price per gallon was so much lower than I remembered, I ask: "Are gas prices changing?" And that's when she said yes, it had just gone up 14c a gallon and she launched into her long, sad, scary story about how the whole country is going to hell in a handbasket. Yes, she really said that :) But I had attracted that from her. I had allowed my thoughts to pivot back to "Oh, I wish things were different, I wish people weren't so scared, I wish they knew to choose their thoughts deliberately. I wish I knew how to get that message to everyone. I wish there weren't so many lies and mis-information out there being fed to an unwitting public, keeping them feeling helpless and so easily coerced." Since those were my thoughts, is it any wonder I encountered that clerk with that attitude when I went inside for my receipt? Now I could have stood there and contradicted her and told her my opinion of how she should just fix her thoughts and tell all her friends to do the same, and we could have argued and discussed back and forth for an hour or more. But I immediately recognized what I'd done, and how I'd attracted that. I knew exactly when my thoughts pivoted to that other place, that other point of attraction. It was my choice then to either engage in discussion about it with her and keep myself in that lower, slower vibratory stance, or to move on to happier things and get on with my happy day. I've learned to recognize that having discussions with people about things like that only serve to accelerate my own downward spiral, no matter how good my ego might feel and how well it might be fed by me showing off what I think I know. Nowadays, as soon as I recognize it, I simply extricate myself from the situation as quickly and as kindly as I can. I simply told her I felt hopeful, took my receipt and went on my merry way. So how DO you tell someone like that how to experience luck and joy when they say the economy is crumbling? Rev. Beth Head at Unity of Melbourne each Sunday always shares several pieces of good news that is going on worldwide. Things you don't read about in the headlines on the front page. Just think if we kept the front page to all the good news going on worldwide, and had to search inside for short one liners about conflict anywhere. I wonder how much more hopeful we'd be as a nation. The answer to experiencing luck and joy when anyone says anything otherwise is to simply stay focused on the good news. Stay focused on what is right in front of your face every day that you love and appreciate and are grateful for. Think of everyone you know and bring to mind at least one positive aspect about them. Then simply continue to do this every day. Do it steadily for a week and you'll see things begin to change for the better. Make it a habit and within a month you will be living a different life. I promise :) RELATED: Abraham-Hicks on Thriving in the New World Economy Abraham-Hicks on the Economy and the Law of Attraction Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Man wins $12M lottery after psychic said he'd be rich. How much does our belief and expectation have to do with what comes to us?

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:34:40 +0000

Thursday March 6, 2009. The AOL news read under the photo: Jorma Hogbacka celebrates his $12.24 million lottery win in Toronto in January. The semi-retired welder said he expected to win the lottery after a psychic said he would be rich one day. So did he win because the psychic saw it, or did he attract it because he expected it? How much does our belief and expectation have to do with what comes to us? There is a good story at The Power of Belief and Expectation and it is a frequent topic of Abraham-Hicks. It has been my experience that expecting something and believing it will come to pass greatly accelerates its arrival. Here are more lottery wins to inspire you: Jamal Sed celebrates outside a lottery office Dec. 22 in Barcelona after winning a chunk of Spain's annual Christmas lottery, called "El Gordo" (The Fat One). The lottery doled out $3.23 billion in prizes. Fourteen city workers and a retired colleague from Piqua, Ohio, shared in a $207 million prize from a 12-state lottery Dec. 18. Their plans for the winnings ranged from buying a new car to quitting work and traveling. Jessica Agbunag, center, won $2.4 million from a slot machine Nov. 18 during her first trip to Las Vegas. Bobby Guffey, left, of Indiana forgot his bifocals as he went to buy a lottery ticket and accidentally strayed from his usual numbers when he couldn't make out all the digits. The goof turned out to be worth $3 million in an Aug. 6 drawing, The Journal Gazette reported. Fred Topous Jr. won the $57 million Mega Millions jackpot from the June 13 drawing. He planned to take a $34 million payout. Jonathan Vargas, 19, became the first South Carolina resident to win a Powerball jackpot with the $35 million May 17 drawing. He planned to buy his mother a house and quit his construction job. Construction company owner Carl Hunter, who lost two homes in Hurricane Katrina, won a $97 million Powerball jackpot in Louisiana. Minnesota couple Sue and Paul Rosenau hit a $180.1 million Powerball prize in May, the biggest ever in the state. They chose a lump sum of $88 million, resulting in about $59.6 million after taxes. In March 2008, eight co-workers in the tax department of West Virginia's Monongalia County Sheriff's Office claimed a Powerball jackpot worth $276.3 million. The women will receive a lump sum payout of $139 million; individually, they'll get nearly $12 million after taxes. In February 2008, Tonya and Robert Harris bought a winning ticket to the $270 million Mega Millions jackpot at a convenience store in Portal, Ga. Timothy Elliott won $1 million from a scratch ticket in November 2007. David Coterel, center, and his two adult children from Ohio came forward in September 2007 as the winners of the $314.3 million Powerball jackpot. I have friends and clients who have won. I'm not saying play the lottery or gamble if that's not for you. But, if you don't, Just make sure you have other avenues in place to allow unexpected money to come to you. That way you can expect it :)

Last night's brussels sprouts stirfry

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:35:31 +0000

Thursday March 5, 2009. Last night I made the most awesome dinner. I'd bought a package of brussels sprouts at the market earlier in the week and let myself lust after them for days. Last night I decided enough was enough! I washed them and cut them each into quarters. Not sliced like coins, rather I quartered them. I heated a tsp of olive oil and a tsp of Earth Balance spread in a fry pan big enough to keep the sprouts in one layer. When it's hot, toss them in. I kept the heat between 4 and 5 and shook the pan often to keep them cooking evenly. We're looking for a little carmelization to take place, maybe 10 minutes, so I kept the top on. After the bottoms begin to brown, I added half a sliced yellow onion and 4 chopped cloves of garlic, some pepper and about a half tsp of oregano. Meantime, I put a cup of jasmine brown rice in the rice cooker with 1.25 cups water and let it do its thang. In 15 minutes rice will be ready. In the largest nonstickfrypan I have, I put a teaspoon of olive oil and when it's hot, I add a small chopped onion, 2 carrots, 1 stalk of celery and 6 cloves of garlic. By the time it is starting to brown up, the rice is done and I add the rice to the frypan. I stir it all up and kind of press it down in the pan so the bottom can crisp up a little. I was going to have the rice and carrot stirfy separately from the brussels sprouts, but decided to just dump them on top of the rice. It was an amazing dinner. Lots of flavor and so easy.

More lottery wins. Getting in the vibe. Cultivate an expectant attitude to encourage windfalls. Expect $$ to come out of nowhere

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:04:54 +0000

March 5, 2009. Bob Space, of Manchester Township, N.J., sent nine of his co-workers likely the best e-mail they'll ever receive on Wednesday morning. It read: "We won the big one." The group each pitched in $5 for 50 Mega Million lottery tickets, which Space purchased at a gas station during Monday's snowstorm. One of the tickets turned out to be the golden prize -- worth $216 million. The 10 will split a $216 million annuity or a one-time payout of about $140 million. "I feel incredibly blessed. I can't even absorb it," Space said. He said winnings "take a lot of the stress out of life. That's one big lottery win. I'm inspired. Someone I know won the Fantasy 5 this week. Each of 3 winners of Wednesday's Fantasy 5 game will collect $81,727.67. One winner of Sunday night's Fantasy 5 game will collect $183,032.37, the winning ticket was bought in Hialeah, which is my hometown. I like it when familiar names or places win in the lottery, because that tells me I am circling close and resonating on a nearby frequency. I don't spend a lot on lottery tickets. I buy a Lotto quick pick twice a week. Any winnings I get from that I allow myself to buy Fantasy 5 or other tickets with. I've seen with friends how easy it is to get sucked into the gambling cycle when you've had a few wins and feel you're on a roll. So my rule is I can only play the lottery with lottery winnings. And sometimes I get on a roll. And sometimes I get some good numbers ahead of time. When I do, I email my buddy Carl about it and he's won along with me. Not big numbers. Cash 3 I have had some good luck with. And those $1 Monopoly scratch offs they had last year. One afternoon I'd stopped at Circle K to buy my lotto quick pick. The woman ahead of me bought a string of the $1 Monopoly scratch off tickets, and as soon as they were being handed to her, I said "You need to buy three more." I didn't mean to say it, I didn't think about saying it, I just heard it when I said it. She turned around and just looked at me like I was a loony and walked away. I asked the clerk for 3 of the same tickets she just bought. One paid $20, the second paid $5 and on the third I won $25. I'd never bought those before and didn't go in there thinking about anything other than getting my Lotto quick pick and deciding whether I wanted candy corn or not. So I like it when I hear people I know or locations I know being lottery winners. It lets me know that while I am not yet a vibrational match, I must be close because I am hearing about it so often. And that brings me back to how much does my belief and expectation have to do with what comes to me? I know that when I expect something and believe it will come to pass, that hastens it on its way. I know if I can let go of the idea of HOW the Universe will get an unexpected windfall to me, that hastens one my way. Back years ago when all I had for income was my one law office job, I had zero expectation of any income ever coming to me that I didn't know about. I would get my paycheck of $XXX per week and I would get a tax refund in April and that's all the dollars I had any expectation of receiving, period, end of story. I didn't have any investment that was poised to go big in 10 years or a rich parent who'd leave me anything. So all the money I expected and believed I had access to was my weekly income. I expected nothing more. I couldn't imagine where it might come from. But when I left my 22 year career as a criminal defense paralegal and became a professional psychic in its place, that also opened new avenues for income to come to me. One, I began working the phone line for The Psychic Friends Network (Inphomation) and that paid me per week the same as at the law office and more. I also began doing psychic readings out of the new age stores in town at that time: Air, Fire, Water, Earth in Melbourne; Spiritual Expressions in Indialantic; and Three Mystics in Cocoa Village. I'd work one or two afternoons a week at each. So I basically never knew what I'd make at "work" each day. It was an unknown factor. Infinite potential. I knew I could depend on the Psychic Friends paycheck to cover all my bills. So I wasn't real attached to how much I "needed" to make at each store each day. I'd be there for about 4 hours usually and I really enjoyed doing it. Since I liked it, I began attracting a lot of clients, and so I stayed busy and made good money. It didn't hurt that was the year we began Horizons Magazine and so readers wanted to come visit in person, too. Theresa Richardson (co-founder of Horizons along with Kristy Souto) was also another local psychic reader and we taught a tarot class together on Tuesday nights at Air, Fire, Water, Earth. We also both did readings, along with April Rane, Jorie Eberle, Suzie Miller, Dianna Hinkley at the psychic fairs that Maryann Benson from Three Mystics would put on at the Cocoa Beach Holiday Inn. So I went from making a set salary at a law office, with no expectation of any income from any other source, to working at a variety of jobs, giving me multiple streams of income. I never knew what I'd make at each place, but I knew how many hours I would be there, so I knew I could expect a maximum of $XXX. But I also had customers who tipped me, so the tips counted as windfalls. That raised my expectation that a windfall could come my way. That raised my expectation that dollars could come to me in ways I did not expect. That opened a new world of opportunity to me, a world where I no longer had resistance to the idea that money could come "out of nowhere". And when I began realizing that dollars could come to me from all corners of the Universe without me having a clue where it would come from, that was really a freeing realization. And I began to expect to be surprised. I began to expect to be delighted with the ways the Universe provided me with bounty. And I continue to be. You can, too. It just takes practice. Expect a miracle.

Today's little mini split pea soup

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:10:38 +0000

Saturday, March 7, 2009. After a few days of not making soup, I began to jones again for it, so went into the kitchen and made one for breakfast. I have been making soups in my small one quart pot on purpose, because for decades I made tons of soup at one time and would have to eat the same one for a week or freeze it. This way, I can make a new soup each day if I like. Split pea is a favorite of mine because I can make it in 45 minutes. Even though I make only one quart of it, I sautee my vegetables in a 2 quart pot so I can get them all kind of browning and carmelizing. Don't get sucked into making 2 quarts of soup by doing it in the larger pot though! I start with a tsp of olive oil and chop a large onion. I like a lot of onion. I get that to carmelizing in the pan and add 2 chopped carrots and 1 chopped celery stalk. I really like twice as much carrot to celery ratio. If I chop them fine enough, I don't have to zap them later with the hand mixer. I let that all cook together while I chop 6 garlic cloves. I like a lot of garlic also. I add the garlic in, then thinly slice and then chop a medium potato. if I keep it thin enough, the potato will melt right into the soup, thickening it. Then I add just 3-4 oz of washed split peas, and enough lowfat chicken broth to cover it by 2". I add 3 bay leaves, about 1/2 tsp each of cumino and thyme, and a splash of oregano. Then I set it on a low simmer, barely but steadily bubbling, and set my timer on 20 minutes. At 20 minutes I check to see if it needs more broth, then let it go another 25 minutes. When it's done, I can either use the hand mixer to make it very smooth, or I can just kind of whip it with a fork until it's the consistency I like. Soup for breakfast? Absolutely!

How do non meat eaters get their protein?

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:11:06 +0000

Saturday, March 7, 2009. A friend asked the other day where did I get protein from when I didn't eat meat. I told her, first of all, while I don't eat 4 legged critters, I do eat poultry and seafood a few times a month. What she didn't realize is that even bread, rice, pasta, grains, breakfast cereals, and potatoes have protein in them. You don't have to eat flesh or exist on dairy and beans to get protein and be healthy. I figure for my size and lifestyle, I only need about 60 grams a day of protein, and fat for that matter. And having cholesterol that hovers around 170 and triglyccerides at 70: priceless.

Links to worldwide GOOD news

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:13:19 +0000

Saturday March 7, 2009. If you're like me, and if you're reading this you likely are, then you're tired of all the media shouting the bad news at you. Here's a little collection of sites giving the good news. http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ All the good news fit to print

http://www.goodnewsdaily.com/ Local and World Good News

http://www.happynews.com/ Real News. Always Positive

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My morning in the 'hood

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:12:03 +0000

Did you ever have one of those long, long nights where you were getting some good quality sleep, yet woke up several times in the night just to check the clock and see you felt great, felt rested, felt sleepy and still had hours and hours left to sleep? I had one of those last night. It barely entered my mind whether I should check email or catch up on email readings, and I wasn't waiting on anything urgent so I simply went back to sleep. My brother said something the other night about having a sense of urgency in responding to my emails. I was surprised, since I never want him to feel pressured to get to my nonsense right away ~ unless I've done something like replace the main Horizons Magazine webpage with the Horoscopes or something, which I've done. Then it's Brothermine to the rescue. But I realized as soon as he said that, that I, too, have a sense of urgency in keeping up with emails and responding to let people know right away that I have received their message. To let them know they've been heard and it matters to me. But it's egoic if I get obsessive about it, and I realize I can tone it down a little. [caption id="attachment_2240" align="alignright" width="150" caption="YinYang chill axin' "][/caption] I've brought my laptop out here into the east woods and thought I'd share my morning experience with you. I'm sitting here under the big oak and have my little harlequin black and white girl kitty YinYang here under the palmetto next to me. Maine coon cat Izzy is nowhere in sight, although he did participate in the photo shoot about an hour ago. Yinny does NOT like to share photos with him, she always gets that Linda Blair Exorcist face on when he walks nearby. My pal Deb down the street is having a garage sale. I can tell because a lot of cars are using my driveway to turn around in. I'm well hidden though, they can see nothing back here *smile* I have a nice row of bamboo, turks cap, loquat, oaks, almonds, pines, palms, eleagnus, bottlebrush and arbor vitae along the front of the property. Even if I am out watering, if I am wearing dark colors and stand still, walkers by may miss me. But right now the chair is halfway into the property so I'm deep in the palmettos. [caption id="attachment_2243" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The outside office"][/caption] I can hear a weedeater at the home behind me and a chain saw down the street. It might just be some of Deb's garage sale power tools being tested. The garbage truck just passed. I'm always stoked when I have so little garbage to take to the curb. I shred paper and compost veggie trimmings and don't buy much that comes in packaging. I can hear several sets of birds calling back and forth, and have seen 5 squirrels so far. An hour earlier, I'd brought the camera out with me and was going to specifically shoot the mulberries but they didn't turn out real well and maybe nobody would be excited about them anyway but me. Well, me and the squirrels who will do their best to get at the berries before the birds do. Izzy knows when he sees me come out with the camera that he should begin preening for his closeups, and Yin Yang is just plain nosy and follows me everywhere. So I took a few shots each of them. Izzy always looks like he's smug and Yinny always looks pissed off that she has to share air with that moose. Then I took a few shots of the outer office here in the woods. Then I sat down and got some work done. There are butterflies flitting in and out of the woods here, this is the spot I did a major pruning in November 08 of the palmetto fans, so it is a nice open space in the middle here. There's a big gopher turtle burrow here but I believe it's not being used right now. The burrows on the west land are on higher ground and more concealed. My mail chick just came and the weed eater is still going off and on behind me. A lot of travel on this road today because of the garage sale. Plus on the next block over, apparently a resident had an incident with an unwelcome visitor and a baseball bat Saturday night and Florida Today gave the address, so people are driving by hoping to see some action. They'll be disappointed, then go to Deb's garage sale to ask if she knows what happened and then they'll turn around in my driveway as they leave. Just another day in the neighborhood :) Ok, now all the birds seem to know it's noon and are giving the noon whistle, although this is the last time for 6 months their noon whistle will be on time, since daylight Savings time goes into effect after midnight tonight. Spring FORWARD, so at midnight I'll set the clocks to 1:00am so they will be the correct time when I wake up. I love how the wind sounds as it goes through the trees; the bamboo and the palms make the most rustling sounds. A plane in the distance behind me heading east, an invasion of little wrens chatting noisily at the bird bath, a car backfiring. Another weedeater blocks away. Another plane way to the west heading south. Lots of leaves rustling, a motorcycle headed south about a mile to the east of me. The sun is right overhead, but I'm shaded and hidden in this nice deep canopy of tall oaks and palms. I hear Izzy approaching on the path behind me and know right where he is. I have learned to tell the difference in the way a cat walks in the leaves; a raccoon, an armadillo and an opossum. That's helpful at night when you're sleeping in a tent and hear Sasquatch coming your way. Today is the perfect temperature. I have on jeans and my New Balance 608s, a blue Mountain teeshirt with owls and a full moon on it, and a flannel shirt with sleeves rolled up. My hair is up and it feels about 70 under here. Yellow butterflies must be having a convention I have seen so many in the last hour. An especially strong wind just knocked dozens of dried oak leaves from the branches around me! They wanted to be acknowledged, too. Isn't that all we want sometimes, just to be acknowledged? For just one person to say, "Hey, I see you in there." Well, just so you know: hey, I see you in there.

Self employment and small home business

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:30:41 +0000

Sunday, March 8, 2009. A man owned a small ranch In Texas. The Texas Work Force Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him. "I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them," demanded the agent. "Well," replied the farmer, "there's my farm hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week plus free room and board. Then there's the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally." "That's the guy I want to talk to ... the half-wit," says the agent. "That would be me," replied the Rancher. Being self employed since 1992, I can relate. Even the half-wittedness. I know I walk daily in that world where half my consciousness is on my physical plane duties and half in that higher realm where intention, expectation and belief all simmer together in the soup of my ongoing manifestations. I think for anyone who is starting out with no clear direction of what kind of small home business they would like to begin, just the idea that they want to do it, it's important to place your mind in a state of receptive and relaxed expectation that you will begin to have thoughts and ideas that begin guiding you. You will be guided to find certain books, particular websites, certain people and events, all that help you in your discovery of what you'd like to do. Some would say that's a foolish attitude, to which I'd respond "Exactly. That's the point." If we want to be able to hear any guidance that is waiting to be known by us, we have to be in the mind state of the fool. Simple, unencumbered by excessive analytics, receptive. I think of the Fool in the tarot deck. First of all, it is card number 0. Zero stands for infinite potential. The Fool represents the essence of everyman embarking on the journey of life, self-discovery and mastery. He faces life and his journey unafraid, trusting that all will be well, that every experience has a deep essential meaning. The Fool coaxes us to walk our own path, not the path of the "herd". The Fool card represents a new beginning, a fresh start in any aspect of our life. When this card is drawn, we are faced with important choices and decisions which need to be made as we begin this new life-cycle and to deal with any difficult challenges along the way. The Fool tells us to face these challenges with energy, optimism and faith to ensure a positive outcome. To walk our own unique path with optimism and hope. So to me, if you'd like a home business yet have no idea what that might be, the first step is connecting with inner guidance and asking to be led to people, places and circumstances that bring you information and opportunity. Soon enough you'll have gathered enough information to help you get clear on what you want and don't want, how much time you do or don't want to spend, how much financial outlay is comfortable for you, if indeed any is needed. And there are a lot of free articles all over the internet about finding your passion and how to go about it and how to get a mentor and all that. There's a great article at Smart Business Marketing Ideas called Recessions Are For Losers, and it will have you laughing while inspiring you to get your ass in gear. We've got some links on the website at Horizons Magazine that might give you ideas to get you started, but Google around and you'll come up with lots of good sites. And remember, you don't have to pay for someone's books or products, save that for fine tuning your interest. Initially, take advantage of everything available free on the internet. If it sounds like sales hype or wants you to give your email address out to access the page, simply move on to the next page. You'll be guided to the right ones. Just like you found me here. No strings attached. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com

Preparing for the Now moment

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:27:37 +0000

Happy Monday before full moon tomorrow. I had a relaxing weekend although I got a lot of work done. Kind of unexpectedly also, since I was doing the work "out of order". I have specific routines I typically stick to since it's the most time efficient to get through the paperwork, but when that feels too routine, I switch it up. One problem with my sleeping schedule is that it puts me going back to bed about dawn for about 3 hours. Which is fine unless I have to be on someone else's schedule for an early meeting, a conference, or even just church or yoga center on Sundays. Saturday evening is typically filled with phone sessions that often don't end until 4am. Then it takes a couple of hours to wind down from work and be ready to nap before going into my day. One problem with that is if I get very energized by the calls and then get creative on the computer afterward and don't want to take my nap. Just like a little kid, I know I'll drop later if I don't, but once I get that second wind it's hard to not stay in the flow of what I'm working on. Which is what happened yesterday and I ended up not going to the Yoga Shakti Mission or Unity of Melbourne or The New Way. By time to leave, I was elbow deep in what I was doing and enjoying it too much to stop. That's so often a dilemma of mine. How do I know which to choose when I have two or more things going on at once? But the answer is always easy, if I'd just remember it. I know by how I feel in the moment. If in the moment I feel like staying here working on the computer, and that feels fun and I am energized by that thought, then clearly that is what I should choose to do. But if I'm there because some ad has to be done on time, and I'd rather go hear my pals at church sing, clearly I should go to church. And that means being prepared ahead of time for whatever I choose to do "in the moment". That means showering and getting dressed hours ahead of time, so if I make the choice at the last moment, I don't need another 30 minutes to get ready to leave. That was one of my biggest lessons to learn when I became in charge of my own time. For so many years I had to get up early (which was fine) and do hair and makeup and dress and pantyhose and heels and had to do it every single day without fail. Not washing my hair every day was not an option, I have that baby fine hair. So when I became self employed, the first thing I did was stop that daily routine. Jeans and tees became the uniform, and I usually looked right off the beach with my stringy hair. But it didn't matter since I was behind the scenes and no one saw me. Then there were times that I'd get an impromptu meeting or appointment that I'd have to either go to as I was dressed, or not attend at all. I began cleaning up a little more often and synchronistically, on the days I'd prepared, I'd run into someone or get a call. When I think back, some of my best Now moments of the past were moments I had prepaved, although not consciously. So now I know on Sundays to be showered and dressed and ready to head out the door to get to wherever I might decide at the last minute to go. But yesterday I was engrossed in what I was doing, and having such a good time doing it, that I kept on. I'm grateful I enjoy my own company. I enjoy anytime I get alone with my thoughts. I'm grateful the people I share space with understand and respect that. Ah, full moon is tomorrow, Tuesday. Have you been watching it as it crosses the sky? Every 28 days, just like clockwork. Every 28 days a new moon, a new cycle, a new beginning. And every new beginning starts now. Have you prepared for this Now moment? ¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com

Angel Guidance

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:43:25 +0000

I got the best compliment the other day. A month earlier, someone had purchased my Connecting with your Angels, Guides and Teachers mp3 file. She left voice mail for me that said, "I wanted to call and thank you for your Angel Guides cd. I've been listening to it every night for 3 weeks and it has made such a difference in my life. I can't even begin to tell you. Thank you so much." Someone else called an hour ago to say "I really appreciate your Sleepytime Recharge and Connecting With Your Angels, Guides and Teachers cds. They came at the right time and they are very good. They are making a major change in my life and I wanted to say thank you." I remember when I first began feeling "connected" to something Greater than myself. Those people I remember most from the past are the ones who opened my eyes to a new level of reality. The people who let me know that More was possible. That reminded me that anything was possible and anyone can do it. And since I am still busily working away at reducing a sudden $5450 debt, I will ask that for everyone who wishes to spend $10 for my Connecting with your Angels, Guides and Teachers mp3 file, I will also send you a free copy of my latest mp3 file which you can read about at The To Do List For My Universal Manager. Right now it's good for me to remember that it's possible for everyone to get their April Horizons ads in this week so I can go to print on time :) ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com

Economy and the Law of Attraction; Abraham-Hicks; Cutting back, a return to simple times, make friends before you need them

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:06:37 +0000

We're being blasted over the media about the economic situation. Abraham-Hicks has some excellent words on this. I am asked for them so often that I am posting them here. Economy and the Law Of Attraction You have the ability to stand in a place of prosperity -- no matter what. From Abraham-Hicks: "How can we have economic disaster? Because a handful of people began saying a handful of things that a few billion listened to. And so, it affected a few billion vibrations, and now you're having the ripple effect of all of that. It is a powerful example of the power of mind. You are having glorious economic times, and there is not a reason for it to be otherwise for you individually, or you collectively. But don't let what they are doing, collectively, affect you individually. It need not. Begin making statements that always keep you in the receiving mode: "I'm not affected by what's happening outside of me. I'm only affected by the alignment of Energy between my desires. I anticipate that I will thrive even more during these economic times. These are boom times for me. I'm clearer about what I am knowing. I'm in a much better place this time than at any other time. All is really well here, and the Law of Attraction will sort everything out, and we are all doing extremely well." There is no shortage. We know that there is no shortage, because we know that when you ask, the Universe has the ability to yield. There cannot be a shortage. All there can be is an individual or a whole bunch of individuals cutting themselves off from the supply of Well-being -- by finding one thing or another to be upset about. Remember, there are the three points... You ask, the Universe yields, and you just must be in the receiving mode. It does not matter what games anybody else is playing. You have the ability to stand You have the ability to stand in a place of prosperity -- no matter what." Those are important thoughts to hold, especially now when the media is blasting us with their ad-selling shocker headlines. Maybe you can ease into the thoughts that you're not having to cut back because you don't have it, rather your lifestyle could use a little trimming back and this is a good time to start. You can look at is as getting to go out less often, or you can look at it as learning to enjoy your home more fully. You can look at it as being able to eat out less often, or as getting yourself into a new fun, cooking routine. Like with my new eating habits, I can look at it as something I have to do unless I want to die, or I can trick myself into a whole new lifestyle that includes loving to shop for and prepare healthy, low fat, vegetarian delights for myself. And I get a kick out of saving up a fat vacation kitty with the money I save on not eating as I used to. Like with working out, I can look at it as something I have to do unless I want to get fat, or I can look at it as being excited over the upper body muscle strength I have for my age. I'm doing some cutting back of my own. None of them are by way of deprivation, though, I'm far too selfish to deprive ME anything. Most of it has to do with freeing up time and energy for new projects I'm excited about, and I'll share them with you as they unfold. I used to be amused that our Cherokee grandmother would save the smallest snippets of vegetables for soup stock. She had all these little bits in the ice box (yes, the ice box). Later, when she just cooked for herself, she could make a carrot last two meals :) It makes me think about how much I used to spend on groceries in the past, when I was such a meat eater. I had fried ribeyes 3-4 times a week, and bacon and sausages and oh my tum just cringes now to think of what all I ate on a regular basis. And I ate like a lumberjack as well. I'm surprised I didn't weigh twice what did. My weekly grocery bill was 3 times what it is now. Well, more than that since I ate out 4-6 times a week as well. So when I reflect on the changes I've made in lifestyle the past couple of years, I have really pared down my living costs without that being the intention. Yes, organic fruits and vegetables cost more, but the nutrition, the energy boost and the flavor I get from them is so worth it. And when I feel that my food is really feeding me, really nourishing me, then I want less of it as well. So, instead of freaking out about OMG I have to cut back and what if I'm out on the street and there's nothing to eat, maybe I should hoard... if those crazy thoughts come to you because of what the media is blasting at you every day, simply take a deep breath, watch the Abraham-Hicks video again and remind yourself: "I've been wanting to drop a few pounds, now would be a good time to cut back on portions and certain rich foods anyway." Or just take a break from them for 30 days. You're not depriving yourself, you're just giving them time and space to become special to you again. People are so funny. We go through a big crisis like Hurricane whatever or Tsunami this or Earthquake that and we bind together tightly in our little communities with those who are out on the street the same as us. Only then, when we're forced together by the Universe ripping from our hands everything we've ever known to hang on to, do we begin to SEE each other and RELATE to each other and interact with each other. He's no longer "the loud neighbor", he's Joe Franklin who works at Tire World and has an autistic son and the only chain saw for a mile that works. She's no longer the nosy know it all poking her nose into everyone's business, she's Margie Davies who went through the entire block and made sure the elderly were all ok and not anxious until we could all get power back on. They become REAL PEOPLE to us in those times of crisis. But then the storm passes and power is restored and tv is back on so no one is outside anymore and you forget that you really liked Joe and now just remember he plays his country music too loud. I was about 30 before I started realizing that every smart ass comment and uppity attitude I had with anyone was simply foolish, egoistic and alienating. When I began behaving differently, my world began changing for the better. I no longer ran into so many snarky, smarty pants which I've learned since is because I stopped vibrating there. Well, let's just say I vibrate there far less often than I used to. So, I've learned from my own personal history that if I don't make some changes that I really know I need to make, then the Universe will step right in and make them for me. So, before the forces of Nature begin their seasonal trek across our piece of the planet, you might want to start making friends with your neighbors. You've been wanting to get out and walk anyway, just walk around the block at the end of your day. I promise you'll feel more unwound than it you'd just crashed in front of the news after work. And you don't have to make a nuisance of yourself, just say hello as you pass. Wave when you drive by. Little by little you'll connect more. Just get to know who is around you, who is in your own personal sphere. And get along with them. Get along with them before you need to ask anyone for help or a favor or a ride to pick up your car, or to borrow your cat carrier. I'm thinking that if we all did that, that would send a big giant signal to the Universe that we are all making strides to get along. That we are putting aside personal differences. That we are celebrating our brotherhood. And if we're all busy doing that, we don't have time for fussing and fighting and hating and everything that goes along with that. And that means we don't vibrate in a place that attracts anything we might consider a disaster or crisis. It's up to us, to choose what to attract. And I'm blessed to have attracted neighbors who are quiet, interesting, fun, private and whom I seldom see other than just walking or biking around the 'hood. Life is good. I have no complaints whatsoever. RELATED: Abraham-Hicks on Thriving in the New World Economy Listen FREE: Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Savory lowfat chicken with rice recipe

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:38:12 +0000

Wednesday March 11, 2009. Andrea is cooking chicken and jasmine brown rice. Or is it brown jasmine rice? Anyway, I like green olives with my rice if I have chicken with it. Izzy is stationed at the oven door, he knows carcass is afoot! Well, not afoot... anymore. And I don't know what he gets all excited for, he never eats any people food I give him. He just gets all excited and gets all tangled up in my legs until whatever it is comes out of the oven. Then I give him some and he's all excited, and then he gets down close to it and looks back at me like I've tricked him. I need to find Tammy who gave him to me and ask what did she used to cook that he keeps wanting. Good grief, look at that sentence, and me a publisher. It actually feels like of weird to be eating chicken on a full moon night, like it dumbs down the vibe or something. But it's been a stressful, busy day and I went to the store and while I was there decided to make some chicken. Great recipe, too, and easy. Buy a package of skinless, boneless chicken thighs. I don't know what cooking time or temp would be for chicken breasts, since the white meat has so much less fat. Oven to 450 Chop the chicken up while it is still wrapped in the packaging. Just slice through the package in 4-5 strips, then twice more across the center. Separate it into several meals and freeze whatever you are not cooking tonight. Pam Spray with Olive Oil on a shallow baking pan. Dump the chicken into it and spread it out in the pan. It should be in chunks that are like the size of 2 bites. They will shrink down to one bite each as they cook. They should be in one layer in the pan, with a little space between them, just not all jammed up together (or the cooking time won't be right). Onto the chicken, sprinkle: Black pepper, I give it 4 shakes Ground garlic powder, I sprinkle a fine even layer over the entire surface of the meat. Sometimes not so fine a layer. 1 Tablespoon each dried oregano, dried basil, dried rosemary, dried tarragon. Set your timer for 35 minutes and put the chicken in the oven. Start your rice. it will be done in 20 minutes. When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven. Toss half a dozen or so green olives in the pan with the chicken. Spoon the rice on top of the chicken, and mix it all around, using the small bit of oil in the pan to flavor the rice and olives. If you like, you can add some chopped parsley here, too. Finish with a couple of shots of Louisiana Hot Sauce. and mix it up well. Ta dah! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Endless loops of windows and popups, cleaning up your crap

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:52:35 +0000

Thursday, March 12, 2009. Did you ever accidentally click on one of those ads that say something like How Many Eyes Does This Baby Have? and it takes you to a quiz for a mind game or some such? If you're not careful, you don't see at the very bottom, where you have to scroll to see it, it tells you that your ATT account will be charged if you click on it. Then you try to close out of it because you didn't mean to go there in the first place, and you keep having to answer complex questions to get past the pop-up box. Since if you just click "cancel", then that takes you right to the quiz. I used to get ticked when I'd get caught up on the endless loops of windows and popups like that. I'm too busy for that crap! Now it's just my signal I need to take a break and stretch and relax, that I've been letting resistance pile up unnoticed, so I appreciate when it happens. I’m always ready to release unnecessary crap! Speaking of which, do you clean up your computer caches after you’ve been at it for a few hours? It your computer is slow, it’s likely just that you need to clean out your caches and your temporary files. Go to Ccleaner.com Ccleaner (c for “crap”) is a software tool that removes temporary files, cookies, adware and spyware from your computer. It empties your recycle bin, clears your last download locations and URL history, and removes your log files. When you go to run it, it tells you it will permanently removes these files from your computer, and it makes sure you are ready by asking “Are you sure you wish to proceed?” Am I sure? Of course! Who wouldn’t want to remove all the unnecessary crap from their computer, so that it will run more efficiently? Well, there are some people who rely on those temporary files because they want to revisit websites without bookmarking them, and they don’t want to retype their passwords to get into their files. And they are willing to put up with a bunch of unnecessary files piling up, slowing them down in every other area of work on the computer, in order to keep in place what is known to them. I run Ccleaner every day and typically get 16-60mb of old files removed before I shut down for the day. That helps me start fresh for the next session, and makes sure I don’t carry the ‘crap’ of today into my tomorrow. If you think about it, that’s what meditation and reflection does for us, too. It gives us time to review what we’ve taken in that day and lets us decide what we want to keep with us, and what is useful to discard with day’s end. What is just temporary and what we want to keep permanently. We go into each day with a fresh slate, leaving behind what was useful for yesterday and bringing with us only what we choose to relive again today. Doing an evening review before I sit to meditate is the same as rebooting my internal guidance system. That allows me to sweep clean and start fresh. Those few moments of quiet reflection allow me to cutivate my thoughtfield, to keep it freshly plowed and ready for new seeding. If I am not vigilant, it is easy for that field to become hard and crusted over with the thoughts, beliefs, angers and resentments of yesterday. That’s when I find myself being close minded. So at the end of each day, as I close down my computer and run my Ccleaner program, when it reminds me that it will permanently remove these files from my computer, I take it as a metaphor for my life. I think a resounding YES and let go of my tension and troubles of the day at the same time. When it asks “Are you sure you wish to proceed?” I affirm YES I AM. I AM ready to proceed with removing the crap from my day (and my life) that no longer serve me. I AM ready to proceed with leaving behind anything that shows up in my life as toxic. I AM ready to proceed with moving in the direction of my goals or my joy, whichever comes first, (and so far I have not been surprised to find they can be one and the same thing). I AM ready to proceed to the next stage of my life, the next rung up the ladder, the next adventure, no matter what form it will take, because my experience is that I attract only good and helpful things. Now it took a lot of years of cleaning up my karma before I began attracting what I considered only good and helpful things. And cleaning up my karma means I began being aware of behaviors and ways of being and relating to other people that was perhaps not always kind, that was perhaps sarcastic or flippant or manipulative in some way, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes on purpose. And I began noticing other people doing it to me and me not liking it. And I began wanting to not do that anymore because I didn’t want that to happen to me anymore. And I began to learn that I attracted more of what I did and thought about, so I began to change what I did and what I thought about. I learned that I really got a kick out of helping people out and I really got a kick out of doing it behind the scenes. I began to take that on as a personal practice, first to control my ego, then just as a personal discipline. First to see if I really got any sense of inner satisfaction if I was getting no outward strokes from the people involved. I was surprised at the force of the inner floodgates that opened, and the ensuing response I felt internally, as if some Big Supreme Poobah had set up residence in my head, assuring me that what I did was of value and made a difference, and that all would be well forevermore no matter what. And I totally believe it. And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

72what-i-did-today

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:56:12 +0000

Today's To Do List crossed off

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:57:07 +0000

[caption id="attachment_2322" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="My To Do List done"][/caption]

Getting disconnected from Source

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:19:42 +0000

Friday March 12, 2009. I think it’s hilarious that after my post of yesterday, Endless loops of windows and popups, cleaning up your crap, I awoke to find I was having a hard time opening my email, and of course I have several dozen emails left to download with ad revisions for the April Horizons Magazine. And of course this is final layout week and of course I have like 2 days to finish it :) I thought it was especially interesting since I woke up feeling great, really in tune and ready for my day. I did my morning self-talk to myself as I snuggled in my bed - my typical routine. Talking to myself as if I was my favorite child or lover or person I adored completely and knew was capable of handling anything and who I wanted to encourage into their day. I went into the office and signed on to AOL and began to start downloading the 20+ emails I still have left to download for ad revisions I must do today and tomorrow. It was extremely slow, so I simply decided to enter AOL through Internet Explorer. Ever since AOL began, I’ve heard people complain about it and how long it takes and getting cut off, and I have never had any of those problems. I was on dial-up until just 2-3 years ago. But I never knew what they were talking about, and was just glad that I vibrated a different experience for myself. I realized just the other day they were talking about the AOL browser, which I rarely use. But AOL for email - I love it since I send and receive so much of it. 20-50 a day on a consistent basis that have to be read and responded to. I’m not counting the spam which I simply delete. So I wasn’t worried that I couldn’t get my email through AOL, I simply opened Internet Explorer and would access AOL through there. But it was just as slow. The same with Mozilla Firefox (my personal fave). So I ran Ccleaner and rebooted my computer while I turned on my laptop to access from there. The same thing, except extra slow because the laptop is slower than the desktop computer. I could get onto AOL slowly, but even opening an email took minutes. I typically wait until final layout week to download the email ads, and I simply copy and paste into the magazine layout. That way I don’t have to print an email ever. But now I was getting nervous that I might not be able to access them in time, so I began printing them out. Half of them I was able to print easily but images took like 10 minutes+ each to download. I thought that some fearmongers would say this was a taste of what it will be like as soon as everyone’s business is online and the government pulls the plug on the internet. That always struck me as funny, since of course if anything like that happened, I’d simply have to adapt to what was workable around me and be led from there to my next step. But that’s like the rest of life, so it’s not all that different. Just a bigger scale is all. I admit I was a little nervous, seeing how much I depend on an internet connection in order to get work done. Same as the telephone. And during those times they are unavailable, I don’t feel anxious as much as inconvenienced. Especially if someone is trying to reach me or is waiting to hear from me and are unable to by the deadline or at the appointed time. And they may not even consider that the call or email has simply not reached me yet. Just another metaphor for feeling lost without proper connection. That’s when it came to me that it wasn’t an AOL problem at all, it was a Bright House internet connection problem since it was both computers and all 3 browsers. Okay, sometimes I’m slow. I called Bright House and got Anthony, a service tech in Manila. He ran me through the paces. He knew exactly what he was doing and explained it all to me very well. We checked to see if disconnecting the router and connecting directly to the modem made any difference, and it did not. He reset my modem from where he was and 20 minutes after we began, I was back in business. As usual, there was nothing wrong with the signal being sent from Source. The problem was that I was no longer in a position to receive it. Ever been there? . ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Don't give thought to "psychic predictions" of disaster

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:56:57 +0000

Wednesday, after I'd written wrote about Endless loops of windows and popups, cleaning up your crap, I awoke Thursday to find my internet connection was down. You can read about it at Getting Disconnected From Source. Before I discovered the problem, I just thought I was having trouble getting AOL email to open. So as I was laboriously downloading pages from my (unknown to me) precarious connection, I filled the time by checking messages and returning calls. A Horizons reader called to share a concern that I’d gotten several emails and other calls about. It seems that they’ve heard some psychics make predictions about assassination attempts and another depression coming our way. Why would I even repeat these words to you? Because what people are saying to each other behind closed doors is one way mass consciousness is attracting the world situation as it is right now. Don't fall into it and don't buy into it, and it won't happen. Period. And don't believe any "psychics" that predict disasters. There are psychics that are authentic and well meaning, yet his vision may be clouded on those topics since those events would personally impact him as well. As an authentic psychic, I know that I am not always able to see clearly what's ahead for me. Experience has taught me that anything that has an emotional component for me, puts a filter over the scene I see. And knowing that helps me see more clearly, and to always question what I see. More importantly, I know that what I say to someone in a reading carries great weight with them. I know how powerful words are, so I choose them wisely and use them with intention. A big part of being a good psychic is knowing that the client is mentally, emotionally and psychologically prepared to handle what I am about to tell them. I don't say something that inflames them or that causes them anguish. I don't withhold anything, but I have learned how to properly set the stage for what I am about to tell them. So when they hear it, they have some advance perception of how to receive it. You've given them a bowl to contain the idea in, a bowl for the idea to brew in like a good soup, because out of this soup they will draw their ideas for how to handle what is coming up for them. That's actually the more important part of the reading. Anyone can grab a raw visual out of the ethers. But if you can't frame it, don't deliver the message. So as far as being freaked out over psychic predictions of economic depression, and the idea of spiritual warfare and thinking the corrupt aspects of our world need to be done away with, that simply gives power and life to those thoughtforms. I’m mentioning it because those statements about financial collapse and our President’s safety have some of my callers scared almost into disability, so I want to address it openly. One caller said to me that even mentioning words like assassination and depression plants the idea in the minds of people. She said it would be like someone walking into a classroom of mothers with their infants, except this mother’s infant has its arm ripped off and it’s squirting blood and he’s screaming and the Mother is telling the others: “This does not have to be your experience. You can create a different reality.” Not so easy to do, is it, when you’ve had such a strong image splashed in your face, with the attendant sound and emotions? “This doesn’t have to be your experience.” And yet it’s more likely to be their experience NOW than before she walked into their class. Because now they’ve had a taste of it. Now it’s been brought to their attention that something they never thought about is a real possibility. Now they think, maybe for the first time, "this might happen to me." Now they have something startling to recall vividly and consider over and over again as possibly their future experience. No matter what she said afterward. Kind of like telling the jury to disregard a statement they heard the witness make. They now give greater importance to the statement than they may have otherwise. They are certainly not going to disregard it, because now it is prominent in their mind. She's highlighted it for them. And whatever we hold in our mind the most - with emotion - plays the biggest part in attracting our future experiences to us. Whatever we replay over and over and over again, with emotion, we attract the vibrational equivalent of. And it’s because I know this that I print the most hopeful scenarios in Horizons. Because my experience has been that the longer someone can stay focused on the good things happening in the world, the quicker they will stop seeing the scary sides of everything and fighting against evil and what not. If they look for the good, they’ll see it. We see what we look for. By now I suppose almost everyone has seen the basketball video - you need to press the PLAY > near the bottom left. Now count the number of times the people wearing white shirts pass the basketball. DO NOT count the number of passes from people wearing black shirts. Ok, remember, count ONLY the number of passes from the WHITE shirts. Here's the video, then come back here. Ok, got your number? Now replay it and count the number of passes from the people wearing black shirts. How many do you see? Is it a trick question because you see half a pass and are not sure whether to count it? Did you see anything else? This video is an excellent example that we get see what we are programmed to see. We see what we are looking for. The news tells us to look for terrorists and we think we see them everywhere. Spirit tells us to look for evidence of miracles, and miracles begin to surround us. It's your choice what to look for. Viscog Productions produces DVDs that reveal the surprising limits of perception, attention, and awareness. Look for the DVD called Surprising Studies of Visual Awareness, Vol. 1. This year, Viscog released Surprising Studies, Vol. 2, with more "striking demonstrations that can induce failures of awareness." So science knows we see what we choose to see, what we've been taught to look for. But who wants to see only the good? Why not see the “truth”? I agree, murder exists as a “truth,” however it’s not my truth right here, right now in front of me today. So in that sense, murder is not a truth because it’s not my truth. However, experience tells me that if I focus on the topic of murder or corruption or anything else, I will always find evidence of what I’m looking for. But you can’t deny it exists, you might say. Well, yes I can, if it’s not happening in front of me. It’s not mine to do unless it’s right in front of me. And there’s plenty for me to do right in front of me, I don’t need to go halfway around the world to do good or find a solution for a problem. However, experience tells me that if I focus on the topic of murder or corruption or anything else, I will always find evidence of what I’m looking for. So I have learned to NOT seek what I’m not ready to find and to stay off topics that I don’t want to experience. To the people who are outraged against anything, or who are activists fighting for their cause, I understand your dilemma. Maybe you feel it’s your job and your work, and you’re allowed to think that. I’m lazy and my experience tells me if I stay off those topics, I stay somehow magically out of any problems anyone else around me is having. And if I am out of those problems, then I can keep a higher perspective that lets me do what is mine to do, free from encumbrance. If I can keep myself from being drawn into anyone else’s chain of pain, then my experience does not have to be what theirs is, and I have something to give them. Otherwise I don’t. Why are we looking anyway at things that are not ours to do? It doesn’t matter why. You can analyze it for ages. Analyzing it keeps you vibing in the place of it. Conjecturing about it and discussing it simply keeps you in vibrational resonance with it. As does of course watching any news about it. It’s just another metaphor for feeling lost and feeling disconnected. Like yesterday morning when my internet connection went down. We get all freaked out thinking we’re losing connection but that’s just because we’re paying attention to those things that we don’t want. It makes us feel bad and makes us attract more thoughts of more bad stuff and it’s a downward spiral from there. Yes, even a lot of you who read about Law Of Attraction are doing it. I do it sometimes. So just think how hard it is for those who don’t know how they are attracting things to themselves and how to attract anything different than they’re getting. I have friends who have gone into survivalist mode, preparing for the worst, stocking up. I agree we should be prepared, but not have a Thunderdome type mentality about it. Because even in preparing for the worst case scenario, you are attracting it as sure as the hero attracts the victim he rescues. While in the mode of research and preparation, they are vibrating in that place with it. That’s when it becomes important to know whether you are researching from a point of view of “OMG the end is near, WTF am I going to do???? Let me find out what every other scared rabbit is doing.” Or from a point of view of “It would be very cool to be self contained and do a living-off-the-land kind of project, to let myself discover just how creatively capable I can be.” Just know where you’re vibing when you’re doing any research or talk about it. Don’t do it from a place of fear. I think of it as, “If I went on a 3-6 month personal wilderness retreat, what all should I have with me?” A wilderness is a wilderness, no matter whether a jungle or a metaphor for an internal, subjective, inward turning of attention on purpose. You can be a monk or you can be a prisoner, either way you are trapped in a cell, but the monk is free because his mind knows freedom beyond the physical body. Michelle Whitedove says - and I am in complete agreement with her - to remember how powerful you are and that it’s up to you to create your personal future and that your reality can be a different experience from those around you. A friend said, "The challenge is to stay connected when the sh*t hits the Fan." Someone had taken a sledgehammer to her glass sliding doors, stole money and jewelry. "How do I stay connected then?" she wanted to know. I agree that it's a challenge to stay connected when the sh*t hits the fan. That's why prepaving and creative visualization are the most important elements to using law of attraction to your advantage. As soon as you stop doing things that incur more karmic backlash, the quicker the momentum of your past sh*t stops flying at you. So the answer to staying connected when the sh*t is hitting the fan is simply expecting the best possible outcome, no matter what. And start expecting it so far in advance that by the time the sh*t approaches the fan, you've left the building. And you're no longer in a place that attracts the sh*t, that attracts the sledgehammer, that attracts the burglary. Also, strive to develop some faith that you will be led to your next step. Remember that you don’t need to know the whole way you’re going or where you’ll end up. Just take the next step. Like they say, easy does it. One day at a time. All your power is in The Now Moment. Develop some trust that you will be given many opportunities. If one is missed, another will come. You never run out of them. Expect that guidance can come to you from all corners of the Universe. Expect that when those you love are having a hard time, you will be given the strength to find comfort in what is right there, right then. Expect that it can come out of nowhere. Expect that it can come from a source you never even considered. Expect the unexpected. Expect the miracle. . ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

An itty bitty morning post

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:20:56 +0000

Sunday March 15, 2009. I just finished the April issue of Horizons Magazine, with hours to spare. So I have nothing to say, except now it's time for some ZZZZZZZZZZzzs.

A morning journey out of the body

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:27:24 +0000

Monday, March 16, 2009. I listened to one of the Monroe Institute Gateway Experience cds this morning, Wave VI, Track 2 Odyssey #2 Expansion in Locale 1. In October 2006, Beth Head and I went to the Monroe Institute and did their 6 day residential Gateway program, and I wrote about it here: October 2006 The Haunted Chair, De-activating Thoughtforms, Journeys Out Of The Body, Gateway Voyage at The Monroe Institute. I like these cds because they always take me out of where I am and place me somewhere else, somewhere it is easy to do the creative visualization work I love to do. While I was waiting for the speaker to join me in Focus 10, I had an image of me sitting around a huge round table with a group of other women I know, but notable ones, as though we all meet on the inner planes. That’s what I was doing anyway, was waiting for my “guide” for the Monroe Gateway Experience Wave VI at the designated “meeting place” (focus 10) on the inner plane. So as I looked around at the other women, the journalist in me immediately thought “I wish I’d brought a pen and paper to bed with me so I could record my fast paced yet detailed impressions.” They gave me the knowing smile that knows how futile all that is, that what is important is that I get to sit myself in that experience with them and soak it all in as much as I can in the moment, to be IN the moment as much as I can be to enjoy it. And let the experience of it change my life as no words I’ll ever write to someone else can. In this exercise, we are simply asked to "expand yourself" and each time I notice I do it a little differently; it's like I go in with one idea of what I'll do, but in the moment something else comes to me and I do that instead. This time, as I expanded myself, I felt as though I was smoothing and stretching myself out like you would with pizza dough, stretching it out. But I had me in the center of it so it was like I was this giant soft floury ravioli that was creating myself from the inside out, and stretching my own dough out in all directions. I forget the suggestions just now but as I felt lighter and lighter, it was as though the dough was rising and stretching out even farther. so I expanded myself from my body to my bed to my bedroom to my house to my neighborhood to my town to all across central Florida. Then I projected myself expanding over the entire globe, envisioned expanding my ravioli self out from my ravioli center to wrap myself around the Earth like one gigantic fat ravioli. As soon as I did that, I could feel the entire Earth and me in it, breathing together, as one big organism, pulsing with Life together. Wow, it was quite a trip and definitely gave me an "at One" feeling to start my day with. Nice. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Reporting ripoff websites (like Jenna astrologer) to www.ripoffreport.com

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:53:15 +0000

A couple of friends have discovered a website that purports to give them "free" astrology readings, and then they get bombarded with increasingly threatening emails insisting they need to pay for a report they were told initially was free. You can read the Google Search Results to see where she's done it to others and sent them the exact same report you get for the same dates. You can also report other ripoffs to this website www.ripoffreport.com as well as search other websites. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Changing with the times

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:10:50 +0000

Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Yesterday was spent getting the April Horizons Magazine to the printer, something I am so glad I am able to do electronically. I love modern technology- it makes work (and life) so much easier for me. I used to have to drive the magazine 3 hours away to the printer if I didn't have it done in time to overnight the job by mail. This way it's so much easier, but I had to do a lot of software upgrade and program learning to be able to do it. As usual, in the beginning I balked, simply because I didn't want to change my routine. It was comfortable and I was good at it. Now I realize, had I not changed with the times, I would be doing lots and lots of extra work I didn't have to do. Hmmm, I wondered, where else do I do that? That's something I find myself wanting to slip into, and it happens to friends and clients as well. So often I see smart, creative people left behind simply because they "don't want to have a computer". I understand. They haven't used one and don't know what a dynamic, life changing resource it can be. They say, "if I want to learn something new, I can turn on the tv". Well, yes and no. Most of the ones I know do not watch educational shows, mostly the news or movies or sticoms. Most of the ones I know complain about their life being boring and being stuck in a rut, and they don't socialize with many friends. To me, having a computer, which I've tried to get my elderly aunt to do for years, is essential for quickly researching anything I need to learn about. I know she would love to get on some crafting and quilting websites. She could also keep in touch with her kids who would email her even though they don't call. But she's never turned one on and when I sat her down at mine once, she acted as though it was going to explode in her face. But it's unfamiliar territory for her. I understand. Change can be scary. I think about all the things that I had to change to get where I am now. I always loved to type, so I used typewriters, which evolved into electronic typewriters, which evolved into mag card machines, which evolved into computers. So for me, that part of the path was easy. it was just part of the job and I upgraded when the law office upgraded. I understand how important learning to type was for me in my entire career. Now there are typing classes you can take online. I probably need to take one, since I know I don't use the right fingers on the keys. I didn't care for the typing teacher in high school, so I showed her alright. I stopped taking her class. Consequently, I've handicapped myself a bit, although you wouldn't know it, since I type really fast anyway. It didn't really hit home with me just how "off" I was, until I bought one of those Microsoft Natural Ergonomic keyboards. It lets your hands rest in a natural position and type more comfortably... IF you can touch type, or use the correct fingers on the correct keys. It wasn't until I ordered one of those keyboards last year that I realized I type with my fingers on the wrong keys. I stopped noticing it years ago, simply because I can type so fast anyway. I can type almost as fast as I can think, which comes in REAL handy. But technically I'm not doing it "the right way." But the point is, I do what I can do and it gets the job done, and no one is the wiser unless I tell them. Like when I had the car accident in Sept 2000 read about it here. I learned how to use my hands and fingers differently, and my arms as well. Then I got another leaning curve after the March 2007 dog bite incident read about it here. So now, although I'm fully functional, if you watch me use my hands closely doing things like counting out money or handling pages of paper, you'll see I'm a little clumsy. But I can do it! Those experiences both took a lot of my fear away bout ever becoming "disabled." I learned that our bodies naturally adapt to our current situation, and we find ways to get things done. Or people show up at the right time to help. That keeps me hopeful and I know that me staying hopeful is a big key to my continued health and happiness. Yours, too. There's so much GOOD going on in the world, right around ME and right around YOU. Let's turn our focus to that and help that grow. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Working on my new website

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:27:37 +0000

Wednesday March 18, 2009. I have been working half the night and didn't think of a blog post until I noticed the sun coming up. I've been doing a new website www.goddessgrub.com. I got the idea when my friend John Wolf commented last month that he liked reading about the "goddess grub recipes" I blog about. So the site isn't just for goddesses, the meals are also for men who adore the goddess in us! The site is still waaaaay under construction, but I didn't want you to neglect a blog post. And look at this beautiful day brewing outside. My yard will love the rain! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Crest SpinBrush, Pill Pockets for the kitties

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:27:54 +0000

Thursday March 19 2009. Ok, I have to admit I didn't prepare a blog post for this morning because I've been busy with other work (me, busy??). But there are two things I bought this week that are really cool and I wanted to share. First, is the Crest SpinBrush. I'm not one to buy fad type items, but I AM a toothbrushing freak. I've had some of those sonic brushes that kinda of vibrate your teeth out of your jaw - not a fan of those. My gums are ticklish and those are too strong for tender me. But the SpinBrush - $7.50 at Wal-Mart is great. It takes two batteries (included) or you can buy the rechargeable one for $14. Although I drink tea and eat a lot of tomatoes, I brush several times a day to keep my teeth bright and white. I am not into the artificial whitening since it weakens the enamel after a few years. So this is my fix. I use the Crest whitening toothpaste and then afterwards do a polish on the front teeth using plain baking soda mixed with a little sea salt. Also this week, I saw a flea on my fat girl kitty and flipped out! I usually keep both kitties dosed with Frontline Plus, but it had been 5 months since I gave it to them. Usually during the winter they don't need it, but I should have given it to them last month simply because it was February. So, I went to my vet, Animal Medical Clinic on Babcock in Palm Bay, to buy more Frontline. They suggested I give each each kitty a Capstar pill to kill any fleas and eggs on them now. That was easy, my cats are easy to work with and, pop - pop, one tiny pill each down feline throat, no problem and they were good to go. A couple of days later, I decided since I saw a flea that likely she swallowed one, so I also wanted to give one Tape Worm Tab each also. These were bigger pills. No problem. I thought. After the 4th try with 11 pound YinYang, I gave up. I knew not to try it with 25 lb Izzy who is strong enough to shred my arm off. I went to PetSmart and got some pill pockets, that I'd never heard of. They are little soft chicken flavored "treats" that have a hole to place a pill in, then you simply close it up around the pill, like a wad of gum. I didn't know how that would make it down their throats without them biting into it, but it worked like a charm. Yay! Well, today's boring post is coming to an end, I have to go pay property taxes and get everything ready for tomorrow's delivery of the April Horizons Magazine. Have an awesome day ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

You never know

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:35:30 +0000

I woke up this morning and my brother had emailed me something I wanted to share with you. he began by saying "Interesting what comes out of this head some times, LOL!" "It's just not the same around here these days. Once this old commune was energetic and alive with joyful activity. You could feel the celebration of life in the air. We grew all our own food in our lush gardens, danced and sang in the joy of the wonderful reality that we had created. We do create our own reality you know. We had a wonderful mascot, a beautiful white stallion. He symbolized the high energy free spirit that we all shared. He galloped through the field and pranced with a special beauty and dignity that made him the center of attention. We fed him the best of oats and made sure he was well groomed so that he could display his beauty. Everyone loved that stallion. We traveled for many miles to find those special oats, bring them in each week in a heavy laden donkey cart. Surely such a fine steed should be pampered and looked upon in awe. I remember my first days here at the commune. My job was to plow the field, walking patiently behind the donkey that pulled the plow. It's interesting how you get to know an animal when you spend your days with him. You begin to know why that old beast so patiently plodded along. You begin to understand what heart is. That old donkey pulled the cart that took the crops to town, he plowed the fields, and hauled the firewood that kept us warm and a dozen other jobs around this place. He just quietly did his job with never a fuss. But it's different now! There's only a few of us left! We don't have our nightly celebrations of life any more. Well, at least not like we use to. I think us few may have at last learned the meaning of love. You see, that old donkey froze to death last winter. We had placed our prize stallion in the barn where he would be safe from the weather. The old donkey, well there just wasn't enough room. After all, he was a tough little critter and better fit to withstand the weather. The stallion ran off after the oats ran out. I guess his free spirit told him he needed to seek his joy elsewhere. Free spirits tend to do that you know. We sure could have used him, though. We're now tending the gardens with rake and hoe, well what few of us are left. Some just couldn't handle the extra work that the donkey had done for us and others just left from the shame of how they left that old donkey to die. Back in those days, none of us had an appreciation for all that old donkey did. Heck, we were too busy celebrating life, and what a fine life it was, or at least we thought. We have a new mascot now. Not in real life though. Now we rejoice in the memory of that old donkey and how he faithfully served us, giving, never expecting in return. Yes, life is different now. You may not always see the joy in our faces, but if you look a little deeper, into our hearts, you'll find it there. We've learned that celebrations of life are more than joyfully cheering at the sights and sound of a charismatic symbol such as that stallion. Hell, he bolted and left us stranded when we needed him the most. What we've learned is that if we are as faithful as that old donkey, and appreciate each other when it would be more fun chasing butterflies, we'll develop a big heart too. The moral of this little story is......, well there really isn't a moral to this story. About all I can say is, it pays to be conscious and appreciative of the little blessings in life. You never know when your ass is going to die.

My Friday late afternoon, paying down debt

msandrea — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:32:31 +0000

We had the mailing for the April Horizons today, and I surprised myself by getting some of the billing done before everyone got here. It feels good to have that part of the job done each month. Now I get to sit outside and enjoy the weather and watch the sun go down, without having anything else to do or anywhere else to go. Nice! Right now I’m sitting in my west woods, in what is typically known as the firepit area, however there is no fire tonight. It’s very windy and my favorite big giant kitty Izzy is sitting here with me. I can hear several sets of birds all around me, and can see the plaster Buddha winking at me as the sun sends shadows thru the mulberry leaves across his face. I don’t see any squirrels out right now, but they are usually over here closer to sunset. They’re probably in the east woods right now, or in the mulberry or loquat trees in the backyard. I’ve been watering the bay tree, the eucalyptus and 2 young oaks in the firepit area here and they are really growing quickly. Everything in my yard has new growth on it. This is definitely a favorite time of year for me. This is when I remember all over again why I love living here. I've been revamping my finances. I called my one credit card company to see what kind of interest rate my card would go to when its 0% runs out next month. I think they are all willing to negotiate because they don't want to lose anyone's business. That's good news for us. Last year I made extra payments on my big balance cards, so now it's all nicely manageable. That's one of the best things I ever did for myself, was to learn to enjoy keeping up with and organizing my finances so I always know what I owe and to whom. That way I don't forget anything and don't "accidentally" get myself in debt I'm not prepared to take on. I think I'm lucky I learned my lesson early on about debt and credit. It's such a relief to not have that to worry about. My suggestion to everyone is: pay off your high interest credit cards as quickly as you can. Make a game of it, to see how quickly it can happen and what creative ways you can think of to make extra money. Change your lifestyle for 6 months and put every extra cent toward paying down some item of debt you have. Don't look at it as denying yourself a treat, but rather, ask which choice will bring you closer to the financial freedom you seek, and make your choice from there. I'm hopeful about the stock market and really wrestled with myself before liquidating an investment in order to clear out debt. I like being in the market because it gives infinite potential for the Universe to deliver to me in the form of dollars, whether now or down the road. Pulling it out removes that avenue, but the idea of me paying off a particular debt so excited me that I did it. And yes, while it did remove a safety blanket, the trade-off in the freedom I felt was so worth it. And if I think my dollars can only come to me in the form of that particular investment, or only from my job, that is very limited thinking on my part. If I start thinking, well, there are no rich relatives going to die and leave me anything, then I simply have a very limited understanding of how the Universe works and my part in attracting the reality I experience. The worst things that ever happened to me? I never anticipated them. The best, most amazing things that have ever happened to me? I could never have imagined them. I just know that when I place my faith in knowing that it always works out better than I ever expected, I know I'll be just fine. This has been on my refrigerator since the 70's: "I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way." From "The Gate of the Year" by Minnie Haskins 1908 ¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Calendar last Sunday in April for Really Really FREE Market

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:40:50 +0000

Last Sunday in April - Put it on your calendar now. Free Market of Melbourne and Palm Bay Up and Running. The first "Free Market of Melbourne/Palm Bay" is the last Sunday in April. The RRFM will be at Holmes Park, often Called Manatee Park, in downtown Melbourne. This time will coincide with Food Not Bombs so we can be sure we'll be better serving the public by having food as well as goods and skills. What do we need now? Networking and promotion. Let people know it is happening and it will be ongoing. Have them bring stuff, put of the yard sale, get that spring cleaning done. Skills? Bring them on. Fun skills. Serious skills. Play an instrument? Bring them. Why? Why not? Information tables? Of course. Bring everything but leave your wallet at home. We need flyers. Nothing fancy. Just make up something and get it out there. Make them on your computer and send them in email. Make invitations, talk to businesses. The more people who do this, the larger and more ubiquitous it seems. That means more folk and more goods and more things changing hands and more people taken care of. More goods and services and energy circulating. REMEMBER: The RRFM IS the message and the last thing we want is to cover that message or create division with soapboxing. Here is a sample of the text you can use. or just use this as it is, if you like: It's like a potluck--everyone brings something and leaves with more. We all have skills, ideas, objects, talents, smiles, friendship, excitement, discussions and many other things to share. If we bring them together at the REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET, we can provide more balanced and full lives for all of us. Bring food, music, clothes, furniture, toys, skills and thrills and anything else you can GIVE, SHARE or BARTER. Holmes Park, 914 Melbourne Avenue, Melbourne. 1 to 4 pm. If you can't make this one, it's always the last Sunday of every month. For info, contact "Adam" adamus@cfl.rr.com

Clearing my underbrush and managing the deadfall

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:01:54 +0000

Sunday, March 22, 2009. Happy Sunday. I spend much of yesterday out in my far backyard, clearing out some vines and limbs I'd cut back in November. Since keeping up with the yard is a big job, I do it in stages. Last November, I cut back a lot of vines and tangled branches in the turk's cap and eleagnus shrubs I have. I pulled out the easy branches, and left the more tangled ones inside, giving a few extra cuts to the vines and limbs all twined together. So now, in March, it is easy to see the dead limbs and vines; they are dry and lighter and easy to pull out. I also leave them in there since I know the Mulberry tree will go bare for the next few months, and the turk's cap and eleganus can act as privacy from my back neighbor if I leave the clippings in. Last month, the mulberry tree began filling out and that signalled to me it was time to remove the tangle of last winter and make room for the Spring growth. It made me also think, as I pulled and yanked and untangled, what needed to be pulled out of my own life, that had died long ago and lay drying in a tangle before me in my Now? A few things came to mind and it felt good to bring them to conscious awareness and acknowledge they no longer had a place in my life. Sometimes I'm surprised at what comes to mind. Something I never thought was an issue or thought I'd long ago released. I do some form of release type practice on a regular basis, every 28 days actually, at the new moon phase. So I'd think now, decades later, I'd have gotten rid of much of my stuff. LOL Are you laughing, too? So here I am deep in the shrubbery, hacking away and pulling dead branches out, and taking them to the big pile of dead branches closer to the wheelbarrow. And pulling more out, and not wanting to walk them all the way the the pile, and creating another stack of deadfall 30 feet from the other limbs. it took me a couple of hours, but it felt good to have it done. I stepped back and looked at it, and it was nice and clean and I still had good coverage from the mulberry and arbor vitae. And just in time for sundown as well! Then I stepped out of the bush and saw the big mound of deadfall I hadn't carried to the main pile. Drat. It would have only taken another few moments to carry it the extra 30 or so feet to the main stack. Heck, it would have only taken one minute to walk it right out front to the street where it should have gone months ago. Instead, now, at the end of my long work day, I had created yet another job for myself which I put off to another day. Am I just lazy, or so attached to the deadfall being around that I don't mind how much it clutters up my NOW? Or do I just get so used to it that I barely notice it anymore and just hope it will disappear on its own with no hand from me? I think it's just that when I do it in stages, it seems more manageable. The job seems more do-able. Like Abraham-Hicks says, "You can eat an elephant one bite at a time." I used to have a lot more elephants to eat than I do now. More baggage to clear. Once I grew up and got over myself, I realized what caused the baggage and stopped creating so much of it. It only took a decade for the momentum of the past to catch up to my Now, so these days it's almost like instant karma. I sometimes see cause and effect almost instantly. I know if I listen to gossip and feel myself taking a side and wanting to do something about it, that is not a place I want to stand. That is not a vibrational setpoint I want to create from. Now I recognize anytime I allow myself to go there, I've got some quick backlash coming. I'm not saying I'll never stick my head out the car window and open my mouth again, but now I'm prepared to swallow the bugs if I do. ugh ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Creating a website is like creating a little world in itself

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:16:54 +0000

Monday, March 23, 2009. Yesterday was one of my most restful Sundays ever. Sundays are usually a flurry of activity for me, but I claimed yesterday as a day of rest and not having to do anything on anyone else's schedule. I ignored the pile of work on my desk and instead opted to play around putting together my new website at www.goddessgrub.com. It had so much fun at it that it was easy to forget that it, too, was actually technically "work," but of a different sort. I am one of those people who are great at making big starts, but not so great at following through or following up. A typical Aries-times-5 trait. Now I can look at that as I seldom finish what I start, or I can look at it as I begin a lot of projects that are then easy for others to step into. This has come in handy for lots of small business ventures through the years that I've begun, lost interest in, then passed along to a friend who really made it work and took it to the next level. While I don't see myself losing interest in doing Horizons Magazine anytime soon, I do get tired of some of my other jobs - but that's mostly related to me feeling restricted by having to be on someone else's schedule and commit to an appointment time. By working for myself since 1992, I've fallen into a natural sleeping/waking pattern that I really love. I sleep twice a day for short periods, which gives me two fresh starts each day. That's when I get my best work done, first thing after I wake up. So waking up twice a day is an awesome way to naturally increase productivity. I keep the clock in the bedroom turned so I cannot see it, and ignore the time on days I don't need to know it. That helps me feel more free, and feeling more free helps me to be more creative. That's one reason I like creating new websites. They are fun to put together and they are little worlds in themselves. I can just pick something I am interested in and sit down at the computer and, before I know it, I am writing text and finding images and putting it all together. I did that with www.goddessgrub.com and also with www.auraspiritphotos.com and www.secret2dollars.com. I did it for several websites I've done for friends and family. I did one for my stepdaughter Ashley as a surprise, putting together photos of her folks, her friends, her husband and kids. I was lucky, her name was available as a domain name - how cool is that? I did one for my friend June at www.moonmother8.com. These are fun for me to do and I have a dozen of them in the works. They are a real stress reliever for me at times that I need to stay at the computer and phone. They let me create a whole other world , no matter that my body is simply sitting in a chair in front of keyboard and monitor. My mind gets to run free and I feel I am having some vacation time, even while I'm technically "in the office". That's a great thing about these minds of ours. No matter what is happening around us, we can escape into our own little world for some respite and creative fun. We can do a little fanciful creative visualization on lots of different topics, and those fantasy thoughts go a long way in prepaving our future tomorrows. It's always a good idea to throw some positive, hopeful thoughts in the direction of the future, even if it's just a few moments here and there. Think of what it feels like on the first day of your vacation, knowing you have 4 weeks stretched out ahead of you to do whatever you want and go wherever you want. This is MY fantasy, and you have 4 paid weeks of vacation time, PLUS you just won $200,000 in last night's lotto. Hmmm, what to do first? A quick shopping trip for a new wardrobe before the trip begins, then where would you go and what would you do and who would be with you? If you want Ashton Kutcher there, he's there. I'd opt for Sean Connery (at any age). Even contemplating silly scenarios like that expands your perception just a little bit. If you keep repeating those silly thoughts, pretty soon you get used to them and they feel familiar to you, and when they feel familiar, that is when the having of it is the next logical step. And that's what you want anyway. So what's the point in fantasizing and doing creative visualization? You're not doing it to make yourself feel better, although that will happen as a consequence. You're doing it because in doing so you are stepping upon the path to your happy tomorrow. Getting one step closer each time you make yourself have that happy thought and bask in the having of it. And you can have a bunch of unfinished thoughts, thoughts hanging in mid-air as surely as my other dozen website projects. But you'll know that every 30 seconds you choose to dream the dream and have the fanciful, hopeful, expectant thought on what you would like to BE, is moving you step by step along that path and you're getting closer each time. Closer to your happy tomorrow. Good morning, new work week. I know you have good things in store for me this week. I can't wait to get into them! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Social security; pruning always encourages new growth

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:28:25 +0000

Tuesday, March 24, 2009. It's been a great week so far. From the end of October until March is when I have to do the magazines back to back, with not much time in between. That's to accomodate the holiday printing and delivery schedule of my printer. As often as possible, I try to piggyback onto the delivery of another publication on the same truck, to decrease my delivery cost. Even if it means a little more work for me, I like doing this. And it's not all that hard to do since (1) it's a job I love to do, (2) since I love my job, I find it easy to do, and (3) I'm a workaholic, so working 24/7 is my path of least resistance. I like the idea of combining jobs to be more efficient. I like the idea of anything that allows more to get done while requiring the least amount of work on my part. That's why I give multi-ad discounts with Horizons and that's why I often offer combo-type discounts for some jobs I do, like my astrology reports. Usually $22 each, in the summer I offer two charts for $30. That's not just out of the goodness of my heart, and I'm not trying to sell you a chart here. The fact is, once I open my astrology program, it's as easy to do two reports as it is to do one. "But why ever give a discount", a friend asks me, "when your prices are already so low?" And the answer is "Because I can. Because it's nice to surprise someone with a lower price for something they are going to buy anyway. Because it's no extra work for me to do it. And, more importantly in these economic times, because I know the value of pruning as it relates to the growth process." I've had an orchid tree since 1997 when spiritual brother Doug Cobb planted it for me, along with the stand of bamboo in my east yard. The first few years it grew well, then it seemed to stop growing. Five + years passed and it stayed the same size. I finally decided to prune it way back since it was not growing anyway, and 3 months later, new growth shot out all over! It rapidly grew twice as big within six months. I had forgotten that the plants really respond to pruning, something I am just discovering anew the last few years. And I find it's the same way with business as well. If I am standing talking to two friends and one of them asks for an astro report, I'll offer them the discount for two. Even if I don't have to do it "to make the sale." Just because I know the pruning I am doing by offering the discount, will repay me in new $$ growth down the road. I have lots of friends who are business entrepreneurs. Some have "real" jobs as well, but many don't. Some have mates or parents who support them, but most don't. And we've been talking about this notion of pruning back in order to encourage new growth. Pruning back doesn't mean you stop spending. Pruning back means you give someone more for their money than they pay you for. Pruning back means you find areas where you can give extra without it depleting you, and you'll find that it replenishes you. So, I guess you could say that's my social security. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

All you need is a few good clients; biggifying and destucktifying

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:36:40 +0000

Wednesday, March 25, 2009. "You don't need a gazillion clients. You just need a handful of the right clients. You don't need more workers. You just need the right workers." The first time I head those words, I could hear the bells going off signalling a big, giant truth that had just been revealed to me. And over the years, I've found that to be true. While doing the billing this week, I decided to look at my "card list" for all clients and advertisers. I couldn't believe how many I had. Some of them had just advertised once, perhaps, so I didn't recognize their names. But many names were very familiar to me. I thought about how I've had so many of the same advertisers for the past 10-15 years and how grateful I am that I don't have to run around selling ads to get each issue printed. I would be more industrious, if I had more time, and make ad calls, but it's too easy to just keep things the way they are. Comfortable. Manageable. Then I realized, that's it. I am comfortable with the clients and advertisers I have now, and we make a good family and it keeps the cats fed. So I've found it's very true. I don't need a gazillion clients. All I need are a handful who are fun to work with, who have similar goals and motivations, with whom I feel spiritually connected, and work and income blossoms from there. I know several business owners who have customers of their own, and these days everyone is looking to expand their business to make more money. I've learned that you don't necessarily need to expand your business to make more money, but you DO need to expand your perception of how much income you are able to glean from just a handful of clients. One friend lamented to me last year that she had only a dozen clients left. Gretchen has a lawn maintenance business and many of her clients had begun doing their own lawns. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to replace them and that she'd have to fold up her business and go to work for someone else, if anyone was even hiring. I reminded her that, those clients that had begun doing their own mowing, those were not her target market anyway. Those were not the people she wants for clients. She wants people who do not do their own yard work and who need what she can do. She just needed to expand her perception of who her clients actually were. One of the favorite jobs I do is what I call Biggifying and Destucktifying. Ok, some people call it coaching, but coaching sounds so - yawn - regimented, when biggifying and destucktifying is the goal anyway. So when I spoke to Gretchen, I knew she just needed some B & D. She first needed to understand that the people who used to be her clients, stop focusing on them right now. Focus on the customers she still has and she how much more she can offer them. I told her to realize it was possible to make a good living from just a dozen clients. The first thing I did was create a newsletter for her, to enclose with her bill. On one side was a calendar with her photo and business name and phone number. On the other side was a short newsletter, telling what extra jobs she did, like cutting branches, repairing irrigation, and putting in water gardens. We gave her an "Ask Gretchen" advice column, suggesting what jobs should be done in the yard this time of year. We listed her special prices of the month for extra jobs like fertilizing and seeding grass. In the winter time, November through March when the mowing schedule is down to once a month, we highlighted her deadfall cutting and limb removal. We had specials on yard clean up and palm trimming. We created a basic water garden package of a 4 square feet landscaped area with rocks, plants, birdbath for a special price. We did the same for a shady corner, with a hammock and hanging spider plants and bird feeders. The December newsletter offered special prices on Gift Certificates as Christmas presents. It also included a sincere Thank You letter from Gretchen, letting each one know how much she appreciated their business. We also enclosed a stamped return envelope, to make it easy to send next month's check or buy a certificate. She was surprised at how many Christmas tips got returned in those envelopes. There were lots of ways for her to make extra money during her "slow" season, and it was right in front of her all the time. All I did was hold her eyes open. Her customers got the first newsletter and told her, "I didn't know you did ___ and ___." She could have been making the extra money all along. Most of her clients were older and she'd known them for years. But didn't know them well. After the newsletter, some of them told her it made them feel like they knew her more now. She began talking to me about them in a different way, a more appreciative way. We sat to make a list and I asked her to name one of her clients, and to tell me what she does at his yard. Then I asked her, if she could do anything creative to that yard, what would she do? What would it be perfect for? And we went down the list of each of her clients and answered the same questions. For each one, it gave us ideas of what other jobs to suggest to the homeowner. Not a heavy handed sales pitch, but simply, "Hey, I was thinking about your yard the other day and had some ideas I wanted to tell you about if you were interested." She got dozens of new jobs just from the ideas that came to her by asking and answering those questions to herself. Suddenly, she began getting calls from homeowners who had seen the sign on her truck. That sign had been there for 2 years with few calls, but suddenly she was being seen and noticed by the neighbors. What had changed? What put her on the radar? Law of attraction. She went from someone who focused on "good grief, what if I lose all my clients, what will I do then" to "I am having so much fun doing neat new projects with people who really appreciate and want what I do". Who wouldn't want some of that action? Gretchen went from having almost 30 clients, down to having an even dozen, and doubled her income for the year. Go figure. No, REALLY: Go figure. Go figure where you might pare away any deadwood clients that are energy suckers. Go figure where you can offer more of you in the most helpful way to your client, at a price you feel is fair. Really fair. Make yourself known in unobstrusive ways to your clients on a regular basis. Become real to them. Don't try to sell them something each time they see your newsletter, just let them know what's available. Go figure where you can biggify your own business, making the most of the clients you already have, knowing what other jobs you're capable of doing. Go figure where you are stuck and commence destucktifying. Ask yourself, answer yourself, surprise yourself with what you know. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with purchase

Morphing

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:11:20 +0000

This has been such a good week, getting a lot done and also having a fairly relaxing time at it. I picked up my paperwork at my tax accountant's and it weighed like 12 pounds. I did feel much lighter after writing my check to Uncle Sam, though! I realize I probably do things the hard way for them, just giving them my statements and check registers, but no one's told me to do it any differently yet, so it must be fine. I am going to begin getting them their info quarterly and that will train me to be stay informed about it also. Like today I decided to go through the check register and see what checks had been written for gasoline costs in 2008. The first six months I had my Hyundai Santa Fe which averaged 22 mpg. I paid about $240 a month for gas those first six months. Then I bought my Toyota Prius, which averages 46 mpg. I pay about $80 a month for gas now. I also checked to see what had been going on with the real estate taxes. I could see where they doubled for a bit then came back down lower than ever now. Usually I just pay everything as it comes in, not paying much attention to the amounts, more focused on the due dates. I surprised myself by how much I used to spend eating out. I mean, really surprised myself. I've just this past 12 months been morphing into someone who enjoys cooking and preparing meals at home, rather than going out. Not meaning to do it to save money, but am now stoked with being able to pay down debt and put some aside as a vacation kitty instead. One reason I stopped eating out so often was that I realized that, even if I ate out, I would come home and eat later as well. Rather than drive myself crazy with yet another discipline, I decided that some of those days I would cook at home instead. If I wanted to go out to take a break from the office and the computer, it would be a break that did NOT include a meal. That was when I began getting more creative in the kitchen. That was when I began going to the local farmer's market and getting into homegrown and organic vegetables, and noticing how much better the flavor is. I used to be one of those people that seldom bought produce because, well, it would go bad before I got around to using it. Even a head of lettuce. I just wouldn't eat it. Potatoes and onions would sprout. Now, I find myself getting nervous if I only have 2 carrots and it's 9:00pm. I start doing the math in my head... I can eat one as a snack tonight if I want it and save the other for a soup tomorrow for breakfast if I want it... Now I'm pretty fearless. I go through lots of parsley, tomatoes, onions, romaine, lemons, zucchini - daily. I consider brussells sprouts a main course now. Dinner may be a fresh romaine or spinach salad, along with a homemade vegetable soup, and a veggie stirfry. I use a lot of fresh vegetables now, and eat apples every day. I've never spent more time in the kitchen and had so much fun at it. The shopping and preparation all contribute to the saiety of the dish. I've never been healthier and never felt better. I've never found it so easy to maintain my weight. My skin has never looked so good. I know it's absolutely due to my change in eating habits, to start seeing my food as medicine, as fuel. There's no point to this post. There's no way I am going to tie in organizing my bookkeeping paperwork with healthy eating, so I won't even try. Although, I'd sure live a lot longer if I ate healthy, and Uncle Sam could get more out of me. I'm thankful to pay taxes in a country that allows me so much freedom. I have no complaints whatsoever. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Saturday March 28th Noon Vegetarian Lunch Yoga Shakti Mission

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:30:37 +0000

This Saturday 28th March at 12 noon a vegetarian Uzbek Lunch will be served at Yogashakti Mission. Nora Morgan, who was born and lived in Uzbekistan will cook Mashkichiri, (a traditional Uzbek dish with mung beans, black-eyed peas,vegetables,spices and chopped basil), Also served will be Pirojki (individual sized baked or fried buns filled with vegetables and herbs). There will also be homemade salad. Because of scheduling conflicts we are having this on the last Saturday of March instead of the first Saturday of April. Do not miss this chance to taste the first ever authentic Uzbek lunch to be served at Yogashakti Mission! RSVP much appreciated so we may plan. Yoga Shakti Mission, 3895 Hield Rd NW Palm Bay, FL 32907 321.725.4024 www.yogashakti.org

Organizing My Finances, My Script From Think and Grow Rich

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 04:07:28 +0000

I'm not a savvy business person. Not in the conventional sense. I basically just go about my work and pay bills when they come in and don't keep track of the money too closely. That way I always have more than I think I'll need. I've never used a Quicken or Quickbooks type program to organize my finances, although I use a billing program (MYOB Plus 11) for my invoices to advertisers and other clients. And I just discovered that my MYOB program can also help me keep track of my expenses and make it easy for me to get the info to my tax accountant each quarter. I'm stoked! I know probably every other small business on the planet already knows all this stuff, but I never really thought about it. And my former bookkeeper didn't tell me to do it differently, so I never did. I never kept track of it myself, I just handed over check registers and bank statements and credit card statements each month and let them suss it all out. If you asked me how much I spent each month for gas or postage or land taxes the last several years, I wouldn't have a clue without looking at my records. I just didn't see a need to retain that info. A bill comes in, I want to continue that service, so I pay the bill. I don't compare it to is the price going up or down, can I get a better deal elsewhere, how much did it cost this time last year. I just pay it and have more important things to think about. I woke up about 4:00am and immediately came to the computer because my first thought was that my billing program would probably do what I wanted to do as far as organizing what I spend monthly and giving me reports about it. Ok, now lots of you may be thinking, Andrea, that's very 101 bookkeeping, everyone knows to do that. Yeah, well, I never took the time to learn, just as I've never learned to use my Photoshop and other programs except for basic use. One thing I really liked about getting my monthly bills in front of me so I can see what I have and what I have coming due, is having a chance to pre-pave ahead of time to have the amount I need, when I need it. I really awoke thinking I should do the Think and Grow Rich process to prepave what I need by this time next month. That was when I realized I didn't know what that amount was. When I had a more tangible safety net, I didn't care about the exact amount because I could always pull the money out of somewhere else in a pinch if I had to get something paid. With the safety net no longer in place, I thought it was a good time to take inventory of what I'm working with. That was when it came to me that my MYOB program could figure it for me. I figured my monthly amount needed (it took me like 4 hours...) and added an extra $2,000 on for luck. Here is Napolean Hill's Think and Grow Rich process, you may want to adapt it for yourself. First. Go into some quiet spot (preferably in bed at night) where you will not be disturbed or interrupted, close your eyes, and repeat aloud, (so you may hear your own words) the written statement of the amount of money you intend to accumulate, the time limit for its accumulation, and a description of the service or merchandise you intend to give in return for the money. As you carry out these instructions, see yourself already in possession of the money. (Mine says:) "By April 30, 2009, I will have in my possession $______, which will come to me in various amounts from time to time between now and then. This money may come as a return on an investment, or an offer to purchase something I own, in payment for ad space, astrology reports, website creation, my mp3 files, or other products and services of which I am capable. I believe that I will have this money in my possession. My faith is so strong that I can now see this money before my eyes. I can touch it with my hands. It is now awaiting transfer to me at the time, and in the proportion that I deliver the service I intend to render in return for it. I am awaiting a plan by which to accumulate this money, and I will follow that plan, when it is received." Second. Repeat this program night and morning until you can see, (in your imagination) the money you intend to accumulate. Third. Place a written copy of your statement where you can see it night and morning, and read it just before retiring, and upon arising until it has been memorized. Let me know how it goes. You'll be surprised by how this works just by choosing an amount and a date, and visualizing it twice daily. I wrote more about this at Free Think & Grow Rich Action Summary. Enjoy. LEARN FREE: The Secret2Dollars. No cost, no kidding.

Abraham-Hicks on the Autistic Revolution

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:58:47 +0000

Excellent video Abraham-Hicks on the Autistic Revolution: Children in the Time of Awakening at http://www.lawofattractioninteraction.com/TAR_excerpt_for_You.html

Abraham-Hicks on Moving from Grief to Joy

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:52:58 +0000

An short and excellent video from Abraham-Hicks: From Grief to Joy: Moving Up The Emotional Scale http://www.lawofattractioninteraction.com/GTJ_excerpt_for_You.html

I visit Gainesville and Ocala; a memory of a good feeling time and place

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:46:28 +0000

Sunday, March 29, 2009. I've had a busy last two days. Yesterday I was in Cassadaga, and Friday I was in Gainesville and Ocala. I had to meet a client in St. Cloud first thing Friday morning, so I took the turnpike and I-75 into Gainesville. I had not been there for several years, and immediately noticed there was eastbound traffic on University Avenue. My timing put me there at noontime, and of course I was driving into downtown. I noticed there were azaleas in bloom and dogwood and wisteria. I love the look of the little houses and yards with their flower gardens. I liked driving past the university and seeing the kids all out and moving about. I like being in a college town, it's one reason I enjoy living in Melbourne, with the young, eager, hopeful energy of the college students. It makes me even more hopeful about our future. I visited with Cheryl at Wild Iris Books and with Otter and Trout and Otter and Trout Trading Co. I love that historic downtown area of Gainesville they are both in, I park at one store and walk across the street to the other. Gainvesville has a very fun, energetic feel about it. I saw a lot of people on bikes, all ages. That was very cool and reminded me of Coconut Grove in Miami, circa 1970's. Also some Hare Krsna, another deja vu. It very much reminded me of being 20 growing up in Miami, living off and on in group life at an ashram, being part of the Coconut Grove scene during the hippie heyday. My memories of that time include feeling very connected to a large group of people, all of us focused (somewhat, after all it was the 70's) in the same direction. All working for the same cause, all striving to please the same boss/parent/being/diety. It was a structure at a time I felt supported by structure, at a time I felt comforted by structure. It was a very controlled environment, but a very happy time nonetheless. And it is the freedom and fun and connection and communality of that time that I am reminded of in Gainesville. It was a very fun place to vibrate in for a few hours, plus I like that they have two Mother Earth Markets I then left to drive to Ocala to meet with Janet Slimak and we had a fun visit together. I also met Dee at Mystic Realms. Now Ocala has the Mother Earth Market I like the best, It's bigger and has more of everything, as well as good vegetarian, refrigerated lunch salads and sandwiches. Plus they carry the Better 'n Peanut Butter that I like, just 1 gram of fat per tablespoon as opposed to 8 grams in regular peanut butter. Also they carry the frozen Dominex Eggplant Vegetarian Meatballs that are so good. I'm going to find an eggplant/TVP recipe and make some myself. It was such a fun two days of visiting and connecting. It is days like that that I can hold in my memory and in my heart as a good visual "happy place/happy time" memory. A memory of being in a really good feeling place. The kind of day that, when I start to have a day that isn't going so well, I can bring to mind the memory of the good feeling days, the days I felt connected and appreciated and in the flow. And invariably I begin to feel better and then I am reminded of who I am and then my crummy day begins to get better and I laugh at myself for forgetting in the first place. Because after all, that's life. I get up. I walk. I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing. (Hillel) ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Being happy with who you are and what you have

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:46:49 +0000

Monday March 30, 2009. Your habit of resistant thought is the only thing that ever keeps you from allowing the things you desire. And although you did not intentionally develop these resistant patterns of thought, you did pick them up along your physical trail, bit by bit, and experience by experience. But one thing is very clear: If you do not do something that causes a different vibrational offering, then nothing in your experience can change. It is our desire that you become one who is happy with that which you are and with that which you have - while at the same time being eager for more. That is the optimal creative vantage point: To stand on the brink of what is coming, feeling eager, optimistic anticipation - with no feeling of impatience, doubt or unworthiness hindering the receiving of it - that is the Science of Deliberate Creation at its best. From Manifest Your Desires by Abraham-Hicks ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Natural Anxiety, Insomnia Relief with Valerian and St. John's Wort

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:26:06 +0000

I've been talking with a friend who is a survivor of lifelong depression. She's tried various medications throughout the years, even St. John's Wort and Valerian as herbal remedies, until she found something that works well for her. There's such a freedom in finding relief, especially if you have something as debilitating as depression and anxiety can be. My younger brother Bobby, and my father both suffered from depression. Both died by suicide. Relief is exactly what I felt when each had passed, knowing the daily struggles they went through. I think I've always been the lucky one. Mom called me the strong one, but I just never found life to be a struggle and things have come fairly easily for me. Not so for my younger brother who dropped out of high school and got involved with some shady doings; not so for my father who had a 6th grade education and had a family to support since the time he was 13 years old. By the time I came along, they were ready for a golden child. So I got braces and dance lessons while my two older brothers got abandoned. What we didn't know until the 1960's was that our father was what they now call bipolar. His big mood swings and deep depressions were aggravated by alcoholism and addiction to pain killers after an accident left him disabled. So I grew up seeing firsthand what anxiety and depression can cause people to become, how it can de-press, press the creat-ive part of them down, into dormancy for weeks, months, years. I've seen the struggles with and without medication. A typical symptom is thinking you have your own dosage under control, and you begin to play with it. Soon enough you're out of balance, and the cycle begins again. My friend Pattie is smart enough to know that when she begins to feel that she can regulate her own medication, she now knows that's a signal that she's off her optimum dosage and to get back on it. She writes herself notes. She enlists my help in asking her about her dosage if I notice her acting out of balance. And we both know another symptom is fibbing about your dosage and pretending everything is fine *smile* I agree these are worrisome times for those who do not take steps to connect with their own inner guidance, to feel safe and secure in a world where every screen you pass warns you of bad news and hard times to come. My friend Slade Roberson writes: "I am not participating in any kind of recession and I also view all that madness from a much different perspective — a long term view of growing pains and transformation. I do think the current system is undergoing tremendous change, but I prefer the word Renovation. The economic system we’ve known in recent human history is not coming back — something new is emerging in its place. I have faith that this is desirable; it’s Good News. In February, I saw the results of a CNN Gallup Research Poll that said basically (paraphrased): 75% of the people polled said that they think the global economy is in horrible shape. 75% of the people polled said that their own personal financial situations are unchanged/unaffected. ### end of http://sladeroberson.com I agree with that. Very few people that I actually know have suffered any decline as of yet in their business or finances. Many are thriving. Yet we scare ourselves to death over "what might happen." And it's not just the people who have been diagnosed with clinical depression, or insomnia or an anxiety disorder who could use some balance. We can tell if we're stressed and not having fun. When I'm feeling stressed and rushed and overwhelmed, I know I could use some balance myself. That's when I began researching about natural, herbal alternatives and came across Valerian and St. John's Wort, which affect the same brain pathways as anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax. Read more: "Valerian and St. John's Wort for Anxiety: Relieving Anxiety and Depression with Mild Natural Herbs" A Psychology Today Article says St. John's wort is often used for alleviating anxiety, stress, seasonal affective disorder, insomnia and depression. James Duke, an ethnobotanist and author of The Green Pharmacy calls it "simply the best herbal treatment for depression." Like serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, St. John's wort is believed to work by allowing more serotonin to linger in the brain, as low serotonin levels have been linked with depression. The herb may also lower levels of the protein interleukin-6. High levels of this protein are also associated with depression. ### end of Psychology today excerpt I've known about Valerian for years and always carry it with me when I travel. I'll take 3 tablets an hour before bed, each tablet is 800 mg standardized. Always get standardized, that ensures you will get an absorbable dosage as labelled. To me it's the same as taking a Valium. So when my friend Pattie began taking her new depression medication, I began taking a St. John's Wort trial run, one 300mg standardized, three times a day with meals. I'm not depressed, or even under much stress, but I wanted to see what's the buzz about St. John's Wart as a mood enhancer and anxiety reliever. Right away I noticed that, taken with the 3 Valerian that first night, I went down for the count. I felt totally relaxed. Definitely wouldn't want to drive. And also didn't want to work and didn't want to check email. That was one effect I noticed: my sense of urgency in responding to emails and phone calls was diminished. I mean, I still returned calls and responded to emails, but I didn't feel every moment I was relaxing that I should be checking email instead. I didn't have thoughts of work running through my head 24/7. It felt okay to let six hours in a row go by without checking email. That's called overnight to most people. In the next few days, I could tell the SJW was making me more relaxed, because I even walked out of the office several times without a stack of proofreading in my hand. I even walked into the garden without the pruning shears in a pocket. I even walked to the mailbox without the mail in my hand. Oops.. ok, different kind of side effect, maybe a little too relaxed... I couldn't tell if I was in a better mood because I wasn't in a bad mood before I began taking the SJW. I find I'm more eager to tackle doing math and calculations, jobs I typically only do when I have to do them. I find it's kind of fun getting into numbers when I am not stressed about them. Balancing checkbooks, stuff like that seem like no big deal, rather than something to put off until the last minute. That's a cool side effect. One side effect I am getting used to is the sunlight sensitivity. I usually don't need sunglasses in the car thanks to a good window tinting job, but now I wear them because the glare gets to me. Anytime I am outside in the daytime, I wear them. So if you're feeling some stress and are smart enough to not want to get on the pharmaceutical hamster wheel, read the above articles and see if Valerian and St. John's Wort are for you, then give them a trial run. I buy mine at a big discount online at www.vitacost.com. Share your success stories with me, as you relax back into well being.. naturally. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Transplanting cuttings

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:49:14 +0000

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009. Happy April Fool's Day. I've had the luxury of a few days off and wow, that really feels good, even if I am just doing things around the homestead here. I spent a couple of days picking up deadfall from the oaks and pines, taking it out to the street and cutting it into the size and shape that Waste Management says I have to. I mowed the backyard for the first time since November; it took about 10 minutes. I've got enough new growth on the eleagnus hedge that I can give it a topping with my hedge trimmer before next Thursday's full moon. I spent a lot of time debating which mulberry branches to cut. The longer branches I'd like to cut are full of berries, so I will wait until the birds and squirrels have picked them clean before pruning. One thing I need to do is move my rosemary back into the sun. What used to be my flourishing herb garden has been under deep shade for a year, and my rosemary is leggy and not very happy. I don't have much success when I transplant in the yard, although I have excellent success when I stick cuttings in the ground. Since the storms of 2004, my east woods have been a little shocked and sparse, so I find the spots that are visible from the street, and I make rows of arbicola and turk's cap cuttings as little privacy hedges. Just this year, everything is coming back with full on foliage. In fact, I can trace every single arbicola bush in my entire yard back to the one mother bush that I began cutting from. Think of that. Out of one bush comes an entire yard of maybe 3 dozen arbicola bushes. All my turk's cap were cuttings from one small bush. And all my loquat trees, I can trace them to the one small plant I got at Yoga Shakti Mission decades ago. And my lemon grass, I can trace it all back to the bunch of lemon grass Dave Clay gave me at Yoga Shakti Ashram decades ago. My bamboo, it began as a few stalks Doug Cobb planted 12 years ago and is now making a nice privacy fence on its own. I can trace several oaks back to seeds I saw sprout in the yard that I made sure not to mow. How on earth does an oak tree come from a tiny acorn anyway? That always amazes me. The potential inside one tiny acorn. And it makes me think, wow, all that potential in something the size of my fingertip. Just think how much potential lies, then, within me. I'm enjoying the ride. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

72-for-blog-laughing-95x

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:06:27 +0000

Me laughing at myself

72-for-blog-laughing-95x1

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:07:55 +0000

Laughing at myself

72-for-blog-laughing-95x2

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:08:50 +0000

72-for-blog-laughing-95x3

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:10:23 +0000

Recession is almost over - it's written in the stars

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:14:05 +0000

I got the below from my friend and astrologer Leslie Marlar. Leslie is a real astrologer, with certifications, licenses, degrees. I always find her to be right on. The below tells me that we're on the upswing on this economic cycle. We're already seeing housing and employment gains. This tells me that we're closer than we think to getting back into balance with the economy. The Uranus/Saturn opposition is still in effect until Nov. ’09. It brings unexpected troubles and is one of the main correspondents of the recession. Difficulties should lessen after November. Today I heard that the recession is 17 months old. The great depression lasted 42 months. This one could end up being about 24 months. The Jupiter/Neptune conjunction is in effect this year and brings good things and even spiritual lifts. Let’s look for opportunities that are trying to find us. I’ve been associating these planets with joyful and uplifting images. Just as I was wondering what I would offer this month, I saw “Christian the Lion” on You Tube. You must see this joyful reunion of a lion in the wild with the two men who raised him in captivity. Ready your Kleenex. The spring signs, Aries and Taurus, are full of planets this month. So let’s appreciate our increase in energy and our ability to enjoy life and beauty. Full Moon in Libra on the 8th and 9th focuses our attention on the arts and relating. New Moon in Taurus on the 24th and 25th is a celebration of the beauties of life and nature. For those of you who are local, S.T.A.R. Guild meets on Wednesday, April 8th at 7pm the main library in Cocoa. We will finish up our study of inauguration charts, to get more insight into Obama’s. Also, bring your own chart for an opportunity to discuss anything in your birth chart or updated chart. leslie.marlar@gmail.com

Discovering unfinished projects and making them good to go

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:46:31 +0000

Thursday, April 2, 2009. Yesterday was spent in the recording studio, working on some new mp3 files. My brother Jerry is a big help to me there. I do the scripting and recording, and he adds the background music and subliminals and does all the techie stuff. Like taking out the sssssssssssssssss when I have the microphone at the wrong angle for the entire recording, where it amplifies my breath too much on words like catch, rest, voice, simply, reach. I typically give everything a careful listen through before I send it on to him, but last week I didn't do that. I'd recorded a file and thought I'd edit it myself before sending to him. I got all excited in the editing process, cutting and pasting, and happily sent the finished product on to Brothermine. Without giving it a final listen through. So he does his background music magic and sends the finished file back. It's when I listened to it from start to finish then that I heard that I'd done the induction twice and cut the countdown out of it both times. Drat! [caption id="attachment_2506" align="alignright" width="144" caption="Laughing at myself"][/caption] "All my wasted time," I thought. Then I thought, "That brat of a brudder, he should have caught that." Then I thought, "Heck, if I don't make time to do a final listen through, how can I expect him to? Vibrational match." Then I thought, "Omigosh, I wasted a whole bunch of his time and now because of me being lazy, we both have to do the job over again." Then I laughed at myself remembering how often I do stuff like that. I spent the rest of the day tweaking and compiling all my scripts, getting them ready to record next. One thing I do a lot of is to start something and leave it half finished, moving on to start something else. This leaves me with lots of half done projects. Those are the projects I like to pull out and work on when it's a nice rainy day and I want a break from my regular work. I have a whole drawer marked "Projects in Progress" which really means "Unfinished Stuff". I so often surprise myself by going in there, and finding some gems that only need a little tweaking before they are ready to go. So in the drawer yesterday, I found 8 scripts I'd almost completed for my self-hypnosis audio series. I'd forgotten about them, so they just lay in the drawer for the last 16 months. And if I hadn't been so darned lazy, I could have added these recordings to my website for sale a year ago. But noooooooooooo, I was so lazy that I didn't even think of them. It made me wonder what else have I not been thinking about? What else do I have lying around that is unfinished, or that just needs a little tweaking to make it useable and sell-able. I'm lucky in that I get to hear people talk all the time about what creative things they do and what projects they are involved in. Listening to them always sparks creative ideas in me, too. In readings, when they ask questions, they call forth answers that I am excited to hear also, especially when it comes to questions I haven't thought of myself. So I think now, what other projects have I not been thinking of, what else do I have lying around that just needs a little tweaking to finish up? I'll bet you have half a dozen of them yourself. Half a dozen ideas, anyway, that you have begun thinking of to use your talents and capabilities to bring some extra income in. There are a lot of us who are choosing to not participate in a recession. We are going to make this our best year ever and you're invited to join us. Take a look around you and see what you have that you could put to use, or ready for sale. Something that may just need a little tweaking. Begin a list and you'll be surprised at how quickly the list grows. Make a new list for the ideas that come to you as you do the "projects to finish" list. And remember, this isn't a list of more things you have to do. This is simply a list of what you have in process. What you have available and on hand. You don't have to finish or work on anything on the list if you don't want. But it's helpful to know what you have. Like if you wanted to bake a cake, you'd want to make sure you have eggs and flour and sugar and a cake pan. If you didn't, you'd simply put them on a list so you knew you needed them for next time. So what's on your list? If nothing comes to mind, pretend you know and just make up a bunch of stuff and write it down. Doing that helps you release resistance so that real answers come forth from your subconscious and you start to write them. Pretend you know. So what's on your list? ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Money/supply comes out of us like an oak from an acorn

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:57:31 +0000

Friday April 3, 2009. YAY One week to my birthday. As a present to myself, I'm - oh wait - if I tell you, it will spoil the surprise *grin* I like it when my birthday falls on Good Friday and Easter weekend. I love the metaphor. A recently laid off print journalist friend wrote yesterday and her question was so classic and universal, I wanted to share it with you. She writes, "Where I run into trouble with the subject of money is an understanding of where it comes from. In my mind it is like trading with a toxic substance. Instead I am looking to focus on what it is I would like in my life and desire the end of a monetary system all together." I replied, "That's because you think the money comes from outside yourself. That's what we're taught. It helped me to see money as coming out of me, just as an oak tree comes out of an acorn. That yes I should endeavor to keep jobs in place and buy lotto tickets to give dollars more avenues to come in, but to also expect that dollars can come to me from a source I have no way of expecting it to. Just leave room for the miracle, so to speak. Leave a part of your consciousness on the idea that, I would love to see how much money from an unexpected source that the Universe can provide me with. Then look around you every day and see what other people do to make money that you could also do. That doesn't mean go apply at McDonald's, but it means look at the McDonald's dude and say "I could do that. If I HAD to, I could do that." It's a mental exercise you want to begin doing many, many times during the day. I look at the gardening shows and think, I could do landscaping and mowing. Do I want to do it for a living? No, but the practice helps me be aware of what all I can do if the chips were down (WTF does that expression mean anyway?) I could type for someone else. I could design flyers for local businesses. I could sell stuff. I could stand on a corner and spin a sign. The Universe could also drop a big inheritance in your lap even if you think you have no relatives to give you anything. You just never know." What happens to someone's fortune when it completely loses value; or their entire industry vanishes? No biggie, something else will replace it soon after. Where one door closes another will open, but I seem stuck in this grieving process of what I feel I lost; my purpose in life. Your purpose in life is just morphing into new forms of expression is all, and you're in the stage of "oh the caterpillar is dying". That's all. After the caterpillar dies, the butterfly emerges. All it is doing is morphing. I don't think it is an accident that print media is dieing, but the transition is proving difficult because I can't envision where it is I'd like to go to next. Not all print media is dying, as evidenced by tons of print media still in production and successfully so. All that is changing is what people read and how they read it. The industry is morphing to accomodate that. As to being unable to envision where you'd like to go next, that does seem like a daunting task. Maybe start by thinking of what you'd like to be doing now instead of sitting here reading this, and how you'd like to feel, and remembering the last time you felt that way. That will help your next step unfold for you. Blogging is so lonely compared to chasing stories, working in a newsroom or even hanging in FaceBook. :) .Ah, so it's important to you to be connected personally with people and receive feedback in order to feel that what you do has value? That's a stage also. The more I cut off outside contact (while I work) the deeper inside myself I go and the more my inner guidance comes forth. For ME, feeling connected to inner guidance is more important than contact with people. How do you chose your next destiny when the previous manifestation vanished through no fault of your own? It's actually optimum because it gives you a clean slate. Zero = infinite potential. You get motivated really quickly to discover the next step. Some things are just out of our individual control, right? In one sense, you can say yes. As in, I worked for The Daily Planet and it folded so no, you can't make it go back and re-open and give you your job back. But in the greater sense, we are absolutely responsible for our vibrational stance, our dominant field of resonance, overall, and it is that which will draw my experience to me. It is upon that basis that I will attract to me what I am in vibrational harmony with. That may show up as me being kicked out of a job I love. The Universe has no qualms about plucking you out of Point A so that when Point B comes along, you won't miss it. RELATED POSTS: The Creative Visualization Process Creative Visualization the 51% rule A Creative Visualization to Attract Dollars How can you expect a $$ windfall when you are on a fixed income? Donate $1 for good luck & karma

72-sabby

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:21:04 +0000

Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:57:11 +0000

I've had fun this week reconnecting with childhood friends on Facebook. It makes me think back to what was the last time I saw them each. I left home when I was 18, like lots of kids do. I didn't wait until after I graduated. I didn't even wait until the end of the day. Rather I skipped school that morning and Kris Krehmeyer skipped also. As soon as my mom left for work, Kris and I piled my clothes into his little chartreuse Karmann Ghia and we dropped them off at Terry N's house and went back to school. Terry's mom had agreed to let me live with them while I finished up high school, and she'd gotten us jobs with her at Sears, in the catalog phone sales center. While I was living at home in east Hialeah, my routine was to come right home from school and call my mom. She'd give me instructions about things like bring the laundry in off the line and fold it, and what to take out for dinner. She worked for Western Union from 11:00am until 9:00pm. Mom would prepare dinner each morning, and I'd heat it up at night for my dad and brother. But the night of my 18th birthday, it would be different. When I'd moved everything out earlier that day, I left my mom a carefully written note. I simply explained that I was 18 and had a job and was going to finish high school. I had moved in with a girlfriend and her family and no she couldn't know who or where because I didn't want my dad to know. I just had enough of his control, no hard feelings, I just don't live here anymore. And that I'd talk to her each day. I was in that teenage stage of "I hate my father". When I got home from school that day, I called mom at work as usual. I was going to not say anything and just let her find the note, but she knew something was up. I spilled the beans. I told her where the notes were (two notes, a second one in case Daddy found the first one and threw it away without telling her about it.) I told her what it said. She was quiet a moment but I knew immediately that it was okay. And she and I were close enough that she knew I'd still talk to her and let her know what was going on with me. So while she wanted me to wait until after graduation, I didn't see the point in that. Heck, I wasn't even GOING to graduation... or prom. That just wasn't my scene. I had a job. She knew I was responsible. Heck, at 17 I'd already paid off a personal loan from 13 year old Brian Pyke down the street for some car I bought just to lock things away in. I didn't even drive or have a license. So anyway, she was not too upset about me moving out, although she always called it "when I ran away from home." She wished me happy birthday and that was the story of how I moved out of my parents' house. Earlier today, I learned the phone number of Brian Pyke's sister Sharron. I'd gotten her number from Miguel Gomez, who lived on our block and had been my brother Bobby's best friend all the while growing up. His sister Aimee lives across the street today from the house I grew up in. Miguel went everywhere with us my entire teen years, which was fine with me: anyone to keep the kid brother out of my hair. Our dad would make us go camping every weekend in this big Fageol Twin Coach bus he'd converted into a camper. Daddy would be way nicer when Miguel was around, which I used to think was an act. I realize now that he just enjoyed having two sons to do guy things with. It was a different dynamic with the 3 of them but it was always fun. Miguel said today that if it wasn't for our family, he would never have gotten to do all the things he got to do while growing up. His family did their thing at home, my family wanted to get out of Dodge. Until he said that, I'd never thought about that. That his inclusion with our family trips made such a difference. All I know is that when he came on a trip, that meant one less pain in the neck brother to deal with. While our family went on all those weekend family trips through all those years, Miguel's sister Aimee was hired by my Dad to feed the house cats left behind. Mom would leave her $3.00 in change on our kitchen counter top for her services. For a 13 or 14 year kid that was good money back then. Heck, my weekly allowance was $3 until I was like 15 and went to work. Anyway, Miguel gave me the phone number of Sharron Pyke, who lived next door to them. Sharron's folks had the biggest house on the block, on a double lot. They were always building on to it. We figured they were the rich ones. Miguel & Aimee and I had just regular houses, and Albert Orosa's folks had the new house on the corner. It was very neat catching up with Sharron forty years later and finding she and I have so much in common. And I can't wait to connect with her younger sister, Denise. If she's still speaking to me, that is. I always thought of Denise as a little doll. She was 7 years younger, so I'd dress her up. I mean I'd design patterns and sew blouses and jumpsuits and who knows what all. She'd wear them and I'd think she looked adorable. Then I'd tell her scary stories that finally her mom, Margie, told me stop with the stories already. Sharron married Bruce Hatfield, her childhood sweetheart. Bruce and Randy's grandparents had the house across the street from the Pykes and they visited every summer. Sharron was the prettiest girl on the block and Bruce was so handsome, so of course they were meant to be. And 33 years later still are. Is that a hoot? Sharron told me she had been in touch until just recently with the Jones' boys, who lived in the house east of mine. David, Danny and Ralphie were all younger and their dad was 20+ years older than their mom. He grew lots of vegetables and greens in his back yard, and our rabbit Pepper would always get into his garden. Sharron did not know where the Jones boys were now. Apparently it IS true that it's hard to keep up with the Joneses. [caption id="attachment_2537" align="alignright" width="105" caption="Sabby pet ocelot"][/caption] Also earlier today I spoke with Albert O. who grew up in the house on the corner. We've not spoken for maybe 40 years. We'd walk to the bus stop together each day through the school years and harrass each other as often as possible. He's still in town, big downtown Miami business dude, happy family, the whole nine. He remembers being mauled by the ocelots on a regular basis. There were only this handful of neighborhood kids who were even allowed to ever come in the house because of the cats. But Albert and Miguel were both used to being gnawed and mauled weekly. So it's been fun strolling down memory lane and seeing what everyone is up to. It makes me wonder who I'll find in another 40 years :) And maybe even on Facebook. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

silver-necklace-pod-bloom

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:27:38 +0000

bird-cardinal-at-bath72

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:33:26 +0000

Fearless as a mama cardinal

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:34:27 +0000

[caption id="attachment_2552" align="alignright" width="144" caption="Silver Necklace Pod flower"][/caption] Sunday April 5, 2009. The trees are full of mulberries and loquats and the critters in AndreaLand are having a feast. About a dozen little wrens descended upon the mulberry late yesterday afternoon and it was already full of cardinals and bluejays and squirrels. The tree came alive! A couple of days before I was sitting on my back porch, just rocking and relaxing. I can always tell where the cardinals are because the male chirps so loudly. I could hear him and followed his voice to the silver necklace pod bush, where I saw him doing a song and dance for my cat Izzy down on the ground, yards away. I thought, now that's not smart... then I saw the mama cardinal flying to and fro in another part of the yard with straw in her mouth, and I realized it was her mate doing the dance to distract Izzy. [caption id="attachment_2554" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Mama cardinal"][/caption] She was, in fact, building her nest just 40" off the ground in my eleganus hedge at the back porch door. My first thought was "Why not just build it right in the cat's dish? Izzy can reach that high standing up and he and YinYang are in and out that door all day." Then I realized, she's fearless! She builds her nest where she wants to build it and knows she doesn't vibe in a place where the cats can see her. They've built their nests too low before. I wait until the mom and dad are at the bird bath outside the office window, then I sneak around and check out the eggs. No eggs yet for these two. I'll keep you posted. . ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Out of Body Experience OOBE and Stop Smoking cds

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:07:29 +0000

Monday, April 6, 2009. The last few days my brother and I have been working on getting some projects finished together, and I now have two new mp3 files online at Andrea's Self Hypnosis series. The new files are Stop Smoking and OOBE - You Are Not The Body, which is an astral flight. It was interesting "proofing" the Out of Body Experience OOBE file and having to listen to it several times through. I have some interesting experiences I will share with you later. I was reminded of the incident with my chair that happened in October 2006 The Haunted Chair, Journeys Out Of The Body. In keeping with my decision to not participate in a recession, these mp3 files are just $10 each. Happy Monday. Full moon on Thursday. Good Friday is my birthday and it's a "12" year - yay, a lucky 3 for me this year. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

lighthouse-in-storm72

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:26:31 +0000

Kryon on being a lighthouse

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:28:25 +0000

A Lightworker asked: “I’m in a place I don’t want to be in... Why am I being punished every day by having to work with these people that are so dark?... They think I’m crazy and don’t honor me or my life... What should I think about this? It’s hard!” “And my answer is: So you think it’s all about an accident? Or that you’re being punished? Then you have missed the grandeur of a standard Lighthouse. Lighthouses aren’t built in safe places. They choose to be where the storms are! You’re not being punished.. You’re being taken to a difficult place to shine your light - Physically, what should you be doing with the people around you? Can you love them? Listen to them! Listen to what’s really happening in their lives. Consider every day one where you have an opportunity to create light in a dark place. Watch attitudes change.. You may be “weird” to them, but they know you represent integrity. Spiritually... you’re a light in a dark place and you wonder why you’re there? It isn’t always about you. Think about them! You’re being given an opportunity. This is the work you came to do, and it’s not forever. In a place you don’t want to be, working with people you don’t want to be with, is the work of a Lighthouse. What if you’re the only light they ever see?” www.kryon.com

Exciting news for us all - the Global Coherence Initiative

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:39:20 +0000

I received this from a Unity minister friend. Now I know why I have a magazine and a blog. This is what I live for, to pass on news like this and bring minds together for purposes like this. There are two links for you at the end. Andrea Dear Spiritual Awakening Student - In early February, we, along with other area ministers, attended a reception and presentation at Innisbrook Resort and Country Club at which the featured speaker was Deepak Chopra. At that event, at Deepak’s request, 1,000 people, including us, stood and took the pledge to support Deepak in something called - The Global Coherence Initiative, in concert with a group of modern day New Thought leaders working under the name of The Evolutionary Leaders Counsel. Basically, we pledged that night to focus on peace, prevailing in all of the conflicted areas of the world - and to support that peaceful outcome by creating a consistent climate of peace in our own hearts and minds. We found it very easy, especially boosted by the synergistic energy of a group of like-minded people, to make that pledge. Since then, we have found (no surprise) that maintaining peace in our minds and hearts at all times has its challenges - but - we’ve been working on it. NOW WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEW NEWS - Below is the message we just received from the Evolutionary Leaders Counsel: The Obama Administration has asked the “Evolutionary Leaders” to communicate with them about what is transpiring on the planet, and how we can change the course of the unprecedented events that are challenging this planet. This is a window of opportunity that must be taken! A deadline was given for this information to be conveyed to the Obama Administration. The Evolutionary Leaders like Deepak Chopra, Gregg Braden, Michael Beckwith and many, many others, gathered together to write up the information to present to the Obama Administration. They are also asking us to sign a petition to show the Administration how many people favor that these changes. They need 10,000 signatures. We need your help to reach that number and beyond! The Evolutionary Leaders: Michael Beckwith, Joan Borysenko, Gregg Braden, Rinaldo Brutoco, Thomas Callanan, Deepak Chopra, Mallika Chopra, Dale Colton, Gordon Dveirin, Duane Elgin , Leslie Elkus, Barbara Fields, Debbie Ford, Ashok Gangadean, Kathleen Gardarian, Tom Gegax, Charles Gibbs, Kathy Hearn, Jean Houston, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Bruce Lipton, Judy Martin, Rod McGrew, Steve McIntosh, Lynne McTaggart, Deborah Moldow, James O’Dea, Carter Phipps, Wendy Craig-Purcell, Carolyn Rangel, Rustum Roy, Peter Russell, Gerard Senehi, Emily Squires, Brian Swimme, Diane Williams, Marianne Williamson, Tom Zender -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is what the Evolutionary Leaders are telling the Obama Administration and asking us to support: The human family is in the midst of the most significant transformation of consciousness since its emergence in Africa over one hundred thousand years ago. Consciousness has been evolving for billions of years from the first cell to us. We are becoming aware that through our own consciousness the universe can know itself. This awareness reveals incredible new potential for our individual and collective humanity. Simultaneously, we are the first species on this Earth aware that we can destroy ourselves by our own action. This may be the greatest wake-up call to the evolution of consciousness since the origin of Homo sapiens. We now realize that we are affecting our own evolution by everything we do. This knowledge awakens in us the aspiration to become more conscious through subjective practices including meditation, reflection, prayer, intuition, creativity, and conscious choice making that accelerate our evolution in the direction of unity consciousness and inspire us to deeply align our collective vision. THE CHALLENGE At this juncture in human history, urgent global crises challenge us to learn to live sustainably, in harmony and gratitude with one another and with the living universe. The changes required of humanity are broad, deep, and far reaching. Only by acting swiftly and creatively can we birth a planetary culture that will bring well-being to every form of life in the Earth community. The good news is that a compelling new story of our potential as a whole human species is emerging-a story of collaboration, citizen action, dialogue and new understandings propelled by unprecedented levels of democratic freedom, multicultural exchange, and access to communication technologies. It is nothing less than the story of our collective evolution. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION We recognize that the inner and outer aspects of life evolve together. A dramatic awakening in consciousness will involve an equally dramatic shift in outward aspects of our lives. In particular, we see the following as vital opportunities for our conscious evolution, both personally and collectively: Cultivating a Paradigm of Aliveness: We regard the universe as deeply alive and conscious by nature. In a living universe, our sense of subtle connection and participation with life around us is the basis for a compassionate and cooperative approach to living. Educating for an Evolving Consciousness: Awakening consciousness is the foundation for all the change we seek to see in the world. We can work to elevate our capacity for conscious reflection and creative action in our personal lives as well as our collective lives as communities. We must support research and educational strategies that optimize human capacities and explore the nature of consciousness. Restoring Ecological Balance: The balance of planetary ecosystems is fundamental to our survival. We must reverse the pollution of our global commons-the water, air and soil that nourish all life. We must encourage the proliferation of clean, renewable energy sources and expend all necessary resources toward mitigating the effects of climate change. Encouraging Conscious Media: We must find innovative ways to use the new electronic media as the mirror of our positive evolutionary story, investing in their capacity to reach across differences of generation, culture, religion, wealth, and gender to build a working consensus about our collective future. Engaging in Social and Political Transformation: More sustainable ways of living will require the support of a more conscious democracy and vibrant civil society from which more enlightened leaders will emerge. All individuals should be encouraged to use their gifts to create participatory, responsible and compassionate models of governance. Working for Integrity in Commerce: Conscious businesses that are aware of the scope, depth, and long-range impacts of their actions are key to achieving sustainability. Business must become an ethical steward of the Earth’s ecology and consciously establish an economic basis for a future of equitably shared abundance. Promoting Health and Healing: The science of mind-body-spirit health has demonstrated the profound connection between the health of a whole person and the health of the system in which he or she lives. Whole systems healing, respecting both traditional knowledge and modern sciences, must be supported in physical, social, and spiritual domains. Building Global Community: The new story is about all of us who share this planet. Together, we can create a culture of peace that eliminates the need for armed conflict, respecting and appreciating the glorious diversity of our human family. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS VITAL Our group has done its best to articulate possibilities for the evolution of consciousness at this crucial moment in time. Please reflect on this document, feel what resonates in your being and calls forth a response on your part. We invite you to discuss it with others, continuing this global conversation by adding to it the wisdom that is uniquely your own. Together, let us co-create a new narrative of conscious evolution that is a call to individual and collective action, birthing the most significant transformation of consciousness in history. Join in the Call to Conscious Evolution by signing the pledge now. We (The Revs John and Lauren McLaughlin) have given our pledge to support the work of the Evolutionary Leaders in person to Deepak Chopra and by placing our signatures on the petition available at this link - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/248704259 . If you feel able to support this initiative as well, we invite you to join us and all the other “torch bearers” for the Shift to a Higher Consciousness that is taking place - world wide - by adding your signature to the petition. As of this writing, your signature will be joined by 18,645 others who support this initiative. (The goal of the Evolutionary Leaders is a minimum of 100,000 signatures - 10 times those requested by the Administration.) It is exciting to us to have a chance to influence, in such a wide-ranging way - a positive difference in the future of our own lives, the lives or our children and grandchildren and the vibrant health of our planet. Because here is what is undeniable about the work behind the Global Coherence Initiative: Whatever the end result of this petition is, as it wends its way through the highest levels of our government - a very large number of people, all focusing on a the same positive outcome, are already employing the LAW OF MIND ACTION and are co-creating the recommendations of the Evolutionary Leaders at a powerful Spiritual level. As long as we keep our minds focused on the outcomes we want to see manifest - and not on those that we don’t want - we will all emerge winners. Thank you for your attention to this special message and always remember, God Loves You and so do we. The Revs John and Lauren McLaughlin revlauren@unitynow.com friendsofunitynow@yahoo.com PS - If you feel moved by this work, please pass this message on to others who you feel might like to join us in supporting this fascinating Global Coherence Initiative. For the Introductory Coherence Technique, copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.glcoherence.org/coherence-tools-introductory-coherence-technique.html?mtcCampaign=7798

Communicating with the critters you share space with

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:32:06 +0000

Thursday April 9, 2009. It's been a busy week in AndreaLand. I've been finishing up some personal projects which have kept me - surprise - at the computer almost around the clock. Why would I spend my week off at the computer, where I spend 12+ hours a day working? How is that different from the magazine work? It's just a shift in perspective. In my mind I am in a completely different place, so it barely matters where my body is, if my mind is happy. Yesterday was my "official" day to water according to the new city rules, so I had the sprinklers and hoses going. Moving them from bush to tree, it can take all day to get everything watered. It's also a welcome break to hear the timer go off, signalling I need to get up from my desk and go outside every hour. The loquat and mulberry trees are now full of fruit, and full of birds and squirrels clamboring for them. I took a walk around at sundown yesterday, as I usually do, checking everything out. There was so much critter activity that I took my dinner outside to the wrought iron table and chair I sit at when I dine al fresco, just to watch the show. It was chilly yesterday, so I'd made a bean soup earlier, with lots of onions, as well as celery, carrot and a stewed tomato base. I like lots of spices in my soups, so I always use garlic, cumino, thyme, dried or powered oregano, a couple of bay leaves. In soups with a tomato base, which I don't often eat, I also use tarragon, and some fresh rosemary or basil as well. I buy giant bags of fresh sweet basil at the oriental markets for $1.00 a bag. As I heated my soup to take a bowl outside, I made a wrap sandwich to go with it. I took a spinach wrap and placed it in the big frying pan to heat and soften. I took some fresh spinach out of the fridge, with some carrot matchsticks and the 10 minute hummus I make every few days. When the wrap was warm and soft, I put a blob of hummus in the middle and spread it around, tossed some spinach leaves on top of it, another blob of hummus, carrot matchsticks on top of that, and another blob of hummus on top of it. I rolled it up and took it outside with my soup. It's my healthy, New Millenium version of rolling one to enjoy at the end of a long day *smile* As I sat outside and watched the critter activity, it seemed everyone was enjoying the party. A fat young raccoon, who typically stays hidden until after dark, came ambling by and I watched his antics as he climbed into the mulberry tree. From where I sat, he was completely hidden by the heavy leaf coverage, and I could only tell where he was by the branches getting lower as he bumbled across. I could also tell where he was headed next, since I am the one who trims those branches, so I know which limbs crisscross onto others. I always make sure when i am trimming branches to be mindful of which ones are the major highways for the squirrels so I don't take their favorite routes away. After all, this is their yard, too. I had not seen the mama cardinal for a few days, so I took a peek into the nest. I saw one lone egg. Last week I'd noticed her visibly making her nest very low in the eleagnus bush right at my back porch door, where the cats come in and out all day long. I have to be careful when trimming my hedges to look for cardinal nests. This one was well hidden, so when I trimmed the hedge, I exposed more of it than I would have had I seen the nest there. I wrote the mama cardinal a note asking her to please move her nest elsewhere. Wrote a note?? What are you talkin' about?? Years ago I learned a neat trick. I had some ants who decided to move onto the back porch. Then I saw one in the house. That would simply not do, so I wrote them a note. It basically said "Dear ants: I am happy to share space with you and you can have the entire outside and stay there, and I will have the entire inside. Thank you" Then I put a copy of the note on my healing bench. That's where I keep notes of who and what to pray for, then I pray the bench twice a day as part of my spiritual practice. I'd written a note years before for some raccoons as well. They'd begun thinking they could just walk in the cat door and help themselves to the cats' food. That would simply not do, so they got a note asking them to stay outside. Both times, with the raccoons and with the ants, their invasion stopped that day. So, seeing the cardinal nest so low and so near the cat door, I wrote the mama cardinal a note asking her to please move her nest elsewhere. The day after the note was the last time I saw her near the nest. I can hear the cardinals in the east woods but haven't seen them at the birdbath for a couple of days now. But there is a birdbath in the east yard also. Last night I got the feeling she just abandoned the nest, and this morning I was lamenting the sole egg left in it. I was sorry to see her go, but now I won't be concerned about the cats and the whole circle of life playing itself out. I took the note down :( Update written 6 hours later: Mama cardinal is now happily perched on the nest!!! I am so glad I took her note down! I called the kitties inside and overfed them, so they are now conked out in the front yard giving Mama some privacy in the back. If you share space with any creatures and have a message you'd like to get across, write them a note. Write them a note as if they will read it and understand it and obey it. Trust me. It works. Happy full moon and happy Passover! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

72-6-16-06b-email72adm

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:06:10 +0000

What I have planned for my birthday

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:11:27 +0000

Friday, April 10, 2009. Happy Good Friday. And happy birthday to me. I love it when my birthday falls at Easter. I could never figure in advance when Easter would be until I started following the moon phases. Then I realized it's always celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the Vernal equinox. I love the whole idea of resurrection, rebirth, Spring renewal. I also like that my birthday falls on the 100th day of the year, except on leap years. It's not just that I like seeing zeroes at the end of a number, either. I just like the number. To me it means whole and complete, 100%, something I strive to be. 100% conscious, that is, 100% of the time. Ok, all my buddies are laughing themselves silly right now. I didn't say I was 100% conscious 100% of the time, but at this stage of the game, I can recognize pretty quickly when I start to drift. I can usually know as soon as I've made an unconscious remark, and keep myself from making the next one. But it wasn't always that easy. That's for sure. It used to take someone bringing to my attention some lame something I said or did, before I reflected on it. Then I got to where I could realize it by the end of the day, as I did my nightly review at meditation time. Now it's often just before I say it, or shortly thereafter. That's a total blessing. That cuts down on the karmic backlash, for sure. It was not until I began spending some serious alone time that I started waking up and wising up to who I really was and what I was really doing. For my birthday today, I have something exquisite planned. I'm going to get up early and meditate and do some yoga as the dawn breaks. I'm going to do a prayer session at the healing bench and have my morning tea outside and listen to the neighborhood wake up. I'm going to come into the office and answer some emails and do some work and go get the mail. I'm going to make a favorite soup or salad for lunch and take a walk around the yard and maybe do some gardening and watering. Then I'll probably end up back at the office again until the wee hours, when I'll crash out in my chair after having a totally blissful day. Oh? You ask, how is that different from any other day? Why would I want to do that for my birthday? That's another thing I learned as I plod the Path: to treat every day as a holiday. To celebrate every day as if it's my birthday. I've learned it's not all that hard to focus on what makes my heart sing and let Spirit guide me how to turn that into supply. I've learned it's not about what I do, it's how I feel about what I do. Sometimes it barely matters what this body is doing, when my mind is so engaged elsewhere. Now I know how some people who have had serious injuries and disabilities can bear it. Their attitude places them outside the body, and the body is the only thing restricting them. Other than that, they know the sky is the limit. I remember years ago being in the hospital for the third time with pancreatitis (my past life - I'm all better now) and recall being in the emergency room waiting for the pain shot. I knew that they had to process me and get the IV in before I could get the shot, and I was unable to control my body that kept contorting and moaning. It had a life of its own! I remember alternating my thoughts between recalling the feeling of the pain shot the last time I got it (a year before), and recalling how it felt as the pain slipped away (because I wanted to vibe there and make it happen quicker). That thought alternated with the thought that I was sorry my friend Suzie (who took me to the ER), had to see and hear it all. I knew for myself it would pass quickly enough, and except for physical distress, I felt fine. I mean, I wasn't afraid or anxious. But I couldn't stop the writhing and moaning and felt sorry that she had to watch it. It makes me think of when the cheetah catches the gazelle. In the documentaries, you see the gazelle yelp and flail, but I know that the consciousness of that gazelle, before it feels more than it can bear, will leave that body behind to writhe and yelp on its own. That's just the nervous system winding down at that point, although it looks horrible to watch if you don't realize that. My dad was in a coma for the last week of his life and I'd sit on one side of him, and his wife on the other, holding his hand. Periodically he'd squeeze a hand and once even kind of sat up a little. But I knew those were automatic body responses. I knew he was no longer in there. I think at that point he was already blissed out and totally happy for the first time in many years, his mind far, far away, having - as they say - slipped the surly bonds of Earth and touched the face of God. I believe I touch God with every move I make and every breathe I take. The more conscious I am of that, the more blissful my life is and the more magical, wonderful things happen in and around me. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Camping in the woods under the full moon

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:49:08 +0000

Saturday, April 11, 2009. Well, I had an awesome time yesterday. I goofed off more than I planned to, but that's a good thing since I don't plan too much goof off time. My pal Joy brought me over a container grow box she made for my birthday. Her yard is a maze of gardens and planters and grow boxes. Her boxes are full of strawberries and such, but mine has become my herb garden. I planted basil, peppers, rosemary and stevia in it. I eat so much fresh basil and rosemary that it just makes sense to grow my own. That's not so easy to do in my yard anymore, however, since I have such nice, high shade over most of it. The herb garden I planted several years ago now has half a dozen very sparse and leggy rosemary plants in it and it no longer gets the sun that it used to. With the grow box, I can place it smack dab in the middle of the back yard all day long, and just move it when I want to mow. One year she gave me a really cool homemade herbal vinegar she made, with sprigs of rosemary in it. I made it last as long as I could. Now that's someone who knows how to give a gift. No wonder they call her Joy. I decided to camp out in the east woods last night. I didn't want to set up my nice roomy tent that I'd gotten from Jane & Angie at Heavensent Wellness, so I fashioned a tarp tent by throwing it over a long, lower branch. I know in my yard to always sleep on a bit of a platform, since there are lots of slithery and crawly critters at night, so I made a quick one from a few cinder blocks and 1x4's and made my bed on top. Perfectly comfortable, safe from the rain and dew, safe from the crawlies and slitherers, yet right in the midst of the action. I'd brought my chimenea over so I could do a safe and contained fire ceremony and burning bowl. Earlier in the week, I'd cut some bay and camphor branches from my trees and saved them for the next fire. It was the most aromatic burning bowl ceremony ever. It was the perfect end to a perfect birthday. My two kitties were there, Izzy and YinYang. All night long I could hear the night animals moving about. From my little bed I could see in the moonlight a raccoon family, a lone opposum, and 3 armadillos. I could hear something that sounded kind of big but a glance at the kitties' reactions told me that whatever it was, it was supposed to be there. Today I begin working on the May Horizons. My desk is clear of old work and I'm caught up and life is good. AND it looks like rain. Does it get any better than this? ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-New OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

What I post on Facebook

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:43:51 +0000

Sunday, April 12, 2009. Happy Easter Sunday. I'm so lazy today, I'm not even going to exercise my brain. I like having these mindless segments sometimes. When I get in these moods when I am at work, I usually sign on to Facebook for a few minutes and make some short post and it gives me a breather. So instead of a blog post today, which I'm too lazy to even think about, and in the spirit of recycling, below are what I've posted in Facebook the past week. In Facebook, when you "make a post", your photo and your name appears in front of each post: Andrea de Michaelis is lazy... eating spinach out of the bag while jasmine brown rice cooks. Andrea de Michaelis I mixed 3/4 jasmine brown rice with 1/4 Thai red rice tonight. Double yum. I'd lose 20 pounds if I didn't eat 2 cups of rice every day...she says eating rice. Andrea de Michaelis chatted with Arielle Ford this morning, got some good info. Sauteeing some brussels sprouts to go with the ubiquitous jasmine brown rice in yet another stirfry for dinner. A blob of Siricha chili sauce and it's good to go. eggs are now in the cardinal nest. Just came in from taking a full moonbath. Loving this weather, loving life. Does it get any better than this? Oh yes, fat girl kitty just jumped onto the desk *I am complete* Eating a loquat and watching mama cardinal back on her nest. doing bookkeeping. I love that all my peeps pay on time. Vibrational match! so far this week I am ignoring 18 Event invitations, 25 Group Invitations and 54 Application requests *but I love you guys anyway* I'll be there in spirit! is now eating fresh mulberries off my tree and shredding papers. I am shredding all the world's problems at the same time. You're welcome. the mom and pop cardinal are both at the birdbath. I'm gonna go check the egg while they're away from the nest.. I'll report back... Gag - too much incense going on in here. Going for a full moon bike ride. Every full moon I sit outside, watch it rise and review what I've done since last full moon. What do you want to do by the next one, 28 days from now? a beautiful new day just waiting to dawn. Life is good. I always hate to see the night time go but oh the sun is so nice. There are now 3 eggs in the cardinal basket! My Nokia 6555 cell phone battery just died and I ordered another online. It lasted me 14 months! I am now leaving the house for the first time in 19 years without the cell phone. Am I brave or what? Ok, I'm just going a mile away... but still... Making a bean soup for lunch and watching papa cardinal feed the mama on the nest - through binoculars from living room. I bought them some fresh sunflower seeds today. I can learn a lot by watching the cardinals in the nest at the window. They feed each other, they have each others' backs at the birdbath. just put on a 2 piece swimsuit for the first time in years and is not horrified. just saw I have a spare cell phone in supply closet with a fresh battery. Hmmm, decision time... bareback it completely without cell phone for a few days, or put it in purse just in case? How brave am I now that I have a choice? Andrea de Michaelis is sated On 4-11-09 I posted a photo of mama cardinal on the nest. Andrea de Michaelis drinking hot green tea with a stevia leaf from my garden in it - sweet. just watched an entire tv show start to finish. Sarah Plain and Tall - loved it! I'm gonna find me a frontier man. is eating jasmine brown rice with brussels sprouts and watching mama cardinal on her nest, papa bringing her food. Oblivious Izzy sitting bathing 6 feet away... Today's posts: just had a loquat, mulberry and stevia leaf salad for breakfast - all out of my own yard! Mama cardinal is on the nest; day 7 since I saw the first egg in nest. Countdown to April 17 for Spring 2009 Hatch Watch Andrea de Michaelis trimmed back a tree today and severed a major squirrelway offramp, which they discovered and began fussing about. So I just had to go out there and cut a bamboo branch and give them a bypass until the branches grow back. Sheesh! Andrea de Michaelis Oh no, I'm turning into a hedonist: just bought an electric can opener. Does everyone know about these? believe it or not, going out to chop wood and carry water just wove a bamboo and grapevine fence in front of the shed; planted lotus tree cuttings and watered everything. Mama and papa cardinal at the bird bath, so I peeked in the nest. 3 lil eggs... I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

Lazy Easter spent communing in nature, meditation, cardinals

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:14:41 +0000

Monday, April 13, 2009. I had a really good 3 day weekend. Actually, I had a really good whole last week. I felt like I had a vacation. I don't know if it's the St. John's Wort I'm doing a trial run of or just relaxing more, but my constant thinking about work has eased up. My urges to get just a little more done, to get a little more caught up, to get another call returned, have eased. And those weren't stressful thoughts, the only stressful part of it was my sense of urgency that I had to be doing it around the clock, nonstop. I'm still working 12+ hours a day, but there is no sense of urgency about it. That's one way my ego tries to control me. Making me feel I urgently need to be doing something. Making me want to constantly change what is. All week I've been having good long periods of non thought and not just during meditation. This is when I can tell that my decades long daily meditation discipline is working. The mind silence is the fruit of my labor. Sometimes I catch my mantra going in my mind all by itself. Or I catch myself singing or chanting aloud. I love it when that is the autopilot I revert to. I love that that is my default setting, when I clear my mind of nonessentials. I've been watching the cardinals as they nest in the eleagnus/silverthorn bush outside my back porch. When I am on the laptop in the living room or the back porch, I can sit there and watch them. It's better than tv. I'm so glad I live in my own private little wooded sanctuary here. Yesterday morning I was just going to go back to bed after meditation, but decided to go put some sunflower seeds out for the cardinals and squirrels first. That of course led to spending the morning working in the yard. Had I planned it, I would have put on jeans and work boots instead of going out flipflops, tshirt and tights. I trimmed back a bush near the front of the house, and went around the yard putting cuttings down where I want new hedges to be, and set the sprinklers on them. I heard two squirrels fussing and I discovered I had severed a major squirrelway offramp, so I had to make one for them. A branch that led from the roof to the camphor tree was gone, indeed I had topped the entire bush. So I went to the east yard and got a long bamboo branch and fashioned a bridge for them. As I climbed the rough bark of the camphor tree, barefoot, to get the bamboo in place, I thought how nice a climb it would be if I had on jeans and workboots and gloves. Afterward, as I went around the yard watering all the new cuttings in, I selected some bamboo lengths to fashion a wall by the shed. I used the grapevine and eleagnus to weave a little wall in and out of them, which will fill in as the grapevines take off this summer. My grapevines here have very purple edible grapes July-Sept. I've been eating salads of loquat and mulberries, with fresh stevia leaves to sweeten, all fresh from my new garden. I truly do live in Paradise. Hmmmmph and funny, it's been here all along. Ah, another day, another eight hundred million gazillion opportunities just waiting for me to notice them. I'm diving in! Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Finding satisfaction in watching wildlife as I work

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:05:49 +0000

Tuesday, April 14, 2009. Yesterday was really a busy day for me as I worked on final layout of the May Horizons Magazine. I took several breaks to run around the yard putting out black oil sunflower seeds for the cardinals who are nesting in the bush next to my back porch. At lunchtime, I sat on the porch watching the mama cardinal on the nest and saw two young raccoons scarfing up the sunflower seeds in broad daylight. Well, not so broad daylight under the mulberry tree where there is such deep shade, but I usually don’t see the raccoons until sundown. It was like dinner theater as I watched dozens of little finchy wrens descend upon the mulberry tree. I had the sprinkler going to water in new cuttings, and it was hitting the lower branches. These little birds - whatever they are - were taking turns bathing in the sprinkler. The cats were yards away, looking at them, transfixed. There had to be 3-4 dozen of them. Just outside my office window is a giant philodendron next to a birdbath, and the birds usually line up on the branches until it’s their turn at the bath. The papa cardinal stands shrieking on the branches waiting for the doves to leave. He is such a blabbermouth. Mama cardinal is like "just shut up and bring me some seeds and feed them to me already." Last night’s menu was yet another veggie stirfry, my fave. Jasmine brown rice with onion, ginger, carrot and red pepper. I like using vegetables like peppers and brussels sprouts and eggplant as a main dish. It keeps the pounds off also. I also tossed some fresh green beans into the remainder of my homemade bean soup. I took my proofreading out into the living room about 9pm and fell asleep about midnight in my chair. I got up about 2am and went to bed and stayed there until 6am. After my morning meditation, I walked back into the living room and saw the leftovers from last night’s debauchery: an apple core, half a dozen loquat seeds, 2 empty water bottles, a crumpled napkin, an empty spinach bag. Well, at least it wasn’t beer cans and overflowing ashtrays. I’m having some of my vegetable bean soup for breakfast and getting ready to get into my day. I just re-read this and thought, well this is kind of a lame blog post. But is it? Is it lame to find fun and satisfaction in doing the little daily things I do? I don’t think so. If I do this every day for the rest of my life, well, then I will have had a fun and satisfying life. You can’t beat that. . ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Hanging with Jimmy Fallon; moving forward, secret key

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:35:04 +0000

Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Last night I hung out all night with Jimmy Fallon. Well, in my dream anyway. In the dream, I was living back in Miami and parked in the lot of a condo complex on Brickell Avenue. We met in the elevator as I was leaving and he said he was glad he saw me, he had something to give me. We went to his condo and he began seaching through boxes and drawers looking for the item. It began a long dream segment of him saying "wait here, I think I know where it is." I got tired of waiting so I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up several hours later and he was in his bed reading. He said he didn't want to wake me. I reach for my keys to leave and cannot find them. He says "that's ok" and gives me his door key. I turn my purse upside down on the living room table and finally find my car keys in a secret pocket I never knew I had and leave. When I get out on the street, I cannot find my car. I walk around and around the block looking and can't find it. It was hard to walk, like a big weight keeping me moving slow. I have learned when that happens in a dream, I usually begin grabbing on to the side walls and pulling myself along, or else turn and walk backwards. I go back up to Jimmy's and knock and he asks "didn't I give you a key?" I ask if I can look from his windows down on the street to find my car. It's nowhere to be found. We keep running into people we know, so there are lots of introductions. To one of my friends he introduces himself as another name and says "yes I know, I look just like him." The rest of the dream is Jimmy and I driving around looking for my car. In the car, he talks about how nice it is to do just regular quiet things and not attract attention everywhere. We never do find my car but somehow that's ok. The dream continued even after me getting up several times in the night. That's a familiar dream scene I used to have much more frequently. Not about Jimmy Fallon, but about trying to walk, trying to move forward, and working through much resistance to get where I am going. The feeling is not like walking against a strong wind, rather it is a climbing type feeling where the gravity is all that holds me back. The weight of my own gravity, making me have to grab onto the sides and pull myself along to keep moving forward. The dream used to happen so often that I began a series of arm exercises and visualizations, so in later dreams I would have the muscle memory of pulling myself along and being able to do it quickly and with strength. Ok, I get the metaphor of being held back by my own self. These dreams did not always come during stressful times, or times when I was conscious of trying to "get somewhere" or "get ahead". One thing I did learn in this dream though was that if I turned and walked backwards, I could get to where I wanted to go. I seemed to go faster if I walked facing backwards. I always take this to mean several things. First, if I am facing backwards, I can clearly see the past and that enables me to not repeat past mis-steps. It also lets me "put my back into it" to get to where I want to go. Also, If I am walking backwards, I can tell if my attention is focused on what I am moving toward - no matter which way I appear to be facing at the time. Am I truly focused on my destination, or am I really just going through the motions of the moving, although I am really focused on something in the past? I'm the only one who knows. Only the dreamer can truly interpret their own dream. I'm not someone who focuses on the past. Unless they are good memories or happy times. The rest of it? Well, that's just life, isn't it? The good, the bad, the ugly? It just is what it is, and we get over it and we get on with it. Without pointing fingers. Without blaming. Without constantly rehashing it. When I dropped all that baggage, I became light and free. Oh, and the dream segment about finding a key in a secret pocket? Life is good and is getting better. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Seeing beyond the illusion

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:53:46 +0000

Thursday, April 16, 2009. My brother Jerry emailed me this morning, "Interesting that we talk about this physical reality actually being a holographic image that our minds have constructed. Then we do everything we can to have all these things that the illusion tell us exist, rather than seek to have the "higher" things that exist beyond this illusion, the very things that ARE real. We seek friends, fame, fortune, power, sex, and a myriad of other things. We say we seek to follow our bliss, when actually we're following nothing but our desires. Even the best of us are doing little more than bull shitting ourselves. No damn wonder people have trouble reaching a state of higher consciousness, an observer state, they're just too wrapped up in the game. They want to play in the hologram instead of being focused in the higher vibrations. Have the cake and eat it, too? In effect, we think we can bring higher consciousness right into the hologram with us, and play with it like some damn ball. We don't want to exist in a state of higher consciousness because that would mean we would lose all these neat little toys we have to play with in our make believe existence. It's just a fact, people aren't willing to give up the hologram. They love it and will be stuck until their make believe hell freezes over. Hmmmmmm, I admire you and how you control your time. Your alone time gives you a chance to better control how much you bite into the illusion. Yes, of course you're right it the middle of the holographic game sometimes. Playing just as hard as anyone else. But at least you work to control it." end of Br. Jerry's email I told him: That's a 24 hour 7 day a week job *smile* That's where daily meditation really comes into play. To let me touch base and check in with reality twice a day, no matter what. To spend as much time as I am able with no external input, no voices, no talking. Doing that turns it all into a movie for me and lets me see objectively what I am doing and what is happening around me. It gives me that observer stance. When I have that observer stance, I naturally become more mindful. When I become more mindful, things start clicking into place, troubles drop away, opportunities find me. It turns into a viscous cycle of clarity and serenity. Give me more of that any day. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- New - Stop Smoking $10 mp3

Millionaire Matchmaker; the monks and the Heart Sutra

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:17:55 +0000

Friday, April 17, 2009. Last night I watched The Millionaire Matchmaker on tv. I've seen it a couple of times before. Her website advertises it as "where successful men come to meet their beautiful and intelligent wives or girlfriends." The matchmaker is Patty, who is a brash New York type who is almost 50. The word yenta comes to mind. She herself is attractive enough, she just has a coarse and rude way about her. And I always feel like blotting her lipgloss. She charges $25,000 for a one year membership for the men and the women can join free. What she does for that is has her staff go out on the street and approach attractive women and invite them to come for a group screening to be considered to be matched with a millionaire. She stresses to the women how much money the guys have, and she stresses to the guys how pretty the women are. Gosh, how can anyone pass that up, especially in Los Angeles? I'm not criticizing her basic premise, since it keeps the millionaires from having to be on the street picking their own women and approaching them. My issue is with her telling both parties to be something they are not in order to keep the interest of the other. She insists women change their hair style and/or hair color, and tells them all they must wear a push up bra and form fitting clothes on the date. She gives the men hair and fashion makeovers and tells them they must act "romantic" according to her definition of romantic, which means spending a lot of money on the girls to impress them on the dates. She suggests lavish first dates, gifts, flowers, trips in private planes, the works. Then we get to watch the dates on the show. Here is a man who may have lots going for him but he's been made to look and act like someone he's not, so the women rarely see who he really is. All she sees is that he's spending lots of money and attention on her, and he's got millions. We see women who may have lots going for them, but they've been told to look and dress as seductively as possible. That ensures the men get baffled by the boobs and sex appeal and don't get to know what the women are really all about. She tells the men to not talk about business. My issue is with everyone being instructed to not be themselves. And the few who do "slip up" and just act like their authentic selves on the date, for good or bad, get dissed by Patty onscreen for being jerks or immature or otherwise "not Millionaire's Club material". She is proud of her no refund clause and seems to invoke it often. Ok, it IS Los Angeles and, if you believe the media, that's what happens out there. But if Patty is really interested in helping these men and women find their true love, which she keeps telling the camera over and over, she'd let them be themselves and know from the gitgo who the other really was. It would save a lot of time. She might have to work harder for her $25,000 fee trying different combinations, but she'd not be leading anyone into illusion via initial deception. And I'm sure she believes in what she's doing and how she's doing it. But we don't always know what we think we know. I sometimes think I know something, when in fact I don’t know it at all. And to make it worse, I think I know it, so I don’t take the time to contemplate it, so that I really can know it. I’m reminded of a story which Ram Dass accounts in his classic book, “Journey of Awakening,” about a group of monks who one day noticed that a crazy yogi had climbed to the top of their prayer flag pole. They surrounded the pole and chanted the Heart Sutra (also here) and coming to the end, said the words, “By the power of our words, we beseech that this evildoer may come down,” at which point the yogi slid half way down the flagpole. They then ended with “By the power of our understanding of these words, we beseech that this evildoer may come down,” whereupon the man climbed again quickly to the top. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- New - Stop Smoking $10 mp3

Changing with the times, contracts, extending credit

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:13:56 +0000

I've spent the past week doing final layout for the May 2009 Horizons Magazine. Although most of the articles and ads are placed months in advance, final layout week is not just a heavy 10 days of design tweaking, it is a constant flurry of mail and email revisions and phone calls for payment. I've got a simple policy: an ad goes in when it is paid for. Period, end of story. The result of that is that no one ever owes me money. It keeps everyone honest and out of debt. I've got several friends and clients and advertisers who all extend credit to each other, and they are always in an uproar because of who owes what. It's been going on for years. There's always an underlying tension and judgment (why is she here at this dinner with a new $80 handbag when she owes me $100?) It just causes more problems than it solves, so I just don't do it. I'm not a savvy business woman by any means. I always worked for someone else, in my former career as a criminal defense paralegal. I didn't know about things like being eligible for a small business loan when we first began the magazine 17 years ago. If advertisers didn't pay before we went to press, we couldn't pay the printer, period. So either they paid or we just made the magazine smaller and only included who did pay. I didn't know there was any other way to do it. I wasn't someone who saved up money and had it waiting in the bank for me to invest in a business. I didn't read books or articles about how to begin and manage a business. For that matter, I didn't know anything about publishing or design and layout either, and never got a chance to get any formal training, to this day. I could use a Photoshop class for sure. Sometimes I would get a notice in the mail about an upcoming conference for publishers and I'd think, "I should attend one of these". Yet I'd be too busy publishing to get to a conference. This was way before you could research everything on the internet. We're talking back in the dinosaur days when only computer geeks knew about email and the world wide web. I'm sure I could have learned many good things by attending the conferences but, well, the truth is that things were working well enough and I saw no reason to do anything differently. Plus this was when the "business" of putting on conferences as a business was newly emerging, so there was one a month for everything you could imagine. I'm sure one thing they would have suggested is having a business plan and using contracts. I never even thought about a business plan, and I decided early on that to get the discounted contract price, advertisers would simply pay in advance. With me coming from a legal background, I knew all too well that contracts are broken all the time. So I just decided I don't do contracts and it's a choice I stand by. Most of the business owners I do readings for are owed so much money on their contracts, that is their biggest source of worry. And it is their feelings of resistance relative to that issue that hinders other good things from coming into their lives, and from seeing their way out of it. Yet, even knowing this, they continue to enter into contracts and extend credit. Because that is how they were told it must be done. That is how they believe it works. They can't imagine it working any other way. "I will lose my customers if I make them pay as they go." Well, no, you will just find another set of customers that pay as they go - from the gitgo. Yes, you will lose the people who aren't paying you anyway. But that frees up time and space for new people who have different financial habits and beliefs. Yes, your business may even have to change and morph with the times to keep a steady flow of the kind of clientele you want. This will not be a problem because, as you go along, you will get guidance as to what direction to explore next, and which way to go. I never planned on being a publisher or psychic reader as a profession. Heck, I wanted to be Della Street. It was only when I tired of being Della Street that I began listening more closely to inner guidance, and began following it to a new career. Had someone asked, "Do you want to publish a monthly magazine for a living? Do you want to be a professional psychic and do readings all day?" I would have said no. Those ideas just didn't ring my bell as far as future careers. I fell in to the magazine by helping out a couple of friends with some computer work, and quickly discovered how fun it was. I fell into the readings when my mom suggested I work for Psychic Friends Network, which I did for 4+ years. It was easy money, earned from home. Both careers I just fell into, with no planning and no forethought. So in business I've learned to keep it easy and the right clientele will flow to me. If I lose some customers along the way as I make administrative decisions about policy changes, well, those aren't my customers anymore. They left to make way for new ones who are more in harmony with what I offer now. Having said that, our polices haven't changed from the beginning, and I firmly believe my success is due to me just not doing the contract/credit dance. Period. I'm not surprised that I've seen no decline in ad sales, and my readings are booked through August. It's amazing what freedom one simple decision can make. And freedom is the word for it. Freedom to work my own schedule at a job I love. Freedom to spend time in my own gardens and watch the wildlife at play as I work. Freedom to play in the yard during the day and study the cardinals' nesting habits. Which reminds me, today should be the day. Today is 13 days since I saw the first egg, and I believe it is hatched under the mama cardinal right now. She was on the nest yesterday without a break. I've upped the outlay of black oil sunflower seeds, and started overfeeding the cats and squirting them with the garden hose when I see them in the backyard, to keep them in the front yard or the woods. I can hardly wait until daylight so I can watch her a bit more. They'll be flying by the end of the month. Have a good Saturday. I'm back to work! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- New - Stop Smoking $10 mp3

My Facebook posts this week

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:21:23 +0000

Sunday, April 19, 2009. I've spent the last few days finishing up the May Horizons Magazine and today it goes in to the printer. When I have to stay glued to the keyboard and in the office for days at a time, my only goof-off time is when I am rebooting the computer. Then I may run out in the yard and do some quick task, just to take a break and get out in the sunshine for 20-30 minutes every few hours. That gives me my Vitamin D, too. Sometimes it is enough of a break in the work to simply sign on to Facebook and seek what my buddies are doing. Some days I don't even get on, and some days I make a dozen or more posts all day long. Here are some of my Facebook posts from the last few days. In Facebook, when you “make a post”, your photo and your name appears in front of each post: I just got an email with a real compliment... I think. Someone wrote, in response to the pic of me with glasses on my blog site: "Why not be real and use a photo of who you are today, not 20 or 30 years ago?" Obviously they have never met me in person or they would know that's what I look like and the pic is barely 3 years old. I just realized it is someone I know who I last saw in 2000 when I was kinda fat. So I guess I now look 20-30 years younger than I did then - cool! the dozens of little wren like birds have once again descended upon the mulberry tree. The kitties are looking at them like surfers looking at the sea: "I could catch that one, I could catch that one." They are just wishin'. it's too nice out to stay in the office for long. I just took a break to weave a wall of eleagnus and grapevine in the east woods. I also squeezed a fresh sour orange into spring water and sweetened it with 3 fresh stevia leaves from my herb garden. Ok, and a teaspoon of turbinado sugar cuz it's real sour. Have you hydrated yourself enough today? Water keeps us vital! I made the best dinner tonight: salad of parsley, romaine, tomato, watermelon and loquats from my tree, dressed simply with lemon juice, my own fresh basil and a little splash of olive oil. Some sea salt, coarse ground pepper and oregano on top. My taste buds are still humming. Ok, now go make one, you know you want to. is glad to pay taxes to live in a country that's free and full of opportunity. The more I have to pay, the better I know I'm doing. Uncle Sam want an arm & leg? Cool - I mailed it in. I can re-generate! The finchy wrens are out there again - they were just here 2 hours ago. There cannot be any ripe mulberries left, guys! Yawn...up and at it again. It's only work if I'd rather be doing something else. There's nothing I'd rather do today than this. wind sounds like it's dying down out there. I had to shut my south windows because all the windchimes in the meditation hall were going crazy. We're talking 72" long tubular chimes. In concert with the 2 giant windchimes out front, it sounded like a cathedral at noon. Quiet now Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com twitter directory beautiful morning. Just took a walk through my trails and put out the black oil sunflower seeds. Now back in the office watching the yard come alive with squirrels and birds. It doesn't get any better than this. Oh yes it does, hanging here with you guys. I just listened once again to Susan Boyle sing I Dreamed a Dream. Wow, it gets me vibrating just where I want to be first thing in the morning. tried to get another pic of mama cardinal, but she does not like paparazzi at her nest is going to buy some rimless bifocal eyeglasses. I don't know anything about them other than I like how they look and they are lightweight and I want flexible frames. If you wear them and have tips on what I should look for, or know where I can find them at the best price, let me know. Was just outside and noticed hundreds of ladybugs on my bamboo. Come on in gals, help yourself to my aphids! just strained my left paw raking the underbrush from the palmettos. That's what I get for playing instead of working on magazine layout. It will be fine by morning. is having a big parsley and tomato and loquat salad while the rice and peppers cook I just finished my yoga outside, then went around smelling the different jasmines in bloom in the yard and bending the new saplings into shape. Mama cardinal has been on the desk almost all day. Tomorrow is 12 days since I saw the first egg; it is due to hatch. We'll see. Oh neat, channel 59 has a show on container herb gardens and I got one for my birthday! I'm going to watch it just saw one female cardinal at the birdbath and another in the west woods - whaaaaat? Ran to nest to check egg status and mama cardinal is on her nest. Three mama cardinals at once?? WTF? is about to take a break for lunch and watch the mama cardinal on the nest. I wonder if that one egg hatched today, she's been glued to the nest. Let's see, today's lunch will be a salad of watermelon, tomato, loquat and parsley. I sat in the yard at lunch watching the comings and goings, and saw 3 sets of male and female cardinals. That's is counting the mama on the nest. Seeing them all together, I can tell one set is smaller, and the nesting pair do the same song. is eating wedges of watermelon and picking out the seeds. I am pretending I am picking pepperoni off pizza :) is going out to do yoga in the west woods. I can keep an eye on the critters from there. Mama cardinal has not gotten off that nest all day. Not even to powder her nose! flossing my pearly whites heard a squirmish outside and dashed out in the dark in case a cardinal needing rescuing. The cats had a little mole cornered but I rescued him. 4:28am Ah. My favorite time of day. It's so quiet and peaceful. No anger in the air. Time for meditation. had a good meditation today. Hey I think the first egg is hatched under the mama cardinal right now. As soon as it's daylight, I'll go sit on the porch and vibe it out and report back. 10am Spring 2009 HatchWatch - mam cardinal is off the nest and I peeked. Still 3 eggs in the nest, none of them have hatched yet. Stay tuned for further updates. proofreading and more proofreading, watching mama cardinal on her nest. The squirrels are distracting the cats with their antics at the front yard feeder. They are good helpers and they work for peanuts. just saw a yellow bellied fluffy head singing in the pine. Looks kind of like a little kingfisher with the dark crest... will have to find out what it is sees that when mama cardinal leaves the nest, fat girl kitty YinYang sneaks over to nonchalantly sharpen her claws on the base of the nesting bush. She's now been shot with the hose 3 times. I also made a little safety net of moss under the nest, so when the fledglings try to fly, they will fall into the moss just inches from the nest, rather than onto the ground or into a waiting kitty mouth. Curses, foiled again finishing up the May Horizons Magazine and camped out on the back porch awaiting the hatching of the cardinal eggs. Ah, the life of the wildlife journalist... is going to make baked beans using blackstrap molasses today and is soaking the beans now. Anyone have a good recipe? I love blackstrap molasses and it has such good nutrients. I keep it in the refrigerator and chew a soft blob of it every morning. 3:43 heart chakra time! 3 above, 3 below. Well of course that is using the traditional, old school system of 7 main chakras, the heart being the 4th, with 3 above and 3 below. Yes, I know there are really a gazillion chakras and chakra systems. I love how the priests doing the exorcisms on tv send the "demons" into the "pits of hell" in Jesus' name. How about sending them into the Light where they can be transmuted? WWJD? trying to find a recipe online for baked beans that does not begin with "open can of baked beans" mama cardinal at the bird bath! I just peeked into the nest - still 3 eggs... just discovered that the unknown yellow bellied fluffyheaded songbird I saw this morning is a brown-crested flycatcher Mama cardinal has been off and on the nest all day long. Her mate has been relatively quiet... until now. Oh wait, he's calling me outside, time to do yoga, he says. I was wrong, that was the mama cardinal flying back in, announcing her arrival. They have the same song. I just naturally assume the unseen blabbermouth is the male... ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- New - Stop Smoking $10 mp3

Pod people; I never change until I am ready to

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:06:12 +0000

I am getting the May Horizons Magazine off to the printer today. I finished it yesterday morning in time to go to the birthday celebration for The New Way POD. They had a picnic under the a pavilion at Kelly Park in Merritt Island. It was a beautiful day, and there was plenty of food, good music and best of all, I got to see a bunch of my buddies in person! I've been working on special projects the past couple of months and have not gotten up that way on Sundays as I like to do. Thankfully, there is a core group of them on Facebook that I get to stay connected with that way. It was so much fun getting to hang out in person. Especially with this group, since everyone is always so fun and uplifting and just naturally so. POD stands for people of diversity, since it is a group that meets on Sunday whose attendees have diverse religious backgrounds. But I call them "the pod people" and am glad to be a pod person myself. I feel like we're the new peas in the pod. When you unzip us, goodness comes out, loving support comes out, encouragement comes out. And maybe it comes naturally, and maybe we work hard at it, but we make it happen. Not once during yesterday's picnic did I hear anyone complain about the economy. Or their partner. Or their boss. Or anything. You know how you leave an event and then think over it to see what components helped make it so fun? it wasn't just what they brought to the table. It was what they chose to leave at home. What they chose to leave in the past. Now these are folks who know how to party! I've had good luck with my new self hypnosis OOBE - Out of Body Experience and Stop Smoking. One person had my Stop Smoking cd for a week when I wrote and asked him, "Any luck yet with Stop Smoking? It's ok to say it's not working yet. I know smoking is a tough one. Lemme know." He responded, "It helped when I was using it. Funny how a seemingly small change in habit can bring about immeasurable change." He ended with a smiley face. I can't be mad that he stopped listening before seven days had passed. He will hang on to it and have it for the next time he feels ready to quit. I figure it's like me and my eating habits. I didn't change them until I was ready to change them. No matter that I had friends who were vegetarian and very healthy and into nutritional education, telling me years before to change my lumberjack eating style. I was ready when I was ready and not a moment before. That taught me a big lesson, since I had unknowingly jeopardized my health and incurred mega medical bills that are just now getting paid off. I am so smart in other areas and pride myself on always contemplating the consequences before I take action. Yet in that area for so many years, I was totally unconscious. I simply had no interest in the topic at the time I had such good and valuable teachers around me. An obvious example of me being out of vibrational alignment with someone even though we shared much space and time together. But I also think that their influence was working on me at a subconscious level to help me get where I am today. So it wasn't all for naught. I just had to wait until it built up and overflowed into my conscious thought and I got consciously interested in the topic. Better late than never. And now? Now I try to soak up everything going on around me so that, even if I am not interested in a friend's topic, I am open to the possibility that it can help me make a change for the better somewhere down the line. Because when I'm being unconscious, I am not seeing the opportunities around me. But at least now I'm conscious enough to know that I still go unconscious. That I can still make some changes for the better, even though right now I may have no real interest in the topic. That's a start. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Daily doings around AndreaLand

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:23:53 +0000

Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Yesterday was a flurry of getting the May Horizons Magazine to the printer - which I do electronically by the way, via cyberspace. So while I had to stay near the computer in case they called me to make changes, I was able to go out and play in my yard. Here are my Facebook posts of yesterday: Andrea de Michaelis is up and at it again. I love Monday mornings. Another whole chance to do it all differently if I want to. I love new beginnings! mag just went to the printer! Mama cardinal is on the nest. Her bush now has a safety collar on it like the dogs wear since YinYang took too much interest in it yesterday. Yinny is now banned to the house. I just discovered A Mighty Wind is on Ch. 66 Comedy Central - I'm going to watch it! Great, great movie, spoofy and funny. (Afternote: I watched a few minutes then the outside called me again. I get excited about lots of movies but rarely sit through more than until the first commercial...) going out into the yard to play. I look fetching in swimsuit, sun hat and yard boots little fat girl kitty YinYang is nowhere to be found on the property. I only banned her from the back yard where she was bird watching. Seems she took it personally and split for awhile. Don't go away mad, Yinny, just go away. Meanwhile, big giant Maine Coon Kitty Izzy is upside down snoring in a chair at the firepit area in the west woods. He knows how to spend a lazy sunny day. He's as big as a moose and falling out of the chair and looks ridiculous. OMG Paula Poundstone is following me on Twitter. NEAT I know it's the Spring 09 Cardinal HatchWatch that is the draw :) Mama is still on the nest. I saw the 3 eggs earlier today. April 5 was first day I saw the eggs, then 2 more by April 7. You do the math... They are due now! Someone commented about being followed by Paula Poundstone, so I replied: Well, actually, it's like Deepak Chopra and a bunch of them. They "follow" everyone who follows them. You can tell by looking at who follows them and who they follow. If it's everyone, that means they never read what anyone writes, they just post *smile* but still... girl kitty has been located crashed out under a palm frond on the berm in the front yard. Good girl - she could not be farther from the mama cardinal and her nest anywhere else on the property! I like a cat who considers the consequences of her actions and changes her behavior. A quick scare for wildlife critters who come too close is pennies taped inside an empty soda can. Then run and retrieve it before they keep you up with it all night long. I've been hauling water and stacking wood. How is it I've turned into a frontier woman?? (Afternote: it's my saving grace from this worldy madness!) kitties in the front yard, cardinals in the backyard, mama on the nest, still 3 eggs is chewing a blob of chilled blackstrap molasses after sundown yoga with the kitties. Then it's everybody inside for the night, kitty door sealed, away from the cardinal nest. I carried Izzy inside, which I never do, 27 pounds of him. He just let me, although the look on his face was "I beg your pardon?" Maine Coon kitties have this neat kind of trilling sound as they purr. Izzy has a real tiny little kitten meow voice, and he breathes like Darth Vader. Andrea de Michaelis is remembering it is all just a movie.

Giving testimonials

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:48:02 +0000

Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Happy Earth Day. I'm celebrating by communing with my yard all day, and today is also trash day and recycling day for me. And the day I get to water, so all the trees and bushes will get their own drink. That means I won't be glued to Facebook or Twitter during breaks, like I am when I need to stay at the computer. Sunday I got to visit with friends in person that I typically only Facebook with, and one of them has my Connecting With Your Angels, Guides and Teachers cd and my Sleepytime Recharge cd. I told her that I had her testimonial on page 21 of the April Horizons. She got excited because she had not noticed it. One of the people I follow on Twitter is Havi at http://www.fluentself.com. She had a good article on Why People Don't Give You Testimonials. However, I don't agree that it's difficult to get someone to give you a testimonial, so I'm glad I didn't read that before I got some. What I do is simply ask at the time, "May I use that as a testimonial?" Most people assume testimonials are made up anyway, so does it really matter? Lia's testimonial: "I really appreciate your Sleepytime Recharge and Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers cds. They came at the right time and they are very good. They are making a major change in my life and I wanted to say thank you." Jennifer Hudson, Orlando: Andrea, I listen to this mp3 file as I begin my meditation, then I go into the silence for 20 minutes. I never felt very successful at meditating until now. It’s easier to feel peaceful and things don’t worry me as much now. I have even done some automatic writing that has helped me focus myself careerwise, and my new ideas are creating more income. Thank you for the kickstart. Dee Watson, Tampa: Thank you! I downloaded the mp3 file in June and have been listening every night as I go to sleep. I’m down 15 pounds and I no longer have the urge to snack in front of the tv. I also find myself wanting to walk and be more active. Who knew it could be this easy? I don’t know how it works, but it works. Thank you. K Crane, Cocoa: I listen to Sleepytime Recharge every night as I fall asleep and sometimes let it repeat over and over. I used to think I had chronic fatigue or was depressed, but I think now it was all related to my habit of thinking. I have more energy now, more clarity and feel motivated to do things with my family. Thank you. There, now that wasn't so hard. Connecting With Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Sleepytime Recharge $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Shree Mataji is now in Palm Bay until May 14

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:24:04 +0000

[caption id="attachment_1095" align="alignleft" width="75" caption="Ma Yoga Shakti"][/caption] Friday May 1 - Sunday 3rd May 2009 There will be a Retreat with Shree Mataji On Mothers' Day Sunday 10th May, Mataji will give the Sunshine Lecture at 9:00am and at 11:00am we will serve a Mothers' Day Brunch. Bring a vegetarian dish to share. All welcome to spend Mothers' Day with our spiritual mother - Mataji. On May 12th and 13th Mataji will conduct meditation classes from 6.45 - 7.45 pm. Love donation - $10. Please pre-register. Yoga Shakti Mission is located at 3895 Hield Rd NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907. A mile west of Minton Road, just north of Palm Bay Road (exit 176 off I-95) Call 321-725 4024 and visit www.yogashakti.org

Free Market of Melbourne/Palm Bay is Sunday at Manatee Park downtown

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:28:08 +0000

This Sunday April 25th - The first "Free Market of Melbourne/Palm Bay" is this weekend, this Sunday. The RRFM will be at Holmes Park, often Called Manatee Park, in downtown Melbourne. Let people know it is happening and it will be ongoing. Have them bring stuff, put off the yard sale, get that spring cleaning done. Play an instrument? Bring them. Why? Why not? Information tables? Of course. Bring everything but leave your wallet at home. The more people who do this, the larger and more ubiquitous it seems. That means more folk and more goods and more things changing hands and more people taken care of. More goods and services and energy circulating. It's like a potluck--everyone brings something and leaves with more. We all have skills, ideas, objects, talents, smiles, friendship, excitement, discussions and many other things to share. If we bring them together at the REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET, we can provide more balanced and full lives for all of us. Bring food, music, clothes, furniture, toys, skills and thrills and anything else you can GIVE, SHARE or BARTER. Holmes Park, 914 Melbourne Avenue, Melbourne. 1 to 4 pm. If you can't make this one, it's always the last Sunday of every month. For info, contact "Adam" adamus@cfl.rr.com

Yesterday afternoon in the yard

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:31:30 +0000

Thursday April 23, 2009. I wrote this yesterday as I sat out on the yard. it was such a serene scene that I wanted to share it with you. I'm sitting herein the shade of the mulberry, next to the loquat tree in the back yard. The loquats are gone now, the last ones taken by the squirrels and birds last week. There''s a new batch of ripe mulberries on the tree, and I imagine the little wrens that come along about 5pm will descend upon them and pick the tree clean. I am armed closeby and with my Peterson Eastern Birds Field Guide at hand. I want to see exactly what kind of birds this crew is. The squirrels are already used to me and YinYang, who sits close by in the shade of the mulberry tree. She's too fat and lazy to chase , but she likes being where the action is. I am loving that it is almost May and the weather is still mild. There's a plane overhead, heading south and leaving long white trails in the air. I can hear the neighbors somewhere behind me playing in the pool, and the child welcoming Daddy home with "I've been waiting all day to tell you something." And "here boy, come here, boy" to the dog. I can hear the bamboo swishing even though I'm in the backyard and it's in the front. The bamboo is very tall and the wind makes great sounds as it moves through it. It's pretty windy today, so the oaks and palms in the east woods are doing their dance, a tall, dark moving canopy. Yin Yang is facing towards the trail where the brown bunny was seen hopping on the other morning early. She doesn't forget easily. she is now in the optimum spot to watch the bunny trail, the mulberry tree, and the bush where the cardinals' nest is. Izzy is asleep in the firepit area, watching only the backs of his eyelids. My protector. Butterflies, I've got the big yellow ones, the cloudless sulphers, and the orange and black monarches. I see the container herb garden drank about a gallon of water today. Dragonflies, several dragonflies. Squirrels running west to east along the utility wire, which runs conveniently through the mulberry and loquat trees. Fast food for those squirrels on the run. Spanish Needle in bloom, those little white and yellow daisy looking weeds? The bumbly bees love them and it makes a good honey. I hear the papa cardinal talking. I think he's telling his mate he's got some seeds for her. She's saying "do it, then talk about it". I spent a good part of the day working in the yard. By Facebook, I kept everyone up to date on the Spring 2009 HatchWatch. I wrote: Mama cardinal is on the nest - maybe today is the day - Ah! 2 female cardinals at the birdbath@!! Lemme sneak to the back and, if mama is one of them, I get to see inside the nest. Be right back. False alarm. Mama is still on the nest. I just put out their black oil sunflower seeds and put down some chicken for the kitties inside. Make them too lazy to wanna birdwatch... Eating carcass makes me feel lazy, too. Mama cardinal has not left the nest all day. The eggs are ready to hatch surely by now. It is Day 17 since I saw the first egg on April 5. Mama cardinal has been sitting in the nest in an odd position the last half hour. I think there is a baby hatched. She is taller in the nest and looking into it now, whereas before she was on the nest looking around at the yard. Mama cardinal is off the nest. Two of the eggs have hatched. We're all parents! Remember, it takes a village... Mama and papa cardinal calling back and forth to each other and feeding the new hatchlings. Kitties are inside. Sunflower seeds are down in the far side of yard, to keep the night critters away from the nest. I'm so excited! I'll keep you posted. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

My Friday

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:52:07 +0000

Today we got the mailing done for the May Horizons. So I haven't had time to write anything. Except here are my Facebook posts for yesterday and today. I can't wait for the sun to come up to go see the cardinal chicks as soon as mama gets off the nest Mama cardinal has not left the nest. I am sure the 3rd egg has hatched by now. Biological entrainment and all that... (Andrea) had a sore and stiff left knee this morning from overdoing yesterday. At 4am I gave in and took an ibuprophen I had here. It took away the pain and stiffness until just a little awhile ago. Debating whether to take another since I have it here, or if I should dash out to Herb Corner for some white willow tincture. I don't wanna get on the "takin' medicine" bandwagon. Mama is off the nest! 3 chicks!! Two sleeping, one waiting for food. entering 2nd hour of post office paperwork - aaaauuurrrrggghhh! drama! I heard the papa cardinal squawking and saw him hopping about in the bush near the nest, puffed up to twice his size. I couldn't see anything in there. He was clearly telling me there was a snake but I couldn't see one. So I went around to the other side and just reached in with my big pruners and got him. Sorry to see him go. We said a prayer for him. Glad I speak critter. I could see him floating up on his little angels wings saying, "thanks, I'm free again" and contemplating his next incarnation. good grief, baby raccoon in my front yard eating sunflower seeds at the concrete table and bench in the middle of the day. He's now walking away and the blue jay is scavaging behind him. now to go follow little coonie boy and make sure he stays away from the hatchlings also... am done with post office paperwork and ready for mailing of May Horizons. The paperwork is easy if I remember which files to open and update first. But no, I usually pout about it for days and pretend I am not sure which to work on first, as I work on none and play in my yard. I'd better watch out. I'm catching on to me. the proud cardinal parents are feeding the chicks. YinYang is dozing under the mulberry tree and Izzy is crashed out in the west woods. Dinner is on the stove: jasmine brown rice with chopped brussels sprouts and red pepper strips. Maybe a tomato and papaya salad if I can muster the energy. (Andrea) would love to read a new spiritual autobiography - anyone know any good ones? New or old, what are your faves? I like books where the author writes about what s/he does in the course of the day, like being on their journey with them, and what insights they get from it. Like Kathleen Norris' Cloister Walk, Dakota, Amazing Grace, anything by Thomas Merton, Og Mandino and Joel Goldsmith: my old school faves. Oh! I get to design a book cover for a friend's new cook book. I'm gonna start on it right now. Friday The May Horizons has gone to the post office. The 3 hatchlings are in the nest. Mama and papa cardinal are no doubt off finding food for them. Kitties nestled under separate trees on separate lots. finally saw the big gopher turtle who has burrows on my land - he's as big as a serving platter is eating an eggplant and pickle sandwich and lebanese salad from MidEastern Aromas - yum watching mama cardinal on the nest, and Watching Starting Out In The Evening (review at http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/movies/23even.html) I would like a Frank Langella - someone like him as a muse would be nice. "There's something about collaboration that brings out the worst in writers," Langella's character just said. I agree. I write best alone. Ask the exes. just realized my digital camera can do movies! I posted a movie of each of the cats. cooking brussels sprouts with Thai red rice for dinner just peeked in the nest. 3 fat chicks sleeping, getting kinda feathery

turtle-gopher72

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:38:17 +0000

I saw the gopher tortoise; seeing the broader view; appreciating the seasons

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 08:09:41 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I finally saw the big turtle that has several burrows on my property. I was doing a lap around the yard to water in the new jasmine cuttings. The night blooming jasmine will root anywhere I put it, as long as I give it enough water. I have several dozen cuttings down in the yard right now. I heard a crashing sound under my office window and looked to see a big gopher tortoise crashing through the dried leaves. I had not seen this one before, although I discovered two sets of burrows when I was clearing the property in November. I could tell by the burrow size about how big the turtle would be. But I was surprised how heavy s/he was. I should have turned it over to see the bottom of the shell to determine the sex, but I was just thinking to move it from one side of the driveway to the other to save it the long trip to the safety of the side yard. I see I've cut down some palmettos that haven't come back yet, which produce saw palmetto berries, which the turtle eats. I have to remember as I cut my paths, that I may be affecting someone else's food source by my design decisions. Everything is beginning to come back in full force except the west stand of palmettos. I cut them way, way back in November and cut many of the stumps as well. Even though I love my woods, I wanted to open up my yard for a season and be able to see more of it and see farther than I had before. I am blessed that to the west and east of me are several lots of woods, so I can get the feeling of being more secluded and hidden than I actually am. Sometimes I like to feel hidden away and private and sometimes I like to open the yard up and be able to play frisbee and foxtail in the back yard. I'd decided to remove one area about 12x12 feet of palmettos to open up the yard. With the palmettos cut, I could clearly see the pathways and the burrows. From inside the house, with the palmettos gone, I could see a much wider expanse of land. My eye didn't stop at a wall of palmetto fronds. I could see well into the next lot and beyond. When the animals went down the trails, my eye could follow them clear into the next lot. I liked being able to see farther than I had before. I liked that broader view. I like the fact that we have seasons. I like knowing that in November the plant growth will slow down, and the mowing drops from once a week to once a month. I like knowing that, even though the trees may become sparse of leaves and the bamboo mere sticks in the air in what passes for wintertime here in the sub tropics, new growth will come on again in springtime. After the hurricanes of 2004, my oaks and pines took a couple of years to come back from their little shock. The storms cleared a lot of deadfall, and shocked so much of the smaller branches that I lost many of them in the next couple of years. There was lots of continuing deadfall, and the sky opened up with each one, but this past year there have been many strong new branches growing. The oaks are just this year back to being completely full of dense leaves, making a nice dark canopy in the east yard. I'm glad to clear away the deadfall, and I'm glad to see the new growth. I appreciate there had to be a wintertime, to enrich the soil for Spring. I appreciate the process. I appreciate the seasons. Not just the weather, in my life also. I know that anything I goof up merely fuels tomorrow's transformation. I know my yesterdays do not have to be my tomorrows. I know every new beginning starts right now. I hope to see you at the downtown Melbourne Art Fest, and the Free Market.

Unsolicited advice; who is my target audience? It's a meaningful life, it just takes practice

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 07:10:57 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I went to my favorite Vietnamese pho restaurant for lunch. The owner complained nonstop to me about how bad the economy is. He typically does that and we've had "the talk" (about how we attract what we focus on) but often he's busy so he doesn't have time to talk to me. He asked why he hadn't seen me in a more than a month. I told him the truth, I've been busy and I've been cooking. The only reason I was taking a break from going there in the first place is that I don't eat where people are complaining. So yesterday, when he began to settle in for a long talk, I asked for my order to go. I knew that I was going to discard it once I got home. He prepared it in his unconnected mindset, so I wasn't going to ingest it. I tipped him $7 on a $13 check and politely split. It's not my place to correct him or teach him. He knows what I believe, we've had that conversation before. I don't get mad at him. I say a joking reminder each time as soon as he does it. And although he hears what I am saying, he does not hear what I am saying. He does not get it, that there is truly a link between what you say and what you attract. Between what you talk about and what you go on to experience. I am not going to make an issue of it with him if he does not understand, nor am I going to try to pound it into him. I just eat elsewhere. It's a shame when it affects being with people I enjoy being with. But on that issue I just won't compromise. For long anyway. If it's my neighbor who just has my ear for a few minutes and it's our only contact, that's fine, I can sit through it. I don't need to educate them on what I believe and what they need to do to meet my expectations. I can just listen. I don't even need to tell them I agree or disagree. I say things like, "I hear you. I understand what you're saying. I can see how you feel that way." I do not say things like, "Well, if you don't like that, why do you keep attracting it to yourself?" My life got easier when I realized it is not my place to preach to or try to convert anyone to my way of thinking. I used to think well, if they are in front of me, then it must be for me to teach them something. LOL Are you laughing, too? I realized years later that I was in front of these people to learn from them, not to teach them. Typical novice. I realized later that no matter who was in front of me, my "multitude" were those few who were asking for what I had to offer. Not everyone that I may have wanted to be interested in it or me. Just those who were asking for it. If they weren't asking for it, it didn't matter how much I shouted it. They weren't my audience. No matter how much I thought they'd be happier if they "woke up", they weren't asking to be woken up. I let them have their dream. There are plenty of people who want what I do, who want what you do, that we don't need to worry about losing business. The business we lose is not our target market any longer. I've been blessed with good business, I've learned to surf with the changes and dance through the upgrades. It took a lot of years of a lot of discipline but, as spiritual brother Bo Lozoff says, "It's a meaningful life, it just takes practice."

A reminder from the Universe

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:36:52 +0000

Monday April 27, 2009. I had a gentle reminder from the Universe yesterday. I'm pretty strict about what I eat since I changed several years ago to a very low fat diet. I don't really miss certain foods anymore, but I miss the idea of certain foods. So Sunday I had a sandwich for lunch. Pretty innocent. Bread, some light mayo, turkey breast and swiss cheese. Innocent, except that is a heavy combination for me these days, at about 30 grams of fat total. I usually keep my meals at about 15 grams of fat each. Then for dinner, several hours later, I was in the market and bought a relatively lowfat, frozen vegetarian pizza. Lowfat at 11 grams of fat per serving and 4 servings in the box. That's real low compared to a lot of what is available, but still a relatively high fat meal for me, to ingest 30 grams of fat at one meal. Especially after having a heavy lunch. I ate 2/3 of the pizza and, as I did so, I knew I'd have repurcussions simply because I'd eaten bread twice in the day. I eat so little processed food, so I knew my sinuses would clog up for a day or two afterward. But I didn't expect to be up all night with indigestion. Indigestion, no big thing, right? No big thing except, since I change my eating habits, I never get it anymore. The last time I got "indigestion," it was followed by a hospital visit, and the two times before that as well. So I finally caught on in 2005 that I needed to drastically changed my eating patterns or have some problems down the road. So when I got 'indigestion" last night, it kind of scared me and was a good reminder that, as simple and normal as it seems to have a sandwich for lunch and a few slices of pizza for dinner, that life was not for me anymore. Period, end of story. I was out of the Traditional Medicinals Eater's Digest Tea I usually have on hand, so I was sipping peppermint tea and feeling irky and uncomfortable from about 10pm until almost 5am, when I finally fell asleep for a couple of hours. I woke up feeling better, and decided to be smart and stick to liquids for a few days, to give my system a little pampering. And papaya! I bought two papayas at the market yesterday, and a few hours later read my receipt and saw that instead of charging me $1.76 per pound for them, she charged me $1.76 total for them. A big savings since they each weigh a couple of pounds. Thank you, Universe! I know that papaya is good for digestion, plus I love the taste of it. I knew if I was going to be eating a frozen pizza, it would be good to have papaya on hand. I find if I keep good food choices on hand, it makes it easier to do the "right thing" when it's time to eat. It helps keep me on the right path. This morning, I left the cats out when I got up. Since we've got the cardinal nest right outside the back door, I've been making them stay inside overnight. The nest was built about chest high, right outside the door the cats come in and out all day. When they go in and out the door, I usually follow them out with the broom and shoo them into the side yards. A few times during the day I may see them in the back yard paying a little too close attention to the direction of the nest, and when I do, I shoo them away again. Sometimes, they will only walk so far and then lie down as if, "This is as far as I'm going. I was allowed here last week." When that happens, I simply pick them up and walk them around to the side or front yard, and place them at the head of a trail into the woods and walk away. When shooing them away from the nest just brings more attention to the nest, it's time to change tactics. Change tactics and give them something else more compelling to watch. That's when it's helpful to encourage them down another path. Like me keeping only the right foods in the house. I will still go out and buy whatever I decide I want, but I won't keep it on hand "just in case." That would be premeditation. And the only things I want to pre-meditate or pre-pave in my life are things that are good and useful and meaningful. All I have to do is keep facing myself down that path. I'll get it. Sooner or later, I'll get it. Meanwhile, I keep on dancing.

The best things that ever happened were not anticipated; When friends die; Seeing through the illusion; Reframing the past

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:32:05 +0000

Tuesday, April 28, 2009. Today is the 33rd anniversary of my brother Bobby's passing. He was 22 in 1976 when he committed suicide. I know - tragic - but it was a long, long time ago and I view those things differently now. At the time, he was hanging with a sketchy crowd and twice I'd had to bail him out of jail for minor offenses. He'd recently had a surgical procedure that wasn't healing well. He had a minimum wage job he enjoyed, and no high school diploma. He lived with the love of his life and not far from his new daughter. He was going through a lot of things, mental and physical, and apparently it overwhelmed him. He didn't talk to anyone about his troubles, so who knows what specific combination of thoughts finally got to him. Although I felt sadness at the time, mostly for his wife and for my mother who were crushed, I felt mostly relief that I wouldn't have to worry about him any longer, or wonder when that middle of the night call would come. Or how I would tell my parents when it happened. It was something I had never anticipated or considered would happen to me. As with most tragic things. I felt stoked that my heart didn't feel ripped right out of my body, as it did when my husband died a few years earlier. I had been meditating and studying yoga philosophy, and viewed each death as a practice in seeing through the illusion. I began feeling connected to the essence of each loved one who passed and through time, it just seemed both natural and transitory when the bodies fell away- nothing to get upset about. It is going to happen. I will feel blessed when it comes, while eagerly anticipating the next adventure. That's the thought I pre-pave for myself. But also, the best things that ever happened to me were not planned or anticipated. I thought I'd just live in Miami and work in downtown law offices and be Della Street and that would be my life. And it was, and I was happy. I lived a good life. I worked and played (even softball!) with a great group who all had substantially more than I did as far as material things. We travelled about on boats and planes and helicopters to all sorts of fun party spots for weekends together. Recreation and weekends that, had I not been invited along as a guest, I could not have afforded. They were definitely unplanned upgrades to my life. Things I didn't expect or strive for. They seemed to just spring out of nowhere, or as a side effect to me having a fun life. The first time I went to NY, the Bahamas, Bermuda, I would sit and marvel to myself "how did I luck in to this?" I never gave serious thought to any life other than just working at the law office. Life was good, pay was good, I got paired with high profile attorneys representing powerful businessmen and infamous celebrity types. I loved my job and the people around me, and the clients. I'd go above and beyond for my boss or the clients. I became friends with many of them. And, every few years, I'd feel guided to a paralegal position at another firm, for lots more money and I'd make the switch. I had once walked into a complex job where the assistant before me did not keep extensive details about how to do the job. After that, I made it a policy to keep a running account of how that job was done. So if I died tomorrow, my boss could just find these instructions in the top drawer, and know where everything is and what had to be done in what file by what date. I always did the work of 2-3 people and I loved the work. My friend Sunny Beckwith was like that also. We'd crank out the work and it would be spot on accurate. It always seemed like I was working in a fun place with friends I knew, for a lot more money and more freedom and opportunities than many of my other 9-5 friends had. It split us into two worlds, and the pouty pusses tended to have the boring mundane jobs. They had less choices and opportunities. They were right there next to us, but not vibrating in resonance with us, so they wouldn't see what we could see. I used to think I was lucky, since so many things always went my way. Then I thought I might be a jinx, since so many close family and friends were passing (1960-70's the drug years). Then I realized that I was indeed lucky, and that my friends had chosen to come in to my life so I could go through their death experience with them. After the first few, I realized it's important to say what you feel needs to be said and did not say in life, so that became my rap. Just to get them thinking about what amends they might make to clear the air, to clear their own conscious. Some people would rather go to their deaths full of guilt and frustration than voice their troubles to an unsympathetic ear. That was when I became that sympathetic ear, I became someone who gave another perspective, another side to the story. I was someone who helped them reframe the circumstances and events of their lives in order to see that it has usually indeed been an ideal life that just needed to be looked at from another viewpoint, a few years down the road. I am always finding little bits of the past that float up. I delight in reframing the events of the time to find links to my giddy Now. The deeper I look, it's all good news. I never would have said, I want to publish a monthly magazine and be known all over Florida for it and be some new age guru. I would not have applied for that job, had I seen it advertised. But now 17 years later, I am still publishing Horizons Magazine and loving my career. I never grew up thinking I'm going to be a fortuneteller and use my powers for good. But in the late 80's my mother suggested I apply to Psychic Friends' Network and I worked for them until late 90's. I loved the freedom to do readings for a lot of people I didn't know and I would work my job during the day and do the phone line all night long. Even so, I had a lot of time and energy to do personal fun projects as well. Life was getting better and better. Then I decided I wanted to move away from Miami to Dallas where two friends were. In the process, I met a friend at the law office and we began dating and I decided to instead move the next year 3 hours north to Melbourne, where his father owned property. I met Mark Tietig at the law firm and gave him a ride home after a pretrial session. He lived on a sailboat at a Coconut Grove marina. He'd been blinded in a sailing accident and the firm was representing him. We began hanging out and became the best of buddies and both decided to move to Brevard County at the same time. My uncle built me a home in a section of Palm Bay woods, and Mark built his home in Merritt Island. Once again, the Universe conspired to bring all sorts of good things into my life, just because I was already having fun and It wanted the fun to continue. So, since my life can be like that without me doing much envisioning or pre-planning about it, maybe sometimes I get too resistant when I am focusing on saying my affirmations too often or on schedule. There's a fine line. And right now, there can be something that I've already done, some work I have already created that is sitting in a drawer, that is going to bring me a contract or gig I would love to do, and I just don't know it yet. That's all. It makes me wonder what exciting thang is coming up for me that I can't even imagine right now? Something that will give me a quantum leap upgrade. I can feel the tension building. It's going to be a good one. You'll be the next to know. Andrea LISTEN FREE: You Are Not The Body The End of Death As We Know It

animal-spirit-guidance-blank

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:00:08 +0000

animal-spirit-guidance-blank72

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:02:12 +0000

animals-wild72-779697

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:02:44 +0000

Animal Spirit Guidance website is coming along

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:05:38 +0000

This is a new website I'm in the middle of creating. These are our temporary pages Animal Spirit Guidance while I get all the info together. I know anytime I go online, there are so many pages to have to go through, that contain unrelated stuff, so I wanted to put it all on one page to make it easier to find. And when It's easier for me, I can make it easier for you, too. I am still looking for artwork I can use on the site, I like the wildlife montague scenes. Later I'll add personal stories of animal guidance. Stay tuned.

Cardinal nest update; what story do you tell about your life?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:49:29 +0000

Wednesday April 29, 2009. I goofed. I made this post before I left for Ocala this morning and thought I published it and find I did not. Sorry about that, here it is. Well, no Facebook posts for you today. Yesterday I took it easy and stayed in my bedroom for most of the morning. I typically fall asleep in the chair in the living room, proof reading. It's kind of uncomfortable, which is the point. I don't keep a recliner or comfortable couch in there because I don't want to become a couch potato. I usually get up after a few hours and wander into my bedroom about 3am for another hour or two of sleep before I get into my day. This time I wheeled the laptop (it's on a rolling hospital tray) into the bedroom with me. My room stays nice and pitch dark, which is very healing and restful to me. As soon as I walk into the other parts of the house, there is lots of sunlight, which wakes me right up. So I wanted to stay in a restful mood as long as I could. It reminds me of when I used to travel so much. I would get the best rest at hotels, since the rooms get real cold and dark, perfect for sleeping. Half my time in a hotel room is always spent at the laptop working in the middle of the night. So when I have the laptop in my bedroom at home, it has a bit of a vacationy, out of town feel to it. I wasn't even going to write this, since I don't like bringing people's attention to anything less than happy or up. No matter that something is a fact of life. A couple of times this week I'd noticed yard snakes just a little too close to the cardinal nest. Living in a wooded area, there is lots of wildlife here and snakes are part of that. I'm used to it. They don't freak me out. They are harmless for the most part, in fact I've never seen a poisonous snake on my property, ever. I usually let the snakes go when the cats bring them in the house or corner them outside. But I killed three snakes this week. I wrote about two of them in Facebook. I think I was feeling a little too proud of myself, and vibrating there too long. When I got up yesterday, the nest had been disturbed, and the cardinal family was gone. The nest was not completely destroyed, but it was empty and in disarray. The hatchlings usually fly in 10 days, and they were only 6 days old but had most of their feathers. I later saw the mama and papa cardinal out at the bird bath, and could hear them in the east woods. My story is that they moved the nest. It's possible that is what happened. Either way, it's just the cycle of life. A couple of people asked on Facebook about the nest, and I told them the story as I see it. Maybe they did not move the nest. Maybe that is not the truth. But it's the story that makes me feel better. It is a story that doesn't make anyone go "Ewwwww, gross!" and have thoughts and visions in their mind of things they do not want to happen to them or anyone they know. It's a story that lets others play over and over again in their minds a happy scene of a happy life. And that's my story across the board. I have a happy life, and when things like this happen, they happen. It is what it is. But I don't have to recount every sad or violent thing that happens to me when I talk to others. The story I tell to others reflects just how I see my world. I don't see the world as predatory and scary. I see the world as a welcoming and loving place, full of opportunity. As a well stocked kitchen, as Abraham-Hicks says, with everything in it that I need to create a beautiful and fulfilling life. Do scary things happen? Sure. Do predators exist? Sure. But that doesn't have to be my focus. I don't need to continue to talk about those things and lament them and grieve over them and draw everyone else into the chain of pain. My story is that life is good and fun and full of opportunity. My story is that I live a happy life with great friends and family and fulfilling activities. My story is that I have all I need and am always receiving more and more. And it's not just a story. It's really my life. Do bumps happen? Sure. Are they the norm? Not by any means. A few months ago I began sending out a newsletter, and got an email from a very critical friend about "what a nightmare" the format was. I asked him for a remedy and he said simply "you just plain have to learn how to do this." Ken does not understand law of attraction, and went on to say, "As long as you keep peddling new-age snake oil the deities of rationality and common sense will continue to screw up your efforts." I guess I don't see a goofy looking newsletter as screwing up my efforts. That may be what he sees. I'm always into content over form, though. When I see someone's newsletter and it's obviously not professionally and technically perfect, I could really care less. I look to see what they are saying to me. I look to see what the message is they are trying to get across to me. I look for their story behind the appearance of it all. Is my way better? No. Does my way make people feel at ease and let them know I understand them, or are trying to? Yes. And that's my point. I, too, used to be that cynical, smart ass, sarcastic person that took pride in one-upping anyone I imagined myself to be smarter than, better than, more (fill in the blank) than. And now? Now I realize what it's all about. Now I realize we're all in this together. Now I do my best to help make everyone's life a little easier. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

My Cassadaga and Ocala trip

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:16:24 +0000

Thursday, April 30, 2009. I got up early yesterday and drove to Ocala and Cassadaga with the May Horizons Magazine. I love doing that drive. Plus I love getting to shop at the Mother Earth Market in Ocala. Since our Wild Oats in Melbourne closed, I miss the wide variety of vegetarian and natural foods. One thing I did discover, though, was that I make a way better hummus than they do! I originally tried a (packaged) carrot hummus spinach wrap from the deli there and loved it so much that I came home and made my own version (recipe here). So yesterday while I was there, I bought another one and ate it on the hour drive to Cassadaga. I make mine with canned garbanzos and lots of lemon, garlic and parlsey. After eating mine for several months now, I compared it to the sandwich I had today. No contest! It was quite the revelation. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful drive. There is almost nothing I'd rather do than be driving on the road, seeing the sights around me. Sometimes I find a radio station playing music I like, sometimes I listen to my latest Abraham-Hicks cd of the month, sometimes I return phone calls. But mostly I like to drive in the silence. I'm one of those people who loves the silence. I love travelling alone, doing things alone and being alone with my thoughts. A lot of friends ask to come along when I make my monthly trips, but I really prefer to go by myself. One reason is that I stay focused on where I am going and what I am doing, and I work things out in my head before I get there. Simple pre-paving. Like on the way to Ocala I was thinking about all the new locations we have up there and I was sending some good vibes out to each of the store owners and holding a vision for them of good business and happy times. My friend Janet Slimak lives in Ocala and she has been kind enough to help me by keeping the local businesses supplied with the magazine. So I spend some time on the way up there envisioning her personal success and her success with getting Horizons into the stores. After that, on the drive to Cassadaga, I go over in my mind each of the advertisers I have there and I envision them flourishing and getting lots of business. I envision them renewing their ads and being happy with all facets of their lives. I think of what I know about each one and hold a vision in my mind of them reaching their loftiest goals and having supreme satisfaction. That's what I do on my drives to a location. If someone is in the car with me, we're chatting about miscellaneous and sundry things, and that takes away several hours of creative visualization time. Yes, I like to visit with friends, but I also know how important it is for me to spend the time on the way somewhere pre-paving just how I'd like it to go. I haven't been disapppointed yet. A friend was talking to me about a trip they made to south Florida last week. They took along a friend, "just to have a companion for the ride" and then complained about having to listen to them talk the whole time about their problems. (Yes, complaining about complaining is still complaining.) The idea of having someone along just for company is foreign to me. I take my alone time and my silence time when I can get it and I relish in it. A beautiful Thursday is dawning. Enjoy it! ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

The May Horizons Magazine is now online

Fri, 01 May 2009 12:39:26 +0000

The May Horizons Magazine is now online - check your horoscope for the month!

Saturday May 2nd Noon Vegetarian Lunch Yoga Shakti Mission

Fri, 01 May 2009 20:01:14 +0000

This Saturday 1st May 2009, Tennessee Vickerie will cook a Guyanan Vegetarian Lunch which will be served at 12 noon at Yogashakti Mission. The menu will be rice, dal, rotis, tamarind chutney, pumpkin spicy vegetable dish and tasty, hot potato curry. All welcome $7 per person. Children free. This Sunday May 3rd from 9 - 10 AM Mataji, Ma Yogashakti will give a lecture on "Purifying the Mind". All are welcome to come and listen to Mataji’s beautiful message. No charge, but donations gratefully accepted. Yoga Shakti Mission is located at 3895 Hield Rd NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907. A mile west of Minton Road, just north of Palm Bay Road (exit 176 off I-95) Call 321-725 4024 and visit www.yogashakti.org All welcome to listen and receive Mataji's blessings.

mataji-beach-good-file72

Fri, 01 May 2009 20:03:56 +0000

Ma Yoga Shakti

Creating more work for myself; discovering new areas of unconscious behavior that no longer serve me, becoming the master of my mind

Sat, 02 May 2009 09:12:36 +0000

Saturday May 2, 2009. I've started a new bill paying procedure. In trying to consolidate tasks, sometimes I create an undue burden for myself. I used to put the bills in my daily flip calendar, and pay several at a time. But sometimes days would go by and I'd be so involved in other computer work, that I didn't want to take the time to bother with paying them. That meant opening a new program, when I already had 5 open at the time, mid-task in each. So as a few days would go by, I'd start feeling pressured to pay the bills every time I'd see the flip calendar full to bursting. I knew I had them in there far enough in advance to not be late in paying, but it was the thought of the task that I let burden my mind. As soon as I realized that, I realized I could solve the problem by simply paying all bills as they come in. As silly as it sounds, that just never occurred to me before. I was creating more work for myself without meaning to and without knowing it. Are you laughing, because you do it, too? It wasn't until I got a client that pretty much did the same thing that I realized, "Hey, I do this too, on some level". It was me discovering a new area of unconscious behavior. A behavior that no longer served me. I'm real conscious in most areas of my life, but still ignorant and unconscious in others. I am always glad when I discover a new layer to be exposed and held to the light for examination. It always signals to me that an upgrade is in the works. As usual, for me, it wasn't the task at hand that was daunting, it was the thought of the task that I let burden my mind and overwhelm me. Kind of like firewalking. You can either freak yourself out about it for hours ahead of time, or you can just trust and walk it. My mind, my mental processes are the only thing that ever stands between me and what I say I want to do. If I am who I say I am, then I keep that in mind. If I am who I say I am, I help myself by paying attention - during times of meditation - to what thoughts my mind goes to when left on its own. I allow myself several times during the day to become the observer, and get to know my mind, and get to know myself as the master of that mind.

Mild weather now=mild hurricane season. The best time to prune is after you learn how; seeing as far as I want to see

Sun, 03 May 2009 10:40:31 +0000

Sunday, May 3, 2009. I'm loving the chilly nights we've been having, and the mild breezy days. The mild weather this late into the year always means the upcoming hurricane season will be mild also. Which means no scary stuff for us this year. So remember that a few months from now when the weather folks start pointing out every storm that brews in the Atlantic. We don't care. We know that whatever they are, they will be manageable and just follow their course. And even if they pass right through us, well, we've had big winds already this year and we're still here and we're still fine. I spent yesterday finishing the billing and opening last week's mail. Saturday is also my day to use the sprinklers so they are on nearly all day, with me moving them every hour or so. I have created front and back privacy walls of ficus, bamboo, arborvitae, turk's cap, lantana, philodendron, loquat, mostly by just sticking cuttings in the ground every time I prune a plant. I prune by the moon phase, so I prune anytime from 12 hours after full moon until the last quarter, 7 days later. Energetically, there is a peaking of electromagnetic energy in all living things at the time of the full moon, and then a slow withdrawal of energy for the next two weeks, as the moon wanes. This is when the sap flows downwards into the roots. The best time for pruning is that first week after full moon. A good rule of thumb is: the best time to prune is after you learn how. Take a quick Google to learn how to prune for maximum control, production and plant protection. Like don't leave those little nubs when you cut a branch off. Cut it flush with the limb, otherwise the bark won't heal over the nub. Little things like that are good to know. Anyway, my point is I have lots of plants to water, and that is why I have so many, because I cultivate them that way. It helps me feel a sense of privacy and living in my own world here, although I am actually in a neighborhood with neighbors all around. My saving grace is having the wooded lots on either side of my home, with tall trees and lush vegetation. That extends my living space a lot, and also allows me to see as far as I want to see. When I do yoga outside, I can either focus on the mulberry tree with all the birds and squirrels in it, and the beautiful oak tree just beyond, or I can stand over on the east edge and see into a neighbor's back porch with binoculars. When I look to the west, I see nothing but trees and sky. What a blessing that is. Behind me, I can see the arborvitae and crepe myrtle and silver necklace pod, and past it to the pines, or I can look past the pines to the top of Todd's roof and the power pole. I can see as far as I want to see. I can stop short of looking at something, even if it is in my line of vision. We do it all the time. Example: we say we want a life mate, then ignore the one who stands beside us for lo those many years. We see what we choose to see. I see what I choose to see. And I see living in a world that is loving and helpful and kind and generous. I see living around people who get pleasure from encouraging each other in their visions, and their visions are diverse. I see everyone coming to know their own power and potential and having fun in the playing with that. I see the entire world and beyond as my playground, and I see the Universe as my personal manager. That's what I see when I open my eyes. And do I let Todd's roof get in the way of that view? Nah. I barely know it's there.

They just changed the way they size clothing

Sun, 03 May 2009 23:23:41 +0000

I just read that Kim Kardashian's measurements are 35-26-40 and at 117 lbs (and 5'2") she's a size 2/4. I thought that was interesting since when I was 35-22-37 at 115 lbs (in 1970 at 5'9") I was a size 9/10. Now I see all the fuss about sizes!!! All they are doing is changing size criteria, right? I just found this: US standard clothing sizes were developed from statistical data in the 1940s-1950s. They are similar in concept to the EN 13402 European clothing size standard. However, as a result of various cultural pressures, most notably vanity sizing, North American clothing sizes have drifted substantially away from this standard over time, and now have very little connection to it. Instead, they now follow the more loosely defined standards known as US catalog sizes. These are on average 6 sizes smaller than the original standard. So, for example, a size 12 on the old standard would today be described as a size 6, while a size 6 on the old scale would be what is today known as size zero. That explains it. Like when they talk about how "big Marilyn Monroe" actually was. At 35-23-35, she was a size 8. And Kim kardashian? She's gorgeous either way. Who cares what the number is? Just stay healthy and fit. Now I know why the tiny petite friends I have have such a hard time finding clothes that fit. They would drown in a size zero if it's really the standard size 6. Vanity sizing. What a riot.

Daily practice; watering a little every day

Mon, 04 May 2009 10:30:00 +0000

I'm stoked. I'm really loving the cool nights we're still having in early May. I like sleeping with the windows open, so I can hear the night sounds. There's a night blooming jasmine just outside my bedroom window, and the scent is heavenly! It's been blooming like crazy lately, since I've been keeping it watered. It's amazing how much difference it makes to just keep the plants watered every day. My usual story to myself is that I am too busy to worry about moving hoses and sprinklers all around and what days I can and can't water, and I should just let nature take its course. But then I realize that I really do want to give the plants enough water to help them thrive. So I have to make myself look at it a different way, not as a task that burdens my already busy schedule. So now I look at it as what I get to do when I take a break from the computer during the day. I can just hook up the longest hose and start way in the back and just give every plant a little drink and move all around the yard in less than 2 hours. I get to say hello to each plant and I get to notice it and be mindful of it. I can tell which are growing, who gets the best sun, who drinks more water. I can count it as part of my daily spiritual practice, a daily checking in with other beings who share my space. The idea of that appeals to me. That sounds like a movie I want to star in. Even so, I know that my intention is simply to keep the plants sufficiently watered. So what if I have to trick myself by some mental play acting in order to motivate myself to get it done? The play acting turns to reality as I find satisfaction in the daily doing of it all, as it makes my experience more fulfiling and allows me to draw more living out of life. It gives my life more meaning. And it gets the job done.

Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For?

Tue, 05 May 2009 07:05:31 +0000

Tuesday, May 5, 2009. I have a friend who recently joined Facebook and she's not sure exactly how it works. Why do all these people want to be my friends? It's just a networking gambit, so if you're on there to network and bring attention to your website, just accept new friends. What if they only have stupid things to say. I don't want to read all that from everyone. Just use the "hide" feature to hide them from your news feed. I have 743 "friends" yet less than a dozen on my news feed. On my news feed, I have a handful of friends I actually know and rarely get to see in person. I use Facebook to stay in touch with them, and I like hearing about the goofy things they do throughout their day. I like hearing what they think about what they do and what they think about what they see around them. I like knowing what Aimee from childhood is having for lunch and what she does at work. It gives me a glimpse of their real lives, lives that I don't otherwise have time to keep track of. Not everyone uses Facebook the same way. I use it as a purely social tool. A lot of business owners and other professionals I know use it the same way. Many of my media friends, publicists, etc. all use it purely for socializing. Now Facebook may be where they make all sorts of good professional connections, but they will check each other's websites as listed in their Facebook profile. They will email the person directly, not though Facebook, if they are interested in doing business with them. Then there are those new entrepreneurs who have been told by high pressure types that Facebook is a great place to solicit and market themselves. Their posts are always promotional. Some of them use a lot of ALL CAPS and exclamation points!! They give you no glimpse of who they really are. Even a couple of my "real" friends do that. And not all the time. But enough that I hide them from my news feed. Oh, I can read them anytime I want by going to their wall or "checking hidden posts" at the bottom of the Facebook home page. And maybe I miss some interesting posts. But I simply don't want to be solicited when I go to Facebook, so I keep them hidden. For me, Facebook is a break in the work day. I understand I am not in a typical business and I have a lot of advantages. As a publisher, it's my job to find interesting, illuminating writers to turn other people onto via Horizons Magazine. So I already combine what I love to do with being a workaholic and it works out well. So for a break, even for a few moments, I go to Facebook and see what the local gang is up to. And I don't want to read what everyone is promoting. So who's right and who's wrong? It's not a question of what's right and wrong. It's the same as sitting with a group of friends in the library or in church. Some of them know how to behave in the place and some don't. We're lucky that, in life as in Facebook, we have the choice to hide from our news feed anything we don't want to be exposed to. We can choose to keep our attention on what we prefer and what we like, and simply "hide" info we don't care about. Hide? I hear you saying. You can't hide from reality. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about, as Abraham-Hicks says, being a selective sifter of the input you accept into your conscious awareness. I don't have to change the behavior of anyone around me. I don't need to quiet the screaming meamie on the corner. That's not my job. No one is asking me to do it. I can just choose to focus on other things. Let the screaming meamies have their say. Just hide them from your news feed. That leaves lots more room for useful input. I'm just discovering Facebook Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

Making a difference in how someone sees the world

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:26:58 +0000

Wednesday May 6, 2009. I got a call the other day from Lia Firmani who purchased several of my cds and she particularly liked the Sleepytime Recharge. She told me that "Listening to it repeatedly helped me a lot and made a big difference in how I see life. "That's a breakthrough for me, " she said. Sometimes we just need a gentle reminder in a friend's voice while we're falling asleep to set our subconscious to work for us. Some of the suggestions on Sleepytime include: "I no longer worry over events of the past. Every day begins my life anew and every day is a new beginning. I feel optimistic about my future possibilities. I find greater satisfaction in my everyday life. I find fun and interesting ways to spend my time and I have an increasing sense of mission and purpose." These are just simple phrases. No magic words there. But for someone who has had a very challenging life and is just now coming to understand that our thoughts help determine what our future experience will be, thinking these thoughts can be a revelatory and life changing tool. For someone whose only happy memories are in the past, it's life altering to suddenly be guided in the direction of finding more meaning and satisfaction in their everyday life. We all know people like that. And I know it can be as easy as hearing a fellow diner say "I love salads. I eat them twice a day" that reminds me how much I love salads and begin to eat them twice a day. It can be as easy as someone saying "I find happiness in everything around me" for someone else to consider that as a new belief and for it to change their world. What new thoughts and beliefs do you share with those around you? What do they walk away feeling filled with? . ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Sleepytime Recharge $10 mp3 ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers $10 ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:- Free mp3 file Universal Manager with $10 purchase

Do you warn friends, or let them have their own dream?

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:09:33 +0000

Thursday May 7, 2009. Should I warn friends and family when I see them getting caught up in multi-level marketing schemes, and networking time-and-dollar-wasters? Questions like this come up in readings all the time. You have friends who belong to a national franchise named Wealth Something or Income Building Something and they are always running around to meetings and business workshops where they pay for their own training, in the hopes of beginning their own business, or meeting up with possible investors or partners. They come away with lots of marketing materials and/or inventory, thousands upon thousands in fees on their credit card, and their heads filled with exaggerated income claims. I know people who are involved, and I do readings for many of them. I have friends who belong as well, so I get a lot of unsolicited input on the topic. Some of them have been at it a decade or more. The bottom line? Personally, I have not heard a valid success story yet. No one I know who is involved has built a working business, or expanded their business or expanded their scope of financial supporters from what they've learned or whom they've met. Many, after they leave years later, feel they just got de-programmed from a cult and are shocked at how many thousands of dollars and hours of valuable time they've lost in the process. Why didn't friends and family warn them, they usually want to know. I believe warning is a two edged sword. What you warn someone about is what you focus their attention on. I don't warn visitors to my home that there are snakes in the yard. Why even put their attention there? Why take their full attention from the beauty of the gardens by having them search for a snake where they may not even be one? I know that what someone else has experienced in the past does not have to be my experience now or in the future. I know that someone who is just getting into say, IBI/CEO, does not have to have the same experience as someone I met years ago named Will. Will's story is such a classic example and I found this online that says it well. So do I tell them or not? I personally, if they are friends, simply ask periodically how they are progressing. They either tell me the truth, or they give me the pre-programmed rap. In either case, unless they are asking me for advice, I say nothing. I help encourage them in what is already working for them. I cheerlead them on to checking out other opportunities. I help them identify who in their life adds to it and helps bring meaning and why. I do this by asking who around them upgrades their life. Who around them does not. Groups like this can be a good stepping stone into getting out among people and learning to promote yourself. It forces you into groups that are made to interact with each other in specific exercises. You learn a lot of things you would not otherwise learn about dealing with each other. If they serve to inspire you to what could be, that's always helpful. If you hear interesting speakers and are around supportive people, that's always helpful. If you like the whirlwind life of travelling from place to place with the same people in and out of town, and paying for workshops to study theoretical marketing techniques and don't have to earn an income, it will keep you busy. You're the only one who knows if that's an upgrade to your life or not. So on one hand, people are feeling deceived and scammed and foolish after waking up from years of workshops and hype that got them nowhere. They feel they wandered into the wrong crowd of people and they got caught up in the hype and momentum. However, they simply vibrated into their path and drifted downstream on someone else's river for awhile. The good news is they are on the other side of it now, so much the wiser. On the other hand, some people are still doing the workshop dance, the hardsell hype to their friends, and they find it gives them a social life they didn't have before. Just having a social life can be really important to help people stay motivated. If people stay motivated, they'll get inspirations along the way. So what do you do? Do you point out they are wasting their time and have been for years, or do you encourage them in their dreams? What do you think is the most helpful? Where do you want them to vibrate and how do you help them vibrate there?

$150 million lawsuit to keep The Secret

Thu, 07 May 2009 22:16:51 +0000

To those who write and ask me, this is all I know about the lawsuit between Rhonda Byrne and Esther Hicks or anyone else in the matter of the rights to The Secret: 5-17-08 article $150 million battle to keep The Secret http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/150-million-battle-to-keep-the-secret/2008/05/17/1210765254572.html 8-23-08 article in The Australian Could the universe be restoring the balance against Rhonda Byrne, producer of The Secret? http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24223394-5012694,00.html RELATED: 2 Versions of The Secret and Common Misconception about Law of Attraction When Friends Criticize the Abraham-Hicks and Law of Attraction work

ginger-bloom-42309

Thu, 07 May 2009 23:40:34 +0000

ginger-bloom-423091

Thu, 07 May 2009 23:43:30 +0000

In the garden under the full moon; footsteps, night sounds

Fri, 08 May 2009 09:24:16 +0000

Friday, May 8, 2009. I wrote this heading toward sundown yesterday. It was a really good day. I got an early start and got lots of work done. I took the greatest call from a a subscriber - she was surprised I picked up the phone at 7:00am. She ordered subscriptions for each of her 12 grand daughters. The early bird does get the worm! I'd transplanted several small loquat trees yesterday, and so I watered them each in early this morning, and watered the turk's cap and arbicola along the north fenceline. I'd pruned the mulberry tree last month and stuck the cuttings in the ground along the north fence, and I could see many of them have taken root. Everything is really beginning to grow rapidly with the sunny, warm days and a daily watering. I'm especially giving a deep watering to the tall crepe myrtle and the young oaks that are coming up outside my west office window. I'd like to make a nice, shady walk for the Florida Power and Light meter reader for those hot, summer days. I've been underwatering my ginger on purpose, since it can tend to take over. It does have some beautiful blooms on it right now, as you can see here to the right. That one is about as big as my head and is at eye level. The night blooming jasmine responds well to some hand watering and a little chat each day. She has more blooms than ever now and the scent is divine. I did some major pruning on her a few months ago and now I can see that my hard work has paid off. The two gardenia bushes next to the jasmine are perking up as well with regular watering. The bamboo, it would love it if I just ran the hose on it 24/7 for weeks at a time, but then it would take over also. I am going to acquire a big rain barrel, though, to collect the summer rains to water everything with. I could probably use 2-3 of them. The plants go nuts when they get the rainwater. It works like magic in making things grow and bloom. Squirrels in the mulberry tree at sundown, I can see 4 of them from my perch here on the back porch. Two of them hanging upside down as they munch the barely ripe fruit, and the other two clamboring for the berries on the farthest branches. The sun is giving out its orange pink glow and the pines to the west are silhouetted against it. The bluejays and doves are taking turns at the birdbath. A big woodpecker is sailing around under the canopy here, and a big yellow butterfly as well. The giant pothos is sending out tendrils that are 8 feet long and as big around as my thumb. Some of them have gone 30+ feet up in the oak tree, with leaves as big as my torso way up there. They are reaching for the sun. I know how they feel. Izzy is coming down the trail and miauing for his dinner. He sees me sitting on the porch here, so he knows he has time for a quick bath before dining. He is an obsessive groomer. I brush him sometimes but mostly leave the cats to their own devices. They get amped out when I brush them. They have trees outside to rub up against, so they don't need much help from me. The full moon is officially one minute after tonight's midnight. I like to watch the full moon rise and move across the sky each month. Last night it looked big and close. Here where I live, there are very few street lights, so the night sky looks big and starry. On nights when the moon is very bright, I can walk in the woods by the light of the moon. I like walking outside at night, and I like doing it without a flashlight. It's easier if I am barefoot, then I can tell exactly where my foot is on the path. I like when I can rely on my night vision when I am walking outside. The light from a flashlight or passing headlights interrupts my night vision, just like driving after sundown and facing the headlights of the oncoming traffic. It takes a second for the eyes to adjust and get back to normal vision. I can hear a rustling in the dried oak and bamboo leaves on the floor of the woods I am in. I figure by the sound that it is an opossum. Each animal has its own gait and cadence to their walk and are easy to differentiate. Cats are more regular in their steps than raccoons, and they both have a long stride. Opossums are low to the ground and take small steps. Snakes of course slither, and I can usually tell how long a snake is by the sound of the slither, depending on what part of the yard I'm in. Armadillos are rather clumsy and noisy, low to the ground, and don't see or hear very well. They travel in 2's and 3's and will crash around and come right up on you and scare themselves. They either can't hear all the ruckus they are making, or they just don't care. "We're the armadillos and we're loud, get over it." In the woods at night, it sounds like Bigfoot coming your way. A good way to tell if something is supposed to be there is by the background night sounds. If all the crickets stop, that means "everybody on alert, we've got a newcomer to check out." I listen for how long it takes them to start their song again. Like the first time I heard the raccoons making their horribly scary, screeching screams. It sounded like something being murdered right outside my back door. They were simply mating or feeling threatened by another passing critter, so they were pitching their little fit. The first time I heard it, I took my cue from the night sounds that, whatever it was, it was no big deal. And now it's predawn as I write this, and something is rustling under my south office window. I put sunflower seeds on the ledge here for the squirrels and birds, and so there's a nice sprout garden underneath it, and I get lots of visitors. I like the idea of my place being a little oasis for the local wildlife. I wonder just how many families of what live right here in my little patch of woods? All told, there are about 2 acres of connected woods, without crossing a street. Mine is under mostly shade, and to the east of my property there is a pond that is a local watering hole. The big canal is 5 blocks south of me. I wonder just how big our neighborhood wildlife family is.

Update: Think and Grow Rich script from last month fulfilled

Sat, 09 May 2009 11:18:20 +0000

Saturday May 9, 2009. On 3-26-09, I wrote at Organizing My Finances, Script From Think and Grow Rich my script for how much income I wanted to bring in the next month. When I write these scripts, I use a dollar figure that is increasingly more than I typically make. I just did a tally of the income for that period and sent my brother a copy of the report showing the total. When I ran it, at first I thought that made me just $188.29 short of my goal and I was excited to be so close. Then I realized I did not add in the $500 I get for a rental unit I own, which goes into a different account. So my total for that time period was $311.71 over what I had requested and planned for. Once again, the process worked like a charm. One of the best things I've ever done for financial management is paying all bills as they come in. I used to stick them in the calendar a week ahead of the due date, yet then I always felt pressured seeing the calendar stuffed full of bills to pay. I wrote about it at The Time Consuming Part Of My Job. So now, I just order a check as soon as the bill comes in. That way I don't have to worry about "what's due, what's coming due, how much is it?" It took a big load off my mind when I made that simple change, and I simply never thought of doing it earlier. I'm all about whatever takes one more thing off my mind, one more task I can accomplish on auto-pilot. And I've discovered that writing the Think and Grow Rich script each month helps my income come in on auto-pilot. Here's my script I wrote just now for May. 5-9-09 Script First. Go into some quiet spot (preferably in bed at night) where you will not be disturbed or interrupted, close your eyes, and repeat aloud, (so you may hear your own words) the written statement of the amount of money you intend to accumulate, the time limit for its accumulation, and a description of the service or merchandise you intend to give in return for the money. As you carry out these instructions, SEE YOURSELF ALREADY IN POSSESSION OF THE MONEY. "By May 31, 2009, I will have in my possession $_____ (put an amount that is at least 25% more than you make right now), which will come to me in various amounts from time to time between now and then. This money may come as a return on an investment, or an offer to purchase some of my land, or in return for this money I will give ad space, mp3 files, cds, or personal services of which I am capable. New advertisers are calling to place ads and I am attracting some good corporate clients. Clients are hiring me for work I have already substantially done, so it’s easy money for me. I can even win money in the lottery and have a winning streak with that. There are a lot of ways the money can come in, ways I have no way of knowing right now. I believe that I will have this money in my possession. My faith is so strong that I can now see this money before my eyes. I can touch it with my hands. It is now awaiting transfer to me at the time, and in the proportion that I deliver the service I intend to render in return for it. I am awaiting a plan by which to accumulate this money, and I will follow that plan, when it is received." Second. Repeat this program night and morning until you can see, (in your imagination) the money you intend to accumulate. Third. Place a written copy of your statement where you can see it night and morning, and read it just before retiring, and upon arising until it has been memorized. That's it, that's the process. Then I keep that list in the kitchen and in the bathroom and read it over a few times a day. I don't strain over memorizing it or repeating it like an affirmation in my head. I simply read it over and let my unconscious begin to do its work. I read it over and let the law of attraction do its work. Even if you don't think it's working, it's working on you internally. Thinking those words and saying them to yourself is a trigger for getting the process in motion. Let me know how you do with yours. Also, I have the Think and Grow Rich Action Summary available free at my www.Secret2dollars.com. Reading it will help keep you in the vibe. Keep me posted.

6-16-06-for-zen-village-website

Sat, 09 May 2009 11:28:58 +0000

mommi-noni-72dpi

Sun, 10 May 2009 10:20:54 +0000

I remember Momma; If you could see where I have gone

Sun, 10 May 2009 11:56:23 +0000

[caption id="attachment_2866" align="alignright" width="209" caption="Mom and her Mom 1953"][/caption] Sunday May 10, 2009. Happy Mother's Day. Today is my mom's birthday. The photo to the right is mommy and her mom in 1953. Andrea was also my mother's name. She later shortened it to Anne and that is what everyone called her. Everyone except family. There, she was still Andrea and I was always called a nickname. When I got to first grade, the teacher had a hard time getting me to answer to Andrea since I'd never been called that. I always thought Andrea was such a great name for a dark, exotic beauty like my mom. I always felt like the beige one around her. Mom was 5'3" tall, olive skinned with green eyes and lots of dark, wavy hair. She wore it halfway down her back all the time I was growing up. I envied her hair, since mine was whiteblonde, thin and stick straight. I grew up in a latino neighborhood and went to public schools where blonde and fair was the exception rather than the rule. I remember grown men calling out from cars or worksites when I was a teenager "ay rubio!" which means "hey blondie". I was a typical teenager, wanting to fit in with everyone else, and I envied the dark haired, brown skinned look. People always seemed surprised we were mother and daughter. My mom always seemed like some exotic queen out of a fairy tale, and I adored her completely. Mom could not have had an easy life. My dad was not easy to live with, but they loved each other so mom made it work. She became the mediator between Dad and us kids. He'd give us unfair restrictions and she'd cut us some slack when he wasn't around. She consoled us with reminders that as soon as we were 18, we could be on our own for the rest of our life. She'd paint fun scenarios to look forward to and I realize now she was easing my painful now with thoughts of a more pleasant and free future. She was helping me get past the pain of the moment by helping me pivot my thoughts to what I might prefer instead, and prepave a happier life just a few years down the road. Mom was great at helping us keep the vibration in a fun and happy place. That is the thing I remember most about Mom - her always lightening the mood wherever she went. She was pretty, with a giant genuine smile and bubbly personality. Everyone liked being around her, and she genuinely liked everyone. She was the best role model a kid could have. Except not in the arena of cooking. Mom wasn't the best cook, and while there were no memorable disasters, it was just ordinary fare. Always a meat, a starch and a vegetable. Oh and a lettuce and tomato salad with a blob of mayo in the center, Dad often cooked, since he worked construction and got home at 4:00pm. Mom worked 11:00am-9:00pm at Western Union. I remember a few dishes of hers that I liked: an eggplant dish where she cooked the eggplant with onions and then mixed it with Pepperidge Farm stuffing and parmesean cheese and mayonnaise and maybe a can of soup, and then baked it in the oven. It was like a meatless meatloaf but we counted it as a vegetable. I liked that. And she would roast a chicken (or rabbit, since we raised them) in the oven with just rosemary and garlic and that was really good. I remember Mom getting ready for work in the morning sometimes when I'd be home from school. I'd lie on her bed and we'd talk while she dressed. It was the day of girdles with garter tops, and I'd watch fascinated as she put on her stockings. She always had the softest feet, and she shaved her legs every day so she seldom got snags. She was proud of how long her stockings would last without a run. She'd put on a dress and high heels and pull her hair back and be transformed in front of my very eyes. One story I recounted in Excited about Obama; Race Issues 1960: I remember once in the car with Mom as a teenager, we pulled up to a stoplight and the car ahead of us has a bumper sticker that said “Honk if you love Jesus.” Well, we love Jesus so Mom honks her horn. The woman in the car flips her the bird and shouts out the window: “F*king spics can’t wait for the light to change.” My poor mom was mortified. We laughed about it later. I remember loving to sew when I was growing up, which was convenient since I was invariably restricted to my room. I'd make matching tops for mom and I, and we had several sets. Hers, however, fit on an hour glass shaped body and mine on a stick-thin kid's body. She'd often wear them going out on errands, as well, so they must have fit, and she must have liked them. I remember Mom being excited about moving back to Tampa and getting her own house for the first time. She found a really neat little cedar house in a quiet neighborhood just off I-4 and 41. It was close to where she'd be working at the V.A. Hospital, and close to her parents as well. Shortly after she moved to Tampa, she met Rafael Perez, 16 years her junior, who adored her completely. She and Felito married a couple of years later and had a great relationship. It was nice to see her so happy. Mom died on April 8, 1996, of her first heart attack. It could not have come at a better time: no one was expecting it, so there was no stress or worry about it ahead of time. I was days away from leaving on a cross country trip to California. The trip turned out to be a real blessing, as it turned into an eight month stay, doing new and exciting things. It was a very healing time. Here’s a poem my mom faxed me a few weeks before she passed, author Unknown. She'd fax me goofy cartoons all the time, but this was the first and only time she sent something like this. If you could see where I have gone the beauty of this place, and how it feels to know you’re home to see the Savior’s face. To wake in peace and know no fear just joy beyond compare, while still on Earth you miss me yet, you wouldn’t want me there, if you could see where I have gone. If you could see where I have gone, had made the trip with me, you’d know I didn’t go alone the Savior came with me. When I awoke, He was by my side and reached down His hand He said “Hurry now, you’re going Home, to a grand and glorious land, don’t worry over those you love, for I’m not just with you, and don’t you know with you at Home they’ll long to be here, too?” If you could see where I have gone and see what I’ve been shown You’d never know another fear or ever feel alone. You’d marvel at the care of God His hand on every life. And realize that He really cares and bears with us each strife, and that He weeps when one is lost His heart is filled with pain; but oh, the joy when one comes Home A child is Home again. If you could see where I have gone, could stay awhile with me; could share the things that God has made to grace eternity. But no, you couldn’t ever leave once Heaven’s joy you’ve known, you couldn’t bear to walk Earth’s paths once Heaven was your Home. If you could see where I have gone you’d know we’ll meet someday And though I’m parted from you now that I am just away. And now that I’m Home with Him, secure in every way, I’m waiting here at Heaven’s door to greet you some sweet day. Mom faxxed that to me just a couple of weeks before she died. She knew it would comfort me immediately and for years to come. Happy birthday Mom, happy mother's day!

mom-1968

Sun, 10 May 2009 11:57:19 +0000

No post today, I'm down for the count

Mon, 11 May 2009 21:52:15 +0000

Monday May 11, 2009. Ugh. have been in bed since 4am feeing mega-icky. Very humbling when others have to do for you. Am finally getting some Emergence' cranberry in me and feeling like I can walk to the window to look out. Almost time to go back to bed!

Getting to know how my body works

Tue, 12 May 2009 10:02:35 +0000

I woke up yesterday morning about 4:00am and began a 12 hour session of tummy upset. No fun! Especially when I have exactly 5 days to get the magazine to the printer. I'd spent most of Sunday afternoon sleeping, which I seldom do - sleep the day away. I am not a recreational sleeper, so for me to spend extra time sleeping, I must need it. I felt fine Sunday, and after I woke up, I cooked some chicken with rice and ate it about 5pm. When I woke up at 4:00am Monday feeling really icky, my first thought was I might be overdoing it by eating chicken several times a week as I've been doing. Then later yesterday it occurred to me to take my temperature, and it was 100.8. (Right now it's 98.2.) So maybe it was a tummy bug moving through my system, instead of me eating something that disagreed with me. Whatever it was, it was a good reminder that I have been getting a little lax in my eating habits. I ate Chinese food a couple of times last week, which is no big deal except that restaurant food contains hidden fats, and fats are what my body reacts adversely to. The past couple of years I have made it a point to have only one substantial meal each day, and 2 lighter meals: salads, soups, and my body likes that routine. But the past week, after eating (vegetarian) Chinese food for lunch, I would then cook some chicken and rice for dinner. That makes for a day of heavy eating for me. And I did it a few days in a row. So when I woke up and was sick, I figured that was what it was due to. It was a good reminder to get back on track, and what happens when I stray. Since I had the health scare a few years ago (read about it here), I've been getting to know how my body works. I've been really appreciating how quickly I snap back, and how strong my immune system is now that I've started using food as my medicine. I can tell when I eat particular things, how my body will react. I used to get very anxious when I would get sick, because I never knew where it would lead or how long it would last and I always felt I was letting down whoever relied on me. Which was totally neurotic because I've always been real healthy, with few and far between bouts of illness - never anything prolonged. Now when I get "sick", there's a confidence in knowing that - for the most part - I eat a very healthy diet and have a strong immune system. I snap back quickly. Something else that also helps me in knowing my body is keeping meals 4-6 hours apart. That way it's never overloaded and, when there are system malfunctions, it's easier to pinpoint the cause and avoid repeating it. So did I overload my system by overeating, or did I have a tummy bug? Who knows. Either way, it's over, I feel good and I've gotten a gentle reminder from the Universe to upgrade my eating habits. And now, after another short nap for me here, I'll be ready for my workweek. Life is good!

My 8 new policies for eating healthy

Wed, 13 May 2009 12:23:58 +0000

Wednesday, May 13, 2009. I feel back to normal today. I went to the bank and post office first thing yesterday while I had energy, then worked for about 5 hours on the June magazine. Then I basically napped and lolled around the rest of the day while I took last minute ad deadline phone calls. I ate very lightly: some soup, a Lean Cuisine turkey and vegetables meal for supper, a boiled potato with some broccoli for dinner. So I am now kind of late working on the June Horizons but I think I can do it in time. It always works out for me somehow. When I know something has to be done on time, I always muster the where with all to do it. I am going to implement some new and improved policies for eating. I already, for the most part, eat the right foods. I still have a habit, though, of overeating rice, bread and pasta. My new policies include: 1. At each eating segment, I will eat a meal the size of my fist. Not the size of my head. 2. I can eat this amount every 4 hours. 3. Lettuce and raw vegetable salads can be half the size of my head. 4. A serving of pasta or rice is one cup, not 4. (Ouch) 5. The size of my protein and starch combined can be the size of a deck of cards. 6. A baked potato serving is half a giant baking potato, not the whole thing. 7. If I go to Subway, I have them cut the sandwich into thirds, and a meal is 1/3 the sandwich, not half. 8. After sundown, I will eat only raw salads and clear soups or fruit. One fist sized meal only during the hours between dusk and dawn. Let's see how that goes. I'll keep you posted.

A lazy day today

Thu, 14 May 2009 11:11:13 +0000

Thursday, May 14, 2009. I woke up this morning feeling rested and revived after my little tummy bug or whatever it was earlier this week. So now I just have to get right to work finishing the June Horizons so I can get it to the printer on time. Since I have to give that project my first fruits this morning, I will just here include my Facebook posts for the past couple of days. the full moon now visible over the pines, time to go outside for meditation just did some morning yoga in the east woods and set the sprinkler on the sunny spot in the back yard. What's everyone doing this sunny Saturday? just got a great compliment from my mailchick. I joked about the shady overhang I've created for her car to rest under when she delivers and she said she loves looking at my yard, that everything , "just always seems wonderful, wonderful". should I open mail? should I work? should I crash? just got a bunch of fresh collards and kale greens from Doug & Trish who are in town this weekend. I am going to use this recipe for them for dinner http://www.recipezaar.com/Awesome-Collard-Greens-69475 (ugh, update, reduce the salt to 1 tsp and the vinegar by half) a friend asked today why the home security system if I'm "supposed to have so much faith". I've learned to trust in God and tether my camel :) 11:11pm beautiful full moon out there ready to go out and begin the evening lap around the property, watering, snipping, breathing in the beautiful sundown. winding down from a really good day. Rice with chicken for dinner, it feels like a carcass kinda day. But first, a romaine and tomato salad! May 10 Enjoy this trailer of new film of an amazing man Ray Kurzweil youtube.com Transcendant Man Trailer. full moon just coming over the tops of the pines 11:11pm beautiful dramatic sky out there, this is when it's nice to live out in the sticks with no street lights had a tummy bug all day. Feeling better now. Lost 6 pounds in 12 hours. I do not recommend this as a dietary measure. Thanks everyone for the get well wishes - I feel lots better already. Funny how just having someone, anyone, care makes you feel better. just took an ibuprophen and it took fever down from 100.8 to 100.4 in just 5 minutes. Why do I have a fever anyway? Maybe I did have a tummy bug after all... Susan Boyle is on Oprah right now another day, another bazillion opportunities just waiting for me to notice them Yay! Tummy bug seems to be gone ^i^ working happily away... just did a lap in the yard, putting out black oil sunflower seeds, filling the bird baths, watering in the new loquat transplants - I totally live in Paradise. did you know that Sea Monkeys are actually little brine shrimp... but they move like monkeys. yawn... nap time for me. Then I'll wake up and jump right back into final layout of the June mag. has anyone done the Brandon Bays workshops that is called The Journey? just vacuumed my office - no one else is allowed in here to do it. Wow, what a difference. I should do that more often... just got a surprise gift from my fave celebrity client. Wish I could tell what and who but keeping a secret is a BIG deal, and a sacred trust. But dang it is so cool I'm tickled pink. to all my Abraham-Hicks pals, they will be in Boca Raton May 20th and in Orlando May 23rd. Details at their events page. just had a vanilla Spirutein with apple juice for lunch. Yum. is cracking up looking at various media pics of the Obamas. Do we really in this day and age have to Photoshop them to make them more media friendly (ie white)? Come on guys! Give it a rest. Step into the new millenium. has just run out of steam... time for a nap... asap just had a slice of Ezekial sprouted grain toast with stone ground mustard, spinach and fresh off the vine tomato. I was bumming a couple of hours ago when the health food store around the corner was closed; I wanted to buy some Vanilla Spirutein, thinking I used the last package this morning. When I got home, I found an unopened big giant can of it in the fridge *yay* the Universe is looking out for me as usual. just saw a glimpse of tv show America's Next Top Model. Refreshing to see women with natural busts and not grapefruits.

Friday morning

Fri, 15 May 2009 09:26:45 +0000

Friday, May 15, 2009. Final layout is almost done on the June Horizons Magazine. Wow, I am late finishing it this month. I woke up this morning at 3:30 am, did my meditation and now, just 2 hours later, I am going to go back to bed for a few hours. After my little tummy bug bout on Monday, I've skipped my evening yoga this week to conserve my energy. That sounds funny as I type it - skip my yoga to conserve energy?? I do some stretches here and there all throughout the day, but I'm not doing anything inverted or taxing. I know that simple yoga stretches can really work your muscles, and I'm all for daily yoga. It keeps my muscles long and limber, and keeps me sane. So it's essential for me to do some form of it off and on throughout the day, to keep the energy lines open inside my body. I started back yesterday eating every few hours and am now fully hydrated and feel fairly fueled. Yesterday for lunch I made an onion, carrot and celery soup, sauteing the vegetables to a caramel before adding fresh basil, rosemary and tomato from the garden. Then I added some vegetable broth and a few butter peas; forty minutes later it was delicious. When I am feeling low energy, an intense veggie and greens soup fixes me right up. I drank the broth on and off throughout the day, and had some watermelon and a slice of Ezekiel toast with tomato. I'm glad now that I made enough soup to have some for today as well. Now, for me, time to go back to bed for a couple of hours and then get up to finish the mag. I've got just 186 emails left to go, only about 30 of them are ads for the June magazine. The rest are just awaiting response or action after I get my job to the printer. I usually run about 100 emails a day behind, but I get through them pretty quickly. Life is good!

The Games People Play

Sat, 16 May 2009 18:17:05 +0000

Remember the old question: If someone offered you a million dollars to push a button which would kill someone else, and no one would know you did it, would you do it? Would you still do it if you knew by doing so, that would add your name to the list of those willing to play that game, which means you might be the next one to be destroyed by someone else upon their decision to choose the million dollars. What games are you signed up for? Do any of these sound familiar? The Game of Lying Your entry into this game is by telling small fibs, exaggerating, distorting and/or censoring, and telling outright lies to anyone for any reason. Once you’ve joined this game, you can expect to attract fibs, lies, exaggerations, distortion and censorship at any time, from any one. The Game of Gossip Your entry into this game is by talking about anyone not present in a way that diminishes them to the listener. Once you’ve joined this game, you can expect to attract others talking about you and holding unfair opinions about your character. This also includes the fibs, lies, exaggerations, and distortion mentioned in the Game of Lying above. The Game of Stealing Your entry into this game is by taking that to which you are not rightfully entitled, and by negotiating unfairly with those whom you pay for goods or services. You’re playing this game if you’re “borrowing” a book or cd from a friend, and not mindful to return it. You’re playing this game if the waitress brings you change for a $20 bill rather than a $10, and you don’t point it out to her. You’re playing this game when you bootleg a cd: when you burn copies for friends. Once you’ve joined this game, expect to have things taken from you, expect your belongings to be disrespected, expect to be denied access, expect to be taken advantage of. The Game of Emotional Pain & Psychological Abuse Your entry into this game is by purposely saying unkind and mean spirited words to someone. Whether you think they deserve it or not. You’re playing this game whenever you purposely, through your words or nonwords, your action or inaction, intend someone else emotional pain by those words and actions. Once you’ve joined this game, expect to have those around you treat you in a way that makes you feel unloved and alienated, especially during times of distress and need. The Game of Angry Reaction Your entry into this game is by allowing yourself to automatically act and react in a way that is intolerant of those around you. You’re playing this game when you don’t think before you speak. You’re playing this game when you blame anyone for anything. You’re playing this game when you’re impatient and snap at anyone. Once you’ve joined this game, expect to run into a whole lot of grouchy folks who won’t take the time to understand you, and who will just in general piss you off. The Game of Unconditional Love Your entry into this game is by purposely choosing to see past the faults of those around you. You’re playing this game when you allow those around you, especially when they are not allowing you. Once you’ve joined this game, expect a lot of worrisome situations to clear up, expect to draw niceness out of typically grumpy ones around you. The Game of Getting Along and Being Supportive Your entry into this game is by purposely deciding to have harmonious interaction with everyone you come across. You’re playing this game when you tell others what you like and appreciate about them, and what they are doing right. You’re playing this game when you point out what things you have in common. Once you’ve joined this game, expect all of your relationships to become more smooth sailing. Expect people to help you get what you want out of life. Expect opportunities to unfold and miracles to abound. How many games are there? Email and let me know what games you can think of. Also tell me how you enter the game, and how you know you’re playing it, and what you can expect to experience if you are in it. I like this kind of game – the Let’s Discover Something New game.

Who cares? Nothing to hide, better things to do

Sun, 17 May 2009 11:28:28 +0000

I'm coming to the end of final layout on the June Horizons. I've never cut it this close before, and I got slammed with last minute ads. About 10pm last night I got to a place where I know I can finish on time. It means working 10-14 hours today, but it will be an easy and fun part of the job. All day, I go back and forth between my desktop and laptop computers, and some of my programs show up differently on each one. Whether it's the difference between Windows XP and Windows Vista, the capacity of the computer itself, or some internal settings I am unaware of, I view different screens with different options. I'm getting familiar with using AOLMail in Mozilla Firefox. Firefox is my favorite web browser, and I am off and on it all day every day. I like AOL for email since I do so much of it. It has a system of organizing my mail that makes it fast and easy. But sometimes for a quick email check when I'm not working, I go into AOLMail through Firefox. Firefox behaves differently on my desktop computer than it does my laptop. On my desktop, I can open my AOL mail and see in an email that a document is attached. But it will not automatically display the attachment in view form. On my laptop, I see the image in view form without downloading it. I also get a "reminder" notice flashed in front of me if I attempt to Send Mail that contains the word "attached" yet have not attached a document. How cool is that? This is such a supportive Universe! I can see it now, several tiny angels the size of butterflies hovering around my head, proof-reading over my shoulders at all times. I love that new technology. LOL Now, my conspiracy-theorist-type friends will be reeeeal suspicious why particular words in their personal emails are being targeted and triggering action. I say, "who cares?" In my lifestyle, I don't have anything to hide. I take responsibility for whatever I put in writing, and I'm never doing or talking about anything that the federal government would care about. One of these friends told me that the reason for the big cable digital switchover is to get the tvs with newer technology into as many houses as possible. That they contain small cameras which, if you Google it, you will come across the techno geeks who found them and theorize about them. If you knew someone behind your tv was watching you every time you were in front of it, would you feel threatened? I would consider it an invasion of privacy, sure, but I wouldn't be up in arms over it. The government manages to do what they want, and I'm not interested in fighting the small battles. I've got better things to do and elsewhere to place my attention. That is a really neat idea, though. Having some setting inside your tv that could be activated by remote and turn it on and be a window into your living room. For everyone in the civilized world? I'm sure the explanation would be that it's for emergency national alerts, not subliminal programming. LOL I wonder how many people I know would be freaked out by the idea, and how many would just be thankful there was a witness to their life? You gotta laugh. I mean, sure, lobby and legislate about it, those whose path it is to be an activist and make those important changes. But you gotta laugh. Especially when you remember that we're more powerful than all that. And if it's true? "Oh, well. Next." Otherwise you spend the rest of your life stuck on that topic. (Like we all do now on the topic of "manifesting your abundance.") Get on with everything else in your life, and that part will take care of itself. That part will be a by-product of you getting on with your life and doing what you choose to do. I have learned to not give importance to those things I have no control over. To me, I call those the small battles. For me, the big battle is keeping my attention focused on what I'm doing and where I'm going and what I want to achieve, while going about daily life. A big battle is exercising my will power when its called for. A big battle is continually releasing resistance and keeping myself in a state of allowing. Wow, that sounds like lots of struggle, doesn't it? To tell the truth, at this point, there really are no battles going on. It took time for a couple of decades' worth of momentum to get caught up and this is what it has shaken out to be. So far. And it's not bad at all. So I don't have time to wonder about what the government is or isn't doing. I have dreams I am going after, and meaningful work I am accomplishing. You may see me in the yard sometime, I may be just watering in a mulberry sapling, wearing overalls but my mind is busy creating worlds.

Taking my breaks when I can and where I am

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:21:58 +0000

Monday, May 18, 2009. I finally got the June Horizons Magazine done and it will go to the printer on time. This is the first time I've finished it so close to the wire. I layout most of the articles and the ads 4-5 months ahead of time. Advertisers pay up to a year in advance, so I know to include them. My final layout week each month is - more than graphic layout - mostly me taking care of the bookkeeping end of it, making sure everyone who is going in is paid. That's probably the smartest thing I do, business-wise: is to not let clients owe me. If they want the discount price, they pay in advance. That way, no one has bad feelings because someone else didn't do what they said they were going to do. Especially when dollars are involved. That way, relationships are saved and honest people are kept honest. So this past week has been a lot of hours at the computer each day, with a flurry of last minute ads and phone calls. I skipped church on Sunday to work as well, and finally by the end of Sunday I knew I'd have the magazine done on time. Whew! I began the week with a tummy bug that knocked me down for 2 whole days, but I went into healing mode and rallied. I began making calls to the printer, my mailing helpers and delivery guys, to see what alternate dates everyone was available for, in case I had to be late. One way I really pin myself in is by scheduling things so tightly. That way when just one person isn't available as planned, that leaves me having to rearrange all sorts of things. Always depending, of course, on where I'm vibrating on that topic, too. Because of me "having" to do everyone's work for them lately, I haven't had an actual day off for several months. Not where I was able to leave the house, even overnight. Part of that is, of course, that I choose my priorities in every moment. Part of it is because I am a control freak, with my own ideas of what should be done and when it should be done. This is my business. My business is fueled by my vision. My work is fun, so it's easy for me to put work first a lot of times. I can always sneak outside for a quick break, a quick walk in nature along my wooded trails, until the cool air of the tall oak canopy. I love my environment here, it is perfectly suited to someone whose home is their office. I used to travel several times a week, and I would always love getting back home. The travelling was usually to a city to meet someone in an office setting, or at their store, and I'd stay overnight in a hotel along a strip, and that was it. Now I have several trips I'd like to make but, frankly, doing my work projects are so fulfilling that I'd just a soon stay here and work on them. I do feel a sense of satisfaction when I can get everything done that everyone is waiting for from me. In the cooler weather, I even camp out in my own woods because there are several good places to do that. I can turn the tent so that it faces all nature, with no houses in sight. I can pretend I'm deep in the woods if I want to. Sometimes just doing that overnight will revitalize me. They are forecasting heavy rains today, and my friends in NC and SC have said it's been raining for days. Yay, we could use it! Hey, you can all help me. And this isn't a trick to get you to visit my websites. I promise. But I have been told some people can't see the images at the following websites and I wanted you to please check and tell me if you can. If you cannot, tell me what web browser you are using (if you know): Goddess Grub AuraSpiritPhotos Secret2dollars Thanks. Let me know if you can or cannot see them by emailing me at andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

The ones who die from swine flu have other medical issues as well

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:41:35 +0000

I assumed everyone knew this, but apparently not. The ones who die from swine flu or the H1N1 virus all have other medical issues going on as well. If you're relatively healthy and strong, it's just another flu and the bug will pass through you in 5-7 days. Don't be freaked out thinking "OMG they are closing schools near me, I am in danger". It's just a flu. Even if you're diagnosed with it. It's just a flu. It will pass. Get medical attention but don't freak out. Then when it's over, start eating healthier and you'll build your immune system so it's easier in case there's ever a next time.

Seeking Referrals for Accurate Psychic Readers

Tue, 19 May 2009 08:54:27 +0000

The newer, updated post for the below is at On Still Seeking Referrals for Accurate Psychic Readers. I did a new post to allow comments, since this one did not. Please go to the above link. Last May, I posted the following on Facebook: “Most of you know that I publish Horizons, and have a psychic reading practice as well (see http://horizonsmagazine.com/Phone_sessions/index.html). I’m booked through 2009 and need someone to refer appointments to for psychic readings (not spiritual counseling). Someone who can give accurate, detailed info about what is happening now and predictions for the future. If you know someone (really) real, let me know.” I got several responses back right away. My reply for each was, “Thank you for your response to the above Facebook post. Here’s the deal: I get calls for far more readings than I can schedule. I want to build a network to refer overflow callers to. If you want to be considered for referral by clients who call me for a reading, this is what I need from you: Give me a sample reading on any area of my life. For the sample reading: Just a quick 10 minutes (or 10 lines of email) is fine, nothing extended. No readings about writing, publishing, teaching or health. I won’t ask any questions, I’ll just ask you to tell me the first impressions that you pick up about me. I won’t tell you if you are correct, I will just either refer clients to you or not. If you are incorrect and I choose to not refer clients, I know that is no reflection on your skills with others. Horizons Magazine was designed to pay for itself, but not to create income. My personal income is from my psychic reading practice. I have an ongoing group of regular clients. I'm now booked into next year. I'd like to have a few psychics I could refer callers to, not just to lighten the load, but to offer others a quality of service I can personally testify to. While many readings may also include spiritual counseling, mentoring and coaching, my clients are seeking a straight psychic reading. This is where they expect me to give accurate and detailed information about what is going on in their lives right now, and predictions and forecasts for the future. I encourage my clients to keep notes and record our readings, and to check their notes every few months. They have gotten too many vague and general and counseling-type readings through the years, and that is not what they are calling me for. Some clients also want psychic mediumship, to contact loved ones in spirit. This is where they expect me to give detailed info about who appears for me, describing the visitor, describing their dress and anything that is around them (especially animals), giving names if I have them, giving relationship, giving details such as childhood nicknames or events. I am seeking a reader who is able to do the same. I understand not everyone works the way I do. So then I got several responses. You tell me which one you would want a reading from: Reader No. 1: You’ve been through much strife The Universe is pullling at you. You’re reflecting what you came here for. The next year will be one of expression and creativity. Teamwork will be strong this year. Spirit is preparing you to be open and receptive. Reader No. 2 If you don’t move, you will move your energy in another direction. You will be totally in synch with your prosperity this year. You will meet a successful man who is a love interest. The next phase looks like happiness, love and travel and money. Does the word “doll” mean anything to you? (no) Anything about your mother and a doll? (no) Reader No. 3: You’re being pulled in many directions. You’re going up the ladder, pushing hard to get there and determined. Something about Cocoa Florida. Nothing passes you by, you are very shrewd and sharp. You trust hardly anybody but yourself. Your guides are very proud of you. Reader No. 4 You are on psychic overload and that’s why you get headaches. (I don’t get headaches) Your left foot needs to be aligned, with massage near the third toe. A past life connection is interfering with your alignment. There is a constriction in the solar plexus. The 3rd eye chakra needs to be cleared. Your body is functioning on a higher vibration and needs to have more rest and relaxation. Reader No. 5 Very soon a journey by plane. Don’t cry over spilled milk; let go of things because better things come, let the past bury the past. You are balancing choices between 2 people and finances have to be considered. You have to avoid a masculine character who uses energy in a negative way. There will be changes for you bringing great happiness. Falseness will be revealed to you, someone will be presenting a false front. The eye of God is watching over you and you see what you need to see. Reader No. 6 Right now your life is exactly the way you want it. You have clear vision. You decide what you want you put it out there. You have become proficient at allowing the delivery of that which you desire. You know what is coming for yourself. There is a gentleman on the way and he is truly gentle... brilliant and great and fair in business. Additionally, fun is very important to him and to you so that you will know the joy that you are. You compliment each other in a myriad of ways....love of adventure and nature. Reader No. 7 A low hanging branch, someone on a bicycle. A black pickup truck and a mailbox. It’s a holiday. A contract rescinded, then reinstated in another name. Someone named Becky; two pets with the same name. Moving big rocks like a puzzle; a joke about Barnie Rubble. Ok, seven readers. Which style of reading do you prefer? Bearing in mind that within the past 3 weeks, these things have occurred: I've have run into a low hanging branch on my bike while riding after dark. On Mother's Day, I watched from the office window as 2 kids in a black pickup truck took my mailbox. A client rescinded a contract and just called Sunday to resubmit the contract using a corporate name instead of the client's individual name. The contract is with Becky, who has two dogs named Ceasar. (Her daughter got the same kind of dog and named it the same thing, then moved, so Becky ended up with both dogs.) Last week a friend stopped by while I was in my garden, moving some heavy rocks around. She said she has a man she wants me to meet. I said I wasn't interested unless he was Barney Rubble and brought his crane to help me move the rocks. So which would you think might give the best reading? Remember, I wasn't asking for a detailed reading, just a quick few lines of impressions. I get this all the time. Most of these readers have been doing readings for many years. It makes me wonder who is it that is satisfied with such vague and general information? Who would pay for a reading like that? Granted, there is some basic good advice across the board for everyone, but it’s not a psychic reading. And I don’t believe everyone needs a psychic reading. And I don’t believe real psychics are necessarily good advisors. Some people see and don’t know, some know and don’t see. The most satisfying combination is when they are both, like John Edward, who is both an excellent psychic and a wise counselor. And while it is true that real psychics are hard to find, they can be found. My criteria is simply that they are able to tell me anything they have no other way of knowing, such as a childhood nickname or some business detail. I am daily involved in many things I never write about or talk about. If they can give me a solid anything, then I am glad to refer clients to them. If they tell me something that could apply to 50-90% of the population, that’s not telling me anything. No matter how flattering and hopeful it is. If I want spiritual counseling, I know some good ones to call. And as for psychics, maybe I'm just surprised people seem happy to settle for so little. When we settle for the smallest drop, we don't make room for the ocean that is waiting to flood us. Didn't your momma tell you not to settle? Email me

Mind tricks I play, since I know it's all about my perception

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:59:17 +0000

Wednesday, May 20, 2009. I wrote the wrong date on everything yesterday. I don't think I wrote 5-19-09 on anything but my blog post of the morning. All day long, as I do phone calls and go through paperwork, I make notes about who I spoke to, what we said, what I need to do next. I date each note. And apparently yesterday I decided it was still the day before. Probably because I didn't turn the desk calendar page yet, or mark it off on the wall calendar. I do that sometimes to prolong the day and give me more time to finish something. Just one of the funny little mind tricks I play with myself, now that I know it's all about my perception. I figured out a few years ago that if I can get myself in a state of tizzy and overwhelment by imagining I have more responsibilities that are more urgent than they are, then I can also talk myself into a state of recognizing that things are under control and being done in divine order. Even when I'm plowing through the paperwork and stuck on some particular detail, or can't suss out a design problem, or need to reboot the computer, I can remind myself that all I need to do is reboot my internal system as well. Reboot my perception, so I can see more of the forest and less of just the one tree I imagine to be blocking my path. It is those few minutes of reboot time that I am ready for, so I run outside for a quick trail walk or gardening break. While I am out there enjoying Mother Nature's day, my self talk is focused on reminding myself that when I sit back at work with a refreshed mind, the problem will have resolved itself. Then I go back to focusing in my yard, in my Now for these few minutes. My current favorite yard walk begins in the backyard, as I place sunflower seeds under the mulberry tree and on the upturned black ceramic planter near the garden buddha. I check all the new saplings at the north property line, under the giant oak tree in the back, and rake the fallen leaves into mulch for the young trees. The turk's cap and atrbicola seem to like the high shade, while the loquat and mulberry trees are in the full sun. I stand under the big oak and see it has a whole new crop of branches shooting straight up toward the sun, lined up all along the branches that are parallel to the ground. I walk south toward the garden, ducking under the palms and palmettos along the edge of the oak canopy of the east garden. I can tell the armadillos have been out here. Their little holes are all over the ground, every foot or so, dozens of them. I love the armadillos, they keep the ground happy. I walk under the oak canopy and can see the rain has everything growing like crazy. It will be a jungle again soon. Right now, I can see from one end to the other when I stand. If I sat on the bench however, I would be lost among the trees. Which is where I do some of my best bird watching. There are always birds of all types flying around in there. Stuffed from their lunch of mulberries, loquats or sunflower seeds, they rest in the tall branches and preen, calling back and forth to each other. Usually the squirrels run through about now, chasing each other and scaring the birds into flight. I used to buy peanuts for the squirrels, then one year dozens of peanut plants began coming up all over, so I stopped that. I check all my new arbicola cuttings, newly planted as a narrow wall to further hide the entrance to the garden from the street. The rain has filled the bird baths and the bamboo has grown about 18" in two days. Bamboo is amazing. I like the bamboo energy of rapid growth, strength, flexibility, versatility; lightweight. I relate to bamboo medicine. I check the banana tree, and see she has a new companion sprouting up. The rain has brought everyone to life! I have several night blooming jasmine cuttings that are growing quickly. I never expected all my jasmine cuttings to take hold. That is an easy plant to root, as is arbicola and turk's cap. I can hear the frogs doing their symphony as I walk back inside. Although my little frog hasn't been at the front door for a few days, I figure it's because all the action has been in the east garden. Ok, now I admit that was a mind trick to get you to momentarily forget all about work and office and computer, to go on a mental journey to reboot the mindset. To vibrate in a new place for a few moments. How did it work? Ah, the mind tricks I play on myself.

I like knowing what my options are

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:52 +0000

Thursday, May 21, 2009. Yesterday was rainy on and off all day and I stayed inside and worked most of the day. My yard is loving the rain and all the flowering plants are blooming. I just cut the grass a few days ago and it can use it again already. While I always water at the base of my trees and bushes, I don't water my lawn, I let it kind of fend for itself. The half of the back yard that gets full sun all day was mostly browning grass, but it's now green and getting lush. The other half of the backyard is under the high shade of several big oaks and pines, and I have St. Augustine grass growing there. Little by little, each year it creeps out just a little farther into the sunny part of the yard. Which wasn't always the sunny part. It was actually where an oak was growing, which came down in the storms of 2004. It left me with a view of the big open expanse of north sky, which I had not had before. I really enjoyed having a new view and being able to see so much at one time. I remember back in the beginning of Horizons Magazine in the 90's, I was sitting at my computer with co-founder Kristy Swaim Souto . She and I have different computer styles. She looked at my screen and laughed and pointed out that I had all of my Tools and Options showing and yet the size of my actual working screen was very small. I like keeping my options in the forefront. Whether in my mind, or on the screen before me. I've been working on my websites and discovering some basic things I have been doing wrong, and correcting them. I use WebStudio4 to create the pages, a program I love to use. There is a setting under the Advanced Website Properties that is checked by default, directing that all nonsafe fonts be turned into graphic images. That means if I use a real fancy font on my webpage, you may not be able to see it unless you have the same font, unless I check this box. If not, your web browser will do this font conversion thang that can make all the web pages look wacky, with text overlapping, etc. So, for whatever reason, WebStudio had been turning ALL my fonts into images, not simply the nonsafe ones. So when I wrote and asked WebStudio what I was doing wrong, they promptly wrote back and told me the fix. I simply went into each file and unchecked the box and re-uploaded the pages. That is what I spent yesterday doing. It was perfect, because I didn't feel like doing real work, but I like playing with the websites, so it wasn't really much like work at all. And today is another day like that. While I have things I must do, they are rather fun and easy chores and I can take my time in the doing of them. I could not have designed a better life for myself if I had done it on purpose. Oh wait, I did do it on purpose, and now I get to live the fruits of my labors. Yay, me. If you want to check the websites I was working on, go to Goddess Grub and go to AuraspiritPhotos and go to AnimalSpirit Guidance and go to Secret2dollars Email me

Where does standing up for others fit into law of attraction?

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:23:02 +0000

Friday May 22 2009. I went back and read what I blogged May 7th Do I let friends have their own dream, or do I warn them? I thought how judgmental it sounded. When I'm being judgmental and opinionated is when something raises my emotional ire and, when that happens, I no longer have a clear view. And I don't mean something that throws me into a rage, I mean something that catches my attention in a way that makes me feel I need to protect someone from something. Something that causes in me a feeling of wanting to change circumstances from what they are now to something I find preferable. I am not an activist by any means. I bless those who choose that bumpy path. But I have long felt myself to be somewhat of a voice for those who haven't found their voice yet. Those who don't speak up for themselves. Those who can't speak up for themselves. It's funny as I say that, that also, as a psychic medium, I give voice for those who have crossed over. More who can't speak up for themselves. But I'm talking here about the people I know who are too shy to voice what they want to say to someone. Mostly for fear of repercussion, fear of backlash for speaking up. I grew up in a household like that, where everyone was waiting for the axe to fall, at Dad's mood. Something I won't watch 10 seconds of on tv? A couple or family arguing. Off. Period, end of story. I went to work soon after graduation in a downtown Miami law office as a secretary and later legal assistant, which was my career until Horizons Magazine came along. I liked the idea of working to help people who felt they'd been wronged by someone else. I loved the legal field and my job and the feeling I got from helping someone. Someone who didn't know the right words to say, someone who didn't know how to cite cases precedent, someone we had to be the voice for. Then at different jobs, I could see some friends being treated unfairly and not sticking up for themselves and I'd feel it was my job to butt in and fix it. Yes, think how aggravating that was for everyone but me, who thought I was doing them all a favor *laugh* But back then I was more of a crusader. Now I am more of an allower. So now, if I see someone involved in something and having a great time, I butt out. If I see someone involved in something and having problems, I may speak up. I can help them untether themselves from what is holding them back, but they need to fly on their own accord. ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-OOBE - Out of Body Experience $10 mp3

How to win the lottery by visualizing it; Dr. Joseph Murphy

Sat, 23 May 2009 10:16:29 +0000

The first headline that AOL flashed before me this morning was How To Win The Lottery By Visualizing It. Cynthia Stafford was a single mother raising five kids. She read books about positive thinking by Divine Science minister Joseph Murphy. Through Murphy's teachings of self-healing and visualization, Stafford set her mind on winning $112 million. She wrote the figure "$112 million" constantly, meditated on it, and imagined how excited she would be once the money finally came into her life. After four months of obsessive focus -- the first couple of weeks took considerable discipline, she says -- she stopped and let go. "Once you're in the flow of the energy," she says, "it's going to happen." And in May 2007, Stafford won $112 million in California's Mega Millions lottery. And she's using it wisely. "The ones who blew it also said they were going to blow it," she says. "They said it before it happened. It's what you believe. They attracted that. We have two choices in life. We can choose to see the best situation in our lives, or bemoan why things are not working." Dr. Joseph Murphy's writings are enjoying a resurgence of popularity. Last year, Hayhouse reissued some of his more popular books and you can find them here. Basically, Dr. Murphy said: The healing presence of God is within you. This miraculous healing power in your subconscious mind, if scientifically directed, can heal your mind, body, and affairs of all disease and impediments. He gives the Steps in Healing: The first step in healing is not to be afraid of the manifest condition -- from this very moment. The second step is to realize that the condition is only the product of past thinking, which will have no more power to continue its existence. The third step is mentally to exalt the miraculous healing power of God within you. This procedure instantly will stop the production of all mental poisons in you or in the person for whom you are praying. Live in the embodiment of your desire, and your thought and feeling will soon be made manifest. Do not allow yourself to be swayed by human opinion and worldly fears, but live emotionally in the belief that it is God in action in your mind and body. Lottery winner Cynthia Stafford knew that she could heal the thinking that had her struggling in today's economy under hardship conditions. She began an active plan of working on her inner self and a daily spiritual practice including reading. Dr. Joseph Murphy's books are not about making money, they are about thinking in accord with accepting the fullness of what the Universe offers you every day. The lottery win was simply one expression of that. Stafford wants you to know that you, too, can win the lottery. "Even if it seems that nothing is going your way, in regards to your goals, you are going to reach them," she says. "Have strong beliefs. Everything you wish to have will happen." Here is Dr. Joseph Murphy's Special Prayer for Eyes and Ears: I am the Lord that healeth me. My vision is spiritual, eternal, and a quality of my consciousness. My eyes are Divine ideas, and they are always functioning perfectly. My perception of spiritual Truth is clear and powerful. The light of understanding dawns in me; I see more and more of God's Truth every day. I see spiritually; I see mentally; I see physically. I see images of Truth and Beauty everywhere. The infinite Healing Presence is now, this moment, rebuilding my eyes. They are perfect, Divine instruments, enabling me to receive messages from the world within and the world without. The glory of God is revealed in my eyes. I hear the Truth; I love the Truth; I know the Truth. My ears are God's perfect ideas, functioning perfectly at all times. My ears are the perfect instruments which reveal God's harmony to me. The love, beauty, and harmony of God flow through my eyes and ears; I am in tune with the Infinite. I hear the still, small voice of God within me. The Holy Spirit quickens my hearing, and my ears are open and free. Amen. Here is An Effective Prosperity Prayer by Dr. Joseph Murphy: I know there is only one Source, the Life-Principle, from which all things flow. It created the universe and all things therein contained. I am a focal point of the Divine presence. My mind is open and receptive. I am a free-flowing channel for harmony, beauty, guidance, wealth, and the riches of the Infinite. I know that health, wealth, and success are released from within and appear without. I am now in harmony with the infinite riches within and without, and I know these thoughts are sinking into my subconscious mind and will be reflected on the screen of space. I wish for everyone all the blessings of life. I am open and receptive to God's riches - spiritual, mental, and material - and they flow to me in avalances of abundance. I'm going to play the $112 million lottery game. That's going to be my target figure. Let me see how many 112 happenings I can attract. Let me see how allowing and non-resistance a state I can keep myself in. LOL No pressure there, huh? Play it with me? And that's not how I roll. RELATED POSTS: Exercising the spidey sense More lottery wins I Predict 4 Of Saturday’s Lotto Numbers LISTEN FREE: Out of Body Experience Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ :¦:-Sleepytime Recharge - heal while you sleep $10 mp3

We need some daily undiluted UV light through our retina; taking a ride to clear the mental cobwebs

Sun, 24 May 2009 07:48:40 +0000

I went on a long drive yesterday afternoon. I've not had a chance all week to get out for a change of scenery, and I needed one. I know I live in Paradise, but sometimes driving out to see the rest of the world lets me appreciate it even more when I return. I've heard that "Paradise does not make itself known to you until you've been kicked out of it." I want to make sure that never happens to me. I want to recognize and draw Paradise out of anywhere I am, anytime I'm there. Ma Yoga Shakti says, "Wherever you are, make a heaven of it." So yesterday afternoon, I took the long drive along US1 and the Indian River south to the Wabasso Causeway, then east across to AIA. Although it had rained the past couple of days, it was sunny and mild and I could see many boats on the waterway. Usually, there are just a handful of sailboats anchored out all up and down the river. Now there were small craft motoring along as well. I'd taken my sunglasses off, since I know that most Vitamin D is absorbed through the eyelids. Besides blocking vitamin D absorption, sunglasses interfere with the body’s circadian rhythms, which depend on undiluted UV light hitting the retina to set our internal clocks. It just takes about 30 minutes a day. The last couple of days I'd been inside at the computer, and no sunshine. I have a tendency to work in the available light from the windows in the offices rather than turning on a bright light to work, as I should when it's dark or stormy and I've not been in the sunlight for a day or more. Researchers have found that bright light changes the chemicals in the brain, and that the undiluted UV of the sunlight also affects mood, causing it to lift. Much has been written about Seasonal Affective Disorder. People who stay out of the sunlight for prolonged periods, especially those who live in front of a tv, are most often affected. Many of them are diagnosed as depressed. The remedy is some sunshine each day, being outside and moving your body. St. John's Wort is a good natural reuptake inhibitor if you are taking no other medications. I could feel myself coming out of my rut as I drove. I could feel my mental thoughts picking up. I had some last minute rescheduling to do last week, and I had finally figured it all out. It seems I am always juggling my schedule, when one person changes something, it all dominoes *smile* Then either everything changes or I end up doing it all myself. I'm used to it, obviously I attract it, I must thrive on it. Maybe I just use it as my excuse to not have any real time off. Grin. I drove north on AIA, with the Atlantic Ocean on my right. There was the usual crowd at Sebastian Beach Inlet Park. I could tell not much surf was happening, because AIA was not lined with cars as is the case mid day when there are waves. As I got into Melbourne Beach and Indialantic, there was a lot of foot traffic walking across AIA, a lot of bicycles on the road. I turned west to drive across the Melbourne Causeway at Hwy 192 and saw dozens of people out walking the causeway. There was one gentleman who seemed elderly and out of shape, yet he was riding his bicycle up the steep grade like he was used to it. I love seeing that. I know getting there takes work. I turned south on US1 and drove through the old part of town, now rather decripit yet with an industrial beauty all its own. I followed the Indian River south to Malabar and then back home as the sun began to get low in the sky. In just that short 90 minutes, I felt completely rejuvenated and was ready to be back home again. As I pulled up to the house, I saw the cats lolling about, waiting for my return. Squirrels were running through the oaks and the cardinals were at the birdbath. A wasp drank water from an upside down leaf on the concrete bench in the garden. All was right in my world.

Working with the available light

Mon, 25 May 2009 04:11:36 +0000

Monday, May 25, 2009. Happy Memorial Day. Yesterday for the first time in a long time I found myself driving after dark. I'd run out to a meeting about 6pm and threw my wallet and phone in my pocket. I really never need to carry my purse with me, so I didn't put it in the car. I figured I'd be back by 8pm, long before dark. And of course I wasn't, and of course one thing I keep in my purse is my driving glasses. I mean, I can see fine to drive with my regular glasses and I do it all the time. But if I'm driving somewhere unfamiliar, where I need to read the street signs, I put on the driving glasses. I also put them off after dark, because I can just see the small details so much clearer. So, as I was leaving downtown Melbourne about 8:30pm last night, I made a point to drive home along the best lighted route. Typically anywhere I drive, I take the green route, the route that takes me along the most natural scenery. But in this case, that would put me driving south on US1 and in the dark without the driving glasses, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the scenery anyway. There are stretches without a lot of lighting, so I opted to take Babcock Street, right down the center of the city, lots of lights and other cars the whole way. It was interesting taking that route, seeing the hustle and bustle and cars and lights; car radios competing. Definitely not the leisurely US1 drive along the river I am used to. I thought how interesting what I experience every time I follow someone else's light. I thought of the metaphors. Not having clear enough vision of my own, with my other glasses at home. Having to depend on someone else's light to help me make my way back. The lack of planning on my part in not keeping the glasses in the car instead of in my purse, which I don't always carry. I thought of all the times in my past that I let myself be led by this person or that group or this guru. And while I feel i've benefited from it all, I find my vision much clearer on my own. Enough so that I'll keep the glasses in the car from now on. Metaphorically, I'll keep my eyes peeled and be observant. I'll let myself be led by the Light within me, as long as I can feel connected to it. And I'll make it my foremost goal to stay connected to it at all times.

Pinning myself in and getting myself out of it

Tue, 26 May 2009 20:29:46 +0000

Tuesday, May 26, 2009. I didn't do a blog post this morning because I needed to fly out of here as soon as I woke up to drive to Ocala. I'd finished my phone work just after 2:00am this morning and had to leave by 7:00am to meet with my Ocala connection before she got into her day. I can do fine on 4 hours sleep, but making myself fall right asleep the minute I stop "work" isn't so easy. I got 3 hours in before I had to walk out the door. Usually, when the magazine is delivered each month, we do the mailing that day. I take all the stacks left over after everyone has taken theirs, and I deliver Ocala and Cassadaga myself. This time, I had to reschedule the Ocala trip to before the mailing, and I had to do all the last minute figuring to see who gets how many. In my haste and exasperation, I did the math wrong and was 1500 magazines short, and didn't notice it until I got to Ocala and opened my trunk. That meant not only did I not have enough for Ocala, I didn't have any for Cassadaga. Which simply meant I'd have to split what I had between the two of them and make another trip up. Which means another 7 hours out of what would have been a day off. It's been a hectic week. I know, I was complaining about this a week ago in Taking My Breaks When I Can And Where I Am about scheduling things too tightly, then having the domino effect when one item changes. I was hoping to get a couple of afternoons off between now and the next issue of Horizons, including going to the Universal Lightworker's Conference the weekend of June 13-14, and now it seems unlikely I can make the conference. The time off will be eaten up by me having to return to Ocala plus do the mailing plus starting the July magazine. Whine, whine, whine. So I'm doing all this whining to myself as I drive, and each time I'd catch myself and do my best to pivot to a better feeling thought, so I didn't attract more confusion. And I'd catch myself and I'd be doing fine, then a thought would come up of someone I could blame, and then I'd remember that I'm the only one to blame, since I'm the only one who attracts anything into my experience. And then I'd give a moment's thought to how I was attracting it, then I'd remember that thinking about that only kept it happening for me. So then I'd remember that the remedy was to look for things to appreciate; literally, look around me, at the scenery, at the cars on the road, find something to appreciate and make myself feel better. I was so grumpy, I'd even attracted some smart aleck little blue car that darted out in front of me, and even as I swerved to get out of his way, I noticed a big purple truck driving by (also too close!) but it was the loveliest shade of purple ever. And it was a bright, sunny day, breezy, in the 80's and I so love to drive during the daytime when the weather is nice. I wasn't attacting anything I liked on the radio, so I put in my Barry White cd and sang along while I chair danced. An elderly looking woman on a huge Harley gave me a thumbs up at the traffic light. Life was getting better. Of course, I was the one who created the hell and I was the one who created the heaven. No, I did not orchestrate the actual details of the happenings, but by virtue of my own vibrational resonance, the range of experiences that I would attract - that I would have access to - would all fall into a particular vibrational range. Like, I couldn't expect someone to be more dependable than I am. I can't expect someone to respect my time any more than I respect anyone else's time. I can't expect someone else to be more enthusiastic about every step of my job than I am. So, clearly, I have a misplaced sense of priorities here. My priority should not be that everything runs smoothly and everything happens as planned and everyone takes responsibility for their own part. My priority should be to remember how much I love what I do, and how much I love the people I do it with. My priority should be that we all have a fun time doing whatever it is we do together, and then those other things will naturally fall into place by themselves. Those other things like everything running smoothly and everything happening as planned, etc. That will be the byproduct of my catching myself when I have a thought that tells a story I don't want to live ("I am overworked." "I am burning out." "There's no one else to do it but me.") And when I catch myself telling myself (or someone else) that story, I will remember that is not a story I want to live. So I will begin to tell a different story. I will tell myself the story of how I want it to be. How I can make it be if I continue to focus on how I want it to be. I can usually turn my thoughts around pretty quickly. Sometimes just a few moments to let something sink in. The quicker I can remember that I can stop attracting it by finding something else to focus upon, something that I enjoy and appreciate, the quicker I'll be out of it. And speaking of being out of it, I am bushed and ready to crash. And I'll bet that when I wake up, I will have forgotten my grumpiness of today. Lucky for you, so you don't have to hear it again and again :)

A reminder in the power of belief about physical limitations

Wed, 27 May 2009 08:07:03 +0000

Wednesday, May 27, 2009. I was Googling myself this morning and came across something I'd written several years ago, that someone had shared on their site. It was a good one, so I wanted to share it here: I had a great lesson in the power of my beliefs this morning. As usual on final layout week, I spend extra hours at the computer, creating and revising ads, opening mail, logging in payments, seeing who’s paid and who needs to pay, playing phone tag with a dozen new advertisers getting last minute details, making last minute adjustments to design and layout. So I work well into the night and get up early to begin again. And this morning was no different. I woke up groggy, wishing I could have just a little more sleep, but excited about doing the final touches on the magazine. I note the time on the wall clock - 6:20 am - and sleepily make it into the office. I go over my To Do List and begin making my way down the list. I check email and get a final ad. I respond to a few emails. I place the ad and am about to begin my Table of Contents when I notice my eyeglass case next to the keyboard in front of me. My eyeglass case. Empty, of course. Not because I have them on, but because they’re in the living room next to the recliner where I slept last night. Hmmm, how can that be? I usually wear contact lenses; I use the disposable kind that I wear for a month at a time. Only a few times a year do I take my lenses out and wear my glasses for a few days. I’m near-sighted and my vision is a minus 4, meaning without lenses, I can read a page held 10-12 inches away, and everything farther away than that is a nice, hazy blur. I’d been working so hard that I’d forgotten I’d taken out my contact lenses and put my glasses on. Obviously I took my glasses off before falling asleep. Upon awakening, I’d forgotten about them and assumed my lenses were in, as usual. I saw the clock six feet away at 6:20 am. I did paperwork and computer work, sleepily assuming I had my lenses in. The moment I saw my eyeglass case, and realized I didn’t have my glasses on – and contact lenses were out – I could no longer see the words I’d typed on the monitor and the clock was a blur. And no, I didn’t sleep with my face scrunched into the pillow, squishing my eyes into a shape that let me temporarily focus. I slept face up, leaning back in a recliner. The only thing I did different was to believe and expect that I – as usual – had my contact lenses in and could see fine, and behave as if that were so. Wow, huh? Wouldn’t it be neat if we all went to sleep tonight and woke up forgetting that we’d ever been unhappy, forgetting that we’d ever had money worries or bad health? Wouldn’t it be neat to wake up and all we could remember was that we loved and were loved, that we were vitally healthy and strong, that we had everything we wanted? It’s a nice thought isn’t it? It’s something nice to daydream about when I find myself worrying.

Lazy Thursday

Thu, 28 May 2009 08:16:45 +0000

A lazy Thursday. Not lazy for me, as I will be running around doing things starting early, which means I had better get to bed quickly. It's 4:00am as I type this. So the lazy part is me sharing some of the past week's Facebook posts, with some after thoughts. I kind of like keeping track of my Facebook posts, it's like a periodic journal of what was on my mind throughout the day. working busily away on June layout, watching the giant philodendron outside my office window - the rains brought out 2 new huge white blooms the past week of rain has made the philodendron grow as tall and wide as my office window. Neat! is making some onion, carrot and celery soup for lunch. Adding fresh basil, rosemary and tomato from the garden. I went crazy with my onion, carrot, celery, tomato, rosemary, basil soup and added a handful of spinach, and a splash of apple juice to sweeten. I can feel it healing my body! This sounds simple but was a really good soup, with cumino, oregano, sea salt, black pepper and garlic. snacking on a couple of leaves of romaine. Lettuce could be a good tv snack. One leaf at a time. Crunchy. Or individual carrot matchsticks. hmmmm This gives my hands something to do and tricks my mind into being satisfied tried a nap, no avail, lots of work to do, tired of being on computer, no energy for a sundown walk on the trails, whine, whine whine. Just do it Andrea, continue crossing off that To Do List. What's the big deal?? I can be such a procrastinator I just learned that people will come read my Facebook Wall just to see who I'm talking with and what everyone on my feed is saying. That's funny. Now whose Wall should I go look at first? Now this was fun! is done with work for the night. Psychic prediction: there is watermelon in my future. I was right, Dang, I'm good. Jai Guru Dev, nothing's gonna change my world. All we see in this world are reflections and reactions has had a hectic, busy, productive day and is bushed. Time for some veggie soup. too lazy to heat soup, having watermelon and grapes for dinner 5:00am waking up and getting in to it *life doesn't get any better* will be hiring someone to enter all our websites into the search engines, and thought I'd let you guys know first. Don't send me a bunch of SEO marketing hype, just send me a quick and brief bid *thanks all* Show others that your happiness is subject to your own choice, not their behavior. is eating okra and tomatoes with corn *oh, so good* dang, another long day - time for a break and a lap around the property lots of cardinals flying around under the oak canopy here, I see two sets of youngsters plus their folks just had an awesome sandwich: Ezekial toast, grainy mustard, tomato, sauteed red pepper, and spinach. Very good. Instead of meat or cheese on a sandwich, I like to use grilled or sauteed bell pepper or mushroom slabs. Or cut a fresh tomato real thick for a meatier bite. And I like spinach instead of romaine; stone ground mustard and a dense, toasted, whole grain bread. Oh! Carrot dogs! Saute whole carrots in butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, to cook the outside, leave inside crunchy. Serve in hot dog bun with mustard, relish, onions, or wrap up in a romaine leaf. is working away. Lovely day out there. Mag is almost done. I mowed my lawn! Mag is done, final proofreaeding (good grief just noiced this typo - proofreading, indeed) to go. But first, a nap of a few hours is in order. And, for lunch? I see more sauteed bell peppers on toasted Ezekial bread with grainy mustard, thick tomato slices and spinach. Maybe onion and dill pickles, if I dare. I dared What's everyone doing today? 5-27-09 some help please - and this is not a trick to make you go to the website. Please tell me if you can see the images at http://goddessgrub.com. and if not, what browser you use more help please - and again this is not a trick to make you go to the website. Please tell me if you can see the images at http://secret2dollars.com. and if not, what browser you use one more. more help please - I promise this is not a trick to make you go to the website. Please tell me if you can see the images at http://auraspiritphotos.com . and if not, what browser you use just had a carrot dog for dinner with vidalia relish and yellow mustard, wrapped in romaine instead of a bun *yum* just bought 2 feather pillows. I like that I can scrunch them all up lots of different ways. 10:30pm is snacking on watermelon The sky just opened up here in Palm Bay, rolling thunder, the yard is loving it, the kitties... not so much!

Writing a note to your animal friends

Fri, 29 May 2009 04:04:58 +0000

Friday May 29, 2009. I got this email from a client's brother after reading my May 2009 Horizons Magazine editorial. "Hello Andrea, just wanted to let you know how the universe came together for me through one of your suggestions.... First, my name is Steve and I live in Michigan. I have access to Horizons via my sister, Laurie Taylor (ad on your page 22), who shows me various issues whenever I end up at her home in Florida. Sometimes she sends me the occasional magazine, as was the case with May's offering. So I'm reading your column about interacting with nature, and you're going on about squirrels and cardinals, and mulberry trees, and its all hitting home to me to me in a personal way, not because of my love for critters and the outdoors, which I have, but because of the significance of of your instruction, which was to write those creatures a note should you bump heads with one another. You see, Andrea, bumping heads with creatures has weighed heavily on my soul lately in an "in-your-face" sort of way, primarily because of the actions of my dear neighbor - my tattoo covered, carny working neighbor, who decided he could not live another moment of life without those most precious of pets, a pit bull." Now please understand Andrea, this is not a complaining session, nor do I dislike tattoos, carny workers or dogs...of most other breeds..... No, Andrea, I am an old hippie from wayback,and can tolerate most anything from anybody, but I don't do well with noise. And Andrea, this little bugger likes to bark. A lot. At everything that moves. Which meant that every time I went into my backyard - as soon as I opened my door - the pit bull barked. And kept on barking until I went inside. Upsetting my little corner of the planet it was, as I love my tree covered, hasta filled backyard, where I routinely sit away the late afternoon on an almost daily basis. Serene in the extreme it normally is. Except when the dog barks. Which he did whenever I went - oh yeh, you read that part already. A person of solutions I am, so thoughts of options on the dog issue had been filling my head when lo! your magazine, and hence, your respective column duly arrived. (Oh, you know what's coming already, don't you?) That's right. I read your column while sitting out back..and listening to the dog bark...and bark... I raised my head from Horizons and glanced to well, the horizon. I arched one eyebrow and dropped the other, and looked back at the non-stop pit bull who refused to get laryngitis, and thought, "Why not?" So I wrote the note. I asked him to stop barking. I suggested he enjoy the scenery. I even politely used his name. I have no healing bench, so the note stays on my desk. And it worked. The note blinking worked! And has for over two weeks now. It took a couple days to take - the Spirit messes with me like that - but take it did. Wow. How cool is that? I just marvel at how it all came together. Its just appreciating and being grateful for the magic of the whole thing. I had to share that with you, hoping it will lift you in some way. I remain grateful for my wonderful caring sister who thought enough to send Horizons, and grateful for Horizons and its publisher,who has a good idea or two up her sleeve. and I'm really grateful the dog shut up....."

Mental

Sat, 30 May 2009 07:31:23 +0000

Saturday May 30, 2009. I watched the tv show Mental last night. Chris Vance is Dr. Jack Gallagher, an unorthodox psychiatrist who becomes Director of Mental Health at an L.A. hospital. He takes on patients battling unknown, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed psychiatric conditions. Gallagher has developed an ability to get into the minds of his patients and see the way they see reality, allowing him to uncover what might be the keys to their long-term recoveries. This perspective leads him to offer alternative treatments for his patient. I wondered why I was led to turn the show on, but then I saw the doctor and staff around a table discussing treatment plans. Since one patient had already gone off his medication, Gallagher suggested they keep him unmedicated, let all the chemicals get out of his system, and use counseling, acupuncture, visualization and other forms of alternative therapy. Then after the patient had a period of no medication, re-evaluate him in light of new technologies. You can imagine that not everyone at the table was in agreement. One responded "You don't treat schizophrenia with aromatherapy." This might be a very good show. Later in the show, Gallagher is approached by an authority at the hospital who asks for his cooperation in keeping the funding in place from the major pharmaceutical companies who use the hospital to run their drug trials. This should play out nicely as a story line. And also educate some people; especially the elderly who are over-medicated and sit in front of the tv all day. I hope they watch this show. I spent about 10 years with the tv off, and it's just recently come back on. That's a good thing to do to gain perspective. Now I see programming is slowly making some changes for the better. It's encouraging.

rose-bud-red-cropped-72

Sun, 31 May 2009 03:49:07 +0000

The rose bush in its own little place in the sun; cleaning the rain gutters

Sun, 31 May 2009 07:58:01 +0000

Sunday May 31, 2009. My brother gave me a small tabletop rose bush earlier this year. It arrived with one rose and a small rosebud. Within 2 weeks, both roses were spent, and I placed the bush on the table in the sunniest corner of the back porch. I mean, it being a tabletop rose bush and all. Weeks and then months went by and, although the rose got a couple of hours of direct sunlight each morning, it wasn't really growing and it took 2 months until I saw another rosebud on it. My brother would ask how the briar patch was doing. Then I had the idea to plant it in the yard, just 3 feet from where it sat on the porch, and it immediately began to grow. The full sun all day long made the difference. I told Brother Jerry about it, and he said, "That little briar patch is kinda like people, you can baby and pamper them and try your best to make them bloom, but the flowers don't appear unless you allow them to have their own little place in the sun. Then the laws of nature brings forth the roses." I thought later how foolish to have placed the rosebush on a table on my back porch in the first place. But I put it where I could see it when I sat in the living room. In retrospect, that was like looking for the lost keys under the street light instead of in the alley where I lost them, simply because the light was better. I initially did the same thing with my new vegetable garden grow box as well, but now it also has been moved to an all-day-sunny spot. Both the rose and the vegetable garden are both thriving, especially after the rain last week. It's true: basically all I need to do is create a conducive environment, a space for it, and then sit back and watch Nature do her magic. And stay out of her way. The rains last week! Oh, how the yards needed them. At one point I was walking outside in the rain, under my umbrella, and noticed that the rain wasn't pouring out of my rain gutter; it was shooting right off the roof, over the top of the gutters. As soon as the rain stopped, I got up on my ladder and investigated. The top screens of the rain gutters were in place, yet the gutters were clogged with oakleaf mulch. It only took about 30 minutes to take the screens all down, clean out the gutters and put everything back in place. I love it when I can figure out how to do something like that myself, something that only takes a few minutes but makes a big difference. Too often, I let a series of small jobs like that pile up, then the whole project seems so overwhelming that I never take it on. I'm finally learning that doing everything little by little gets it done just as well. House work, yard chores. I don't have to take it all on at once. I can do it little by little. As Abraham-Hicks says, "I can eat an elephant one bite at a time."

Tricks to Beat Frizz on Humid Days

Sun, 31 May 2009 08:13:02 +0000

I love the hair and makeup commercials I see on tv and on AOL: "Tricks to Beat Frizz on Humid Days" the headline reads. "The Best Foundation for Summertime." Have these writers ever lived in Florida? It doesn't matter what gel or spray you put on your hair and what styling tools you use, the Florida humidity in the summer will soak into your hair as surely as if you walked through a steam bath. And waterproof, sweatproof foundation and mascara? Not so. They slide right off. Until I travelled outside Florida for the first time, I thought everywhere had high humidity. After I took my first trip out west, I realized that wasn't the case. I lived in California for awhile and that's when I realized, ah, that's where these writers live. They must think everyone lives in the same climate as they do.

72-5-29-09-in-car

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:04:14 +0000

Self portrait 5-29-09

Staying in the flow; the lava lamp story

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:13:29 +0000

It's June already! How cool is that? Well, not very cool anymore, as the weather heats up. Temps have been in the mid 80's and humidity about 75%, and very pleasant. I began turning my a/c on a couple of weeks ago. I love the fresh air, but not the humidity. I like a fan blowing on me all the time; maybe that's a menopausal thang. Yes, when is that going to end anyway??? I've been hot flashing for 15 years. Enough already. Hey, I snapped a cell phone pic on Saturday as I was driving. I am not a fan of my full face, no-bangs look, but in the hair-growing-out process I need to keep it out of my eyes. As soon as the bangs drop below my chin, I can stick my hair behind my ears and be done with it. As the weather heats up, it is growing faster. I've learned that it keeps it stronger and healthier when I snip the ends every few weeks, and when it's strong, it grows faster. Isn't it funny how that works? Cutting something because you want more of it? Cutting hair to keep it long; pruning plants to make them grow; giving in order to receive. Saturday I went to the big garage sale at The New Way POD (what a blast!) and saw this great lava lamp. I picked it up and turned to ask how much it was and - not knowing it was in 2 parts - I held on to the base while the top glass part fell to the floor. Remarkably, the glass didn't break, but the plastic seal did, so the liquid spilled out all over the floor. I fully believe that if I break something, it's mine, and I was going to buy it anyway. It was just a couple of bucks, so I offered twice the amount as a donation to the garage sale cause. The immediate response was, "Oh no, you don't have to buy it. No, that's too much to give." I had to laugh. Here we are, everyone working on prosperity consciousness, both parties wanting to give and neither party wanting to receive! Too funny. And this with just a $5 item. I wondered where else in our lives do we keep some big, wonderful something from flowing into our experience simply because won't accept what the Universe is trying to hand us? I'm pretty good about remembering to keep the flow going, because I know how important it is to let loose of something in order to keep more coming in. If I don't accept your gift, then I am stopping your flow and mine. So the kind and generous thing to do is to let people give you their gifts. Learn to graciously accept. Keep it all in the flow. And what about when people change intentions and break contracts and don't live up to their part of the bargain? You will drive yourself crazy if you let yourself get hung up there. Don't use what someone else does or doesn't do as your excuse to introduce resistance into your vibration. It will only serve to stop your flow. Remember that you attracted that from them, so clean up your own vibration, let it go and get on with the next step. Attract something different next time. I've got a new opportunity in every moment to keep attracting what I've been attracting, or to attract something new. It's my choice. My choice of what priorities to focus on and what thoughts to think in order to find and maintain that focus. Sound hard? That's just another thought.

What a difference a change in perception makes..... Billing as a spiritual practice

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:00:10 +0000

Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Yesterday I had the greatest drive ever to Ocala and Cassadaga. Yes, I was just there last week but, as I wrote about on May 26th at Pinning Myself In And Getting Myself Out Of it, I had miscalculated and not had enough magazines with me the first time. Oh, what a grumpy last trip that was! This time, I'd gotten caught up on work and created the day off for myself. I thought of it as a vacation day drive rather than a delivery run. Thinking about it differently made me feel differently about it. I love the drive to Ocala, and this time I got to enjoy the scenery. Usually my drive time is filled with taking and returning business calls (I love my handsfree headset!) but this time I got to chat with a friend for a short while, and that was fun. I seldom do purely social phone calls, since I spend so much of my work time on the phone. I notice I've trained myself to think of the phone as work. But yesterday the phone was fun, and all it took was a change in my perception. I love it when I newly notice some habit or routine I've unconsciously created for myself, and I just noticed another one. Each month I send out bills to all the advertisers. Billing is not my favorite thing to do, so I typically stretch out what could be a 4-5 hour job into sometimes a week. I use different techniques to motivate myself to bill; one of which is to use that time as spiritual practice, to send a blessing to the client whose name is before me. That sometimes segues into prayer and creative visualization time, and that's when I let the time begin to get away with me. One trick I do is to, when I create my To Do list, I break up the billing into manageable bites. Abraham-Hicks says we can eat an elephant one bite at a time, so instead of the daunting item "Begin Billing", my list says: Bill A - G Bill H-O Bill P-Z Then Sunday I found myself dreading even seeing the reminder to begin billing. I had other things I wanted to do and I just didn't want to do it. Then I reminded myself that I was giving too much importance to the task and I was making it loom larger than need be. So, on my To Do list, I crossed out Begin Billing and changed it to Whip Through Billing. I've done that before where I've simply sat down, stayed focused, got the work done in 4 hours and was on to whatever else I wanted to do. As soon as I wrote the words, how I felt about the task changed. All I'd done was change how I perceived the task, and I felt instant relief. I like the feeling of whipping through my chores to get onto whatever else I want to do afterward. It makes it seem like such a small task - which it really is - and so easily doable. What a difference a change in perception makes.

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-smoothed

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:19:23 +0000

My eyebrows - more perception studies

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:19:59 +0000

Wednesday, June 3, 2009. Well, I really got a crash course in perception again yesterday. The night before, I'd been tired from driving all day, yet not quite sleepy enough to go to bed. You know how that goes, you're awake but not real alert. Tired and wired I call it. And no, I don't drink :) So here I was really tired and clearing some things off my desk when I came across a pair of tweezers I'd used to pull out a splinter a few days ago. I'm not one to tweeze brows or shave legs or whiskers since I'm so fair you can barely notice it. But as I sat back in my chair with the tweezers in hand, it seemed a good idea to reach for the mirror and do some eyebrow shaping. You already know where this is going, don't you? So I get the light turned on and well positioned. I check it out and plan my strategy, then begin. First this one, then that, but wait now this one shows up. Hmmm, better take that one, too. Ok, now that's a nice clean line. But wait, let me even that up a little bit more... My mom taught me to only tweeze from underneath. Mom had great brows, check her out in Photos of our Place. So I did some tweezing and was happy with the result and I went off to bed. In the morning, I get up and come into the office and see the tweezers and mirror on my desk. I remembered the night before. I ran into the bathroom to see my face in the big mirror. I looked very surprised, very Julie Newmar circa 1966. They didn't look bad, they just didn't look, well... me. I like the heavy eyebrow look, I think it's natural and youthful. So I felt kind of bare. I knew they'd grow back, but I wasn't crazy about them. And forget about putting brow pencil on to fill them in. I'm so fair that even the lightest color is too dark. So I was left with the perception that I'd goofed my brows up and looked a little weird. Then I go online and see that AOL has tips on The right way to tweeze - Eyebrows 101. I go to the page and follow the photos and see that - according to AOL - I did my brows perfectly. I began them in the right place and they ended in the right place and the arch was in the right place. Interesting. My perception before I read the article was that I'd made a mistake and looked unnatural. However, now that AOL assures me it was merely good grooming, I'm good to go.

Online dating: E-Harmony vs. Match.com

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:19:34 +0000

A Realistic Personal Ad: SWM in dead-end job seeks dumpy neurotic for mutual psychological torture, tepid sex, and co-dependency. I enjoy drinking, smoking, pornography, and self-righteous indignation. I can't stand movies, and the last album I bought was The Marshall Tucker Band's Greatest Hits. I have middling intelligence but try to appear smarter by affecting a world-weary air, memorizing useless facts, and chuckling at my own mean-spirited, agenda-driven jokes. I'm 32 but look 40 and feel 60. You are a whiny, bitter shrew with a misplaced sense of entitlement and unrealistic expectations. In time you will become coolly hostile when I don't fulfill every unmet need you've ever had. Bonus points if you just finished screwing every guy in town and but now want to take it slow with me. My perfect night would include getting hammered in a sh*t-hole bar while you flirt with seedy old drunks, followed by an embarrassing screaming match. I would be open to an unsatisfying fling that leaves me filled with regret and dread but prefer a long-term, soul crushing descent into booze and pills. No friendships. I don't need any damn friends. Age unimportant, but I will condescend to women under 30 and rehash mother issues with women over 40. Serious replies only, please. A friend sent that to me, saying it would be funny if it wasn't so true. She just joined an online dating service and keeps me posted with her adventures. I'd joined Match.com a few years ago and, out of hundreds of emails, met 3 people who have become friends. I could usually rule out in just a few emails what mutual interests I shared with someone, so I only made it to the telephone stage with maybe a dozen men and only met 4 in person over the years. What I specifically like about Match.com is that you are able to write your own profile in your own words. It gives a sense of who you are. Now with E-Harmony.com, you answer all these multiple choice questions and, based upon that, they will decide who to match you with. Then you go through a tedious series of back and forth through their email system doing more multiple choice and no narrative, until you decide whether to give out your direct email address or phone number. Out of half a dozen E-Harmony matches I spoke to on the phone, 4 were conservative, right winged and argumentative political activists - I still don't know what E-Harmony thought we had in common besides location. The other 2 had no personality in their emails and none on the phone, so there was no need to meet. I did not have anything in common with any of them, besides location. So my friend Karinna has now joined another service. Ok, Karinna is a compilation of 4 friends that talk to me about their experiences online. On SeniorPeopleMeet.com, you can write your own profile, it's affordable, there are a lot of members. So Katrinna has already begun emailing with several new guys and talking to them on the phone. The first two were very charming and talking to her at the same time. Both talked romance and marriage; they were rich, their funds were somehow tied up in a legal action and about to be released. They pledged undying love (they had not yet met), and Karinna became very emotionally involved. Ultimately, each man asked her to send them money. The first time she sent $7,000. The second time she knew better. The next ones, she was determined to meet in person to get to know before deciding to trust and fall into infatuation. The next 3 were also very early on professing their love and making plans about the future before agreeing to meet for a lunch date. The men were romantic during their date, still talking about spending the future together. She slept with 2 on the first date since there was such chemistry. After the date, none of the 3 would return emails, calls or texts from her. And this is an attractive, successful and personable woman. So when she sent me the above "realistic personal ad," I knew she could relate. It seems there is a series of scams going on, targeting the online match services. Karinna's profile says she is 61 years old seeking men between 54 and 70. She has gotten half a dozen emails from guys 22-36 with real buff photos on their profile. She replies to them "Are you out of your mind?" and "Why are you sweating with the oldies?" Who knows who is really behind the keyboard at the other end of that disaster-waiting-to-happen. But I guess that is no different from the hot, young Barbies looking for a sugar daddy. And then there are the scams that come out of Nigeria, a popular place for online dating scam origination. So my advice to Karinna is to simply keep her eyes open. If someone won't answer simple questions, cut the cord and move on. If someone gets too close too fast, ask yourself what it is within you that is attracting this out of them. Let them know ahead of time you don't discuss money with friends, period, end of story. If they are a scammer, they'll either begin to play on your emotions even harder, or move on to the next target. As much as you want to feel a connection with someone, let it develop naturally. You don't need to be going to Western Union to send money to Nigeria or to get someone's mother out of the nursing home or making a loan until their big settlement check comes next week, or you've won some big prize. If they get on those topics, cut the cord. Spend your down time thinking what qualities you really like in all the men you know right now, pick something about every one. That will get you vibrating in a different place, and that will get you attracting a different kind of partner. It doesn't matter where they come from; they can certainly come through an online dating service just as easily as they can come from the Publix produce counter or the car next to you at the Chevron station. Don't be attached to where they come from. Just get clear and cut the deadwood to start vibrating in a higher place, a place where the sincere and authentic partner can find you. And if you learn some lessons about human nature along the way, so be it. And Karinna? I told her to consider her $7,000 as a tithe to the Universe. Had she gotten involved with this person, had he ever called her back, she would have lost far more during the course of a "relationship". She considers it tuition and a fair severance payment. Me, too. Online dating: E-Harmony vs. Match.com A Fly On The Wall Of A Dating Site Hook-Up Online dating scams; hot singles are waiting for you

Sitting in the woods at midnight

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:12:37 +0000

Thursday, June 4, 2009. I love being up in the middle of the night. I love being up working at the desk, I love being up working on my creative projects, but I especially love being outside in the midnight hours. There is very little road traffic within hearing range, and my particular neighborhood has no street lights, so the nighttime has a natural feel to it. As long as I turn OFF the outside motion sensors when I am out there, that is :) I like taking a walk when the air is cool and the woods are lit only by the moonlight filtering through the trees. I stay barefoot at night, so I can tell where on the path I am walking. In the dark spots, I can tell where to turn when I feel the big oak root under my right foot, and I know that I need to duck two steps later to miss the low hanging branch. When I feel the gravel, I know to bear left to stay off the path to the garden. When I walk down to the firepit area, I can feel the oak leaves all ruffled up under my feet, and I can hear the armadillos rooting around in them closeby. I can make out in the dim light the chairs as they are gathered around the circle area and I sit in my favorite one. The one facing each of the three trails: the human walk and the two woods creature trails. If I sit quietly, all sorts of nocturnal critters will begin their nighttime parade past me. The crickets keep up their music all night long, pausing in unison here and there whenever a newcomer walks onto the scene. The raccoons are up chirping and cooing all night long and this morning I can see 3 fat young ones, all tumbling and falling over each other as they follow their mom around and get to know the lay of the land. They eat the saw palmetto berries that grow in abundance here in the palmetto flatwoods. The raccoons also eat the grapes on the wild vines and the acorns that fall from the oaks. They haven't touched my container garden yet; my two baby green peppers are safe and growing. They eat whatever sunflower seeds the birds and squirrels have left for them. At night, their route is this: they come out of the woods from the west and start by squeezing under the wooden gate. They check the concrete bench for seeds, then the table, then crawl up the camphor tree and across to the privacy fence to see if there are any left over on the little ledge there. Then they waddle across the roof to check for any peanuts that might have been tossed up there and forgotten. Hope springs eternal. Then down the oak to the birdbath area to catch any seeds that have sprouted there, then over to the bird feeder area. Then they bravely cross the driveway, still under the oak canopy, and begin checking the big flat rock where I place more black oil sunflower seeds. This is a big oak-leafy-mulchy-garden area that the animals all like to root around in, so the raccoon family will spend some time there, digging up juicy earthworms and voles and such. This is a big area, so by the time they finish working it, they are near the back fenceline. In season, this is when they go after the loquats (Feb-May) and mulberries (March-June), but for now they are waiting on the saw palmetto berries to come on. Then they crawl along the north fence line, underneath the claredendron, arborvitae, the crepe myrtle, turk's cap and arbicola back into the west woods. That's their route. Although I like the quiet of the nighttime as I sit outside under the stars and watch the moon travel across the sky, it's often like grand central station. The parade includes raccoons, armadillos, opposums, moles and voles, brown rabbits, the occasional fox. I can hear an owl in the oak hammock, calling to another in the hammock at the end of the block. Now and again I can hear something slithering by, and can only guess at its size by the length of the slither. It's just another evening's traffic for these guys. There's something so healing, so soothing about sitting alone in the middle of the night, everyone else asleep, the house finally quiet, no artificial sights or sounds. For me, it feels like sitting in the lap of a favorite grandmother, wrapped all sound and secure, no cares, no worries, everything working out as it should. These are powerful times to do some creative visualization work, some pre-paving of how I'd like the rest of the week to go, the rest of the month. Just a few moment's thought here and there. And a few more moments going over in my mind all the things that went right the day before, all the things I appreciate and would like more of. These are also the times that I can feel the most connection, the times I feel the most response in meditation. It is the time I feel most finely tuned to the signal, like a favorite radio station that comes in clearest when all the competing signals turn off for the night. I can hear the message much more clearly. Sitting in the oak woods at midnight is sometimes truly like sitting at the feet of the Master. . Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers

Ghostly Apparition Caught On Camera; Going Out Of Body to Help You Learn To Manage Your Energy

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:21:28 +0000

Friday, June 5, 2009. My brother sent me a link to Employees: Haunting Caught On Tape - Greenville, a news story where a ghostly apparition is caught on camera. It happened about 25 miles from his home in South Carolina. It is an area known for paranormal activity, including the phenomena known as The Seneca Guns. Brothermine wrote about them here. My brother is a very psychic guy and he works in a very conventional mechanical engineering type job in the areospace industry. He's very low profile about his psychic gift (yes, we both hate that term, but we've gotten over it) and selective who he shares information with about anything paranormal or metaphysical. He's not an attention seeker and doesn't feel like he has to prove anything to anyone. He knows who he is. Back to the surveillance video on the news story at Employees: Haunting Caught On Tape - Greenville The videocamera is focused on the credit union office of the Anderson Municipal Business Center in Anderson, SC. The security guard Rob Colbert noticed it on the video screen and played it back several times. It clearly shows a defined area of light moving about with purpose; it appeared out of nowhere and walked over to a chair and sat in it, over and again. It made him a believer that there is an unseen world, things we just don't see with our naked eye. I am glad that the research into this type of activity is finally gaining acceptance within the scientific community. That frees up funding so that more meaningful work can be done. Although it's been written about for a century, people are just now beginning to accept that there is another "dimension" to this world we live in. And that we can learn to understand and manage and direct energy and thought in this new dimension and, through the activity of that, we will create a world we love to be living in. But small steps first. Let people get used to the idea slowly, so it doesn't freak them out. The media/tv/movie/comic industry has for so long portrayed the paranormal, the unseen, as something to be feared and fought against and protected from. So now some deprogramming is in order. We're starting to get some good tv shows that portray these happenings in a realistic way as every day occurrences. Ghost Whisperer, Medium, The Listener. (The Listener? That's exactly how it happens.) I believe the apparition caught on video is simply a thoughtform doing an automatic action repeatedly. I wrote about this in The Haunted Chair; Journeys Out Of The Body. That's one thing I think everyone would benefit from, is doing some out of body exercises. Just to get yourself used to the idea, because it really goes a long way in helping you learn to manage your energy otherwise, also. It's very empowering. And just like riding a bicycle, the better you get at it, the easier it is to do at will. Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers

72-5-29-09-in-car-crop-jb-smoothed

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:12:41 +0000

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Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:15:08 +0000

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Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:16:30 +0000

Turning the Comments back on; Being Anonymous; Riding out the Momentum

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:43:17 +0000

Okay, okay! I got so many emails after yesterday's post Ghostly Apparition Caught On Camera; Going Out Of Body to Help You Learn To Manage Your Energy that I've turned my blog comments back on. I turn them off because I get so much spam there. Now you have to register to post comments because otherwise all the spam clutters my moderation queue. Your email address will not be used or shared, promise. I like people being able to leave anonymous comments, because I believe people should be allowed to have their say and not fear repercussion from it. But that also invites the spammers, so now you have to leave your name and email address when you leave a comment. Some people I know create a new email address just for the purpose of leaving anonymous feedback and blog comments. You can get a free email address from Yahoo or Gmail or Hotmail to do this. Why would I encourage someone to leave an anonymous comment? Because there are a lot of people who are not being heard. Some aren't being heard because they don't want to divulge their true identity and be subject to all the spam that might go along with giving out your email address. Others have learned that when they speak their mind, others judge them by their words and they get flak for it. I've never gotten a mean comment. I've gotten comments from writers I perceived as misguided, and those who hadn't done their research, but never someone just mean and abusive for its own sake. But people aren't always prepared to handle what Life throws at them. A few experiences with cause and effect can make a believer out of anyone, so it is often well into midlife before many people wake up and begin taking responsibility for how they perceive life and how they respond to it. At the same time, they have to deal with the momentum of their past catching up with them. So the situation is someone who has suddenly woken up to the realization of an innate connection, to another way of being, another way of living more gently and cooperatively upon the earth. And they realize some of their past behaviors and responses were less than stellar, and they want to do things differently this time around. But even though their heart and mind and ways have changed, there is still the backlash of the past momentum catching up. So they need to just do their best in each moment, and ride it out until it's over. In the meantime, I've seen a a lot of this play out in the online forums and in the comments sections of blogs like this one. So I don't automatically take the anonymous commenter as a coward who won't reveal themselves. I understand. Even if I don't agree with what you say, and even if I don't post your comment, I believe you should have your say and know you've been heard. Then there are those people I know, who have something to say but don't want to dialogue about it with me, and I want them to be allowed to have their say. I don't feel that's being sneaky and deceptive. I believe whatever it takes for someone to be able to have their say, that's fine, I want to hear it. LISTEN FREE: Out of Body Experience Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

22 again

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:08:27 +0000

I just read a Florida Today article that says Space Coast Area Transit bus Route 22 will not be cut, as rumors had suggested. I like being within the venue of Route 22. 22 is also the number that my name spells out. 22 is also the number my birthdate adds up to. Synchronicity!

I think I have the blog comment spam under control

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:54:52 +0000

Yay, I may have the blog comment spam under control. It's been 6 hours since I posted something and have no spam yet! The only words I blocked were "nude", ""cialis" and "viagra". I can tell I'm getting old when I don't recognize any of the names of the hotties that the spammers offer to show me nude photos of :)

Full Moon is Sunday 2:12pm - how will you celebrate?

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:06:57 +0000

Saturday, June 6, 2009. The full moon in Sagitarrius tomorrow Sunday is exact at 2:12pm. That means tonight is the night for your powerful full moon meditation. What will you do tonight for full moon?

What I did this full moon evening

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:36:14 +0000

Sunday, June 7, 2009. It was a beautiful full moon last night. It rained here much of the evening, so I didn't see the moon rise over the east pinewoods until after 10:00pm. I walked around outside for a bit in my rain poncho and rain boots and, when the rain would let up, I'd look up at the sky and watch the moon. It's my monthly ritual, every full moon, rain or shine: keep track of the full moon as it moves across the night time sky. I do a burning bowl ceremony each full moon as well. I write a note about anything I am ready to be free of for the next 28 days and I do a symbolic burning of the written note in my chimenea, signalling the beginning of the new 28 day cycle until next full moon. Earlier in the day, I'd moved the chimenea so it would be under cover of the big oak in case it was raining. I made a small fire and did my thank yous for the past 28 days in recognition for what has been gifted to me. I reviewed the few notes I had written, and gave each to the flame, one by one. I could hear steps behind me and looked to see my big Maine Coon kitty Izzy standing in the rain with me. My poncho is pvc and his is his long, thick, triple fur. He can barely feel the rain and he likes to attend at the burning bowl ceremonies. He likes to think he anchors the male energy.

I finally know who Heidi and Spencer are

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:14:30 +0000

Sunday June 7, 2009. OMG I didn't know what all the Heidi & Spencer buzz was about but just saw a few minutes of him flipping out on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. OMG he is so mean and hateful - and he's a born again Christian representing the American Cancer Society in this show? I'll bet they're proud... I know the two are on that Hills show but it's never on when I am seated near the tv with the remote control. Now I know why. Vibrational match.

A case of reincarnation in the news

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:47:21 +0000

It is being called the most documented case of reincarnation ever. A little boy is able to recall over 50 memories from someone else's life. A World War II Pilot's family believes it is their reincarnated brother based on the child's memories. The boy's story is compelling, it has been published in a book called "Soul Survivor." Fox 8's Suzanne Stratford spoke exclusively to the child and his family. This story first broke in 2005 on ABC News Primetime, about a little boy, James Leininger, who was thought by many to be a reincarnated fighter pilot. The boy had plane crash nightmares and knew things about planes that a boy his age wouldn't normally be familiar with. The detail in which James told his parents about airplanes and events during the war in which 'he was shot down by a Japanese fighter' were very realistic. James even told his dad the name of the aircraft carrier he took off from prior to being shot and the name of a fellow pilot, Jack Larson. Turns out they were real, his pilot buddy was someone living in Arkansas. James knew the names of the men in the photos who had been in his company. The pilot's sister was also located by James' parents. After talking to James, she said he knew things only she and her siblings would have known; he knew about an older sister named Ruth. It is not extraordinary that this happens, but I think it is a kind of victory when a story like this makes it past Fox News. Progress! Some media reports failed to mention the details which the child knew about friends and family of the deceased, and instead chose to print the theories of several naysayers mis-labelled as skeptics. A skeptic is someone whose knowledge about something is uncertain. Someone who is open minded, yet unconvinced. The only reason to omit the details that James knew about the friends and family of the deceased fighter pilot is that someone who had authority over the editing of the story did not believe in reincarnation, and so did not want to pass on any information that would lead others into believing it. In the media, we call that editorial suppression. Like the Bible, after every ruler and political head made their changes to it through the millenia. References to reincarnation were edited at the Nicaean Council, etc. I think it's interesting that 1500+ years later, the same groups keep trying to suppress the same information. Now with the internet, information AND misinformation can spread like wildfire. Some are afraid that if people believe in reincarnation, they will begin doing all crazy kinds of stuff, since they get a second chance, and a third. But these people haven't thought it through. That's where you have to let them believe in karma also, because otherwise it doesn't make sense. And for someone to believe in karma, they need to take a big giant look at where they've been and what they've been doing and that is scary for a lot of people. Not everyone wants to take their own inventory. Not everyone wants to step upon that path of personal inquiry. It's easier to say it doesn't exist, so we never have to examine our own life. It's easier to say, "don't teach it" so that no one else looks at their lives either, so no one asks the deeper questions. That makes the people more manageable, too. But when we decide to take that journey, it becomes increasingly evident to us that there is a purpose and a meaning to this life we live, and that it's possible to make a difference. When we begin contemplating the greater questions of, not "who was I" and "why?", but "Who Am I?" then we begin getting the deeper answers. And when we begin to get the answers from within, once we start that stream flowing, we don't care what is said on the news, or on the internet, or at the dinner table, because we know what we know. And when I see stories like the child who remembers being a fighter pilot, I am encouraged that - despite the best attempts on the part of some - our new generation is growing up having their memories a little closer to the surface than past generations did. They are growing up a little more awake and a little more aware than we are, than our predecessors were. A little more inclined to introspection. So as this new generation begins to take over, and the older generations die off, the old lies will die away as well. Jut like mother's habit of cutting off the end of the roast before cooking simply because her mother always did that. Without realizing it was simply due to the size of grandmother's pan and oven. Yet practised as a ritual every since, long past the time it was useful. These old thoughts and old ways will die away on their own, they will have outlived their usefulness. And that's evolution, right?

Shall I Spend Time Reprogramming or Playing?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:43:59 +0000

I was doing a session with a friend the other day and the topic was reprogramming her inner dialogue - her self talk - to help her accomplish some goals she has set for herself. She's a smart and successful person, and has just identified some habits she wants to change. She wasn't aware of it before, but every time a bill came in, one of her thoughts was, "I'll never get ahead at this rate." Every time her kids asked for a loan, she thought, "I'll never get ahead at this rate." Every time she got an unexpected repair or medical bill (and she attracted a lot of them), she thought, "I'll never get ahead at this rate." So we simply came up with a few lines of self talk that she would teach herself to repeat over and over each time the old thoughts of the old story came to mind. She'd carry these lines with her and read them often throughout the day. As Abraham-Hicks says: As you imagine and visualize and verbalize your new story, in time you will believe the new story, and when that happens, the evidence will flow swiftly into your experience. A belief is only a thought you continue to think; and when your beliefs match your desires, then your desires must become your reality. The Law of Attraction is responding to your thought, not to your current reality. When you change the thought, your reality must follow suit. If things are going well for you, then focusing upon what is happening now will cause the well-being to continue, but if there are things happening now that are not pleasing, you must find a way of taking your attention away from those unwanted things. You have the ability to quickly change your patterns of thought, and eventually… your life experience. So we began with a few simple sentences, knowing that we would find the right combination for her as we go along. We began with, "This bill tells me that money is in the flow again. Things always work out for me. Money comes to me from a variety of sources. I always have what I need in order to pay what needs to be paid. As I pay this bill, I am doing my part in keeping the flow coming to me. Paying this bill is my advance payment to the Universe for keeping me supplied with everything I need. So I see this bill as my invitation to the better life that I am always moving into, and I'm thrilled at the opportunity to pay it." What we're doing with the new sentences is giving her a bridging thought between her fearful thought (I'll never get ahead at this rate.") and the reality as she knows it to be. Reminding her of what she already knows. It may take her just a few hours or a few days to turn her thoughts around. Or it may take years. It may take decades, if she just half heartedly reads her sentences now and again and doesn't really believe it as she reads it. I used to have a client named Sharrie. She would always tell me that affirmations didn't work for her, but she never gave them much time and she didn't really have an effective affirmation written in the first place. Someone taught her about what they called affirmations and did not give her an effective technique for it; so forever after, she simply had the belief that affirmations don't work. Sharrie and I worked together twice a month for almost a year. What we found was that when she did the work, when she kept her note with her and reread it every time the old thought came up, that she would find herself with fewer emergency bills and more income. When she didn't work it, it didn't work for her. Even with the personal cheerleading twice a month from me, she couldn't make herself do it on a consistent basis. I couldn't in good conscience schedule future sessions with her. There are too many people who want to change and want to do the work. Sharrie will do it in her own time. She has some very powerful tools now. Another thing Sharrie did was she kept forgetting the part about relaxing, letting go and having fun. She'd read every book out there on law of attraction and creating your own reality. Yet it wouldn't really sink in to her to do her part to practice it. She spent more time thinking about reprogramming her thoughts than she spent programming her thoughts. And she took everything on as a task, and she didn't take a lot of time for herself for purely fun. (OMG am I writing about me here or Sharrie??) So the first part of the formula is knowing what you want. Even in general "I want a happy life with plenty of money and friends who love me and work that is meaningful to me." The second part is releasing resistance: put yourself in situations where you will laugh and have fun. Stop criticizing and complaining and spend more time thinking about things you love to do and people you love to be with. Put yourself in physical contact with these people and do these things. I agree it's important to identify bad habits of thought and reprogram myself out of faulty beliefs, but I also know it's important to stay in the flow of having fun. Yes, my work requires that I be glued to the keyboard or phone 12-16 hours a day, but I have the choice of how to feel during those 12-16 hours. I get to remember that many of my clients and customers are also personal friends and it's fun to hear from them. I ge to remember that I love my work and get to read the latest books on topics I have the most personal interest in. I get to take a quick break and walk in my gardens as the computer reboots, feed my birds, maybe pull some weeds or take a cutting and stick it in the ground. Even though I'm working and can't be disturbed, I can take those few moments to keep myself in the flow, to release any resistance that might be building up. So is my time better spent repeating my affirmation or my bridging thoughts to myself? Or better spent having fun, relaxing and thinking happy thoughts? I think you'll find the right balance. I think I'm finding it. Andrea RELATED: The Creative Visualization Process

David Carradine's auto-erotic asphyxiation in Bangkok

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:58:05 +0000

On David Carradine's accidental death following auto-erotic asphyxiation in Bangkok: To each his own. Don't judge. Bless him and his family. My friend Robert Goldberg said it best: The sooner we realize we're all weird in some way, the sooner all this stops being a big deal. Sounds like a very inadvisable practice to me but it's just crazy 2nd chakra stuff. Sad he shuffled off, no more to say.

Getting ready for the Universal Lightworker's Conference

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:16:50 +0000

Wednesday, June 10, 2009. I am beginning to pre-pack for the Universal Lightworkers' Conference this weekend in Fort Lauderdale. I lucked out with having a houseful of guests and repair people scheduled and best of all, I don't have to be there for it! Even last week I wasn't sure I'd be able to make the time to go, but I just set the intention that whatever needed to be done in the meantime, would get done. And everything is working out perfectly. "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." - Goethe. So I began prepacking before I knew for sure I was going, because that would focus me in that direction, and help things fall into place quicker. Being out of town at a conference is pretty easy for me, since I have it down to a formula. I especially like the Universal Lightworkers' Conference because it's a location I'm familiar with and it's only a couple of hours from home. I make sure I have healthy foods with me so I don't have to run out unless I want to. I always bring work with me and have a mini-office set up in my room so I can get work done during breaks in between workshops. I bring an ice chest with some fruit, some juices, a couple of prepared salads and maybe a couple of hard boiled eggs. I bring a package of Spirutein to make a smoothie each morning. I also bring an electric hotpot and a couple of cans of Campbell's chicken noodle soup. I like to eat light when I am away. I also always bring my favorite herbals teas, including Throat Coat tea. On Saturday evening, I will miss the Speakers' Dinner since I have readings scheduled. It's how I pay for the weekend, so I'll be on the phone all evening. The Speakers' Dinner is a lot of fun and it's where you get to sit and speak informally with everyone. You are grouped into tables of 6-8 and, after dinner, there are competitive games between the tables. The first year was when I met Doreen Virtue and sat at Gregg Braden's table for the competitions. I sat next to Gregg's wife and it was fun learning we know a lot of the same people. Gregg is a real wizard of gadgetry, and he was rigging up all kinds of fun gags to play on everyone. He is the most fun ever and a real prankster. One year I sat at Dan Millman's table. Fred Alan Wolf was there one year, as was Raymond Moody and Jean Shinoda Bolen. Through the Universal Lightworkers' Conference I've met some people who have become good friends to this day. This year I am excited my friend Michelle Whitedove will once again be there, so we can hang a little bit in person. She's like me. We see what we do as not just a job, but as a service and a mission, so work always comes first. We stay in touch more on the inner planes than the outer. I've been wanting to get some interior painting done, but wasn't ready for a house full of crazy cousins helping hands to descend upon me quite yet, so I've been putting it off. With two roommates, that would make for a very crowded couple of days and I have to psych myself up ahead of time for that. But now, problem solved! They will do it this weekend while I'm gone. And they can't get in too much trouble since my uncle has the car, so I literally have a captive work crew. The fridge is stocked, my personal space is locked up. Just for good measure, I have my pal Joy coming by to "feed the kitties" and do a surprise check on everyone. And yes, I know they will read this and be alerted to be on good behavior, but that's not a bad thing either, is it? The pre-packing is a great idea. You know how you pack things and then think later, what did I forget? This way I am packed 3 days early, so when I think of something I've forgotten, I simply toss it in. When I think of something I have packed that I won't really use, I take it out. I have everything consolidated into one big rolling bag, including the laptop computer. That's how I roll. I look forward to seeing friends this weekend. Some people I see at the conferences yet don't really know, but feel they are family as well. And when we're together, we know we're One.

Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response is the Transcendental Meditation technique minus the ritual

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:35:29 +0000

Did you know that the book by Herbert Benson The Relaxation Response gives the exact technique of Transcendental Meditation, minus the ritual and religious overtones and using the word "One" as the mantra? The Transcendental Meditation, or TM, technique is a form of mantra meditation introduced worldwide in 1957 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and popularized in 1968 by the Beatles, and the Beach Boys. STEPS TO ELICIT THE RELAXATION RESPONSE From the book The Relaxation Response pages 162-163 1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position. 2. Close your eyes. 3. Deeply relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing up to your face. Keep them relaxed. 4. Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, "ONE"*, silently to yourself. For example, breathe in ... out, "one",- in .. out, "one", etc. Breathe easily and naturally. 5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes opened. Do not stand up for a few minutes. 6. Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "one." With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response. * or any soothing, mellifluous sound, preferably with no meaning or association, to avoid stimulation of unnecessary thoughts. I took TM in 1970. There is no doubt that it changed my world. There exists a certain “Maharishi effect” when 1% of persons in a community are practicing the TM technique. The “Maharishi effect” is considered by the TM practitioners “a stage of transition to a superior state of harmony and order in life, reported by a lower number of murders, crimes, violence, accidents, diseases and by the improvement of the economical conditions and of other sociological indexes”. The scientists who discovered the effect gave it this name to praise Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who had predicted 30 years before that “should a small amount of persons act in the Transcendental Meditation program, that would suffice to improve the life quality for the entire community”. The official website for Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technique can be found here. I believe the magic in the TM technique is the single minded focus and steady 20 minutes twice a day discipline. I think I paid $750 back in 1970 and now understand it can be had for $1,500. The magic is in the fact that if you single-minded focus on something for 20 minutes twice a day, you will transcend your ordinary state of consciousness and reach that state called meditation. That is a transcendental meditation. So the Maharishi well named his technique. Try the technique using the steps above. Let me know of your success.

Last Minute Dilemma

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:34:46 +0000

Okay. I just realized I am going to the Universal Lightworkers Conference tomorrow and am still recovering from the eyebrow debacle. Well, ok, not so much a debacle as it is a temporary new look: eyebrows slimmer and more arched than I've ever had in my life. And to highlight this, I've been growing my bangs out the past year and wearing my hair back and pinned off my face. Oh, my life is so tough, isn't it, that these are my problems? So my dilemma is this: do I cut my bangs and hide the eyebrows, or do I just brave it and show my bare face? I have until about 10am tomorrow to decide. I have to remember I am trying to avoid the default Marianne Faithful look, which is what I'll get the second I cut the bangs... What to do, what to do...

Having a houseful of guests

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:51:51 +0000

Friday June 12, 2009. I have a great family. We pretty much stay out of each other's way, and out of each other's business. I like that. That doesn't mean we all keep our opinions to ourselves, but our variety of opinions is what makes it colorful when we're together. I lucked out when 2 cousins agreed to do some interior painting for me, and to do it this weekend while I am at the Universal Lightworker's Conference in Fort Lauderdale. I kept putting it off because I didn't want to deal with the paint smell, the moving everything away from the walls, the taping up, the - disorder. As usual, I was making more of it than it really was, and the task began looming very large in my mind. So I jumped at the chance to have it done while I'm gone. Two days ago the cousins arrived and there are now five of us in a space that typically houses three. Half are vegetarians, so the refrigerator is split down the middle. Half drink beer and soda, so the fridge is jam packed! Half are used to the tv as a constant companion, in addition to music in the background. The decibel level has waaaay increased the past few days, that's for sure! It's a great opportunity for me and my roomies to work under conditions we are not used to. And it's good practice to show me what I know. It's good practice for me to be able to bring my mind to single pointed awareness even while there is a tv and a radio on elsewhere in the house. It's good practice for me to be able to concentrate on what I'm doing while people are talking their stream of consciousness thoughts out loud right next to me. It's easy to stay serene and focused and get work done when I live in a silent household and have no distractions. It's easy to be a yogi on a mountainside in the Himalayas. Not so much at a family reunion. But it also reminds me of who I am, and how much residue of past programming still lies dormant within me. I'm excited about the conference, and will report back and tell you all the good stuff. Well, the really good stuff I probably won't tell you, otherwise no one would tell me the really good stuff :) And when I come back, the painting will be done, the furniture will be moved back, the newspaper and tape will be picked up off the floor. And hopefully I will not have two kitties painted a lovely pale blue. We'll see.

First day at the Universal Lightworker's Conference

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:12:05 +0000

Saturday, June 13, 2009. I'm in Fort Lauderdale at the Universal Lightworker's Conference. it began yesterday, from 4:00pm until well into after midnight. At most conferences, you spend the first day being kind of shy, and opening up the second, so by the end of the conference, you feel you have a new family and have bonded with all the other attendees. With the ULC, in their opening ceremony they get everyone up and dancing together. By the end of Friday evening, you are feeling bonded with everyone else. The weekend definitely has a reunion feel to it. A reunion of new friends. At 4:00pm the vendor booths opened, and at 6:00pm they had the welcoming celebration, and music with Michael Mirdad and the Ron Gosio Band. Keith Varnum spoke about portals and how to recognize them when they present themselves. I like Keith's simple and straightforward style. He's got an interesting story. After the break, John Serrie played some enchanting ambient music while NASA images taken from the Hubbel telescope played on the screen. Kim O'Neill spoke last about guardian angels and gave an interesting exercise to do. Take a small notebook and write in it every question you'd like your guardian angel to give you the answer to. I'm always torn at these events, between wanting to report back about them and wanting to just attend them and grok them. I'd never make a good reviewer. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's sessions. Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Saturday recap of Universal Lightworkers' Conference

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:42:04 +0000

Sunday, June 14, 2009. Saturday morning began early with the vendors open at 8:00am and the music began at 9:00. It was a rousing tribal beat, perfect for waking up. The best part of waking up is NOT Folger's in your cup :) Don Miguel Ruiz was the opening speaker. He has such a quiet yet powerful way about him, and his words are simple and profound. He told a story of how as a young teen, he once sat with his grandfather and told him all his teenage ideas and philosophies. He began to see a slight smile cross his grandfather's face after a time, and he thought, "Oops." But it was too late, It was his grandfather's turn to speak. His grandfather told him that he had just heard Miguel parrot many ideas that others had told him. He did not hear any ideas that came from Miguel. Don Miguel Ruiz learned from his grandfather that we search for everything we believe we don’t have, not knowing that everything we are looking for is already inside us. We are born with it. We are the ones we've been waiting for. No one else. Us. We do it. We don't need to seek outside ourselves for guardian angels. There are 6 billion of us on the planet. Life is a dream and you are not who you think that you are! There are 6 billion Messengers on Earth… Angels who give & receive messages. What kind of messenger are you? Powerful stuff. The first set of workshops were with Life in Balance, Jean Adrienne and Judith Lukomski. I like that the ULC paces the workshops so that everyone has a chance over the weekend to attend all the events. Michael Mirdad spoke after lunch. Your Perfect Self is here NOW! Don't try to go get it…you grow to it. Just shift your consciousness. Michael always has good practical words on cutting through the nonsense and getting down to what's real. Getting down to the business of waking up. He is a good teacher and an entertaining presenter. I've got to tell you, I spent part of the time in my room working - as usual - and had to call upon the staff at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North several times and service could not have been better. I'd ordered a room with a refrigerator and they had my room ready when I got there more than an hour early. I asked if a balcony room was available and it was, so they ordered the refrigerator moved to the new room. It was there by the time I got up to the room. My balcony door didn't have a lock and within 5 minutes, someone was up correcting it. I requested several extra items Friday and Saturday, and they promptly brought them. Everyone was ultra courteous and gracious, on the phone and in person, from Lorre at the front desk (perfect place for her - what a good first impression!) to the housekeeping staff. They've made some upgrades since I was here last. The rooms I saw had immaculate marble tile floors and immaculate carpet. My bed was extremely comfortable, with two giant pillows and two sleep size, perfect for sitting in bed proofreading. The desk in the office area by the balcony was the perfect place to set up the laptop, since this is a working weekend for me. I missed the dinner event, which is always very fun. Each year I've gone, we've have wild fun at the Saturday evening dinner. This is my 10th Universal Lightworkers’ Conference; I missed last year and the year before. Even when I have to work through half the conference, it's always a fun time. I enjoy the speakers and presenters, I enjoy seeing many friends I only keep in touch with via email, phone and Facebook. I always leave the Universal Lightworkers’ Conference refreshed and renewed. I really liked the bed I had. Very cushy. I may get one like that. . Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Sunday Recap of The Universal Lightworker's Conference

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:08:35 +0000

Monday, June 15, 2009. Sunday was the final day of the 12th Annual Universal Lightworker's Conference. The morning began with rousing music by Ron Gosio, Michael Mirdad, Armand and Angelina, Steve and Amy Sciulli, with Steve wailing away on some crazy kind of wild flute. That was followed by an open hearted meditation, co-led by all the presenters. Michelle Whitedove was the opening speaker and she told of her death experience at age 18 and the bargain she made with God when she was in that in-between place, before coming back to Earth to fulfill her mission. She told of how the doctors said she'd have permanent disabilities and never have children. She proved them wrong on all counts. Being a fire sign, she bucks authority and has no qualms about it. She knows what she knows. She encourages people to disregard any pessimistic news they may hear from (well meaning) doctors, and just focus upon wellness and know God can get you there. No matter what someone else tells you. I agree that's the thing to do. I agree it's not easy to go against the crowd. Only the brave dare and Michelle is one of the brave. She's wonderfully delightful to listen to and looks in person just exactly like she did when she won Lifetime TV's America's Psychic Challenge. And yes, Michelle Whitedove is that good. She convinced me. The final set of workshops were with Life in Balance, Jean Adrienne and Judith Lukomski and I opted for Life in Balance, We gathered in the big room with our pillows and blankets and sat or stretched out on the floor while Steve and Amy played some amazing music. I chose to sit up half lotus with my back against the wall, my arms on the pillow in my lap. Keith Varnum lay next to me; good energy. Steve did a sotto voce meditation that was very cosmically eerie. They definitely invoked a trance like state. It was mesmerizing, relaxing yet revitalizing. I have all of their cds, they are a must have if you'd like to get into a naturally altered state. I can't help but feel it is healing. I didn't get to stay for Gary Renard, I have had to miss him every single time we've been under the same roof. I hear from everyone else that I have to see him, so I'll visit his webpage and check it for videos. I hear that he's very funny, with a dry sense of humor. I can't believe each year I miss him. Boo hoo. Obviously not a vibrational match :( I guess I need to get myself up to speed before I get to experience him. I always leave the Universal Lightworkers’ Conference refreshed and renewed. The highlight this year for me was Don Miguel Ruiz. Far beyond just his best seller The Four Agreements, the man exudes light like I've only seen in a few people ever in my life. I could listen to him for hours. Yet I know everything he says. And he knows it. Everyone there was transfixed when he spoke. It wasn't just what he said. It was how he made you feel. Sure. Confidant. Capable. Well armed. Ready. And pondering the question of just what kind of messenger did we want to be? Don Miguel: My grandfather used to tell me that life was a dream. He also said that when people finally realized this, the dream could be changed, and then humanity would change.

Back to the daily routine

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:38:02 +0000

Tuesday, June 16, 2009. Well, it's life back to normal after the Universal Lightworkers' Conference. Back to final layout on the July Horizons Magazine, and back to my flat hair now that I'm home in muggy central Florida. Spending the weekend inside the hotel (no humidity!) for the conference, my hair was big, California hair. Then one trip out to my mailbox yesterday and drooooop go my golden locks..... ah, back to normal. I don't know why it's so much more humid just 2 hours north of Fort Lauderdale. At the hotel, I was in room 1123 and had a balcony. I kept the sliding glass door open much of the time since I am used to the fresh air. Even though the sound of the a/c was very loud on the balcony, I liked the fresh air. It was warm, but not very humid. Not on the 11th floor anyway, and there was a breeze. After dark, I could look out the open window and see the city lights lining the horizon, like a jeweled necklace. When I see night scenes like that, I can see why someone would want to live in a highrise in the city. But I'd rather live where I have some land and some trails and woods to walk in, even if it's just on my little acre. The last several years I have taken off from attending all conferences. There were just too many of them and they were getting too similar and becoming old hat. It was material I'd studied for 20+ years and I was starting to feel like I knew it all anyway. I was tired of being solicited at every step of every gathering. I never really went to "work" any of the events, just to attend. I usually never do business at these conferences, just connect in person and later email or call. But seeing Horizons Magazine on my name badge gave everyone license to promote themselves to me. With that lousy attitude, I knew it was time to take a break. It took me a couple of years to gain my perspective back and look forward to doing the conferences again. A couple of years of not feeling pressured to be somewhere. A couple of years to remember that I do not, in fact, know everything. A couple of years of not feeling like I needed to be a journalist doing a review of every event I attended; feeling guilty and selfish if I wanted to just attend and soak it up for my own sake, rather than write about it. I am a writer. I am not a journalist. I do not write a good review. I seldom interview authors or celebrities. Especially not at an event when their time is limited. The same with asking to have a photo taken with them. I just don't do it. I keep their time available for the fans, the people who are buying their products, which is why they are there. I can always talk and email with them later, and we both will know who the other is in person. It's one of those unwritten rules. Then again, I think well, if I am going to be there, everyone really wants to hear all about what happened and who did what. Then I wonder if I have a duty to report back to the Horizons readers? If I had scads of free time, I'd love to do nothing but go to conferences and report back about them. But my time is filled with other priorities, not the least of which is doing Horizons on my own. Which is just as well since I'd have to learn how to write a review or do an interview anyway. For now, I'm just looking forward to scheduling some interesting conferences. I'm ready for something new. Bring it on.

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:28:52 +0000

72-5-29-09-in-car-jb-smoothed

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:30:14 +0000

Facebook posts; I'm in charge of what I attract

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:57:21 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3194" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Cell phone self portrait "][/caption] Wednesday June 17, 2009. Yesterday I worked all day long on final layout for the July Horizons. I got myself so wound up that at 2:00am - 21 hours after waking up - I simply made myself put down the proofreading, turn off the lights and lie down. At 5:00am I was back up - ah, menopause! So I am going back to bed for a few hours before I begin my day. In the meantime, I'll share the goofy posts I made to my Facebook page yesterday. I find I make the most Facebook posts on my busiest days. Usually when I am rebooting the main computer, and I turn to the laptop behind me for a short break. One of those breaks that is more just a quick mental refreshment, since I can't actually leave the computer for a few minutes right then. So while it looks like I goofed off all day - according to my Facebook posts every few hours - I really had a busy, productive 18 hour workday. Here are my posts. Remember, on Facebook, each line is preceeded by my name and a small headshot pic of me: just printed out 22 pages with blue text AFTER my printer told me 50 pages ago that I was out of cyan ink. Don't believe the printer error messages! It's a conspiracy to sell ink! I posted a photo of my Maine Coon cat entitled: Izzy helping me answer emails I posted a 30 second video of my girl kitty entitled: YinYang is real talky in the mornings also I posted a short video of my boy kitty entitled: Izzy talks a lot in the morning. Wait, Izzy talks a lot all the time. Andrea completed the quiz "What famous artist are you most like?" with the result Georgia O'Keefe. Andrea completed the quiz "What Egyptian god are you?" with the result Horus. has had egg drop soup with Ramen noodles 4 times in the past 2 days. Don't tell my brother, he thinks I always eat healthy. to the uninitiated, Ramen noodles have 380 calories and 14 grams of fat per package. All calories and fat are in the noodles, not the seasoning packet. Just a heads up. They are my secret, processed-food weakness. Note: I'm not advocating eating them, until last month I hadn't had them for 10+ years Friends ask me what I mean when I say I don't eat much processed food. Processed = anything with a label. Broccoli, produce = no label. Bread, pasta = label = processed. Fruit, carcass, no label. Frozen or packaged meals, chips, cookies = label = processed. Pastries, bagels, cakes, candies = label = processed. Deepak Chopra says eat nothing with a face or a label. I do eat some bread and pasta Jeez, I live less than 3 miles from Brevard Community College. I should take a class. Girl kitty YinYang has a new theme song: To the tune of "Lollipop, Lollipop" it's "Butterball, Butterball, my little Butterball" had a lucky "4 outa" weekend. I got 4 out of 5 in Friday night's Fantasy 5 and 4 out of 5 in Saturday's lotto. I'm in the vibe! Andrea took the Which color is your aura? quiz and the result is blue Andrea took the What are you born to do? quiz and the result is money maker. WTF? Andrea took the Palm Reading quiz and got the result: Wealthy and prosperous life. my poor kitties. Now when I go into the kitchen, they get excited for nothing. singing "Memories...... of the carcass in my dish....." (I used to cook meat every day, now I seldom eat it)) 3:43 heart chakra time (heart = 4th chakra: 3 above, 3 below) just finished mowing the lawn needs to stop taking these dumb, misspelled quizzes and get back to work. I'm Georgia O'Keefe, I'm Horus, but right now I'm just Andrea procrastinating as usual I thought everyone knew this: Watch out for any quiz that says "friends have challenged you" or "tagged" you -- if you give out your phone number, they will charge to your cell phone when they spam you. ### end of Facebook posts. That last one really got a rise out of several "friends". One of my Facebook friends is a frequent commenter, and he's one of those conspiracy theorists, so many of his posts are caveats about all the things Big Brother is up to. I am not saying Big Brother doesn't have us all under 24 hour surveillance, I'm just saying it's not an issue with me. For one, I'm not doing anything the government might care about, and two, I'm in charge of what I attract to myself by virtue of the thoughts I think, the expectations I have, and my ability to release resistance. So I don't get riled up in discussion over things like what the government is or isn't doing. I sure don't watch the news. I just stay focused on what I want to do and where I want to go, and somehow, I always end up being led through the maze to where I want to be. Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

air-potato-vines

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:34:26 +0000

Smiletrain

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:18:22 +0000

Wednesday June 17, 2009. I saw a documentary called Smile Pinki that showed The Smile Train team and the work they provide to the poor. Set in rural India, the film says there are 35,000 children a year born with cleft lip and palate. They do not know why it occurs but think it may be a nutritional deficiency, as it occurs in the poorest of families. These doctors can perform the surgery in 45 minutes for a cost of just $250, and donors fund the charity work. It is the largest cleft lip and palate surgery charity, serving 75 countries. The film tracked the story of one indian girl and one Indian boy, both with severe cleft lip and palate. Neither would attend school because the other kids mocked them. The boy's speech could barely be understood due to the severity of his cleft palate. Both awaited dim futures of an impoverished, unmarried life. The surgeries literally gave them new lives, and promises of a hopeful future. Watching the film made me examine the work I do and its value to the world.

Getting rid of the dreaded air potato vines

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:13:08 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3204" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="the invasive air potato vines"][/caption] Thursday, June 18, 2009. I just took a lap around the property spraying the Air Potato Vines with Round Up - yes, Round Up - a 1.5 times solution. These vines are so invasive and choke out everything else, the native plants, the exotics, everything. Here's a great article on Combating Invasive Plants - The Great Air Potato Roundup in Gainesville. The first couple of years, I simply dug them up and threw them into the campfire. I'd get hundreds of them. Once I paid my yard guy's daughter 10c each for them and let her do the work. It was worth it. If I catch them early in the season, and spray the 1.5 solution of Round Up on the emerging tiny leaves as they break the ground, I can nip the invasion in the bud. I used to just pull up the small plant when I saw the tiny leaves, but, more often than not, that leaves the potato seed in the grow to sprout again. The big problem the last couple of years is that two neighbors have them and like them, so they leave them to overgrow their fences. The birds drop seeds over here, too, so my property - the big bird hangout - gets overrun with them.The entire acre on the corner is choked with air potato vines, and I'll likely go spray those lots just as a protective measure for my own property. Anyway, see this stuff in your yard? Round Up. Nothing else works.

meditation_72-2423670

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:03:57 +0000

Paving neural pathways to achieve meditation and access elusive inner states

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:37:33 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3210" align="alignright" width="86" caption="Half lotus with Guyan mudra"][/caption] A friend and I were discussing meditation the other day and she asked what the purpose of mantras and mudras were. A mantra can be thought of the same as an affirmation, or a line of thought that you want to repeat until it sinks into your brain and your belief system. I use several mantras during my hour of meditation twice a day. I use them in a particular order because they have become my trigger to create the inner space for me to access heightened awareness. The same with the mudras, or hand gestures. When you put your hands together in prayer, that is called a mudra. When I sit to meditate, I typically sit Indian style (half lotus) on a cushion, with hands on knees, palms up, thumb touching my index finger in what is known in the yoga tradition as the Guyan mudra. The mudra is also a trigger for me. A trigger to elicit states of calm and receptivity. A trigger to contemplate how I act and react in this world. A trigger to consider and implement any changes I feel I want to make. The mechanics of making these changes is via changing (programming) the neural pathways in my brain. Below is an excellent article on how mantras and mudras can help you do just that. Using Neuron Pathways to Create Triggers for Accessing Elusive Inner States by Andrea Isaacs Mantras and mudras are powerful ways to change how we think, feel and behave. They are both Sanskrit words. “Mantra” refers to a word or short phrase which has the intention to elicit a particular inner state. “Mudra” refers to a body position or gesture, similar to a prayer or meditation position, with the intention to elicit a particular inner state. Together, the mantra and mudra can re-repattern the brain, the neural pathways throughout the body, and create phenomenal and profound change. Neuron pathways are the channels through which information travels between the brain and body. A neuron pathway begins with a message, thought or impulse from the brain. This message travels along nerves, muscles, neurons, neuron peptides, molecules, receptors, pherons, membranes, and connective tissue. They communicate a message to appropriate muscle groups which then engage the body in the desired action. Messages also flow in the opposite direction along the same neuron pathways. A physical sensation, like touching a hot stove for instance, sparks a series of messages. The muscles innervate the nerves, and the nerves send a message to the brain - "Pain." The brain returns a message along the same neuron pathway - "Remove your hand." The body is intelligent and this series of messages is communicated quickly, fluidly and unconsciously. This example is part of the automatic nervous system. Distinct from that, but equally important are neuron pathways that are trained and used to perform special actions like chores of daily living, doing sports and expressing emotions. An infant learning to drink from a cup demonstrates the laborious development of a neuron pathway. At first unable to grasp the cup, eventually the infant will lift it to his lips, only to miss and dribble the milk all over his face and onto his bib. With repetition, this neuron pathway is trained, and the infant eventually will drink without spilling. By the time we're adults, we've engaged this pattern so many times it has become unconscious, and we can even read the newspaper, hold a conversation and drink a cup of coffee without spilling. We have equally well-developed neuron pathways for all our thoughts, feelings and activities - for getting dressed in the morning, cooking, driving, for the way we listen, express emotion, our degree of self-confidence, the way we organize our desks and our lives. The thinking and feeling patterns that we engage in most often have the most well-developed neuron pathways. If we always tell ourselves we're a failure, it creates a neuron pathway that would affect our posture, how we function and would perpetuate a lack of self-confidence. Believing you are unstoppable in manifesting your dreams creates a neuron pathway that is energizing and mobilizing, affecting your posture and how you function. In the same way the infant learned to drink, you can learn to ride a bike, ski, manage your anger and express affection. You can train emotional as well as physical neuron pathways by "moving in the way of" a thinking or feeling pattern that is new for you. When you engage that neuron pathway, its correlated inner state will arise. For example, one who is overly-critical, always judging and pointing out what's wrong with others and himself, may not have paved a neuron pathway for a calm acceptance. An exercise for this inner state includes: walking through space with less rigidity, less directness, with a lighter use of energy, with gestures that are open, calm and accepting. Eventually, the inner state of calm acceptance will arise. This repetition trains the neuron pathway for calm acceptance. Through repetition, this pathway becomes stronger and stronger, making it easier and more immediate to access the state of calm acceptance. Or consider someone who'd like to be authentically generous with their time as they care for a loved one who is ill. This person could do an exercise for loving generosity, which includes gestures with an open, embracing quality, moving gently in a curving path through space. Repetition of these movements will start to generate a sense of loving generosity. We also have neuron pathways that have been too developed with over-use. A person with a well-developed "neuron pathway" for the expression of anger won't notice he's angry and raises his voice at the least provocation. This pathway is so well-developed that he doesn't know when it has been engaged. This response is on-call, always ready, often used and is effortless. This person could find a remedy in training the opposite quality of tolerance and listening. As the angry person learns how to engage tolerance and listening, the angry neuron pathway can change and eventually becomes mores yielding. The angry person will eventually need to learn the impact his behavior has on other people, and will need to learn how to cool his delivery rather than responding in the heat of rage. A peaceful person may need to do exercises for taking charge, speaking up and being more pro-active or else he may blow-up at an inopportune moment. We tend to react in the way that is most practiced. There is a time and place for the expression of all emotions. To do this, we need to have presence of mind (mindfulness) and emotional fluency - the ability to respond in whichever way best serves each moment. Information Travels in Two Directions Information travels along the neuron pathways in two directions. Touching a hot stove and then removing your hand illustrates that information travels from the inside out, and from the outside in. Outside in: Information travels from your fingertips, up your arm along muscles, nerves, neurons, peptides and membranes, sending the message to your brain that says, "Hot." Inside out: A message travels from your brain to your fingertips, along the very same neuron pathway, that says, "Remove your hand," and in fact you do. Other examples of the "Inside Out" direction: When you're "down in the dumps," your energy is heavy, and downward directed. When you're feeling "uplifted," your energy is light and upward directed. Even our language illustrates the body's reactions to these moods. Other examples of the "Outside In" direction: This would include centuries old traditions such as yoga, meditation, tai chi, and chi kung. If you put your body in a certain position, your thinking and feeling patterns react. Your mind will quiet and your heart will calm down. We all tend to rely more on the "Inside out" direction, behaving in the same patterns that we always behave in when we feel a certain way. Taking advantage of this two-direction pathway, we can move from the "outside in", by moving "in the way of" a desired feeling that we have difficulty accessing. This trains the neuron pathway for the expression of that feeling. The foundation of (reprogramming) work is to design a sound (mantra) and gesture (mudra) that can be used to energize that particular neuron pathway which will elicit that inner state. The next time that inner state is needed, it can be called upon by using the sound and gesture. That will activate the neuron pathway for that state, which will then give rise to that particular feeling. This means if you need to be "direct and decisive," for example, when you're not used to being that way, you can engage the trigger you've designed for "direct and decisive," that neuron pathway will be activated, and then the inner state of being direct and decisive will arise. With exercise and practice, the sound and gesture are minimized (and become silent and still) so that the mental intention alone can energize the neuron pathway, bringing on that inner state. Triggers = Mudras + Mantras The trigger is made up of a physical stance and a word or short phrase. The stance, similar to a mudra (Sanskrit for a gesture designed to elicit a particular inner state), is a body position with a particular gesture that represents the inner quality you're training. The word or short phrase, similar to a mantra (Sanskrit for a sound designed to elicit a desired inner state), represents the essence of the inner quality you're training. Every neuron pathway has its own trigger. From http://www.enneamotion.com/mudras.html Click here for a photo sample of body mudras and mantras used as triggers Let me know what techniques are most effective for you. RELATED: Neurotheology: How God Changes Your Brain Meditation Twice a Day Keeps the Outside World at Bay Preparing For Relaxation; Preparing For Meditation; Daily Practice Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response is Transcendental Meditation minus the ritual

Intuiting and answering the unasked questions

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:24:57 +0000

Saturday, June 20, 2009. Today I am going into the home stretch with the July Horizons Magazine. I've been late finishing it because I spent last weekend at the Universal Lightworkers' Conference. Although I was up in my room working through half of the conference, I still had all the last minute calls and ads to deal with this week. Half of my advertisers have paid 3-6-12 months in advance, so their ads get placed ahead of time. The deadline is the 10th, so it is on the 10th that all the calls start coming in. I think that's funny, because usually the magazine has left my hands by the 15th, and I get a week of last minute phone calls after it's gone. Many of the calls are from new people, but a lot of them are from people I've know for the entire 17 years I've done the magazine. Some of them I've told a dozen times a year for a dozen years that the magazine is out of my hands by the 15th, that the deadline is the 10th, yet it seems they never hear that. Then I realized why. Usually when they are calling at the deadline, they are really calling for info rather than to place the ad. So their question is not really, "am I in time to place an ad?" Their bigger question is "Can you help me reframe my perception about what it is I do and why it is important and why anyone would need it, and put it into words in an ad for me? They are so focused on their bigger question - the unasked question - that they don't hear the answer to the question they've asked. So many people go into a business without giving much thought to it, so they haven't done the mission statement and the inner work to discover what it is they are passionate about, and built their business around that. They have been so involved in the daily workings of running the business that they haven't made the time to think it through. So when they call at the last minute to ask about an ad, they are really wanting to be inspired, to get clear about what they have to offer. They want to be excited about it. They want other people to be excited about it. They want me to convince them they want to advertise in the first place. It's not as simple as calling me at deadline on the 10th of the month and saying, "I"ve just emailed you a camera-ready ad and Paypalled the payment to you." So when I realized that was really what half the last minute callers were doing, it stopped being aggravating for me. I stopped saying words to them that they were not hearing, and began answering their unasked questions. It's true that people don't hear what you tell them unless they've already created a space to hear it; unless they are receptive to it. People who've raised kids know that. In one ear and out the other, with no registering in between. If I want what I say to be heard and understood, I have to make sure it's at the right time and that I've created the space for it. I have several friends and clients who have publications similar to Horizons and I often hear from them that they send their job in to the printer after they have all their pages sold. So they are chomping at the bit at the last minute hoping more ads will come in, meanwhile placing pages of bartered ads for their distributors. Most of them have bought a franchise without realizing that magazines of this type don't make money unless they are very active in soliciting ads. Selling franchises is what makes money. Horizons pays for itself but was not designed to create income. I like being able to say "I'm in it for the outcome, not the income." But what it does do is promote me and, through that, my other businesses create income. So I am never concerned with whether Horizons will get enough ads at the last minute. Since I'm not focused on lack, I don't experience lack. It's easier for my schedule to know a year in advance what I'm doing, so I know what date the magazine goes to the printer that far in advance. I never doubt that I'll get enough ads, since I always get so many last minute calls for them. I'm more focused on the work of getting all the ads placed and getting the magazine done on time. The rest will fall into place by itself. The part about enough ads coming in works itself out, when my focus is getting it in on time. I rarely have leftover space and I don't barter ads. I purposely don't entertain thoughts like "will I get enough ads this month to pay the printing and postage?" because I know it would take some doing to get on the better feeling side of that thought. So I keep my focus on what is my work to do (the mag) and I let the Universe do its part (the paying for it). It's a good partnership. If you've got a friend who continually asks you the same questions over and over and never seems to hear the answer, listen a little more closely. Intuit what the real question is, the bigger question they are asking, and answer that one. It'll save a lot of repetition, time and energy.

bambi

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:51:17 +0000

disney-woodland-creatures

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:55:36 +0000

I live in a Disney movie

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:56:16 +0000

Saturday June 20, 2009. The front courtyard outside my office window is filled with birds and squirrels and butterflies like a Disney movie. All we need now is for Bambi to step in and a butterfly land on her nose.

Layoffs are a good sign

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:31:54 +0000

Cartoon entitled Layoffs at the Plant. The stalk says to the tomato: "We have to let you go." If it stays there, it will rot and die. Like us. So it's good news when we get laid off. That means we're juicy and ripe for what we are meant to do next.

watermelon olive tomato salad

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:34:09 +0000

Watermelon, tomato, strawberry salad

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:35:54 +0000

I just made the most amazing salad: chunk watermelon, diced tomato, sliced strawberries, some slivered red onion, fresh basil from the garden, chopped romaine and a little feta cheese. A few chopped calamata olives, olive oil, lemon and coarse ground pepper - yum!

raisin toast

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:26:40 +0000

Magazine just got done in time

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:27:20 +0000

Sunday, June 21, 2009. I just finished the July Horizons Magazine. Yay, now I have time to play! Wait, it's 3:30am - where is everybody when I have time to play? Right now, all I want to do it go eat some Monk's Bread raisin toast with Earth Balance and honey and cinnamon on it, and then maybe sleep half the morning. Enjoy your Sunday.

Hidden in plain sight

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:11:03 +0000

I get a kick out of guys I've known for decades - who typically kinda ignore me - turning flirty when I wear a snug dress and makeup for a change - it's just me in here, guys.

3-08-firepit-5-big

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:31:10 +0000

Burning ceremony

Happy Summer Solstice

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:35:05 +0000

Sunday, June 21, 2009. Happy Summer Solstice. I did a half assed blog post this morning since I had worked until the wee hours finishing the July Horizons Magazine. Then I woke up and had to leave right away to drive to The New Way to hang with the POD. A mile from my house, I stopped to get gas, and also filled the small 2 gallon can I use for my lawn mower. I decided to drive it back home rather than keep it in the hot car with me for several hours. Even though it would make me late, I felt strongly about taking it back to the house before continuing on my day. Inexpicably, as I dropped the can inside the garage, I was compelled to go inside and change clothes. That's something I rarely do. I throw something on and that's that. I keep it simple. A fashionista, I'm not. I put on a short knit sundress I hadn't worn in 18 years, with a paid of leggings and ran out the door. All in all, I dawdled and it was a good 20 minutes later before I was back on the road. As I was driving north on I-95, there were a lot of cars on the road. I passed a rig trailering several horses and thought how happy they all looked, peering out their little windows. Just after the Viera exit, traffic suddenly came to a standstill and I said a prayer for the trailer with the ponies. I was glad I didn't have 2 gallons of gasoline in the trunk. Up ahead, I could see a flashing red light and what appeared to be a tractor trailer sideways across I-95 northbound. I could hear the emergency vehicles coming from behind. I immediately began saying prayers for the victims, for the first responders, for the families. I thought, That could have been me if I was on the road 20 minutes earlier. I figured maybe the Universe put me here right now and made me be late, going through the charade of changing clothes and taking the gas can back home, to put me here at this accident scene at this exact moment so I could say prayers for everyone. And maybe my prayer is like the final prayer needed to actually make the miracle work, like The Hundreth Monkey. Within minutes we were through the maze of emergency vehicles, and in fact they had all left the scene by the time we got clear. After church, I ate lunch at my favorite Vietnamese Pho Cali and had a broccoli and cauliflower pho and two summer rolls with fish sauce. I proof read the final draft of the July magazine I'd just finished earlier this morning. I brought home half my soup. I remember when I could eat the entire soup in one sitting - three or four times a week. Now I invariably bring home almost a quart of broth and veggies each time I go. I was glad to have the day off. I'd hoped to finish the magazine by the end of yesterday, and finish it I did - at 3:30am Sunday morning. So this is Summer Solstice! A friend, A. Venefica, writes in Summer Solstice Symbols: The summer solstice is a time of intensity, renewal and great potential. This is a time when the sun lingers the longest of any other day. This is symbolic of the light of our consciousness shining more brightly in our awareness. It's also symbolic passion, desire and sensuality burning more intensely within the hearts of both humankind and animal kin. The sun is a warming entity, so it fires our passions and heats up our hearts to the potential of life that abounds. This is a high time to celebrate the bounty fueled by life-giving solar rays. Fire: The element of fire is most obvious and common symbol of the summer solstice because of its affiliation with the warmth of the sun. Fire is symbolic of passion, creativity, creation, rebirth, renewal, action and clarity. It's also a masculine element. Mentally incorporate the element of fire in your meditations and ruminations this summer season to intensify your experience with these attributes. I typically do a burning bowl ceremony at Summer Solstice. Just making some symbolic notes of things I'd like to be free of, which I then burn in my chimenea. I think of it as a time of renewal. A time to make things new and get clear what I want at this next stage of the game. And I am totally enjoying the game.

om

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:31:37 +0000

om1

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:33:37 +0000

In the news; editorial spin; going with the grain of Nature

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:59:28 +0000

A Belgian teenager supposedly fell asleep while getting her face tattooed and woke up to 56 Rihanna-style stars on her face. Now, she's suing the tattoo artist. The original account claimed she "was happy with the work when she left the tattoo shop, but changed her mind when her father saw the stars." The next version of the story, in the next publication, said that she "is only peeved because her boyfriend dumped her after seeing the monstrosity." Who knows what this story will end up being by this time next year. Don't believe what you read. Sex Myths Men Believe - A Happy Marriage Means You Won't Be Tempted. The conservative fundamentalist, evangelical Christians really want you to believe that, just as they want you to believe that teaching abstinence alone will avoid teenage pregnancy. Both these ideas are like going against gravity. They go against our natural instincts. We will have "temptations" arise, much of it simply a passing thought with no emotional desire attached to it, and there is nothing wrong in that. As responsible, sentient beings, we learn there are consequences to our actions, and we teach ourselves to make informed choices. It's folly to think you can place a young squirrel in a room full of peanuts and expect him to not go crazy sniffing and nibbling each one. The obvious remedy is understanding that is his natural instinct, and so devise a plan to make it safe for him while allowing him to go about the natural proclivity the Universe intended for him. Society puts so many rules out based on misperceptions. God love them, they are just trying to protect against what they personally have no knowledge of, to keep everyone safe because that is what they have been taught to do, like their parents before them, right or wrong. Wayne Dyer was talking last night on PBS about rules. He reminds us that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal. Everything our pioneering forefathers, the patriots of this nation of ours: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton did in the forming of our United States was illegal. Just a little perspective. Of course, I'm not saying run around doing things society considers illegal and immoral, but I am saying there are always solutions to be found that run along with the grain of our inherent nature, not against it. I take note when self proclaimed Christians do something against God's nature, in the name of God. For instance when Jesus asked that a religion not be made of him after he was gone and well, I guess all those variations of religions and Bibles and truths that did just that didn't believe that part. Again, they put their own personal spin on it. Selective editing. Editorial suppression. Telling the story as you want others to believe it. Despite the truth of the matter. [caption id="attachment_3246" align="alignright" width="45" caption="The Omkar Symbol."][/caption] There are always solutions to be found that run along with the grain of our inherent nature. There are always ways to act while taking total responsibility for your actions and getting informed before making choices. Things like maybe getting a stencil of a tattoo before getting the actual tattoo. A few times in my life I've considered getting a tattoo and in the 80's I had a henna tattoo of the omkar (the OM symbol) above my left thumb for about a year. It was small, about the size of a quarter, and it was a good spiritual reminder symbol to me. I considered having it permanently tattooed there. This was before the big Baliwood and henna craze began. At that time, only a few yogi friends I knew had similar tattoos. And I was glad I delayed. A few years later, Madonna came out with an album cover showing her hands tattooed in sacred Indian symbols, thus beginning the current craze. So I was glad I delayed. Although it would have been good ego work to forever after explain that was not why I had mine done *smile* and to learn it didn't matter either way. I just sent the July Horizons Magazine off to the printer and now plan to sleep all day. First, I'm going to have a tulip glass of sparkling grape juice and pretend it's champagne and take my celebration out into the garden. About this time, the small woodland creatures will be waddling down the trails back to their daytime burrows and hiding places. I have such a nice, thick oak canopy over my woods that it stays darker in there later in the mornings. I might see an armadillo or an opossum, I'll surely see a raccoon or two and squirrels and birds. I usually only see the bats at sundown in the west woods, but here in the east garden I can hear the birds waking up in the oaks and palms. I can see the owl up in the tall pine. Some noisy, bumbling something is heading this way, but it's likely an armadillo. They are so blind and deaf. I've had them walk right over my feet, and against my leg. I hear the slithery critters out here, too. When I sleep outside, I always make sure to be a little up off the ground to stay out of everyone's way. That's our rule: inside is mine, outside is theirs. It only makes sense. I wouldn't want to go against the grain of nature.

The best health insurance is good thinking, good eating

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:32:03 +0000

Health insurance safety net? My experience is the only thing in charge of my health care is my vibrational stance. Start your preventative program now. Eat healthy natural food. Let food be your medicine. Do some research. Nothing to excess. Move around, walk around the yard or the block every day. In a few short years, you'll have a new stronger, healthier body. Think happy thoughts. The best health insurance.

people-woman-on-bike72-elderly

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:03:03 +0000

Idiocracy; it seems we're getting younger after all

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:05:24 +0000

Tuesday, June 23, 2009. I saw the movie Idiocracy the other night. The premise is that most average man in the military is used for a futuristic experiment which accidentally sends him 500 years into the future. When awoken, the man slowly comes to realize that he’s suddenly become the smartest man in the entire world. I see the movie got mixed reviews, but I found it brilliant in its parody of conventional wisdom and the lemming mindset of an unknowing and uninformed public. Like that wacky and limited belief our folks and their folks used to have that we lead hard, miserable lives and then we die sick, disabled and alone. That doesn't have to be the case by any means and I'm seeing more and more evidence of that everyday. Last week I rode my bicycle to the Publix in Bayside, a mile south of me. As I was leaving the store, I ran into a friend of mine, who was also leaving Publix and getting on her bicycle. She told me today was her birthday and that she was 83 years old. I just know her from riding bikes around the neighborhood, but I thought she was my age, not 30 years older. I made her show me her (still valid) driver's license to prove it. It was almost unbelieveable yet very inspirational. She told me she rides her bike 2 miles every day and only eats meat on Tuesday and Thursday. Good inspiration! Also good news: 80 is the new 50. It's true, we're not getting older, we're getting better. In the last century, the average lifespan in the United States increased by more than 30 years. Those who eat natural foods and stay active have been shown to live productively and with full mobility well into their 90's. I'm barely halfway there. I wonder sometimes what would I do if I had it all to do over. Well gosh, now I have the chance. This is like being 20 again, with the whole world ahead of me. “All Truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

Thankfully, we do not have to make the same mistake our parents made... getting old by mistake because we were taught it was the thing to do.

Today’s health and technology is going to keep the baby boomers alive until we are at least 100. So, what is the journey going to be like?

goddess-grub-header-website

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:14 +0000

Vegetarian low fat fake meat and substitutes I like

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:30 +0000

Tuesday June 23, 2009. I just posted some of my delicious, low fat vegetarian fake meats and substitutes I like at the Goddess Grub website. Here's what I wrote: GODDESS GRUB TIP: While I mostly eat and prefer natural, unprocessed foods, there are times I crave a burger or meatballs or a hot dog. Many of them are made from TVP, or texturized vegetable protein. MMM, sounds yummy, huh? The flavoring comes from the spices and other ingredients. The TVP supplies protein, nutrients and the meaty texture we Westerners (Americans) have all grown up on. I don't care for all vegetarian products. But some I like enough to use even though they are processed. I cook them all in a saute pan, I do not microwave anything, since that destroys the nutrients. If my food is my medicine, I need all I can get from each bite. Here are the low fat, non-meat alternatives I like the best. 60 grams of fat a day is ideal for health and energy. NON-MEAT BURGERS. I like the Boca brand of vegetarian products and especially the burgers. My favorites are the Flame Grilled, the Garden Vegetable and Cheeseburger. At only 80 to 120 calories - and 2 to 5 grams of fat - per burger. I can still have my version of some old favorites. I also like the Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lovers Burger and the Original Grillers, classic burger flavor, veggie-style. VEGGIE HOT DOGS. Morningstar Farms makes several hot dogs but I like the Italian Sausage, just 120 calories and 6 grams of fat. My favorite is the Boca brand Italian Sausage. FAKE CHICKEN PATTIES. I really like the Boca brand Chik'n Patties Original. No, they don't taste like real chicken, but close enough. They have a good flavor and I like the crispy breaded coating. 160 calories, 6 grams of fat. FAKE RIBLETS. In 2009 I discovered the Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblets and was surprised how much I liked them. They had a smoky, BBQ flavor and a meaty texture, like a flavorful firm meatloaf. Two servings per box, 220 calories and 3.5 grams of fat each. I like these served with a baked potato (I've learned to love potatoes "neat" without butter or sour cream, with just salt and pepper) and a big salad. FAKE MEATBALLS. I discovered and like the Dominex frozen eggplant products, including eggplant cutlets, burgers, Parm Bites and Meatballs. The meatballs are my favorite. Boca brand has a lot of products available, as does Morningstar Farms. More and more I am finding these products at Publix, although of course your local health food store may have them as well. They may also be found at any of the Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Nutrition S'Mart and Mother Earth Markets. Let me know what your own favorites are. And for relativity, here are some comparisons between the meat products and the vegetarian substitute: Boca Burgers 80-120 calories per patty 2-5 fat grams per patty Morningstar Farms Burgers 80-120 per patty 3-6 grams of fat Real meat burgers 400-780 calories and 20-48 grams of fat Morningstar Farms veggie hot dogs 50 calories 1 gram of fat Real hot dogs made with meat 200-600 calories 15 grams fat YOU DECIDE

Some tips for a friend planning a hip replacement

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:10:48 +0000

Wednesday, June 24, 2009. A friend is planning to have hip replacement surgery next month, and I asked RC, someone who had the surgery several years ago, if he had any tips. Both of them are very tall men. RC said, "Yes, I do. I was given a list of items that would be useful for a person who is having a hip replacement. The list and my comments are as follows: The first item was a grabber to pick up stuff off the floor. It cost about $25 at a medical supply house. The item was about 26 inches long and was made with thin plastic that could not pick up anything heaver than a few ounces. It could pick up a sock, but not a pencil (too small) or a cup (too heavy) or a book (slipped right out of the plastic claw). I went to Home Depot and got a grabber for $18 that had suction cups, reinforced spring steel clamps, was 10 inches longer. I could pick up the sock, the pencil, the cup and the book. I even picked up a gallon of milk in the box container. So much for medical industry quality, but the list goes on. The second item was a plastic handle with a sponge on the end to clean legs and feet. Then when the sponge was saturated with soapy water, the handle was too weak to provide the pressure needed to squeeze out enough soapy water to clean anything. I had to reinforce it with a wooden dowel, also from Home Depot. The third item was a shoe horn. It actually worked and was good quality. The lesson here is just because the medical industry suggests it, doesn’t mean there is any reason to expect quality or functionality. Medical electronic equipment has national standards and laws to force industry to comply, but aids like this apparently do not and the patent gets poor quality at inflated prices. Another suggestion is Velcro with adhesive on one side. That was useful for sticking my Home Depot grabber to the walker so I could take it with me. My walker did not come with anything that would allow you to take something from one room to another, but a plastic bag that could be velcro’ed to the walker was very useful. I also had a table with wheels that let me move stuff by pushing it along. That’s about it, best of luck to him. My doctor was quite good and now, no pain most of the time and I regularly use a treadmill for exercise. If anything, I have more problems with my good hip than my replacement. Downside is air travel. I am not supposed to bend at the hip more than 90 degrees, so I have to get an exit row. No airline that I have ever found will let you get that seat assigned. Also, I always have to be patted down since the metal sets off the airport security despite what the orthotic manufacturer says. They advertise that it won’t set off an alarm, but mine always does and I fly several times a year." In addition, RC told me previously that he has been directed to not cross his legs as he sits, and to sleep with a pillow between his knees when he sleeps on his side. Modern technology is something, isn't it? I did some of my own research and found my friend should also make sure he has a cane the proper height - not so much for support but for balance - as he heals. And most importantly, to make sure his toilet seat is a proper height to keep his legs at the required 90 degrees when seated. If it is not, there are all sorts of seat adapters he can buy. And that's one thing he'll want from the moment he gets back home, not to discover at the last minute and try to improvise unil he can get to the medical supply store the next day.

The Real Housewives of NJ and other unreal reality shows

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:41:20 +0000

I just finished watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion show. I don't always get to watch a show the first time it comes on. The hours I am in the room with the tv are typically between 11:00pm and 2:00am, so if the work in my lap is done and the remote control is close by, that is when I see what is on. It took me a couple of weeks to be able to watch each episode of the show. My first thought was: whatever happened to the real reality shows? I remember watching the original Survivor when it came on in 2000 and it was the first show of its type that I saw. I thought it was a great concept. During that show it became obvious there were some who played to the camera and some who were just being real. Then a lot more shows came on the scene, Real World, Big Brother, Road Rules, Fear Factor, The Amazing Race, Wife Swap, Temptation Island, and it began being called, more aptly, unscripted tv. They were good depictions of how certain personalities reacted under various types of conditions. More and more, though, the shows became more about making personal agendas known and promoting product lines. Fast forward to the Real Housewives series. In The Real Housewives of Orange County, two of the participants, Slade Smiley and Vicki Gunvalson, are edited so as to appear that their main focus is to make sure their self promotion makes it into every scene. It made them immediately seem shady and unlikeable; but remember: that could be because of the editing. The producers take weeks of footage and edit it down into one hour shows. Cast members Jenna Keough and Don Gunvalson were depicted as being the most real and unpretentious and were fun to watch. By the time the The Real Housewives of New York came long, all the cast members were blatantly promoting their product lines in their everyday conversations with each other. It got old quick. The reunion show was filled with dramatic scenes of everyone wanting to set the record straight about how shallow they appeared onscreen. I love it when people feel the need to tell you how important they are, or how classy they are, and when they try to manage everyone's perception of them. Just talk and be real and pretty soon we'll figure it out for ourselves. In The Real Housewives of Atlanta, it's more product line promotion and now we get guest appearances by celebrities, just to throw in some cross-promotion. Everything Sheree Whitfield did seemed scripted and memorized and had a press release feel to it. The reunion show was more drama and cat fight about nonsense, interspersed with Vicki mentioning the name of her product line, apropos of nothing. Then along comes the The Real Housewives of New Jersey. These women were all primed for the show by watching the previous Housewives series. They are all savvy in the art of perception management, except for new sister-in-law Jacqueline Laurita and her husband, who seem to be the only real ones on camera all season. The matriarch of the group is Caroline Manzo, clearly an intelligent and clever businesswoman, who advocates ruling with an iron hand. She's a practiced front person and she's a good one. She gets the family business mentioned often, but not overly so. She knows understated sells. She'd be great on a witness stand. She's protective in the way a pitbull is. Loyal, lovable pet but don't f*ck with her or her meal ticket. Don't jeopardize the life she has so hard worked to achieve. So, in the end, The Real Housewives of New Jersey came off as a fairly contrived exercise in family dynamics and a narrow minded us against them mentality. One thing I did like about The Real Housewives of New Jersey is that in several scenes, Caroline and Jacqueline are sitting on their husbands' knees at the table. Being short women, they can do that *smile* That shows me there is real affection between the couples. And like everyone else's families, there can be great love, even when life is filled with drama and shenanigans. But I miss the earlier reality shows, when diverse people were thrown together and you watched them work to get along and accomplish goals together. The shows where not every scene displayed marketing branding. The shows where people discussed their daily life and were in the now, not setting the scene for their sales pitch. The ones who showed what they were made of by making choices to help their cast mates in some situations, even when doing so got them eliminated. Ah, those were the good ole days.

Doing what must be done

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:13:32 +0000

Today is typically the day I do my paperwork for the magazine mailing this weekend, but I was smart this time and did it all yesterday. In fact, I did it in record time - about 5 hours - since I managed to stay off Facebook and Twitter. It's amazing how quickly the work goes when I jump right into it rather than whining to myself for an hour that I'd rather play instead. I learned that if I do the work a day early, then I am not rushing at the last minute. That idea was as helpful as learning to bill early enough that the payments are all in by the time the bills need to be paid. I've now got it down to a science. The next best idea was pre-paying my printer every week so that by the time my job goes in, it's paid for. Last year I got behind with them just from not paying attention to what I was doing. When they finally called it to my attention I was really embarrassed. Now I just order a check sent several times a month and by the time it goes in, it's paid for. We've had a little rain almost each day recently and the lawns are growing quickly. Yesterday I mowed my yard and I mowed half my block while I was at it. The house closest to me is for sale and they don't mow the lawn real often, and they never mow the easement for the three lots in between us. I just mow the whole thing so it doesn't look like we live on Tobacco Road. The same with the house on the other side, it's 3 lots away, so I just mow that easement as well. When I got to my backyard, Izzy was stationed on the highest, softest puff of grass in the shadiest spot under the big oak. Typically a scaredy cat who runs when people approach, he was just lounging, no matter how close I came. What kind of wacky kitty won't move for the lawn mower? He simply had a staring contest with me, so I mowed around his lazy butt. Early this morning while it was still cool, I walked around this end of the neighborhood and sprayed all the air potato vines with Round Up. We're getting choked out and I am the only one who cares. I figure that means I should remedy it. When I was married, I always thought whoever was irked by the dirty sock on the floor should pick it up. That way one is never waiting for the other to do something to please them. Dishes in the sink bother you? Wash them. Mate left the seat up? Put it down. And do it without being resentful that they should learn to do it because you want them to. Either do it yourself or get rid of the offending party altogether. Period, end of story. Like the song, "Some people say it's just not my problem, some people do what must be done." Similarly, Deepak Chopra says, "It's amazing what gets done when it doesn't matter who gets the credit."

A test to see where your beliefs really are

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:34:53 +0000

Want to see how much you really believe in your business? Place an ad - anywhere - see what you attract. Little or no response? Amp up your belief and expectation, recreate your ad in treasure board fashion and rerun it and see the difference in response. It's not where you place your ad, it's from what state of consciousness do you place it. That's what attracts your results.

cat-lion-mirror72

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:51:36 +0000

yinny-in-her-box-top

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:06:57 +0000

5-29-09a-72

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:40:31 +0000

Competition karma and protecting territory

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:11:43 +0000

Friday, June 26, 2009. My cats each have their own favorite places to sleep and hang out. Giant Maine Coon Izzy likes to be stationed either at the hallway, so he can see anything that comes in the cat door or the front and back doors. My sleek haired, black and white masked harlequin YinYang likes to be in a box top on top of an end table by the tv, with a view toward the living room and backyard. When Izzy finds YinYang in his spot every so often, he just acts like he didn't even notice and goes elsewhere. When Yinny finds Izzy in her spot however, she goes all King Kong on his fuzzy butt. The last 3 days, Izzy has spent the entire time sleeping on a carpeted step in my bathroom. He typically has a few favorite shady spots in the yard for his daily sleep rotation and rarely comes in my room at all. Then last night he came into my evening sitting area, something else he rarely does. Maybe his nightowl days are coming to an end. I scratched his ears and brushed his fur and was delighted when he jumped up onto the table to sit by me. Then I realized he was in YinYang's box top. The sun had just gone down, so she was due in any time. [caption id="attachment_3335" align="alignright" width="150" caption="YinYang in her box top"][/caption] I kept wondering if I should move him. Then I reasoned he'd move on his own soon enough, since he never stays close long. And I liked him being close. He settled in for a nice, long nap. I knew Yinny would be in any minute. I elected to pick him up, box top and all, and lay him on the credenza just next to the small table. Then I ran and got another box top and laid it on Yinny's table, and by the time she came in, it was waiting for her. YinYang is very territorial and I've seen her pitch her little fits. I'm always glad when she lets one slide. I have a psychic medium client I'll call Tracie. Tracie is from Santa Fe, NM where there are a lot of practitioners in her field. It's a big city but a small community and consequently the various mediums all share clients from the same bank of spiritual seekers. Tracie has only been in the area 2 years so is a relative newcomer and she was surprised to encounter so much jealousy and competition among the readers. Several have told her that "mediums don't intrude on other mediums' territory." Tracie was surprised by the infighting and competition between the "readers, healers and teachers" in the metaphysical genre there. I mean, these people talk about law of attraction and karma and ... well, you get it. I told her that it didn't matter what profession you are in, or what genre. There will always be people who do what they say they do and who believe what they say they believe, and there will be others who don't walk their talk, and who get jealous and feel competitive. A lot of them still don't realize that they attract their clientele by virtue of right of consciousness. It doesn't matter if there are 100 clients and 10 practitioners, that does not mean everyone is entitled to 10 each. You attract what you attract by virtue of the way you view what you do, and what you expect and believe about the doing of it. With that in mind, it's impossible to intrude on any one else's territory. I once went to a new age fair with a friend of mine, an American who followed the Sikh tradition. Amrit dressed in traditional Sikh garb and wore his long hair under a white turban. We spent the day just watching the fair events, it was all families and it was a nice long day of fun and food and music and friends. At the end of the day, I dropped him off at his place and hugged him goodbye. That was when I felt the shoulder holster and the gun he kept in it, under his robe. Whaaaaat????? "Sikhs are the saint soldiers," he told me, "always prepared for battle." What? So that means you need to pack heat for just a day in the park with a bunch of tree huggers? He and I had previously had many conversations about meditation and spiritual discipline and personal practice and the need for peace and belief and faith in God. So I guess he packed the gun just in case God decided not to show up and protect him at the last minute?? I lifted a giant burden from myself when I stopped all thoughts that I had to protect against something. I mean, yes, I keep my doors locked and have a security system, but I mean as far thinking that people can steal ideas and business from me? If they do, then it was theirs by right of consciousness and not mine in the first place. I don't feel anything is "my territory" or feel intruded upon by invaders. Many of the people I do readings for tell me who else they also get readings from. I think there is plenty of business for everyone. Give the world something it wants, something that comes from your heart, and you will always have plenty of business. Without worrying about protecting yourself from the competition. And since when does protecting something mean you don't let it die in its own time anyway?

cop-without-a-badge

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:56:07 +0000

The Real Housewives of NJ bring me a 14x windfall

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:01:26 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3366" align="alignright" width="150" caption="The Infamous Book "][/caption] The July Horizons was delivered yesterday so we've been getting it out onto the street. I had a good surprise when I got home, a notice that Amazon.com had sold a book I had listed with them for sale. When the tv show The Real Housewives of New Jersey came on, at the center of controversy with the character Danielle Staub was a book called Cop Without a Badge: The Extraordinary Undercover Life of Kevin Maher by Charles Kipps. When I saw the book cover, I knew I had the book here. On 6-6-09, I wrote on Facebook: "I just realized I have an out of print book here that is suddenly in the news, so I listed it to sell at a ridiculous price at amazon.com. Let's see what happens." Then on 6-8-09, I wrote on Facebook: "OMG the book I listed on amazon.com the other day is now the only one available. Too funny. I listed it on a whim." I knew the book was in excellent condition and didn't even remember reading it. I quickly read the part about Danielle Staub, called Beverly Merrill in the book, and it depicted her as a party girl who hung out with shady characters 24 years ago. But I knew that people would be websurfing for the book after the show. I listed it at I think $288 to start. When new, the book sold for $23.95 and I bought it for half that, untouched. A few days later I saw them flash the book cover across the screen again and it prompted me to look online at amazon.com to see how many other people had listed their copies for sale. There were a few, and they all had lower prices than mine. So I simply made mine the lowest price, down to $180, and forgot about it until the show aired last Thursday. After the show, I went online to check the status, and there were only 3 for sale, including mine. I dropped my price down to $140 and forgot about it. This afternoon I got an email from amazon.com telling me the book has sold. Yay! They gave me until June 30 to ship it, but I simply wrapped it up and took it to the post office right then and sent it to her priority mail wth delivery confirmation. Then I came back and emailed her to expect it Monday. I like surprising people with little stuff like that. Plus she's paid me good money and desrves some consideration for that. Plus I'll bet she can hold on to it and make twice that before the reruns begin. And today at amazon.com are 5 copies of the book, ranging from $142 to $620.

Good RX: just lazing around having a mindless day

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:39:56 +0000

I had a fairly mindless day yesterday; the kind I don't have very often. I woke up and did my morning meditation and went for a quick bike ride around the neighborhood before dawn while it was cool. I love the predawn hours, when everything is quiet and still. There's no anger in the air. Then I went back to bed for a couple of hours. I got up and made my way into the office to check the To Do List and make sure I wasn't spacing out on any important tasks. As usual, I keep quite a list going, but everything could wait. I quickly pre-sorted my snail mail, checked voice mail and email, opened an Office Depot delivery box and put the items into the supply closet, then walked out of the office for the rest of the day. I went to the farmer's market and bought some garlic, onions, carrots and ginger - the staples - and some yellow squash, red peppers and apples. And two avocados, the small Haas ones that have so much flavor. Publix has them for $2 each and WalMart has them for 88c. I bought 3 cases of cans for the kitties, and on a whim chose a new flavor. Thankfully the kitties both ate it and liked it. They get so all they want is the Little Friskies Savory Shreds, turkey and cheese flavor. They wiil eat that for months on end and turn their nose up at anything else. Kind of like me eating egg drop soup every day for the entire last 30 days. I took a walk around the property. In Florida in the summer in the woodsy areas, I've learned you don't just walk outside, so I put on coveralls and my yard boots and hat, and sprayed on sunscreen and insect repellent. I watered my little container garden. I move it from place to sunny place in the yard so it doesn't kill the grass beneath it. I am under so much shade here (heaven!) that I have only one open expanse in the back yard that gets enough full sun to have a lawn. So that's where I keep the container garden also. In it, I have rosemary, sweet basil, bell peppers and stevia which I use in cooking. The rains have made everything grow quickly, so I took some cuttings and stuck them in the ground at the front of the property, where I have a nice privacy hedge going. I walked into the front courtyard and uprighted all the small potted plants the raccoons had played dodgeball with last night. I put out black oil sunflower seeds for the squirrels and fished the umbrella tree leaves out of the bird bath. I've given up on having bird feeders for now, since it is just something else the squirrels turn into a jungle gym. So the birds have to dine at the same table as the squirrels and they are pretty good at taking turns with it. Except for the one big bluejay, who swoops in like Rodan no matter who is at the concrete table eating seeds. Everyone splits when he arrives. I came in the house and moved some furniture around. I do that fairly often. I just was gifted a beautiful rolling table from galpal Beth Head - I love rolling tables - and was moving things around to fit it in. I made a giant salad of romaine, parsley, tomato, red onion and hearts of palm, into which I tossed some crisp potato chunks and garbanzo beans. It was such a giant salad that it took me about an hour to eat it. I carried it from room to room with me as I was straightening up, picking more mail and review copies of books up off the floor. I took it out onto the back porch with me, as I sat and watched the cats lounge around outside. I thought about what branch I could prune, where I could do some weeding, some planting. I went inside and turned the tv on and surfed through some channels. I did the Namaste Yoga and Shimmy belly dancing classes on Fit-TV cable channel 112, and Gilad's body sculpting. I figure if I am going to have the tv on, I will make the best use of it. Friday I strained a muscle in my left forearm, so I have been massaging that and giving it some love. I had some sauteed red pepper and yellow squash for dinner, with egg drop soup (I'm on a kick with the EDS) and that was about my day. One of those mindless days where I just float around doing whatever comes to mind. As my buddy Mr. Z would say, I like that kind of carryin' on.

Doing Experimental Creat-ive Visualizations; the Creative Visualization Process

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:44:04 +0000

I always have several creative visualization projects going on at one time. Some I do with friends and clients, helping them hold a vision of something they are working on changing. A vision of wellness or quick healing for the sick. A vision of a friend finding the perfect job, a client finding the perfect partner, a family member attracting a good used car at a great price. I do creative visualization for myself for various areas also. And I switch it up, so I can tell what specific visualization attracts what specific result. I like especially to play with how income comes my way. In the past I've done some projects that you've been a part of, such as Asking readers to each donate $1 to me for good luck & karma where I did twice daily visualization on the amounts coming in. I would have a dramatic increase in donations during the time I was doing the visualization. Weeks would go by and I would give my attention to other projects, and stop visualizing the donations. They would trickle to a halt. I'd notice it and begin the twice daily visualization again and the donations would again pick up, without me mentioning it again. It worked scientifically each time. Or about 10 years ago I suggested Horizons readers send me lottery tickets for my birthday. I did twice daily visualizations seeing myself opening the mail and seeing the lottery tickets inside. During that time, I began receiving a lot of lottery tickets from readers. Then, once again, weeks would go by and I would give my attention to other projects, and stop the daily visualizations. The lottery tickets would stop coming. I'd remember it and begin the twice daily visualization again and the lottery tickets would again pick up, without me mentioning it again. It worked scientifically each time. Several years ago, I was doing a mailbox visualization every time I drove in the car. I wrote about it in A Dollar Script Visualization. As I drive, I imagine I am dancing and skipping on the sidewalk and, for every mailbox I see along the road, I envision opening the mailbox and pulling out a check with my name on it. I feel myself getting all excited and I happily dance and skip to the next mailbox and this check is double what the last one was! And the next is double still! I will tell you, when I first began this visualization, I envisioned cash money in the mailbox. Then my human brain made it feel weird to me to be taking cash from other people’s mailboxes, even if was just in my imagination… So I changed it to checks in my name being in their mailbox. Want to know how I knew it was working? I never, never get paid in cash, yet when doing the first visualization, clients began paying me in cash. When I changed my visualization to checks made out to me, suddenly clients who had for years made all checks payable to Horizons Magazine began writing them to me personally. I hadn’t been specific enough. When I again changed the visualization, to have the checks payable to Horizons, then clients went back to writing checks to Horizons. Trippy, huh? No, it's just scientific proof that if you do A, B and C, then D is the natural result. So my current experiment is doing visualizations for Paypal payments to increase. In my mind's eye, I am checking email and see lots of New Mail with "Notification of payment received" in the subject line. This weekend I have pretty much stayed away from email, but checked it just now for the first time since Friday and see I have lots and lots of Paypal payments. Once again, the visualization is working. And it's not just about attracting money. Those are just experiments that are fun and self motivating. Those are examples that get your attention. It's about knowing that you can use creative visualization to attract into your life a better experience of any kind on any topic you can think of. You can visualize waking up in time to go to work and choosing a favorite outfit and it's a good hair day and everyone at work is in a pleasant mood and helpful and pulling together. You can visualize getting recognized for your work and getting praise and kudos from coworkers. You can spend a few minutes visualizing talking to family members who are all getting along and all doing well. You can visualize your children finding their way and being successful and you can visualize your parents strong and vital and mentally alert until the end. You can visualize being led toward healthy eating habits and strengthening your immune system, you can see yourself overcoming any health blips on the radar. You can remember that a diagnosis is simply a snapshot in time and tied only to your state of consciousness about it, your belief and expectation. If you took xrays and an MRI and a blood chemistry profile every day of your life, you would see so many conditions move in and out of your body that it would scare you to death. Most simply move on of their own accord without you even knowing they were passing through. In your visualizations, you bring this to mind because that eases your resistance on the topic of health and wellness. You can visualize gettting good rates on hotels and airfare, and prepave speedy checkouts and timely arrivals. You can visualize easily manuevering through red tape in business deals and prevailing in lawsuits. You can visualize who your perfect mate would be, how motivated and respectful your children are and how quickly Mutley gets house trained. You can also do creative visualization on world situations, and on behalf of friends and family. The possibilities are endless. CREATIVE VISUALIZATION, THE PROCESS: How to do it? Simply pick one topic at a time and bring to mind the best case scenario you can imagine on that topic. Run it over and over in your mind continually for at least 5 minutes twice a day. As you run it over in your mind, script it the way you want it to turn out. As you run it in your mind, believe it. Pretend it's real. Even just for those 5 minutes. Make sure you can feel the feeling of experiencing it, that you can feel in your chest and body exactly what it would feel like in the doing and having of it. Keep the visualization going for as long as it feels good to do it. "Visualizing" may not mean that you can actually "see" it. It may just mean that your way of seeing in your mind's eye is to think about it, to run the thoughts over and over in your mind. So don't think you're doing it wrong if you don't "see" anything. However, if you don't feel anything, you need to work on generating the feeling because that is half the formula. Work on finding and repeating thoughts that evoke the feeling you would have if you had or did the best case scenario. Remind yourself that anything is possible and anyone can do it. And miracles happen every day. Andrea RELATED POST: Meditation Twice A Day A Creative Visualization to Attract Dollars The Creative Visualization Process Creative Visualization the 51% rule Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers

11-08-unicorn-rainbow-72

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:35:04 +0000

72-11-08-unicorn-rainbow

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:37:02 +0000

72-11-08-unicorn-rainbow1

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:38:15 +0000

Considering doing a magazine giveaway - I mean the whole magazine

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:02:25 +0000

I dreamed last night that I won the lotto and gave the magazine away. I woke up and it felt so real my first thought was there was no hurry to check email. That felt pretty free! Since I'm getting ready to win the lotto, I thought - well, why not give the magazine to someone and go play? I'm not joking. The whole kit and kaboodle. No, there are no debts or anything like that :) So who should I give it to and why? If you know someone or want to be considered, let me know. (Of course obviously everything would be handled legally and all ad contracts fulfilled, etc.) Who and why. This way, when my ticket wins, I'll have a list handy and have made my decision already. No strings. Seriously. What would you do if it was yours? Email me at andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

How one clairvoyant sees the world

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:31:24 +0000

As a professional clairvoyant, I see everything around me not only with my outer vision, but also with my inner vision. I tend to think of the world around me as the visible manifestation of energy in motion, because as an energy worker that's how I perceive it. The concept of subtle energy is not a theoretical one for me. Everything and everyone I see with inner sight is composed of highly interactive energy. This means I'm paying less attention to what your words are, than I am to what your energy field is telling me, and how you're “vibrating”, as Abraham-Hicks would say. When I'm looking into your energy field, I'm not thinking "oh, he's yellow," or "oh, she's blue." It's my experience that colors change every moment with every thought, more often as your moods do. What I perceive is like a film clip within a layer of the aura that runs along the first few inches from your skin. Different locations show me a different "movie." Yours fears and concerns make for a more vivid film than do the areas of your life you're bored with. Kind of like the old black and white movies they've colorized - you're going along in black and white (the oppressed, boring parts of your life) and suddenly you're in color (your fears, fervent wishes, etc.) The "speed" the film runs has to do with how efficiently you're managing the situation, emotionally, and also has to do with how you feel you are managing the situation. It's like a lot of overlays, and it took me many years to feel confident with it. So now, when someone sits across from me to tell their story, it's like being in a multiplex theatre. The words they speak give me the least information of all, although it does tell me their alibi for why they think it (fill in the blank) isn't their fault, and it tells me what part they want me to play in their movie. So, when my friend tells me, "No, no, you're not right, what you say isn't happening," I don't need to make her admit it and have a conversation she isn't ready to have, especially with me. I don't need to do anything; she has to make her own choices and free herself in her own time. I used to feel frustrated when I told someone something that would solve their dilemma and then watched them act as though they didn't know the solution. Boy, am I glad I let that go! Four years ago, Samantha came to me when she was in the midst of many life changes, divorce, income. She was new to metaphysics and I turned her on (I love that phrase!) to the basic concepts of how we attract things, people, events, into our life, and how it's possible to co-create using creative visualization. She was a quick study and within eight months, her life had gotten much smoother and more manageable. Her relationship had reconciled and she'd found the perfect part time job. We soon stopped our weekly sessions and I didn't see her for over a year, When I did, her life had again become unmanageable and, when asked, she admitted she was no longer doing her creative visualization and, in fact, had forgotten all about it without me to cheer her on. I was stunned. Here was someone who'd learned a really helpful new technique with the power to change every area of her life forever, and she allowed herself to “forget” about it, simply because she didn’t have a cheerleader? She was my lesson to finally release my attachment to wanting to teach anyone anything. When someone is sitting cross from me and I can see in their film clip that energetically they are tied up into a tight ball of rubber bands in their relationship area and have a vacuum sucking out their $$ and health areas, I just listen to the story they are telling me. Because in their telling of that story is where I learn their language and where I discover their overlays, or their “blockages” are. Some people look - energetically - as though they are strapped down to their physical selves, almost like you’d be bound to a dining chair. Some look as though they are leaning toward a heat waves type of configuration, rather open ended. I used to get so wrapped up in viewing the film clip that I thought I had to share with each one what I saw. I learned quickly that, despite what friends say about wanting to know every psychic flash you get about them, don’t do it. I lost friends I thought were close and who I thought understood how it all worked. More than a few. I’ve learned that lesson. So I have learned that most often, the film clip is making itself available to me just to give me background information. Although the film clip also provides future scenes, as they ask me questions. A sense of the overlays may go like this: 1. The story you are verbally telling me. 2. The film clip showing me the scene of the story. 3. The film clip showing me your reaction to your perception of the story. 4. Your energy field morphing, expanding and contracting with each statement. 5. Any play of color within your energy field. 6. Any thoughts that come into my mind in the moment. Yes, my own mind. And this is for someone who asks, this is not something I do with every person every time we meet. That would be as time consuming as determining the fabric content of your clothing, your size, your height and weight, the cmyk value of your skin, hair and clothing. Sure, I can do it if I want to put the time into it, but I’d rather just pay attention to you and what you think we are here for. It’s not difficult to begin to see clairvoyantly, regular practice will develop that. The challenge lies in discovering how to interpret what you see. If someone asks me where they lost a favorite locket, and I get a scene of me as a child playing with my teddy bears and lining them up on the shelf and taking pictures of them, what does that mean to the reading? Does it mean to look among the teddy bears? Does it mean go look around the camera? Or might it just mean there is a photo on the mantle of a Christmas scene including a teddy bear, and the missing locket is next to that photo. Although, same scenario, they may ask about the missing locket and I go into each room in my mind with a type of heat sensor red light that will seek out the object and show it to me. I usually let it let me know what it wants to show me and how. Only when I don’t understand do I do my own process of elimination. Sometimes I might ask to see a movie of it in front of me, showing me walking into the proper room and going right to the missing item. Some combination of those has always been successful. So seeing the world clairvoyantly is simply seeing the world kind of as though everything has an aura, an energy field, and everything’s aura has an aura. Different things occur when energy fields overlap, and you learn through trial and error the significance of those things. After you practice enough, you begin to see the patterns and you see enough patterns, you know what comes next. Is it really as simple as all that? Yep, it really is. Important note: if you begin with friends or others to "pretend" you are seeing something when you are not, that simply shows you do not believe you really have access to the info and it will simply slow down it actually coming to you. Don't go down that route. You don't need to. If more people knew that, we'd have far more accurate readers.If you don't "pretend" to know, then the answer will come to you. Promise! Anyone can develop these skills. Anyone, anywhere. Andrea LISTEN FREE: You Are Not The Body The End of Death As We Know It

What I experience when giving a psychic reading

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:03:39 +0000

A friend asked me yesterday what exactly do I experience during psychic reading sessions with clients? What I experience internally, subjectively, is this: If they are asking me about a future outcome, I kind of project myself forward into their emotional (astral) body (into their nonphysical energy field) and take a look to see what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. Am I happy that I just got the corner office with the new promotion or that Bob with the red corvette asked me to the prom? Or am I relieved about a financial situation because Uncle Noah has just given me a fat check for my birthday for the first time in his life? What am I thinking? What am I feeling in response to what I am thinking? Then I just come back into the here and now and tell them what I saw. If they are asking about something they do not know the answer to, I ask them who would know the answer and then I just ask that person in the dreamtime, so to speak. Because the one with the answer is either usually dead or an adverse party, meaning you can't just call on the phone and get the answer. That's why they are coming to me. So I go to them in a vision or in a moment of meditation or in the dreamtime. It's like this other part of me goes out and connects with this other part of Joe Blow the secret keeper, and this other part of Joe Blow doesn't care about keeping secrets, he just tells it like it is. He spills it all. And I'm just the journalist taking it back to the asker. Another way to look at it is as though that other/higher part of Joe Blow is just a database, an astral shell if the person has dropped their body. And this database knows everything that the deceased ever knew or felt. That is how "they" know where the safe deposit box is and where the keys are and what the childhood nickname is. In that info gathering stage, I can usually hear, smell and see (of a sort) as well as touch and taste and feel. Often in that info gathering stage, a kind of low, loud noise comes over me overshadowing the regular sound so I know the stage is being set for the vision. It gets loud and quiet and roaring and crickety then I get the vignette and then the sound and everything goes back to normal. I'd also written about it earlier this week in How one clairvoyant sees the world. I have stopped taking appointments for the remainder of the year. I'm setting the stage for a different kind of vision :)

Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:05:57 +0000

Is this year flying by or what?? Yesterday I drove to Ormond Beach, Ocala and Cassadaga and it's a trip I love to make. Usually I am returning phone calls as I drive, hands free of course. I have this mega stereo headset that really blocks road noise and I put it on when I know there will be an hour or more of calls. The Bluetooth is fine, but at 70 mph on I-95 in my little Toyota Prius, I have to keep a finger on it to keep the earpiece deep in the ear channel. I like to use two hands when I drive, and pay attention - 10 and 2, baby. Hands at 10 and 2! So with the mega headset, I can be completely hands free. There is about an hour each way along highways 19 and 40 that does not have AT&T cell phone service, so I get to enjoy that nice ride in the silence, just watching the cowfields and horse fields and open savannah. I saw some baby goats that were so cute and right near the fence, I could have petted them. I first stopped at Crystal Connection in Ormond Beach, then got gas and drove west on 40 into Ocala. I put the July Horizons magazines at Mother Earth Market, then picked up some hummus and a package of rice crackers for lunch. I ate it on the way to Cassadaga, my silent ride time, where I dropped more magazines off. When I got back home, I sat back in my big comfy chair and looked to see what my Facebook buddies had been up to. That's my form of mindless entertainment. I saw some friends had posted the results of the different quizzes Facebook has, such as: Where will you be 10 years from now? What's Your Hidden Super Power? How long would you survive in the ghetto? What's your Native American Indian name? Which side of your brain is dominant? What ethnicity are you, really? Which corny pick-up line suits you best? Which Desperate Housewife are you? What flower represents you? Those are not the most ridicuous, they are just the ones I took. Oh, here's a good one, the Zombie quiz: 1. A group of zombies is blocking your path what do you do? Pull out an M1 and aim for the back of the neck. Charge in and try to kill them with my bare hands. Bring out my pistol and aim for the head. Order my fellows to charge and kill. Throw a pipe bomb. 2. You have a person who has been wounded by a zombie what do you do? Leave them. Shoot them in the head Keep them in your group. Disposeof the body in a fire. Amputate the infected area. 3. What are the best weapons to have on you? Pistol and ammo M1 and Machete Elephant gun and uzi. Assault rifles,shotguns,pistols and combat knives pen knife and my hands. 4. Where do you go if you are in a big city? stay home and board up all points of entry. Military base just outside of town. Hospital Evacuation Site. My friends house. 5. Where do you go if you are in the country? Outside and stand in a field Go to the big city. stay home and wait for rescue It's a small town kill all the zombies! Board up the windows and doors. My answer was that my character would be "Bert from Tremors. You are awsome at this! Have you been in a zombie apocalypse before or would this be your first time? You will definetly survive." I think it's interesting that the quizmaster could spell apocalypse, yet could not spell awesome nor definitely. Of course none of the answers would have been my choices. Not having seen a zombie movie since the original Night Of the Living Dead, I could only guess what Hollywood had been putting on the screen. So I guessed and my answers were obviously correct: I would definitely surive a zombie apocalypse. That's good to know. Actually, that was a pretty empowering quiz. I like taking quizzes that make me delve inside myself for answers I didn't know I had, to find strengths I didn't know I had. That was one reason I created the website at Sisters of the Circle. Not everyone has the time to run off to a weekend retreat for reflection, but everyone can either take an hour to sit at the beach or under the clothesline, or 10 minutes in their bathroom to mentally go into another place and do a mini-soul searching. Why do we want to soul search? Because we reach a phase in life where we begin to see through the illusion and no longer find satisfaction in our current daily life. We can either sit around and pout and mope and complain about everything going wrong with our life and the world, or we can know that there is more out there, and set out to find it. This phase can come at any age and has nothing to do with being smart. It has to do with waking up and getting conscious. But Andrea, why embark upon a course of self discovery and personal development when doing that causes the world to crash down upon you? Because (1) the world doesn't always crash down upon you and (2) if parts of your life do come crashing down, it's simply the beginning of the restructuring that will be so much more to your satisfaction that it's so worth it to do it. Much of the crashing down has to do with the karma of past momentum catching up and leveling the playing field. That's all that is. The sooner you fess up with yourself and cop to your past whatever, the sooner you reach ground zero. Then you simply begin to act and react in a conscious way, giving thought to choices as they come up, setting and reflecting on goals, helping those around you, and thus begin a whole new pattern of attraction. You are no longer in vibrational resonance with the old life, so the old life simply drops away. Your new life begins to include people and activities you find more meaningful, as old associations drop away. You will be surprised at who remains and who falls away. So these silly Facebook quizzes, written by people who can neither spell nor form sentences (like me, right now) these quizzes still give us insight into our own personality. They keep the brain neurons firing as we consider new information. That helps keep our brain young and our mental processes clear. So when people complain that a lemming public is relying on unqualified others to tell us who we are, I say "I welcome it all. Every thought or criticism is helpful to me. Every silly game or snarky comment gives me cause for reflection." Does that mean we are really super heros or a particular song like the quizzes tell us we are? No, but we're not zombies either. We may be the walking wounded, but we're working on that and we're not dead yet. I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

zombie-cropped

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:19:54 +0000

Pop Tantra, being single and the elements of a tantric lifestyle

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:04:17 +0000

Some friends joined a dating site and have been telling me their experiences of it. The consensus is: It's a jungle out there. It seems these days, the hip thing to do is to put on your profile that your favorite book is the Kama Sutra and that you are into tantra. Then, during the first couple of instant messages, the conversations start turning all freaky and pornie. WTF??? That is their first clue that these people do not know what tantra is at all. Many use the word tantra to mean tantric sex. The word "tantra" is being used to market everything from bath salts to music, but what the uninformed do not know is that tantric sex is only one facet of tantra. Tantra is an entire lifestyle, just as yoga is a lifestyle and encompasses much more than merely body postures (asanas). The concept of true tantra, as in true yoga, is an entire state of consciousness that imbues everything you do with a sense of oneness and connection. It seeks to commune in a holy manner with everything you come in contact with, animate or inanimate, animal, mineral, vegetable or etheric. It treats everything with utmost respect, kindness and reverence, and celebrates every thing at every moment. Tantra teaches to live in an orgasmic state of being. That is what living a tantric lifestyle is all about. A tantric practitioner approaches every moment with no agenda other than to taste fully the essence and form of it. To delve deeply into the experience of each moment and become one with it. To become timeless, to be in the ever present. To remain in that present, to become the union of act and actor. Hurry exists when mindfulness does not. When you hurry, you are not becoming one. In tantric sex, the same applies. The topic of celibacy comes up for every student on the spiritual path. Celibacy is when you make the conscious decision to abstain from sex. Celibacy is not when you haven't had sex for 3 weeks through no fault of your own. Some people complain about how unnatural celibacy is, that it leads to frustration and physical ailments related to the reproductive organs. As always, though, it is not the activity (or non-activity) that causes the "problems," it is how someone thinks about the activity or abstention while engaged in it. If someone has made a conscious choice to abstain from sex, and is content with their choice, they're not going to experience frustration or pathology. Real celibacy is when you are whole, fulfilled and your mind does not dwell on sexual matters. Although I was previously married, I've chosen celibacy for extended periods in my life and suffered no ill effects from it. My time was spent doing a variety of projects I enjoyed, and spending time with friends on the spiritual path and, for the most part, sex seldom crossed my mind. During these times, I was mostly without media contact, so I didn't have the tv surprising me with titillating images and the radio wasn't bombarding me with codependent love songs or pop songs with sexual innuendo. I spent most of my time in the company of others who were doing the same thing I was doing, so our attention was usually otherwise engaged. The last few years I've chosen not to pairbond because I've just got so much other stuff going on and I find emotional fulfillment through my friends, my family and my practice. I just don't yet miss having a partner and can't see having sex with anyone who's not a significant part of my life. I've learned how emotionally and psychologically attached we humans become to those we are intimate with, and having casual sex carries more consequences than I'm interested in being responsible for. One thing I say to those who ask is, yes, it's entirely possible to live a fun and fulfilling life without having a partner to share it with. I feel so in love with all my friends and family, that I can't imagine feeling any better if I singled one particular person out to pour love onto. It will be nice when it comes along again, if it does. But it's equally blissful as it is. My thoughts on relationship at this point in my life are: First, I want to make sure I have a happy and fulfilling life, doing all the things I think of doing. I want to be involved in my own personal growth and spiritual development. To this end, I regularly attend discussion groups and classes, as well as church services, and plan little projects and vacations and retreats for myself. I figure, if I am going about my life doing what I find fun and informative, sooner or later I'm gonna glance over and there will be some who are walking alongside me, involved in the same activities. It is likely from these that I will choose my future partner. Not that we can only find happiness with one who is just like us, because that's not always the case. No matter how different we are, if we focus on our similarities when we're together, we'll find harmony. To the extent that we stay focused the things we like about each other, and how much we love and respect and honor each other, to that extent will everything else work itself out just fine. And, in the meantime, I chop every vegetable, and cook every dish as if the Beloved would eat it from my hands. I wash every cup as though the Beloved had touched it to his very lips. That is the tantric way. I enjoy the sensation of the hot, soapy water and use just enough effort to lift each dish as is required. I dry the dishes slowly and put them back in the cabinet as though the Beloved himself would open the door for them next. I tend the garden as though each vegetable were my son and each flower my daughter, with the sky as grandfather and the moon as grandmother. True tantra is living continually in that orgasmic state of being, whether you have sex or not, whether you have a partner or not. Tantra is living in that state of yes, yes, yes! even while sweeping the walk and mowing the lawn and driving to work; in interacting in every moment of every day. And the thought of that just tickles my fancy.

shiva-dancing-72

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:33 +0000

Dancing Shiva

The purpose of life is to enjoy it

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:31:15 +0000

From my friend Karen Williams: The purpose of life is to enjoy it. The purpose of life is to have as much fun as you can possibly have while doing whatever you do. And then life will continually open up new avenues for more enjoyment. But hold the phone! Isn't life about being a good person, making a contribution, accomplishing goals, finding a spiritual connection? Sure, why not? And if we make enjoyment a top priority, those things must come.

Exercising the spidey sense

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:44:18 +0000

Yesterday I did some of the billing I had to do and then I ran out to the post office and the bank and decided to get my oil changed on the way in. Jiffy Lube on Babcock Street is so fast, I never have to wait long, so I didn't bring in anything to read. I'd emptied the car out beforehand anyway, since they always vacuum the inside, and I didn't want them to have to wade through stacks of Horizons, maps, umbrellas, files. I chuckled when I saw that the car ahead of mine was an older model, packed to the top of the headrests with a tumble of clothes and toys and knicknacks. I smiled and wondered what kind of character would drive that car and what the story behind all the contents was. I was soon to find out. The owner of the car was a 78 year old self described redneck who wore a tattered SnapOn Tools teeshirt and khaki pants several sizes too large. She had very short hair and skin leathery and dark from 70+ years in the sun, and her name was Billie. She talked about growing up on a farm and how her mom had passed several years ago and how she now volunteers at different senior centers and collects items to donate; thus the car full of stuff. She was quite the talker, but she had an interesting story and she enjoyed having someone new to tell it to. What is interesting is that I'd programmed someone's number into my cell phone so I could talk to them as I ran errands, and it turns out I had the wrong number. Otherwise I would have been on the phone with them the entire time at Jiffy Lube, rather than making time to listen to Billie. The Universe knows how to make us available for whoever we need to be with when we need to be with them. I got a lot out of our visit, I am sure she did too. Synchronicity. I l love being in the flow and taking note of the synchronicities that occur. Being aware of them makes more of them happen, too. Yesterday I had a neat spidey sense flash - and an example of what it means or doesn't mean. I was approaching the Circle K near the house and wondered if I should get a Fantasy Five ticket for the night. The numbers 3525 came into my head. I got a Play 4. I came home and an unexpected check for $352.50 was in my mailbox, a final dividend on an investment I thought went bottom up years ago. Things like that happen a lot. I wrote on Facebook that apparently I am fully connected and the only glitch is my own self, my tangle of thoughts, etc. that the information filters through. Go figure :) On June 13 of last year, the numbers 1, 9, 6 keep appearing to me. I didn’t know why. I emailed my friend Carl M. that I was going to play the numbers. The numbers 9-6-1 came in on the Cash 3 that evening and we both won. It helps me to know what my guidance system is telling me, to be able to interpret it correctly. So exercising it is important. One way to exercise it is to keep track of little things like this - my correct "hits" - and bring them to mind often, along with the thought that "I am getting better at this all the time." I don't do this to gloat to friends or get pats on the back for my spidey sense, I do it to keep honest track of it and to attract more of it. to stay in the vibrational resonance of it. I am always emailing notes or predictions to myself in order to get a date/time stamp on it to review later. A couple of years ago, I wanted a tent and had just finished my internet research to decide what kind and size I wanted. I woke up one morning and knew that someone would call me that day and they would have a tent for me like the one I was looking for. I went into the office and began taking the day's calls, yet each time when I wondered if I should ask about the tent, it felt stupid and I didn't do it. Then Jane Warner from Heaven Sent Wellness Center called and it was the first time we'd spoken. I immediately knew she had the tent for me. We spoke first about an ad, the purpose of her call, then I told her I'd been looking for a tent and that Spirit just told me she had one for me. There was a short pause, then she told me that she and Angie just returned from a gathering where they took their tent. They had, however, forgotten the top fly to the tent and so went to the nearest Sears and bought a duplicate tent so they had a fly that fit. Which left them with an extra tent. For me. Once I was meeting a friend in Michael's Craft Store in Melbourne. As I was walking in the door, I was looking for my friend's head above everything since he's really, really tall. I didn’t see him at first, then I saw a light matrix grid walk out about 10 feet in ahead of him, and it had sparks at all the joints below the hips. I asked in my mind what it was and the answer was “crystals in the joints”. Then I saw my friend appear and we began speaking and I forgot about it. A couple of days later, I remembered and I asked inside - my internal guidance system - or Whoever is Up There or In Here - for more info and what "crystals in the joints" means. The answer was “he knows”. So I asked my buddy and he told me he has gout and that is how it appears. I Googled the word "gout" and found out more info and sure enough they describe it as uric acid crystals in the joints. Two weeks later, my friend had a severe gout attack. I thought it was cool to be able to see them and give him a heads up so he could maybe prevent them. But I was the only one who thought that was cool. When I say a light matrix grid appeared, the closest I can think to show you what I mean is in Alex Grey's painting of the Universal Mind Lattice. Like the Boy in the Bubble, imagine everyone is walking about in a giant energetic bubble; call it the aura, the energy field, and it extends out around you lke a hamster ball rolling around on the floor everywhere you go. When there is information to be had, for me often it's contained inside the grid, inside the bubble. Once at church, I walked up on a couple of friends having a conversation, and one of them mentioned someone who might have a kidney infection. My friend Janine Chimera said she'd been having those same symptoms and, without planning to, I blurted out that she didn't have the infection, her mom did and Janine was just getting the signal to have it checked. She didn't know how to interpret the signal, so she thought she herself might have it, since she was clearly having symptoms. She did not. But even missing part of the conversation, somehow it was appropriate to butt in with what I knew. With a partner once, I awoke in the middle of the night and had a strong impression as I laid with my hand across his tummy and heard myself say out loud “you’ve got a hot liver”. He asked what that meant and I didn’t know, I was sleeping and it just came out as I stirred. But I came in and Googled ”hot liver” when I got up. I found an Ayurvedic website that had that phrase and it basically meant he could benefit by a liver cleansing. I simply asked him to get a liver function test and he did and his enzyme levels were indeed elevated. Yay for the spidey sense. So bringing these things to mind when they happen and reflecting on them, helps you exercise your spidey sense. Taking note every time something synchronistic happens exercises your spidey sense, your psychic sense. And it's worth noting that I believe it's easier for me to interpret the symbolism when I live a life of silence and quiet and few external distractions in a monastic setting. But it can be cultivated and exercised anywhere, anytime, under any circumstances. It just takes practice and focus. And it's so worth it. RELATED POSTS: More lottery wins How to win the lottery by visualizing it I Predict 4 Of Saturday’s Lotto Numbers . LISTEN FREE: Out of Body Experience Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:37:43 +0000

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx1

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:44:27 +0000

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx2

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:46:03 +0000

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx3

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:16:02 +0000

Cheaters, Sex Decoys, Love Stings, Infidelity - Get Over It

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:24:22 +0000

You've seen the shows; Cheaters, where they get permission from the mate to use a hidden camera to catch a cheating spouse, who is then confronted by a very stern Joey Greco , with camera crew in tow. We get the whole blow up on camera. In one episode, we watched Greco get stabbed by a confronted spouse. The new reality show named Sex Decoys: Love Stings, goes a step further. In this one, lovers hire the set up of a sting operation to see if their partner will be tempted. We get to follow the sting and watch the confrontation, and there's the added bonus of a follow up phone call. Without exception, the tempted take the bait, the blow up is ugly and in the follow up phone call has them often still together. WTF? In the beginning of a new relationship, our focus is on discovering new things to love about our partner. Later we began introducing other thoughts into the mix. That's because for most of us who don't communicate well, we are living half of the relationship in our own mind. Our partner is not where we are at, but we don't know that because we don't talk about it. We have entire conversations in our head that cause us to have certain assumptions about the relationship and from those assumptions we begin to draw conclusions. And how we feel about those conclusions determines how we act and react toward our partner. Often it is not that your lover is acting all that differently, you are simply beginning to let your attention wander away from every minute detail of his loveableness. Now you notice that he leaves his socks on the floor and doesn't wash out his glass. He didn't all along, but before now it was cute. Now you are allowing your thoughts to change your perception of him. Instead of wondering, what will we be doing together next week and for the rest of our lives together, you already know what you'll be doing next week and it's laundry and overtime. At first you begrudged your job because it limited the hours you and he could spend together. Now you get ticked at him because he was supposed to be the white knight in shining armor, and it was easier to imagine him being that before who he was got in the way of it all. Damn him anyway. Instead of planning delightful surprises for him, thinking up delicious meals and fun adventures in skimpy lingerie, you're feeling neglected because he didn't want go to the mall with you last week and that's all you can focus on. That thought attracts another thought like it and pretty soon you've created this entire scenario in your head that he now has to defend himself against. He may come over all happy and huggy but when he gets that "I know what you're up to" attitude from you, he's not going to know what to do with it. And nothing changed except where you allowed your thoughts to go. UH OH, LOTS OF MY BUDDIES WON'T LIKE THIS PART I never want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me, it's as simple as that. So rejecting me is a favor and a boon from God. Rejection is protection :) But I know that just because my partner can be tempted doesn't mean they don't love me and that I can't have a happy life with them. It's not what they are doing that causes the problem, it is my reaction to what I think about what they are doing that causes the arguments. If you've pledged to be monogamous with each other and feel a trust has been broken, simply leave if you feel you must, no need to argue and place blame. Move on. But know that intentions change, and we can live happier lives when we allow wiggle room for that. Don't fault an otherwise good partner simply because his vibes attracted someone to adore him, even if for just a few hours, and he acted on it. That could have been you making him feel that way. Despite laundry and overtime. Feel that he has jeopardized you with possible STDs? New routine: use a condom. Both get a check up. No biggie. Don't make more of it than it needs to be. Don't jeopardize your own happy life by making it an issue and having an attitude about it. Get over it and get okay with it or get out of it. And it's pretty safe to say that calling the producers of Cheaters or Sex Decoys: Love Stings might be a deal breaker. But then again, maybe not. RELATED POST: Are you in a Relationship or Just Filling in the Blanks? RELATED POST: Good Girls, Spiritual Seekers: Why Do We Like The Bad Boys? LISTEN FREE: Connecting with your Angels, Guides and Teachers Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com

couch-fainting

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:27:14 +0000

couch-fainting1

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:28:15 +0000

Menopause and the crazy sleep schedule; natural sleep aids; sleepwalking; boxing myself into a small space

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:20:29 +0000

Wow, I had a real festival of sleep this weekend, something I rarely do. I am not a recreational sleeper. My typical routine is to work on the computer until I feel done, then do some yoga stretching and move into the living room to sit in my easy chair (purposely not a recliner!) to read. Next to the chair, I have a desk with my laptop and phones on it. So, when I move to the living room, I am in the winding down for the day mode. This takes a few hours as I read and proof read, because I am also checking Facebook and seeing what my pals have been up to. I do this reading and laptopping for a few hours until I typically fall asleep in my chair. When I wake up usually minutes later, I jump on the couch and pull the indian blanket over me and that's where I sleep my 3 or 4 hours. When I wake up, I do my morning meditation, come in here to do this blog and then I may go back to sleep another hour or two after that. It is for those final hours that I may actually make it into my bedroom. Sometimes I get so involved in my work - which is fun for me - that I miss segments of sleep. It's often not until I look at the date/time on my Facebook posts that I realize I have been up almost around the clock. It's at those times, the "tired and wired" stage I call it, that I call in the big guns to make me sleep right away. No, not prescription medication, although the over the counter Benadryl/Sominex will do the trick for me in emergencies. I don't take medication except in emergencies, because I find that the chemicals running through my system affect my intuitive abilities, plain and simple. Since my intuition is my bread and butter, I just don't do pills, period. I prefer to take 2-3 valerian root (standardized only) herbal capsules along with 2 Melatonin capsules. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain and believed to maintain regular sleeping patterns. I particularly like the Melatonin spray. Valerian root has traditionally been used for centuries as a sleep aid and for relief from nervousness, restlessness and stress-related anxiety. This herbal cocktail relaxes me right to sleep for my usual 3-4 hours at a stretch. [caption id="attachment_3502" align="alignright" width="144" caption="My fainting couch"][/caption] The sitting area in my living room has everything I need right there. I've got the desk, the computer, the office chair, the phones, the easy chair, the tv, and my short fainting couch. That's where most of the sleeping takes place. The kitchen is off to the right, behind the hanging curtain with the smiley sun face on it. In fact, this whole area I am describing is 13 x 36, including the kitchen. The rooms are all in a line with each other. Sometimes I spend entire days and nights in that space. I began thinking, here I have this whole house and yet I spend half the time living in a space that measures 13 x 36. And doing so happily. That's like 80% of my space that I am not fully living in. Yes, I like sleeping on the couch, but my bedroom is such a much more wonderful place to sleep. It gets completely black dark and stays very cool and the bed is very cushy and dreamy. Those are things I love about a sleeping space. Yet I choose to sleep on the couch, which is hard and shorter than I am tall, in a room illuminated by the lighted altar at the opposite end. The bedroom gives me the best sleeping experience by far, yet too often, I just don't feel like moving that far. I was comfortable enough where I was, half asleep. That made me ponder, where else am I too comfortable in my half sleep, and missing out on a far wider expanse of life than I am living now? Yes, I see where I am boxing my own self in, so to speak, but it's a very comfortable and fun box I'm in. Like being trapped in Paradise. That's one reason I like coming across new people, people who don't do what I do, people who do things I know very little about and have not experienced. Like one friend does archery and so I've been Googling that and think I might like to give it a try. I lke anything where precision and focus determine the result. That I can do. Whether my body will cooperate, well, maybe not at first but it will soon follow as I train it by practice. Like each year some friends go to Macchu Picchu and before I go, I'll know to train myself by walking and doing lots of steps and stairs, so I am able to fully appreciate all the trip has to offer. There's nothing worse than being in the midst of wonderful stuff I can't use or participate in because I've limited myself by my own actions and my own sleepwalking. Where I limit myself to living in 500 square feet when the whole house is available to me. And in my past life, limiting my activities because I had 50 extra fast food pounds, but wasn't ready to make a change in eating habit. Limiting myself by no longer joining in strenuous physical activities that friends around me were doing, activities I used to love. Or again in my past life, limiting how much I could spend on the car I really wanted or fun vacations with friends, because I'd spent that much on shoes and electronics all year instead. But we do these things without thinking. We don't plan it out. We just fall into it. It takes someone outside us to point out what we might be missing, what we could be experiencing if we just step outside the small space we've dug ourselves comfortably into. Something new to spark interest, or maybe just renew interest in a former spark. No, I am not talking about hooking up with former lovers, I am talking about remembering how much you used to love to write or travel or paint or garden or dance. Renewing a spark for something you used to love to do, that expands your perception and your world, too. Something that takes you out of your small space and lets you live far more of the potential that is there waiting for you to find it. Your small space may be your house, it may be your job or your body. Your small space is whatever you have confined yourself to, wherever you are limiting yourself. Ask trusted friends what they think your small spaces are, and consider what they say. I think I don't always have to make changes in my life, but I do have to make changes in my thoughts, to keep myself in the flow of the fullest experience life has to offer me. Where in your life can you use some expansion? Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Online dating scams; hot singles are waiting for you

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:49:01 +0000

There's a new wave of romance scammers on Facebook, so I am reposting this from last summer. I get a lot of them because my name begins with an A. Being in the B's, my friend Bekki Shanklin gets them as well. Last year, Facebook friend Valerie Saurer posted "Facebook just sent me a message that hot singles are waiting for me. To prove it, they showed me a picture of my married neighbor." That made me laugh out loud. I now have 14 girlfriends/female clients (that I know of) that have all joined online dating services. I wrote about one of them at Online dating: E-Harmony vs. Match.com. All of them have experienced the scammers but sometimes it has taken them a while to realize the guy is up to no good. I have male friends this happens to as well. I guess I thought everyone knew to not give up personal information real quick since these sites are filled with predators and opportunists. Some just use the connections to sell their wares, and they may hint at romance as a lure into a wallet-cleaning. I hear over and over how this one promised this and said this and then suddenly disappeared and they had no real contact info for them. The times I've belonged to an online dating site, I just assume everyone is a scammer until we had some normal conversations that proved to me otherwise. Usually by the 4th or 5th contact, I'd be done. I would never meet these guys in person without knowing lots more about them. And the lies? Please. We're all grown ups here. Do not buy products or services from these folks, they'll say anything to make a sale. Some want to meet you fast to judge by your car or house or clothes or jewelry how much they can take you for. And if they can get laid in the process, all the better. They have no conscience. This is a job for them. They make a career of doing this. A NEW TWIST One friend, Alfred, belongs to a Big and Beautiful online dating site and he was contacted by a woman on the site who was a psychic reader. She told him that illness would play a large part of this year for him. Although he has no health problems, he automatically began wondering what it could be. He began going over in his mind every little twitch and twang and kept getting readings from her. I wrote to him: "You know as well as I do that scammers and predators haunt these sites. If they know you are overweight, they automatically assume you are prone to all kinds of health problems, which is how they make the most money, capitalizing on that feature. You're not like that. You are doing all sorts of things RIGHT with your health and you are on the upswing, not the downward spiral. The only way illness would play a large part is if she planted the idea in your head and you started worrying about it. And she knows that, so when your scammer friend emails or talks to you, her seduction is a hypnotic induction that you are falling for, then she sows the seed thoughts of illness, you start worrying about it and paying attention to every little ache and pain and suddenly - voila - wow she must have been psychic! So my hypnotic suggestion to you is that you know better than this. You so smart on other topics but your radar for women sucks. Your intuition goes out the window when the testosterone begins flowing. But you see through their scams. You know there is someone for you who is a diamond amidst these clods of dirt. You don't let yourself get hooked into their nonsense, and you skip the serious flirting until you've established mutual interests. Anyone can have a good time flirting with a stranger online for a few days, but 4 or 5 serious emails or conversations in, you should know more about whether she has any real interest in the real you, not just the checkbook. Then after you know there is some substance there, flirt with her like crazy and see where it goes. But she's gotta make it past that first hurdle." Being on these online dating sites is a good time to practice the law of attraction, because you will be able to tell what your point of attraction is by who shows up in your experience. If there is any little part of you that says, consciously or unconsciously "I don't deserve a wonderful partner who adores me as I am right now," then you will attract someone who seeks out that attribute; they seek out the insecure and vulnerable. How to get rid of being insecure and vulnerable? Know the power of your own being and that it is only your own thoughts that are keeping you in that precarious place. Feel scammed, betrayed, abandonded? That's just another thought. Make a list of 30 things you would like in a partner. Then 30 more. Then 30 more. Look at all the people around you and pick one good thing about each, something you would like in a partner. When you do this, you are exercising your attraction muscle. In the meantime, check out the below sites: Signs of an internet Online Dating Scam at http://dating.about.com/od/onlinedating/ss/datingscams.htm Nigerian Dating Scam, aka Romance Scam at http://www.datingnmore.com/fraud/scam_database.htm Internet dating scams to look out for at http://www.examiner.com/x-12874-Denver-Relationship-Psychology-Examiner~y2009m6d23-Starting-a-new-relationship-online--internet-dating-scams-to-look-out-for As my friend Karen Williams says: People can seem perplexing, irascible, lazy, and clueless. They can also be thoughtful, courteous, kind-hearted, and able to display signs of brilliance. By focusing on what we appreciate, as challenging as that might be when they're demonstrating qualities we're not wild about, we'll draw more of what we like from them. As we change the way we view them, they'll change the qualities they demonstrate to us. So, as usual, it's not about them at all, rather about us. Go figure. Online dating: E-Harmony vs. Match.com A Fly On The Wall Of A Dating Site Hook-Up Online dating scams; hot singles are waiting for you Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

Superfast Lowfat Carrot Hummus Spinach Wrap

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:42:02 +0000

I first came across Andrea's blog My Chihuahua bites! when I was Googling the words "Andrea's blog" and "Andrea Leigh". No, I'm not weird, that's my name too and I was excited to see it was a recipe blog. I like her idea about Tuesdays At The Table and wanted to contribute, so I pulled up my favorite healthy, vegetarian lowfat recipe. It's a wrap that I created, trying to duplicate one I got at Mother Earth Market in Ocala, FL. Mine turned out even better. I call it the Carrot Hummus Spinach Wrap. You will use 10 Minute Hummus for this recipe. I like parsley and garlic in mine because taste and the health benefits. Try yours with and without. Here's how to make the 10 Minute Hummus first. One 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas Juice of one lemon (depending on taste) 1- 1/2 tablespoons tahini 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons olive oil A handful of chopped parsley, maybe fluffing up to a cup including fluffy tops Preparation: Drain chickpeas and set liquid aside for later. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. If this was a dip, you'd add more garbanzo bean water to make it dippy. To keep it firmer and more sandwichey, less garbanzo water. TORTILLA TIPS. They make fat free white flour tortillas (or wraps), as well as white flour tortillas that have 11 grams of fiber each. Also available are pink sundried tomato tortillas, and green spinach tortillas. The green and pink tortillas are more fragile than the white flour tortillas and tend to split when folded. How To Assemble Your Carrot Hummus Spinach Wrap. Warm a tortilla wrap on the stove to soften it. As you assemble it, remember you will want to fold it over, or wrap it up, so leave room to do that. Or you can just leave it as a big sloppy hand feedbag like my cousin does, and eats it over the sink. Place your tortilla wrap on the plate. Put 1-2 tablespoons of hummus in the center and spread it around the center. Put some fresh spinach leaves in the center. Add another 1-2 tbsp of hummus. Place a handful of carrot matchsticks on top of the hummus. Add another 1-2 tbsp. hummus and fold up. You can also add sliced tomato and red onion. Awesome flavor, healthy, lowfat. I've got more free lowfat healthy recipes at www.goddessgrub.com

Eliminating the knuckleheads from your life every quarter

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:32:42 +0000

Over the holiday weekend, Facebook friend Will Roadhouse said he was taking this 4th to do a little "house cleaning," by dropping individuals I feel are a waste of time. One should consider doing this a couple times a year...I do it 4 -5 times:) It eliminates distractions and the F'ups that do not have a positive influence in one's personal and professional life. He later wrote: I've received quite a few emails wondering if I had a bad day? FYI...I don't have "bad days," partly because I drop any "knuckle-head" in my personal and professional life. These are individuals that are: arrogant, selfish, rude people that "consistently" make one bad decision after another. I cannot respect anyone who does not show the same respect to themselves or to others. I learned a tough lesson many years ago...these negative influences, over time, can change you! Before you know it, your telling yourself, "this isn't me???" Those who know me well, know I have ZERO drama in my life, and "professionally" I surround my company with great business partners/clients that are honorable. If you hangout with a bunch of "arrogant dumb-asses," I will put you in the same category and you will be dropped. I do this every quarter because sometimes it takes 3 months to see someone's true colors. Many good people rely on me, this ensures I'm focused and happy! I knew exactly what Will meant and wrote: Will, I am the same and it is not popular, but I am the happiest person I know and it's because I know when I'm focused and happy, that makes life good for those around me too. Will: You are absolutely right! Many people frequently ask me, "why are you so happy" or "how do you stay so positive." I tell them, "...it's really quite simple, I surround myself with good people, and if I can't find any...I'm quite happy as a loner." Too many people will sacrifice being with "idiots" because they can't stand being alone...pretty sad :( But Andrea, I can't just drop my boss or my coworkers or my husband or my in-laws or my neighbors. Well, actually, yes you can, but I understand your dilemma. Your solution is to either get away from them, or else get ok with them. Sometimes all it takes is a small change in perception to see another facet of someone, and begin to attract a different response from them. But then again there are those people in your circle who are not focused, who are not motivated, who waste everyone's time with their disorganization, and who do not add to the progress of the plan, the project or the job. They can do this by focusing on personal matters at work, or by simply not doing their job in a team player kind of way. They make decisions based on ego centered personal motives, rather than what works best for the job. They simply don't pay attention or make everything into a drama. What about when these people are your friends, do you cut them slack or do you cut them off? That depends on what your priority is. You're the only one who knows what someone adds to your life. I have friends I love and love to hear from via mail a few times a year to keep up, but frankly it's not fun being around them and I would never work with them. If they were a Facebook friend, they would simply not be on my Newsfeed, I'd go to their Wall to see their updates. My priority is to have a happy life, to enjoy good friends, to be well thought of, to make a good living doing what I love to do. I agree with Will's idea to eliminate the knuckleheads from your life on a regular basis. It leaves room for those people who are motivated, fun, and creative and it goes a long way in ensuring you never have a bad day. Vibrational match! Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:52:49 +0000

Boy, yesterday was a trip! I've been overdue in getting papers to my tax accountant and was determined to begin collecting them as soon as I got up. I've been cheerleading myself into it all week, psyching myself up to just jump into it and get it over with. Finally I woke up yesterday and wanted to do it. I mean, all it is is pulling papers out of files and copying them but there are lots of them. And she blithely asked me to include a spreadsheet of my expenses, as if I even know what that is. Actually, I do know that Excel makes spreadsheets and I knew I had Excel, so I just opened the program and began a new document to see how tough it would be to learn it. I saw boxes and alphabet, and commands I've never seen; plus some I'd seen ages ago - math stuff! I panicked and called my pal Beth Head who, in 5 minutes walked me through everything I needed to know to start my spreadsheet. So I start listing my expenses and listing the amounts for each month. It's doing the totalling for me and I am really getting into it and the job is becoming fun. Then I hit a glitch. Beth isn't near her phone. She has a church to run, and work to do and a family to get home to. So I turn to my Facebook buddies. The friends I see most throughout the day each day. I ask "In Excel, I have a page done with columns and want to know how to make the lines appear so they are inside cells instead of just on the page with no lines between the columns. Help?" I immediately got several answers and just what I needed. Jennifer Barnes suggested "Highlight what you want to add a border to, go to format, select cells, select borders and it has a little diagram so you can click to add them in whatever style you want." Facebook pal Bobbi Kidd, who I also know from the law office days in the 80's, said "Or under the page set up you can check "gridlines" and they will show on your printed document. If you have column headings you want to appear on each page, you can insert the cell range while you're in that page set up screen." Later I have another: "Ok one more Excel question. How do I make it give me the decimal point for .00 for a round number amount? I'd like to see the .00 and don't." Bobbi Kidd was again among those who came to the rescue: "You can go to the set up for the program and make the selection and it will always round to 2 decimals and you won't have to change it on each workbook, or you can go to the page set up for that particular workbook and under "Number" you can select money, accounting, etc. and set the decimal places. So many options........" I like options. I ended up spending a lot of time playing with Excel but I learned how to use it and I got my spreadsheets done. I know that is a job I can delegate to someone quicker and more knowledgeable, but I kinda like knowing how to do my money stuff myself. It keeps me on top of what is going on with my business and reminds me what comes in and where it goes. I'm reminded that I keep everything fairly organized, everything gets paid on time and expenses are under control and within means. And it's easy to keep track of now that I know how to use Excel. And for that I can thank my friends. Like you, I get by with a little help from my friends. Especially my Facebook friends. I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

suzanne-richmond

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:31:12 +0000

Sunday at Yogashakti Mission: Suzanne Richmond on Growing Healthy Veggies and Composting with Worms

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:31:28 +0000

This Sunday, July 12th from 9 - 10am for the Sunshine Lecture Series at Yogashakti Mission, Suzanne Richmond will talk about Growing Healthy Veggies and Composting with Worms. "Growing lush and healthy vegetables is quite a challenge on the sandbar that we live on in Florida", she says. Suzanne has come up with a great idea. She makes and uses self-watering containers (grow boxes) and teaches others how to make them as well. A favorite fertilizer of hers is worm tea and castings. Suzanne will be demonstrating the Growbox and will talk about how to use worms to grow a great garden. "Now is the time to plant your Fall Garden", she says. These topics and more will be covered at the lecture on Sunday 12 July from 9 - 10 AM at Yogashakti Mission. All welcome. Yoga Shakti Mission is located at 3895 Hield Rd NW in Palm Bay, FL 32907, phone 321-725 4024, visit www.yogashakti.org About Suzanne: Suzanne Richmond discovered super growth of vegetables growing in her self watering containers. Her incredible vegetable garden growing in over 60 Growboxes yields a bounty of excellent quality, fresh food for a fraction of grocery store prices. She teaches Growbox Workshops at her farm in Melbourne. Contact her at srichmond2@cfl.rr.com

andy-panda-tophat72

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:25:39 +0000

Indian pantry moths; the unseen becoming seen

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:59:19 +0000

I saw the signs and didn’t know what I was seeing. The little webbing appearing in the corner of the kitchen and pantry area, also in the garage and back porch. I thought it was somehow related to the moisture of the last year’s rains and just swept it away when I saw it and didn’t think much about it. Then I began noticing it more. Mike my bug man came this week and told me they were Indian pantry moths. He told me they were likely in all my cereal goods in the pantry. But how could that be if I keep all my pantry items in the refrigerator? My refrigerator stays pretty full, mostly with pantry goods that have been opened: flour, sugar, rices, pastas. I store them in there to keep the humidity out since, except for in the summertime, I like to leave my windows open to the fresh air. Mike said they never stray far from their food source and he showed me my one rack of dried beans - less than 6 months old mind you - and sure enough, the packages had been invaded. He sprayed and said I may be seeing them for a long time to come because of how they hatch. Then I went on a hunt. But first, I Googled “Indian pantry moths” to learn more about them and discover everywhere they might be. I checked the bird seed, which I thought was safe in a sealed plastic container. But I’d been leaving the top half off, so it had been invaded. I checked the dry cat food which was loosely sealed and not in its plastic container, and it had some. To the garbage and out of the house with all of it. Nothing I had seen in my childhood Andy Panda cartoon of 1942 “Goodbye Mr. Moth” had prepared me for this. Of course, in the cartoon, the moth is wreaking havoc in Andy’s tailor shop. It devours clothes like cartoon mice devour cheese, and we get to watch Andy go through all sorts of manuevers to get rid of him. Similar to those seen here in Andy Panda’s The Wacky Weed (warning, violence). I scrubbed down everything and was surprised to find more webbing all over the place, in cracks and crevices, near the baseboards. It was contained in the pantry and kitchen and dining area. I used Clorox cleaner with bleach on it all. I pulled the stove away from the wall and made sure that was cleaned as well. I saw evidence of none back there. That was good. The incident made me wonder how many other things are growing and beginning to take form and thrive without me being aware of it. I'm not talking about insect infestation, I am talking metaphorically now. I wonder how many good things are in the works getting ready to come to fruition for me, things I am not consciously aware of right now, things that would thrill and delight me. As for Mr. Moth, now, days later, I see very few of them but am still on the lookout. To be sure, I am wiping everything down again every couple of days, to catch any larvae I may not be able to see. We’ll see how well I did. I even wrote them a note asking them to live outside. We’ll also see how well they can read. . Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience - Stop Smoking Connecting with your Angels, Guides, Teachers

andy-panda-72

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:38:08 +0000

soup-ramen-noodles

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:10:55 +0000

The Egg Drop Soup and Ramen Noodle Debacle

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:15:19 +0000

I like to do experiments to see how my mind and body reacts to changes. One thing I typically experiment with is how different foods react in my body. Recently, I ate Ramen noodles for 30 days straight, in a combination of equal parts egg drop soup and wonton soup (no wontons). I had not eaten Ramen noodles in about 10 years, but I suddenly had a craving. And it had to be in the egg drop wonton soup. I was not surprised at what I found. My cholesterol went from 172 to 201, my LDL went from 105 to 123 and my sodium went up 2 points. I had no other salt those 30 days. My triglycerides doubled from 69 to 138. No more soup for me! And no more Ramen noodles. I am glad that kick has passed, and it was good to know. I can still have it if I want, but I don't need to do it for 30 days straight again. My weight stayed the same since I stuck to my usual 50 grams of fat per day. I expected to gain weight but wasn't eating too much otherwise, just veggies and protein, so I actually lost 2 pounds. The soup and Ramen was a small meal but I knew it had 14 grams fat and 380 calories as well as 1580 mg of sodium per packet of noodles. I can only guess how much in the soup. I don't count calories or carbs or anything else. Fat grams is all I watch the past few years and my weigh has easily stayed the same. Since I don't eat much meat, no sweets and no alcohol, calories aren't a problem. One problem I had in the past was portion control. That's less of a problem now since I know about the digestive process; now I eat pretty much to keep efficiently fueled. But I'd have 20-30 pounds less if I didn't eat too much bread or pasta on a regular basis. Eating them is not the problem, the problem is I may eat 3 pieces of raisin toast or 2 cups of pasta in one sitting. I know it's not needed fuelwise and that I am only doing it for emotional satisfaction. So that is when I make sure to enjoy it, to make a feast of it and not just something to do while I bang away at the keyboard. I make sure the food is the focus, the meal is the main event. No tv, no computer, just me and my dinner. And without fail, everytime I do that, I feel that all of my senses have been fed, and I know that's as important as fueling the body. But I didn't always know that and didn't always make good food decisions. Like eating egg drop soup and Ramen noodles every day for a month. Not my healthiest decision, but a revelatory one. I was looking for something in my journal file for 2006 and found an entry that I added at Making the change to a healthy eating style with a 2009 update. My transition to a healthy eating lifestyle has been done in stages, and has been relatively painless (hunger pangless) and easy. As I read my 2006 food entries, I think OMG that was far more meat than I eat now. And I don't even miss it. Slow and steady wins the race. Or at least gets me healthy and maintains my weight. Listen to free sample: Reprogramming Your Eating Habits

What do you highlight in your conversations with people?

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:00:25 +0000

Yesterday I got an email from a friend saying "if you call a company and you reach a customer service representative overseas, ask them to transfer you to an American rep to keep jobs in America." I replied: "With all due respect, I find this offensive, ignorant and racist. We're either all one or we're not." Plus, I talk to overseas reps on the phone all the time and, while they may have an accent, their English as a rule is impeccable. I wonder if, during the call, they are too busy being pissed off talking to a durned foreigner that they just aren't listening to what is being said to them. Do you listen carefully to hear what others are saying to you? Or are you busy correcting or criticizing their English? A few years ago I was in the Red Lobster on International Drive in Orlando during the noon rush on a Saturday with a friend. There was the typical Orlando tourist traffic, all of us going to lunch at the same time. An Asian family across the aisle was talking quietly among themselves when my friend declares, really loud, that if you come to America, you need to speak English. I could not believe it from this friend. I mentioned we were in downtown Orlando theme park land, where international visitors every day come and pour their dollars into our economy. Then they want to eat lunch in a pubic place, and speak quietly among themselves in their native tongue, without being harrassed. She just got madder and louder. I could not believe it. And this from a metaphysician who teaches about law of attraction. She also teaches how to protect yourself from psychic attacks and spiritual warfare. So which is it? We can't have it both ways. Same topic, different "teacher," I've had several calls recently from people who have heard talk of spiritual warfare from particular self described teachers and prophets, and that the corrupt aspects of our world need to be done away with. These teachers, while savvy in other areas, are of the doomsday variety and make reckless predictions such as presidential assasination attempts. First of all, it's common knowledge that although Obama won by a good margin there are entire segments of Americana that don't like the idea. Thankfully so many of these miscreants blessed beings live off the grid and don't vote. So the likelihood that some misguided, narrow minded racist is going to chance a potshot doesn't take Kreskin to predict. So forget about all the psychic predictions of that, they are just jumping on the bandwagon to be able to say, I predicted it the first day! It's simply marketing strategy for them. The idea of spiritual warfare and thinking the corrupt aspects of our world need to be done away with, simply gives power and life to those thoughtforms. I’m mentioning it because those statements about financial collapse and our President’s safety have some of my callers scared almost into disability. So I want to address it openly. One caller said to me that even mentioning a possible assassination and depression plants the idea in the minds of people. She said it would be like someone walking into a classroom of mothers with their infants, except this mother’s infant has its arm ripped off and it’s squirting blood and he’s screaming and the Mother is telling the others: “This does not have to be your experience. You can create a different reality.” Not so easy to do, is it, when you’ve had such a strong image splashed in your face, with the attendant sound and emotions? “This doesn’t have to be your experience.” And yet it’s more likely to be their experience NOW than before she walked into their class. Now it’s been brought to their attention that something they never thought about is a real possibility. Now they think, maybe for the first time, "this might happen to me." Now they have something startling to recall vividly and consider over and over again as possibly their future experience. No matter what she said afterward. Kind of like telling the jury to disregard a statement they heard the witness make. They now give greater importance to the statement than they may have otherwise. They are certainly not going to disregard it, because now it is prominent in their mind. She's highlighted it for them. What do you highlight in your conversations with people? Do you point out the worst case scenario, because you see the signs and want to show how smart you are? Or do you try to gently lead them into a more upward spiral offering optimist responses? When they get stuck in criticism and cynicism, do you ask them questions to get them talking about what they would prefer to see happening and why? Or do you let them drag you into the chain of pain and complaint? Are you leaving big, gaping wounds that splatter everyone around you? Are you spending time with folks who create big gaping wounds and love to splash around in the carnage? When you step away from people, what might they say about you? "Dang she's got a plateful of trouble going on!" or "She's always so kind and uplifting?" What would you like them to say about you?

7-12-09-car70-72smirk-w-o-bg

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:12:33 +0000

7-12-09-car56-72-good-w-o-bg

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:13:02 +0000

7-12-09-car56-72-good-w-o-bg1

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:42:08 +0000

7-12-09-car56-72-good-w-o-bg2

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:43:26 +0000

The World Needs More People Who Have Come Alive; Enthusiastic People Are Healthier

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:45:36 +0000

When I lived in Miami, I worked downtown and got caught in traffic both ways every day. At 3:00am the drive would take me 20 minutes tops. But of course I didn't make the drive at 3:00am. I had to leave the house by 7:30 in the morning to get in the office by 9 o'clock. If I could get my car out of the garage before 5:30pm, I could get home before 7:00 o'clock. It used to aggravate me to waste so much time sitting in traffic. Now it's different. For one, I've mellowed considerably and gotten over myself *smile* Also, there is far less traffic in Melbourne/Palm Bay than there is in downtown Miami. I can check voice mail while I wait; I can check my email while I wait. Or I can recognize the perfect opportunity as a good time for a cell phone self portrait photo shoot. I've already got great lighting with the bright sunny day outside. I've got the time. Why not? I took a quick glance around to see who was sitting in traffic alongside me. No one was paying any attention. Not that I'd care. I don't care about stuff like that too much anymore. I've learned being silly has its advantages, not the least of which is keeping me young and in motion. Even science knowledges 'Life Force' Linked To Body's Ability To Withstand Stress. I did some regular smiling shots. Then I remembered to pull the seatbelt out of the frame and took a few more. Then I remembered I had my glasses on and so I took them off and took a few more. I saw my sun hats lying on the seat next to me, so I put each one on and did a few mugs and kissy faces for the camera with them. I checked the images I'd just shot and they were hilarious and ridiculous. I took a few more while I was laughing. I glanced at the car next to me and there was a family inside with 3 young kids just laughing and watching me like on tv. I waved and took some shots of them, too. Soon enough, the traffic moved along and it was back to cameraphone in purse, hands at ten and two. What could have just been an annoying episode being stuck in traffic became a fun interlude in the day. Because some of us saw the opportunity in the moment, despite circumstances, we were able to come alive and make the most of it. A favorite quote of mine by Howard Thurman: Don't ask yourself what the world needs from you. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that. For the world needs more people that have come alive. Isn't that the truth? I've got several pals and clients who are doing the dating services online and they show me their profiles. Some of them list very specific things they want in a mate: They have to like cats/dogs. They have to be a nonsmoker. They have to like boating or reading or bowling. Some men want a woman who looks good in a little black dress. Some women want a man with hair. All these definite things they list, and sometimes it is a long list. When they ask, I am happy to help them write their profile. I suggest they realize that different people bring out different facets of their personality. So no matter what you think your absolute type is, be open to variables. Who's to say you won't find great connection with someone who lives a life completely unfamiliar to you? Some thing you can't even imagine right now? Be open to variables. Because all any of us want is to be around people who help us come alive. When you meet someone you click with - and this is in any area of life, not just intimate relationships - you come alive. You feel inspired. The thoughts and ideas and creativity begin to flow. So, don't ask yourself what the world needs from you. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that. For the world needs more people that have come alive. Become an explorer, and figure out what and who makes you come alive, then jump into it. And 'Life Force' Linked To Body's Ability To Withstand Stress Listen to free sample: Connecting with your Angels, Guides and Teachers

A "Seance" with Andy Kaufman and Marilyn Monroe; How Can You Know if a Psychic Medium is Really Connected To Your Loved One?

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:59:19 +0000

I just watched a segment of a rerun from Fox TV's Powers of the Paranormal reality show with self proclaimed Hollywood psychic Bill Burns. One online review said "In May of 2000, the American Fox TV network broadcast a two-hour special, "Powers Of The Paranormal: Live On Stage," which included the "séance of the century". The medium, Bill Burns, settled down, and after some standard spirit-possession twitches went into trance and summoned the spirits of Marilyn Monroe and Andy Kaufman. The spirits rambled on about how "I remember this and that." but when the séance was over, Burns explained that the spirits are always confused when they're contacted because "memory is the first thing to leave the spirit when you die." A better class of dead people are contacted regularly by John Edward, whose "Crossing Over" TV show regularly features quite intelligible spirits. I found that review when I was looking for a link to the video and thought it was perfect. Everything Burns said at the seance was very general and vague. His actual verbatim line was "the first thing to go is memory." I suppose that was to explain the lack of details he was able to give. Because that's completely not true and that's how you know whether a medium is really connected to your loved one in Spirit or not. Because they DO remember, they DO know the details, details you may even have forgotten, but can verify by going through old family records or photos. If the medium cannot give you specifics, they do not have a connection with your party, plain and simple. Attending the seance were Marilyn Monroe's first husband, Jim Dougherty, as well as Andy Kaufman's friend Bob Zmuda and Kaufman's girlfriend Lynn Margulies, both connected to the entertainment industry. Absolutely nothing remarkable or even specific was said, yet the after-story is that the reading blew these folks away with their accuracy. And Jim Dougherty, in his 80's, well, bless his heart anyway. Why do I care? For one, many of these self proclaimed psychics and mediums may indeed have a gift, but they don't trust themselves enough to get out of their own way and develop it. They'd rather give pre-packaged readings because most people settle for them. When the truth is, if the medium would simply wait to speak until s/he has made a real connection, what they can give their client is a more authentic, fuller experience. And maybe surprise themselves with actually making contact, perhaps for the first time. But they don't trust that they can actually do it, so they speak before they have made the connection. And if they are speaking, they are not listening. And if they're not listening, they are not connected, plain and simple. Another reason is that if someone is seeking real answers and real comfort and don't get it, they will walk away thinking it is not possible, that is it not really available. That really does a disservice to those who are seriously seeking guidance. Or does it? Don't we attract what we get? Doesn't that include attracting someone less than qualified to help us figure it out? My experience is that if I settle for the little sip of Truth, then that is all I will get. When I ask the bigger questions and seek a longer drink to quench a deeper thirst, then I get that. If I settle for very broad, general, vague readings, that's all I'll ever get because that's all I will attract. And I always know what my vibrational point of attraction is because the evidence is showing up in front of me every minute of every day. So do I want to go to the ocean with a thimble or a big bucket? Because that is the part I am in charge of. Seven Sample Psychic Readings, Which Would You Choose? After note: After this post, I got several "comments" by people directing you to their website so they could teach you how to be intuitive or develop your gifts, for fees ranging in the hundreds to thousands of dollars. I know not to just trust some random sales pitch from someone who knows how to write a good press release. While I agree that training in focus and non resistance is essential, I think too much emphasis is often placed on learning specific techniques. Like anyone can pick up a bicycle and learn to get from point A to point B with it. Or you can train to be Lance Armstrong and do it technically perfect. But you both get from point A to point B, just someone spent lots more time and money learning about it. In my experience, often it is many years after someone has finished their "training" and gotten away from it that their gifts are able to come out. Like anything else, you use the method to learn, then drop the method to do. I'm just saying

andy-kaufman

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:45:30 +0000

Andy Kaufman

marilyn-monroe-laughing

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:46:21 +0000

Marilyn Monroe

jerry-retouched-72-1-09

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:27:20 +0000

Brothermine Has Hip Replacement Surgery; The Sibling Spidey Sense Goes Into Action

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:44:55 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3695" align="alignright" width="125" caption="Brothermine Jerry"][/caption] Wednesday, July 15, 2009. My brother Jerry had hip replacement surgery yesterday. About 12:40pm I made a Facebook post: Call out for prayers, please. My brother Jerry is having hip replacement surgery today. Hold good thoughts of swift recovery please. Less than 10 minutes later he called to let me know he was out of surgery and all was well. It turns out he had purposely told me the surgery was to be later in the afternoon. My next Facebook post: 12:58pm dang, I'm not a very timely sister. He just called and said everything went fine. Well, since time is simply a mental construct, prayers in the Now also heal the past. ... Next Facebook post: Neat, our sibling spidey sense at work - I had the idea to post the notes about my brother 15 minutes ago at the same time he awoke in recovery room after hip replacement surgery. Neat that we can link up despite anesthesia! And clearly that is what happened. I was deep in the middle of final layout work on the magazine and really not giving any thought to his surgery. I'm not a worrier, so for me it was business as usual. Then suddenly I thought to make the Facebook post and to also add to my Facebook photo album a couple of posters I'd previously made. The first poster I drew for my brother Jerry I created in 2003 and did by hand. We hadn't seen each other from summer of 1966 until December 2002. The second poster I created on my computer in 2008. I emailed it to the Staples stores in his hometown and ordered it printed on shiny paper 11 x 17 as a birthday present. Unbeknownst to me, at the time I was putting the posters on Facebook, at that same time Jerry was coming out of the anesthesia and his first thought of course was to get to his phone to call and let me know the hip replacement surgery went fine. Perfect synchronicity. You know when you think of someone out of the blue? So often when that happens, it is because they have thought of you, and you just tuned into the signal. If you pay attention every time it happens, it will begin to happen more and you will begin to be more aware in the moment of it. And that's the best thing to help you develop your own intuititve spidey sense, learning to become more aware in the moment. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Brothermine!

NASCAR's Jeremy Mayfield again tested positive for methamphetamine; getting quieter and going deeper

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:20:35 +0000

NASCAR says Jeremy Mayfield has again tested positive for methamphetamine. Like those guys who spend their lives running around in circles just need to do it faster. They are training their minds and bodies to require that adrenaline rush of more, more, more. The meth catches up the inside of them what's going on outside of them. As if going faster were the answer. Getting quieter and going deeper is the answer. And I know there is a whole giant segment of U.S. society that finds personal fulfillment in watching these hamsters on their wheels. You know, that segment with the mindset: "If you didn't vote for Bush, then you hate Jesus." But for those whose spirits are not fed by the gladiator competitions, on the track or in the media, fulfillment can be found in discovering more of who you are and what your potential is. And this is done, not by getting faster and louder, but by getting quieter and going deeper.

Vibrational Matching; Maintaining Your Connection

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:33:06 +0000

I don't feel very organized today so I won't try to be coherent or motivating. I'll just talk. I've let myself get behind this week in final layout for the August Horizons Magazine. I get behind by goofing off when I should be working. But I know that goofing off is essential to me being able to work efficiently, so I can't really beat myself up for goofing off. It's part of the process and I've learned to factor it in. Like when I am flustered after taking 23 phone calls in a row and then decide to chat with a friend on the phone about nothing for an hour. Oh, that's what I can talk about. Well, actually it's a story example of vibrational matching. I spend so much time on the phone for work, all day, half the night, that friends know not to call me to just chat. But sometimes I want do it. Like now, my brother just had hip replacement surgery and, although we mostly email back and forth several times a day, we've been doing the phone each day while he's recuping. In fact, he and I sometimes send so many emails back and forth that we are using it like an instant message system. That quickly adds up to hundreds of emails each week sometimes. But it's easier to do that when we're both working in other programs on other screens. Plus Brothermine sends me lots of screen shots and step by step instructions to do technical stuff, so a phone call wouldn't do. My friend Star and I also use email as instant messages for the same reason. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, we just can't seem to keep the connection long enough to finish a phone call this week. It was easy to explain it as a broken phone and waiting for the replacement to arrive, or the minutes on the prepaid card running out hours ahead of time. But it kept happening over and over, and I finally got it that I needed to stay focused on work and not goof off this week, no matter how fun and engaging and outrageous she can be. Star is one of those fun people who let everything be an adventure and knows that somehow she'll always be taken care of, although she seldom knows from day to day how that will happen. I look forward to her calls. She's had some tough breaks and is finally free of an abusive partner and was lucky to escape with her sanity and her life. She doesn't care that she's got little else and, at the age of 60, she has to be starting all over again, literally with nothing. She knows that somehow a way will be made... even where she sees no way. She keeps her eyes out for opportunities. This week she bought a truckload of watermelons for $2.50 a piece and has been selling them roadside in North Carolina for $5. She's a smart cookie. It took her awhile to wake up and wise up but she's on a roll now. It tickled me pink to learn this is what she is doing for work right now. Of course she's looking for something else she is qualified for, but she just moved and is getting settled into the new routine and that will all come with time. So I am not surprised when our phone connection begins to suddenly and repeatedly break every time she gets on the topic of her past troubles. She knows and I know that talking about that only serves to make her vibrate in that place again. And that doesn't feel good to either of us. But she's used to telling the story once she gets started, and it's hard not to tell it. It was part of who she was for so long. And since I just won't go there emotionally when she does, that's when I lose her. Literally. Her phone cuts off. We lose the connection. As soon as we realized what was happening, we had a laugh about it. I asked her once if she thought we had a hand in attracting the reality we experience and she emailed back "Yes, my messy fingerprints are all over everything." I loved that. So was the Universe telling us that Andrea needed to work and Star needed to stop strolling down memory lane? Was that why we got disconnected? Or that simply because we were in two different mind states at the time, that we were out of vibrational harmony with each other, thus the connection wouldn't hold? Which was it? Or was it just a broken phone and running out of minutes and that's all, nothing else? Is it ever really just that?

The Delights of a Short Memory; More Fun In The Now

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:09:21 +0000

Happy birthday, Brothermine! Today is my brother Jerry's birthday. I didn't get him anything because I figured he just bought himself a hip replacement and that's a hard gift to top. We aren't really into giving each other gifts on conventional holidays, anyway. However, having said that, my home is littered with his little goodies and the rose bush he gave me earlier this year has been giving me blooms and buds almost weekly. I used to pay strict attention to holidays and whose birthday was when, and making sure to send a card on time. Then about my mid 30's I realized it had gotten out of hand and I wasn't really giving much thought to it, just quickly getting a card so I could cross it off the To Do List. When it stopped being meaningful to me, I stopped doing it. Now if I remember someone's birthday, it is because Facebook reminded me. And I don't worry about it anymore, if I forget a favorite friend's birthday, or they mine. Heck, I don't even worry about it if I forget their name. I realize the connection goes far beyond faces and names and personal identities. And I don't worry when I forget other things as well. I remember important things like, for instance, I remember where I write down all the stuff I need to remember so I don't have to remember it. Everything else, I welcome into the Now with me. And often doing that, I get some pleasant surprises. Earlier this week, I worked late late into the night on final layout. At that point, I was getting tired, and in a kind of hypnotic alpha state, going down my list of things to do and doing them automatically. Not giving the routine tasks much thought. I'd placed on the To Do List to change out my background for the Horizons Phone Directory, just to give it a new look. So when I got to that item on the To Do List, I did it and crossed it off the list and went onto the next item. Soon after, I went to bed since I was falling asleep at my desk. The next morning I went into the offfice and opened my magazine file and began working on the next item on the To Do List. A little later, I went to the Phone Directory page and got a pleasant surprise! I'd forgotten completely that I'd changed out the background image, and I loved the new look. I like when I can surprise and delight my own self with simple things like that. The delights of a short memory: more fun in the Now.

garden-angel-and-72arch-08

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:28:26 +0000

garden-angel-xx-21909

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:29:35 +0000

garden-angel

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:30:08 +0000

Preparing For Relaxation; Preparing For Meditation; Daily Practice

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:39:58 +0000

Well, I finally got enough final layout work done for the August Horizons Magazine last night that I know it will be on time. Actually, I'm typing this at 3:30am and I've just returned from a walk in my little patch of woods here. I love being up in the wee hours and sitting in my woods at midnight. No matter how frazzled I get doing my work, it always unwinds and relaxes me to take a walk outside and be surrounded by Nature. Of course, this is Florida in the summertime, so I treat it like stepping outdoors in any subtropical climate: insect repellent, sturdy jeans and boots. My nights of stepping outside for a walk barefoot in my nightgown ended about the second time I got chewed up by misquitoes, got a tick and stepped in raccoon scat. Even when there are drought conditions, my land stays fairly hydrated because the canopies of oak, pine and palms keep 80% of my property under deep shade. Because of this, mosquito control is an ongoing task. Yes, I put on repellent before I walk outside, but I don't want my woods to be a mosquito breeding ground for the neighborhood, either, so I stay on top of that. Now it's no big deal. Now I know that is just part of what I deal with if I enjoy being in the outdoors. It's a fair trade off. I used to walk around barefoot all the time. I'd keep extra shoes in the car in case I ended up somewhere that I needed to wear shoes. After the hurricanes of 2004 I had my roof replaced, and the yard was littered with hidden roofing nails. I am still finding roofing nails in the grass five years later. So when it became more of a hassle to walk around barefoot, keeping an eye out for landmines, than it was to just put some yard boots on, I stopped going barefoot. For the most part. Now I wear my old pair of Timberline hiking boots out in the yard. I could step on a bed of nails and not feel it. I'll also put on a pair of coveralls or jeans if I'm going to hang outside for any time in the woods. The palmettos have sharp teeth on their fronds and they catch my legs as I walk the trails. I tore many a nightgown before I learned to not walk the trails unless I was dressed for it. But, Andrea, that sounds like such a hassle: put insect repellent on, sunscreen if it's daytime, yard boots, long pants, just to go take a walk in my own woods on my own property? To me, that is preferable to scratching mosquito bites for 3 days or healing slashes in my legs from the palmettos. I'm like a kid. I like to crash around in the woods and not worry about am I going to get bit or cut or whatever, so I just prepare for it, then it never becomes an issue. And it's like that for me for meditation, also. I know that if I prepare myself ahead of time for it, I will have the expanded experience of it. I come to the mat wearing comfortable clothes and hair out of my way, so I don't need to fidget with it during my hour. I come to the mat with the intention that I will release any thoughts that come to my mind, as they come. I keep a pen and paper next to me for those ideas that cannot wait, but I do not get caught up in writing commentary. This is my meditation time, and this is where I listen. It may feel that nothing is happening, but I know differently. I know that all I need to do is put my time in, keep my mind clear for that hour. To me, an experienced meditator since 1970, "keeping my mind clear" typically means releasing thought about every other second or so. Smile. That's normal, so don't think you're slacking. And don't think it's not working if you're not having all those fancy visions everyone else says they have, and that all the authors write about. Not all of them have them either, they just have some idea in their mind of what it is supposed to be, what is supposed to be happening, then they create it if it doesn't happen on its on. Doing that will only keep it from happening. This is not a fake it til you make it situation. This is not a DO situation at all. This is a sit and get quiet and breathe and release thought situation. And it's not easy and it takes a lot of repetition to train your mind to do it. That's why it's called practice. But it is so worth it relative to what is gained by it. And there is no describing it to someone who does not do it. There is no way to describe the expansion you set in motion and the expansion you experience by sitting each day at an appointed hour and putting in your time. But being prepared for it is a good first step. Related Posts: Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response is the Transcendental Meditation technique minus the ritual

meditate-silhouette72

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:51:46 +0000

margaret-cho

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:19:53 +0000

Margaret Cho

A Review of Drop Dead Diva; Cultivating the Inner Cheerleader; Breaking Free

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:02:53 +0000

I just watched the pilot show for Drop Dead Diva. The series revolves around a confident but superficial blonde model named Deb Dobson, who is killed in a car crash. As her soul enters the pearly gates, she begs for a chance to return to Earth, gets her wish, only to be bought back to life in the body of a recently-deceased, smart, plus-size lawyer named Jane Bingum. Jane has always lived in the shadow of her prettier colleagues, whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate, Deb must learn to deal with inhabitating Jane’s chubby bod. The plot has been described as a cross between Freaky Friday and Heaven Can Wait. Brooke Elliott is Jane, and Margaret Cho is glowingly understated as her gal Friday - so much so that I was not sure it was Cho until I looked it up. Cho blogs about the show here. I thought I was just going to mindlessly watch a tv show. Like that happens anymore. I'm a sucker for hidden messages and am always delighted when a smart and fun new show comes on the scene. A show that has a lot of insights and messages, without being overt and preachy about it. I missed the first 8 minutes of Drop Dead Diva, but I knew the plot: hot, dumb chick dies; smart, fat plain Jane dies; swap bodies/brains, fat chick lives. Hilarity ensues. Brooke Elliott as the plain Jane Bingum reminds me in looks of a younger Camryn Manheim . It's an easy overlay in my mind to project Camryn's character in the Practice into the background for Jane's history as a lawyer struggling with issues related to her weight, appearance, and relationships. As a gimmick, it's clever casting. They also give her hot flashes, and Jane is mega frustrated that her high rise office does not have a window she can open. One repeated bit in the show is someone talking to Jane about some legal matter and you can see confusion start to cross her face as the inner Deb's brain struggles to take it all in. Brooke Elliott is a massive talent with expert timing. Then suddenly she will blurt out the right answer or a brilliant court manuever, clearly delighted that she had it in her. Deb gives Jane the confidence she needs. Jane gives Deb, well, a purpose. Deb, in Jane's body, shows up at her former best friend's house and convinces her that it is really her, Deb, inside Jane's body. A quick stroll down memory lane reminds Deb how shallow and superficial her life was. She attends her own funeral and hears "friends" talking about how selfish she was, attention getting, man stealing. It's a big a-ha to her, as is her chance to do it differently this time in this new body of Jane's. Knowing who Deb used to be also gives Jane insight into a conniving co-worker, Kim, since she used to be her. A spicy touch is that Kim is now flirting with the newest lawyer at the firm, who happens to be Grayson, Deb's boyfriend at the time she died. And Jane gets to watch as Grayson enters the web of pretty Kim, and as he distances himself from plain Jane. Jane's snarky boss gives her a case of a plain jane insecure client who won't stand up for herself, telling Jane he thought she could relate, what with all her own fears and insecurities. "I am not the person you think I am," she says to him, as she negotiates a better settlement, thanks to Deb's inner cheerleading. "You are who you are" a line later used as an insult to her client from a cheating husband. Jane counters with "You are who you want to be," thus empowering the client and winning the case. Deb's getting the hang of this self help stuff. At the end of this pilot show, the triumphant Jane, again being stifled with hot flashes in that cooped up office, hurls a paperweight from her desk, breaking the window and letting in the great outdoors so she can breathe. Great metaphor. She tells her trusty assistant, the quirky Margaret Cho, to get a window installed that she can open. The final scene is a pull away shot from inside her office, to outside looking at her brand new window, to looking at her entire office building, where she's just one window in a huge skyscraper in a city full of skyscrapers. I loved the breaking free metaphor. I love that ditzy Deb gets to give some confidence and cheerleading to insecure Jane. I love that Deb is seeing the shallowness of her ways and that Jane is understanding why shallow people do what they do. Fear and insecurities make us behave in strange ways, and it's different for everyone. I know when I am afraid of something or unsure of something, I can act a little neurotic about it. I know there are other areas I have strength in, so I never feel "less than" when I find an area of vulnerability. I always appreciate when someone wants to cheerlead me on, and that's something I do for others as well. It lights me up to light them up. Rumi says, "When someone asks what there is to do, light the candle in his hand." To me, that's what the cheerleading and encouragement does. It lights us up to see our own way. And there's nothing more freeing than that.

Good Girls, Spiritual Seekers: Why Do We Like Bad Boys?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:53:10 +0000

I think I am figuring it out. I wrote earlier at Online Dating and Hot Singles about a dozen + friends I have on the different online dating services. They report to me all their adventures and it's a great peek inside the dating life. I love it when I can see enough of the same thing going on that the patterns start to emerge. I am never surprised by someone's kinks and pecadillos, no matter how conservative they may outwardly appear. I learned, working for criminal defense attorneys for 22 years, that people are seldom who they seem to be. I'm never surprised to learn the person I thought I knew for 30 years was either the secret philanthropist or the serial killer. And we see this in movies all the time: the pretty, sweet young thang is attracted to the bad boys. Some of my buddies are very conservative looking and acting, intelligent, successful women who are spiritual seekers, yet they have a definite wild side and like the drama. Why is that? I am sure someone has a theory about the bad boy mystique and if I Google that phrase I'll come up with a millions hits or something, but I think it all boils down to one thing, at least for the spiritual seeker: bad boys are in motion. Bad boys are doing something. Sure, something that gets them labelled as bad, but at least they have a life and they have something they are passionate about. My friend Taylor has been seeing this guy who doesn't really have one steady job or doesn't really have it all together, but he's always got a plan and somehow keeps his head above water without her having to support him. And he's witty, attractive, personable, even charming and charismatic, intelligent, likeable. And always in motion toward something. Always with some idea or plan that keeps him motivated. Like many people at mid life, at our age we are often forced to reinvent ourselves and start over as partners pass or move on. The uncertainty of starting over from scratch teaches you to be humble and flexible. So when Taylor's boyfriend goes into his typical spacey and scattered mode, she doesn't mind because he's so much fun and so interesting otherwise. And the bottom line is he somehow keeps it together well enough to support himself and be a fun companion. His antics really inspire her to be more creative as well. Taylor is a singer/songwriter and what better fuel for songwriting than relationship angst antics? I have experienced that I get more creative ideas when I am in a relationship, even platonic friendships, with someone who is a bolt of light. Every few years I'll come across someone I click with, who really makes me think and stirs my mind into greater activity. I like when that happens and I have learned to use that extra charge of energy I feel, and channel it into fuel for my creative visualization and pre-paving. THIS IS WHAT I TELL MY FRIENDS IN THE DATING SERVICES: Stay in the mystery as long as you can. Remember that 3/4 of your work in the law of attraction is the visualizing - as often as you can - about the happy outcome as you wish it to turn out. Do a lot of fantasizing and pretending and creat-ive visualization about "oh he/she could be the one" while you are in that initial stage of infatuation. That feeling you get when you are infatuated is the energy that moves mountains and it is the mechanism by which you attract what want. You harness this energy for use every time you have a good feeling emotion about something you like, and then purposefully direct your attention to something else you'd like to attract. My friend Domino is attracted to very quiet, shy, lifeless guys. They are not much motivated to do other than work, sleep and watch tv. It doesn't matter what their opinions are on anything, they aren't going to share it, so she doesn't have to listen to it. Her boyfriends usually end up working for her. She has a legion of minions she used to date, so maybe that is her m.o. She said the secret to keeping a relationship with the shy, quiet, lifeless type is to constantly fill in the blanks herself. That way she can let them be part of the fantasy, without fear they will explode the myth. When who they really are starts to work at odds with the script she wrote for them, then it's time to move on. So filling in the blanks is her way of staying in the mystery, but I wouldn't want to be around a man who didn't add some personality to the mix. But, there is personality and there is crazy and it's good to know the difference. Sometimes you can't know until you've been married for 3 years, but that's another blog post. The bottom line is that good girls like the bad boys because they are in motion and on the field. They've got some fire about something and our eyes are always attracted by a flame. It can be hypnotizing. That hypnosis stage feels good. That infatuation stage feels good. It can comfort us, inspire us, rejuvenate us and animate us, if we allow it to. We can let their fire cook us and simmer us like a fine broth, and we can delight in the nuances of flavor they impart to our lives. You know how, when you make soup, you throw a pot of water on the stove with onions, carrots, celery, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, cumino and bay leaves. For the first 15 minutes, the taste is - ick - non-existent. But in 30 minutes, the flavors have had time to mingle and mesh and they dance on your tongue in velvety layers? The flame is what makes the difference. Onions, fish: grilled or boiled? The flame makes the difference. Bell peppers, boiled or roasted? The flame makes the difference. The flame changes and transforms. It breaks apart what Is and replaces it with The Seasoned More That It Can Be. So when we run across these bad boys, these rebels, we know we are in for a cooking and so we surf the flame. Their fire helps us light our own fire, and helps us get more motivated about our own life, as well - what we do and don't want. And as we're getting older, we're getting smarter. It's about time.

nyc-prep-quiz-72

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:49:20 +0000

Teen Angst in NYC Prep; Getting Caught In The Drama

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:50:34 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3776" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Cast of NYC Prep"][/caption] I've been watching the Bravo TV reality show NYC Prep, where the cameras follow 4 teen girls and 2 teen guys through their teen life. You've got Taylor, Sebastian, PC, Jessie, Camille and Kelli, an unlikely mix of public school and private school kids in New York City. A hilarious and right on review is here. PC and Jessie, both 17, are prep school kids who used to date, then parted ways, now reconnect for the show as bffs. With all the arrogance and ignorance of youth, PC and Jessie act condescendingly toward the others, continually making remarks about immature children. Yeah, I know. The cliffhanger last week was PC and Jessie at dinner concocting their plan to take on - as a charity project - the sweet, quiet, drop dead gorgeous and doesn't know it, 15 year old Taylor, the only public school kid among the group. Jessie, the plain one with no real personality, definitely does not like the idea of PC being anywhere near any of these girls. Every scene with her and PC is edited to make her look as though she's mooning over him. Half of PC's scenes are edited to make you think he might be gay or bi (stay tuned). Sebastian, 16, is another snob, this one with no real cerebral capacity, he relies on his looks to keeps the girls interested. His attempts at conversation are like his dancing: awkward, halting, spasmodic. I grew up with a brother who did the hair flip motion, constantly flipping his hair out of his eyes. The girls eat that up. But dude, develop a personality. Kelli is 17 and lives with her 19 year old brother in Manhattan and has a budding singing career. Sebastian liked her until Taylor came on the scene 8 minutes later, so she moons over Sebastian. Camille is really goal driven, and likes to stir the pot among the group. The editing leads us to think she might be a tramp (stay tuned). We get to watch them sit around in different combinations and diss each other and whine about the angst of growing up rich and privileged in NYC. PC, unlikely assh**e that he is, has a depth to himself that could be the real storyline for the show. But, wait, who cares about all of this? See how easy it is to get wrapped up in complicated storylines, stuff that has nothing to do with what is real in your life and what you want to be moving toward? Like Camille says, "It's like a train wreck. You can't help but watch." But we can help but watch. If we give it some thought, there is likely a few other things we could be doing that would help us prepave a happier tomorrow than watching NYC Prep. And what is that? Well, that's for us each to discover on our own. Some of us don't hit the road to self discovery until we are in our 50's and 60's. Others can have it happen in their 20's. And, for those who are forced to grow up more quickly than their emotional and psychological selves can keep up with, it can happen earlier. Like it seems to be happening for PC In NYC Prep. In one scene, he is speaking, in his young world-weary way, about all the sex and drugs in the prep school scene: "Everyone has sex with each other and then betrays each other. It gets excessive." If at 17 this is a problem for him, then he's begun his spiritual journey and that means he's feeling the pressure cooker and it can't be fun for him. PC says to his therapist "I'm striving to be someone different, I want to get beyond where I am now." No wonder he is tormented and terrified. But being tormented and terrified can be a good first step to getting out of a situation we no longer belong in. When we are tormented and terrified, we learn really quickly exactly what it is we do not want. At that point, we can start considering what we'd like instead. What we'd like to live instead of the life we're living. What we might do. Where we might go. Who might be there with us. These are the real questions of life. Not who's going out with whom and what designer is so and so wearing. Not where is the hottest night spot to be seen in. Just who am I and who do I want to be? And once I decide that, how do I get there? And in the meantime, to enjoy my Now moments to the fullest.

Dating In The Dark; Relying on Chemistry; Staying In The Mystery

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:05:34 +0000

Dating in the Dark. In this latest reality show, three men and three women are matched via a compatibility profile, chosen to live in a house and take part in various dates, which all take place in complete darkness. Both parties interact sight unseen, judging each other by personality alone. Cameras catch all the action using night-vision technology. At the end of each episode, contestants get a chance to see each other in the flesh. Without the other seeing their reaction. Sweet. After that, they can decide whether to meet their partner on the balcony, signalling a yes, they want to know them better! Or they can opt to slink out the front door and get away without talking about it (snap!) The episode I saw had 3 couples maybe late 20's, all attractive and personable. One review: "Superficial singles get tossed in a pitch black room, to "get to know each other" (a.k.a. flirt and make out), and then pray that the person they liked most in the dark is also a babe in the light." Most of the contestants did a shot of alcohol before their meetings. Research suggests that alcohol consumption may temporarily increase the natural testosterone levels in women by 50%. Dark room, two strangers, lots of testosterone = that's entertainment. My take is that I know a lot of bonding goes on alone in the dark - no matter who you are sitting with - and that is what the show is hoping to capitalize on. You're in a dark room with a stranger for an experiment. You immediately feel bonded to your fellow guinea pig, since you're both in it together. The oxytocin, the bonding hormone, starts flowing. Since you're in the dark, the melatonin starts flowing as well. Inhibition steps into the shadows. You've got quite the chemical soup going on before anyone even says a word. Enter cortisol, a hormone that is involved with the body’s response to stress. It increases blood pressure and blood sugar levels, so your body is becoming a veritable still brewing a very powerful moonshine. And we haven't even mentioned dopamine yet. As a chemical messenger, dopamine affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and ability to experience pleasure and pain, also playing a major role in - tah dah - addiction. No wonder we get addicted to love. First and foremost, these kids have been programmed that when they sit in the dark, alone, with a member of the opposite sex, that is their trigger to begin making out. It's a response they've unconsciously trained themselves to. So you add the pressure-cooking mix of your own neurochemistry to that and boom! connections are made. All 3 couples really liked their partner, sight unseen, and thought they were very compatible with them. Then the big reveal. Who will - after seeing what their partner looks like - show up to meet them on the balcony, signalling a yes? Who will opt to slink out the back door with no exit interview? Only one girl was disappointed and walked away. Interestingly enough, she was the most plain of the women, and her guy was handsome. I guess it was a personal preference but sheesh, he was pretty hot. And he felt the rejection, too. He was surprised, as was I, since they'd gotten along so well in the dark. 'I'm not a 10," he said, "but I'm not a hobbit." But rejection is protection. For every one you lose, a hundred more will come. Do your relationships withstand the light of day? It's been a while since I've dated. I'm pretty focused on work and my private practice. I have a habit of getting secret crushes on someone and then watching them from afar for a few years and see how they act and react to the others around us. Sometimes they date friends, which is good because then I get feedback about them straight from the horse's mouth. Sometimes they date a series of friends, as they make their way through the crowd. Once, a particular crush in the course of 5 years had dated 2 friends and was about to become available again, although he didn't know it. I pondered in my mind whether I was interested enough to do anything about it, and was surprised to find that - when it came down to it being available to me - I wasn't really all that interested after all. I was really surprised. And this was a handsome, successful, well known and well loved member of the community that I had a secret crush on for over 3 years. Of course, three years is my typical relationship duration anyway, then I typically monk out again for another dozen years. No issues here :) But I've found chemistry to be a big factor in my crushes. And being an energy worker, I've trained my nervous system to be sensitive to subtleties and nuances, so when I have a crush, I allow myself to get stuck in the taffy of it (on an energetic, nonphysical level). Rather like surrending to the bodywork, when you go in for a massage. The last two crushes were with friends during the course of energy work training. I took Reiki from Lloyd Reiser in the 90's and and got stuck in his taffy and had a crush of some duration. In 2007, I took a Pranic Healing Course with Master Stephen Co and several friends attended as well. I teamed up for exercises with Michael Bailey and about 8 hours in we decided we were each other's soul mates. After the workshop was done, and over the course of the next week, several phone conversations and meetings revealed to us that we were not, in fact, each other's soul mates after all. We'd just let ourselves get caught up in the taffy, accelerated by doing the pranic exercises together. The great thing about the crush with Michael is that, while very different, we are very much alike. We're both on a mission and both feel guided to do the work we do. We're both voracious researchers and recognize our personal relationships contain enormous capacity for soul growth. Both Aries, born 2 days apart, we know we can be fickle. We know we can get infatuated with a new spark, and then lose the feeling pretty quickly. We knew right away that the infatuation we were feeling could energetically be put to good use. We knew that if we turned out to NOT be each other's soul mates, at least we were each a signal to the other that we're getting close. We could stay in the mystery of it and know that neither of us would take it personal if it turned out to be not the case. We're good buddies to this day and still flirt because that feels fun to us, but we don't want to date. But we recognize the power of the fun and loving feeling that flows during initial meetings and infatuations, the "what-if" stages. We know that the longer we can stay in the mystery and hold to thoughts of what it is we want, we are attracting it closer to us. The taffy is a crucial component as far as additional emotional fuel to the creative visualizations. I will tell on myself, sometimes I am getting into a new project and want to amp up my desire and attraction mechanism, and so I will find someone to have a crush on. I will use those thoughts and fantasies to fuel my creative visualizations. Of course, to maintain the momentum, I can't actually interact with them in person because that can turn into a whole 'nother ball of wax. But I know the value of harnessing my own brain and body chemistry, and of using it to benefit my health, and my manifestations. I also know that unless I want to be in a relationship, I don't need to be hanging out in the pitch dark with men, whether I know them or not. I figure just about anyone can get along in the dark. The dark is seldom where the problems lie. It usually takes bringing something into the light of day to be observed within the context of your entire life, to see where everything fits in. Ah, there's the rub. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Thoughts Donate $1 for good luck & karma

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Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:39:57 +0000

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Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:53:45 +0000

A Walk On The Beach Just After Sunrise; The Light Following Me The Whole Way

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:21:09 +0000

You know how when you walk along the beach at sunset or sunrise, the line of the sunlight seems to follow you wherever you go. The same with the light of the full moon. If there was a line of people all holding hands 20 miles long along the beach and all all looking out at the sun, the line of the sunlight would seem to each one that it is directly across from them. Is that just an optical illusion, or does the Light really follow us everywhere we go? I went to the beach just after sunrise yesterday. I went straight across Hwy 192 until I hit the ocean, then turned right and parked halfway down the block at the boardwalk. I put an hour's worth of dimes in the meter and walked 20 paces to the steps that go down to the beach. The tide was just beginning to come in - low tide - so there was lots more beach than usual. It was maybe 100 feet from the boardwalk to the shore line. I love that about Florida. Some places in California, you walk for a mile up and down sandy cliffs, then the water is freezing anyway and the wind is like storm force. Nothing like the Florida beaches. And white sand! Growing up boating around Florida, the Keys and the Bahamas, I thought all beaches were fine white sand. Some California beaches had very gray sand almost like dirt, miles of it. There were only 3 other people on the entire beach when I got there about 7:30am. It always cracks me up that at sunrise and sunset, the Indialantic beaches are deserted as far as the eye can see. The tide was coming in fast, and kept splashing up on my jeans. I know how I am, so I wore a swimsuit under my denim capris and left my shoes in the car. As well as my phone, camera, digital recorder and notepad. I love getting wet when I plan for it. Since it's Florida, I have the usual supplies always in my car; insect repellent, sunscreen, swimsuit, swim shoes, towels, hats, beach chair, bottles of water, big stick-in-the-sand beach umbrella, hand drums. I just never knew when I'll be out and about and want to run to the beach and not have to run home first for my gear. Being a true Floridian, I can change into a swimsuit on a bicycle. Well, almost. I had my hair rolled up in a donut so I couldn't fit my sun hat on. I had to quickly take it down and smack the hat on real fast before the hair starting escaping and going wild in the beach mist. I've found the easiest way to keep long hair under control is to take a sock that is the color of the underneath back of my hair, cut the toe off, roll the sock up into a donut, then stick my hair thru it like a ponytail. Then roll the ends of my hair onto the donut so it makes a nice bun. It keeps it out of my my eyes when I'm working, looks kinda elegant if I have to run out, and when I finally take my hair down from it, it is all big and wavy like fairy princess hair. Sometimes I can hide in plain sight of friends if it's the first time they've seen me with my hair up, especially with glasses on. I like being a chameleon. We've got lots of chameleons here, which are really green anoles. I didn't see any at the beach but I saw plenty of little sand crabs. They come out of their little holes here and there all along the sand. They have little fights with each other. It's very fun to watch. Had I thought about it, I would have taken a little movie of them. Soon enough, the sun was getting high in the sky and hotter = time to go. So, is it just an optical illusion, or does the Light really follow each and every one of us everywhere we go? Is there really something that goes before us and lights our way? In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Thoughts Donate $1 for good luck & karma

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Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:21:04 +0000

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Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:28:15 +0000

Free e-Book Think and Grow Rich Action Summary. Learning to Make Money Doesn't Have To Cost You Money

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:50:38 +0000

Learning to make money doesn't have to cost you money. Unfortunately, it often does because in your quest, you come across all sorts of people who will just compile a bunch of information that is available free on the internet and put it all together into their e-book and sell it to you. The problem with that is that many of them have not tried any of the techniques they give you, so they don't really know if they works. But they have heard that selling e-books works. Think and Grow Rich Action Summary is a free e-book, where I have highlighted in red the actions that Napolean Hill gave as part of the process in his book Think and Grow Rich. The entire book is available as a free download, and in red are all the "actions" he instructs you to do for success. Every time without fail that I work this process, it works for me. The degree of my success in each instance is directly related to the degree of my focus and daily practice of the techniques. Note: The actions alone are not sufficient for success. In reading the book, there is a definite progression of thoughts building one upon the next. There is a psychological reason for the language, and sometimes absence of language. So reading the words in red alone will not give you the entire insight that reading the book will, and indeed you may miss the best part. Having said that, even if all you read are the lines in red, your world can change literally overnight. Really. And it didn't cost you a thing. Update: Think and Grow Rich script from last month fulfilled How do you attract a new source of income? Free Think & Grow Rich Action Summary at www.secret2dollars.com Using The Secret For Successful Marketing: How the Law of Attraction Can Bring You More Business

A Fly On The Wall Of A Dating Site Hook-Up

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:55:12 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3823" align="alignleft" width="144" caption="Sofie's fave tee shirt"][/caption] Ah, online dating. The drama continues! I wrote earlier at Online dating scams; hot singles are waiting for you that several friends are dating online and report to me all their adventures. A lot of the women get the same emails and instant messages from the same men, like a mass form letter I guess, hoping for a 1% return or something. They also get a lot of the same "canned" information during instant messages, which simply shows that the guy is copying and pasting from another message. My friend Sofie shared a typical instant message from her SeniorPeopleMeet site. She is a cute gal and also a no-nonsense person, also a Buddhist. She flat out doesn't talk to guys who have no profile and no picture. She gets a dozen instant messages every time she signs on to the site, guys she has nothing in common with and who just see that she's cute and online. Here is this morning's conversation: MrCurved2000: hi sweetdynamo: hello MrCurved2000: How are you Sofie? sweetdynamo: why do you have zero profile? sweetdynamo: just so you know, no profile, no pic makes you seem like a scammer MrCurved2000: My name is Owen and I am a 60 year man who seeks his ideal mate. sweetdynamo: and why no profile? sorry to bust your chops, I get 10 guys a day doing this to me and 80% are scammers MrCurved2000: Well honey if you truly feel this man is a scammer then ask Seniors why for the past 3 months they make sure they take their money out of my bank account. Same here with my profile sweetdynamo: and again I ask why no profile? MrCurved2000: I am not a scammer and don't appreciate being called one or put in the same category with them. I am a hopeless romantic chivalrous gentleman with some class. sweetdynamo: and why is that not on your profile? with all due respect? MrCurved2000: And again I said you go and ask seniors because I posted everything when I joined this site over 3 months ago. But it seems you have already prejudged this man without even giving me the benefit of the doubt and as a Christian that is not nice at all and I certainly don't appreciate it. I would never do that to you and don't expect anyone to do it to me.Sorry you feel you know all about me without asking me even the correct questions. sweetdynamo: oh so you are telling me that you created a profile at the site that does not appear? ok so let's start over ok? HEY OWEN this is Sofie, you've seen my profile, let me know if we share any mutual interests MrCurved2000: I can't control your thoughts and I will pray for you. sweetdynamo: I have been praying for you since your first IM weeks ago with all due respect. thanks sweetdynamo: Ok, I meant that no personal writing of yours was there, my mistake sweetdynamo: why is it the bullies and scammers all pull the Christian card? MrCurved2000: Hi Sofie and yes we share mutual interests. Would you like me to tell you what women tell me I am and what I adore doing? sweetdynamo: no, I want you to only tell me if we have anything in common, but you haven't read my profile likely MrCurved2000: I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and I don't lie or deceive. sweetdynamo: so I will wait for you to tell me what mutual interests we share MrCurved2000: I don't have to read your profile because it doesn't interest me in the slightest. I go by what you have in your heart and my heart tells me you are the most honest, sincere, intelligent, Christian woman on this site. This is good enough for me and God also agrees with my decision. sweetdynamo: Good luck to you. Please do not contact me again. God will tell you why. MrCurved2000: As a man I'm: sincere, honest to a fault, loyal, caring, open-minded, creative, intelligent, affectionate, passionate, compassionate, a hopeless romantic, chivalrous gentleman, and enjoy hours of daily conversation. sweetdynamo: I suggest you add that to your profile MrCurved2000: I enjoy walking along the beach, walking hand in hand, watching the sun rise & set, sitting in front of a fireplace, cuddling, snuggling, hugging, and hours of conversation. sweetdynamo: and add that to your profile as well MrCurved2000: Now you can tell me if we share any interests. sweetdynamo: not yet. good luck to you (I closed the window - 2 minutes later he was back) MrCurved2000: Sofie please bear with me as I can't remember my password and don't know where I put it. I sent office an email and will take about a day before they sent it to me. MrCurved2000: So sorry about that, but I will get it corrected just for you because you were the nicest in asking me to do so. sweetdynamo: ?? I was not nice at all Owen sweetdynamo: see? even now you are acting like the scammers do in their set ups sweetdynamo: with all due respect MrCurved2000: Compared to the demanding others you were so very sweet sweetdynamo: what city were you born in? MrCurved2000: I was born in East Stroudsburg, PA December 3, 1948 at 4:00 in the morning. At the Rosenkranbs hospital, which is now an apartment complex. sweetdynamo: may I ask what you were doing between 10am and 2pm today? sweetdynamo: pardon me, Owen, these are test questions to see if you respond or just copy and paste text that is not related as you've done to me up to now MrCurved2000: I was sitting here on my computer playing online solitare my favorite game and not doing so well. sweetdynamo: what do you see when you look out your window? sweetdynamo: what does your profile screen name mean? MrCurved2000: Trust me on this one you truly don't want to know because it has sexual overtones about my body. Just let that one go honey. sweetdynamo: why do the so-called Christians all have the sexual overtones? sweetdynamo: Don't you know normal women see that as crude and vulgar? sweetdynamo: Owen, let's just call it a day and not talk again, ok? sweetdynamo: no hard feelings - don't go away mad, just go away ok? sweetdynamo: and with all due respect my good friend publishes a magazine and a blog and I am going to give her permission to reprint this conversation in it as a caveat to other women who comes across the likes of you. MrCurved2000: As with most women on this site you are truly superficial, bland, and for a so called Christian a totall out right bitch. sweetdynamo: never said I was a christian Owen sweetdynamo: and all you do is look at location and photo - how superficial is that?? MrCurved2000: Go buzz off with your crap about being high and mighty as your kind go no where but down to hell. bye and hope you soon see the light. sweetdynamo: oops, Hell doesn't exist Owen, good news for you ### end of IM Lots of the IMs she receives get all pornie and for some reason, the men that stress they are christians and born again all seem to be the worst offenders. But most of them are just stupid time wasters like this guy. And kind of like this blog post... But the moral of the story is: on these sites, do not take people at face value. Hope for the best but be prepared to handle the clowns. Know that it is a possibility that someone who sounds really good and looks really good is a scammer and who knows who is behind the keyboard and what their agenda is. And most of all, remember that who you are attracting each time is evidence of your vibrational frequency. You attracted them to you. Don't let the time wasters get to you. Just quickly move on and keep your focus on what kind of partner you really like and look for evidence of that. Doing that will keep you in the mode to attract an upgrade. Focus on the fools and you'll attract more of them. Like Sofie. And, of course, if you just like to hook up with random dudes you'll never see again, there's a whole playground out there. Me? I'll kinda wait for the One who lets his entire lens be filled with me, the One who worships the ground I walk on and treasures me like the goddess I am. But, hey, that's just me. And, yeah, no wonder I'm single, right? In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. Online dating: E-Harmony vs. Match.com A Fly On The Wall Of A Dating Site Hook-Up Online dating scams; hot singles are waiting for you Visit www.horizonsmagazine.com Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:39:50 +0000

A GUEST POST BY CHRISTINA BIEBER: Yesterday a friend of mine contacted me on the Facebook Chat. She was asking for money to be wired to her in England. The story was that all of her things were stolen while on vacation in England. The tone of the message was scared, but it didn't sound like her. At first I found it really odd, but the fear that came through on the message really scared me. I called her cell 3x with no answer and her husband's phone without answer. I then asked her a personal question that she would only know. What flavor shakes does she like from USANA. She is very specific on this. The person on the other end could not answer. They asked I wire money to an address in England and I asked the question again. Please if you are ever in a situation like this and someone has a request like this or something that is a possibility but you aren't sure ask them a personal question. Fortunately I did get in touch with her. These people pirated her account, blocked incoming wall messages and posts and had control over her facebook emails. The other thing is to be very careful with your information on Facebook, no phone numbers, addresses, etc. She said this has been a nightmare. Another thing is to make sure that your passwords are mixed numbers and letters. Don't use anniversaries, bday, phone number, etc. Sincerely, Christina Bieber In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

The Antidote for Boredom and Feeling Trapped; Spiritual Practice

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:56:19 +0000

Help them change where you can, but love them as they are. That was an insight at Alan Cohen's webpage. The first book of his I ever read was The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore, in which he writes of his initial interests, his yearning for a connection with the Divine and how he sought out various books and teachers to guide him in his spiritual quest. I've seen Alan speak several times through the years, and always find what he has to say simple, relevant and often profound. In one instance, he suggested to the audience writing down all your troubles and then holding them in your hands as you pray, “God, let me be wrong about all of this.” What a powerful prayer! He also affirms, “I'm always doing better than I think I am!” That is an affirmation many of us could benefit from. EVERYTHING IS A METAPHOR FOR LIFE I was surprised to hear a woman say after one particularly brilliant session, that she thought Alan's talk had gone on too long. Alan Cohen sees everything as metaphor and analogy for life, i.e., he spoke of reading toothpaste labels and finding "the active ingredient. It's like Life," he says, “there's one active ingredient yet so many other additives” that are helpful (or not) yet not essential. I also see everything as a metaphor for life, so perhaps that's why I like him so much. I feel that anyone who got bored with him was merely missing his deeper message. IF YOU'RE BORED, YOU'RE PROBABLY BORING But then, that too is like the rest of life, right? If we get bored then we're merely missing the deeper message... I used to think I was just smarter than most of my friends and needed more intellectual stimulation than most to hold my interest. I used to pride myself on all the things I got easily bored with, thinking well, I've been there, done that, let's quickly get on with the next round of stimuli. Then as I began to truly awaken, I realized that although I'd had many experiences, I'd not yet begun to drink deeply of Life. I'd gotten bored with things because I'd only skimmed their surface and, in my self-absorption, I'd not reflected deeply on anything. There was a whole world waiting for me to discover it, as soon as I got over myself. VERBAL SKILLS vs. DEEP REFLECTION Sure, I'd become very articulate and knowledgeable on many subjects, which was great for impressing my fellow smug Know It Alls at cocktail parties and discussion groups, but in my haste for acceptance and recognition within my peer group, I'd completely missed the point of what Life was all about. I began to get bored with the same routine over and over. I began to notice that lots of people I knew talked about the same things over and over, like it was the only script they knew in a never-ending play that was ultimately meaningless and really had only superficial entertainment value. That was when my true awakening began. AWAKENING THE SLEEPY MIND Like in Helen Reddy's, I Am Woman, I began to "know too much to go back and pretend." Because now, the truth began to dawn within me, I came to know all that stuff wasn't real, whereas before I just went along with the rest of the pack and did what they did because I didn't know anything else. Then I suddenly got a glimpse of greater awareness. Now suddenly I began to know more than a lot of the people I associated with, and began to realize if it was truly my intention to help uplift others and empower them into their own Selves, I'd Stop Pretending I Didn't Know something I was clearly becoming to realize, and I began to share my findings with them. NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO WAKE UP For that matter, not everyone even knows they're asleep! You know how it is when you're having a really good dream and as you start to wake up, you burrow yourself deeper in the covers and try real hard to stay asleep? We do that all the time (and that's like Life...) I used to think I had to convince everyone of My Truth For Their Own Good, when in reality all I had to do was listen deeply and allow my own self to be convinced. I used to think I had to be the maverick willing to go up on that cross and crucify myself by saying, "Hey, I want to STOP this hypnosis. I've been hypnotized along with the rest of you for my whole life and I've just awoken from this trance a little sooner than you did, so I'm telling you what I just learned." Oh, how laughable and arrogant a time that was! I share these personal tidbits since I've learned that whatever I'm going through in my life is generally what everyone around me is going through as well, and we all learn from each other as we share our experiences. Plus, it's part of my own sadhana, my own spiritual discipline, to recount my past humbling experiences to help friends reconcile and integrate their own. WE EACH HOLD A PIECE OF THE ONE PUZZLE We all seek the Holy Grail of Consciousness when there are really 10,000 whispers of reality. As we share our truth with others, our truth adds pieces to their puzzle and makes it easier to assemble. And there's only one puzzle we all share in the building of. We spend our whole lives gathering information and not knowing what to do with it; then suddenly it hits us that maybe all these pieces add up to something, so we start the sorting out process, so we can figure out what the Big Message, the Big Picture is. WHAT PIECE ARE YOU HOLDING ON TO? The wisest of us gather pieces from every part of our lives and try to fit them in lots of different areas to see how many uses we can get out of each. Over time, we learn to put in abeyance whatever fails to serve us as we gain our broader perspective. The curious and more ambitious will stop engaging in pre-patterned behaviors that no longer serve them, and move onto to projects that are fueled by energies found only in the higher chakras. They've spent a lifetime collecting many, many pieces for the puzzle, so they have perhaps a greater glimpse of The Big Picture than the rest of us. And, once having seen The Big Picture, responsibility often weighs heavily on the shoulders of He Who Would Dare To Know, so he finds his greatest fulfillment in sharing his glimpse with others. ANYTHING CAN BE A TRAP IF WE LET IT BE The most unknowing will take the first bit of truth as gospel and reject all subsequent pieces because he's already built a mental construct of His Own Personal Reality and even though it's a shaky puzzle at best, to his limited vision ~ if he doesn't look at it too closely or ask too many questions ~ everything seems to fit just fine, thank you very much. THE ANTIDOTE FOR BOREDOM & ENTRAPMENT The antidote for boredom and feeling trapped is to take the time to reflect deeply on everything around you; take the time to understand - under stand. Discover what is standing under, or holding up, a thought or belief that you have about an area of your life where you experience less than blissful serenity. What stands under that thought and convinces you of its truth and validity? DEDICATE THE COMING MONTHS TO YOU As we come into the summer, begin to be more gentle and playful with yourself. Dedicate the coming few months to going deeper within yourself, go buy a journal and spend some time each day just writing your thoughts down, you may be amazed at what unfolds. MAKE IT A TIME OF FUN Cultivating a personal practice doesn't have to be all serious contemplation, there are many paths to discovering what is inside of you. Buy a little watercolor set like the kids have and go sit in the yard and paint the flowers next to the driveway. Paint every tree and bush and bird you see. Draw the house on your page with a giant red crayon. Glue a pine needle or leaf on the bottom and sign your name over it. Then keep it as part of your journal or, better yet ~ leave it in your neighbor's mailbox (you get extra bonus points for learning to let go!) ISN'T THAT GOOFING OFF? Everything we do can be part of our spiritual practice if we let it be. Caring for your family and pets, maintaining your home and yard in an orderly fashion, these are a strong yoga for many of us. You don't have to sit alone under a tree praying to God, He hears as His own every word you speak to your mate, He is fed by how you treat your family, He is comforted by how you feel about your co-workers. Hmmm, interesting concept, huh? TREAT EVERYONE AS JESUS IN DISGUISE The easiest way for me to be kind is to remember that everyone I meet may be Jesus in disguise and to act accordingly. It's not as hard as you think to do this. This is a practice that will liberate you from many unnecessary emotional and psychological traps, like anger and judgment. And as far as being bored and feeling trapped in a meaningless routine? In the words of my friend Bo Lozoff, who wrote an excellent book by the same name: It's a meaningful life, it just takes practice And now you'll have to excuse me because it's time to meditate. That's part of the practice. Andrea In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Natural Sleep Aids. Sometimes We Need To Go Unconscious.

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:58:52 +0000

Yesterday was an interesting day. I didn't go into the office all day. That rarely happens. I took the August Horizons Magazine to Speedy Pac and visited with Gerald and Janet Finnegan for awhile. Then I went to the farmer's market and got some klondike potatoes, plum tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms. I came home and made my vegetarian version of Sweet Tomatoes broccoli bacon raisin salad and put it in the refrigerator to blend for a few hours. I was excited that my avocado was ripe, however it was a day too ripe so I made guacamole with it. Earlier I'd been outside pruning my eleagnus bushes and now was sniffling, so I took a Benadryl. I mostly took the Benadryl not to stop the sniffles, but because I knew it would knock me out for a few hours. And boy did it. I took the Benadryl about 2:00pm. The last time I saw the clock it was 2:50pm. The next time I saw the clock, it was 8:45pm. I'd slept six hours in a row! Boy, did that feel good. You know how some nights you are getting lots of good sleep and your bed is comfortable and the temperature is just right, a little cool, a little breezy, the right amount of covers, the perfect sleepwear that lets you slide around and not get tangled up. You wake up a few times in the night, just briefly, and see by the clock that you have lots of hours left to sleep, so you drift happily back into dreamland. And if you do it a few times in the night, it feels like you are really getting a massively wonderful sleep session in. I usually sleep and wake about the same time more or less each day, and I sleep twice a day for about 3-4 hours each time. That seems to be plenty for me since I've done that since about 1997. I know it doesn't sound like enough, but I meditate twice a day for an hour each, and I think that counts as rejuvenation time for brain and body. I'm sure that helps me get away with less sleep. And when my system needs more sleep, it will just make me sleep longer sometimes. My Facebook friends see my posts all night long and ask "Don't you ever sleep?" "When do you sleep?" I think that's funny because I probably sleep as much as everyone else, just not all at one time. The idea of lying flat for 8 hours isn't appealing, but then I'm not a recreational sleeper. I mean, of course I love to sleep, but I more so love to be out and about, exploring, having adventures, working on my projects. To me, sleep is something I do when it's time, like fueling the car. The times I have to be on the real world's schedule, such as conferences or out of town events, I simply take along my arsenal of sleep drugs to knock me out on time so I can be up on schedule. A favorite sleep cocktail is two Valerian Root capsules (1020 mg total) and two (3mg each) Melatonin tablets. Usually an hour after that, I am very relaxed and feeling sleepy enough to drop off. If I need to call in the big guns, I take Unisom, which is like a double dose of Benadryl. I particularly like the Melatonin spray. Now I know some of you are thinking that wouldn't put you to sleep. A lot of people I know are on prescription sleep medication and many are still not sleeping well. I can't pretend to know what is right for them. I know my system is more sensitive than most since I don't drink or take medications, and I eat very little meat or processed food, no beef, pork or butter. I am aware that is a major consideration. I connect twice a day in meditation and do some energetic chi moving exercises. That helps me sense and feel out the nonphysical extension of my physical body, my energy field or aura. I'm real familiar with what it feels like. When I eat carcass or bread or pasta, it feels different. It feels like it takes more time to move into my bloodstream; I feel slowed down and heavier as though the gravity just changed. It's a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless. The thought comes to mind of having water running through a plastic tube and it flows naturally and moves quickly, as clear water does. Then I eat a piece of chicken and maybe I had it on toast, so I have introduced something else into the stream. Eating those foods is like placing a sponge in the tube where the water flows through. It still flows, just slower because now more filtering has to be done. When I introduce a prescription drug to the mix, that's placing another sponge in the tube, more work to get the water to flow freely. If I drink alcohol, that dries up some of the water, so there is now less water going through the tube, and now the tube has two sponges in it. The prescription sleep aids are stuck in the sponges, so no matter how many pills you take, the sponge is soaking them up and you're not getting to sleep. The remedy? You remove the sponges by eating more natural, less processed foods. What is processed food? Processed food is anything with a face or a label. Unprocessed food is fruits, vegetables, fresh meats. Deepak Chopra says eat only what would, if you placed it in a paper bag on your kitchen counter overnight, not leave a stain. You remove the sponges by keeping alcohol to a minimum. You remove the sponges by only taking prescription medication when absolutely required. The sponge metaphor is important to me, because when I eat bread or pasta, or chicken or turkey - which is the only processed food I typically eat - it feels like I have placed a sponge in the middle of the free flow of my fluid body. So I'm not surprised when medications don't work as planned for my friends. They left out the most important component in the equation = that the medication itself is merely one piece of the puzzle. You have to take into consideration all of the factors, as they react to each other. How does this one affect that one? Kind of like we do with people. To have the most harmonious experience, we should take everyone into consideration. And if, like the Native American tradition, in every deliberation we consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations, what a world we would be. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

What We Say, What We Mean

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:19:09 +0000

Calvin says: "Here comes that new girl. Hey, Susie Derkins, is that your face or is a possum stuck in your collar? I hope you suffer a debilitating brain aneurism, you freak!" Hobbes knows he means "She *cute*, isn't she?" And we can all relate to the memorable balcony scene in Annie Hall with Diane Keaton and Woody Allen's real thoughts seen in thought-bubble subtitles at the bottom of the screen as they carry on absurd, small-talk about photography: Alvy: So, did you do those photographs in there, or what? Annie: Yeah, yeah, I sort of dabble around, you know. (Subtitle: I dabble? Listen to me - what a jerk.) Alvy: They're wonderful. They have a quality... (Subtitle: You are a great - looking girl.) Annie: Well, I would like to take a serious photography course. (Subtitle: He probably thinks I'm a yo-yo.) Alvy: (pretentiously) Photography's interesting because, you know, it's a new form, and a set of aesthetic criteria have not emerged yet. (Subtitle: I wonder what she looks like naked.) Annie : You mean whether it's a good photo or not? (Subtitle: I'm not smart enough for him.) We've all seen that in action. I was reminded of that today when I was reading comments to one of my Facebook posts. I usually make a lot of posts about what I am working on during the day with the magazine, and what healthy foods I am eating. Earlier this week I posted: For safety sake, when I make Facebook posts, I never say I'm about to go somewhere so no one (really) knows my schedule. If I say I'm headed out, I likely just returned. These are the comments I've gotten so far: Barbara Nowak: What a wise woman! Esther Seymour-Vogenitz: Smart! Sharon B: Hmmm, so when you say broccoli, is that really a code for cheetos? Pete Hitlin: Sharon, you may be on to something. I believe I shall be using such a code! Lounge-a Rama: I like it to! Ripe avocado= warm chocolate chip cookies:D Dale Yeager: Fresh fruit = chocolate mousse Sharon B: Doing magazine layout = watching Judge Judy Pete Hitlin: Meditating=plotting revenge on Sharon These guys had me cracking up. I thought how often do I say a particular thing, although we all know it isn't so. One of my favorite lines to escape a phone conversation with friends (once it has reached the pointless stage) is: "I think I hear my mother calling me." That is our signal that I love them, but I've had it with the phone call. Mom, of course, left her body years ago. My mom was also a good one for euphemism. Ever the diplomat, she taught me early on to say I had to "powder my nose" when I was going to the rest room; that it was "my time" when I had menstrual cramps. It was confusing, however, when I heard her say it was my grandmother's time as she lay dying. I thought, "Jeez to be dying of old age and have cramps, too, what a drag." Yes, growing up, there was a lot that was unsaid and a lot of confusing euphemism, but as a kid I didn't pay all that much attention to what I didn't know. And there was lots I didn't know. One thing I always had a hard time with was when I wanted to break up with someone, because all my partners were really neat guys. I historically have a pattern of 3 years in, I'm done and want to be alone again, no matter how much I love someone and am compatible with them. I tell them directly how I feel and even used to tell them ahead of time that I anticipated it - yeah, bad move, that. But somehow they thought that there was a hidden meaning or hidden person, behind the words I said. They thought there was something wrong with them. But there wasn't. They thought there was someone else. There wasn't. They thought I didn't love them. I did. It took me a lot of years to realize that nothing I say is going to convince anyone of anything. All I can do is speak my truth and live my truth and know that those who end up alongside me are those I am in vibrational resonance with. And for those people, we will all know that, no matter what words we speak, we know the hidden language beneath it and we're having fun with it all. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

I Pray For My Advertisers and Clients Twice A Day As Part Of My Spiritual Practice; My Altar and Healing Bench Techniques

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:32:23 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3898" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Our meditation altar area"][/caption] I spent yesterday driving to Ocala and Cassadaga and it is a drive I love to do. It was just overcast enough and just sprinklie enough to keep the air cool, but not so wet that I had to drive in the rain for very long. With the August Horizons Magazine having gone to the printer and indeed being delivered this week, I go into my next stage of the process: bookkeeping and billing. I like every part of my job to be fun and meaningful, and the mundane jobs are no different. in fact, I know that no job is mundane unless I make it so. I don't like to just send out a boring black and white bill with meter stamped postage. If my mission in life is to lighten things up, I think: what kind of invoice might be fun to open? So I selected as a mascot for the bills, a small fairy on a flower. I print them in color. Sometimes I print the invoices on rainbow paper. I always enclose a self addressed return envelope, then those envelopes go on the altar before they go into the mail. When I pick up my mail from the post office, the envelopes go onto the altar before they come in to the office. Blessings for everyone. Using the altar is just one way I bless my clients and advertisers. When I am doing the billing or the subscription labels, I give a few moments attention as I see each name and say a prayer for each one. I bring to mind what I know about them. Like Crystal Connection, Herb Corner and College of Metaphysical Studies who have advertised for 15+ years straight. I take a moment to feel my heart fill with gratitude for their support and friendship these many years. It just takes a moment and lets me feel I am connecting with a friend a couple of times a month, when in fact neither of us have time in person to do so. I've got a great altar and meditation area, and you can see it here in Photos of Our Place. I've also got a separate Healing Bench area where friends and clients send me photos and and emails about those they would like to pray for, and then a team and I pray the bench twice a day. In the morning prayer bench session, I use a technique I discovered first in the Art of Spiritual Healing by one of my all time favorite authors ever, Joel Goldsmith. In the book, he describes that prayer is not asking for healing but becoming present to the Christ within, letting go of pre-conceived ideas and letting grace enter and complete the process. Only then will healing begin. I have found that to be true in my life and the lives of those I know. So for each person whose name is on our healing bench, I do not see them as dis-abled or dis-eased, rather I confine my prayer to this realization of God's presence, or God's grace within each one. In the evening prayer bench session, we do the Ho'oponopono Process. Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len was a psychologist at the Hawaii State Hospital who - without ever seeing a patient in person - cured a ward of criminally insane patients using the ancient Huna technique of Ho'oponopono. Dr. Lew would study an inmate's chart and then look within himself to see how he created that person's illness. As he took responsibility, asked forgiveness and expressed gratitude, he improved himself and the patients improved. Dr. Len never saw his patients. His agreement was he would have an office and he would review the patient files. While he looked at those files, he would work on himself. As he worked on himself, patients began to heal. Dr. Len says he "was simply healing the part of me that created them." Dr. Len explained that total responsibility for your life means that everything in your life is your responsibility, simply because it appears in your life. That, in a literal sense, your entire world is your creation. I have found that to the extent I believe that, to that extent does it work in my life. And I have no complaints about how it works in my life. I see the connection between me and everyone. If they are in my line of sight - even via tv or movies - I know why. If they come into my thoughts, I know why. And I recognize our kinship. And I recognize our inherent divinity, and I say I'm sorry and I ask forgiveness for whatever my part was in creating the situation, and I say thank you. Your name might be on the bench :) In fact, if you'd like to add your prayers every day, we welcome them. Simply go to the Photo of the altar or the bench and pretend you are here with us, and you will be in spirit. Doing this practice every day - both prayer techniques - goes a long way in keeping my own personal baggage illuminated and shed. Of course, I began doing it with the idea that I was doing a big holy service to mankind, me secretly helping all those folks who needed it (more ego tripping). I soon realized that was Spirit's way of tricking me into doing the process so I could work on myself, and for myself. Ya gotta love it. And I figure it's working since I might just be the happiest person I know. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

living-room-altar-for-blog72-copy

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:38:10 +0000

72_0011a

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:39:27 +0000

Keep Telling That Story, You'll Keep Living That Life: Program Your Inner Dialogue To Propel You Forward

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:09:37 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3908" align="alignright" width="108" caption="Laughing at myself"][/caption] I listened to the latest Abraham-Hicks cd on my drive to Ocala Monday. As usual, there was a lot of helpful information and reminders. One favorite line was "The only way unhappy people can stay in your life is if you focus on their unhappiness." I thought how true that was. We all have friends that go through rough times now and again and then there are those that have one string of problems after another. Despite being adults, they just can't seem to get their sh*t together, and they want to tell you all about it on a regular basis. You know, of course, that listening to them tell their story over and over again is not doing either of you any good. But they don't know that. All they know is they think they feel better when they drag someone else into their chain of pain to commiserate with. "But I'm just letting you know," they will say, or "I'm just telling you the facts." They really don't get it that whether their story is true or not, telling it over and over is not helping them. Is your story that you are out of a job and the economy is bad and everyone is worried about money? Or is your story that you are between jobs, eager for a new one and that miracles happen every day? Is your story that your husband of 40 years ran off with some bimbette, divorced you, emptied the bank account and left you to fend for yourself? Or is your story that you're starting over, testing untried waters, and excited about the possibilities? The story you tell yourself - your internal dialogue, your self talk - is what determines your future outcome. If there is no one around you cheering you on, encouraging you toward a goal, you have to be your own cheerleader and do it via your own self talk. Your self talk is that voice you hear rattling around every day. You are the one in charge of this voice and you are the one that can program it to talk in ways that encourage you and inspire you. When you are encouraged and inspired, you become more than you were before. You can become more than you've ever been, when someone sees the potential in you. You have to become someone who sees the potential in you, if there is no one else around to do it. I am a recreational astrologer and the part of astrology I most enjoy are the transits. As the planets in the sky move through time and space, they impact or aspect your natal or birth planets in particular ways. What is going on in the sky is invariably mirroring what is playing out on some level in your life and in your astrology chart. When my friend Domino is having a run of what she calls "bad luck" and feels there is no end in sight, I like to check her planets and see what is happening in her chart. Typically it is obvious what is happening by the configuration of her planets. The good news is that I can know the approximate date it began and, since it is all cyclical, I can surmise the approximate date it will end. Knowing there is an end in sight, helps keep Domino focused on that end and allows her to plan beyond it. As soon as she can see beyond it, and plan beyond it, she more quickly moves beyond it. It's as simple as that. Domino used to think that if someone had bad luck once, then they were cursed forever and would always have bad luck. She thought that if she lost her job, she'd never have another one. She worried that if her husband ditched her, she'd be alone the rest of her life. And likely starve. Well, her luck has apparently changed, since she finds a series of jobs that keeps her pantry stocked, and she's always juggling a couple of boyfriends. And all that changed, really, was that she stopped telling herself that old story. The story about the sad person who could never catch a break and was going to die alone and tragic. She began telling herself the story of what she would do as soon as she was on firmer ground, she began setting goals and moving toward them. She began reading stories of encouragement from other people and she began asking her friends to encourage her in her goals. She had specific goals and so I created a special self-hypnosis cd for her to play as she fell asleep, to help reprogram her consciousness. She knew that as soon as she experienced even the slightest shift in consciousness, the momentum would be there to move her forward, closer to her dreams. You can program yourself in the same way, by being mindful of your self talk. Script out a new set of phrases to repeat in your mind, anytime old thoughts come to mind. Keep the script in front of you. Soon enough you'll have memorized it and it will run like a ticker tape in the back of your mind throughout your day. And when that happens, your shift in perception is just around the corner, so expect it and anticipate it. I wrote in Making a difference in how someone sees the world that a friend told me that Listening to your Sleepytime Recharge cd repeatedly helped me a lot and made a big difference in how I see life. “That’s a breakthrough for me." I love that a simple thing like listening to a self hypnosis cd can be used to change someone's attitude and expectation so much that they begin living a different kind of life. That listening to simple phrases over and over, even if we've just got the cd playing as we fall asleep, can help it click within us that we have access to more life and more good than we ever thought possible. And once we realize that - really realize that - a new world opens up to us. We’ve learned that the health and wellbeing of our physical body is a direct result of the thoughts we habitually think and our inner response to the words we hear others speak. The cells of our body process information and control our behavior by way of genes being turned on and off by influences outside us, such as our perceptions and beliefs. Our beliefs, true or false, positive or negative, affect our genetic activity and alter our genetic code. We can retrain our consciousness to create healthy beliefs, and thus create a profoundly positive effect on our bodies and in our lives. We can identify where our glitches are and not only regulate our own brain chemistry to overcome ailments and bad habits, we can reprogram ourselves and reformat our lives for more joy. Our body is a community of 50 trillion living cells, all cooperating as a collective amoebic consciousness, and we speak to it and direct it every time we have a thought or reaction. The body is a biochemical machine and the driver is the mind. So dis-ease is merely a result of how we’re driving our physiology. Some of the suggestions on Sleepytime Recharge include: “I no longer worry over events of the past. Every day begins my life anew and every day is a new beginning. I feel optimistic about my future possibilities. I find greater satisfaction in my everyday life. I find fun and interesting ways to spend my time and I have an increasing sense of mission and purpose.” Simple words, huh? Easy to say them, but profound to believe them. And when you believe them, really believe them, your world will change. It's exciting to know you can program your own upgrade. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

david-lynch

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:49:42 +0000

smiling-bob

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:26:28 +0000

Mulholland Drive, David Lynch and Transcendental Meditation

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:52:53 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3926" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Conscious David Lynch"][/caption] I just saw the movie Mulholland Drive. It was on in the middle of the night and I'd never seen it before. I'd remembered that there was either a good director or stars I liked in it, so I decided to watch. I missed the first 20 minutes and I did not know it was a David Lynch film, but another 20 minutes in to it, I figured that out. I was going to Google it and see what I'd missed, but I wanted to stay in the mystery and enjoy the unfolding so I didn't. I did however, Google "David Lynch" "Mulholland Drive" just to see if I was right, and saw: "Written and directed by David Lynch. After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesic..." and I also saw "Along Mulholland Drive nothing is what it seems." I figured if it was a David Lynch film, those two lines gave me as much background as I needed. When I first sat to watch, it seemed disjointed and particular scenes very over-acted. Until I figured out it was a Lynch film. I enjoy his work because everything is massively symbolic. David Lynch is a well known practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, and I am always interested in what creative ideas come forth from artists who meditate. The first scene that I really knew it might all be a dream sequence was where Betty had an audition for a part and there is an entire crew there, encouraging her, making sure she is comfortable, can I get you coffee? LOL Anyone with a SAG card knows yes, that is exactly how all the auditions go :) I had just written yesterday's blog post Programming Your Inner Dialogue To Propel You Forward when I turned the movie on, so I pretty quickly picked up that the plot was likely in the same vibe. I quickly realized that if what I was seeing was actually someone's dialogue that they had scripted for themselves, then each character would have multiple roles. So I threw out any idea of who I thought the characters were as so far presented, and just thought, "what might someone cast this person and this part to typify and why?" It fell into place from there. I mean, it was weird and bizarre and a lot of the symbolism I am sure I missed, but - as with anything - if I accept the premise, the logic follows. One of the things I most like about David Lynch is that he gets it - and his movies portray this - that the people and events that come into our lives are on some level of our own making. It is all - ALL of it - on a very deep level - a projection of our own consciousness. There is no evidence anywhere to the contrary. I think of the goofy characters Lynch employs, dumb hit men who can't get it right, the pool boy saying to the husband who just found him in bed with the wife: "Just pretend it's a dream. It'll feel better that way." All just fumbling around, half sleepwalking and I think that's - on some level - simply an exaggerated caricature of so many people we all know. And I recognize that for those I recognize, I know I have a hand in it somehow, so I need to look at myself as well. I need to look deeper and see what is being mirrored back to me. And that's what the practice of meditation is all about as well. We spend part of the time, as we sit to meditate, in releasing thoughts and focusing on our breathing, to relax ourselves into releasing even more thought. After we've done that for some time, we can bring to mind the events of the day to contemplate what deeper meaning they might hold for us. To contemplate what our projections are telling us. Here is a review and another review of the movie and here is a really good Plot Explanation *Spoiler Alert* Here's more on David Lynch. He's far more than merely a script writer and director. David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace provides funds for students to learn Transcendental Meditation. The Foundation also provides funds for independent research institutions to assess the effects of the program on creativity, intelligence, brain functioning. A video: David Lynch: Consciousness, Creativity and the Brain The inside story on transcending the brain, with David Lynch, John Hagelin, Ph.D., and Fred Travis, Ph.D. David Lynch message: In today’s world of fear and uncertainty, every child should have one class period a day to dive within himself and experience the field of silence—bliss—the enormous reservoir of energy and intelligence that is deep within all of us. This is the way to save the coming generation. I could not agree more. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Consumer Rip Offs - Don't Let Them Get Away With It

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:10:46 +0000

No this is not a paid ad, I just like people to be informed. I've gotten several calls from The March Group, who I take to be a business broker, wanting to sell my business for me. They invite me to come to a day long seminar where they will help me determine the value of my business, because they have many people interested in acquiring businesses such as mine, and it is very much in demand. Which is fine except I'm not interested in selling. Plus, these free regional magazines are not money makers by any means. Not at these prices. Selling franchises and selling magazines is what makes money. I found when Goggling The March Group that they routinely flood the search engines with their spin, so that was my second red flag*. So I posted on Facebook to ask if anyone had experience with them. I found this online. One friend wrote to check at the website Ripoff Report: By Consumers, For Consumers. I didn't even think about that - but what a great service. The Newest Rip Off Reports - Top Rip Offs To Avoid - Top Rip Off Links. Ripoff Report® is a worldwide consumer reporting Web site and publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file and document complaints about companies or individuals. Unlike the Better Business Bureau, Ripoff Report does not hide reports of "satisfied" complaints. ALL complaints remain public and unedited in order to create a working history on the company or individual in question. Ripoff Reports cover every category imaginable! You can Browse the latest Reports, Search the Reports, or Submit your report now for FREE, by clicking on File Report. View over 1,000 different topics & categories you can file under. They even have a category for psychics and fortunetellers. So while my spidey sense just tells me to not get involved with The March Group, I know that not everyone listens to their own spidey sense. That is why I am posting this here. And, if you find that you are getting ripped off over and over - in any area of your life - you might want to ask yourself are you attracting that? Because, remember, whatever is showing up in your life is merely there because you are in vibrational harmony with it right now. If it's fun, yay, enjoy it. If it's not fun, don't try to drive yourself crazy figuring out what it is, just begin doing things differently. Get out of that vibe. I wrote in The Games People Play about how we get wrapped up in vibrational resonance with things we don't want, and how to get out of them. So, if you're contemplating business with someone, look them up. But know that someone else's experience does not have to be your experience. What someone else attracts does not have to be what you attract. And also not everything everyone writes is the truth. Gather as much info as you think you need to make your decision, then take that into meditation with you. Sit with it - not mentally running it through your mind - just sitting with it, and see what bubbles up for you. *Oh, what was my first red flag? When the agent called me on the phone the first time and I got a clear psychic sense this was a boiler room call. I've learned to pay attention to my first impressions. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. Donate $1 for good luck & karma

Natural Male Enhancement

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:24:02 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3934" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Take it from Smiling Bob"][/caption] The other night I watched a movie on cable that began at 2:00am. That meant I also got to watch all the male enhancement medication commercials about Smiling Bob. Smiling Bob, whose golf stroke is the longest. Smiling Bob, whose wife is shown smiling while holding a hugely phallic glass of iced tea. Smiling Bob, in Santa hat, with a long line of ladies just squirming and giggling to get onto his lap. He's always shown with like a long, hard golf club or a long, hard baseball bat or a long, hard, well... you get it. And this commercial runs over and over and over all night long on a lot of channels. That commercial and the one of the guys losing their hair and, oh, the belly fat fighters. God forbid someone lose a little hair or gets a little paunch or goes through a slow libido cycle. To hear these commercials, you'd think there was a raging problem in the male population. In fact, I'm sure that wherever you find a segment of the male population that watches these commercials all night long, every night, you'll find all sorts of the exact "problems" they mention. Imagine that. These commercials are simply self hypnosis giving subliminal messages to your man as he falls asleep on the couch. Do both of you a favor and make sure the messages you are giving him on the same topics are encouraging and hopeful because they are certainly as effective as the tv commercials are. And since when did personal preferences become absolute guidelines anyway? Like the current craze for manscaping - men shaving their body hair. Ugh. Lots of chicks like their men furry. Not many women mind a man who is losing his hair. Very few women I know like the metrosexual type of man, the type real obsessed with personal grooming. But the tv has men thinking that is what women want. As for virility, that's purely situational and likely 90% psychological. So don't be taking Viagra to perform for your wife who you let have 6 kids in four years and are no longer attracted to since she doesn't look like Barbie anymore. You don't need a pill. You need to take a look inside yourself and get a grip on your goals and priorities and recognize the blessing in the life you're living right now. Love isn't about body fat or hair loss. That's just the car you're riding in this time around. Natural male enhancement isn't about erections. It's about being a nice person, showing concern for the welfare of those around you, wanting to somehow make the world a better place. Natural male enhancement means you're nice to your mother and you make time for your children. It means you honor whoever you share space with. So if you are all worried about being less manly because of less hair, less libido as years go on, I guarantee that if you just work on being a good person, helping people out, brightening the world where you are, all that other stuff will work itself out just fine. And it doesn't have to cost you a thing. And from what I hear, Smiling Bob isn't smiling anymore anyway. :) In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting Donate $1 for good luck & karma

High Praise

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:58:44 +0000

I just sent out my monthly email telling that the August magazine was now online and I got this email back: I saw something I wanted to pass along to you. It's from your piece in the August Horizons Magazine: "When you meet someone you click with - and this is in any area of life, not just intimate relationships - you come alive. You feel inspired. The thoughts and ideas and creativity begin to flow." That's what happened when I met you Andrea. Something clicked and I became alive and open to a whole new way of thinking. Thanks Andrea. Signed M.E. Wow! This is what I live for! LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

kate-miller-heidke

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:12:57 +0000

You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? Are You F*cking Kidding Me?

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:36:50 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3957" align="alignright" width="120" caption="Kate Miller-Heidke"][/caption] On Facebook yesterday, my friend Robin Krasny posted a Youtube video that was too funny not to pass along. The lyrics are subtitled. I am glad my exes on Facebook are all really cool guys who are still pals. If they weren't I might sing them this song You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? Are You F*cking Kidding Me? The song is by Kate Miller Heidke. Here are the lyrics: They say everyone should have their heart broken at least once And that is how you grow emotionally Well I have been misused by many, many, many men But nothing can compare to how you treated me At times it really felt as though the pain was here to stay And though it's many years I go I feel it to this day And now, you wanna be my friend on Facebook Are you f*cking kidding me? All the memories are flooding back to me now All the ways you stole the light from my eyes I travelled so far, just to get away from you 'Til this morning's friend request, surprise! At times it really felt as though i'd never smile again You narcissistic a*sehole Oh you nasty nasty man And now, you wanna be my friend on Facebook Are you f*cking kidding...? I don't care what kind of cocktail you are Which member of The Beatles or which 1950s movie star I don't give a toss if you're a ninja or a pirate I suspect you'd be a pirate, but I don't wanna verify it And I don't give a sh*t what your stripper name is Or if your kitty had a litter Look - Just follow me onTwitter I don't care about your family tree And I certainly don't want you POKING ME... again And so you wanna be my friend on Facebook Oh you f*cking, f*cking f*ck... Click, "Ignore". Wow, huh? I've written about Facebook in Horizons before like here where friends were worried about old lovers contacting them and Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? and How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall I learned a lot of people like to use a public forum to address what used to be a very private thing: ending a relationship. But we all have a different idea of what is private and what is not. I may think it's hilarious to divulge what a particular roommate does in their spare time, yet they may find that an invasion of privacy. Sometimes it's hard to tell my story. That's because it's seldom just MY story; it's the story of everyone who was there at the time as well. Since I share space, I have to take them all into consideration. Unless I want to find a unicorn head in my bed some midnight. Or a YouTube video of me snoring or worse. :) In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

Hanging On To The Wound By Telling The Old Story

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:27:35 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3695" align="alignright" width="125" caption="Brothermine Jerry"][/caption] Two weeks ago Brothermine Has Hip Replacement Surgery and he's been keeping me posted with his progress. One thing we have in common is we both heal quickly from whatever nicks and scrapes we go through. Jerry wrote to me: "I'm getting over the Oxycontin (they gave him in the hospital) withdrawal now. It's just amazing that I've had no more pain than I've had. I mean good grief they dislocated my hip, sawed the end off the bone and hammered a metal shaft into the bone. No to mention all that cutting through muscles and tissue. My thigh was black and blue from the rough handling. I think it's all a matter of perception. Any surgery I've had, I've always felt like I'm healing rather than hurting. While they call an incision a wound, I call it a repair. All the wounding happened while I was asleep so I didn't experience that. Anyway, I think that healing never hurts. It's the hanging on to the wound that is painful, be it physical, emotional or spiritual." Jerry and I both believe that to be true. I wrote in How were you programmed by language as a child? that he and I grew up in different environments and had different programming as kids. We've had what most people would call a series of traumatic events in our lives, yet neither of us looks at them as being big gaping wounds that we carry around with us anymore. Since it's in the past - whatever IT is - it is almost as though we slept through it. And now that we're awake, the healing just happens by itself. All we had to do was wake up from the thought that we had ever been wounded or had anybody to blame - for anything. But sometimes it's easier to hang on to the wound because, frankly, it's been a big part of your identity for so long and has garnered you lots of attention from friends. It's easier to tell the old story because you're used to telling it. You actually go on autopilot when you tell it. The story has so hypnotized you that you continue to believe it, which is the same as continually tearing the scab off a wound so it never heals. But there's a price to pay for losing the old story, and forgiving the old wound. Releasing it from your thoughts. Finis. The price is moving out of your comfortable, known world, and stepping into the unknown; learning who you really are, right now, today. Not last year, not five years ago, not 25 years or 45 years ago. Discovering who you are without the old story. Scripting for yourself, if need be, a new story. A story that is fun to tell. A story that reflects hope and expectation of good things happening and better things on the way. A story you can be proud to tell. And more importantly, a story your friends and family want to hear because, believe me, they are really getting tired of hearing the old story, again and again. If you will let your dominant intention be to revise and improve the content of the story you tell every day of your life, it is our absolute promise to you that your life will become that ever-improving story. For by the powerful Law of Attraction—the essence of that which is like unto itself is drawn—it must be! Excerpted from Money and the Law of Attraction by Abraham-Hicks LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

72-izzy-2-19-09-paw0008

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:27:22 +0000

ship-at-night

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:08:43 +0000

My Mind Tricks Keep Me In The Now Moment

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:20:00 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3988" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Giant freighter at night"][/caption] This was a good weekend. On Saturday I went to Shanti's Summer of Love event in Titusville and got to connect with friends. They had several things going on, music, chanting, vendor booths, Reiki, massage, drumming; they were inside, outside, on the dock. It went on all day and I didn't get to go until later, but it was the best part of the day. My schedule is such that anywhere I go, I need to be back home by 9:00 at night because I do phone sessions most evenings. I've done that for so many years now that I almost never drive after dark. When I do, it's quite the adventure. Driving home I took I-95, which I seldom do since I enjoy the scenery along US1. Even though it's longer, I typically take "the green way" everywhere I can. But after dark, whether on US 1 or I-95, all I see is what's lit up right in front of me. I may as well be driving on the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys, with nothing but ocean on either side of me. It reminds me of the time my friend Mark Tietig and I sailed up the coast from Miami to Anapolis in 1983. Half the time was spent in the shipping lane offshore in the middle of the night. We'd be so close to the freighters ("the freakers" I called them) and they would move slowly and sliently by, like some surreal city out of a John Waters or Federico Fellini film. I'd feel like an ant standing next to a skyscraper, or a dot in an immense galaxy. That is kind of the feeling I get driving alone at night on I-95 or US 1 as well. Surreal and very reflective. Sunday morning I went to Shannon Burnett's Name Your Price Garage Sale and found a great rolling table for $6. I love small tables on wheels; I keep a separate project on each table and then can wheel them in and out of reach as I work on them. Then I went to Unity Church of Melbourne. I got there early enough to listen to the choir (do we call it a choir?) practicing. Great stuff! I got to cut coffee cake into wedges and make lemonade in the hospitality area - they put on quite a spread each week. Rev. Beth gave a lesson from Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements on Don't Make Assumptions, which was timely for me. On the way home, I picked up a Vietnamese pho soup from Pho Cali and brought it home for lunch: I got the Pho Tom, the No. 53, which has shrimp, scallions, bean sprouts, basil, delicious broth, culantro. I had them add broccoli. I eat a lot of broccoli. I have the happiest colon on the planet :) After lunch, I just hung around the house, wandering around doing homey stuff. I got a bit of a surprise when I walked in the door and saw the furniture not as I recalled leaving it. Granted I have a brat of a cousin as a roommate, but he's typically engrossed in work and not rearranging the furniture when I'm out. I quickly realized that I had, the night before, started moving the couch and chairs and tables around, and then just never glanced back for a final look from the entrance before I went to bed. I didn't go into that part of the house before I left Sunday morning, so when I returned it was the first time I'd seen the furniture in the new arrangement. I love it when I can surprise myself like that. I find that often happens when I am in the Now Moment. I am just flowing along from project to project, and not really giving much thought to anything; just kind of observing whatever floats up in front of me. That's a very fun and freeing place to be. Kind of like being drunk or being in love, which is almost the same thing, I guess. You're very In The Moment With It All and that doesn't always translate into remembering specifics later of how you got from point A to point B. It used to irk me when I'd forget something, especially something like having rearranged the entire living room the night before. It took me years to realize that I didn't need to hold a lot of useless information in my head. When I finally got that, I was able to really appreciate the fun little ways my mind tricks me into coming into the Now Moment. Now if I can just stay there... . Listen to free samples: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Why Does "The Secret" No Longer Contain The Secret? The Abraham-Hicks Back Story

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:24:05 +0000

I got an email yesterday from my friend Howard Northrup: I was just reading the latest Horizons and I see that you recommend the original Secret with Abraham-Hicks. That is the version that I first saw and was so surprised that they edited Abraham-Hicks out of future versions--with Abraham explaining our Emotional Guidance System (even if it was shortened from the 22 "steps" in Ask and It Is Given down to just 6). THAT is the key to working the Law of Attraction! Without that segment in there, it was easy for critics and the general public to say that the film is mainly about getting more money and more "stuff." When Esther was on Oprah's XM Radio Soul Series show, Oprah asked her about being edited out and she basically said that it was a contractual issue, but she has moved past it, blesses Rhonda for getting the message out there, and "let it go." But I never did hear WHY she/they were edited out--did you? I wrote him back that I had a blog post waiting to go in about it and this is it: I just saw the revised (extended) version of The Secret for the first time. I had seen the original one with Abraham-Hicks, whose material was the inspiration for The (original) Secret movie, several times and it was an excellent work. The revision is a very diluted version that paradoxically leaves out "the secret" itself. No wonder everyone is so confused despite the new legion of Secret Teachers out there. For WHY Abraham-Hicks bowed out of the original project, read at http://www.sun-angel.com/articles/archive/abraham-hicks-jerry-and-esther-hicks-statement-about-the-secret.php Being a publisher, I get review copies of all the newest personal development books out there: all the spin-offs from The Secret; the market is pretty flooded with law of attraction titles and books on how to affirm and do treasure maps and visualize. Most of them - and believe, me I read lots of them - seem to be written in a hurry by someone who was real interested in getting to press before their key phrase (law of attraction, manifestation) falls off the lips of the public. Most of the material their work contains is simply a superficial overview of someone else’s writing (often using Esther-Hicks phrasing and terminology) and in the text and exercises you can see they have clearly missed the essence of the work. I wrote in my May 2007 editorial that I admit I was a little miffed to find Abraham-Hicks edited out of The Secret movie. Which is silly since Jerry and Esther didn’t seem miffed. I guess disappointed is a better word. The biggest difference I noticed in the edited (what they call the ‘extended’) version is that without the crystal clarity of Abraham woven in and out of the other speakers, many subtle nuances of ‘the secret’ are missing. While most of the co-presenters were, if not students of Abraham, then certainly very familiar with the Hicks work, and for many the Hicks material was their first introduction to the law of attraction. Yes, they all mention other authors, going back many years. But remember, all reference to Abraham-Hicks had to be removed from the edited (extended) version of The Secret. All of it. That meant creating a new back story, and gathering new "source" materials for the same teachings. Easy to do since Abraham-Hicks mentions the books as well. As a publisher in the genre, I talk to publicists all the time and when something new is about to come on to the scene, I hear the buzz. I get calls and emails and have discussions with lots of these publicists and their clerical staff and sometimes hear a blow by blow account of how the project is coming along. That means I know when the back story changes, because I heard the original story, and got every revision all along the way. This goes for many authors, yes even some that were in The Secret. Abraham-Hicks has addressed this and also why they were edited out of the second The Secret at this link. Nonetheless, for some people, what they are reading and learning in the revised Secret is an upgrade to what they knew before. There is still a lot of good information in it. When someone has taken that information as far as they can take it, they can take the next step later to fine tune anything they are missing. Small steps are easier to take. I wrote in my September 2007 editorial that I can't make someone else get it. Amazon.com has the original Secret with Abraham Hicks at http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Original-Esther-Hicks-Rhonda/dp/B000K3I7SO.

Take Note If You Accept Collect Calls From A Phone Booth

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:42:13 +0000

I just got an email from a friend who got a surprise when he opened his phone bill this month. HD writes: I was accepting collect calls from some homeless people I try to help... I knew I would be billed $ 1.50 for each call .... but when I got my bill and opened it, I thought it was a mistake at $658.87 .... I thought it looked like they were billing me long distrance charges too and the phone booths are local... but what I found out was the phone booths are owned by a company that is overseas... and they have no rules they have to follow.... so they billed the $1.50 per call but also charge per minute of speak time at 5.11 per minute.... and I was told my bill is correct at $ 658.87 and I need to pay it. Here is the complete information; HD writes: That is a great idea to blog on it so people will know... here is the complete information to help you out....A T & T told me that they nor Sprint own pay phone booths anymore... now I don't know if that is world wide... or just in Florida.... but he said they did not own pay phones anymore... Here is the thing.... if you look at the pay phone it will tell you who owns or operators it... I actually went to one of the pay phone to see and it said... Legacy LD International Inc..... yes... the word International is the word... that means it is owned by this company which is overseas... and thus no rules or regulations apply... they can bill as they wish... rounding off... day time calls bill around $5.00 per minute.... night time calls bill at around $2.00 min.... I had accepted many many of them... thinking I was only going to be billed the $1.50 per call.... but found out different when the billed arrived... $658.87... oh lord... oh well.. I guess we live and learn... Now we know. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

phone-booth

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:56:11 +0000

Dating In The Dark Episode III

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:31:55 +0000

Monday night I watched the third episode of ABC's Dating in the Dark. In this latest reality show, three men and three women are matched via a compatibility profile, chosen to live in a house and take part in various dates, which all take place in complete darkness. Both parties interact sight unseen, judging each other by personality alone. All six are attractive and height/weight proportionate. Chris wants to get married and raise a family, and he makes a point to kiss each of the girls. "You can tell a lot about a woman by how she kisses." He's the clear lead with all 3 women because he's a good conversationalist and he also got personal really quickly with each. Two were his favorites; the third, having admitted to one night stands, seemed "too sexual for me." He got to see all 3 in the light and reported back to the other 2 guys that two of them "are bigger than most girls I date." They both appeared to be maybe 5'6, maybe 36-25-36, maybe 120 lbs. That's right: real Shamoos: Marilyn Monroe's size. Chris appeared to be maybe 5'8, with a slight frame, maybe 165 pounds. The real confident girl, Sasha, mused ahead of time, "Of course I'm nervous (if he will like me after seeing me). I wonder am I pretty or do I just think I'm pretty because my mom tells me I am?" Unfortunately for Sasha, Chris does not care for redheads. His choice was Jennifer, who was the most attractive, but I thought she also had the most animated personality. She was maybe a size zero: 32-22-32 or smaller, maybe 95 lbs. Chris said she was the best kisser. He went onto the balcony to wait to see who would appear for him. Would it be Jen, his choice? Would it be Sasha, Megan AND Jennifer making it awkward? Or would it be none of them? Would they all walk out the front door? In the end, the women all thought he looked too young, and they preferred the rugged type. He had the baby face and was slight of frame. They all walked away. The parting remark of Jen, his choice, was "I feel horrible about not choosing Chris, he's a little young for me and it's unfortunate because he's my perfect match." I guess she means in the dark he's the perfect match? How does she know this before having to deal with him in any real life situations? And despite him being the perfect match and all, she ditches him because of how he looks? Sasha admitted she was very superficial at this stage of her life, that she is very into looks. I think everyone is entitled to have their preferences and to hold out for them if they cannot be satisfied settling for less. My physical type has always been the opposite of me - swarthy, fuzzy, rugged. Yet my favorite boyfriend ever was maybe 5'10, sandy hair and 165 lbs. I've met a few men online through the years and several of them have become friends. We had fun phone calls and lots in common, and I even liked how they looked in person. But for some reason I did not have that romantic charge for them that I was able to sustain as long as I stayed in the mystery. So what is the balance between staying in the mystery and getting on with real life? I know there's a lot that goes into the mix to determine if there is chemistry. I've felt chemistry for someone based solely on looks, knowing nothing about their personality. I've met men I didn't think twice about yet as I got to know them, something about their personality really began attracting me. I think humble is sexy. I think confidence and take-charge-ed-ness is very sexy. I think someone who speaks deliberately is sexy, as is someone who knows when to keep the silence. Someone who can stay in the Now appeals to me, someone who can be free in the Now without feeling bound by the past; that gives me a charge. Someone to fumbles and falters and catches themself can be sexy. Someone who works to improve themself on an ongoing basis and maybe has a daily practice of self reflection and internalization. In addition to hand gestures or facial expressions, those are things that, in person, may help determine whether I have chemistry with someone, regardless of what they look like. And I've got a lot of handsome male friends. But I don't want to boink them. Girlfriends know if I bring a man with me to church or wherever, he's up for grabs; he's likely just a pal. They can grill me about him later unless they are brave enough to just come up and say, "Introduce me to this handsome guy." Learn to ask. I have. But as for Dating in the Dark, I think I'll stick to staying in the light. That way there are no surprises to show me how shallow I really am. In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

woodstock4

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:26:36 +0000

woodstock41

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:28:21 +0000

fred-migliore-2009

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:28:59 +0000

Fred Migliore of FM Odyssey Fame Talks About Woodstock at The New Way on Sunday August 9, 2009

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:35:31 +0000

Merritt Island, FL - Fred Migliore of FM Odyssey fame will share his view of what happened at Woodstock, why it was important, and what it means to the growing peace-seeking, open-minded culture that is emerging world-wide today. Fred will be speaking at the New Way on Sunday, August 9th. An optional meditation time begins at 10:30, followed by the talk at 10:50 am until 12:15pm. A limited number of FM Odyssey’s “40th Anniversary of Woodstock” radio program cds will be available. [caption id="attachment_4040" align="alignleft" width="108" caption="Fred Migliore"][/caption] In August 1969, an historic event occurred on a dairy farm near Bethel, New York, when an estimated 500,000 people gathered for three days of peace, love, and rock and roll. This unlikely happening could have been disastrous given that the organizers were totally unprepared for the crowds, the weather was uncooperative at best, and nothing went according to plan. However, the producers, performers, and multitude of young people collectively decided to make it work, and the Woodstock Nation was born. That idealism of Woodstock was lost in the materialism of the 80s and 90s, but now it’s time to get back to the garden. Fred is a friend whose amazing weekly radio show has been a "must listen to" for me since 1991. Please follow this link --> http://www.prx.org/pieces/38603-woodstock-40th-anniversary-on-fm-odyssey and register as a member (please, it's painless, I promise), enjoy excerpts of the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Show and leave a (detailed please) comment. By doing this, you will help place the program in the "Featured" section, making it more visible for radio stations to air it. After you register, it can take 30 minutes for them to send you an email with your activation code and maybe another 30 minutes after you have activated the account before you can comment. Please bear with the process - give Fred - and all of us listening - a hand by doing this. It's an awesome show and has been consistently every single week for 18 years. Andrea

full-moon-clouds-tiny

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:48:13 +0000

When to Work, When To Play; Facebook, Full Moon

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:53:58 +0000

Yesterday was the perfect working day: the perfect combination of work and play. I sat to meditate as usual at 4:00am and then napped from 5:00-7:00am. By 8:00am I was in the office and by 8:00pm I was out of the office. Yay, only half a day! I opened a lot of mail, sent out some new subscriptions, fielded a dozen phone calls and brought my checkbook up to date. I drove to the bank and to my tax accountant's, and then stopped at Mid Eastern Aromas by FlaTech and picked up a veggie combo sandwich, which is flatbread rolled around hummus, eggplant, pickles, lettuce and tomato with tahina sauce. Then I came home and my friend Denise stopped by and we chatted and had tea and tormented Izzy while he tried to nap on the table next to us. After she left, I did the blogpost Fred Migliore of FM Odyssey Fame Talks About Woodstock after listening to the clips and signed up with PRX so I could leave comments on Fred's page. Then I got brave and turned off my Facebook email notifications so I do not get an email each time someone comments on a post. I will just wait until I sign onto Facebook hopefully after working to see them all. Facebook is a fun and easy time suck. Why do I go to Facebook at all if it's such a time waster? Because it's fun, and I go there when I am taking a break from work, even though I need to stay near computer and phone. Being my own boss, I'm a real workaholic, and the most I waste time is practically never. So I allow myself my Facebook habit, and even celebrate it. Even in the midst of getting a lot of work done, I may pop in and make a quick post and pop back out. Sometimes at the end of the day, I wonder how I found time to make all the silly posts I made. To look at it, you'd think I was on Facebook all day long. But since I made them quickly and in-the-moment, it took very little effort. Sometimes at night, when I do my nightly review, I am surprised at how much I got done that day. And on days when everything just flows into place, it seems I get 5 times as much done. The days that everything seems to just flow are paradoxically just after I've taken a few days to goof off. Well, not paradoxically, since thanks to Abraham-Hicks I have learned that releasing resistance is the most important component in law of attraction. So I've learned that when I am feeling overwhelmed, like I can't possibly take a moment to myself, I need to back slowly away from the office and get myself somewhere for a fun adventure for a few hours or days to regain my perspective. And if I can't do that, at least to visit Facebook and see what my pals are doing. Ah! Full moon last night. It’s my monthly ritual, every full moon to keep track of the full moon as it moves across the night time sky. I do a burning bowl ceremony each full moon as well. I write a note about anything I am ready to be free of for the next 28 days and I do a symbolic burning of the written note in my chimenea, signalling the beginning of the new 28 day cycle until next full moon. If it's not raining, I do it outside in the chimenea. If it is raining, I have a place set up on the back porch and do it in a metal burning pot I have. If it's horizontal rain inside the back porch, I am inside at the altar in the fireplace. Last night it was clear at 11:00pm and I went outside and did my burning in the chimenea at the firepit area. I have such a sense of relief and release when I am done. Last full moon, one of the things I wrote to release were the Indian Pantry Moths and I noticed last week that I had not seen any for a week. What are you ready to release? In case the FTC is wondering, I am not endorsing anyone. LISTEN FREE: Connecting with Your Angels, Guides and Teachers Donate $1 for good luck & karma

72-desk-8-6-09a

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:37:28 +0000

72-desk-8-6-09a1

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:42:02 +0000

NYC Prep: What Do These Shows Have To Do With Me? They Help Me Remind Myself Of Who I Really Am.

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:21:37 +0000

[caption id="attachment_3776" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Cast of NYC Prep"][/caption] I watched another episode of the Bravo TV reality show NYC Prep, where the cameras follow an unlikely mix of public school and private school kids in New York City. I wrote about the first episode in Teen Angst in NYC Prep; Getting Caught In The Drama. This was the 6th Episode Fashion Week, Guests of Guests. I missed many episodes because I don't keep track of when shows are on. PC and Jessie see themselves as real fashionistas so, of course, they are front row at the shows at NY Fashion Week. I thought that in itself was pretty funny, what would high school kids be doing in the front row anyway, except for a parental favor, combined with Bravo TV camera coverage. Wait, why should I care? Anyway, in this episode Jessie the drama queen is once again whining and pouting because PC is more interested in the fillies who do not act like bitter 40 year old shrews at age 17. She invites him to the show of the designer she has just secured an intern position with, then is pissed when he brings 2 metro male friends, Trey, a stylist and Zach, a photographer, as well as Devorah Rose of Social Life Magazine along with him. Jessie no likie when PC hangs with anyone but her. Especially these ancient 20 somethings... and the camera crew without her... Wait, it gets better. Devorah - who is, of course, beautiful and shapely - tells PC there will be so many parties all night and he should come, but he has a test and needs to study, so Jessie goes all postal on him. Devorah says, "Let's go, I have a car waiting," and they're off, leaving Jessie to sit alone and forlorn, curses, foiled again. Jessie lies to her friends, saying that PC and his 30 year old friends came in and caused a ruckus that everyone noticed and put her job in jeopardy. She is tired of saving PC's ass. Her friends tell her to back away from him but, of course she can't do that because then she'd have to get a life. I look at this girl and wonder what she will be like in 10 years if this is how hateful and spiteful and conniving she is right now. She makes a big to do about working on behalf of Operation Smile yet blocks Camille's involvement and acts like it's all about "Do you want me to talk to your school? Do you want me to model?" She's snotty, she's catty, just wait until she hits 18 and 21 and gets grandpa's money - what will be unleashed then? Or it could be that she gets some serious life lessons between now and then and becomes a real force for good and compassionate works. She's got it in her. It's too soon to tell. Karma can be a bitch. The sooner you start clearing it up, the better. We all know people who are catty and competitive and unless they are around their own kind, they stick out like a sore thumb. They live in their own little world of jealousy, conniving and one upmanship. But it's not really that, it's more like when the kitten hisses and spits, it's afraid, it's in unknown territory and feels threatened by a big something and feels unprotected, so it lashes out, in the most basic of ways, because that is all it knows. When they begin to grow out of that stage and look back on their earlier life, they are horrified at the bruised and battered souls they left in their wake. A lot of people come to this stage through the 12 step programs, where they have you reflect on your past and make amends. But not everyone goes into recovery. Sometimes you just have to have had enough of living that kind of life and want to back away from it. Or just take a break to gain perspective. Why do I watch these shows and what do they have to do with me? In the 90's, I took about a 10 year break from watching tv. When I began watching again, I watched with a clearer eye. Not much holds my attention for long, so I know that whatever I'm drawn to watch will tell me something about me, something I can benefit by knowing. My own recent backing away has been from the Facebook notifications. I changed my settings so that I do not get an email each time someone comments on a post I made on Facebook. I found I was spending too much time on Facebook because I'd open all the notifications and click the link and go peek at what someone had commented. When I could instead just wait until I signed onto Facebook and check my Wall then. I saved three hours today by doing just that. That's kind of like breaking another habit before it becomes an addiction. I won't say I'll keep them turned off, but for now I am backing away so I can use each spare moment on the priorities I've got my eye on right now. I'd find myself feeling a sense of urgency in clearing the notifications from my email in box so I could get to work, yet I didn't want to miss anything if someone wanted my attention. Again that sense of urgency, wantng to be available if someone really needed me. Needed me more than the 303 emails already waiting for me. What an ego, huh? I just recently realized that sense of urgency was just a stress anxiety my ego brings on when I begin to lose sense of Who I Really Am, where I am really headed and what is really important. There's always time for Facebook because it's fun and connects me with friends and, frankly, brings me a lot of business. And while I agree we've got all the time in the world, I also agree we don't have a moment to lose. . Listen free: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

coffee-and-chocolate72

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:47:56 +0000

Coffee and Chocolate; Holding On To The Dream

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:18:21 +0000

I had two interesting dreams the beginning of this week. I dreamed a few nights ago that I was making coffee for someone and drinking it myself as well. The label was missing off the can so when I went to make it, I had to ask around to see how many scoops to how much water. Something I would have to do in real life if there was no label. It smelled so good. It tasted so smooth and rich and roasty. I dreamed the night before that I was eating different kinds of chocolate and really enjoying the different tastes. And it tasted just like chocolate and it tasted just like coffee. But in the dreams I liked the tastes and in real life I don't. They were interesting dreams. And I'm someone who has a lot of interesting dreams. One thing my brother Jerry and I have in common is that we enjoying listening to the Monroe Institute Gateway Experience cds which contains mental exercises designed to lead you into profound states of expanded awareness where you have available a broader range of perceptions with which to solve problems, develop creativity or obtain guidance. Read about my Gateway Voyage experience here. Jerry and I also create our own programs for ourselves, to lead us into the even farther reaches. I listen to them before I go to bed, so I can naturally drift into the dream state with my intended purpose. I keep a notebook and pencil nearby for to make notes. Sometimes my dream work is for me, and sometimes it is for friends and clients. But I seldom dream about food. I seldom dream that I am eating something and really tasting it. It's interesting that the chocolate tasted just like chocolate. In the dream it was smooth and creamy and sweet and rich and left a velvety taste on my tongue. In real life I don't care for the taste of chocolate. It tastes heavy and viscous and cloying, and I don't like sweets. But the exact same taste in the dream I really enjoyed. What I liked the most about it is that I got to experience in a dream something that is very ordinary for me in real life, yet in the dream my senses were heightened to a hair trigger. In the dream, the tastes became heavenly, just like the commercials say. The cells of my body were flooded with pleasurable sensations and I could easily hold onto and recall long after the dream ended. I could replay it in my mind and relive those same sensations again and again and again. I can taste the taste on the back of my tongue right now. It didn't make me want chocolate or coffee, because, in this case, I know the dream to be better than the reality, and I'd like to hold onto the dream as long as I can. I do that with my personal goals as well. If I feel I am not where I want to be on a particular topic, I let myself stay in the dreaming stage with it as long as I can. As long as it feels good. I wrote in 7 Steps For Conscious Living that we get what we can picture ourselves doing We get what we can conceive of, so start picturing yourself doing things you want to do. Start picturing yourself living where you want to live, picture yourself driving what you want to drive, picture yourself being as you want to be and feeling how you'd like to feel. Picture it, envision it, daydream about it, pretend it - pretend is a very powerful word: “Pre” from before, ahead of time and “tend,” from intend, intention, so when you pretend, you are intending ahead of time what you'd like to experience, and it's that kind of creative visualization that takes you ever closer to your goal. So relish the dreaming stage while you're in it. Don't hurry to get to the next stage. Savor it as long as you can. Because, after all, the journey should be just as delicious as the destination. Take a bite? . Listen FREE: Out of Body Experience

Provisioning the Pantry; Channelling My Mother

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:44:17 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4157" align="alignright" width="144" caption="The pantry is now full"][/caption] I woke up yesterday morning with an almost overwhelming urge to go to the grocery store and buy canned vegetables. When I found the Indian Pantry Moths last month, I emptied out my pantry and washed everything down and have just kept it empty the last couple of weeks to make sure they are gone. I now keep all dried beans and cereals in the refrigerator instead of the pantry. I used to keep my pantry stocked and when I changed my eating habits in 2004, I gave all my unhealthy foods away. That ended up being everything. Then I began eating so differently that I just never bought many cans of anything at any one time. I may have half a dozen cans of garbanzos and black beans, a couple of soups and some dried beans, but that was it. I kind of like the idea of the cabinet being bare: not a lot of food that I am committed to eat before it expires. I've always had commitment issues. Then I woke up this morning with the urge to stock up on canned vegetables. I think I was channeling my mother. As I was driving to the store, I gave some thought as to why I felt this urge for canned goods. I thought back to the storms of 2004 where much of the area was without power and gas. The stores weren't getting their deliveries on time. Fresh produce was not to be had for a few weeks. There was no shortage of food, but it was canned, nothing fresh, nothing frozen. I found myself (and these were in my bad eating habits days) craving fresh fruits and vegetables. I remember one evening going into one Publix after another on the way home, trying to find a can of green beans or a can of peaches. The 3rd Publix had them both and I was so excited! But for whatever reason, I felt compelled yesterday to buy cans of green beans, soups and canned fruits. I didn't fight the impulse, I've learned I get these for a reason. My mother, as she got into her 50's, became very price conscious, although she earned a good income. She'd proudly report the lucky finds she came across in what she called the dented food store. Mom had a pantry full of canned goods and always loved a bargain. She also had a lot of expired canned goods to be discarded when she passed. I remember when growing up in Hialeah, my dad went through a Mormon stage and apparently part of that is stocking enough cans of food in your house to last a family a lifetime or something. He built an extra pantry for just that, and kept it stocked. It was like a bunker in there. So I was thinking of these things as I was shopping. That's when I felt like I was channelling my mother. I was looking at the prices but would buy DelMonte instead of the store brand because, well, it was just a few cents difference and I had never tasted the store brand before. My mom loved to buy the store brands. Some of them I could tell the difference, some not. And it's not exactly a price issue, for me most of the time having a lot of canned goods means an expiration date I need to keep an eye on and feeling pressured to eat something I may not be in the mood for. Things like fresh produce used to bring up my commitment issues, and ripe bananas especially. Now I go through a lot of fresh produce, and I have to keep an eye on the cans to make sure they don't expire before I get to them. I don't like to do things that are wasteful. I try to keep a balance between saving for a rainy day and living to the fullest in the moment. I don't feel the need to begin stockpiling frantically for a tomorrow that may never come, but I also do not want to become like Frisky the squirrel who had no resources of his own. Often in the past I've stockpiled a lot of different things, just in case, and ended up having to discard much of it unused. I've learned that in any emergency situation, somehow exactly what I need will be made available to me. It has never failed and I have faith it will never fail. This is what is meant by recognizing The Power Of The Now. I don't need to know right now where my next good or next opportunity will come from. I just need to stay open and perceptive in the moment and realize what I have right in front of me. To the extent that I realize what is available to me in the moment, to that extent does it reveal itself to me. Some people live like nomads who never own anything of their own and they depend upon others to get them by in life. Some do it as an affordable lifestyle and others do it as an ascetic discipline. It takes a lot of courage and faith to strike out on your own, and venture into unknown territory, with nothing. So while I firmly believe if I had to do the same, I would somehow get by, I also think it doesn't hurt to be prepared. As Mohammed’s advice to the camel driver "Trust in God but tether your camel." And the advice of John Wesley to “Act as though everything depended upon you; and pray as though everything depended upon God”. And, in the meantime, if we have a storm and are without power for a bit, I won't be looking in one store after another for a can of green beans and a can of peaches. I'll have a cupboard full. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

food-pantry

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:12:23 +0000

bride-ring72-copy

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:25:00 +0000

8-09-cover-2x3

msandrea — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:33:51 +0000

It's Getting Better And Better Every Day; I Win Either Way

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:34:43 +0000

I'm doing final layout for the September Horizons this week and so I fielded calls and read emails all day yesterday, from 8am until 9pm. This is the week of 12-16 hour days working on the mag and not much else. But it's a labor of love and so the time goes quickly. I woke up feeling ready to start the new week. I'd spent the weekend making sure every bit of filing and bookkeeping was done and, for the first time in months, nothing remained on my desk except what I need for the current issue. I ran to the bank and then to the market since I noticed I'd eaten the last bag of spinach last night. I munch on spinach or romaine at night instead of chips or popcorn. Leaf by leaf. As I shopped, I contemplated that for the past year I have been cooking just about every day, now that my diet has gotten a little purer. For years I ate out 7+ times a week. I know when I stopped eating (most) meat in 2005, my food bill was easily cut by half. So when I got home, I sat down and looked through my records to see how my cooking at home routine compared financially to my dining out all the time routine. I was surprised that my total was $8,887 less. I thought, wow, that's an extra almost $9k, which is kind of like the Universe giving me a raise. I got a call from a friend out of state who publishes a tabloid, and she spent a few minutes talking about how business is down everywhere and the economy is to blame. I reminded her that business is not down everywhere and some are even flourishing. I guess because I don't talk to many people who are having problems, and because I don't watch the news, I only get input that tells me it's business as usual for a lot of folks. But that's part of what keeps me hopeful, and part of what keeps me in the flow of good things coming my way. I'm not always searching out evidence of a financial collapse, or what horrible whatever might be around the next corner. I'm always looking for ways to prove to myself how good it is, right now, right here in front of me. And I don't have far to go to look. I have new clients and new ads, and business is literally booming. Without even trying to cut back financially, I see that the Universe has orchestrated it so that I spent almost $9,000 less this year than last. Without me even trying to or thinking I needed to. Since I bought my Toyota Prius and get between 45-70 mpg, my fuel costs are cut in half - no, more than half what they were with my Santa Fe. Even at today's prices. Whatever they are. And it's not just me being Pollyanna. I see evidence of things being on the upswing everywhere I go. I've got a sister in law who believes the world is going to hell in a hand basket because that's what Fox news tells her. She's a basket case and she's going to give herself a stroke. It's all she can talk about with all her friends. The worry, the worry, the... oh wait, what is she worrying about again? She's the last in a line of smart investors so she's fully funded. And her friends are the same. Yet absolutely nothing has changed in their lives. They are talking about something they are not experiencing. Just as I have not yet experienced the crunch. This time around. Believe me, I have experienced it plenty of times in the past. And I may again, if I forget what I know and let my mind go there. I used to think it was just that I'd already paid my dues and that was why I felt so golden now, why things always go my way. Now I realize it is just that I'm optimistic and tend to expect the best. When I expect good things to happen, when I think I am lucky and that good fortune smiles upon me, that expectation and belief attracts to me many fortunate meetings and synchronistic events. It causes happy times to happen. It causes dollars to flow. It gives me great energy, makes me feel good and inspires me to be more creative. When I am like this, I know I am in the flow. I can feel it. I woke up laughing from a dream the other morning where I was making a list (yes in my dream) of what I would do when I win the lottery. And in the dream I was going to hand over the magazine to someone for a year. And I was laughing because, in the dream (as in real life) I got stuck on the part about who to hand it over to. Laughing because that is the part that doesn't matter, it's not like I have to decide who right now. So as I woke up and realized I was laughing and at what, I said, "so bring me someone new then" and today, not four says later, I may have just talked to that person on the phone. This is how I can tell I'm in the flow. When I feel really giddy with joy just doing my ordinary daily work. When every call is someone with good news. When every knock on the door is some unexpected niceness. The times, like now, when I feel I am living inside a giant dancing jewel with all my senses orgasmically engaged in the brilliance and beauty of it all. So, is this denial? Or is this evidence of the law of attraction at work? Do I have all I need, or do I just think I have all I need? Am I happy, or do I just think I'm happy? Don't I win either way? . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

meteor-shower

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:03:57 +0000

Meteor Shower; Meditation, Breathing As A Key To Youth

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:41:46 +0000

I was up early this morning, sitting out in the yard and watching the sky for the Perseid Meteor Shower. The moon is at the last quarter and at 3:00am was almost right overhead. It was hovering below and to the left of the Great Square of Pegasus, near the constellation Perseus, from where the meteors appeared to come. That just means the moon kept the night sky from being dark enough to see the dramatic meteor show we've seen in years past. Some years friends and I will go to the beach late at night and watch them. It's a very magical and mystical time. A meteor is a bright light cascading from the sky. I like the Perseids shower because Helena Blavatsky's birthday is August 12, and her writings were an early influence to me. I read much simpler fare now by far, but she helped shaped what I have come to know. She was indeed a bright light that came steaming into my life, so I think it is fitting that her birthday coincides each year with this meteor shower. According to legend, Perseus was able to behead Medusa by seeing her via the reflection in his polished shield, and his helmet of invisibility allowed him to escape. I think that is, esoterically, what Blavatsky's early teachings taught me: how to approach my personal demons through reflection upon what is in front of me. And that being as transparent as I can be is my ticket to freedom. What's freedom anyway? What is being free? When I was a kid, I was often restricted to my room for something I did to piss off my dad. Mom taught me early on to enjoying reading and sketching, so being grounded was no big deal. I could always read and transport myself far, far away. I felt free, even though I was restricted to my little bedroom. A dear brother, Bo Lozoff, wrote We're All Doing Time. Although the book concerns itself with the lives of people in prison, it is not about prisons or prison reform. It is about people and the spiritual work that they do. Bo recognizes that everybody just wants to feel good. Sometimes this basic urge leads to bad decisions, which in turn lead to spending time behind bars. Prisoners, like all of humanity, are still embroiled in the search for truth and enlightenment, a quest that never ends, no matter what the surrounding conditions may be. He wrote the book to help prisoners, but as Bo points out, we're all doing hard time until we find freedom inside ourselves. It's an instruction manual for gaining control of your life and quieting your mind so that you can really see what is going on. That's one reason I make it a point to meditate each day. To quiet my mind so that I can really see what is going on in my life. In the evening, I do yoga stretches and meditate after work, and that helps settle down the thoughts of the busy day. That feels like my wind down time. It is my daily happy hour. In the morning, I meditate at 4:00 a.m. and that feels like my tune up time. I have learned to just sit for my hour, and release as many thoughts as I need to, as often as I need to. I no longer worry about am I in there yet? Am I there now? Yes! Oh darn, now I'm back out. But wait I'm back, now out again... I just sit and put in my time. I just show up and breathe. I'm convinced that is how I can get away with so little sleep: because I meditate. Even thought I sleep twice a day for 3-4 hours at a stretch, I count my two hours daily meditation as sleep time as well. Your meditation time can simply be 10 minutes sitting in a quiet corner, maybe facing a favorite sacred image next to a candle. Just breathing gently, breathing away thoughts as they come up. When I worked for law offices, I would take a few minutes several times during the day to just sit and breathe the thoughts away. It's how I stayed so present and good at my work. Sure, things would get to me, but as I got in the practice of breathing them away, it became easier and easier. I began looking forward to what has evolved into my daily breathing practice. It's one of my keys to a peaceful life. And I'm convinced it's also a key to youth. I think I have less wrinkles because I don't worry, so I have less frown lines. I feel rejuvenated every time I meditate, like I got my holy infusion for the day, my charge of the Universal juice. My mind feels clearer, my body feels energized. Meditation is what gives me my inner glow. I know I have it. If you've met me in person, you've seen it. I'm not being vain, I just know who I am and where it comes from. I had resistance to doing my meditation as a daily discipline for about 20 years, although I did it. Now I look forward to it because I can tell the difference when I don't meditate. When I do, I feel like that meteor, like a bright shining star streaking across the sky. Wave to me as I go past if you see me, ok? . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

72-5-29-09-crop-in-car-jb-xxx

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:48:53 +0000

earth-hands

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:14:30 +0000

Dollars, Hurricanes, Personal Storms, It's All Related

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:16:21 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4228" align="alignright" width="150" caption="It's in our hands."][/caption] Remember, your personal success, and your prosperity are not in the hands of some “fickle finger of fate”—nor are they determined by sudden changes in the economy. The answer is in your conditioned ability to form and shape the ever-present substance of the Universe. There is just no way around it: your fortune (good or bad) begins with you. Financial crises, even recessions or depressions, so far as they affect your pocketbook or bank account or job stability, begin with your reactions of faith or fear. You do not cause economic conditions, though we all share in the cumulative consciousness that is the cause; but if you give them reality by your negative thoughts or conversations about them, you become synchronized with an energy flow which has as swift an influence on your life as the light that bathes the room when you throw the switch. From Eric Butterworth, in Spiritual Economics. That has been my experience, not just with money, but with everything. If I get a fear or anxiety about something, I start a chain reaction of a downward spiral which affects the other areas of my life. The domino effect, plain and simple. It happens every hurricane season, too. Like yesterday. Are you watching the weather guys trying to freak us out about the storms brewing in the Atlantic? Remember, getting riled up over that is a waste of time. We know by this year's weather pattern that like 90% of the tropical depressions will dissipate before hitting Florida. Get off the Watch And Worry Bandwagon and don't talk about the storms. Don't make folks think about them because they will then only attract something else they don't want. So it's in your hands... and on your lips. Last year I even emailed the local news and weather stations. These daily storms we've been having let the pressure off, so celebrate them. I do. The years we've gotten the strongest hurricane hits, we've had unseasonable weather and no summer storms to mitigate it. No so this year. Lotsa daily storms = no big buildup for surprise hurricanes during the season. It is really as simple as that. Our personal storms are like that also. We can either feed them with hasty actions and reactions based on the vibrational stance of those who are freaking out around us, or we can keep conflict at bay by being mindful and following our own guidance system, no matter what is happening, no matter what anyone else is saying. It's true that our perceptions create our personal reality, that how we choose to look at the world determines what kind of world we will live in. And two people living under the same roof can live in very different worlds. One of them can believe we are all at the mercy of Fate, and the other can believe we each create our own reality. Even for those of us who believe we create our own reality, there is one concept that most just can't seem to get. They think if they ponder and dream on what they want, that what they want should just come of its own accord. They don't realize that what they do and how they think and what they say in all other areas of their lives impacts the creation process as well. You can't hate your boss and criticize your co-workers and expect to find your dream job - it's all related. You can't ignore your mother and be fighting with your sister and expect to draw in your perfect mate - it's all related. If you watch the news and get aggravated by it, that's impacting your creation process. If you listen to politicians and think anyone is unethical, that impacts your creation process. If your boss is unreasonable and rude, and you have any emotional reaction of discontent or dislike toward him on a regular basis, that definitely impacts your creation process. And not just in the area of career and income. It impacts it in all other areas. Even areas you don't think you have resistance in. In my experience, that's where I find most people get hung up. They don't get that it's all related. They don't get that they've already done all the daydreaming and pre-paving of their creation, the Universe is just waiting for them to release their resistance and allow their creation to come to them. It's way more important to release resistance than it is to visualize what you want your outcome to be. It took me years to learn that. It took me years after hearing it so well said by Abraham-Hicks in the late 80's to release resistance I didn't know I had, or to even understand there was a process I could do to discover where I had resistance and a process to release it. For me, the key was when Abraham said - remember no one else was talking about this back in the 80's - that every subject is 2 subjects: that which we want and the lack of it, and we're either focused on one or the other. I'd never heard that concept before and it changed the way I saw everything after that. We can always tell what we've been focusing on, because it shows up in our lives. It shows up in our relationships with others, it shows up in what kind of job we have and how much money we make and the state of our health and happiness. If you and your husband are in business together, how you feel about him affects your business and affects your income. How he feels about you affects your business and affects your income. You can't think about and treat your partner one way and expect the Universe to deliver to you anything other than what you're sending out. And only one of you has to change how you think and feel about the other in order to effect a change in the outcome. And a change in the income. This is where we can fully realize the power of the Now: by choosing in this moment right now to quiet our personal storms and release any old baggage we have with whoever is the closest to us; whoever we have to see every day and who has been in our life for the most years. Forget everything that has ever happened between you in the past. Stop bringing to mind all past transgressions. When he pushes your buttons and a past memory comes up, make a choice to turn your thoughts around right then. Bring to mind the things he does that you love. Bring to mind all the good reasons you are together and how much fun you have when things are going well. That's how best to use the power of the Now: to dissipate old baggage and transform the Now moment into an enjoyable, delicious time for you and everyone around you. No matter what storms might appear to be raging around you. And, in the Now, don't be worrying about what the news tells you about the economy or the storms brewing in the Atlantic. This too shall pass. Be prepared, but be in the moment with it all. Look around you right now, in this moment, and take inventory of everything that is going right in your life. Storms will come and go, but we can get through them, it's just a cycle. And it's good to know ahead of time that this will be an easy hurricane season. So breathe a sign of relief and get onto your next good thing. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

girl-in-car

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:57:34 +0000

LOOK Before You Cash Any Rebate or Credit Card Rewards Checks. The Better Business Bureau issues warning over Snuggie scam

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:10:03 +0000

If you've cashed a rebate check or check for reward points recently, you may have just authorized a $150 annual fee to be charged to your account, or a monthly charge. Advanta is sending reward points rebates right now. And the Snuggie. You know, that comfy looking lounging robe they advertise on tv? Apparently the Better Business Bureau had to get involved after massive customer complaints. They say "rebate” checks for $8.95 have been issued to Snuggie buyers, snaring them in with an old trick used by credit card companies. On the rebate checks, in fine print, it says that by cashing the check, you are automatically charged a $149.99 annual membership fee. Here are some links: Don't Buy A Snuggie Blanket, Don't Cash the Rebate check. Snuggie Scam: Pay $150 for A $9 Rebate and Better Business Bureau issues warning over Snuggie scam. And it's not just the Snuggie. A lot of products offered on late night tv also get the same rap, as well as credit card companies sending checks for reward points: Rebate Scams: How They Get You ADVANTA IS DOING THIS NOW: I wondered why I even cared about this, then just now looked on my desk and have a "rebate check" for "reward points" from Advanta, who I used to have a credit card with. The accompanying info had already been thrown away, so I could not read the fine print. However, I simply tore the check up so I did not end up depositing it. Synchronicity. The Universe rescues me in the nick of time once again. Vibrational match! . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Why Comments Are Closed Again - I Attracted Some Spam Robots

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:00:48 +0000

I just awoke from an interesting dream. In it, I was standing on a hill watching through binoculars as what looked like hundreds of small robots came crashing into a small village below, causing minor damage. They all looked exactly the same and were about waist high. I came in here to write the day's post and, when I logged on to my blog, I saw I had 94 comments waiting. I immediately thought there are my robots. It only took a few moments to delete them all. I recognized how I had attracted them. Earlier, before my nap, I wrote the post LOOK Before You Cash Any Rebate or Credit Card Rewards Checks. I don't usually write about things like that, or pay much attention when stuff like that happens. But I'd spent a few minutes getting the links right and wondering why I was doing a post like that at all. Then I found the reward points rebate check that Advanta had sent me. I felt a spark of emotional investment and, of course, that was the fuel that set the corresponding manifestation in motion. Hence, I attracted the spam robots. So COMMENTS are turned off until I am vibrating at a different point of attraction :) And if I play my cards right, that may be any minute now. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

meditation_72-2423670

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:48:44 +0000

dance

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:24:19 +0000

Relationship Or Not? Everything is Relationship

msandrea — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:57:24 +0000

I got a neat email from someone the other day. She writes: I read your Facebook blogs in addition to your Horizons monthly article and I admire your life. May I ask you an intensely personal question...are you in a relationship? I ask because there is no indication that you are and if not, you seem supremely happy with your life the way it is. And I would like my life to be as content as yours seems to be. You seem to have found the key. Relationship or not. I so loved the email that I posted it on my Facebook Wall. I commented: "Well, besides being in a relationship with every single other being - physical and nonphysical - in the entirety of the Universe? No individual partner, no. I haven't pair bonded in years. Maybe that's the key :)" I was only partly kidding. Facebook friend Valerie Saurer said: Andrea, that's one of the things that I admire about you. You're clearly and unapologetically single, and I've never gotten the vibe from you that you're unhappy with your status. You exude total contentment with every word you write. You are proof that single and lonely are completely unrelated states. I told her I think it's like when you retire and find so many things to do that you wonder how you ever had time for a job. I have so many fulfilling relationships with friends and family that I can't imagine feeling any more in love if it was focused upon one person. In fact, that's been one of my issues in the past. When I've gotten into relationships, my tendency historically had been to saturate myself completely in the boyfriend, and then I don't feel like doing any work. All I want to do is play with the new man until the infatuation ends or we burn it out or got married. When I stopped doing that, I realized I had tons of time and incentive to do the work I do. And the deeper I get into my work - which is my mission as well - the happier and more content with my life I become. Also the less likely to initiate change. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. My man would have to be really happy without me a lot unless he was in the work with me. I figure some day he'll fall into my lap. Or not. Either way, I win. I don't know if it's because I spent so much time being picked on by bratty brothers and their friends, but I have always enjoyed doing things on my own. Even from my 20's, I enjoyed having a meal alone, going to the gym alone, racquetball so I didn't have to drum up a partner anytime I wanted to play, running, biking, dancing, drumming, yoga, meditation, writing, all solitary activities. If you've ever played solo racquetball, you become aware of what relationship is. You have a relationship with the racquet, with the ball, with the four walls, with the floor, with the ceiling. You have a relationship with time, as you execute each shot so the ball bounces but once before you connect again. Relationship is all about getting into that flow, and becoming sensitive to the responses of whoever and whatever you are interacting with. You go with the flow and dance the cosmic dance with whatever is in front of you. That's not always a person, but it's still a relationship. I have deep relationships with my two cats, with my Toyota Prius and with my Sonicare toothbrush. I have deep relationships with the oaks and pine on my property; with the mulberry and loquat trees and the bamboo. I can feel them interact with me when I am out among them. I feel a relationship with the orange as I peel it and the pineapple, and to the bread I toast, and to the toaster oven. I feel akin to the squirrels and birds I feed, and the raccoons, armadillos and opposums that I don't feed. I feel connected to every blade of grass I mow and, of course, believer in reincarnation that I am, the metaphor of the mulching lawnmower is not lost on me. I know each cut blade is delighted to return to the soil, eager for its next adventure. And so am I. In the meantime, in the words of that great guru David Bowie ... Let's Dance. Andrea . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Just A Different Way Of Looking At It

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:42:36 +0000

I finished final layout for the September issue of Horizons just in the nick of time last night. Now I just need to spend a few hours proofing it before sending it off to the printer. I used to freak out if I was this late finishing it up. But now, 17 years later, I know I always manage to get it done on time. And nothing changed but how I perceived it and how I reacted to it. A change in perception can literally change your world. In 1995, I bought a Geo Metro. You know, one of those little roller skate sized cars that got really good mileage. It was the last regular car I had until the Toyota Prius I bought last year. In between, I had SUVs and vans. I always needed to have a vehicle I could haul thousands of magazines in if I had to. One day, I'd driven over to Tampa to pick up the magazines from the printer, and the job filled the entire car. Typically a 7 hour round trip, I was driving home much later since I'd visited with my mom for a couple of hours. I was about 2 hours from home and had a phone appointment in 3 hours. Then I got a flat tire. The Geo Metro had one of those little donut spare tires, and it was, you guessed it, under the floorboard of the hatchback area. Which had several thousand magazines piled on top of it. So here I was, after a long day, alone, having to unload stacks and stacks of magazines to get to the spare and change the tire. It took me about 30 minutes. I timed it so that I was doing all this alongside the after-work-Disney-area-traffic. Perfect timing on my part. Can you imagine how I felt that day? How would you have felt? Andrea, I hear someone saying, if you are doing the Abraham-Hicks work, you should not be attracting things like flat tires. As soon as someone says something like this, I know they don't get it. It was actually one of my best days ever and I know exactly how I attracted it. I'd spent the day driving in my new little car and reflected on how much I loved to be out and about driving. I'd taken the back way through Kissimmee into Tampa, past lots of orange groves, a favorite drive of mine. It was my shortcut to Mom's house, and so there were happy memories all along the road. I'd been reflecting on the way home just how nice a day it had been, and thinking how nice it would be to be outside in it, if only I didn't have to hurry home for my appointment. I thought how nice it would be to get some exercise, instead of sitting. It was an amazingly beautiful spring day, about 70 degrees and I can remember I wore my workout gear. That is when the Universe stepped in and gave me what I'd been thinking about. I got some exercise by unloading the entire back of the car, and I got to spend time in the sunshine while I was doing it. I was dressed to do a lot of lifting and moving about. I got to figure out how the jack worked and how the tire went on. Several hunky guys stopped to help, but I was having such a good time that I waved them on. Changing the tire also got me out of the crunch of the Disney traffic. There was nothing in that experience that was a negative. I didn't feel my time was wasted, since I wanted a workout anyway. I wished I could be out in the fresh air instead of sitting in the car, and the magic genie made that happen for me. It was so comically instant gratification that it tickled me pink. I recognized the synchronicity and it tickled me how expertly it was orchestrated just for me. Maybe I'm more sensitive to recognizing guidance when I see it, since I always I know what I'm asking for. I always keep it in the front of my conscious mind. Then I look for evidence and clues everywhere. I thought later how different friends of mine would have reacted to having a flat tire and changing it themself. It didn't occur to me to call AAA, it was just a tire and I had a spare. Dumber people than I had managed to change a tire. I was sure I could. But for me to get all out of shape because of a flat tire, that's not how I see it. For me to freak out because I had an appointment I was cutting it close for, and no phone signal, would have served no purpose. It was only a tire and I am a strong, able-bodied person who can generally figure stuff out when it happens. Had I not been dressed for it, I would have accepted the help of the half dozen dudes that stopped. So, do I think it was bad karma or bad luck or a negative anything that gave me a flat tire? No. There was nothing bad about it. That is not how I view it. It was just a happening. The judgment of good or bad comes from my reaction to the happening, my acceptance of it or my resistance to it. Things are going to happen. Who you are and how you are determines what circumstances and events you experience. And it's not about what the body is going through as much as it is about what your mind is going through during the happening. In my case, I recognized the flat tire as the Universe's very clever way of quickly giving me exactly what I'd been asking for just moments before. Thanks, Guys! And it was a good reminder to be specific in what I ask for in the future :) . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

When People Change Intentions and Break Contracts

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:50:25 +0000

I managed to wear out my right paw during the 14-18 hour days this past week finishing up the September Horizons, so this will be short. In fact, I cheated and wrote this a couple of months ago and had in fact forgotten it until now. Recently, a client who had negotiated a particularly long term contract decided they wanted to back out and asked for a refund. I'd spend considerable time on the phone with her last year making sure it was what she wanted to do, and I gave her a good price for the 2 year run. Each month she couldn't seem to get the info to her ad designer on time, so there was always a lot of back at forth at the last minute to get the ad in by deadline. That was my first red flag. My second was that although she's a life coach for others to attract abundance (why is everyone that these days?), she cuts corners and solicits friends for business in social situations. Instead of really listening to them, she dissects their conversations for words that she believes indicate they need her help. She gives unsolicited advice to the point it's hard for some people to be around her. We all know someone like that, don't we, or several? So what about when people change intentions and break contracts and don’t live up to their part of the bargain due to their own fears and anxieties? Do you blame them, kick yourself for attracting it and dissect every thought for what you did wrong? You will drive yourself crazy if you let yourself get hung up there. I have learned I cannot use what someone else does or doesn’t do as my excuse to introduce resistance into my vibration. It will only serve to stop my flow. The thing I do is remember that I attracted that from them, so I clean up my own vibration, let it go and get on with attracting something different next time. Yep, it's as simple as that. And if it's a business contract and a client, I've found that for every one I lose, a dozen more will appear to replace them, and it's always an upgrade. It hasn't failed yet. Andrea . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

72-izzy-in-window

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:10:28 +0000

72-izzy-in-window1

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:11:48 +0000

72-izzy-in-window2

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:20:03 +0000

72-yinyang-mini-cow-9-13-06

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:33:41 +0000

The Moose and the Mini Cow

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:37:59 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4319" align="alignright" width="166" caption="Izzy my moose, stretched out in the window"][/caption] I joke about my cat Izzy being so big since he's a Maine Coon kitty. He's 28" long with a 16" tail and weight just over 30 pounds. I call him my Moose. He's so much bigger than other kitties, and he has a very un-cat like personality. YinYang, on the other paw, is my little masked harlequin kitty, white with black splotches on her. I call her my little mini-cow since when she lies down, her body kind of spreads out and she looks like a little heifer. Last night I had a dream that I was watching tv and a new show was coming on, and the title was The Moose and the Mini-Cow. The song was "It's about time, it's about space, about 2 cats in the strangest place." [caption id="attachment_4321" align="alignleft" width="144" caption="Yinny the Mini Cow"][/caption] When we used to sing that tv show theme song back in 1966, we would say the word "cats" for "men" since my Uncle Andy used all the beatnik phrases and we got it from him. There's no point to this story other than I thought it was funny. . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

pretzel-72

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:34:37 +0000

hamster-on-wheel

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:20:50 +0000

1 Ounce of Pretzels = 4 Pounds and a 2 Day Slump

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:24:36 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4328" align="alignright" width="108" caption="Looks innocent, huh?"][/caption] I discovered something the other day that I forgot about snack type things. They contain sodium and make you retain water! The last time I ate anything like pretzels or chips or packaged cookies was like 5 or more years ago, so it's easy for me to forget about what they do to the body. I'd picked up a one ounce bag of little pretzels and nibbled on them through the day. There were 120 of them in the bag. You know, those little half dollar size pretzels with big chunks of yummy salt. I was working away and thought, what a great idea pretzels are since they are low fat and easy to eat while I work. I don't usually eat in the office. So I worked through lunch and dinner and didn't feel hungry, although about 3:00pm I had the urge to make iced tea. Which I had not done for maybe a year. And I wanted lemon and sugar in it, which I haven't done for several years. The snack made me thirsty and I guess the salt made me want sugar and the sweet made me want sour. Typically I simply drink water, but I made a big pot of iced raspberry tea and by midnight had drank all of it. A day later I got on the scale and weighed 4 pounds more. WTF? My weight has stayed within 2 pounds for the past 4 years. I forgot that is what that kind of food does! Two days later I was back to normal but I reflected on the body changes. The tummy satisfaction made me forget the purpose of eating is for body fuel and to maintain cell structure so, since I wasn't hungry, I skipped 2 meals of nutritious food that day. [caption id="attachment_4329" align="alignleft" width="144" caption="Never-ending wheel"][/caption] I felt sluggish about halfway into the bag, and had no real energy for 2 days. My tum defnitely felt gassy for 2 days. After a day of eating salads and veggies and protein, I felt back to normal again. Interesting I'd forgotten about that whole salt and sugar hamster wheel that happens when I eat the processed food. I wonder how many other people who have no energy eat stuff like this and don't see the connection? How many are on the hamster wheel and don't realize it? Hmmm.

krshna with flute72

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:13:25 +0000

Looking Past What Is to See What Really Is

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:58:33 +0000

You know that song Any Day Now by Ronnie Milsap This favorite song has such a fun, upbeat tune and such sad words. It used to bother me, thinking I could no longer listen to it, so I would not "program" myself with "negative" input. Then I realized I didn't have to make such a big deal of it. I could just assign different meanings to the words. Like living in the ashram and when we'd hear pop music, we'd change the love songs into songs to Krshna. The song now is simply to the beloved who has found their way to The Beloved. No sadness and loss in being left by one who has a higher calling. And the same with another favorite song, Only the Lonely by Roy Orbison. I love the upbeat tune that just makes my body want to dance, and whatever key it is in, just makes the cells of my body come alive. But if you hear the words with conventional meaning, it's a sappy, pathetic song. So I just asign different meanings to the words. When I hear the words, I think, "Yes, only the blissfully solitary can have any idea of how wonderfully free and joyous it feels to answer to no one and to immerse yourself into everything around you, and find joy in the being with it." So I adore the song and it makes me happy, even though everyone else may not get it as a happy song. Just like in the rest of life, we have to read between the lines and extract the pleasure and joy out of every single thing that faces us. Especially if, like the song, we're going to let it play over and over in our thoughts. I saw a friend today who has spiraled herself into a hopeless feeling place and she can't see any way out. Every area of her life has a snafu. She and her son and two dogs live out in the sticks and she knows that isolation is a contributing factor. She is unhappy and if you read her body language, you can see the anxiety and depression. But I don't read someone's body language, unless I want to communicate with them solely on a personality level. To me, that's like reading someone else's sad lyrics, when I've got better lyrics straight from the source. I see the radiant soul of her, I see the One she is despite all the words and worry. But that's not who she sees. I found myself almost tongue-tied which, if you know me, seldom happens. I could tell that no matter what I said to her, she was not receiving it. She was asking for clarification, but I could not speak her language. We both realized we weren't a vibrational match right now. She acknowledged the problem was that she spent too much time alone with her own thoughts, and her thoughts were of a downward spiral nature, and she felt helpless against them. It's easy to say, well simply find a better feeling thought and write yourself out a script and read it over and over every time the bad thoughts came to mind. The process is easy. Doing it takes more discipline than most want to cultivate. She couldn't even muster the discipline to download a file I'd sent her months ago that I knew would help her. A file she could listen to in her sleep and not give any conscious thought to. And she could not make herself download the file. But none of that matters. It's not my job to fix her and not my job to make her get it or teach her how to strengthen her will or become a more alive, more enthusiastic person. She's made it this far and she's doing fine, although not to hear her tell it. She's smart and educated and spiritual and can be fun and I see the Light that she is. Not that she CAN be, but that she IS right now. It doesn't matter if I'm the only one who sees it. When I see her like that, no matter what the appearance to the contrary, then I'm seeing the real her. I'm seeing past the appearance to what is really there. I'm replacing her sad lyrics with hopeful ones of my own, because I have the broader view. When I see HER, the real HER, then, like Ronnie Milsap sings, my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown. When you have someone, anyone, even just one person who sees you, all sorts of magic begins to unfold. For everyone. And you can be that one who really sees the person in front of you. It may be that you are the only one who does. That's what you call a lightworker in action. And I love Chrissie Hynde's version of Bob Dylan's any day now I Shall Be Released (lyris below) They say ev'rything can be replaced, Yet ev'ry distance is not near. So i remember ev'ry face Of ev'ry man who put me here. I see my light come shining From the west unto the east. Any day now, any day now, I shall be released. They say ev'ry man needs protection, They say ev'ry man must fall. Yet i swear i see my reflection Some place so high above this wall. I see my light come shining From the west unto the east. Any day now, any day now, I shall be released. Standing next to me in this lonely crowd, Is a man who swears he's not to blame. All day long i hear him shout so loud, Crying out that he was framed. I see my light come shining From the west unto the east. Any day now, any day now, I shall be released. ANY DAY NOW LYRICS Any day now I will hear you say 'Goodbye, my love' And you'll be on your way Then my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown, woah Any day now, I'll be all alone, whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa Any day now, when your restless eyes meet someone new (Krshna) Oh, to my sad surprise Then the blue shadows will fall all over town, woah (Krshna blue!) Any day now (any day now) Love will let me down (any day now), whoa-oa-oa-oa-oa I know I shouldn't want to keep you If you don't want to stay-ay Until you're gone forever I'll keep holdin' on for dear life Holding you this way Begging you to stay Any day now, when the clock strikes 'Go? You'll call it off And then my tears will flow Then my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown, woah Any day now (any day now) Love will let me down (any day now), 'cause you won't be around Then the blue shadows will fall all over town, woah Any day now (any day now) Love will let me down (any day now), 'cause you won't be around Any day now, you won't be around Ooo-ooo-oo (Any day now) No no no no no no You won't be around (Any day now) . . LISTEN FREE: Sleepytime Recharge: Retrain your consciousness to experience joy

72-2-22-09-laughing

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Windows Vista Teaches Me To Clear My Cache of Judgment. How Often Do You Throw Wet Blankets Around? (Ask Your Friends)

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:34:56 +0000

Yesterday morning I had just finished up some work and spent a few minutes web surfing and came across the Gateway to Agape Choir singing a favorite song "Wholly Holy Way" It was perfect timing before my 4:00am morning meditation. Afterward, I napped until 8:30am and then went to see Dr. David Rindge, my acupuncture physician, for some laser therapy for my right paw. I'd over worked it with the computer mouse during the last week of final layout, so after a little R & R it will be fine again. The laser treatment gives almost instant relief. Thanks to David, I never had carpal tunnel surgery after a car accident in September 2000 as two doctors recommended. Every few years I might overdo it like this week, and the laser treatment fixes me right up. On the way home I stopped at the produce stand and got roma tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms, garlic and yellow onions. I eat a lot of onions and garlic. It keeps my immune system in tip top shape. Back home, I spent an hour putting online my new recipe for Low Fat Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Calamata Olives and Capers, then I made some for lunch. Later that day, since I was not in the office, I turned my laptop on and went to post something to Facebook. However, at the login page, I got the message: "Cookies Required. Cookies are not enabled on your browser. Please adjust this in your security preferences before continuing." However, when I checked, the cookies showed as being enabled. It let me proceed to Facebook, but would not let me post or comment. Well, that just won't do! But wait, that can be the Universe telling me it's time to listen, not talk. So I began to read everyone's posts, even those that do not appear in my News Feed, to see what might catch my eye that needs reflecting upon. If I can figure that out, the my problem will solve itself. The first thing I did was, of course, clear the cache and clear my settings and run CCleaner, which I do after every session. Then I rebooted and did the clear and reboot process a few more times. I decided to give it a rest and began a contemplation session to bring to mind what I know about computers. I did this to bring myself to a good vibrational point before turning the laptop back on. I know my computers always work better than I expect them to. Even when one goes down every few years, it's not for long and I never lose data. I have learned to backup to external hard drives, so data loss is never an issue. I knew whatever it was, we would likely work though it pretty quickly and easily, because that's how my life is. A friend joked that I should replace my Windows Vista with an Apple. I told her Vista must be mirroring something to me, so I must keep it until I suss it out. I was only partly kidding. I thought, okay, Vista means view, so I am not seeing the big picture. So at Facebook, I begin reading to see what might hold some meaning for me. I came across a post I'd made that morning about being irked at hearing friends rave over a teacher who I've only heard spout rehashed and diluted stuff. Even friends who've done rebirthing and heard it 20 years ago like I did. Me judging them only shows I don't have my own sh*t together like I think I do. My friend Anne Marie hit the nail on the head when she said: How beautiful, to have friends and their teacher bring up your sh*t for you to look at!! What a friggin' gift! I say-- Ugh! Just when I think I am HEALED!!!!! I laugh because I know it's a gift when friends bring up my sh*t or call me on it. I'd let myself get grumpy the past few days, whining about my paw, judging, complaining... Well, ok, it was just 3 or 4 remarks, but I did them on Facebook. So instead of "Oh, I just said 4 sentences," it becomes, I just told the same 4 whiney, judgmental stories to 794 friends. That's throwing a pretty big wet blanket out there. [caption id="attachment_4361" align="alignright" width="108" caption="Laughing at myself"][/caption] So, even though I am fairly mindful of what I say when I say it, this is a good reminder to take up as a personal discipline the practice of not remarking about something right away if it is critical. How do I know if it's critical? It either pisses me off or makes me feel I can teach them a lesson. When I feel that way, instead of making a comment, I should look within and see what my guidance system is trying to tell me via that emotion. What do I need to learn, or be reminded of? In this case, I'd not cleared my cache of judgment about whose work is or is not of value, as well as judging friends for settling for so little when so much awaits them. I felt "done" so I ended my contemplation session. I went back in and turned on the laptop, in a very different vibrational place than when I'd tried earlier. I signed on to Facebook and did not get the error message. So whatever it was, it no longer is. I thought, just like us: new again in every moment with infinite potential. I have no idea what the problem was - the problem was simply a vehicle for the message anyway - but what matters is that today is a new day and today it works! Hafiz: Happy before I have a reason . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Self Talking Myself Into Banging Out The Paperwork

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:16:10 +0000

Yesterday I walked around the property while it was still cool in the morning, and sprayed the air potato vines. This year I really have them under control, but that took several years of spraying during the season. They are pretty, but they choke out everything they wind around. Sound like anyone you know? I cleared out my car to prepare for this weekend's delivery of the September Horizons and ran out to do some errands. On the way back, I stopped at Mid Eastern Aromas by FlaTech, where I picked up a veggie combo (eggplant and pickle!) sandwich and their stuffed grape leaves appetizer, which comes with hummus. After lunch, I saw Izzy lying on a table in my office and he looked so adorable I took a short video of him for Facebook. The Izzy Cam seems to be popular on Facebook. At one point, I rubbed his belly and I don't know why out of all the freeze frames that Facebook had to choose that split second my arm was in the shot. I was wearing my wrist brace, since my right paw has been on the mend for a few days, and it's kind of goofy looking. Goofy looking because when I first got them, I dyed them pink, and they are pretty shaggy by now. But they work, so I don't care how they look. If I had a formal ball to go to, I would manage to acquire a nicer pair. In fact, I spent part of the day pondering how I could design a custom brace pretty easily, using this as a pattern. I could easily sew in the removable metal splint. That way I could make it in a breathable fabric and in a color that blended in with my skin. Of course, I could think of a million projects to do when I was supposed to be resting my paws. I spent the rest of the day updating my mailing labels and doing the post office paperwork. I used to say I hate math. Now I know if I hate math it will take me longer to do it. It's amazing how quickly that job gets done when I stop whining about it and just bang it out. That was my intention before I went to bed: "I'll get up and bang out the paperwork as soon as I get up. That way I can have tomorrow off." That was my intention as soon as I woke up: "I'll jump up and bang out the paperwork so I can take tomorrow off." I began running that tape in my head and so by the time I woke up for the third and final time, I was excited to crank out the work and get it over with. I have to do that for myself before I go to bed and as soon as I wake up, if there is something I want to be cheer leaded into. By doing this self talk, I treat myself as though I am the one I love most, and want to encourage into my day and keep motivated and upbeat. If someone else does it for me, it helps. If there's no one else to do it for me, I have to do it for myself if I want it. I've learned I thrive on the attention and I want to thrive, not just be alive. And I don't wait for someone else to come along and do it for me. Hafiz: Happy before I have a reason . . LISTEN FREE: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

angel-guardian72a

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:18:25 +0000

Leaving the Physical Body Does Not End The Connection; Transmuting Energy; Procrastination & Incubating Ideas

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:20:15 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4390" align="alignright" width="105" caption="Watching Over"][/caption] In October 1997, we witnessed the passing of two profound women who lived their lives as a testament to caring for and comforting others. Both Princess Diana and Mother Teresa were monumentally compassionate and courageous and, as Jean Houston so poignantly put it, “willing to shine light in places many of us are afraid to go.“ I personally thought, “what better time for the most compassionate Mother on Earth to leave than when an entire nation was mourning the passing of such a beloved sister and princess.” I truly feel that we affect others more profoundly from the non-physical than we can from the physical. I truly believe that yes, while Mother Teresa was in her body, she helped and comforted many, yet she held many more in her heart than she could in her arms. I believe those who gazed upon her radiance from afar were just as comforted as those within hand's reach, for even we who saw her only on tv were moved by her, even if for a brief moment to consider someone in our lifetime who was so openly compassionate and displayed such enormous faith. RELEASING OUR BONDS I believe that whereas in life she was limited to one tiny, frail body, she has now been released into the Universe where she can rain her compassion and love down on all of us. I can envision her kind of hovering about us all, whispering words of encouragement wherever needed, offering love and inspiration to many more than she could reach while in physical form. What a heavenly thought, that's very comforting to me and I totally believe it's true. Ramakrishna put it well, when one of his students voiced regret at his dying and leaving them, “don't be silly,” he countered, “where would I go?” We are, indeed, All One, in a Universe where no one “leaves” but merely is trans-formed. BRINGING IT CLOSE TO HOME My mom and I had always been very close, talking daily even though we lived across the state from each other, and I always thought I'd be shattered when she was gone. Remarkably, when in 1996 she died suddenly of a first heart attack, I still felt her presence comforting me and the feeling continues to this day. I have her photos around to keep me inspired and usually have an ongoing dialogue with her weekly. I feel her approval at my successes and her commiseration at my foibles. Nothing's changed except I get fewer busy signals when I try to call and I never get the answering machine anymore! The point is, my experience is that leaving the physical body does not end the connection with and influence of our beloveds. THE VALUE OF CREATIVE VISUALIZATION I feel that with every thought we think, we release into the Universe, the global mental plane if you will, a substance that ultimately feeds and nurtures us all mentally and emotionally. I believe it is up to those of us who know that we do, in fact, create our reality based upon the thoughts we think, it's up to us to think the best thoughts we can and hold the vision for those who - for whatever reason - are less focused or less inclined to do so themselves. YOUR MEDITATION BENEFITS EVERYONE Any time we spend daily in quiet meditation helps us clear and settle our mind and doing so helps feed peace and quiet into the global mental plane. Any time we spend creatively visualizing a happy outcome of any situation, we are feeding those hopeful thoughts and feelings into the global mental plane, and yes, daydreaming counts! By repeatedly visualizing a desired scenario, you vibrate in harmony with it and as you vibrate in harmony with it, you attract it into your experience. WHAT ARE YOU OFFERING TO OTHERS? So - before you think another thought ! - you might want to make sure it's a loving, helpful, kind thought and you might want to spend a few extra moments in the thinking of it. And of course, be prepared to have your thought become a reality sooner than expected and if you're not prepared for it to happen - stop thinking about it right now!! And if you don't give much thought to your thoughts, well, keep doing that as long as you're loving your life. But if you aren't loving every moment of your life, you might want to be more conscious of what thoughts you have running through your head every day. BALANCE BETWEEN DUTY AND PLEASURE So what's been going on in my life the last few weeks? Feeling a little overloaded with work, time pressures, deadlines, yet knowing that as I focus on not having enough time, the time slips quickly away. So tough sometimes to remember that my time will free up as I envision myself feeling free, feeling aided, feeling guided; so tough to take the time to goof off with a friend while there's piles of work yet to be done. IT NEVER FAILS Yet without fail, if I can remember to stop and take a break when I'm the most rushed, I can relieve a lot of the tension and come back into balance. If I can make myself step out of the office and into the car and go off on a pleasure jaunt, whether it's for 2 hours or 2 days, I always come back to a desk that's amazingly not as cluttered with work as I thought it was. TRANSMUTING THE ENERGY When I remember to stop and ask myself - “okay, what am I vibrating in harmony with right now?” Then I remember that I'm vibrating in harmony with feeling rushed, I'm vibrating in harmony with feeling pressured, I'm vibrating in harmony with being grumpy. Hmmm, so what am I feeling? I'm feeling rushed, I'm feeling frantic, I'm feeling grumpy. So what am I oozing out into the Universe? Frantic grumpiness. Is that what I want my message to the world to be? No. What is my message to the world? Love life and love each other and share peace and comfort and joy forever. So how would I feel if I loved life and loved everyone and felt peace and comfort and joy forever? Hmmm, feels pretty good, it's making me smile, my heart feels full just thinking about that. Now thinking on that thought for just a few more moments and what I've just done is transmuted the unwanted vibration. Since I've changed my vibration (relative to that subject,) I've eased up on my resistance, so I instantly feel less rushed, less frantic and less grumpy. Now that's magic ~ that's transmutation. This is better than turning tin to gold! Try it, you'll like it! I DON'T NEED HELP, I JUST NEED A NEW ATTITUDE My favorite Whine Of The Day is “I need more help!” yet when you get right down to it, all I need to do is change my perception of whatever I'm whining about, and I'll realize I have plenty of time to do all that needs to be done. And I really do. As soon as I'm feeling pressured, I pull out my List Of Reasons Why I Love What I Do and I re-read it and I remember it and I add to my list each day, and before you know it, I've changed my perception and am once again loving my job and having plenty of time to do all that needs to be done! ON BECOMING ORGANIZED A friend and I were discussing becoming more organized and she said she's been reading about getting organized and she's been buying things to help her organize, so there's movement, she says, toward organization. She said she feels by walking the aisles at Office Depot, she comes closer to her goal. I don't think that's procrastination, I prefer to call that incubation. INCUBATING OUR IDEAS I think that's often where it begins, we sometimes need an incubation period before we can birth our ideas into physical form. As we were discussing organization, my eyes wandered to the latest delivery from Office Depot, sitting in the corner, unopened this past week, wherein lie 3 new file baskets. Hmmm, shopping for them was one thing, but actually beginning to file, I dunno... PROCRASTINATION SERVES A PURPOSE We beat ourselves up too much for putting things off, for procrastinating, and in doing so we miss the value in it. A lot of the time when we think we're procrastinating, we've merely not finished gathering information yet. We give ourselves ridiculous deadlines that have no basis in reality, and then kick ourselves when we don't meet them! So, appreciate it when you feel yourself next procrastinating, for you just need to feed a little more info into the old computer before you move forward, and there's nothing lazy about that. At least, that's my story. LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Clearing The Karma Of Bootlegged Software and CDs Frees Up Money Elsewhere In Your Life - Do It.

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:14:19 +0000

A couple of people have asked me what I think are the karmic implications of bootlegging cds for friends, so I'm posting something I initially wrote in 1997: The Universe Crashes My Computer So what's playing out in my life right now and what lessons are there to be learned from it? Hmmm, I have this big cold slowing me down, making me have to rush at the end to get this issue done on time; then one day away from completion, my computer's Pagemaker program crashed and I was left with pages of magazine articles unprinted, no way to even open them up and no layout program to help put them together if I could open them up! I took this as a sign from the Universe to go where I wouldn't be distracted, sit quietly, and ask (1) what was to be learned from this and (2) what was my quickest way out of it? I'm Not Alone In This Lesson Now I figure that whatever's going on with me is also going on with everyone around me, whether we talk about it or not, so that's why I share these personal insights with you. Over the past 5 years, I'd come to rely heavily on my Pagemaker program, a program which, incidentally, I hadn't paid for and which a friend had given us a copy of. So here I was, one day away from completion, and my stolen program was letting me down. Hmmmm, such a little crime, I mean, everyone copies software for their friends, right? I reflected on how many things there are in life like that, we take something that may not have been meant for us in the first place and then get aggravated and complain when we don't receive full benefit from it, and don't ever make the connection! Do I Really Believe The Universe Will Provide? “But that's a $750 program,” you say, “I can't afford that!” Well, then maybe I wasn't meant to have it so soon; here 5 years later I still only know the basics of it. Or maybe if I hadn't stolen it first, someone would have bought it for me - people are always giving me incredible gifts! If I truly believed in the abundance of the Universe, I would have just bought it knowing that the mortgage payment would somehow get paid on time also. After all, money only comes pouring into my life when I'm pouring it out on others, I HAVE learned that much. But on some level, I hadn't REALLY learned that or I would have recognized that by accepting the copy, I was also accepting a bit of my friend's karma, and all that that implies. Stealing Is Not Sharing I thought I was just trying to save money. Trying to save money by stealing, hmmm, I wonder what the karmic implications of that are? I was trying to save MY MONEY by DENYING PAYMENT to the owner of the program. If I'm denying money to anyone, how can I expect it to flow into my life? If I stop it for one, I'm delaying it for others and I definitely stop it for me. To me that's what karma means. Cause and effect. Anything I put into motion comes back to me - at some point on some level - even if I don't always recognize the form it returns as. And every year I get better at recognizing it. Can You Trace Everything to Its Cause? Everything that I have in my life right now is a product of what I've been giving out to the world during my lifetime. I can look at every item I own and each room in my house and every one of my friends and, in retrospect, on past friends, and I know what I did to bring it into my life. It's a very liberating feeling knowing that I'm the one who controls all that. Not that I always KNEW I controlled it, but once I found out, believe me, changes rocked my world! Great changes, liberating changes, comforting changes. No more surprises! If I told a fib (even a tiny white lie) I could expect to be lied to when I least expected it. If I stole a friend's book (hey, I was only borrowing it!) I might find my car stolen or vandalized. If I was impatient with my Granddad (jeez, stop butting into my life!) I could expect to find myself with no emotional support from others during a trying time. It started becoming crystal clear! Freedom At Any Price So the point of this is, I've thrown away any software I didn't pay for and it's cost me a pretty penny to clear that karmic debt, but the freedom I feel is worth it. I no longer burn copies of cds for friends; they're welcome to come listen to them here but, if you appreciate something and find value in it, gladly pay for what you receive, and encourage others to purchase them as well. Support the artist who created the music that gives your heart wings. Return the book you stole from the library and happily pay 3 times the late fine. Ah, what a free feeling, what an expansive feeling. Plus then you know that what comes your way is a result of your current efforts and not old karma catching up to you. It's easier than it sounds. Mentally note or, better yet - my favorite - MAKE A LIST ! - of every person in your life and every item in your life and see if you can trace it back to its cause. This is fun and every day I enjoy making what I call “causal correspondences” with whatever is in front of me. “How did I attract this?” “What is this trying to teach me?” It's how I stay engaged in life and extract the most from it. . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

money-in-hand-72x

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:19:23 +0000

rosebud-yellow-72

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:53:15 +0000

Overcoming Inertia: The Secret Formula, for Free

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:50:37 +0000

It's nice sometimes to just sit in the dim light and reflect on the things around me. As I was typing the Table of Contents for the upcoming Horizons Magazine, I looked at the graphic image of the rosebud. Tight in a bud ~ I could almost feel the tightness. I got a sense of anticipation, of tension, of a wanting to relax into fullness, of a wanting to ex-press oneself. (Express: to make known, to force out, to subject to pressure so as to extract) I thought, that's true of so many of the people I know now. So many on the verge of bursting forth and ex-pressing themselves. That's why I chose a rosebud and the accompanying Anais Nin quote on the Table of Contents: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” We all know there's a risk to blossoming, especially when those around us are blooming left and right and catching criticism for it, but what of the risk of remaining tight in the bud? Isn't it the greater risk to do nothing, to keep the same old job, to stay in the loveless marriage? Isn't it riskier to keep the same old diet, keep the same old habits, keep the same old beliefs and attitudes? Yes, it IS the path of least resistance, but isn't that usually the riskiest path to take? Isn't the path of least resistance usually the riskiest path to take? Sure, because what you're risking is total inertia and boredom in a changeless, joyless life. Excuse me, but YUK! and no thanks. OVERCOMING INERTIA Isn't that what so many have a chronic case of right now? Inertia and boredom? Lack of inspiration? Lack of motivation? Waiting for something to come into their lives and motivate them. Sitting at home in front of the tv, channel- surfing 6 hours in a row every day of their lives waiting for something to knock on the door and motivate them? Hmmm... I'd exercise my free will and try to find something that interested me. If Life is getting boring, it's because you're not looking deep enough. Stop dog paddling on the surface here and dive deep for the pearls that await you. Stop right now and take a deep breath and prepare your mind to dive into something new. Say 9 times in a row once a day for the next 30 days, “I'm ready to see my life from a deeper perspective. I'm ready to expand my vision and understanding.” Then hold on for the ride, because you WILL be taken deeper. Inertia is the biggest obstacle to success, it's not money, money can be found by the truly motivated; however, not having money is often our excuse for our inertia. NO EXCUSES What I'm saying is: if you're not interested in anything, get interested in something. You have the choice of doing nothing or getting up and doing something. We're all on this planet together, so let's meet each other. Read through Horizons Magazine, call someone whose article or ad you've read and tell them what you think of it. Don't care if it's long distance or not. Tell them your opinion. Ask them theirs. Promote yourself, tell them what you do and what you're available for. Take a class or join a study group; go read the bulletin board at the health food store and say Hello to everyone you see. Expand your mind a little and your world literally will change before your eyes. THIS IS ACCELERATION I keep hearing, “oh, these times are so accelerated now, time is speeding up, it's the 4th dimension coming in, it's the vortex energy...” Nothing's new here, we're just waking up to the world around us, we're just becoming more conscious to what's been around us all the time. Just because we weren't experiencing rapid changes before was that we'd not yet reached the level of consciousness we had to achieve before having that experience. We're now creating more sensitive instruments, we're measuring things that always existed that we just had no instruments to measure before now. It feels like acceleration because you're asking to be woken up, you're asking for more knowledge and you're feeling the influx of energy in answer to your call. HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE AN ISSUE? Of course the more people that come into your life, the more opportunity to overcome any issues that may be holding you back from reaching your full potential. Stop and take a look at the issues in your life right now. You have an “issue” if there's anyone or anything going on in your life that aggravates you, saddens you or limits you in any way. HOW DO I KNOW WHO MY ANGELS ARE? Just as there are issues going on right now, there are also those around you right now that can help you transcend, or work through, that issue. These are probably the folks who aggravate you the most; they're probably the ones you think are the most ignorant, most obnoxious, most arrogant and irresponsible people you know. Since we attract to us those who are like us, why do you suppose these people are in your life? They're here to help you get over some issue ONCE AND FOR ALL so you can get on with your happy life, that's why! YOUR ENEMIES ARE YOUR ANGELS Every single person who rubs you the wrong way is an angel sent directly from God to help you learn a lesson and be on your merry way. What “flaw” do each of your friends all seem to share? Lack of money? Loser mates? Unfair bosses? You'll get the same types in your life over and over and over until you work that issue out of your life. You'll date a dozen men like your ex-husband, it'll be the same guy time and again, and only the names and faces have changed. Until you work it out. Until you've learned that lesson. And the ones to learn that lesson with are the ones in your life right now. And you'll find magic in the process. THE SECRET FORMULA You don't have to go to a workshop and pay $125+ to raise your consciousness. You don't have to spend 3 days and nights alone, silent in the mountains to become enlightened. You don't have to have a certificate saying you've ascended. All you have to do is look at your life right now, pick the person who aggravates you the most and ask yourself what lesson is there for you to overcome. Make a list of every one who aggravates you and write down what they do to upset your peace, and then meditate on what that could be reflecting. I want everyone to understand why they have problems in their lives. I want everyone to know the secret formula for getting themselves out of the problem and into deeper understanding. Friends, the more we understand, the more fun Life becomes! The deeper my understanding of my world around me, the easier things get. Entertaining myself becomes easier and cheaper which is paradoxical, since money begins flowing faster! ALBATROSS OR ANGEL? My own angel was a former associate who didn't really rub me the wrong way but, oh, how he tried! The fact of his persistence in my life let me know there was an issue to work on. I sat down to make a list (my favorite!) of his characteristics and did so in very exaggerated form for purpose of example. I wrote down “arrogant, a know-it-all, preachy, thinking he needed to tell everyone how to run their lives, full of spiritual pride, always seeking attention and validation.” Hmmmm, no mirror there, Andrea..... now what on earth could MY lesson be? I'm WAY too highly evolved to have someone like him still in my life. << NOT!! >> (And how many of you recoiled at that phrase? ...sounds like an issue...) ENTERTAIN NEW NOTIONS Once I entertained the notion, that is, contemplated, that I may have an issue to work on, once I entertained the idea that maybe I need to work on what I see wrong in him, once I did that, my awareness expanded, my consciousness raised and I ascended into greater understanding. As I took steps to tame my ego and be less intrusive, that person left my experience, as we no longer vibrated in harmony as we once did. There's no higher or lower here, we are merely friends on different paths and, the reason for our association having been fulfilled, we were then left to each continue our own journeys. LET'S SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN OUR VISIONS The point is, take the risk, contact new people. Work at resolving your issues and helping friends resolve theirs. Be less critical, have a kind word for everyone. Connect with people even if it's just once. Reflect deeply on what's important to you and why. Let others know what you think. Listen deeply to their ideas. Let's support each other in our vision of a better world, our vision of a world where brotherhood and cooperation reigns, where everyone has enough, where everyone feels happy and united, where our youth is becoming focused and responsible, where our elders have the respect and comfort they deserve, where everyone is finding their niche and loving Life. Let's hold this vision in our minds for a few minutes each day for the next few hundred years and see if we can impart our idealism to those around us. By reading this, you're all supporting me in my vision and I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

food-diary72

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:51:06 +0000

Keeping a Food Diary Programmed Me to Eat Less, Without Trying

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:51:35 +0000

In April, I began keeping track of what I eat and the time I eat it. Not the calories or the fat grams or the portion size, just a simple list of what went into my mouth when. Over the past several years, my eating habits have drastically changed. I keep my fat grams under 40-50 a day. That way I never have to count a calorie or portion size, ever. I eat a lot of salads and vegetables to get nutrition from them. The only processed food I eat is some bread, some pasta and the occasional canned soup. No cookies or crackers or chips or cakes or donuts or candy bars or that type of thing. My weight has stayed the same the past 4 years with no effort. But it wasn't until I began keeping the food diary that I realized the keeping of it unconsciously programmed me to eat the foods and at the times that I wanted to commit to writing. I found that interesting. What I would typically do is, before I go into the kitchen, write down what I will have and just leave the time blank until I ate it. Sometimes if I wrote down, say, oven fried potatoes, I'd rethink it and make a big salad instead. Just because on paper I made it sound better. Taking that extra moment to record what i would eat began to reprogram me into making better choices. Too cool! Had I known this, I would have begun a food diary years ago. I love any kind of discipline that doesn't really take much effort on my part. Even now, several times a month I will listen to my Reprogramming Your Eating Habits mp3 file and I notice for the week after listening that I eat less and drink a lot more water. Without having to remind myself to do it on purpose. Now that's a new habit I can cultivate. . . LISTEN FREE: Reprogramming Your Eating Habits

kumuda-flame-crop72

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:43:16 +0000

Spiritual Memoirs: Eat, Pray, Love and Sharon Janis' Never to Return

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:59:50 +0000

I just got my copy of Eat, Pray, Love in the mail. I get so many review copies that I seldom buy books, ever, but I wanted to see what everyone was so fired up about. Eat, Pray, Love is built on the notion of a woman trying to heal herself from a severe emotional and spiritual crisis. Author Elizabeth Gilbert "wanted to explore the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India and, in Indonesia, the art of balancing the two." I enjoyed the book and, as a former devotee, I enjoy reading about ashram life. I spoke with Sharon Kumuda Janis, author of Spirituality for Dummies, and Secrets of Spiritual Happiness, who first contacted me 1998. She told me since her memoir Never To Return describes her decade living in and serving with the same path that Elizabeth Gilbert wrote about in Eat, Pray, Love, she thinks the time is right to re-release an updated version of her book to ride the wave when the movie Eat, Pray, Love is released next year. Sharon recorded a version of the Guru Gita, which played a part in Gilbert's story, and the Diamond Sutra as well. I told her I'd be glad to help promote her. Elizabeth Gilbert studied at the Ganeshpuri ashram of Muktananda and Chidvilasananda's Siddha Yoga. Siddha Yoga has been controversial throughout the years, for many reasons, but not any more so than any other business of that size with a lot of personalities and egos involved. Living in an ashram can be a very powerful yoga in itself. It puts you into a pressure cooker of personalities and quickly separates who is there to do their own spiritual work, and whoever is not really grokking it. In Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert only spent a short time in residence, but she absorbed herself in the ashram routine and it was like a balm to her open wounds. She noticed the politics, but she didn't get all wrapped up in it. She has a way of weaving a story just so, to draw you in to the experience with her. It was a good story, well told. Sharon Janis looked me up and sent me her memoir Never To Return in 1998. In it she details her years at the SYDA Muktananda ashrams and gives the behind the scenes dish on her experience there. Unlike Elizabeth Gilbert, she doesn't hesitate to dig up the dirt, stir the pot and name names. As you'll read in the Afternote below, several months after I wrote this on August 22, 2009, out of the blue Sharon went all Mel Gibson on me and well, you'll read it. She's a good writer and a she's prolific writer. Surprised you haven't heard more about her? She doesn't advertise, she says, but she knows search engine optimization so she's gotten ranked #5 out of 16,700,000 on Google for "spiritual links". She knows how to do all that stuff with websites to get high rankings. She could make a fortune doing search engine optimization but prefers to see herself as the indigent monk. The trouble is she's told her story for so long that now she's living it. And I get fired for pointing that out to her. Such is life :) If you liked Eat, Pray, Love, you may enjoy Never To Return. AFTERNOTE: I initially gave Never To Return a glowing review in 1998 and in late 2009 Sharon publicly mocked me for it on Facebook- so frankly I don't know what to think about that. She has now removed the very review she proudly displayed for 13 years, and has blocked several of my computers from accessing her websites. I like spiritual memoirs because I like to discover the different ways people make their way along the spiritual path, what their mental processes are, how they manage the daily struggles they encounter, how they overcome them. Even if they don't overcome them for long and then act as though they never knew how to in the first place. Especially then. It's a lesson we can all use. The spiritual path isn't some rose laden paved way of butterflies and faeries, it's working your way through personality conflicts you have with people you don't care for. An ashram is a perfect steam cooker for that. Some can handle it, some cannot. Some can handle the physical and psychological and emotional changes that move through you as your kundalini rises; some have a harder time with it. Beginning the study of yoga - or going to a yoga retreat - is not merely putting your bodies into body positions and asanas. You're training your mind. When you train your mind, a whole new world opens up to you. Or three new worlds, as Elizabeth Gilbert found in Eat, Pray, Love RELATED POSTS CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: What do you do when friends misunderstand you and don’t want to play anymore? When Friends Misunderstand , because we each see things as we are Clash of the Egos When Friends On The Path Go Off The Deep End Taking Note of Cause and Effect in Action Simple Scripts To Attract a Better Tomorrow When friends betray friends People Who Lie About Who They Are The saga continues with Sharon Kumuda Janis

mataji-beach-72blog

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:38:23 +0000

Ma Yogashakti will arrive in Palm Bay August 27th

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:48:15 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4455" align="alignright" width="75" caption="Mataji Ma Yogashakti"][/caption] Mataji, Ma Yogashakti will arrive in Palm Bay on Thursday August 27th. She will give the Sunshine Lecture Aug 30th 9-10am "The Beauty of Life". From 4-6 Sept. there will be a Retreat with Pujya Mataji On September 6 Pujya Mataji will give the Sunshine Lecture from 9-10am on the Topic "Yam & Niyam" (The 10 Commandments of Yoga). On 8, 9, 10 Sept, from 6.50 - 7.45pm Pujya Mataji will conduct a Meditation Intensive. Suggested Donation $10 per session. Please pre-register. All programs will take place at the Yogashakti Mission in Palm Bay, 3895 Hield Rd NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907. Call 321-725 4024 and visit www.yogashakti.org

hands-healing72

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:10:02 +0000

Natural Carpal Tunnel Relief

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:29:30 +0000

I've been having a bout with the old carpal tunnel, so have been re-posting writing that I did in 1997 to keep the typing and mousing to a minimum. I am glad I never had the surgery, and found there are fairly easy ways to keep the carpal tunnel under control without surgery or medication. I see Dr. David Rindge, my acupuncture physician, for laser therapy when it acts up every few years, and it was his initial treatment after a car accident in 2000 that made me decide to not go the surgery route. Several months of twice weekly treatments and I felt good as new. Now, when I overuse them, I know to put my wrist splints on and get off the keyboard. I don't grip or hold anything I don't have to. I don't lift anything heavier than a glass of water and I ice my wrists down a few times a day. The splints stay on all day and all night. A week or two of this and I'm good as new again. I also have a violet ray enhancer that I use on it, and it helps free the blocked chi right up. When this bout is over, I believe my new practice will be to wear the splints every time I am at the keyboard (since I do so many hours of it), and at night as well. I am used to them and they are comfortable enough to ignore. I also do regular arm and hand exercises, and some light (3 and 8 pounds) hand weight work to stay strong. No hand weights during the rehab/resting period! Since I have spent this week away from not only the keyboard, but away from household chores, yard care and hobbies, I've had time to just sit and be. I lamented to a friend years ago that I'd like to go somewhere and not feel I had to take notes about what I was doing so I could share it with Horizons readers. I'd like to be able to have a few thoughts and not feel I have to write them down. I'd like to go to a conference and just listen, and not have to take notes to transcribe later. After making that statement, there was the Universe, as always hearing and answering my every prayer, and giving me the chance to do just what I asked for. To sit and BE and be hands-free. Thus I attracted the car accident in September 2000. I wrote in February 2001, five months after the accident when I was getting back to normal: Our minds can truly help us or hinder us, and when my hands temporarily go down, the more I appreciate having the create-tive power of my mind still available to me. I remember that I don't have to catch every cold that comes along, although everyone else in the office may be sniffling and sneezing. I know that if I can keep my attention on what is going right in my life, the more harmonious my life is. I know if I can keep my attention on all the things I CAN do despite my temporary disability as I mend, the better I'm able to cope and find alternative ways of doing what needs to be done. That was an a-ha for me. Realizing that if I needed to get something done, hands or no hands, I could always find a way to do it. If I needed another person, invariably a friend or delivery driver would ring my bell at just the right moment and give me that helping hand. It never failed. It never failed. And I don't expect it to. I always expect that, just as has always happened in the past, I will feel watched over and cared for, protected and blessed, no matter what is going on in my life. I will always have the help I need at the exact moment of my need. Ma Yoga Shakti reminds: Whatever circumstances we are in, they are divine. If we remember the grace of God, everything becomes very light and we get intuitive knowledge. Rev. Tom Sannar: maintain a positive attitude regardless of what is occurring in your life. Colin Tipping: expressing even an infinitesimal amount of willingness to see the perfection in any situation enables us to remember at a very deep level who we really are. I know it is an important part of the process to raise my personal vibration to a high enough level that I am enjoying life, so that I can attract enjoyable people and events into my experience. I must take responsibility for how I perceive my life and how I react to it. I've read that Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. I really believe that. And I'm having a rocking good life . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Writers I Like. Counteracting Negative Thoughtforms. Reconciling New Age Shakti with Spiritual Practice

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:20:57 +0000

Being self employed and making my own hours in my own business is a real freedom. That means if I don't feel like going to work, I don't have to. If I want to take off early, I can do it. since I';ve been doing it since 1992, I've learned what my deadlines really are, and when I really have to work. Usually, though, I work about 8-12 hours each day simply because I dig the work. With my paws on the mend from final layout over-doing last week, I took the weekend off from the office altogether, for the first time in a long while. I simply did not go in at all. I checked email from my laptop and simply put off anything that required typing. I didn't even check voice mail. Then when I went into the office before 8:00am today, I felt completely refreshed, since I'd had a break from it. There are so many good books out there, literally hundreds of books on every subject imaginable. I see my role with Horizons as a gatherer and sharer of information that is already available. A stage on the path of most lightworkers is feeling the urge to write and share their insights with others, "having to get the information out." I'm always coming across terrific volumes of metaphysical and spiritual insights, some that are new and many that were written long, long ago. My Favorite Writers Since like attracts like, I assume that whatever I'm dealing with in my life is also reflected in those who share my experience and life with me, and that they are having the same kinds of challenges and joys that I'm having. So when I come across a teaching or a writer that particularly touches me, I can't wait to share the info with others. I recommend to everyone I know, to read anything by Abraham-Hicks, Alan Cohen, Doreen Virtue, Gregg Braden, Bruce Lipton, Candace Pert, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Ram Dass, Roy Eugene Davis. These writers all write simply and uplift, without pomp and circumstance, giving us wonderful behavioral guidelines to consider incorporating into our own lives, in order to improve our quality of life and the understanding of those around us. Airport Layovers Living in Melbourne, we are lucky to have an airport right here, however there's always a layover in Atlanta. I usually love layovers, it means extra time to think or not think, to meditate, to practice radiating love to others, to study energy fields, to offer contrasting thoughts in reply to hearing the often angry and impatient words of weary travelers. Counteracting Negative Thoughtforms When I hear angry or critical words, I like to "counteract" their entry into the global mental plane by reversing the thought within my own mind and offering it up, while saying a prayer for understanding for the speaker. When babies are crying and mothers are harried, I kind of nonphysically project myself into the body of the weary mother, and hold her child for her, and cuddle and coo the crying baby, which I then imagine gives a moment of rest to the mother. Whether it really happens or not, I don't know; but I always witness the child settling down if my full attention is on them. How Arrogant Can You Get? Ha! Arrogant of me to think I had anything to do with a baby settling down, by merely projecting thought and intention, huh? Actually, it would be arrogant of me to think that my thoughts didn't affect other people's experiences. It would be a scary thought to think that we are at the mercy of what those around us think, except for one awesome and wondrous fact: Your own vibration follows you around everywhere you go, and you are the one in charge of how you think, how you act and how you react in every situation you encounter. You can, through conscious and loving intent, train yourself to strengthen and raise your own vibration, your own frequency so to speak, and thus set the tone of your future experience. And best of all, you shouldn't need a $300 workshop to tell you how to do it. There are so many wonderful writers out there. Read their words, be inspired and empowered by their words. Reading about the spiritual practice of another always inspires me to deepen my own. I'm a Woman With a Vision A friend and I were talking about our goals the other day and I told her, "My main mission in life right now is to reconcile all the "new age shakti" with valid spiritual practice." To me, this means reading much of what is currently available as far as personal growth and the movement toward conscious evolution, and reconciling it all within my own heart and being able to apply it to my own daily practice. I'd like to see every person empowered to be all they can be. There are men and women around each of us who feel trapped in jobs, relationships, responsibilities, and who are so down-trodden, their lives feel empty and meaningless to them. They feel absolutely alone; they feel unloved, punished and guilty. It is to these I'd like to send dozens of guardian angels, in the physical guise of the people around them, to look into their eyes and at least smile, as if to say, "Hello, friend, I see you in there!" Power To The People People deserve to be acknowledged and people deserve to feel they are powerful beings. I smile and wave to road workers that hold up construction traffic to let me pass. I let everyone cut in line ahead of me in traffic, I just laugh and let them all in. When someone looks especially nice, I compliment them, I tell them, "that's a great dress," it matters not if I know them. I smile and talk briefly to strangers all the time. As A Course in Miracles says to remember, "with everyone you meet, it's a holy encounter." Treat every grocery clerk and bank teller with friendship; send love to the cop who gives you the speeding ticket; honor your landlord's trust by paying your rent 3 days early. There are a lot of things we can do every single day to make those around us feel more confident, more powerful, more loved. It's The Same Struggle We're all going through the same challenges, which you know by hearing the stories and complaints of everyone around you. Going through meaning dealing with psychologically and emotionally, what we perceive our "struggle" to be about, what the underlying symbology and remedy might be, how we're reacting to it, or how we're dealing with the consequences of our decision NOT to react to it. That's how so many people approach life, they fail to act when given a choice, and later lament the consequences of having not acted. Yet they fail to act time and time again, and somehow don't connect the dots to foresee the consequences, or learn how to deal with them. We Think We Don't Know Just as often we think we don't know something, but in reality it's just that we'd never before given thought to it. If we spend just a few moments thinking on just about any topic, asking ourselves, "what do I know about this topic," we might be surprised what information springs forth from within us, information we can verify and validate in any number of ways. We know much more than we think we know. We also sometimes think we know something, when in fact we don't know it at all. And to make it worse, we think we know it, so we don't take the time to contemplate so that we really can know it. I'm reminded of a story which Ram Dass accounts in his classic, "Journey of Awakening," about a group of monks who one day noticed that a crazy yogi had climbed to the top of their prayer flag pole, so they surrounded the pole and chanted the Heart Sutra, and coming to the end, said the words, "By the power of our words, we beseech that this evildoer may come down," at which point the yogi slid half way down the flagpole. They then ended with "By the power of our understanding of these words, we beseech that this evildoer may come down," whereupon the man climbed again quickly to the top. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

recliner

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:45:41 +0000

out-of-body2-72

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:46:59 +0000

The Haunted Chair, De-Activating Thoughtforms, Journeys Out Of The Body, The Monroe Institute Gateway Voyage

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:57:13 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4502" align="alignright" width="144" caption="The Haunted Chair"][/caption] Last night I went out to shop for a recliner. I got rid of my last one in 2006 and below is a story about "the haunted chair": October 2006: This month, galpal Beth Head and I are doing the Gateway Voyage at The Monroe Institute. We're driving there and taking the week long residential program. We're excited about our adventure! My interest was peaked by the books of the founder, Robert Monroe, in Journeys Out Of The Body, Far Journey and Ultimate Journey. Although the institute will tell you that the purpose of the Gateway Voyage is not to give you an out of body experience, they say, "The out-of-body state and tools that may be utilized to achieve this particular state of consciousness are covered in the Gateway Voyage®, but that is only a small part of the program's overall scope." They describe the Gateway Voyage as "an on campus six-day intensive program designed to provide the participant with tools that can enable: development and exploration of human consciousness; deeper levels of self-discovery; expansion of one's awareness; willful control of that awareness; communication with and visits to other energy systems and realities." Being an explorer of consciousness and having experienced many different dimensions of reality, including the out of body experience, I am excited to take it to the next level. I wrote earlier this year that I found myself spending too much time in my new recliner, so after careful consideration of is-that-what-I want-to-spend-so-much-time doing? I took it out to the curb. Before I even walked away from it, a pickup drove up and the man asked what was wrong with the chair. Nothing, I said, I just don't have room for it anymore. Not a lie, it's true I no longer have room in my life for something that encourages me to be inactive LOL. So he loaded the chair onto his truck and away he went. I was walking around the block the other day and saw the same man with the pickup, dragging the recliner out to his curb, and I asked why he was getting rid of the chair. He said his wife claims it is haunted! But, he said, he sat in it every night and it never felt haunted to him. So when his wife saw us talking, she came outside and said when she'd sit in the chair after the kids were down for their naps each afternoon, just as she was falling asleep she would feel "ghosts" hovering around her, moving around and touching her. She said they never did it to her husband or the kids. And that was why they were throwing it away, so none of the kids got in the chair and had something happen to them. I walked away thinking that was weird but didn't think too much else about it, since I am busy with magazine deadline thoughts. Later it occurs to me: usually afternoons were when I would sit in the chair. Since I've been preparing for the Monroe Gateway Voyage, all year long I've been listening to their audio cds and doing out of body exercises. If I sat in the chair later in the evenings to proof read, I did not do the OOBE exercises. So when the wife sat in the chair in the late afternoons to nap, my invisible helpers must have thought that was their signal to help me out so we could be on our way, only it wasn't me and they scared her! [caption id="attachment_4503" align="alignleft" width="144" caption="Going Out Of Body"][/caption] Being a busy mother, she might have even had the thought as she reclined each afternoon - "help me out of here!" or "take me away from this!" which the invisible helpers might have taken as a signal it was time to begin a session. Since her husband was in the chair in the evenings, that wasn't the time I would do OOBE work, so the helpers didn't come to him. That is what I figured out though, or rather, what came to me in meditation when I wasn't even thinking about the topic. Maybe they thought I was too busy to make the appointment myself LOL and thought she was my stand-in. It makes me wonder what we look like to them though if they can't tell us apart... I'm just kidding - kind of ... I think really it's just a thoughtform attached to the chair, doing an automatic action whenever someone assumes the position. But of course thoughtforms can be deactivated - or deprogrammed from their own source - or exorcised or ghost busted, however you want to label it. But I don't feel the need to go explain it to the husband and wife ~ I don't want crosses being burned on my lawn. Now 20 years ago I would have felt lead to explain it to them and make them understand it. I've lightened up considerably since then. Plus I have to live in this neighborhood :) . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience

7-12-09-car56-72-good-w-o-bg

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:02:29 +0000

11 Fun Steps Guaranteed To Initiate Change And Get You Unstuck

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:52:20 +0000

I always have friends who are ready for change in their life, and they ask for suggestions to accelerate the process. That's a catch 22 - if you're asking to accelerate the process, you're not savoring the Now moments. If you're not savoring the Now moments, you can remain stuck where you are for, well, a lifetime. What works for me every time is to find new fun things to think about, even before changes are made. What anyone could do who is ready to make a giant change in their life is the following 11 Steps Guaranteed To Initiate Change And Get You Unstuck. 1. Don't try to change your thoughts right now on resistant topics such as money or relationship or work or health, because this is not the time to focus on those. You want to stay lighthearted and take steps to release any unconscious resistance. 2. Look for new things to do. You want to purposely change the energetic pattern you have right now. You want to shake it all up and let it settle back down in a new pattern. 3. Move furniture around at home. I do this every month or so, changing the energy at home so it keeps the chi flowing smoothly. Make yourself a new place to sit and read or listen to cds. From here on, every time you sit in this space, it will be your trigger that you are beginning an internal workshop, an inner cinema treatment, a learning process where you will just relax and listen or read and know that your memory will retain the data you need to retain. 4. Clear out clutter. Freeing up the energy (like old emotional baggage attached to items) will free up some of the blockages in your physical body as well. Trust me, this stuff works. These exercises help you progressively lower your resistant thought. When you lower your resistant thought, the good things you want will begin coming in to you, including restored health and finances. It's all related. Trust me. 5. Begin a flirtation with someone. The purpose of this exercise is to change your focus to a new direction that feels more fun and lighthearted than where you are right now, and to keep you emotionally focused there several times in each day. 6. Listen to the Abraham-Hicks cds in a place where you can relax. Maybe in a bubble bath with a glass of wine. Maybe setting the scene in your new sitting area, lighting candles, some incense. So, you go into your sitting place and set the scene and listen to the tapes. I think the Abraham -Hicks stuff helps you "get it" the easiest. Plus they are fun and playful to listen to. 7. Try a new cuisine for a week or more. The purpose of this exercise is to bring a new dimension to something you do several times a day. It also gives you something fun to learn. You don't want to diet right now, right now you're in the information gathering mode, so just do some new things relative to food that feel interesting and fun. I began learning about Asian cooking and Middle Eastern cooking, just looking things up on the internet after learning the names of some favorite dishes. It inspired me to transition to a low fat lifestyle. 8. Buy a new favorite outfit or two. You can't afford not to. The energy of wearing something new instills a sense of hopeful expectation, of infinite possibilities. The point of this exercise is to have a new "daily energy sweeper" as you move throughout your day. 9. Install a new mirror. Anywhere, any size. I decided last year to replace all my closet doors with mirrors and boy, the energy freed right up! The rooms now look so much bigger and brighter. They definitely feel like there is no stagnation anywhere in the room. Even a small new mirror in the hallway or next to the front door, the height of your face, or face to waist would be perfect. Whenever I look into a mirror, I smile, so this exercise also reminds me to smile. 10. Begin keeping your attention during the day on your ajna chakra or third eye (brow) center. You just want to train yourself to look through that eye also, as you go about your day. To begin to entrain the higher perspective. 11. Do a few minutes of breath meditation each day also, just sit and imagine yourself breathing in thru your heart and out thru your third eye. Nothing fancy. Do it for a few minutes every so often during the day. It will begin change happening to your inner and outer worlds. And of course, before you ask for change, have a good idea in mind just what your preferred scenario is. Have even a vague notion of what you'd like to be living instead, so you begin pre-paying that. Don't just say I hate this. Then keep your eye out for opportunity, be broad in your intuitive interpretations and be flexible in fielding what comes your way. . LISTEN FREE: Connecting With Your Angels, Guides and Teachers

heart_fire

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:02:18 +0000

Daily Practice, Cultivating The Inner Experience; Raising Vibration

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:02:30 +0000

People often ask me how I keep my life in order while being involved in so many projects, where I find the time to do all that I do. I always tell them that I decide what I want to do, then I make time for it and stay focused on it until I achieve it. Easier said than done, I know. I'm asked so often that I thought I'd share a few thoughts with you. DAILY PRACTICE We spend much time daily doing things we look back on later as such a waste of time, so why not turn some of that time to good use? Daily practice is, for me, the key to so many things. Steady, focused practice on a regular basis. Practicing what, you ask? For me, that's a variety of things. I do my morning meditation at 4:00 a.m. every morning. Sometimes I am still awake then, other times I wake up for it. This private, quiet time alone is invaluable to me. I may drive to the beach to meditate on the sound of the surf, I may just sit and study a favorite philosophy but always I take about 20 minutes to just stretch and breathe and focus on my breath. That's when the good insights come ~ when I'm completely in silence, alone, relaxed, not thinking or talking about anything. I usually go back to sleep about dawn for another hour or two and always awaken refreshed. When I get up, before I go into my daily work, I make a list of everything I want to accomplish that day; next I review and revise my ongoing list of everything I want to accomplish this week, this month, this year. I just check it over to see if there are any additions, amendments or things to check off that have already been accomplished. CULTIVATING THE INNER EXPERIENCE I believe that the easiest way to achieve peace of mind, centeredness and everything else that I want, is to cultivate the inner experience. What do I mean by that? I mean doing those things and being with those people that encourage the Higher Self within me to emerge and express Itself. For me, this includes sacred study, prayer, meditation and writing. SACRED STUDY When I say sacred study, that doesn't necessarily mean religious scripture. For me it also includes Ram Dass, Roy Eugene Davis, Deepak Chopra, Ma Yoga Shakti, Joel Goldsmith, Eckhart Tolle, Kathleen Norris They all delve into the heart of Life and they've all inspired me in my own personal journey of transformation and awakening. PRAYER I have several sets of prayers I say in sequence as I sit to meditate, including the Great Invocation, the Lord's Prayer, the Gayantri Mantra, the Sarva Mangala and others. These prepare my mind for meditation. Prayer does not have to be part of your meditation, I just do it because I dig it. MEDITATION I prefer just following my breath, no guided meditation cd. Sit quietly, put your attention at the base of your nostrils where your breath comes in and out and feel the breath in your nostrils. When a thought comes, and it will, just focus your attention back at the base of your nostrils and again follow your breath. That releases the thought. This is more powerful than you imagine in cultivating the inner experience. WRITING Make a list of all the things you appreciate and are thankful for. Mine begins with a roof over my head, food to eat, indoor plumbing, electric lights and includes good health, friends who care for me, and my list is quite long. Review this list every morning and add to it anytime you wish. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year, and in your lifetime. Review this list daily and revise it as needed. This helps keep you focused and on track. This isn't as hard to do as you might think. A few pages a day and you'll be on a roll. That means you're "in the vortex" as Abraham-Hicks calls it. EXPERIENCING EVERYTHING CONSCIOUSLY ALSO CULTIVATES THE INNER EXPERIENCE. Don't deny yourself outer experiences, experiencing them consciously also cultivates the inner experience. How do you experience them consciously? Be present in the Now when you do them. When you eat, eat consciously, enjoy every bite and swallow; turn off the radio and tv and put down the book and, as they say in Zen, eat when you eat. Cultivate mindfulness in every act you do in your daily life. When washing dishes, feel the weight of each plate and revel in the warmth of the water and the soapy delight of simply washing dishes. Feel the happy soap bubbles under your sponge. Watch them dance around like little crystal balls in the air, just for your delight. Eat your blueberries one by one by delicious one. Become conscious in every action. When you do, the Universe dances with you. When you dance with the Universe, that is the fruit of your cultivation work. ON ASCENSION AND RAISING OUR VIBRATION We've heard these phrases for decades now and many still aren't sure what they mean. I like using terms everyone understands and can automatically apply to their life right now. Right now, not way off in some theoretically enlightened future. What activities or friends used to hold your attention that no longer do? Who and what holds your attention now? Do you feel you've risen in consciousness since that time? For many, going to clubs was a weekly event and was immensely fulfilling ~ dressing up, going to a new or favorite place, having a few drinks, gathering with friends, meeting new people, dancing until 2:00 a.m. Then just as you got to know every club and every person who went there, you got bored with it; it was no longer stimulating; it no longer held your interest. You started noticing all the people who were there time after time and weren't having fun. It seemed almost like a routine designed to fill the time and ease the ache of their lonely lives. Their heart wasn't in it. For many, their heart wasn't in anything and that is a Universal condition we all know. We've all been there at some point in our lives. As soon as you've begun to notice you're not having fun anymore, that's the evidence that you've ascended to another level, that you've raised your vibration a notch. A good rule of thumb is don't do anything unless your heart is completely in it. HOW DO WE RAISE OUR VIBRATION? We raise our vibration by raising our level of compassion and understanding of ourselves and others. We raise our vibration every time we feel the thrill of being in complete appreciation of everything around us. HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M ASCENDING? We ascend in gradual, and sometimes not so gradual, steps daily by working through the challenges in our own lives, by striving to see and understand the point of view of others. We know we're ascending when we allow others to make statements we don't agree with and commit acts we wouldn't choose for ourselves without openly fighting against it, knowing that there is a reason for everything and that every experience has value in helping us integrate our personality. HOW DO I GET OUT OF A SLUMP? The quickest way I know to pull myself out of the blues is to sit down and make my appreciation and I want lists. When I'm in a slump, the fastest way I've found to raise my vibration is to re-read these lists and remember exactly what I have, and who I really am. Is it really this simple? Yes, it is. Do I always choose to exercise my willpower to make myself do what I know to do? Ah, there's the rub. Andrea LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Getting Debt-Free, Partners We Attract, Distorted Self-Perception, Embracing Change, Empowering Yourself In Today's Economy

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:35:12 +0000

Earlier this year I liquidated an investment to pay off a few thousand dollars in credit card debt, and felt much freer and lighter after doing so. I'm not a big shopper and I rarely use credit cards. I feel blessed to have little debt except my home and car, because I have friends who have $30,000 - $100,000 in credit card debt *yikes* Of course, these same friends have the latest computer equipment and the newest electronic toys and a much more social lifestyle than I do. They also earn less income and, interestingly, they also talk lots about how money is tight. It reminds me when I made lots less income in my 30's and I had to have the newest everything. Even if it was a hardship to get it. Having said that, my credit card debt back then never exceeded $5,000, although at that time it seemed like a whole lot. I bought lots more clothes back then, and they often ended up in the back of my closet, unworn. A few years of that and I caught on that I was shopping to fill something within me, something that was never filled by shopping. I'm glad I got the lesson early. I’m excited now, I love having everything paid off - it's like having a fresh start... infinite potential! Now I'm getting excited about saving up a nest egg, and it'll be fun to see how much I can get it to grow and to plan really fun things with it. A few of the couples I know who are on the credit-card-go-round tend to place the blame for their financial woes on the spending habits of their partner. They can't understand how they can have a partner who is so irresponsible. Some of them have specific ideas on how much income their partner should earn as well. My thoughts on that are - always keep dollars separate in a relationship. That way it's never about money. I used to joke and say that the way to have a successful relationship is to keep sex and dollars out of it - those are the only topics that are ever argued about. Many a truth is said in jest! To whoever points the finger at their partner for lack of financial smarts, I say - how do you think you attracted this person, who has so many qualities you judge? Since like attracts like or, more appropriately said, since we attract into our experience those whom we vibrationally resonate with, what have you been thinking about that attracted this person to you and that keeps this person in your experience? In much of my counseling, I’m asked: "Why can't I find a partner who thinks like I do? Why are all the men so selfish? I can't find a spiritual man, there are none around. They're all hypocrites or they're players or they have no ambition or are afraid of commitment." Since we see the world through a filter of who WE are, we might ask ourselves why these are the types of men we attract into our lives. You're either attracting others who are just like you - vibrational match and all that - or you're attracting more of what you've been spending your time thinking about and focusing on. I see spiritual men everywhere I go, and I sit next to them at church and at discussion groups and conferences all the time. Lots of these are the same men I've heard others complain about. I have great discussions with these guys and don't find any faults with them. I know we each bring out different parts of our friends’ personalities, so it's entirely possible for me to have a different take on someone that another does. But then I’m not looking at them with any hidden agenda, such as is he movie star handsome, what kinda car does he drive, will this be the one I marry, does he earn enough money to support me, will he be a good father to my children... Once I learned - at 21 - that if I make enough money to support myself, I'll have absolute freedom, I trained for a good job and stopped pooling dollars in a relationship. Period. My idea now is that I see no need to cohabit with anyone. If I was seeking a relationship, I’d like him to be financially self sufficient, with enough income so we can do things together and he can pay his own way. I’d like him to have a flexible work schedule so he could travel with me sometimes. I’d like him to enjoy having his own place, and to respect my privacy just as I’d respect his. I’d look to him for companionship and fun, not to be a handyman, not to fulfill any emptiness I might have inside, nor to make up for my deficiencies. If he lost his job, I’d hope he was responsible enough and clever enough to get another means of income going, or that he’d made some preparation for it in advance. My experience is that I attract people into my life based on how I see myself, people who have much the same strengths and weaknesses I do. I believe we all attract into our experience the people who are most like we see ourselves. So the question becomes - how do you see yourself? I'm rereading a book from 1975 called The Structure of Magic by Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder, It's about the therapeutic effects of language and what has come to be known as neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and how we get programmed by the language we use and how our perception is programmed and distorted by what we're taught is the norm. It's one reason I try to be mindful about the written and spoken word - I've learned the power of it. A good example is someone who is a really neat and valuable person, like my friend Darla, but has been programmed to believe she's a loser, so she acts like she's a loser and all her talk about being a loser finally gets to you and you have to cut her off. She can't get past apologizing for imagined deficiencies and pretty soon you're tired of hearing it because she's convinced you to start seeing her through her own filter, which isn't a pretty picture. The book asks: “How is it possible for different human beings faced with the same world to have such different experiences? Our understanding is that this difference follows primarily from differences in (the model they grew up with.) Thus, the question becomes: How is it possible for human beings to maintain an impoverished model which causes them pain in the face of a multi-valued, rich and complex world? The difficulty is not that they are making the wrong choice, but that they do not have enough choices - because they don't have a wide and richly focused image of the world. One mechanism which we can use either to cope effectively or to defeat ourselves is Deletion. Deletion is a process by which we selectively pay attention to certain dimensions of our experience and exclude others. Deletion reduces the world to proportions which we feel capable of handling. The reduction may be useful in some contexts and yet be the source of pain for us in others." Wow. My friend Darla distorted and deleted my perception of her so much that it changed how I felt and I no longer wanted to be around her. She quit a five year job she detested, and instead of going right out to find another, she thought she'd take it easy and see what else came her way. During this time, she didn't look for a job, although she had house and car payments to be made. When she finally got in such dire straights that she was in danger of being foreclosed on, I asked her why she didn't go apply to work at Home Depot or WalMart or one of them. She said she couldn't, because they drug tested and it would show up that she smoked pot. I asked her how she felt about the consequences of prioritizing buying pot instead of paying her mortgage, or instead of cleaning up her system so she could pass a drug test. She shrugged and said, "I dunno." This isn't a 14 year old, this woman is 42 years old. She'd allowed herself to be emotionally devastated by losing a job she quit in the first place. It was the only real job she'd ever had. I told her, it doesn't have to feel so final, like it's only one event and then it's over. Life is a process and it's helpful to look at it as an ongoing process. You'll have lots of chances to reconsider decisions about where to work. It took years for me to realize that I wasn't going to just have one job or one career, or one man, or one apartment, or one car or one pet. When I first began to see that everything was apt to change every couple of years, at first it frightened me and made me feel insecure. Oh, no, how will I live? Will I end up being a bag lady? Will I have to get married and trade sex for room and board?? I also began to look at it as a temporary thing, which also made me afraid and insecure. At first. Then I began appreciating more and feeling more grateful for what I had when I had it. When I went years later from being afraid when things were temporary, to feeling hopeful things were temporary, I began to feel more free and relaxed. That ultimately helped me attract a better experience each next time. There will always be lots of of chances to reconsider your decisions and make better ones whenever you feel it's time. You can always choose again. The problem is seldom that we don't have the correct vision of what we want, the problem is that we hold ourselves back from our good by our resistant thoughts on other topics. How do resistant thoughts about family and rent and future housing affect the kind of job you attract? Who knows how, I stopped caring “how”, but my experience is that it does. I had to get right with lots of things in my life before I had the relatively easy flowing life I have now. Each time I thought I'd gotten clear, I was called back to the battlefront again to face something I’d overlooked and needed to work through again. I was real slow in getting it. I still am sometimes. I suggested to Darla that meditation might be helpful and she countered that she didn't think it was possible to meditate yourself out of a situation, otherwise no one would have died in concentration camps, and people around the world wouldn't be starving. I told her I wasn't suggesting she could meditate her way out of trouble. I told her meditation is simply a daily practice to relax and release resistant thought a couple of times a day. Meditation doesn't replace action, it doesn't replace anything. Concentration camps and starving communities take a lot of mass consciousness pre-paving to get to that crisis point; it doesn’t happen overnight. And you don't meditate anything away. If you meditate regularly, you're more likely to have organized thoughts. When you have organized thoughts, you're more likely to have less uncertainty. When you have less uncertainty, you have less fear. When you have less fear, you have more trust. When you have more trust, you'll be directed to true guidance. When you're connected to true guidance, you feel empowered. When you feel empowered, you empower others. And a community of empowered individuals does not get led to concentration camps and they will find a way to feed themselves. And it all begins with paying attention to where you are, and to where you want to end up. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

9-09-kristy-cover-2x2

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:44:16 +0000

The September Horizons Magazine Is Now Online

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:49:24 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4636" align="alignright" width="114" caption="Kristy Souto"][/caption] The September 2009 Horizons Magazine is now online. On the cover is Kristy Swaim Souto, original co-founder of Horizons. Check out your horoscope in advance here. . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

yinyang-on-pillow72

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:27:09 +0000

Cats Purr For Healing

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:46:58 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4647" align="alignright" width="158" caption="YinYang on her pillow"][/caption] I had an upset tum Saturday night and all day Sunday, likely due to the big giant Dunkin Donut whole grain bagel I didn't need to eat. I'd made a sandwich of it with avocado and a slice of turkey and a slice of swiss cheese. Cheese + bagel the size of my head = big lump of glue moving through my system. As I laid in bed waiting to feel better - no such luck sleeping through it - YinYang became my bed kitty nurse and helped the time pass. Here she is napping after her shift. Mini-cow to the rescue! I found this interesting: Cats Purr For Healing: The type of frequencies that are found in the cat's purr are good for healing muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries, as well as for muscle strengthening and toning. They are good for any type of joint injury, wound healing, reduction of infection and swelling, pain relief, and relief of chronic pulmonary disease. The optimal frequency for bone stimulation is 50 hertz. The dominant and fundamental frequency for three species of cats' purrs is exactly 25 to 50 hertz: the best frequencies for bone growth and fracture healing. The cat's purr falls well within the 20 — 50 hertz anabolic range, and extends up to 140 hertz. All members of the cat family except cheetahs have a dominant or strong harmonic at 50 hertz. The harmonics of three cat species fall exactly on, or within, 2 points of 120 hertz, a frequency which has been found to repair tendons. No wonder we feel better after napping with kitties. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

bride-and-groom-fight

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:50:25 +0000

My Brother Trying To Marry Me Off?

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:17:06 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4656" align="alignright" width="144" caption="Not going without a fight"][/caption] My brother emailed me the other night: I've been thinking, I wouldn't mind having a brother-in-law. Not trying to marry you off. I guess I'd just feel comforted that there would be someone who was your protector... Then I made a post for my Facebook friends: "WTF? Now I need a protector???? I hope it's just his pain-meds-after-hip-replacement-surgery speaking. I'm glad he's not the boss of me anymore." I got some great comments back: Becky Bolt: Most men can't imagine that women can be fine without them. Hee hee! Margaret Rosche: Oh I remember when my dad gave me that speech...before the first marriage and as I became a widow. He never got it. Valerie Saurer: That's sweet. But no, I don't see you needing a protector. You have Mini-Moo and the big Moose. Not to mention your own really big mojo. I thought Valerie hit the nail on the head - my own really big mojo. That was my sentiment exactly. My own sense of who I am and what I am here to do is the biggest protection I can have. My own beliefs about my own capabilities, as well as knowing that when I keep myself in alignment, only good and progress comes out of that. One reason this is especially funny is that when my brother reads this blog post, he will laugh, too. In real life, he knows me to be completely capable. He's already hearing tales back about how he acted on the morphine after his surgery, flirting with all the young nurses! He's like me, we don't take medications or drink, so the slightest dose of anything loops us right out. I'm sure it was just the pains meds talking. Now he'll know to stay away from the keyboard then. Maybe. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

Internal Work and Connection; Exercising Power In The World; Steering Clear Of The Path Of Destruction

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:25:29 +0000

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds, your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. Patanjali Here's something I read the other day, regarding Earth Changes: Drunvalo: This is something we teach... Basically, it's meditation... connecting... knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the presence of God is within and all around you at all times. Knowing that there is a total connection there at all times, and in knowing that absolute connection to the reality, and to All-That-Is, knowing that all these different aspects, whether seen as positive or negative, are all part of a perfect growth plan that is not an accident. It is all part of what Is. When someone really knows their connection to God and to all life, then these kind of changes can be watched with great interest and not with any kind of fear, worry, or anything else. Val: I suppose it would be easier for those individuals who have had near-death experiences or out of the body experiences, in essence those who have gained a feeling of personal continuity within the universe, to handle these things. Drunvalo: Yes, that is another way to say it. If you know..... if you don't know, and you really think that you are a little being inside a body and everything out there is totally out of your control and has no connection to you --- that way of interpreting reality, which many people have, it's going to be a very fearful situation. That kind of person needs to begin to do internal work. They need to begin to work on their emotional bodies, physical bodies and get into a spiritual path and begin to understand the nature of who they are. That is the main problem. People are still deep into polarity consciousness and are scared to death. We are getting there very fast in a totally unique way. We have chosen a pathway that no one has ever chosen before. We are moving at incredible speed and evolving in completely unique ways. It appears now that we are going to come into this place...everybody....is going to this place of understanding where we understand that there is only One Spirit moving through everything, so deeply and experientially within our heart, that we will be able to make this transition. To a reader reading this, it probably seems like fantasy, because of what is going on....because outwardly it looks pretty crazy. end of Drunvalo Daily Intent, Nightly Review It does look pretty crazy, doesn't it? The world around us and all that is happening? It's comforting knowing that with a little daily work, we can get to a place of inner knowing, where we truly feel connected and safe and protected and loved. Begin to do your internal work, begin a nightly review of all that takes place each day and see if in retrospect there are any changes you'd like to make. Re-run the scene in your mind with the changes you'd like. Re-dedicate yourself to reacting consciously the next time. Each morning, as you plan your day, set forth your intentions. Take a moment to note any challenges that may arise, and prepare for them in advance as best you can. We Love To Give Our Power Away. How often do we give power, for instance: to a sacred site - "oh, feel the energy of this place here" - when in actuality it is we who, by virtue of our power, fuel the sites we visit and experience. I believe that and I believe that by virtue of our vibrational resonance, we feed our environment. I believe we all have much more power than we can possibly imagine. I believe that everytime I say a prayer for someone, the Universe takes it up and offers it as nourishment for the one prayed for, at the moment of the prayer, as well as anyone else who could use an overflow prayer. The idea of prayer working scientifically is a relatively new concept. As I was growing up, it never occurred to me that it wouldn't work, so I'm never surprised when it does. But I am continually amused at the form it chooses. Exercise Your Power In Your World Begin to notice and feel the power within you. Use it every single day, exercise it. Say a little prayer whenever you see an opportunity for one. If you read the paper or watch the news, you'll see many opportunities. Say some kind words to a stranger. Say some kind words to a friend. Say some kind words to your family. There is much more power in this than you can imagine. Exert your power in your world, use your power to comfort and uplift those around you. Everyone in your life right now is your multitude, each neighbor, each family member, each friend, each co-worker, and for each person that rubs you the wrong way, you are their multitude and they your greatest teacher. Pour your love and compassion out upon them as often as you can, and take nourishment from them as well. Hear what they have to say to you, and take it into account when making decisions about how to manage your life, but rely more on what comes forth from within you. Inner Guidance The less you rely on the opinions and guidance of others, the more your own guidance system develops. That's what's meant by "don't give your power away." If others are constantly giving you their ideas, your own can't develop. Your own ideas and guidance develop in the silence of your own mind as you consciously give thought to whatever subject you seek guidance on. All you need to ever know is locked within you. You don't need others for answers, but others can be valuable for inspiration. Would you keep a cast on a leg that no longer needed it? Wouldn't that eventually hold back the leg from healing on its own? Wouldn't the muscle atrophy and thus hinder you? Have friends and listen to them for inspiration and, afterward, give twice as much quiet thought to the subject as you spent listening to their ideas. Reflect deeply on what you're contemplating. Exercise your power to draw forth guidance from deep within yourself, and use it to better your life and hasten your evolution. On Earth Changes and Attitude I believe that yes, there will be lots of changes through the coming years here on Earth. I personally don't foresee in my lifetime any of the major catastrophes that have been predicted, and I also know that no matter what occurs where, it doesn't have to be my experience. Through the years, I've learned that my experience is dependent upon my mindset and aspiration, and my quality of life is directly connected to my attitude. Period, end of story. When I took steps in my life years ago to check criticism, to speak only words that are true, kind and necessary, and to take conscious control of how I perceive life and how I react to it, my world changed. It got easier, magic began to happen, people got nicer, money came easier, my hay fever even stopped! You cannot imagine the change that will take place in your life if you cease all criticism for 30 days. 30 days. This is a powerful exercise, friends. Can you go 30 days without criticism? Try it and let me know your results. Some weeks I do lots better than others. I know that I am a powerful being, I feel a real dedication to my brothers and sisters in this Earthwalk. If we develop a sense of purpose, and align ourselves with others who hold similar interests, and with dedication throw ourselves into whatever our project may be, I guarantee that when that flood or that hurricane or that tornado or that earthquake comes, it will wash over you or around you or under you and you'll just brush yourself off and continue on your merry way. It Doesn't Matter What The Project Is Maybe your project is raising your kids as a single mom, teaching them to speak only kind words, giving them helpful affirmations, teaching them to understand there are a variety of viewpoints. Maybe your project is a menial job in a miserable place, and you throw yourself into doing the very best you can there, and take pride in the wonderful service you are providing and wish happiness upon the people who'll benefit from your work. Maybe your project is being a teacher or an artist or a tax accountant. If you have a sense of purpose, a sense of mission and strive daily to move forward toward your goal, if you take responsibility for the thoughts you feed to yourself and others, the Universe will absolutely arrange it so you avoid any catastrophes that may come your way. While we're talking of catastrophes, I hear some lament that Social Security won't be around when we need it. So? So what? Unplug from the idea that the only income you might have is Social Security and know that by the time you're ready for it, some system will be in place and providing for you. Know that if your husband never made another child support payment, if your mom didn't make your car payments, if your daughter didn't repay her loan, you'd have income from somewhere. You'd have a roof over your head, you'd have food to eat. If you've read this far, you're at the stage that you can direct your own destiny by the power of your thoughts, and that certainly includes financial sufficiency. Steering Clear Of The Path Of Destruction What can you do in advance to make sure you survive Earth changes? Begin to make peace with everyone and everything. Become at peace with whatever is in your life right now. Forgive every one who's ever harmed you. Seek forgiveness (at least in your heart) for anyone you've ever hurt. Strive each day to uplift others. Seek happiness in all that you do. Do your job cheerfully, with gratitude and humility. Speak kind words to everyone. Pour your love onto others. Seek no recognition for good deeds. Initiate a project and throw yourself into it. Make a difference. Work daily to get yourself into a mindset of abundance and happiness and purpose right now, starting today, right where you are, so by the time the earthquake hits, you'll be miles away on a camping trip and miss all the action. You'll have worked up enough momentum by the power of your purposeful, guided thought, that the Universe will see to it that you're spared from whatever might be going on around you that you might not want to participate in. My experience is it's as easy as that. I've had it happen way too many times to not believe it. .. LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

earth-doves

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:34:57 +0000

fortune-teller-72

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:48:47 +0000

We're Becoming More Psychic. Telling What You Know

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:07:10 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4684" align="alignright" width="144" caption="Do we tell what we see?"][/caption] My friend Kandi Phillips emailed the other day, asking something I am frequently asked: What do you do if you're not sure how to tell someone about a dream? I have been having dreams about things happening to people. I use to have these as a child but my mom put a stop to that. A relative is in a wheelchair and I dreamed about her accident before it happened as a child. It scared everyone. Do you have dreams that shake you up? Just curious how you handle these. Wonder if doing the root chakra work last night opened this back up for me? I replied: For me, doing any kind of energy work gets the shakti going (the kundalini moving), which brings dreams. I used to think I had to tell everyone what I saw about them, that it was my duty. That it could help them prevent something. Would telling them harm them or help them? The crucial task wasn't "getting the message", the crucial task was discerning how they'd psychologically and emotionally handle what I'd say. Equally important was being able to detach when I'd told them something they'd ignore. And of course surprisingly losing friends who you thought understood what you did, but it turns out when it's "real" and about them, all of a sudden they get afraid and cut you off. So while I do have dreams that shake me up, it's not for long and I carefully choose who to tell and who not to tell. It's a huge yoga: Knowing a great secret, yet keeping it within you to let it do its work on you. The information is given to you, not always for the reason you think it is. It may just be that you are meant to work through these exact questions and come to a greater understanding of your gift in this way. It may have nothing to do with the friend you foresee the event for. Another huge yoga: Being prepared for the price of telling it if you decide to, and taking responsibility for what you've put out there. RELATED POST: How One Clairvoyant Sees The World RELATED POST: Classic Kundalini Imbalance RELATED POST: Paving Neural Pathways RELATED POST: Making Mistakes on the Spiritual Path . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

Voice vs. Paws. Stepping Back To Observe My Life

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:41:08 +0000

This entire week has been a trip. I've been resting my paws because I've had a little carpal tunnel flare up. For me, being a sole business owner/operator, resting them sometimes means only 4-6 hours a day at the keyboard instead of 18. I've gone for several laser treatments on them, as well. The flare up won't last long, but wow, when I'm in it, it ouches like crazy. The hands are much improved because I know how to care for them. But I have been pounding the white willow tincture (natural alternative to aspirin) this week for sure. I love to type and I type about as fast as I can think, so it's always been a favorite mode of expression and communication. Friends ask why I don't get a voice recognition software, like Dragon Naturally Speaking. The problem with that is that I use my voice so much in my dollar-producing work, that I have to rest it on a regular basis. The first few years I lost my voice on a regular basis, and now I know how to prevent that. So voice rest is perfect for me, because that gives me plenty of time for writing. I enjoy typing to get my thoughts out. There is a big difference in my state of consciousness when I am in the silence typing, and when I am speaking and hearing the sound of my own voice. I talk to so many people each day that sometimes, I just get tired of hearing voices - especially my own. So the idea of dictating aloud does not appeal to me in the least. So what do I do when I am on voice rest and staying off the keyboard at the same time? That's when I get the opportunity just be, without expressing anything. No need to talk. No need to type. No need to write. No drawing. No painting. No handwork of any kind. Just taking the opportunity to step into The Observer Mode and take a look at my life from that vantage point. Because I can only look at my life objectively if I'm able to step a little bit away from it. This is one reason I practice separation of consciousness from my body during my daily meditation. As I am able to observe my thoughts and quiet them, I can step back and begin to see the bigger picture. I can't do that if I'm in the midst of living my life with no reflection. Just like I know that this carpal tunnel flare up will subside soon, although right now it feels like it's here to stay. I'm glad I've learned not to believe that. Experience tells me it will be good as new in just a few short weeks, and the more I rest them the better. If I wasn't having some kind of unconscious resistance on some level, I wouldn't be experiencing any voice and paw problems anyway, so it's not like I don't know that. And what happens, a particularly bratty friend asked, if I can suddenly no longer use the hands or the voice to bring in my dollars? Well, I'll figure something out. I always have. I figure I always will. I'm not worried. I've lived long enough and paid enough attention to know that In The Now is truly where power and opportunity lies. Plus, oh yes, the Universe wants me to succeed and is always cheering me on, if I will only open my ears to hear. Once again it boils down to me. Imagine that. . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guide

class-pic-for-blog

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:26:44 +0000

Reconnecting with Classmates. We Come Forth In Clusters

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:53:41 +0000

No, I'm not going to renew. In September 2009 I joined www.classmates.com for the first time in several years. It was just $9.95 to join, rather than $39. When I signed up, I got an email telling me how many messages I had waiting for me. Messages people had sent me for the last several years when I was not a member. Messages that I supposed they thought I would get. If they were real messages from real people in the first place, that is, which -- all but two -- I doubted. Like everyone else, I initially went to the site years ago to "post a profile, free" and then learned that in order to send and receive messages, I would have to join. So don't send anyone a message on www.classmates.com thinking they will get it. They may have just created a profile and never paid to join. If they don't pay to join, they never see the message and you won't know it. When you look at their profile, if it says "Gold Member", then they have paid. That does not mean they ever go to the website or ever check their messages there. The three Gold members I sent messages to had not responded a year later. Anyone I actually wanted to connect with from high school or childhood I found on Facebook, and it was through Facebook I learned about my 40 year reunion. If you do join, be sure to go into your account info and change the automatic renewal ($39 year) to manual, or give them a card number that expires before the renewal date. Go to "Account", and scroll down to "Membership Information" and click on "Renewal Option." You want to change it from "Automatic Renewal" to "Manual." Through the years, I'd get an email several times a year from www.classmates.com saying so-and-so looked at my profile and sent me a message. It was always a name I never heard before, but a name that was fairly common, Donna Davies, Luis Mendez. I'd have to join to actually read the message. I pretty quickly realized it was one of their marketing techniques. So don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure out who these names belong to. Looking on the website at my list of classmates when I joined, I recognized so few names. I was not real social in school. I was a nobody. However on Facebook I do have 2 friends who were always waiting to beat me up in junior high. It taught me to be a good fighter. But after junior high nobody wanted to beat me up anymore. Another useless thing learned in school I'll never use. Like the broad jump. But that was then and this is now. I've reconnected with so many childhood friends on Facebook. Like it or not, there's a reason we were born into those families and went to school with those kids and reconnect (or not) with them through the years and especially now. Abraham-Hicks says, "You come forth in clusters with intentions to enhance one another’s experience; and when you meet up with your cluster, it’s really fun." So the question becomes: How are we going to make the most of meeting up with each other now that we're here? . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

domino

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:10:34 +0000

domino1

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:12:56 +0000

domino2

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:15:28 +0000

domino3

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:21:44 +0000

About Domino

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:24:15 +0000

Domino is the name I use when telling a story and want to keep an identity confidential. Domino is sometimes one person, and often is a combination of several. I consult with a lot of people on a regular basis, many of them all working on the same issues. So when you read a story and think you see yourself in it, you may. And when you read a story and think you are unfairly portrayed or that I've over-embellished, that part is likely some one else's story and not yours. But if the mirror fits...

angels-bouguereau-72

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:43:15 +0000

An Example of Being Out Of Alignment. If You Can Pretend For Just One Day, You Can Change Your World

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:02:04 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4757" align="alignright" width="104" caption="Always watching "][/caption] An example of being out of alignment: I was going to do a consultation with my friend Domino the other night and we'd left the time fairly open: as soon as I got free and was still awake. Then one thing led to another and it turned out that I was unable to make the call all evening. I knew that meant that we were not in vibrational resonance with each other at the time, otherwise I would have suddenly had time for it. Later that night, I send her an email, giving her a page of inutitive impressions I'd received for her. The next morning I checked to see if she'd gotten my email, and saw that she'd deleted it. More evidence that we were not vibrationally in tune. The next day, I called and Domino said she'd call me back in two minutes. I told her to call the number I had dialed her on, which is my fax line. Yet, forgotten by me was the fact that I had, for the first time in years, closed the door to the back office where that line rings. Twenty minutes later, I dialed the number myself to make sure it was ringing and sure enough, I didn't hear it. I started checking all the connections until I got to the closed door and realized why I couldn't hear the ring. I also knew that was another sign that we were vibrationally out of tune with each other, that is why we were having delays in getting to the actual conversation. Twenty minutes later I called and we had our talk. Domino is a savvy business owner and successful entrepreneur. She single-handedly runs several businesses, which serve an appreciative clientele. As her business expands quicker than she is prepared for, she goes through spells of uncertainty and fear, especially about the larger sums of money that are involved now. And some clients changed intentions and broke contracts, adding to her financial worry. Months ago, she applied for a loan modification and the paperwork keeps being misplaced and having to be resubmitted a third and fourth time. She has delays getting her tax accountant to finish her return. She's got bills coming in and collectors calling. She worries when the mail comes and jumps when the doorbell rings, wondering "what's next?" It's one thing piled upon another piled upon another. She says she's worried to a frazzle, and scared to death. But it all boils down to just one thing. Simply having resistance and being out of alignment, of not being connected to source energy. And Domino knows this. She's just feeling the pressure right now and so is not thinking clearly. And she knows that also. And she knows that knowing it and getting out of it can be two completely different things. I suggested a few things to her. The first, was to remember that In The Now is where our power lies. So she should do as many things as she can to bring herself into the present moment, because when you are there, you are not worrying about anything that came before. When you dive into cold water, you're totally brought into the present moment. You're In The Now when you have good sex. You're In The Now when you're washing a big giant dog, or playing tennis, or juggling. When your mind is completely occupied by something In The Present Moment, you are not thinking about anything other than what you are doing. You're not worrying about anything. You are engrossed completely in what you are doing and nothing else. I suggested she take some time off with her mate and go play like they did when they first met. I suggested she work on an art project she has going, as well as researching some new product development, something she loves to do and gets completely engrossed in while doing it. I suggested she do these things, while pre-paving the intention that the Universe would work out all the other stuff for her as she was off having fun. I suggested she step away for a necessary break and not try to figure out why the mortgage paperwork keeps getting screwed up. Just know that the Universe would straighten it out for her as she lightened up and reduced her resistance by purposely taking her mind off the mortgage, and brought herself Into The Now. Any time thoughts of the mortgage came up, she should simply release it saying, "I'm leaving that one up to the Universe to work out for me." I suggested she take a break and stop trying to figure out how to handle the expansion of the business, Any time thoughts of the expansion came up, she should simply release it saying, "I'm leaving that one up to the Universe to work out for me." I suggested she stop hanging on to the wound and stop telling the old story of everything that is going wrong, I suggested she begin doing Creative Visualization, seeing for each project she has what outcome she would like. I suggested she write half a dozen or more pages as if she was writing one year in the future, writing what had taken place the past twelve months. Writing it as she wants to see it to happen. Writing it as she would like to have it unfold. I suggested she begin to take, as natural anxiety and insomnia relief, some St. John's Wort and Valerian Root capsules. I have found that when I am feeling overwhelmed with work, taking these on a daily basis keeps me relaxed and takes away that sense of urgency. The sense of urgency to check email every waking moment, just to make sure no one needs me. The sense of urgency to return phone calls and answer mail and stay ahead on my work. Just the fact of staying frazzled will keep you from being connected to source energy. The big thing, though, is stepping back, letting go, and releasing resistance. Another big thing is saying, and meaning, "I'm leaving that one up to the Universe to work out for me." If it feels scary to do that, at least pretend it for a day at a time. For just one day, pretend that you believe that the Universe can handle it for you if you step away from it, and go do something fun. For just one day, pretend that you believe that whatever you write down will come to pass. For just one day, pretend that you believe that it is possible that everything you want to happen, can happen. For just one day, expect the miracle. . . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

I Give Myself An End Of Summer Head Cold

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:20:41 +0000

I took a nap Saturday and woke up about 4:00pm with a sore throat and congested sinuses. At first I couldn't be sure that it wasn't just allergies clogging my head, and snoring that gave me the sore throat. But a few hours later, I could tell it was a headcold coming on. I'm pretty good about washing my hands frequently, especially if I've been to the market or post office and been handling money and mail. I immediately created a nest in the living room, next to my new Big Puffy Chair. I had my bottles of water there, packets of Emergen C and Breathe Easy Tea and Throat Coat Tea. I'd gone into my arsenal of cold remedies and read up on Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way. I began using my neti pot to irrigate my sinuses, and I made sure to not eat any mucous causing (acid) foods: meat and bread is as mucous forming as milk and cheese, although most people don't know that. I put apples and oranges at the nest also, along with Chloraseptic throat lozenges, a liquid decongestant/ antihistamine, boxes of kleenex and my vitamins. So if I was going down for the count, I'd be prepared. I had some Zicam here, but Googled it and decided to instead take the SinoFresh instead. I had a cold a few years ago and a friend brought over a goodie basket filled with over the counter head cold remedies, so I was glad to have my arsenal. I made some Facebook posts about the cold. It gives me something concrete to do: Sat 6pm: all right, my holistic health buddies out there: 2 hours ago my left sinus became completely clogged. No relief yet. Do you have a natural remedy for me, or do I have to go all Google on it? Sat 9pm: has some kind of something moving through my sinuses and now the throat is sore also - oh no, you don't! Neti pot, vitamin C, hot lemon juice with cayenne, this will be over by morning *hold the vision with me* Sunday morning: is gargling with warm salt water Sunday: is staying in today to coddle the headcold moving through my sinuses. I will celebrate by getting stoned on over the counter decongestants and listening to Fred's rebroadcast of the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Show on www.fmodyssey.com Sunday: is glad I eat a natural healthy diet so when I allow a cold virus take hold, it moves through my system really quickly without much discomfort. Of course the more I talk to you about it, the longer I have it :) Sunday evening: Finally, the sore throat is gone 24 hours later, now working on the head congestion. A lazy day, lazing around in my big puffy chair. Life is good! Sunday: is going to stretch out and do some yoga and breathing in the shade in the back yard Sunday: may go to the store for some fresh fruit if I can make myself get up Monday 4am: I woke up dreaming I was blowing my nose, and was finally able to blow it! The cold is almost over. Monday 4:15am ok, have been up for 15 minutes... back to bed for me Monday 8am: is feeling better each time I wake up (2 boxes of kleenex later). I can breathe out of one nostril now! Off to the store for some decongestant, which will also resolve the thunderhead. I feel like my own biology project this weekend :) Monday 9am: oh neat, now I get to research what to do about a fever. I bought nectarines and V8 at the store. The fever must be cooking me so I'll be all better later on today. Cook on. Monday 9:30am: ah, the head cold has now migrated to the chest - head feels better - glad it's on the move! ### end of Facebook posts. I was glad for the down time to reflect on why I'd given myself a cold. I only do this every few years. Give myself a cold, that is. I eat healthy, natural foods with not much meat, so my immune system stays very strong. Anything moving through it tends to do so quickly enough, so I am never in discomfort long. I did have to reschedule five phone appointments, and I immediately went into voice rest to help heal up the sore throat. That was my big focus. I began gargling every hour with warm salt water and by Sunday sundown the sore throat had abated. Yay! So why do I give myself these head colds if I know I am giving them to myself? I used to ask myself that question but the answer was obvious. When I am feeling inundated with people in my face and need a break from it, I give myself a headcold. I don't mean to. I don't do it on purpose. But every few years it just happens. The symptoms are real. The sinuses fill up. The throat closes up. Water pours out of my eyes. Whether I treat it or not, it lasts 2-4 days. So I no longer fight it. I no longer whine about it. I simply settle myself in for a few days of rest and inactivity. I pamper myself with hot baths, hot tea and lots of naps in the Big Puffy Chair. I turn the tv on and watch it. I make frequent trips outside, for quick walks in the woods, to stave off the cabin fever. I spend lots of time in my soft bed so I don't get achey from the Big Puffy Chair. I celebrate my rest time, rather than begrudge it. I may as well enjoy it as long as I created it, huh? . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

Vibrational Escrow, The Autistic Revolution with Abraham-Hicks

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:12:41 +0000

I spent Monday mostly sleeping. My head cold is now sharing space with my chest. It's so nice of my body parts to share with each other. So instead of doing a blog post today, I am going to nap, but here are a couple of neat Abraham-Hicks videos to tide you over. How to Quickly Access our Vibrational Escrow with Abraham-Hicks Excerpted from the DVD "The Autistic Revolution: Children In the Time of Awakening" from Abraham-Hicks Publications. A New Paradigm In this presentation, Abraham addresses several questions about autism from parents and a behavioral scientist, and then reveals the surprising role that autistic children play at this unique time in Earth history. In doing so, Abraham gives their most complete explanation yet of their perspective on raising children, and shares their unique insight into the planetary Awakening now taking place around us.

fire-campfire72

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:13:58 +0000

jeans-skinny

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:56:38 +0000

jeans-skinny2

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:58:37 +0000

When I'm Healthy, I'm Never Down For Long

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:00:09 +0000

Boy, having this head and chest cold the past few days, I've learned some things: I can go down for the count in a heartbeat. It takes a lot of energy to simply sit up, stand and move around. The better my health is, in general, the quicker I bounce back if a bug gets me down. The less food I have moving through my body on a daily basis, the quicker any bug can move through my system. When I use food like I use firewood - adding to the fire only the amount of wood that is needed when it is needed - the more easily it is converted to fuel for me, and the more efficiently it burns. This fuel is what I use to feed ALL of my biological processes - everything, for all organs and body parts, so it's important. At the campfire, you don't pile all the firewood on at once, you add each log as the fire burns down and makes room for it. You can make 8 logs last 8 hours or you can start the fire with all 8 logs. If you stack it all up at one time, you get a big smoky mess that has no air to breathe. That makes it burn unevenly and then it's gone in just a few hours. Same as big meals. They just clog you up and don't leave you energy to do the long term work. The long term work of fueling the cells of your body properly, so you metabolize properly and stay healthy. Digestion isn't just about digestion. Healthy cells also look younger. Duh. If I have a cold and I have been eating heavily - meaning, say, more than 2,000 calories a day, or more than two servings of bread/pasta/potatoes/dairy a day - I can count on feeling under the weather an extra week, and it can hit me much harder as well. This year I weathered a tummy bug and it was by far the easiest one I'd ever had. I attribute that to the simple fact that my system had not been overloaded for years beforehand with a lot of heavy, meaty, starchy and greasy foods. The same with this head and chest cold. That in itself is incentive for me to continue to eat light and to eat healthy. But also incentive is that when I lose even 3-5 pounds by cutting my intake, I can fit into my skinny jeans. And being healthy and looking younger in them? Priceless. LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Eating Habits $10 mp3 Visit Goddess Grub, healthy and luscious low fat foods for the goddess on the go Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

gone-fishing

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:15:00 +0000

Posting Comments

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:15:16 +0000

TO POST A COMMENT, scroll down to the bottom right where it says REGISTER. Click Register. Fill in your email address and a password will be sent for you to use to LOG IN. After you have the password, you scroll to the bottom right and click LOG IN. On some posts, you will have to register to comment, on some you will not. Your email address will not be used or shared. You can even create a new fake email address just to post comments and Be Anonymous. The only reason you have to register on some is because all the spam clutters my moderation queue. I know you understand. Also, I always welcome constructive critcism, from friends and strangers alike. I define constructive as promoting improvement or development, when someone tells me specifically what they didn't like and suggest specific improvements. Otherwise it's just a complaint, but everyone is entitled to complain when their buttons are pushed.

A 23 Minute Quantum Healing Experience

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:27:07 +0000

A friend sent me this link for a free healing experience. No catches, no hidden costs, just the potential to take a step forward on your personal healing journey. This unique experience is based on the combination of sound, colour, fractal geometry, harmonics and symbols. This is a 23 minute website experience to enhance healing potential. You can repeat the experience whenever you wish, drawing from it whatever you need at that time. If you would like an entirely audio experience, a narrated version is also available.

graffiti

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:20:06 +0000

food-mediterranean-diet-pyramid

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:29 +0000

food-fruit-and-vegetable

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:05:48 +0000

Higher Cognitive Performance with High Intake of Fruits and Veggies

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:39:38 +0000

Higher Cognitive Performance with High Intake of Fruits and Vegetables. Researchers have investigated the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, plasma antioxidant micronutrient status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects aged 45 to 102 years. The study results, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, indicate higher cognitive performance in individuals with high daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Subjects with a high daily intake (about 400 g) of fruits and vegetables had higher antioxidant levels, lower indicators of free radical-induced damage against lipids as well as better cognitive performance compared to healthy subjects of any age consuming low amounts (< 100 g/day) of fruits and vegetables. Modification of nutritional habits aimed at increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, therefore, should be encouraged to lower the prevalence of cognitive impairment. Dr. M. Cristina Polidori explains: "It is known that there is a strong association between fruit and vegetable intake and the natural antioxidant defenses of the body against free radicals. It is also known that bad nutritional habits increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment with and without dementia. With this work we show a multiple link between fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant defenses and cognitive performance, in the absence of disease and independent of age. Among other lifestyle habits, it is recommended to improve nutrition in general and fruit and vegetable intake in particular at any age, beginning as early as possible. This may increase our chances to remain free of dementia in advanced age." These findings are independent of age, gender, body mass index, level of education, lipid profile and albumin levels, all factors able to influence cognitive and antioxidant status. The relevance of the findings is also strengthened by the large sample that included 193 healthy subjects. Further studies are planned that will include larger subject cohorts, patients with Alzheimer's disease at different stages and patients with mild cognitive impairment without dementia. References: 1. Polidori MC, Pratico D, Mangialasche F, Mariani E, Aust O, Anlasik T, Mang N, Pientka L, Stahl W, Sies H, Nelles G. High fruit and vegetable intake is positively correlated with antioxidant status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects. J Alzheimers Dis 17:4 (August 2009). Related Links: Exercise and Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Alzheimer's Risk LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Eating Habits $10 mp3 Visit Goddess Grub, healthy and luscious low fat foods for the goddess on the go Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

72_0011a

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:50:10 +0000

OK, I'm Busted

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:50:51 +0000

[caption id="attachment_4817" align="alignright" width="108" caption="Laughing cuz you busted me"][/caption] Yes I'm re-posting other stuff this week on the blog here since I am rushing to get the October Horizons Magazine to press on time after my head/chest cold knocked me on my butt for a week :) Bear with me!

river-yoga-kantarze72

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:26:54 +0000

Saturday Sept 19th River Healing Arts Festival at the Stephen Foster Folk Center State Park in White Springs

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:29:15 +0000

Saturday September 19, 2009 WHITE SPRINGS 10am - 5pm Come to the River Healing Arts Festival “Discover the Nature of Your Heart” The Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center State Park in Historic White Springs, FL hosts the third annual Healing Arts Festival. You will be able to experience: laughing meditation, gentle hatha yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, acupuncture, aromatherapy, Native American healing techniques and more. Leading practitioners will present free mini seminars throughout the day teaching you mind-body techniques and natural remedies. Have fun and discover the rhythm of your own heart with the Paralounge Drum Circle. Drums will be provided and you may join the group at your leisure at the Riverside gazebo all afternoon. Understand all the aspects of your heart in this powerful one day event! Over 30 vendors offering healthy products, hypnotherapy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractics, art, photography, pottery, herbs, rocks, shells and hand crafted items will be on hand in the Craft Square area near the main stage. FREE ADMISSION to the event with paid entrance into the park ($5.00/CAR UP TO 8 OCCUPANTS) For more information call 386-397-1920 or visit us on the web at www.stephenfostercso.org

Exercise and Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Alzheimer's Risk

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:07:30 +0000

Exercise and Mediterranean Diet Associated With Lower Alzheimer's Risk Being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer's disease risk. According to a study, elderly individuals who had a diet that included higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereal and fish and was low in red meat and poultry and who were physically active had an associated lower risk of Alzheimer disease. Research regarding the effect physical activity can have on the risk of Alzheimer disease or dementia has shown mixed results, as has the effect of dietary habits. Their combined association has not been investigated. Nikolaos Scarmeas and colleagues examined the association between physical activity and risk of Alzheimer disease and also the effect of physical activity and adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet on Alzheimer disease risk. The study included 2 groups that consisted of 1,880 community-dwelling elderly residents of New York city without dementia at the start of the study, for whom there was both diet and physical activity information available. Standardized neurological and neuropsychological measures were administered approximately every 1.5 years from 1992 through 2006. The participants received measurements of their adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (scale of 0-9; categorized as low, middle, or high) and their physical activity (sum of weekly participation in various physical activities, weighted by the type of physical activity [light, moderate, vigorous]; categorized into no physical activity, some, or much, also low or high), separately and combined. A higher score for diet was obtained with higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and fish; lower consumption of meat and dairy products; a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats and mild to moderate alcohol consumption. Individuals were followed up for an average of 5.4 years, during which a total of 282 developed Alzheimer disease. In considering only physical activity, the researchers found that more physical activity was associated with lower risk for developing Alzheimer disease. "Compared with physically inactive individuals, report of some physical activity was associated with a 29 percent to 41 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer disease, while report of much physical activity was associated with a 37 percent to 50 percent lower risk," the authors write. When considered simultaneously, both physical activity and Mediterranean diet adherence were significantly associated with Alzheimer disease incidence. According to the researchers, "Belonging to the middle diet adherence tertile was associated with a 2 percent to 14 percent risk reduction, while belonging to the highest diet adherence tertile was associated with a 32 percent to 40 percent reduced risk. Similarly, compared with individuals with no physical activity, individuals reporting some physical activity had a 25 percent to 38 percent lower risk for Alzheimer disease, while individuals reporting much physical activity had a 33 percent to 48 percent lower risk for Alzheimer disease." The authors also write, "Compared with individuals with low physical activity plus low adherence to a diet (absolute Alzheimer disease risk, 19 percent), high physical activity plus high diet adherence was associated with a 35 percent to 44 percent relative risk reduction (absolute Alzheimer disease risk, 12 percent). … Absolute Alzheimer disease risks declined from 21 percent in the group with no physical activity plus low diet adherence to 9 percent in the group with much physical activity plus high diet adherence." The authors further noted that even low degrees of physical activity reported by these elderly study subjects seemed to be associated with having a protective effect against Alzheimer's "This study is important because it shows that people may be able to alter their risk of developing Alzheimer's by modifying their lifestyles through diet and exercise" "In summary, our results support the potentially independent and important role of both physical activity and dietary habits in relation to Alzheimer disease risk. These findings should be further evaluated in other populations." References: 1. Nikolaos Scarmeas, et al. Physical Activity, Diet, and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. JAMA. 2009;302(6):627-637. Related link: Higher Cognitive Performance with High Intake of Fruits and Vegetables LISTEN FREE: Re-Program Your Eating Habits $10 mp3 Visit Goddess Grub, healthy and luscious low fat foods for the goddess on the go Email andrea@horizonsmagazine.com

food-turkey-sandwich

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:34:13 +0000

Cookie Dough Frosty and Deepak Chopra

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:35:37 +0000

A girlfriend made me laugh this week. She knows I eat a healthy, natural diet most of the time, so I confessed that I'd eaten a turkey sandwich for dinner - knowing that bread and meat wasn't the best thing to eat while I was getting over a big cold. She emailed back, "I am the LAST person to comment on anyone else's eating habits. I read your blogs and am amazed at how well you eat. If I resist a chicken sandwich, baked potato and cookie dough Frosty, I think I'm Deepak Chopra!"

7 Thoughts That Are Bad For You

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:53:16 +0000

7 thoughts that Are Bad For You: Our personalities do more for us than determine our social circles. Temperament can impact a person's physical health. "The idea that behavior or personality traits can influence health is one that's been around for a long time. We're just now getting a handle on to what extent they do," said Stephen Boyle of Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. From those with a chill demeanor to the completely frazzled types, mental factors are ultimately tied to physical health. And while a highly neurotic person might deteriorate more quickly than others, not every character trait will kill you. Some might even boost lifetimes. -- Jeanna Bryner 7. Cynicism Cynics who tend to be suspicious and mistrustful of others, a character trait that scientists refer to as hostility, may have an increased likelihood of developing heart disease. "These aren't necessarily hot-headed people, but people who are more likely to read into people's behavior as some hostile motive," Stephen Boyle said during a telephone interview. In a study of more than 300 Vietnam veterans who were healthy at the study start, Boyle found that those who scored high on measures of hostility were about 25 percent more likely to develop heart disease. Boyle and his colleagues think that hostile individuals might experience more stress, which can cause spikes in an immune-system protein called C3 that has been linked with various diseases, including diabetes. In fact, the participants with higher scores on hostility showed an increase in these proteins while the non-hostile men showed no such increase. 6. Lack of Meaning If you lack a sense of purpose, your stay on Earth could be truncated. A study involving more than 1,200 elderly participants who didn't have dementia at the study's start found that those who indicated having a high purpose in life were about half as likely to die over the study period, which lasted up to five years. The results, published in the June 15 issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, held regardless of a person's age, sex, education and race, along with level of depression and neuroticism. "Persons with high purpose readily derive meaning from and make sense of the events of their lives, and likely engage in behaviors and activities that they deem important," said study researcher Patricia Boyle of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago. Some other research has suggested that people with a higher sense of purpose may have different levels of stress hormones, better heart health or improved immune systems, though more research is needed to firm up any of these biological mechanisms, she said. The opposite also holds: "The findings from our study suggested that people who no longer set and work actively toward goals or enjoy their day-to-day activities (how they spend their time) are those with greater mortality risk," Boyle told LiveScience. 5. Fretting People who are highly neurotic -- constantly worried and anxious, and prone to depression -- die sooner on average than their chill counterparts. And a recently reported study of nearly 1,800 men followed over a 30-year period suggests that's partly because neurotics are also more likely to smoke. Perhaps having a cigarette eases anxiety, said study researcher Daniel Mroczek of Purdue University in Indiana, adding that such a short-term payoff might not be worth it if it kills you down the line. 4. Lack of Self-control Late for appointments? Can't keep your desk organized? No self-control? These seemingly benign qualities could take a toll on your health. A review of more than 20 studies and nearly 9,000 participants revealed people who are conscientious -- organized and self-disciplined, as opposed to impulsive -- live two to four years longer than others. Study researcher Howard S. Friedman of the University of California, Riverside, suspects the boost in lifetime can be attributed partly to the fact that highly conscientious individuals are less likely to smoke or drink to excess, and live more stable and less stressful lives. The study is detailed in a 2008 issue of the journal Health Psychology. 3. Anxiety The jitters can put a strain on your noggin, research suggests. Compared with the highly frazzled, individuals with a mellow demeanor who are outgoing may be less likely to develop dementia, which can be caused by Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses. The claim is based on a study that followed more than 500 elderly individuals for five years. Among the outgoing extroverts, dementia risk was 50 percent lower for participants who were calm compared with those who were prone to distress. 2. Anxiety The jitters can put a strain on your noggin, research suggests. Compared with the highly frazzled, individuals with a mellow demeanor who are outgoing may be less likely to develop dementia, which can be caused by Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses. The claim is based on a study that followed more than 500 elderly individuals for five years. Among the outgoing extroverts, dementia risk was 50 percent lower for participants who were calm compared with those who were prone to distress. 1. Stress Whatever you do, don't let this list worry you! Research is showing that prolonged stress can be deadly, and if it doesn't do you in, workplace stress can increase your chances of heart disease, flu virus, metabolic syndrome and having high blood pressure. A study of nearly 700 Israeli workers found that those who experienced job burnout (when work stress becomes unmanageable) were nearly twice as likely as others to develop type 2 diabetes, in which a person's body becomes resistant to the sugar-regulating hormone called insulin. And while a job promotion might boost your income, it also stresses you out. British researchers recently found that when people get promoted, they suffer on average about 10 percent more mental strain and are less likely to find time to go to the doctor.

blowing-nose72

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:33:29 +0000

I'm Getting Over My Giant Cold

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:36:17 +0000

Yes, I'm still posting other people's stuff on the blog here for a few days. I'm getting over my big head and chest cold, so I'm giving all my energy to finishing the final layout of the October Horizons. Last month I wore out my paws doing both the final layout AND writing new daily blog posts and had a flare up of the ole carpal tunnel. I'm just now out of the wrist splints, so I'm not pushing it. The good news is the cold kept me off the keyboard long enough to heal the paws right up. In a few days I'll be back to my typical blathering on about all the little details of my goofy life. Thanks for bearing with me!

Using The Secret For Successful Marketing: How the Law of Attraction Can Bring You More Business

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:51:15 +0000

Conventional marketing tells us how we need to target our market, use specific headlines, run an ad more than 6 times, as well as a long list of other marketing ploys. However, thanks to Abraham-Hicks and The Secret, we now know that the success of advertising, as with everything else, is not so much dependent upon the action that is taken (designing and placing the ad) as it is on the consciousness from which the action is taken. That is, what you think about your business, about your abilities, and about what you have to offer. That also means you take charge of your internal dialogue. For someone whose attitude is, ”Hmmm, business is down, so let me put a few lines in, even though it's the slow season. It couldn't hurt and it's only a few bucks,” then their response will reflect that. Remember that the response you receive always mirrors your real - and sometimes unconscious - core belief and attitude on the topic. In this case, that might be “I don't feel real hopeful and motivated, so I probably won't attract more than I am attracting already.” Realize that in “the real world,” - the metaphysical world of energy exchange - you can't expect people to be more enthusiastic about your business than you are. A more helpful attitude might be, “I believe so much in what I'm doing that I expect to be rewarded amply for it. While I am feeling enthusiastic and hopeful about my business, I will order or design an ad (or flyer or poster) that will reflect to everyone just how dedicated I am, and everyone who sees it will catch a glimpse of my joy in doing what I do. I will make a commitment to give this ad 3 or 6 months to work for me and after that I will re-evaluate the situation and see if I'm satisfied with what I'm attracting.” Then, during the time your ad runs, make sure that at least twice daily you do a visualization session seeing people respond to your ad. Envision the calls coming in, envision new people walking in the door and being excited about what they find there. Envision opening your bank statement and seeing the balance double and triple. Envision opening your email and seeing the registrations and PayPal payments come in. Envision going out to your mailbox and opening it and seeing lots of checks with your name on them. Envision people you already know coming to class or current students taking extra classes. Envision them telling friends about it, and see them happy and excited about what you have to offer. Do these visualizations long enough and often enough that you yourself feel excited and hopeful while you are doing them. From that consciousness, people will be drawn to you and your ad and your business. Then once you've attracted them, you can use conventional marketing to interest them in other products and services, if you really want to. But, as Abraham-Hicks and The Secret says, that's doing it the hard way. And the best part? Knowing that YOU are the one in charge of how much business you attract to yourself, that YOU alone determine what your income will be and how your time will be spent. Me? I make my visualization time the most important daily priority I have. Oh, one more reminder: Don't forget that everything you do and how you think and what you say in all other areas of your life also impacts your income. We know now that it's all related. You can't be critical or hold grudges or be unforgiving or get aggravated by competition or the news without it impacting your income. It's all related. Really. Update: Think and Grow Rich script from last month fulfilled How do you attract a new source of income? Free Think & Grow Rich Action Summary at www.secret2dollars.com Using The Secret For Successful Marketing: How the Law of Attraction Can Bring You More Business . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

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Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:08:10 +0000

How To Stop The Stupid Facebook Posts On Your Wall

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:35:43 +0000

The saga of the head and chest cold continues! I'm on day 10 of my cold and at this point it's obvious it's going to run the entire 2 weeks. It's been so long since I had a cold that at first I simply thought it was hay fever, since it's the season. Had I began taking vitamin C and grapefruit seed extract at the first sneeze, I would have nipped it in the bud. I didn't do that. But it's a far easier cold than it would have been. A friend emailed he was tired of seeing the tons of stupid stuff friends posted on his Facebook Wall. I reminded him they were simply posting to THEIR OWN Facebook Wall. The reason he could see it was because he had them showing on his "News Feed". Simply "hide" from your News Feed whoever's stupid stuff you don't want to see. I thought the same thing at first until I figured out how it worked. So they are not putting graffiti all over YOUR wall, simply their own :) I'm just discovering Facebook Managing Incoming Information; What Is Facebook For? Facebook quizzes; every little bit of insight helps Facebook posts; I’m in charge of what I attract Facebook friends to the rescue, helping me Excel If a Friend Asks For $$ In Facebook, Ask A Personal Question You Want To Be My Friend On Facebook? The Zen of Farmville on Facebook? WTF? Are Your Facebook Friends Really Your Friends? Don’t Assume Mine Are Either What I post on Facebook Finding childhood buds on Facebook, flashback to age 18 Putting personal details on Facebook and Myspace Is it ok to break up with someone over Facebook? Why I like Facebook

salt-shaker

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:20:56 +0000

Sodium: How Much is Too Much? Taking One Day At A Time

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:21:54 +0000

Finally I seem to be allowing this head and chest cold to loosen its hold on me. I lost 4 days of work when it began because I didn't recognize it as a cold at first. That means I didn't jump in right away with my immune tincture, vitamin C and grapefruit seed extract, and consequently I spent the first 4 days sleeping almost around the clock. When I was awake, I was busy using up all the tissue in the house and coughing, coughing, coughing. Since I never feel like eating when I can't breathe, I lost a few pounds in the process. YAY! The next 5 days, I began feeling better. I still wasn't psyched about cooking, so I began eating canned soups and Kahiki frozen egg rolls. I love Campbell's condensed Chicken Noodle Soup and, like the egg rolls, it is delicious and low fat. Then suddenly it seemed my cold got worse. I felt I was back pedalling and didn't know why. I began feeling low energy and my head was filling up again. Then I realized that, by trying to save time by not cooking, I was resorting to processed foods, which I don't typically eat much of. So, along with my cold, my body now had to work to fight off the energy zappers I'd so quickly introduced. Darn, and I know better. So I stopped eating that stuff and made a big Thai Tom Yum Soup with extra chilis and nam prik pao to kickstart clearing out the sinuses. I began eating handfuls of fresh spinach right out of the bag, a favorite snack. I began drinking a lot of water, I mean a lot of water. I began thinking of high salt, out of the blue, and wondering if the nighttime headache I'd gotten the last few days were due to that. I felt compelled to drink a lot of water, as though that would help flush it out of my system. My throat was parched and I felt very - well, saline, as though I was one giant salt lick. I've never been concerned with how much sodium is in my food, becasue I don't eat that much that is processed. But I began going through the pantry reading labels. I tend to forget that whatever has a label usually has a lot of added salt. It's easy to forget when I eat mostly fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Then I went to the store and once again began reading labels. Holy shift! U.S. dietary goals say we're supposed to have 2,000 mg of salt a day maximum, which is one teaspoonful. Yet most processed foods (processed = anything with a label) have that much in one package. The label also says that one package is several servings, yet we treat the product as one serving. Hmmm. I just never paid attention to the sodium content of foods before. I began having the thought that the salt might be somehow impacting my cold and keeping me from getting better. Like it was drawing the healing water out of my cells or something. I thought that might be making me tired. So when I began drinking more water, that made me feel better. I knew these thoughts were my guidance system talking to me via my own internal dialogue. I began thinking of all the people out there that have high blood pressure. I have friends who have it, and take medication for it every day. I also know what they eat. I'm not one to judge someone else's eating habits, because had it not been for a serious health event in 2004, I wouldn't be eating the healthy diet I now eat. Fear is a good motivator. So is pain. I wouldn't go low fat to take some pounds off, but a couple of bouts with gallstone pancreatitis convinced me I never wanted to have that pain again. Ever. Fear is a good motivator. I knew if I slipped up and started going back to eating the high fatty foods I'd grown up eating - the typical American diet - I was going to have a problem again. And no way did I want that. So the choice to change to a healthy diet was an easy one for me. Do it or die, in pain and debilitated *smile* Easy choice! And it was easier than I thought it'd be. That's because of the whole "pain and fear as powerful motivators" part. That means I didn't need to cultivate will power, I just needed to research and embark upon a new course of action. If I'd had to figure willpower into the equation, I am sure I may not have fared so well. It also helped that every night as I went to bed, I listened to my Reprogram Your Eating Habits mp3 file. It was almost like cheating since I could listen to it in my sleep and it still worked. So I can't give my friends grief for eating high sodium foods when they know it's bad for them. Choosing to stay uninformed is a choice in itself. These friends think the worst that can happen is they die. Nah. The worst that can happen is that they become disabled and dependent upon others and have to live a lifestyle which is far less than they could be living. If they make the choice to be informed and knowledgeable about what's going on with their own body, then it's easier to make the choices to ensure they remain strong and self sufficient. Every moment is a new beginning and small steps, one day at a time, can make the going easier. Even me. Now that I've mastered keeping below 40-50 grams of fat a day, and maintained my weight and excellent health since 2004, now I can work on my portion sizes. And I believe this is where that whole will power thing will come in handy. . LISTEN FREE: Reprogram Your Eating Habits

Crashing Around In The Dark: When I Discover I'm Not Where I Think I Am

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:01:14 +0000

It seems I bought my big puffy chair just in time last month. In time for the big cold that would knock me out for the past 2 weeks. I spent lots of time napping in the new chair. I knew to alternate it with naps in my bed so I wouldn't get too bored spending so much time in the same room since the cold kept me horizontal. Before the chair, I'd usually crash on my couch rather than officially going to bed. But since the advent of the new puffy chair, I have been sleeping in my bedroom more. I'm not one of those people who calls it a night in typical fashion. I don't get in my pajamas and turn down the bed and get in between the sheets. I typically fall asleep on top of the covers, fully dressed, project in hand. And I keep my room pitch black - dark out curtains, digital clock face down, the whole nine yards. When I close the door, there's no light reference at all. I find that is ideal for me getting good sleep. But it's not pitch black when I walk in to the room. I have two ceramic night lights on the healing bench at the end of the room, one of an angel and one of Blessed Mother, both with red bulbs. So when I go to bed at night, I typically walk into my room, close the door, turn off those two lights and climb onto my bed. I can tell where I am on the bed because I can feel the corner as I approach it, and I can feel the wall behind my pillows. I typically sleep diagonal on the bed, head facing due north. That way I have lots of arm and leg room, and am not sleeping with my head on top of an electrical outlet. When I get out of bed at night to powder my nose, I can tell where I am in the dark by how many steps it takes to get to the bathroom. I touch the vanity counter and the bathroom door frame on the way in, so even though it's dark, I know where I am. I've lived in this house and slept in that room since 1984, so I know where things are. So last night I went to bed about 1am. I've been really tired all week with this cold, and so I've been sleeping a few hours here, a few hours there, just letting my body do what it wants to do. That's a luxury I have since I'm my own boss. I remember going into my room and turning off the nightlights. I remember rearranging the giant pillows to make just the right nest, and I remember, okay, no, I don't remember falling asleep... But I do remember waking up to use the bathroom. I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed, but something didn't feel right. I reached to the right for the lamp and didn't feel it. I figured it was just another few inches out, but I didn't actually touch it. I just assumed it was there. It always is. I put my feet on the floor and didn't feel the soft rug beneath them. I figured I was near the corner of the bed, and that the rug was simply 6 inches to my right. But I didn't reach out and touch it. I just figured it was there. It always was. When I got up, I headed out in the right direction and made about a 6" course correction. Half asleep, I reach out to touch the vanity counter for a reference, and manage to knock down a hat tree and an entire row of toiletries which are half a room across from where I thought I was. WTF? Well, that sure woke me up, and I turned on the closet light, once I figured out where the closet was. I couldn't figure out how I got it so wrong and how I got so twisted around. It made me think back to times in my life where I was sure I was doing something the right way. So sure that I didn't question it, I simply continued doing it the way I thought I was supposed to. And in the meantime, either what I knew had become obsolete, or I'd forgotten some important step. Either way, when I thought I was doing something way right, I ended up doing it way wrong. Often in a big way. It reminded me that I'm not always where I think I am, no matter how many long I've travelled down a path. It reminded me that without due diligence and checking up on myself every so often, I might be straying little by little off the path I think I'm on. A mis-step of just a few inches off can take me in a whole 'nother direction. And I was reminded that I can't count on myself for navigation if I am going to ignore the absence of familiar markers, like the lamp and the rug. I made a choice to forge ahead anyway, despite the fact that I did not actually feel the lamp or the rug. I was too lazy to reach the extra few inches that would have given me clear evidence of where I was. But noooooo. I had to guess each time. And guess wrong each time. And move forward while assuming a fact not in evidence. So when I crash into my own stuff and upset my own apple cart, it's not like I didn't have a warning. It's not as though I couldn't have taken an extra moment to make sure of where I was and make sure I was on the path that would take me where I wanted to go. I'm allowed to be as lazy as I want to be. I just need to be prepared to take responsibility for where I end up at the end of the day. Every day. r . LISTEN TO FREE SAMPLES: Out of Body Experience and Connecting with your Angels, Guides

bear-fall-down

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:53:23 +0000

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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:15:19 +0000

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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:16:34 +0000

Horizons Magazine

Working out the bugs; wasted time; self promotion

I'm liking the cold weather

Celebrity photos; does anyone have a right to privacy?

A surprise visit from my Uncle Jimmy

Do you ever just get tired of eating?

Grace and the red sweater of the growing sleeves

Putting personal details on Facebook and MySpace

Running on empty *those ink cartridges are NOT empty yet*

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A festival at the bird bath; Izzy gets fired

Valentine's Day; relationships

Baffling the neighbors; I discover Rhapsody

How were you programmed by language as a child?

Getting over 103,000 hits a month already

I've been making little micro soups

Separate checking account eases online banking fears

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If you've got an ad for March Horizons, I need it tomorrow

Saturday Feb 14th at 7:00am Age of Aquarius Sunrise Circle

Initiating change to cause a different vibrational offering

A lowfat/no fat mini-Minestrone soup

A Foodie Quiz I put on Facebook

Friday the 13th and a Recession-Proof Life

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Switching main phone from AT&T to Bright House

Lowfat White Bean Micro Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan

A Lifestyle Quiz I put on Facebook

The time consuming part of my job

Magazine is finally off to the printer!

My yard thinks it's Springtime; the entire root system is connected

To de-stress, self talk yourself as if you were the favorite

Seeking rocks and crystals - tell me where your fave store is

New attorney's office needs part time front desk help

Eating; one guilty pleasure remains

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I just took a photo safari in my yard

Join Abraham- Hicks online live Thursday, February 19th

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We didn't start the fire

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Still doing what I want, but what I want has changed

Circuit City's closing sale prices are still high

I'm all for whatever works

Transcript of a Psychic Reading on $$$, Breaking The Spell, How To Strengthen Willpower

A morning in the garden

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I get to be a Good Sam

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A chameleon's tale

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Being prepared and changing perception really eases my stress

NY Times today: Can talk of Depression lead to one?

New study results: how a man's brain thinks when viewing women in bikinis

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I don't always notice when I'm getting stressed

Miscommunication

I like to do things in stages

Gotta love A T & T

My clients are the best *the worst turns into the best*

Take a one week news fast. How deep do you want to go?

Miracles! They can happen to you, too.

Why are Mapquest & Google directions so out of the way?

We do have an AVOID button - here's how to use it

The March Horizons Magazine is now online

Finally! When enlightment comes...

Wise words from that great guru, Frank Zappa

Running on empty those ink cartridges are NOT empty yet

My clients are the best the worst turns into the best