A new day, A new beginning,
Yesterday's worries are past.
Today is fresh and clear.
Smell it, feel it, sense it.
Hope, possibility,
Take it all in.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
A New Day
A new day, A new beginning,
Yesterday's worries are past.
Today is fresh and clear.
Smell it, feel it, sense it.
Hope, possibility,
Take it all in.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tough Times In Life
Sometimes no matter how you look at a situation, there seems to be no end in sight. It seems like there are no options for resolution. It feels as if this situation will go on forever and ever. No matter what one does or wishes for, the outcome seems to be the same.
Confusion leads its way to tiredness as the struggle takes over. In one's mind, it seems hopeless. In fact, you wonder if things will ever change or improve. After all, you've fought the good fight but no matter what, that does not appear to be enough.
In fact, you begin to wonder if there is ever enough for you to give in life to make things better. You question if there is even a way forward. Your mind fixates on gloom and doom because that is what is familiar. Yet, you long for the winds of change. You long for something out there that is different than what you regularly experience.
Of course, you realize if you look back that you've been up against some very large and thick walls before. They are those tough times in life that you've been through all too often it seems. You know that there has been some deep challenging moments in life that tested you beyond your limits. In these times, it always seemed the darkest before the dawn. It was when you felt hardest hit that somehow and in some way you found a door through the brick wall.
What seemed like a solid wall had a door in it the entire time. Until you ran your fingers over the entire wall did you find it. Looking at the brick wall, the door blended in. So even though it felt impossible at the time to find the passageway through the wall, you managed to do that. It wasn't easy and it was not quick but eventually you did it.
In the end, you had changed and evolved for the better. Of course this was difficult to see in that moment. As time went by, it became a clear, beautiful and detailed portrait. You were able to see that in reality, the brick wall was not as big or as sturdy as you thought it to be in those tough times of life. You just were not at a vantage point where you could see this.
It was only when you allowed your fingers to find the door that your vantage point showed up. You gave yourself the permission to do this and then allowed yourself the option of walking through the door.
No matter how dark, difficult or tough the times in life get, let us never forget the many doors we've already walked through. It was in those tough times that sparks were ignited to produce some of the most spectacular fireworks for our days ahead. It was in those moments that our confusion, our fears and hopelessness were morphed into a new and unfolding path.
So when it appears hopeless or there is no door to be found, let us reach out until we find it. Keep our minds remembering that we have traveled through these times before. In each time, there was a passage way. In each time, we found the door. Let the rest of the moment unfold just as clouds drift along the horizon. All of these things will work out if we allow it to. And soon, we will be rejoicing that the tough times in life yielded some momentous growth for us.
(Above Picture taken by Don Shetterly: Fireworks, New Years - Miami, FL - (c) 01/01/02)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Confusion leads its way to tiredness as the struggle takes over. In one's mind, it seems hopeless. In fact, you wonder if things will ever change or improve. After all, you've fought the good fight but no matter what, that does not appear to be enough.
In fact, you begin to wonder if there is ever enough for you to give in life to make things better. You question if there is even a way forward. Your mind fixates on gloom and doom because that is what is familiar. Yet, you long for the winds of change. You long for something out there that is different than what you regularly experience.
Of course, you realize if you look back that you've been up against some very large and thick walls before. They are those tough times in life that you've been through all too often it seems. You know that there has been some deep challenging moments in life that tested you beyond your limits. In these times, it always seemed the darkest before the dawn. It was when you felt hardest hit that somehow and in some way you found a door through the brick wall.
What seemed like a solid wall had a door in it the entire time. Until you ran your fingers over the entire wall did you find it. Looking at the brick wall, the door blended in. So even though it felt impossible at the time to find the passageway through the wall, you managed to do that. It wasn't easy and it was not quick but eventually you did it.
In the end, you had changed and evolved for the better. Of course this was difficult to see in that moment. As time went by, it became a clear, beautiful and detailed portrait. You were able to see that in reality, the brick wall was not as big or as sturdy as you thought it to be in those tough times of life. You just were not at a vantage point where you could see this.
It was only when you allowed your fingers to find the door that your vantage point showed up. You gave yourself the permission to do this and then allowed yourself the option of walking through the door.
No matter how dark, difficult or tough the times in life get, let us never forget the many doors we've already walked through. It was in those tough times that sparks were ignited to produce some of the most spectacular fireworks for our days ahead. It was in those moments that our confusion, our fears and hopelessness were morphed into a new and unfolding path.
So when it appears hopeless or there is no door to be found, let us reach out until we find it. Keep our minds remembering that we have traveled through these times before. In each time, there was a passage way. In each time, we found the door. Let the rest of the moment unfold just as clouds drift along the horizon. All of these things will work out if we allow it to. And soon, we will be rejoicing that the tough times in life yielded some momentous growth for us.
(Above Picture taken by Don Shetterly: Fireworks, New Years - Miami, FL - (c) 01/01/02)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Moment Of Now
To just sit here, experiencing the quiet, the peaceful and serene.
Hearing the sounds of the outdoors.
Feeling the
humidity, sunlight and breeze on my body.
Noticing the rise and fall of my breath in my body.
No pressures, no worries, no concerns at this moment.
Just being in the moment of now, far removed from anything that demands my attention.
Observing, sensing, feeling, noticing all that is around me.
All that matters in this moment is just being here now, and present within myself.
Accepting this moment.
Accepting all that there is.
(Above Picture taken at Gatorland, Kissimmee, FL - (c) 06/23/10)
Hearing the sounds of the outdoors.
Feeling the
humidity, sunlight and breeze on my body.Noticing the rise and fall of my breath in my body.
No pressures, no worries, no concerns at this moment.
Just being in the moment of now, far removed from anything that demands my attention.
Observing, sensing, feeling, noticing all that is around me.
All that matters in this moment is just being here now, and present within myself.
Accepting this moment.
Accepting all that there is.
(Above Picture taken at Gatorland, Kissimmee, FL - (c) 06/23/10)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Look For Change
Sometimes the slightest change we make in our life can open the doors to a new experience. We all wonder at times in our life how we get from point A to point B. It may seem overwhelming and we may say it is too much.
Through confusion and fear, we hunker down in the despair of the moment. Our day looks dark and we are convinced there is no end in sight. Surely this is not what life is about we tell ourselves. Yet, we fail to see just that one small change or one more step may completely show us a different view.
Have you ever been walking along a trail in the woods? As you take step after step, you may see the terrain change. The view may go from a covered one to something that gives your eyes a totally different lookout point. And all it takes is that one step into the next step, changing where you are on your path.
What about how the view changes as the sun rises in the day. It often changes by the minute. Shadows that were once at a point which cast a certain shape are gone in the next. The thing that changed was going from one minute to the next minute. Each minute went by without notice but together they bought about change from the morning sunrise.
Even when things seem so confusing in life that it doesn't appear there is a way forward, look for a slight change. What is possible and real that you could change in this moment? It doesn't have to be big or great, just one simple change. Maybe it could be as simple as thinking a new thought, repeating a small phrase or allowing your body to feel something new. It could be that for the first time you allow your body to connect with an emotion that you often avoid. It could be deciding that you are going to follow your heart and intuition even if the path ahead was unclear.
As I have said many times before, we all have much more power than we realize. Yes, sometimes life beats us down and convinces us otherwise. We can and we do choose how we think about things for our day. While there are times that we need to find our way through the forest, we don't have to remain there. We will find our way to the other side of the woods.
It all boils down to allowing ourselves the moment to be in life where we need to be. When we do this, we connect with our minds and our bodies to all that is possible for our lives. Being in the moment will lead us to that simple change we long for in life. We need not stress about finding it, as all we need for our lives is located within us.
May we learn to allow that which we seek to come into our life. May we notice it when it shows up. Let us find the courage and strength to be patient for its arrival. At that moment, we will realize that one simple change gave the spark we needed to find what we were looking for in life.
(Above Picture taken by Don Shetterly: Morning Sunrise in the Yard - (c) 08/21/10)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Through confusion and fear, we hunker down in the despair of the moment. Our day looks dark and we are convinced there is no end in sight. Surely this is not what life is about we tell ourselves. Yet, we fail to see just that one small change or one more step may completely show us a different view.
Have you ever been walking along a trail in the woods? As you take step after step, you may see the terrain change. The view may go from a covered one to something that gives your eyes a totally different lookout point. And all it takes is that one step into the next step, changing where you are on your path.
What about how the view changes as the sun rises in the day. It often changes by the minute. Shadows that were once at a point which cast a certain shape are gone in the next. The thing that changed was going from one minute to the next minute. Each minute went by without notice but together they bought about change from the morning sunrise.
Even when things seem so confusing in life that it doesn't appear there is a way forward, look for a slight change. What is possible and real that you could change in this moment? It doesn't have to be big or great, just one simple change. Maybe it could be as simple as thinking a new thought, repeating a small phrase or allowing your body to feel something new. It could be that for the first time you allow your body to connect with an emotion that you often avoid. It could be deciding that you are going to follow your heart and intuition even if the path ahead was unclear.
As I have said many times before, we all have much more power than we realize. Yes, sometimes life beats us down and convinces us otherwise. We can and we do choose how we think about things for our day. While there are times that we need to find our way through the forest, we don't have to remain there. We will find our way to the other side of the woods.
It all boils down to allowing ourselves the moment to be in life where we need to be. When we do this, we connect with our minds and our bodies to all that is possible for our lives. Being in the moment will lead us to that simple change we long for in life. We need not stress about finding it, as all we need for our lives is located within us.
May we learn to allow that which we seek to come into our life. May we notice it when it shows up. Let us find the courage and strength to be patient for its arrival. At that moment, we will realize that one simple change gave the spark we needed to find what we were looking for in life.
(Above Picture taken by Don Shetterly: Morning Sunrise in the Yard - (c) 08/21/10)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Friday, August 27, 2010
Reclaim The Power Of Fear
There are parts on my body that sometimes clamor for attention. Whether it is itching, pain, stiffness or a stomach that does flip flops, I experience all of it. Of course, I have learned that these are messages and if I don't succumb to the fear, they have the ability to be moments of awareness and transformation.
Contrary to what is often taught and expounded upon, fear can be a good thing. Often I hear people say it is the absence of love. I would not equate love and fear together as they are two different emotions. If fear controls your life, than I would agree that it is not necessarily helping you. If you recognize fear, go in and ask what lesson you can learn as a result of it, your life has the possibility of a new moment of consciousness.
So what do fear and our bodies have in common when physical conditions show up? Often when the itching, pain and other situations occur in our body, fear is right there masking the source and importance behind these things. Through the use of drugs, surgery, procedures, tests and thought concepts, we tend to hide from the fear instead of raising our awareness and consciousness. We often do it without realizing that we are actually doing this. It is a silent thief in the night.
The more you can take these moments and harvest an increased awareness in life, the more you evolve as a human. Don't run away from fear no matter how much it may attempt to deceive you. Embrace this part of you through the pain and physical discomforts because at the moment you allow yourself to connect, you have then given yourself the opportunity to reclaim the power of fear.
It is easy in life to make up rules, concepts and processes to frame fear into a perceptible and plausible entity for our life. However, the more we run from fear, the more it controls us. Even if this happens in a subtle way. Let us find the courage to embrace fear rather than hide in our caves. Let us truly understand the power we hold in our grasp. Our power is greater than any illusion that fear may offer.
(Above Picture taken at Green Springs State Park, Enterprise, FL - (c) 05/11/10)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Contrary to what is often taught and expounded upon, fear can be a good thing. Often I hear people say it is the absence of love. I would not equate love and fear together as they are two different emotions. If fear controls your life, than I would agree that it is not necessarily helping you. If you recognize fear, go in and ask what lesson you can learn as a result of it, your life has the possibility of a new moment of consciousness.
So what do fear and our bodies have in common when physical conditions show up? Often when the itching, pain and other situations occur in our body, fear is right there masking the source and importance behind these things. Through the use of drugs, surgery, procedures, tests and thought concepts, we tend to hide from the fear instead of raising our awareness and consciousness. We often do it without realizing that we are actually doing this. It is a silent thief in the night.
The more you can take these moments and harvest an increased awareness in life, the more you evolve as a human. Don't run away from fear no matter how much it may attempt to deceive you. Embrace this part of you through the pain and physical discomforts because at the moment you allow yourself to connect, you have then given yourself the opportunity to reclaim the power of fear.
It is easy in life to make up rules, concepts and processes to frame fear into a perceptible and plausible entity for our life. However, the more we run from fear, the more it controls us. Even if this happens in a subtle way. Let us find the courage to embrace fear rather than hide in our caves. Let us truly understand the power we hold in our grasp. Our power is greater than any illusion that fear may offer.
(Above Picture taken at Green Springs State Park, Enterprise, FL - (c) 05/11/10)
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Beauty That Surrounds Me
The green against the clear blue sky. What a contrast of colors. Different shades of green appear from dark to light and reflective to dull. The sun hits them as if to highlight a new hue every few moments.
Birds run and play, flying from one branch to another. Landing on a high wire they are suspended far above the ground. The occasional butterfly flutters past as the dragonfly hovers above the fence. Ever so vigilantly, the bird flies to the ground searching, hopping and looking around.
The air is still with the occasional slight movement of a tree leaf high above the tree. White flowers stretch out as buds from their branches. Purple flowers reach for the ground from what once was a bush taken under by frost.
Sounds from near and far drift by as a rustle of wind caresses my face. A bird chirps, then a few birds answer in return. A truck is near by while people chat as if is no tomorrow exists. A dog barks his voice into the background.
The air is warm and somewhat heavy. The shade from the sun is a momentary escape. The morning dew glistens on the grass as if a wake up call of nourishment has arrived.
The water is clear and calm. Reflections fill the edges as if someone painted what is there. It looks deep but yet it is shallow. The random vibration of ripples appear as if it is a magic trick to be played. The water is calm, but yet it acts as if it is full of movement and life.
Just sitting here and taking this all in is a like a breath of fresh air. It feels like a daily reset button in life. My body senses the lightness, connectedness of the flowing moments. I gaze at the morning sunlight caressing the landscape. My mind feels full in appreciation and awe.
May I carry this moment through my day. May I continue to feel safe and secure. My thankful heart rejoices in all the beauty that surrounds me. It is abundant.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Birds run and play, flying from one branch to another. Landing on a high wire they are suspended far above the ground. The occasional butterfly flutters past as the dragonfly hovers above the fence. Ever so vigilantly, the bird flies to the ground searching, hopping and looking around.
The air is still with the occasional slight movement of a tree leaf high above the tree. White flowers stretch out as buds from their branches. Purple flowers reach for the ground from what once was a bush taken under by frost.
Sounds from near and far drift by as a rustle of wind caresses my face. A bird chirps, then a few birds answer in return. A truck is near by while people chat as if is no tomorrow exists. A dog barks his voice into the background.
The air is warm and somewhat heavy. The shade from the sun is a momentary escape. The morning dew glistens on the grass as if a wake up call of nourishment has arrived.
The water is clear and calm. Reflections fill the edges as if someone painted what is there. It looks deep but yet it is shallow. The random vibration of ripples appear as if it is a magic trick to be played. The water is calm, but yet it acts as if it is full of movement and life.
Just sitting here and taking this all in is a like a breath of fresh air. It feels like a daily reset button in life. My body senses the lightness, connectedness of the flowing moments. I gaze at the morning sunlight caressing the landscape. My mind feels full in appreciation and awe.
May I carry this moment through my day. May I continue to feel safe and secure. My thankful heart rejoices in all the beauty that surrounds me. It is abundant.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Archangel Michael
Today in my meditation, I pulled the angel therapy card (Healing With The Angels Oracle Cards) “Archangel Michael” on my iphone app that I have from Doreen Virtue. I figured out that I can do a “shuffle” of the cards on the iphone which I didn’t know I could do. Up until now, I’ve just been sliding them back and forth until I set
tle on one that just seems to be the appropriate one. Now I can shuffle them in my iphone and select one. Sometimes they just sort of pop out. You can’t see what it is until you actually take your finger and select it. Then the card opens up so you can read it. According to an Angel Therapy Practitioner that I know – when they pop out, they are truly meant to get your attention.
Archangel Michael is pretty powerful and is one of the main angels. So pulling that card today, I was like – wow.. The parts that stood out to me were described as “courage, release from fears and you are safe and secure”. While there is more to these cards then that, I usually see what sort of stands out in my mind because there can be different parts of the same theme on the cards. I follow my intuition.
But what was more important is that I could really feel his presence from the breeze blowing in the trees to the healing light that I was feeling. It felt like a lightness to me and I found myself sort of transported in time to a moment of deep relaxation and meditation. The kind of point where when you open your eyes, you feel like you’ve really gone deep into a place of peace. So I talked to him and shared with him many of my concerns. I got the sense that he listened and showed his love and acceptance upon me. It is of course to hard to find the words to explain how I sensed this but it is without a doubt what I felt. I could sense that healing type of heat as well which is a gentle, loving and welcoming feeling.
The words “safe and secure” kept repeating in my mind’s thoughts.
There has been a very beautiful butterfly that flies around in our backyard. It is a gorgeous yellow one. I saw it the other morning and as I’m writing this, I just saw it again. I’ve tried to get a picture of it but so far, it just flies around.
Oh and one more thing, I believe this is the first time, I’ve personally sensed Archangel Michael around me. Most of the time, I just sense Angels or Raphael but not Archangel Michael.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
tle on one that just seems to be the appropriate one. Now I can shuffle them in my iphone and select one. Sometimes they just sort of pop out. You can’t see what it is until you actually take your finger and select it. Then the card opens up so you can read it. According to an Angel Therapy Practitioner that I know – when they pop out, they are truly meant to get your attention.Archangel Michael is pretty powerful and is one of the main angels. So pulling that card today, I was like – wow.. The parts that stood out to me were described as “courage, release from fears and you are safe and secure”. While there is more to these cards then that, I usually see what sort of stands out in my mind because there can be different parts of the same theme on the cards. I follow my intuition.
But what was more important is that I could really feel his presence from the breeze blowing in the trees to the healing light that I was feeling. It felt like a lightness to me and I found myself sort of transported in time to a moment of deep relaxation and meditation. The kind of point where when you open your eyes, you feel like you’ve really gone deep into a place of peace. So I talked to him and shared with him many of my concerns. I got the sense that he listened and showed his love and acceptance upon me. It is of course to hard to find the words to explain how I sensed this but it is without a doubt what I felt. I could sense that healing type of heat as well which is a gentle, loving and welcoming feeling.
The words “safe and secure” kept repeating in my mind’s thoughts.
There has been a very beautiful butterfly that flies around in our backyard. It is a gorgeous yellow one. I saw it the other morning and as I’m writing this, I just saw it again. I’ve tried to get a picture of it but so far, it just flies around.
Oh and one more thing, I believe this is the first time, I’ve personally sensed Archangel Michael around me. Most of the time, I just sense Angels or Raphael but not Archangel Michael.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It's Ok If They Struggle
It's OK to sit with pain! It's OK to be in a space that seems dark, gloomy and full of despair. It's OK to be in a place of struggle, not quite knowing where the road leads. It is OK to be in that place where life seems to be smacking you around with no end in sight.
Unfortunately, for people watching someone experience these things, it is not OK. Others so badly want to deliver us from the pain and suffering. They feel it is necessary and their responsibility to do this. They struggle with difficulty to see when a person is in these moments. To them, it is not OK to see people suffer, be in pain and observe someone fighting to find their way.
Yet, just as good times are a part of life, so are the difficult times. Struggle and success are the same things, just opposites on a spectrum. Making it in life denotes that one came through the struggle. Without the struggle, they would most likely not have reached the moment they are at. It is almost like you cannot experience one without the other. Both are expected in order to fully grasp that which is good.
So often, people who care for and love others, struggle to watch another person experience what appears to be the low, difficult moments in life. These may be painful moments or times when life's problems and difficulties appear to be winning. Yet, if the individual did not experience the full range of their own life's experiences, would they truly grow in the way the needed to? Would the lesson that life was trying to offer them be taken away if they missed these true moments of stumbling? I would suggest that we need these moments because they are critical to our life. They may very likely be laying the foundation for future lessons. Without these experiences, we may not be prepared for what lies ahead.
In my own life, I was paralyzed and suffered through deep despair, depression and anxiety. I struggled to not only hold on in life but to even determine there was a path ahead for me. Yet, these moments of struggle prepared me for the road ahead. They gave me courage and strength to go into my own life's horrors. Without them, the healing that needed to happen would have been too difficult and great for me to experience.
Just like all of life is a dance, if we miss the pain, we would miss the dance. We cannot have one without the other. To wish that a person would not experience these things is to deprive them of all of their life's experiences. It is as much a part of who someone is and if we in any way hold a person back in feeling or experiencing these moments, then are we truly helping that person?
Yes, I know how hard it is to watch others deal with rough times. To see someone in pain, or dying or just struggling makes us want to ease their life through our compassionate eyes. We that love others, desire to see others in their true potential. We want them to experience the fullness of life as we see it.
Often though, our own fears, insecurities and lessons we must learn in life get in the way. Looking through our own filters, we see just one aspect of how someone's life should be. However, we may be unable to see more than that. Our fears should not dictate our interactions with others. Our fears, although well intentioned, may be holding someone back from experiencing and learning major truths for their lives.
Holding the space open means to be there with the person just as they are and having no expectations, judgments or desires. It is being there in that moment, offering yourself in a way that lets them know they can experience and travel these difficult moments to completion. It is being there for them in that moment, not concerned with how long or how difficult their struggle may be. It is clearing our own fears and insecurities in order to be fully present with them at that moment. Truly, it is a connection that goes beyond our own human understanding.
May we realize just how critical it is to be there with the person in these moments. May we realize that we may be standing at the edge of possibility and hope with them. For us to do anything less would be making ourselves and others, less than human. It is our connections that offer the greatest of love and the hope of possibility.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Unfortunately, for people watching someone experience these things, it is not OK. Others so badly want to deliver us from the pain and suffering. They feel it is necessary and their responsibility to do this. They struggle with difficulty to see when a person is in these moments. To them, it is not OK to see people suffer, be in pain and observe someone fighting to find their way.
Yet, just as good times are a part of life, so are the difficult times. Struggle and success are the same things, just opposites on a spectrum. Making it in life denotes that one came through the struggle. Without the struggle, they would most likely not have reached the moment they are at. It is almost like you cannot experience one without the other. Both are expected in order to fully grasp that which is good.
So often, people who care for and love others, struggle to watch another person experience what appears to be the low, difficult moments in life. These may be painful moments or times when life's problems and difficulties appear to be winning. Yet, if the individual did not experience the full range of their own life's experiences, would they truly grow in the way the needed to? Would the lesson that life was trying to offer them be taken away if they missed these true moments of stumbling? I would suggest that we need these moments because they are critical to our life. They may very likely be laying the foundation for future lessons. Without these experiences, we may not be prepared for what lies ahead.
In my own life, I was paralyzed and suffered through deep despair, depression and anxiety. I struggled to not only hold on in life but to even determine there was a path ahead for me. Yet, these moments of struggle prepared me for the road ahead. They gave me courage and strength to go into my own life's horrors. Without them, the healing that needed to happen would have been too difficult and great for me to experience.
Just like all of life is a dance, if we miss the pain, we would miss the dance. We cannot have one without the other. To wish that a person would not experience these things is to deprive them of all of their life's experiences. It is as much a part of who someone is and if we in any way hold a person back in feeling or experiencing these moments, then are we truly helping that person?
Yes, I know how hard it is to watch others deal with rough times. To see someone in pain, or dying or just struggling makes us want to ease their life through our compassionate eyes. We that love others, desire to see others in their true potential. We want them to experience the fullness of life as we see it.
Often though, our own fears, insecurities and lessons we must learn in life get in the way. Looking through our own filters, we see just one aspect of how someone's life should be. However, we may be unable to see more than that. Our fears should not dictate our interactions with others. Our fears, although well intentioned, may be holding someone back from experiencing and learning major truths for their lives.
Holding the space open means to be there with the person just as they are and having no expectations, judgments or desires. It is being there in that moment, offering yourself in a way that lets them know they can experience and travel these difficult moments to completion. It is being there for them in that moment, not concerned with how long or how difficult their struggle may be. It is clearing our own fears and insecurities in order to be fully present with them at that moment. Truly, it is a connection that goes beyond our own human understanding.
May we realize just how critical it is to be there with the person in these moments. May we realize that we may be standing at the edge of possibility and hope with them. For us to do anything less would be making ourselves and others, less than human. It is our connections that offer the greatest of love and the hope of possibility.
*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Monday, August 23, 2010
Do You Truly Listen?
It is so easy at times to want to get caught up in the politics and current events of the day. If we consume the news and talking pundits as if there is no tomorrow, than our reality is often shaped by what is fed to us. You'll notice that instead of most news shows being based on fact, they are based on o
pinion. The facts just provide ground cover for the opinions in the world of news as we know it.
But there is a broader implication here as daily comments on news sites get thrown around as if they are the truth. When in fact, these comments are nothing more than opinion. You don't have to take my word for it either. Just watch and observe and you will see all of this in action.
Unfortunately, we have become a society that doesn't listen to one another. We value the opinions of others in such a degrading manner that we lack respect for one another. We truly show how little we care for others as we focus on making our viewpoint heard. It seems as if all that matters is what we have to tell others. It is as if we hold the truth and the most important thing to say in life.
We try to forcefully push our thoughts out that we don't even recognize we are doing this any longer. We've lost the art of listening and we've lost the respect we should have for one another. by doing this, we are not only making others less human but we are making ourselves less human. We have diminished the value of all persons.
Over a year ago, I quit watching the news and talking pundits each day on TV. I was tired of hearing people scream opposing viewpoints as if somehow this was a beneficial news production. It doesn't matter what side of the argument you are on, the opinions are hurled at the speed of light. News has become an entertainment show rather than something which is useful to our day. All the media knows to do is sensationalize events of the day. While many loathe and lament this practice, they would not tune in if the news outlets failed to do this. People need to be entertained and see a wow factor in order to participate in any media event these days.
One thing I've noticed since I stopped watching daily news, is that I'm not missing anything. I do read occasional headlines on the internet but rarely do I read an entire article. I'm sure the major news outlets like Fox, CNN, and MSNBC would cringe at the thought of this. Most of what is printed as news really doesn't matter to life. The tabloids, full of gossip, have now become fact. The opinions, disguised as fair and balanced reporting, has become truth. And all the while, the audience fails to notice this is taking place right before their eyes.
I find it disturbing that we have become a society which operates in this manner. We've lost the respect for one another and we fail to truly listen to each other. What does that truly say about each one of us as individuals. This is not something for the government or the politicians to fix. These things change from the individual level at the point of our consciousness and awareness.
My challenge goes out to people everywhere. Take a look at your own daily practices of listening. How do you listen to others? Are you waiting to say what is on your mind long before the person finishes their statement? Do you truly hear what the other person says? Only you can evaluate how you listen to others or how you don't.
I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can give to another is to listen to them. There is no other practice that says to another person, you really matter, than listening to them. Listening with 100% of your mind, body and spirit to another person says I value you and I respect you. May we all be cognizant of just how much or how little we listen to each other.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
pinion. The facts just provide ground cover for the opinions in the world of news as we know it.But there is a broader implication here as daily comments on news sites get thrown around as if they are the truth. When in fact, these comments are nothing more than opinion. You don't have to take my word for it either. Just watch and observe and you will see all of this in action.
Unfortunately, we have become a society that doesn't listen to one another. We value the opinions of others in such a degrading manner that we lack respect for one another. We truly show how little we care for others as we focus on making our viewpoint heard. It seems as if all that matters is what we have to tell others. It is as if we hold the truth and the most important thing to say in life.
We try to forcefully push our thoughts out that we don't even recognize we are doing this any longer. We've lost the art of listening and we've lost the respect we should have for one another. by doing this, we are not only making others less human but we are making ourselves less human. We have diminished the value of all persons.
Over a year ago, I quit watching the news and talking pundits each day on TV. I was tired of hearing people scream opposing viewpoints as if somehow this was a beneficial news production. It doesn't matter what side of the argument you are on, the opinions are hurled at the speed of light. News has become an entertainment show rather than something which is useful to our day. All the media knows to do is sensationalize events of the day. While many loathe and lament this practice, they would not tune in if the news outlets failed to do this. People need to be entertained and see a wow factor in order to participate in any media event these days.
One thing I've noticed since I stopped watching daily news, is that I'm not missing anything. I do read occasional headlines on the internet but rarely do I read an entire article. I'm sure the major news outlets like Fox, CNN, and MSNBC would cringe at the thought of this. Most of what is printed as news really doesn't matter to life. The tabloids, full of gossip, have now become fact. The opinions, disguised as fair and balanced reporting, has become truth. And all the while, the audience fails to notice this is taking place right before their eyes.
I find it disturbing that we have become a society which operates in this manner. We've lost the respect for one another and we fail to truly listen to each other. What does that truly say about each one of us as individuals. This is not something for the government or the politicians to fix. These things change from the individual level at the point of our consciousness and awareness.
My challenge goes out to people everywhere. Take a look at your own daily practices of listening. How do you listen to others? Are you waiting to say what is on your mind long before the person finishes their statement? Do you truly hear what the other person says? Only you can evaluate how you listen to others or how you don't.
I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can give to another is to listen to them. There is no other practice that says to another person, you really matter, than listening to them. Listening with 100% of your mind, body and spirit to another person says I value you and I respect you. May we all be cognizant of just how much or how little we listen to each other.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Intuition And Gut Feelings
Sometimes it just seems that I have an intuition or a gut feeling about something. It has been said by others and I see it in my self. I just know things. I don't mean that as bragging in any way. Don't ask me how or where this comes from. I just know it is there.
Often, my
gut brain is my barometer for many things. Many times people say they have a gut feeling and for me this is so true. My gut tends to tell me when decisions I'm about to make are good or bad, especially the major decisions. When I sense or pick things up, it is often my gut feeling that validates the information.
Another area that I really notice it is when I hear things from other people. If what they are telling me adds up, then I feel an ease in my gut. If what they are telling me does not add up, then there is a twinge in my gut of questioning. Sometimes the gut feeling is more stronger and evident than others. There are times though that I sometimes that I just don't listen to it.
In addition to my gut, I also just tend to know things. It is like I have the information when I need it the most. I have no idea where it comes from or how it gets there. The information just shows up at the appropriate time. It is usually not a moment too soon or a moment too late. Many times I am afraid of it, wondering if it is truly valid for the situation or not. It is not necessarily something that others are open and receptive to so, I often keep all this quiet and to myself.
While I'm sure my self confidence is a major part of how I view what I receive, there are many times I discount what I pick up. Sometimes, it truly scares me because it isn't like I understand where this information comes from. There are many times that what I pick up is so much information that I find myself saying, "ENOUGH"! It can become overwhelming and when it does, I run for cover, hiding myself from all of it.
To be around people in a close proximity can be very difficult for me. There are moments where I feel bombarded with the personal information of others and I cannot escape it. It isn't like I ask for it or even desire it to be there. It feels the same as if you take note of someone's facial expressions. I would have to close my mind's eye to avoid seeing it.
When I'm doing bodywork or I am in close proximity to those I'm connected with, the information intensifies. I often see, sense and feel so much. More likely than not, I cannot put it all into words. It is just there and in a large quantity. I've felt the pain in my body of those that I am working on just as they feel their own pains. I've shared the neck pain, headaches, and stomach discomforts that others are experiencing. For if I'm working on someone, I know the area of discomfort has left their body when I feel it leave my own.
It is hard for me to understand all of this. There are few people that I can truly talk to who understand what this is all about. I'm cautious what I share because so many try to inject their belief system as an explanation. I often don't acknowledge all of this for fear of being ridiculed and laughed at by others or cast aside.
I am learning to accept it more as it comes but it is difficult. I'm trying to not freak out when it shows up. It still overwhelms me and sometimes I avoid people or crowds as a result. Giving myself a voice through my meditation times seems to give me a moment of acknowledgement and release.
While I do feel different and sometimes out of place in life, this intuition I have is my guiding light for my life. This I know without a shadow of a doubt. It has always been there with me and for me since as far back as I can remember.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Often, my
gut brain is my barometer for many things. Many times people say they have a gut feeling and for me this is so true. My gut tends to tell me when decisions I'm about to make are good or bad, especially the major decisions. When I sense or pick things up, it is often my gut feeling that validates the information.Another area that I really notice it is when I hear things from other people. If what they are telling me adds up, then I feel an ease in my gut. If what they are telling me does not add up, then there is a twinge in my gut of questioning. Sometimes the gut feeling is more stronger and evident than others. There are times though that I sometimes that I just don't listen to it.
In addition to my gut, I also just tend to know things. It is like I have the information when I need it the most. I have no idea where it comes from or how it gets there. The information just shows up at the appropriate time. It is usually not a moment too soon or a moment too late. Many times I am afraid of it, wondering if it is truly valid for the situation or not. It is not necessarily something that others are open and receptive to so, I often keep all this quiet and to myself.
While I'm sure my self confidence is a major part of how I view what I receive, there are many times I discount what I pick up. Sometimes, it truly scares me because it isn't like I understand where this information comes from. There are many times that what I pick up is so much information that I find myself saying, "ENOUGH"! It can become overwhelming and when it does, I run for cover, hiding myself from all of it.
To be around people in a close proximity can be very difficult for me. There are moments where I feel bombarded with the personal information of others and I cannot escape it. It isn't like I ask for it or even desire it to be there. It feels the same as if you take note of someone's facial expressions. I would have to close my mind's eye to avoid seeing it.
When I'm doing bodywork or I am in close proximity to those I'm connected with, the information intensifies. I often see, sense and feel so much. More likely than not, I cannot put it all into words. It is just there and in a large quantity. I've felt the pain in my body of those that I am working on just as they feel their own pains. I've shared the neck pain, headaches, and stomach discomforts that others are experiencing. For if I'm working on someone, I know the area of discomfort has left their body when I feel it leave my own.
It is hard for me to understand all of this. There are few people that I can truly talk to who understand what this is all about. I'm cautious what I share because so many try to inject their belief system as an explanation. I often don't acknowledge all of this for fear of being ridiculed and laughed at by others or cast aside.
I am learning to accept it more as it comes but it is difficult. I'm trying to not freak out when it shows up. It still overwhelms me and sometimes I avoid people or crowds as a result. Giving myself a voice through my meditation times seems to give me a moment of acknowledgement and release.
While I do feel different and sometimes out of place in life, this intuition I have is my guiding light for my life. This I know without a shadow of a doubt. It has always been there with me and for me since as far back as I can remember.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Abundance, Blessings And Frustrations
Sometimes in life when things seem so difficult or off balance, try this exercise. It is one that focuses on not only our frustrations in life but on our abundance and blessings. Sometimes, we need both sides of this part of life in order to see the contrast and all that we have. So try this exercise
out in your daily meditation and see just what it does for you. See if your day doesn't change from frustration to abundance and blessings.
Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center of the page. On one side, write the word "frustrations" and on the other side write the words "abundance and blessings". Number from 1 to 10 on each side of the page giving yourself plenty of space to write. (Or you can download the following pdf file, Abundance, Blessings and Frustrations).
In quiet meditation and reflection, begin listing all your current frustrations in life. Often these things can come easily and readily to us especially if we are in the difficult moments of life. After you are done listing these, begin writing down all the ways that you experience abundance and blessings in your life at this moment. If you feel like your stuck at any point, take a moment to stop and allow whatever thoughts to come through that are being blocked.
Once you are finished writing, reflect on the things you have listed on the page. See how these things make you feel. Notice how the frustrations may have given way to thoughts of abundance and blessings. Allow all of these things to sink into your consciousness and awareness. Let your inner heart and mind take it all in. Allow yourself to see that no matter what, life is more than frustration. It is full of abundance and blessings.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
out in your daily meditation and see just what it does for you. See if your day doesn't change from frustration to abundance and blessings.Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center of the page. On one side, write the word "frustrations" and on the other side write the words "abundance and blessings". Number from 1 to 10 on each side of the page giving yourself plenty of space to write. (Or you can download the following pdf file, Abundance, Blessings and Frustrations).
In quiet meditation and reflection, begin listing all your current frustrations in life. Often these things can come easily and readily to us especially if we are in the difficult moments of life. After you are done listing these, begin writing down all the ways that you experience abundance and blessings in your life at this moment. If you feel like your stuck at any point, take a moment to stop and allow whatever thoughts to come through that are being blocked.
Once you are finished writing, reflect on the things you have listed on the page. See how these things make you feel. Notice how the frustrations may have given way to thoughts of abundance and blessings. Allow all of these things to sink into your consciousness and awareness. Let your inner heart and mind take it all in. Allow yourself to see that no matter what, life is more than frustration. It is full of abundance and blessings.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Friday, August 20, 2010
That Which We Cannot See
I wonder if all cultures of humans are like the one I live in where if you can't prove it and see it, it doesn't exist. I come from a science background and so I am very skeptical of what I cannot prove. Yet, I experience things that seem to be out of the realm of possibility.
As a country and a world, many of our inhabitants believe in some unknown force that is only seen by having faith. We look to them as our creator, our life force and the entity responsible for all that happens. We often call them God, the universe, source energy or we give them a name that represents this word. Yet, has anyone seen this entity of faith with their own physical eyes?
Many claim to see this force of all existence and spirituality all around them. In fact, if you're trying to win an argument as to its existence, the one without faith would appear to be the loser. And in many new age alternative circles of thought, they subscribe to the same thinking but do so in a much different way with a different language.
Maybe as humans, these experiences are real and are needed for our lives. It may be that we all just have different concepts and views for this all encompassing force within us. For each one of us is different and unique in our own way, so why could our central force of our life not be different?
I'm sure each one of us would admit that there is something within us that gives a sense of something greater in our lives. This part of us that helps us strive to be more than we can be and connects each one of us together in profound ways. Down through the ages, so much has been written and passed on. This has attempted to allow each person to understand concepts that were beyond comprehension.
Often things happen and we as humans find no way to make sense of them. Tragedies, trauma and natural disasters give us little hope as we wrestle with our fears. When we can't find a way to hold life together in our minds, we look to the unseen forces to give us meaning. Many times we blame the unseen force because it is the only thing that makes sense to our lives.
My mind though begins to question that what happens in our lives and our world, is it no part of what is supposed to happen? Is it not normal experiences that occur just as the sunrise and sunset in any given day? It may be. None of us can say for sure.
Throughout history though, many texts and stories full of tradition and ritual have been used to give a sense of balance. They have become spiritual traditions to help us explain that which we cannot see. In fact, these spiritual rituals are so much a part of our society that we are barely able to truly see them for what they are.
There is a part of us, a consciousness if you will, that keeps moving us to greater awareness. We all move towards it at a pace that is appropriate for our lives. Sometimes we claim some casualties along the way. And for each person, we need to determine what this consciousness is within us.
In the process of our discovery, may we not define this spirituality as others proclaim to us, but by that which seems to resonate within us. Let our minds, bodies, and hearts guide us as we consciously become more aware of what we do not currently see in our lives. For the more we become aware, the more we truly become humans in spiritual bodies.
Photo by NASA/courtesy of nasaimages.org.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
As a country and a world, many of our inhabitants believe in some unknown force that is only seen by having faith. We look to them as our creator, our life force and the entity responsible for all that happens. We often call them God, the universe, source energy or we give them a name that represents this word. Yet, has anyone seen this entity of faith with their own physical eyes?
Many claim to see this force of all existence and spirituality all around them. In fact, if you're trying to win an argument as to its existence, the one without faith would appear to be the loser. And in many new age alternative circles of thought, they subscribe to the same thinking but do so in a much different way with a different language.
Maybe as humans, these experiences are real and are needed for our lives. It may be that we all just have different concepts and views for this all encompassing force within us. For each one of us is different and unique in our own way, so why could our central force of our life not be different?
I'm sure each one of us would admit that there is something within us that gives a sense of something greater in our lives. This part of us that helps us strive to be more than we can be and connects each one of us together in profound ways. Down through the ages, so much has been written and passed on. This has attempted to allow each person to understand concepts that were beyond comprehension.
Often things happen and we as humans find no way to make sense of them. Tragedies, trauma and natural disasters give us little hope as we wrestle with our fears. When we can't find a way to hold life together in our minds, we look to the unseen forces to give us meaning. Many times we blame the unseen force because it is the only thing that makes sense to our lives.
My mind though begins to question that what happens in our lives and our world, is it no part of what is supposed to happen? Is it not normal experiences that occur just as the sunrise and sunset in any given day? It may be. None of us can say for sure.
Throughout history though, many texts and stories full of tradition and ritual have been used to give a sense of balance. They have become spiritual traditions to help us explain that which we cannot see. In fact, these spiritual rituals are so much a part of our society that we are barely able to truly see them for what they are.
There is a part of us, a consciousness if you will, that keeps moving us to greater awareness. We all move towards it at a pace that is appropriate for our lives. Sometimes we claim some casualties along the way. And for each person, we need to determine what this consciousness is within us.
In the process of our discovery, may we not define this spirituality as others proclaim to us, but by that which seems to resonate within us. Let our minds, bodies, and hearts guide us as we consciously become more aware of what we do not currently see in our lives. For the more we become aware, the more we truly become humans in spiritual bodies.
Photo by NASA/courtesy of nasaimages.org.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Stop The Itching
If you've followed this blog for some time, you will know that I experienced a very rough time of rashes and itching. For further reading, please visit the links below of some my experiences through this ordeal.
For the most part, m
ost of the itching has stopped. However, from time to time, it does sneak back up and cause a lot of discomfort for me. Lately, it has done that and while I have learned a lot about it and went into the fear of it, the anxiety still attacks me. When it attacks, it is hard for me to keep things in perspective.
In order to hopefully help others that are dealing with severe itching that does not seem to go away, I wanted to share a couple of the things that I am doing.
First of all, there is most likely an underlying emotional or stress response that is connected to the itching. Even though it may appear in physical form, one has to look much deeper than the outward physical signs that you see.
Trying to not freak out when the itching starts is a good first step but one that I know is so difficult to do. For anyone that has ever had some itching, see how long you can ignore it. I'm sure it won't be long before you'll be digging your fingers into it. It is a common reaction for us to scratch an itch. But trying not to freak out and go into the hysterics of it is a good start to dealing with the itching and getting it to stop.
Another major thing that needs to be worked on is dealing with stress, trauma and anxiety that is coming up. If you are ignoring these things, they will find a way out and often itching is one way that they will do this. Working on deep release of trauma and relaxation will help to start working through these things.
For me though, when the itching does start in, I've learned that there is one way I can get it to lessen. I'm not sure if it will work this way on everyone but each person needs to find their own way that works. I'm very connected to my body and I sense a lot. But here is what I do to help lessen the itching when it gets cranked up.
On an area of my body somewhat adjacent to where the itching is taking place, I take my hand and slowly and ever so lightly rub over a part of my body where there is no itching at that moment. It is a very light touch where you are maybe touching the hairs on your body but that is as close as you get. It is so gentle and soothing. The speed of your hand movement is very slow and sedative. Your goal is to connect with the slow movement of your hand and feel all of it. Give it time for your mind to connect to what it feels like on your body as you move your hands around in this fashion. You might give yourself a few minute or two rests in between your movements.
Hopefully what you'll notice in a few minutes is that it helps sedate yourself and it helps your mind connect with an area that isn't itching. You are not ignoring the itching but you are giving yourself another message - another option to feel something different. When i've done this, I don't necessarily feel the sedation immediately but once I stop and let myself just absorb what I did, than the sedation begins to set in.
If the itching comes at night which it often does, and if I do this procedure, usually I can fall back to sleep. It has taken me a little time to figure out how to do this on myself but I just kept experimenting with it because out of desperation, I had to find a way of giving myself some relief. Keep trying and expirimenting on things that work for yourself because there is usually a key to finding some relief from the itching. We just have to search for it!
1) Into The Itching, Through The Pain
2) Itching Skin And Oatmeal Bath
3) Sleeping With Night Sweats And Fears
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
For the most part, m
ost of the itching has stopped. However, from time to time, it does sneak back up and cause a lot of discomfort for me. Lately, it has done that and while I have learned a lot about it and went into the fear of it, the anxiety still attacks me. When it attacks, it is hard for me to keep things in perspective.In order to hopefully help others that are dealing with severe itching that does not seem to go away, I wanted to share a couple of the things that I am doing.
First of all, there is most likely an underlying emotional or stress response that is connected to the itching. Even though it may appear in physical form, one has to look much deeper than the outward physical signs that you see.
Trying to not freak out when the itching starts is a good first step but one that I know is so difficult to do. For anyone that has ever had some itching, see how long you can ignore it. I'm sure it won't be long before you'll be digging your fingers into it. It is a common reaction for us to scratch an itch. But trying not to freak out and go into the hysterics of it is a good start to dealing with the itching and getting it to stop.
Another major thing that needs to be worked on is dealing with stress, trauma and anxiety that is coming up. If you are ignoring these things, they will find a way out and often itching is one way that they will do this. Working on deep release of trauma and relaxation will help to start working through these things.
For me though, when the itching does start in, I've learned that there is one way I can get it to lessen. I'm not sure if it will work this way on everyone but each person needs to find their own way that works. I'm very connected to my body and I sense a lot. But here is what I do to help lessen the itching when it gets cranked up.
On an area of my body somewhat adjacent to where the itching is taking place, I take my hand and slowly and ever so lightly rub over a part of my body where there is no itching at that moment. It is a very light touch where you are maybe touching the hairs on your body but that is as close as you get. It is so gentle and soothing. The speed of your hand movement is very slow and sedative. Your goal is to connect with the slow movement of your hand and feel all of it. Give it time for your mind to connect to what it feels like on your body as you move your hands around in this fashion. You might give yourself a few minute or two rests in between your movements.
Hopefully what you'll notice in a few minutes is that it helps sedate yourself and it helps your mind connect with an area that isn't itching. You are not ignoring the itching but you are giving yourself another message - another option to feel something different. When i've done this, I don't necessarily feel the sedation immediately but once I stop and let myself just absorb what I did, than the sedation begins to set in.
If the itching comes at night which it often does, and if I do this procedure, usually I can fall back to sleep. It has taken me a little time to figure out how to do this on myself but I just kept experimenting with it because out of desperation, I had to find a way of giving myself some relief. Keep trying and expirimenting on things that work for yourself because there is usually a key to finding some relief from the itching. We just have to search for it!
1) Into The Itching, Through The Pain
2) Itching Skin And Oatmeal Bath
3) Sleeping With Night Sweats And Fears
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Knocks On The Door
 |
| Written by Don Shetterly |
We may get a form of help that is not what we expected, and so we dismiss it as something which is not useful for us. We may have our eyes closed, and so that which came our way was missed.
Asking for help can be difficult enough but when we do this, may we open our eyes and accept it when it knocks on the door.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Frustrations In LIfe
Sometimes, I share some of my more personal writings on this blog. Often by the time you read them, they are well past the time they were written. Usually though, when I write, that is when I process so many things that are swirling around in my head. It is my way of dealing with them and putting them in perspective. To me, there is not better way to work through situations than writing about them and putting
them down in my journal.
Today's post, is one such example of this. It is about my frustrations in life and just basically coming to terms with them. In this post, I'm acknowledging that which I feel and that which is on my mind. My hope is that others who are experiencing this will connect with it and realize they are not alone as they walk their own journey.
My Top Frustrations In Life
1) Feeling bored and out of step with life. Just don't feel like I fit in with people. Feel cut off, not wanted, not appreciated or respected. I know - pity party for one! Can't help it because that is the way I feel.
2) Impatient about my next steps. I want to go from zero to 100 in one moment. I want to be at the completion of where I want to be. It is difficult for me to allow it to unfold as it is meant to be and to be patient in allowing this to take place.
3) Feel like I don't live up to the expectations of others that know me and love me. Feel like I'm not good enough and no matter what, I'll never be enough.
4) Struggling with being so hyper sensitive, because at times like now it feels paralyzing and limiting. I feel as if I can't be around others without picking up much more than I often want to. I wish there was a dial that I could find to turn it down.
5) So many times it feels like the fears out number my moments of confidence. I don't feel as if I have the power within me to do what I need to do in my life's journey.
And yet, today's Angel Card I selected was on "POWER" where it stated that you have all of the power of your creator within you.
Oh Angels, please help me to see and understand this.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
them down in my journal.Today's post, is one such example of this. It is about my frustrations in life and just basically coming to terms with them. In this post, I'm acknowledging that which I feel and that which is on my mind. My hope is that others who are experiencing this will connect with it and realize they are not alone as they walk their own journey.
My Top Frustrations In Life
1) Feeling bored and out of step with life. Just don't feel like I fit in with people. Feel cut off, not wanted, not appreciated or respected. I know - pity party for one! Can't help it because that is the way I feel.
2) Impatient about my next steps. I want to go from zero to 100 in one moment. I want to be at the completion of where I want to be. It is difficult for me to allow it to unfold as it is meant to be and to be patient in allowing this to take place.
3) Feel like I don't live up to the expectations of others that know me and love me. Feel like I'm not good enough and no matter what, I'll never be enough.
4) Struggling with being so hyper sensitive, because at times like now it feels paralyzing and limiting. I feel as if I can't be around others without picking up much more than I often want to. I wish there was a dial that I could find to turn it down.
5) So many times it feels like the fears out number my moments of confidence. I don't feel as if I have the power within me to do what I need to do in my life's journey.
And yet, today's Angel Card I selected was on "POWER" where it stated that you have all of the power of your creator within you.
Oh Angels, please help me to see and understand this.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Monday, August 16, 2010
I'm Not Good Enough
Some days it is difficult for me to not feel responsible for the things others do. It is as if whatever they do or how they respond to me, that I in some way caused that. I'm not referring to a conceited view but one that I'm always afraid of doing the wrong thing.
Self confidence is very difficult for me. I wish I could take injections to boost my daily level. often i feel scared deep down inside of me, almost to the point where my stomach is shaking inside. It just doesn't come easy for me.
I always feel like I'm failing someone. it is like I'm not good enough or I don't measure up enough. While their expectations may be normal for me, I still strive to earn their trust, respect and approval. They may be already giving these things to me but through my filtered glasses of life, I am unable to see and appreciate it.
It is easy for me to not beat myself up at this point. For I could easily give myself a sentence of flogging for not being good enough. As people have told me in life many times, I am much harder on myself than they would ever be with me. Yet, I don't feel as if I am perfect enough. I feel full of holes and mistakes.
While it didn't help that my father only found faults within me a majority of the time, I was and am a driven person. Nothing is never quite good enough for me and I seldom accept the minimum. In many ways, I'm still caught in the trauma cycle of needing acceptance, love and respect while not realizing I am already getting it. I wish that it was as easy to do for me as it is to write about it. However, I know these two worlds are vast light years apart.
How do I acknowledge this part of my life and continue to move past it?
First, identifying this just as I have done gives me a view point into a part of my life. It is an opening into my conscious awareness.
Second, I need to remember the miles I have already traveled in life. I have come a long ways and need to give myself credit for this. To act as if I've gotten very little progress is really doing a disservice to myself. In many ways, I need to give myself a break.
Third, each day if I remind myself that these things I keep listening to are nothing but old tapes playing in my mind. They are experiences of trauma that need to be loved and accepted so they can be nurtured and released. I need to remind myself that I don't have to be perfect even though I was brainwashed to believe I had to be as perfect as Jesus was.
Fourth, I need to acknowledge and open my eyes that others don't see me as harshly as I see myself. Putting a balance in these things would be much more spiritual than what I currently do. Realizing that by wearing my filtered glasses in life, I'm holding myself back from the connections that are all around me. There is so much more than what I allow myself to be a part of.
What if I just allowed myself to e in a balanced connection to the parts that are not as easy for me? What if I just allowed myself to go there? What would that feel like? What would that look like in my life?
Of course, it is up to me what I choose to do and how I choose to do it. No one else can take these steps for me. If I am to continue moving forward, I need to allow all of these things into my consciousness with loving acceptance. Only then will I be able to release them. Only then will I be able to fill my soul with all that I need and desire for my life.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Note: Above picture taken as I'm feeding the Budgie Parakeets at Gatorland (Florida)
Self confidence is very difficult for me. I wish I could take injections to boost my daily level. often i feel scared deep down inside of me, almost to the point where my stomach is shaking inside. It just doesn't come easy for me.
I always feel like I'm failing someone. it is like I'm not good enough or I don't measure up enough. While their expectations may be normal for me, I still strive to earn their trust, respect and approval. They may be already giving these things to me but through my filtered glasses of life, I am unable to see and appreciate it.
It is easy for me to not beat myself up at this point. For I could easily give myself a sentence of flogging for not being good enough. As people have told me in life many times, I am much harder on myself than they would ever be with me. Yet, I don't feel as if I am perfect enough. I feel full of holes and mistakes.
While it didn't help that my father only found faults within me a majority of the time, I was and am a driven person. Nothing is never quite good enough for me and I seldom accept the minimum. In many ways, I'm still caught in the trauma cycle of needing acceptance, love and respect while not realizing I am already getting it. I wish that it was as easy to do for me as it is to write about it. However, I know these two worlds are vast light years apart.
How do I acknowledge this part of my life and continue to move past it?
First, identifying this just as I have done gives me a view point into a part of my life. It is an opening into my conscious awareness.
Second, I need to remember the miles I have already traveled in life. I have come a long ways and need to give myself credit for this. To act as if I've gotten very little progress is really doing a disservice to myself. In many ways, I need to give myself a break.
Third, each day if I remind myself that these things I keep listening to are nothing but old tapes playing in my mind. They are experiences of trauma that need to be loved and accepted so they can be nurtured and released. I need to remind myself that I don't have to be perfect even though I was brainwashed to believe I had to be as perfect as Jesus was.
Fourth, I need to acknowledge and open my eyes that others don't see me as harshly as I see myself. Putting a balance in these things would be much more spiritual than what I currently do. Realizing that by wearing my filtered glasses in life, I'm holding myself back from the connections that are all around me. There is so much more than what I allow myself to be a part of.
What if I just allowed myself to e in a balanced connection to the parts that are not as easy for me? What if I just allowed myself to go there? What would that feel like? What would that look like in my life?
Of course, it is up to me what I choose to do and how I choose to do it. No one else can take these steps for me. If I am to continue moving forward, I need to allow all of these things into my consciousness with loving acceptance. Only then will I be able to release them. Only then will I be able to fill my soul with all that I need and desire for my life.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Note: Above picture taken as I'm feeding the Budgie Parakeets at Gatorland (Florida)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Smoothies, A Year Later
It has been over a year since we bought the Blendtec Blendor and started making our own smoothies every morning. After attending a Qigong Event put on by Jeff Primack, we decided to give this a try. (see post on Food Based Healing and Smoothies).
To be honest, I was not sure what to expect. We weren't trying it because we needed to solve some health problem or disease. If anything, we wanted to work on better digestion and better overall nutrition for ourselves.
While I know there are many claims made and many recipes given for the smoothies that state they are for all types of health conditions, I have no way to prove this one way or the other. So for the people that want definite proof of what these will and will not do, I can not give that to you. If you are looking for someone that is going to call this a fraud, you will not find that here either. I'm just stating my review of what this has done for us and why we chose to do this.
First off, regardless if I can prove what phytochemicals are in a smoothie, I am smart enough to realize that eating fresh, raw vegetables and fruits is one of the best things you could do for your body in a day. What better way to get much needed nutrients into your body without processing the ingredients and cooking or freezing them. Just how many of us would sit there in a day and eat this quantity of vegetables and fruits complete with the skin and seeds. I doubt very few of us would do this. So regardless of what anyone may think of the science behind this, it seems like a very healthy thing to do. So much food that we consume in a day is frozen, cooked and processed that by the time we eat it, there is little value left to what we consume.
Second, his claim about helping and improving digestion is right on. I can completely agree with him on how it does this and it makes a world of difference in how my body physically feels. I did not realize this until we started on the smoothies and while stress, anxiety and other factors may impact digestion, the smoothies do help.
Third, since we've been doing this, we do not get sick with flu/colds like we did. We never really got sick that much before but usually once a year, we would get a cold or flu. Sometimes we feel like we may be picking up some bug that is circulating around the community but it doesn't get that severe nor does it pull us under. I've actually found that if I am feeling a little under the weather and I drink a little more of the smoothie, that the symptoms go away much quicker. It is like a major pick me up for my immune system or that's how it feels. Most likely, we were all taught growing up that if we eat our vegetables and fruits, that we will be more healthy so it stands to reason that this would be the case. Again, I'm just trying to apply common sense here.
Fourth, is that I've been noticing how my tastes for various foods are beginning to change. Things that I once craved are no longer something that I have to have. Foods that I never really cared much for are beginning to taste differently to me and attract my attention. I'm finding that overall, foods have much more taste and flavor in them then they once did and that I'm choosing more wisely what I eat.
Fifth, there are some of the vegetables that we would never eat in a day that have significant health benefits for a body. We just don't care for the taste of them by themselves but when they are mixed together in the smoothies, it is fine. Granted, some days the smoothie tastes different than others, but overall, we have no problem drinking it every day. At points, I've wanted to take a break from it for a few days and so I listened to my body and did that. After a few days away, I'm more than ready to start it up again.
There are many health drinks, health pills, juice products out there today and while I know people make claims of the analysis and research, I have to question them. Anything that is processed in my view and opinion has already lost part of the battle for me. Plus, many of these so called "health drinks and nutritious products" will drain your wallet quickly. Someone is getting wealthy from them and often it is the company that makes the products. Many of these companies employ a multi-level marketing (MLM) to help push their product and so income becomes the reason for people to get you to try this. Yes, I understand that it is cloaked in the benefit to the person, but if they weren't getting a commission from it, would they still be pushing the product as hard? I remember a couple of these products where someone hounded me to buy it so badly that it got to the point where I wanted nothing to do with the person. Telling them no, meant nothing. It was almost as if a used car salesman was trying to sell me a car I didn't want.
The best thing with these smoothies is that we can go down to our local grocery store and buy everything we need. It isn't like we are having to make special orders to any particular company and attempting to earn commissions in the process. In fact, we could grow everything in our garden if we so desired which would be the best way. After all, why should you have to pay outrageous prices to drink or eat something that claims to make you healthy and cure all. That sounds a little too far fetched for this brain to agree with.
I see the ads on TV for the yogurt based products you can buy that claim to regulate your digestion in so many days. Of course, I'm sure they have extra sugar in them and they are processed foods. It is advertising and marketing to sell a product but in the end, one has to use common sense as to what they are eating and what they are buying into. With the smoothies, you don't add sugar and outside of blending them for a couple of minutes, there is no processing to them. There is no packaging to throw away either by doing the smoothies like there is when you buy these products from the store. So, in a small way, you are helping the environment rather than adding to the problem.
I just want to say that I don't get paid a thing in writing this blog post. I'm not earning a commission or selling anything. All I'm doing is telling you about something we do and we have seen a positive benefit to it, so we have kept it up. When we started it, we weren't sure if we would keep doing it forever but now it is part of our morning routine. We've worked the process out so that it is not a difficult thing to do every day. The BlendTec blender we bought is still going strong and we actually use it to make regular fruit smoothies and homemade peanut butter. The cost of the Blender was quite high at the beginning but seeing how it has performed makes us happy we purchased this and didn't attempt to buy some other brand.
So at the end of the day, each person of course has to decide what is best for them to do. No one size fits everyone. I'm telling you my personal views and opinions as I review what this has done for us. Some people are concerned if Jeff Primack is a fraud but to be honest, it is like everything that you hear - learn from the people, take that which works for you and keep everything in perspective. Not everything you hear is completely thought out at times and not everything you hear is a fraud. What Jeff Primack shared in the Qigong Seminar has worked for us and we'll continue to do it. Outside of that, it is up to you to evaluate what effects it may have upon your life. I was happy to see that Jeff Primack was very careful about the claims he made and how he was really trying to apply common sense to what he was saying.
If you have been doing the food based healing smoothies, please feel free to leave your stories of how it helped or how it didn't help you. I'd love to hear them and I'm sure others would to. Of course if the comments are meant in a mean spirited way, they most likely will not get posted. If it is respectful comments that are balanced, than most of the time, they are posted to the blog.
For Further Reading: Food Based Healing Smoothies
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
To be honest, I was not sure what to expect. We weren't trying it because we needed to solve some health problem or disease. If anything, we wanted to work on better digestion and better overall nutrition for ourselves.While I know there are many claims made and many recipes given for the smoothies that state they are for all types of health conditions, I have no way to prove this one way or the other. So for the people that want definite proof of what these will and will not do, I can not give that to you. If you are looking for someone that is going to call this a fraud, you will not find that here either. I'm just stating my review of what this has done for us and why we chose to do this.
First off, regardless if I can prove what phytochemicals are in a smoothie, I am smart enough to realize that eating fresh, raw vegetables and fruits is one of the best things you could do for your body in a day. What better way to get much needed nutrients into your body without processing the ingredients and cooking or freezing them. Just how many of us would sit there in a day and eat this quantity of vegetables and fruits complete with the skin and seeds. I doubt very few of us would do this. So regardless of what anyone may think of the science behind this, it seems like a very healthy thing to do. So much food that we consume in a day is frozen, cooked and processed that by the time we eat it, there is little value left to what we consume.
Second, his claim about helping and improving digestion is right on. I can completely agree with him on how it does this and it makes a world of difference in how my body physically feels. I did not realize this until we started on the smoothies and while stress, anxiety and other factors may impact digestion, the smoothies do help.
Third, since we've been doing this, we do not get sick with flu/colds like we did. We never really got sick that much before but usually once a year, we would get a cold or flu. Sometimes we feel like we may be picking up some bug that is circulating around the community but it doesn't get that severe nor does it pull us under. I've actually found that if I am feeling a little under the weather and I drink a little more of the smoothie, that the symptoms go away much quicker. It is like a major pick me up for my immune system or that's how it feels. Most likely, we were all taught growing up that if we eat our vegetables and fruits, that we will be more healthy so it stands to reason that this would be the case. Again, I'm just trying to apply common sense here.
Fourth, is that I've been noticing how my tastes for various foods are beginning to change. Things that I once craved are no longer something that I have to have. Foods that I never really cared much for are beginning to taste differently to me and attract my attention. I'm finding that overall, foods have much more taste and flavor in them then they once did and that I'm choosing more wisely what I eat.
Fifth, there are some of the vegetables that we would never eat in a day that have significant health benefits for a body. We just don't care for the taste of them by themselves but when they are mixed together in the smoothies, it is fine. Granted, some days the smoothie tastes different than others, but overall, we have no problem drinking it every day. At points, I've wanted to take a break from it for a few days and so I listened to my body and did that. After a few days away, I'm more than ready to start it up again.
There are many health drinks, health pills, juice products out there today and while I know people make claims of the analysis and research, I have to question them. Anything that is processed in my view and opinion has already lost part of the battle for me. Plus, many of these so called "health drinks and nutritious products" will drain your wallet quickly. Someone is getting wealthy from them and often it is the company that makes the products. Many of these companies employ a multi-level marketing (MLM) to help push their product and so income becomes the reason for people to get you to try this. Yes, I understand that it is cloaked in the benefit to the person, but if they weren't getting a commission from it, would they still be pushing the product as hard? I remember a couple of these products where someone hounded me to buy it so badly that it got to the point where I wanted nothing to do with the person. Telling them no, meant nothing. It was almost as if a used car salesman was trying to sell me a car I didn't want.
The best thing with these smoothies is that we can go down to our local grocery store and buy everything we need. It isn't like we are having to make special orders to any particular company and attempting to earn commissions in the process. In fact, we could grow everything in our garden if we so desired which would be the best way. After all, why should you have to pay outrageous prices to drink or eat something that claims to make you healthy and cure all. That sounds a little too far fetched for this brain to agree with.
I see the ads on TV for the yogurt based products you can buy that claim to regulate your digestion in so many days. Of course, I'm sure they have extra sugar in them and they are processed foods. It is advertising and marketing to sell a product but in the end, one has to use common sense as to what they are eating and what they are buying into. With the smoothies, you don't add sugar and outside of blending them for a couple of minutes, there is no processing to them. There is no packaging to throw away either by doing the smoothies like there is when you buy these products from the store. So, in a small way, you are helping the environment rather than adding to the problem.
I just want to say that I don't get paid a thing in writing this blog post. I'm not earning a commission or selling anything. All I'm doing is telling you about something we do and we have seen a positive benefit to it, so we have kept it up. When we started it, we weren't sure if we would keep doing it forever but now it is part of our morning routine. We've worked the process out so that it is not a difficult thing to do every day. The BlendTec blender we bought is still going strong and we actually use it to make regular fruit smoothies and homemade peanut butter. The cost of the Blender was quite high at the beginning but seeing how it has performed makes us happy we purchased this and didn't attempt to buy some other brand.
So at the end of the day, each person of course has to decide what is best for them to do. No one size fits everyone. I'm telling you my personal views and opinions as I review what this has done for us. Some people are concerned if Jeff Primack is a fraud but to be honest, it is like everything that you hear - learn from the people, take that which works for you and keep everything in perspective. Not everything you hear is completely thought out at times and not everything you hear is a fraud. What Jeff Primack shared in the Qigong Seminar has worked for us and we'll continue to do it. Outside of that, it is up to you to evaluate what effects it may have upon your life. I was happy to see that Jeff Primack was very careful about the claims he made and how he was really trying to apply common sense to what he was saying.
If you have been doing the food based healing smoothies, please feel free to leave your stories of how it helped or how it didn't help you. I'd love to hear them and I'm sure others would to. Of course if the comments are meant in a mean spirited way, they most likely will not get posted. If it is respectful comments that are balanced, than most of the time, they are posted to the blog.
For Further Reading: Food Based Healing Smoothies
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Allowing The Flow
Allowing things into our life is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. It is the flow we desperately long for and seek. May we not turn it away.
Friday, August 13, 2010
An Ocean Meditation
Sitting at the ocean, watching the waves come in and listening to the sounds is a relaxing and energizing experience. There is something about water that acts as an agent of transformation in our life.
Just picture the sun shining through the deep blue sky. A few clouds appear and others drift in and out. The birds fly by as if they are watching out over the shoreline. A few birds run around on the hot sand hoping to catch a meal that appears.
The breeze blows gently as the roar of the ocean waves making their way in to the shore, crash against the water return to sea. The ripples of water flow over the varying heights of the ocean floor. Patterns of many colors appear one minute and are gone the next as a wave washes them away.
People run and play as the water mesmerizes time. For time, at the ocean never runs out. There is as much of it as there are grains of sand. A plane flies above and a boat sails by but it seems to all if time is of no concern. There is no worry about another day. It is that moment which becomes the joy of life.
The tide goes out showing a part of the ocean floor that is not always seen. It gives way to an enlarged beach as tiny pools of water heat up in the sun. Then, as the tide comes in, the water deepens and the beach seems to shrink as if it is saying goodbye. What appeared before, is now lost in time. It is like it was there but no longer seen in that moment. When it returns another day, its shape and size will be different than the day before.
Feeling, hearing and jumping into the power of the greeting waves, brings the energizing power of time to the shore. As the water rushes back to the ocean, it pulls everything with it at such a force. The strength of the water is something to observe with awe.
Yet, throughout a day at the beach, time stands still. Our worries and concerns dwarf in comparison to the never ending body of water. Our eyes are mesmerized by the sun dancing with the wind on the water. Our bodies, minds, and souls are refreshed, energized and relaxed at the sights and sounds.
For me, there is a spiritual connection. If I have any problems or concerns, I know that the ocean is big enough to carry them away. It brings in what I need and it is happy to take away that which I do not need. It reminds me of a larger force within my word. The ocean gives me a sense of being just one person in a very big world. It helps show me that no matter what I am connected to, something much larger than myself is present.
The ocean is a place of retreat for my body as my mind wrestles with life's difficult moments. it is where time stands still when it is rushing by. It is where I feel renewed in my mind, body and connected to my soul.
There is something to the ocean that is mysterious and inspiring. It is not something that can be explained but must be experienced. The connection is to something greater that just accepts me in the moment while it demands nothing in return. It just allows me to live in that moment with no strings attached.
A day at the ocean is wonderful. My life is filled with renewal, as I offer all my concerns and worry to the waves. I breathe in the energy as I feel the power of the sun. I give thanks as the birds run and play.
For the ocean is my rock, my transformation and the view of so much more. Without it, life would not seem complete. I am thankful for it.
Check out Relaxing Ocean Wave Sounds I recorded.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Just picture the sun shining through the deep blue sky. A few clouds appear and others drift in and out. The birds fly by as if they are watching out over the shoreline. A few birds run around on the hot sand hoping to catch a meal that appears.
The breeze blows gently as the roar of the ocean waves making their way in to the shore, crash against the water return to sea. The ripples of water flow over the varying heights of the ocean floor. Patterns of many colors appear one minute and are gone the next as a wave washes them away.
People run and play as the water mesmerizes time. For time, at the ocean never runs out. There is as much of it as there are grains of sand. A plane flies above and a boat sails by but it seems to all if time is of no concern. There is no worry about another day. It is that moment which becomes the joy of life.
The tide goes out showing a part of the ocean floor that is not always seen. It gives way to an enlarged beach as tiny pools of water heat up in the sun. Then, as the tide comes in, the water deepens and the beach seems to shrink as if it is saying goodbye. What appeared before, is now lost in time. It is like it was there but no longer seen in that moment. When it returns another day, its shape and size will be different than the day before.
Feeling, hearing and jumping into the power of the greeting waves, brings the energizing power of time to the shore. As the water rushes back to the ocean, it pulls everything with it at such a force. The strength of the water is something to observe with awe.
Yet, throughout a day at the beach, time stands still. Our worries and concerns dwarf in comparison to the never ending body of water. Our eyes are mesmerized by the sun dancing with the wind on the water. Our bodies, minds, and souls are refreshed, energized and relaxed at the sights and sounds.
For me, there is a spiritual connection. If I have any problems or concerns, I know that the ocean is big enough to carry them away. It brings in what I need and it is happy to take away that which I do not need. It reminds me of a larger force within my word. The ocean gives me a sense of being just one person in a very big world. It helps show me that no matter what I am connected to, something much larger than myself is present.
The ocean is a place of retreat for my body as my mind wrestles with life's difficult moments. it is where time stands still when it is rushing by. It is where I feel renewed in my mind, body and connected to my soul.
There is something to the ocean that is mysterious and inspiring. It is not something that can be explained but must be experienced. The connection is to something greater that just accepts me in the moment while it demands nothing in return. It just allows me to live in that moment with no strings attached.
A day at the ocean is wonderful. My life is filled with renewal, as I offer all my concerns and worry to the waves. I breathe in the energy as I feel the power of the sun. I give thanks as the birds run and play.
For the ocean is my rock, my transformation and the view of so much more. Without it, life would not seem complete. I am thankful for it.
Check out Relaxing Ocean Wave Sounds I recorded.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Vegetable Lasagna
While I don't often share recipes online, this one is a recipe that is is appropriate I think for this blog. It is my first attempt at making Vegetable Lasagna and it came out very good! Below is how I made it but feel free to add or take away any of the vegetables. These are vegetables that we like.
When I was looking for online recipes, I noticed that most of them only had a couple of vegetables in them. I wanted lasagna full of vegetables. Granted, we had more vegetables than I could get in the pan, but we'll just eat the rest of those. They don't go to waste in our house.
And of course, this recipe has no meat in it but it does have cheese. It is a great vegetarian dish and it makes a lot! I have a big, glass lasagna dish that was very full by the time I got everything in there. Hope you enjoy it! See recipe below.
Vegetable Lasagna - Don's Way
Bake Covered at 375 for 50 minutes, let sit for a few minutes before serving
Cauliflower (approx 2 cups)
Cucumber (1)
Zucchini (1)
Spinach (2 cups chopped)
Carrots - string or thinly sliced
Pepper – Red (1)
Pepper – Yellow (1)
Pepper – Green (1)
Green Beans (couple of hand fulls)
Celery (1 or 2 cups maybe)
Yellow Squash (1)
Black Olives – Sliced – 2 small cans
Basil (small bunch to taste)
Parsley (small bunch to taste)
Salt (to taste if desired)
2 Eggs
4-6 cups Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
1-2 cups Parmesan Cheese
16 oz Ricotta Cheese
2 Jars Barilla Marinara Sauce
1 box Barilla already cooked Lasagna Noodles
2) Mix 2 eggs, ricotta, 2 cups Mozzarella, 1 cup parmesan together
3) In a large 9x13x3 inch lasagna pan
4) Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of the baking dish
5) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
6) Layer 1/3 ricotta mixture, half the vegetables, 1 C Mozzarella, 1 C Sauce
7) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
8) Layer 1/3 ricotta mixture, 1.5 Cups Sauce
9) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
10) Layer remaining ricotta mixture, remaining vegetables, 1 C Sauce
11) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets - top with remaining sauce, 1 C mozzarella, Parmesan
Note: I use this Vegetable Chopper for things like this and it works great!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
When I was looking for online recipes, I noticed that most of them only had a couple of vegetables in them. I wanted lasagna full of vegetables. Granted, we had more vegetables than I could get in the pan, but we'll just eat the rest of those. They don't go to waste in our house.
And of course, this recipe has no meat in it but it does have cheese. It is a great vegetarian dish and it makes a lot! I have a big, glass lasagna dish that was very full by the time I got everything in there. Hope you enjoy it! See recipe below.
Vegetable Lasagna - Don's Way
Bake Covered at 375 for 50 minutes, let sit for a few minutes before serving
Ingredients:
Brocolli (2 cups chopped)Cauliflower (approx 2 cups)
Cucumber (1)
Zucchini (1)
Spinach (2 cups chopped)
Carrots - string or thinly sliced
Pepper – Red (1)
Pepper – Yellow (1)
Pepper – Green (1)
Green Beans (couple of hand fulls)
Celery (1 or 2 cups maybe)
Yellow Squash (1)
Black Olives – Sliced – 2 small cans
Basil (small bunch to taste)
Parsley (small bunch to taste)
Salt (to taste if desired)
2 Eggs
4-6 cups Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
1-2 cups Parmesan Cheese
16 oz Ricotta Cheese
2 Jars Barilla Marinara Sauce
1 box Barilla already cooked Lasagna Noodles
Directions:
1) Chop up all vegetables and steam them until soft.2) Mix 2 eggs, ricotta, 2 cups Mozzarella, 1 cup parmesan together
3) In a large 9x13x3 inch lasagna pan
4) Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of the baking dish
5) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
6) Layer 1/3 ricotta mixture, half the vegetables, 1 C Mozzarella, 1 C Sauce
7) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
8) Layer 1/3 ricotta mixture, 1.5 Cups Sauce
9) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets
10) Layer remaining ricotta mixture, remaining vegetables, 1 C Sauce
11) Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets - top with remaining sauce, 1 C mozzarella, Parmesan
Important:
You most likely won't use all the vegetables in this. I put a layer down of them (where it says half - half may be too much). Even though it looks like you're not buying that much vegetables, more than likely you will have more than enough. We usually just eat them with rice, and topped with cheese for another meal.Note: I use this Vegetable Chopper for things like this and it works great!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Meditation Exercise
Sometimes there is so much going around us as we are sitting out in nature. It is easy to miss it if were not paying attention or just connecting with it. In all reality, it isn't that hard to connect either. We just have to stop and slow ourselves down and allow the connection.
For a simple meditation exercise, find a nice, com
fortable place outside. Take some paper and something to write with. Sit in a moment of silence and meditation as you center yourself and allow yourself to open up.
Then, begin writing down short and simple thoughts of all that you observe, feel, see, sense, smell of what is going on around you. Record the individual things as simple thoughts one line right after another.
If you are visual, you might draw little simple pictures if that helps or you might color a picture. Connect in the way that is appropriate for you.
As you keep doing this, you will notice that you hear more, see more and observe more. What may have been there before, might have been hidden from you as you were not in the space to take it in. But, as you keep tuning into that which is around you, an amazing thing happens. It is like someone turns up the observation and you experience so much more.
There is much going on around us and we miss so much of it. Stopping to connect with it, helps us center our lives, find truth for our day and keeps us in the flow of gratitude and life. Without it, our lives can feel like the glass that is half empty. Nature is here for us to be a part of, not to just exist as if the day is hurrying by. Let us all stop and say hello to nature. It wants to be noticed.
For an example, here is my list of what I wrote today. It is interesting how it really flowed together as I went back to read it. And I especially like at the end, how it came together into words that I needed to here - all seems to fit together.
Just sitting here
Listening to the birds
For they are many
One single chirp
One triple chirp
The light shines on the wood
The colors vary
Greens, browns, reds, white
Against a deep blue sky
Soft gentle breeze
Air feels humid and warm
Shadows cast by the morning sun
Tree branches wiggle slightly
Water shimmers as it rests
A dog barks in the distance
Another answers close by
Faint sounds of trucks and cars
The pin wheel goes round
Another bird joins in
The grass glistens with morning dew
A jet flies overhead
Wispy thin clouds drift by
A squirrel plays close by
A butterfly floats along
Birds chirp in chorus
Time for another day
All seems to fit together
In nature all is one
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
For a simple meditation exercise, find a nice, com
fortable place outside. Take some paper and something to write with. Sit in a moment of silence and meditation as you center yourself and allow yourself to open up.Then, begin writing down short and simple thoughts of all that you observe, feel, see, sense, smell of what is going on around you. Record the individual things as simple thoughts one line right after another.
If you are visual, you might draw little simple pictures if that helps or you might color a picture. Connect in the way that is appropriate for you.
As you keep doing this, you will notice that you hear more, see more and observe more. What may have been there before, might have been hidden from you as you were not in the space to take it in. But, as you keep tuning into that which is around you, an amazing thing happens. It is like someone turns up the observation and you experience so much more.
There is much going on around us and we miss so much of it. Stopping to connect with it, helps us center our lives, find truth for our day and keeps us in the flow of gratitude and life. Without it, our lives can feel like the glass that is half empty. Nature is here for us to be a part of, not to just exist as if the day is hurrying by. Let us all stop and say hello to nature. It wants to be noticed.
For an example, here is my list of what I wrote today. It is interesting how it really flowed together as I went back to read it. And I especially like at the end, how it came together into words that I needed to here - all seems to fit together.
Just sitting here
Listening to the birds
For they are many
One single chirp
One triple chirp
The light shines on the wood
The colors vary
Greens, browns, reds, white
Against a deep blue sky
Soft gentle breeze
Air feels humid and warm
Shadows cast by the morning sun
Tree branches wiggle slightly
Water shimmers as it rests
A dog barks in the distance
Another answers close by
Faint sounds of trucks and cars
The pin wheel goes round
Another bird joins in
The grass glistens with morning dew
A jet flies overhead
Wispy thin clouds drift by
A squirrel plays close by
A butterfly floats along
Birds chirp in chorus
Time for another day
All seems to fit together
In nature all is one
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Glucose and Fructose
According to an article published by Reuters and found on the website, rawstory.com, corn byproduct fructose literally fuels cancer cell growth a recent study finds. A team at the University of California, Los Angeles published their findings in the Journal of Cancer Research. The specific study or publication this research is in was not stated in the article so it is ha
rd to verify any of these claims.
One quote from this article sort of sums up what the article is all about. Please read the entire article for the full context of this quote and all other information.
rd to verify any of these claims.One quote from this article sort of sums up what the article is all about. Please read the entire article for the full context of this quote and all other information.
The industry has also argued that sugar is sugar.
Heaney said his team found otherwise. They grew pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes and fed them both glucose and fructose.
Tumor cells thrive on sugar but they used the fructose to proliferate. "Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different," Heaney's team wrote.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Surrender Into Acceptance
Acceptance of all things in life is not always easy. In fact, for me, it is often difficult. I can easily give lip service that I do accept and allow all things but in reality, it isn't that easy. It sometimes is difficult to match words with actions.
I tend to wor
ry a lot and so badly want to be the one that makes everything happen. It may be a throwback when my life seemed like it was not under my control. In fact, I'm sure my life was controlled by others, not by me for a very long time. So now, I have learned to compensate for this in my life by trying to control many aspects of my day.
The only thing is that I give myself a false illusion that I am really controlling all these parts of my life. it robs me of so much precious energy. It keeps a protective distance to the unfamiliar. It gives me an imbalance that I rarely take note of. it is like the magician doing his magic act where one event occurs while the eyes are being tricked to see something else.
Yet, life has tied to teach me in many ways to accept things. It has shown me that worry gets me nowhere. Even though these lessons have been numerous in my life, I still forget them. They are my teachers that I have long forgotten. Of course, I have made progress in this area but I still desire to control everything about my life. It is a beloved and hated twin that I desire to flee from.
Now, I'm left to wonder how it is that I can change my current mode of worry into acceptance of what is. I know it has to be more than saying to myself that I'm going to do this. I know that acknowledging it is a helpful step but again how do I spot the lion before it is at the moment of attack. These are million dollar questions. Just like in one movie, an actor states that the secret to life is this one thing. Of course for each person, it is different and each person has to figure it out for themselves.
Maybe one step I could take is by giving myself the option of noticing when I am worrying and trying to control everything in my life. That may be a very tall order but in order to change something, one has to recognize it exists. Until there is recognition, one remains in the dark.
Maybe another step I could take is that when I recognize that I am doing this, I could state the word "accept" to my mind's ear. If my ears heard this, hopefully my brain and subconscious mind would listen to it. At a minimum, a different option would be available that could provide a different experience to me.
Just recognizing the fears I feel and the connections to past moments of my life may help allow me to surrender into acceptance. For if I run from these parts of my life, I know that it is as if I'm running in place. My legs may be moving, but I'm not going anywhere.
Asking the angels (or the universe or my higher self) to help and assist in this, may offer significant strength in my endeavor. It may be the catalyst of source energy that will transcend any effort I could put forth.
In the end, surrender is the key. How I get there is my journey. Each part of it may be difficult at times, but it is full of value to my life. To not experience all of this would be robbing my life of so much. For all these things are who I am. They are my teachers. They are my freedom, my awareness and my growth.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
I tend to wor
ry a lot and so badly want to be the one that makes everything happen. It may be a throwback when my life seemed like it was not under my control. In fact, I'm sure my life was controlled by others, not by me for a very long time. So now, I have learned to compensate for this in my life by trying to control many aspects of my day.The only thing is that I give myself a false illusion that I am really controlling all these parts of my life. it robs me of so much precious energy. It keeps a protective distance to the unfamiliar. It gives me an imbalance that I rarely take note of. it is like the magician doing his magic act where one event occurs while the eyes are being tricked to see something else.
Yet, life has tied to teach me in many ways to accept things. It has shown me that worry gets me nowhere. Even though these lessons have been numerous in my life, I still forget them. They are my teachers that I have long forgotten. Of course, I have made progress in this area but I still desire to control everything about my life. It is a beloved and hated twin that I desire to flee from.
Now, I'm left to wonder how it is that I can change my current mode of worry into acceptance of what is. I know it has to be more than saying to myself that I'm going to do this. I know that acknowledging it is a helpful step but again how do I spot the lion before it is at the moment of attack. These are million dollar questions. Just like in one movie, an actor states that the secret to life is this one thing. Of course for each person, it is different and each person has to figure it out for themselves.
Maybe one step I could take is by giving myself the option of noticing when I am worrying and trying to control everything in my life. That may be a very tall order but in order to change something, one has to recognize it exists. Until there is recognition, one remains in the dark.
Maybe another step I could take is that when I recognize that I am doing this, I could state the word "accept" to my mind's ear. If my ears heard this, hopefully my brain and subconscious mind would listen to it. At a minimum, a different option would be available that could provide a different experience to me.
Just recognizing the fears I feel and the connections to past moments of my life may help allow me to surrender into acceptance. For if I run from these parts of my life, I know that it is as if I'm running in place. My legs may be moving, but I'm not going anywhere.
Asking the angels (or the universe or my higher self) to help and assist in this, may offer significant strength in my endeavor. It may be the catalyst of source energy that will transcend any effort I could put forth.
In the end, surrender is the key. How I get there is my journey. Each part of it may be difficult at times, but it is full of value to my life. To not experience all of this would be robbing my life of so much. For all these things are who I am. They are my teachers. They are my freedom, my awareness and my growth.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Sun Will Rise Again
No matter what happens today and no matter how bad today looks, the sun will rise again tomorrow. Even when the skies are the darkest, and the winds are the stormiest, the sun will rise again.
For the sun is t
he constant. it is always there. If we can only focus on one hope in this moment, let us remember the sun will rise again tomorrow.
So, too, in our life, no matter what happens, we will get through our current situation. The beauty of the sunrise that we cannot currently see, will become evident as the hours progress. Let us not forget to keep our eyes open so we will not miss one single moment.
For the sun is t
he constant. it is always there. If we can only focus on one hope in this moment, let us remember the sun will rise again tomorrow.So, too, in our life, no matter what happens, we will get through our current situation. The beauty of the sunrise that we cannot currently see, will become evident as the hours progress. Let us not forget to keep our eyes open so we will not miss one single moment.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Meditative Journaling
Here's a simple exercise for journaling along with your meditation time. If you feel you can not journal, this might be a good way to try something different. Sometimes recording what we feel and experience helps us connect with what we are seeking or trying to understand or just needing to c
onnect with. This is a very simple exercise and you can adapt it to your meditation time or a moment of silent in your day. Let it work for you and be something that fits into your life.
Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Outside in nature is nice but even in a quiet room where you won't be disturbed is good. When you find that place, spend a couple of moments just centering yourself on your breath and feeling your body support and balance you as you sit there.
When you're ready, grab a piece of paper (on a clipboard or in a notebook can work great). Then begin to list every single word that comes to your mind, one right after another. No matter how silly or unimportant the word may seem, make a list of these words. How many you record is up to you.
Next, after you have listed the words - try writing a short sentence that comes to mind about the word. Why did it come into your mind? What were you thinking about? What prompted you to write it down. Let that sentence flow as you give life and meaning to the word.
When you are done writing your sentences, take a moment to read back through them and then just sit with what you have written. More than likely, you're going to see a pattern emerge and all of these words together will tell a story of what you need to hear in that moment. It is like an opening in to finding that which you want to connect to. Of course, you may realize that all the time, these things were just part of you. This was but a simple exercise to help you connect with them.
And now if you are one of the people who say writing is difficult and you struggle to journal or sit in meditation - well guess what - you've just done all those things!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
onnect with. This is a very simple exercise and you can adapt it to your meditation time or a moment of silent in your day. Let it work for you and be something that fits into your life.Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Outside in nature is nice but even in a quiet room where you won't be disturbed is good. When you find that place, spend a couple of moments just centering yourself on your breath and feeling your body support and balance you as you sit there.
When you're ready, grab a piece of paper (on a clipboard or in a notebook can work great). Then begin to list every single word that comes to your mind, one right after another. No matter how silly or unimportant the word may seem, make a list of these words. How many you record is up to you.
Next, after you have listed the words - try writing a short sentence that comes to mind about the word. Why did it come into your mind? What were you thinking about? What prompted you to write it down. Let that sentence flow as you give life and meaning to the word.
When you are done writing your sentences, take a moment to read back through them and then just sit with what you have written. More than likely, you're going to see a pattern emerge and all of these words together will tell a story of what you need to hear in that moment. It is like an opening in to finding that which you want to connect to. Of course, you may realize that all the time, these things were just part of you. This was but a simple exercise to help you connect with them.
And now if you are one of the people who say writing is difficult and you struggle to journal or sit in meditation - well guess what - you've just done all those things!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Friday, August 6, 2010
Five Minute Silent Meditation
So often in life, each of us has so much noise, clutter and chaos. We could all probably list many things that consume our attention but really don't get our feet moving from point A to point B. Our minds can become overactive in thinking on these these things.
It can be so difficult to quiet our mind when we have days that are filled from the time we wake up to the time we got to bed. In many ways, modern technology keeps us going at a pace that is in conflict with the frequency of the human body. Yet, if we stopped right now, we would worry just how we would accomplish every thing that was expected of us. Is this the way we truly desire to live life where our beginnings to our day meet the ends of our day?
I'm not going to say it is easy to stop and take ourselves out of our busy lives. It is definitely a challenge. However, we have to consider what is important in our day. What things do we wish to spend our time with during the day? What things matter to us and have the greatest importance? Sure, there are things that we must do to function in life, but if they are our sole focus, than we will be like a dog chasing its tail.
What if we made a commitment with ourselves that we would spend 5 minutes each morning in silent meditation? We could focus on our breath as we allow our mind and body to connect. A quiet place to do this is helpful and best but it can also be done in just about any place. Just focus on giving yourself this time, and block out the noise, chaos and clutter around you. Let your mind be in that moment without giving yourself any input. Let yourself be in the silence of the moment complete with all the sounds happening around you.
Just 5 minutes a day can do many things for the mind, body and spirit. If you have more time available, you may see a greater reward but the important point is just to give yourself this moment. Try not to make the act of doing silent meditation so great that it overwhelms you to the point where it does not happen. Let it flow and happen as you see fit and as you feel is appropriate for you in your life at that moment.
Allow yourself to just be in the moment without concern for what you need to accomplish. Those things will fill your day easily enough. Give yourself this moment to refresh and renew your life's energy. See just how the 5 minute act of silent meditation affects your day and your life.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
It can be so difficult to quiet our mind when we have days that are filled from the time we wake up to the time we got to bed. In many ways, modern technology keeps us going at a pace that is in conflict with the frequency of the human body. Yet, if we stopped right now, we would worry just how we would accomplish every thing that was expected of us. Is this the way we truly desire to live life where our beginnings to our day meet the ends of our day?
I'm not going to say it is easy to stop and take ourselves out of our busy lives. It is definitely a challenge. However, we have to consider what is important in our day. What things do we wish to spend our time with during the day? What things matter to us and have the greatest importance? Sure, there are things that we must do to function in life, but if they are our sole focus, than we will be like a dog chasing its tail.
What if we made a commitment with ourselves that we would spend 5 minutes each morning in silent meditation? We could focus on our breath as we allow our mind and body to connect. A quiet place to do this is helpful and best but it can also be done in just about any place. Just focus on giving yourself this time, and block out the noise, chaos and clutter around you. Let your mind be in that moment without giving yourself any input. Let yourself be in the silence of the moment complete with all the sounds happening around you.
Just 5 minutes a day can do many things for the mind, body and spirit. If you have more time available, you may see a greater reward but the important point is just to give yourself this moment. Try not to make the act of doing silent meditation so great that it overwhelms you to the point where it does not happen. Let it flow and happen as you see fit and as you feel is appropriate for you in your life at that moment.
Allow yourself to just be in the moment without concern for what you need to accomplish. Those things will fill your day easily enough. Give yourself this moment to refresh and renew your life's energy. See just how the 5 minute act of silent meditation affects your day and your life.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Let The Music Play
Out of my morning meditations came a stream of consciousness which stated that listening to some music as I worked during the day at my desk would help me stay focused and more relaxed. It sounded like an excellent idea but the speakers on my Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop are not that great and to hook up external speakers means that I have to plug another cable into the front of t
he laptop which I hate to do all the time.
Anyway, the only other way for me to listen to music was through my ipod. However, I hate the headphones/earplugs in my ears all day. It just doesn't work that well for me. I'm not a headphone/ear plug person for a long period of time. So I was in search of a new solution.
I had heard about and seen the JBL On Stage Micro speakers in action. They have some excellent sound and work well. However, I knew these very nice speakers were a lot more money than I wanted to spend. That was - until I found them on sale at Amazon. Reading some of the reviews, I was not sure how great the quality of this little speaker was but I'll have to say, I'm blown away by the quality and volume of this unit.
This little 6" diameter speaker allows you to plug into an electrical outlet or run it off of 4 AAA batteries. If it is plugged into the electrical outlet, it will charge your ipod. I've actually used it on my iphone 3gs as well and it works great with either one. There's a little remote that allows you to operate the speaker system and ipod functions without touching your ipod. The sound is excellent and I even turned the volume way up and it is still excellent. I could turn it up loud enough to hear it throughout much of my house. It is tiny and compact so when I travel, I can take it with me. I love having music play at night while I sleep and so this makes it easy to take with me to a hotel room. There are many more features of this that I won't go into detail here. This is my short little review of this speaker and you can click on the link below to read more about it on Amazon.
So why am I mentioning this up here on a Mind Body Thoughts blog? Well, part of it is that I wanted a way to play my relaxing music during the day as well as at night when I travel on business. It helps me focus and sleep better. Otherwise, my mind can run a million different creative directions in an hour and night time sounds can distract my sleep. It is small enough to travel with. I can keep it close by on my desk at a low volume to not bug others working around me.
More importantly, when I do workshops or bodywork sessions, instead of lugging around a big boom box with CD's, I can just take my compact speaker and ipod and away I go. It is one less thing to carry with me and pack. It is so compact, it takes very little space.
I know there are cheaper speakers out there and ones that are much more expensive but this cost $59.95 (regular price on Amazon was $99.95) and I know I've seen them for much more than that. The one thing I noticed was that you could get this in different colors but they were much more expensive. Mine is a black color and that's fine for me.
So now, my only problem comes in buying more relaxing music for my ipod! Anyway, I try not to make this into a commercial blog but every now and then I run across something that is too good to not share on here. My emphasis is not on the commercial side but on writing information and experience based blog entries. So, don't worry, I won't be doing this very often.
But go and check out these speakers and let me know what you think of them!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
he laptop which I hate to do all the time.Anyway, the only other way for me to listen to music was through my ipod. However, I hate the headphones/earplugs in my ears all day. It just doesn't work that well for me. I'm not a headphone/ear plug person for a long period of time. So I was in search of a new solution.
I had heard about and seen the JBL On Stage Micro speakers in action. They have some excellent sound and work well. However, I knew these very nice speakers were a lot more money than I wanted to spend. That was - until I found them on sale at Amazon. Reading some of the reviews, I was not sure how great the quality of this little speaker was but I'll have to say, I'm blown away by the quality and volume of this unit.
This little 6" diameter speaker allows you to plug into an electrical outlet or run it off of 4 AAA batteries. If it is plugged into the electrical outlet, it will charge your ipod. I've actually used it on my iphone 3gs as well and it works great with either one. There's a little remote that allows you to operate the speaker system and ipod functions without touching your ipod. The sound is excellent and I even turned the volume way up and it is still excellent. I could turn it up loud enough to hear it throughout much of my house. It is tiny and compact so when I travel, I can take it with me. I love having music play at night while I sleep and so this makes it easy to take with me to a hotel room. There are many more features of this that I won't go into detail here. This is my short little review of this speaker and you can click on the link below to read more about it on Amazon.
So why am I mentioning this up here on a Mind Body Thoughts blog? Well, part of it is that I wanted a way to play my relaxing music during the day as well as at night when I travel on business. It helps me focus and sleep better. Otherwise, my mind can run a million different creative directions in an hour and night time sounds can distract my sleep. It is small enough to travel with. I can keep it close by on my desk at a low volume to not bug others working around me.
More importantly, when I do workshops or bodywork sessions, instead of lugging around a big boom box with CD's, I can just take my compact speaker and ipod and away I go. It is one less thing to carry with me and pack. It is so compact, it takes very little space.
I know there are cheaper speakers out there and ones that are much more expensive but this cost $59.95 (regular price on Amazon was $99.95) and I know I've seen them for much more than that. The one thing I noticed was that you could get this in different colors but they were much more expensive. Mine is a black color and that's fine for me.
So now, my only problem comes in buying more relaxing music for my ipod! Anyway, I try not to make this into a commercial blog but every now and then I run across something that is too good to not share on here. My emphasis is not on the commercial side but on writing information and experience based blog entries. So, don't worry, I won't be doing this very often.
But go and check out these speakers and let me know what you think of them!
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Silent Treatment Sentence
There are some things I just don't understand in life. Like, how people can somehow be oblivious to the way they treat others. Their silence or aloofness can feel like a sword thrust into the body. It may not mean much to them but it means so much to others.
O
f course, growing up in a house where insults were hurled at the speed of light in a very subtle way, these interactions of communication get very difficult. In times past, one was not allowed to defend themselves or even stand up for your self. It was take it as it comes with no questions asked. If you did manage to question things, most likely you were awarded and given the silent treatment.
The silent treatment was given in hopes that you would come to your senses. It's purpose was to bring you in line with the wishes and desires of the family. Then, if you worked hard enough and were as nice as you could possibly be, you might have the sentence of the silent treatment lifted. Most of the time though, your efforts fell short.
The quickest way out of the silent treatment, was if another member of the family did something to receive the same sentence. Usually there could not be more than one person being shunned and in the doghouse at a time. Most of the time, the family only had the fortitude to hate one member at the moment. Some might argue that "hate" is to strong of an action word to describe this but it sure felt that way.
Before anyone thinks that the silent treatment sentence was given for major infractions, lets set the record straight. It could have been given for the smallest things you did or did not necessarily do. In fact, you might have been unaware of any thing you did to deserve it, but without a doubt, you knew you were being given the silent treatment. Often it was given in circumstances where you disagreed with the family in some area of life and this could include a vast array of situations. Sometimes though, if you followed your heart's desires or longings and the family rulers felt this was wrong for you, the silent treatment began. I could give example after example on this.
Growing up and even now in life, a lack of communication or even poor communication can feel like the silent treatment to me. Most likely others don't mean to be this way but I'm finding that so many just don't know how to communicate. It is difficult though for me to separate out communication problems from the fears of being given the silent treatment.
The loneliness one feels when the world is silent to you is so hurtful. It registers within my gut and holds my breath as if I have said the wrong thing. It makes me to never cease working to hopefully get people to like me. The feeling of the silent treatment is exhausting to my mind and my body.
I've come leap years through this but sometimes it is all I can do to keep it in perspective. Life sometimes throws challenges my way to help me heal this, but that can come with great difficulty and stress. for now, I keep trying to recognize that the old tapes are playing and that I am free to live my life as I choose. I am no longer bound to those messages I was taught as a child unless I continue to allow myself to be. I recognize there will be speed bumps as I continue to grow and heal but the more I reclaim of myself, the more I discover exactly who I am.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
O
f course, growing up in a house where insults were hurled at the speed of light in a very subtle way, these interactions of communication get very difficult. In times past, one was not allowed to defend themselves or even stand up for your self. It was take it as it comes with no questions asked. If you did manage to question things, most likely you were awarded and given the silent treatment.The silent treatment was given in hopes that you would come to your senses. It's purpose was to bring you in line with the wishes and desires of the family. Then, if you worked hard enough and were as nice as you could possibly be, you might have the sentence of the silent treatment lifted. Most of the time though, your efforts fell short.
The quickest way out of the silent treatment, was if another member of the family did something to receive the same sentence. Usually there could not be more than one person being shunned and in the doghouse at a time. Most of the time, the family only had the fortitude to hate one member at the moment. Some might argue that "hate" is to strong of an action word to describe this but it sure felt that way.
Before anyone thinks that the silent treatment sentence was given for major infractions, lets set the record straight. It could have been given for the smallest things you did or did not necessarily do. In fact, you might have been unaware of any thing you did to deserve it, but without a doubt, you knew you were being given the silent treatment. Often it was given in circumstances where you disagreed with the family in some area of life and this could include a vast array of situations. Sometimes though, if you followed your heart's desires or longings and the family rulers felt this was wrong for you, the silent treatment began. I could give example after example on this.
Growing up and even now in life, a lack of communication or even poor communication can feel like the silent treatment to me. Most likely others don't mean to be this way but I'm finding that so many just don't know how to communicate. It is difficult though for me to separate out communication problems from the fears of being given the silent treatment.
The loneliness one feels when the world is silent to you is so hurtful. It registers within my gut and holds my breath as if I have said the wrong thing. It makes me to never cease working to hopefully get people to like me. The feeling of the silent treatment is exhausting to my mind and my body.
I've come leap years through this but sometimes it is all I can do to keep it in perspective. Life sometimes throws challenges my way to help me heal this, but that can come with great difficulty and stress. for now, I keep trying to recognize that the old tapes are playing and that I am free to live my life as I choose. I am no longer bound to those messages I was taught as a child unless I continue to allow myself to be. I recognize there will be speed bumps as I continue to grow and heal but the more I reclaim of myself, the more I discover exactly who I am.
*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)