Change your Perception….Change your Reality
January 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Perception is reality.” Perception, however, is only part of the picture. The greater part of REALITY lies beyond your perception and defies human definitions or explanations. Some ancient cultures speak of the ultimate reality — God — as that which cannot be spoken of or about. Thus, reality remains hidden and not only unknown, but unknowable. All we can really know — in a traditional sense — is that which isn’t hidden. All we can know are these passing, temporary, transient, illusory experiences that come out of “nowhere” and pass through our awareness on their way back into “nothingness.”
Our path seems to be from “Nowhere to Now Here to Now There, which is where we started — Nowhere.” Some cultures believe this is a continuous process and, like the tide, the seasons, day and night, and every other part of nature, we rise and fall — into and out of existence in this physical world. Cultures who believe in reincarnation believe that, like a spinning wheel, this cycle can be accelerated or slowed — we can add more energy, wisdom, etc, or we can lose energy and personal power — all through our own thought-inspired actions. In each part of the cycle, we are preparing for the next part; we are sowing seeds for the coming seasons. Who knows?
The point is, whatever you believe – you believe. More important is the fact that your reality is shaped and interpreted according to your beliefs; so, if you don’t like your experience, you need only change your belief about it. Consider the example of an “irritating” co-worker who can’t seem to get along with anyone. This person probably wants to fit in and be accepted, but doesn’t know how, or can’t find the inner resources to take those important first steps and DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. If you recognize this and love those who seem to need it the most, you will be amazed at the change; and you may find true treasures where you thought there were only worthless stones.
Change the way you look at those situations, experiences, and people that seem to irritate or upset you the most; you’ll find that, as your perception changes, so does your reality. You can find friends in the exact place you found enemies yesterday — with a simple change in the way you perceive these people in your experience. At first, sudden changes in behavior can be met with suspicion; you can surely understand this, so don’t make an issue out of it. Be persistent in your efforts to see things and people in a new light — through new eyes. You don’t have to force your “charity” on others; but initial rejection of your efforts at friendship don’t mean you have to stop being kind, or friendly. Ice melts slowly in the sun; but it eventually melts.
By creating new perceptions, you can actually create new realities. Throughout the ages people have used prayer, meditation, contemplation, concentration, and other mental faculties to change perceptions and create new realities. Think-tanks are used by governments, advertisers, and researchers to break through the limitations of current perceptions and create new realities. The common theme is, “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him;” or, “If man can imagine it, man can do it.” Henry Ford said, “If you think you can, or think you can’t, either way you’re right.” So where do these thoughts come from, anyway? And how do we change them?
I see our dreams turning into reality along a path that looks something like this:
- We Conceive of a thing;
- We Believe in that thing;
- We Perceive the reality of that thing;
- We Achieve resonance with that thing;
- We Receive that thing in our experience — according to our thoughts and beliefs.
We can’t really “change” our thoughts; but the thoughts we focus on will become our primary experience. In other words, it is preferable to THINK OF SOMETHING POSITIVE rather than try to STOP THINKING SOMETHING NEGATIVE. Instead of stopping old thoughts, consciously choose new thoughts and practice thinking them. Where do you get new thoughts? You can inventory your old thoughts and “reverse” them. In other words, you can write down your beliefs about yourself, for instance, and then turn them around. If you write down, “I am fat,” change it to, “I am FIT and healthy;” and say it whether you believe it or not. You must first declare a thing before you believe it. If you don’t have belief — MAKE BELIEVE. The repetition of affirmations is the best way to build belief: “I think I can; I think I can; I know I can; I know I can…”
Essentially, the things we think about come from three primary sources — sometimes called the three instruments of knowledge. There are, presumably, three ways you can come to know something. Obviously, you must know of something for it to be a part of your thoughts and conscious reality or experience. These are the ways we come to know the things in our experience:
- Perception — Acquiring information from the world via Sensory Perception (Sight, Sound, Taste, Smell, Touch…)
- Inference — Combining information acquired via Sensory Perception to form new ideas or concepts
- Intuition — Information that arrives in our awareness “spontaneously,” or not obviously through Perception
Some people call Intuition, “ESP,” or “Extra-Sensory Perception;” meaning that we have “sensed” something at a level “above,” or “higher than,” our physical senses — there are many ways of interpreting the ways information seems to arrive within our awareness. Sayings such as, “If you think long, you think wrong…” imply that our first impressions — intuition — are much more reliable than inference. Inference — like Perception — is based on the senses; and anyone who has seen a magician’s act has a real good idea about some of the ways our senses can lie to us.
Perception, for instance, includes information we are told by others. If we are told a specific thing at an early age, this information affects our perception; it could become a core belief by which we live our life. Consider children born to parents who are members of what the media would call a “hate group,” or a group of racial extremists. These children will have a completely different experience than children growing up without such prejudices. Right or wrong is beside the point; the point is — different thoughts and beliefs create different perceptions and experiences.
If you like eating a food that you used to hate, you have experienced another example of changing your experience of reality by changing the way you perceive your environment — in this case food. Allergies, fears, and phobias can be anchored into us in this same way; which is why an apparently harmless substance can cause someone to react in ways that can be life-threatening — or why average adults can be paralyzed in fear at the sight of an insect or spider. The spider has no power over us; but our perception of the spider (which is filtered by our experience and beliefs…) is enough to trigger our protective responses.
Sometimes we experience changes in our perception and perspective overnight — as if by magic. We ask questions about our lives and, at some point, the information arrives and we feel spontaneously “enlightened.” But, whether you use prayer, affirmations, hypnosis, meditation, or one of the many, highly-effective change techniques available today (such as the Z-Point Process for Instant Emotional Healing), when your thoughts change, your beliefs change; and when your beliefs change, your life changes. And there is not a single limiting belief that you can’t change. Just imagine your life without limits — imagine your life, only easier.
There are many ways to change your perceptions; and there are many inferences that can be drawn from any set of sensory inputs. The “real” part of our existence — the part we can weigh and measure — seems to be the most fluid part. Reality — the unseen, underlying fabric of existence — is always there; the physical world comes and goes with time and is always subject to our perceptions and interpretations. We apparently live in an illusion that we can actively — and interactively — edit with our thoughts and feelings. Since most of us are faced with this world daily, it helps to remember that we can’t always control what happens, but we can control how we perceive and respond to what happens. No matter what happens “out there,” we can always create and control our own experience “in here,” because perception is reality — or a part of it, at least.
*For an interesting variety of Spiritual, and Self-Developmental, wisdom, help, and resources, visit Cyres Cafe. Cyres Café is located on-line, and opening February 17th in Antwerp, Belgium. CYRES stands for: Create Your Reality Experience Self. Cyres Café is a simple solution to satisfy the hunger for self-development information and awareness of “interconnectivity.”
Check out the winner of the IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) “One Minute Shift” You Tube contest, created by CYRES: CYRES Video. Jane McCarthy, 38, a Co-Creator of Cyres Café, and Christiane Cheryl Hunt, 42, created this video with the track “CYRES”, written and performed by Cristopolis for Cyres Café.
You can experience Cyres * The Café of Dreams at www.cyrescafe.net.
The Power of Prayer in Every Bite!
January 6, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I recently had the pleasure of eating in a local restaurant called, “BJ’s Kitchen and Catering.” BJ’s is owned by Bettie Jean and Milton Robinson, and offers wonderful home-cooking with love in every bite. Our hostess was a delightful young woman we took to be in college due to her maturity and professionalism; we later found out she was the ninth-grade niece of Milton and Bettie.
Besides the wonderful (and comforting) food, and friendly, helpful people, there was an obvious feeling of peace and relaxation in this place. Overall, the experience was excellent. Jennifer asked for a buffet menu — so she could see what was offered through the week — and they didn’t have any copies left. Milton immediately went to the print shop and, before we had finished what was on our plate, had returned with Jennifer’s menu.
It was extra meaningful that he did that, because on the menu is the story of how a prayer became a reality; and it is a perfect example of not only The Belief Formula, but of the power of prayer to create reality from our thoughts and desires — in the right time and in the right way. Here’s the story from BJ’s menu:
BJ’s
“People love good food and I love cooking it.
My desire has been to have my own
Restaurant for years.
Being married 31 years I found cooking very
enjoyable; especially when cooking for
family gatherings, church functions, and
making a favorite dish for work.
People always enjoyed my cooking and have
encouraged me to fulfill my dream of
opening BJ’s Kitchen.
The reality is here! Saturday, September
29, 2007 Milton & Bettie Robinson, family
members and others will begin at 1840
Osborne Road to take on one of the greatest
challenges of our lives. We aim to please
and serve our customers with good cooking,
quality food and great service, our
customers are very special to us and we aim
to please.”
It all starts with a desire; this is our prayer. That “dream seed” grows until one day, “The reality is here!“ Our dreams become reality — our prayers are answered — according to our belief. The love, faith, joy, encouragement, and desire to please, assured the answer to this life-long dream. “Whatsoever you desire (to own your own restaurant, for instance…), when you stand in prayer (when you think, imagine, and speak of your desire…), believing (infused with love, faith, trust, courage, and gratitude…), will be given to you. “The REALITY is HERE!” That which was once only a desire in a woman’s heart is a reality. I ate lunch in someone’s dream because she had faith in herself — and her dream.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams;” and Jesus said, “Believe only.” “All things,” in fact, “are possible to he who believes.” This story is a perfect example of what the pathway between thought and thing — prayer and reality — looks like. We can all learn from the example of faith and courage BJ and Milton Robinson have given us. And if you want your prayers answered and your dreams to come true, you first have to have dreams; then, you’d better follow Ms. Bettie’s recipe for success — faith and love in every bite!
Believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. Dreams do come true; and prayers are answered — for those who believe. If you’re in St. Marys for Lunch or Dinner, stop by BJ’s Kitchen and Catering — for “an unforgettable dining experience.” They are located at 1840 Osborne Road in St. Marys. You can call ahead to see what’s on the menu for the day: (912) 729-8700.
It’s a Different Book…
January 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A number of people have asked me if The Belief Formula book that has just been released is the same as the e-book. The Belief Formula, available on Amazon.com, and most other online retailers and brick-and-mortar bookstores, is a different book than the e-book version released last year. The print version has a number of revisions and editorial changes, as well as an additional 20,000 words. The Belief Formula print version also has helpful informational boxes and bulleted key points at the end of each chapter; these were not in the e-book version. The published version also contains at least one additional appendix with some useful information about affirmations.
The Belief Formula e-book had been read in over 20-countries before it was taken offline for the release of the print version — which has been read in at least a half-dozen countries since its release in November of 2007. The print version of The Belief Formula is a much more readable, helpful, and usable book than the e-book. It’s just a different book.
To get to The Belief Formula on Amazon, click the link below:
"Prayer in America" on PBS
January 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I watched part of a show on PBS last night, called: “Prayer in America.” Check your local listings (www.PBS.org) to see if this program is available in your area. The following information is from the web site: www.PrayerInAmerica.org:
PRAYER IN AMERICA (airing November 2007 on public television stations) asks the question, What role has prayer played in shaping the development and history of America? The two-part documentary explores contemporary debates about the role of prayer through the lens of history. By asking rhetorically, “How did we get here?” the show examines the ways in which prayer has contributed to and continues to shape the American experience.
The film is inspired by and serves as the companion to Prayer in America (originally published by Doubleday as One Nation Under God: The History of Prayer in America) by James P. Moore, Jr. In his highly original approach to the history of the United States, Jim Moore suggests that prayer has historically, and through to the present day, been a significant influence on the political, cultural and economic development of the United States.
PRAYER IN AMERICA producers Alison Rostankowski and Chip Duncan explore this thesis through interviews with a wide-ranging group of scholars, writers, and experts on the history of religion and prayer in America. The documentary reflects diverse, and sometimes conflicting, perspectives that inspire viewers to examine the role religion and prayer play in their personal lives, politics, and culture.
PRAYER IN AMERICA is presented in two one-hour segments:
Main Topics for Show One
- American Prayer
- Immigrant Experience and Prayer
- Slavery and Prayer
- The Social Gospel and The Prosperity Gospel and Prayer
- School Prayer
Main Topics for Show Two
- Forgiveness and Prayer
- Science and Prayer
- War and Peace
- Healing and Prayer
- Civil Religion and Prayer
Check out the program and send us your comments. From what I saw, there seemed to be a focus on the different ways people pray, and the different things, or gods, people pray to, and the different reasons people pray, or the different things people pray for or about. But when you discount all the differences, you are left with the simple fact that, no matter how you pray, when, where, why, or who you pray to — or what you pray for — you are doing it with your mind — with mental faculties. Prayer is our way of mentally broadcasting our desires, love, gratitude, etc, into a mental Universe; and we do it because — deep inside — we know it works. Think about it.
The Secret to Unlocking the Power of Prayer is simply this: Think about what IT is that you want. And then, THINK About IT.
Did you do it?
January 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment
It’s a new year; did you make a resolution? I made a no-resolution resolution long ago. And, at the same instant, resolved that I would be single-minded anytime I truly desired a specific change — regardless of the season or date. If you made a resolution, add a promise to yourself that, if this thing is truly important, you will spend some time thinking about it — imagining it. This technique, of course, works year-round; but if you made a resolution, you need it now.
Here are some common resolutions people make and break each year (these are in no particular order):
- To lose weight
- To be nicer to someone — or everyone
- To be more active
- To eat healthier
- To work on improving their relationship
- To spend more quality time with the family, kids, etc…
- To work less — or more
- To make more money
- To stop smoking
- To stop drinking
- To stop taking prescription or non-prescription drugs
- To start exercising
- To overcome a habit, or drop a ritual
- To overcome a fear
- To move or relocate
- To change jobs
- To start school, or a career
- and so on, and so forth…
If you made a resolution that is not on this brief — but popular — list, and you feel it should be, please feel free to email me and I will expand the list… But you get the point, right? This list doesn’t change much from year to year; and people aren’t getting any more successful at achieving these “lofty?” goals. More and more Americans are overweight, sick, stressed, divorced, unhappy, in debt, afraid, stuck, and frustrated than ever before. Over half of all marriages end in divorce; and you know the rest are not all “blissful.” Over two-thirds of all Americans are overweight; and our health problems seem to be growing as a result of our current approach to them.
But what if people could really make a new year’s resolution to change one or more of these things in their own lives? What if everyone who wanted to lose weight could actually lose as much weight as they wanted? What if you could restore your health and reclaim your life — and happiness? Would you? If people did, would these numbers be growing? I don’t think so. Why would people choose suffering over peace or happiness?
Of course people don’t choose suffering; nor does suffering choose them. But something has clearly happened to the way we think about things — something that weakens our resolve. All of the things people seek to change are the results of choices — or the results of the stress caused by making choices. And most people are making choices to try and avoid or conquer some sort of stress. When stress is chronic, our attempts to manage it become chronic — whether they are helpful or not.
Habits, of course, are the result of repetitive thought (which becomes automatic and unconscious). To get rid of a habit, you must do something else in the time you have been giving to expressing your habit. In other words, you replace one thing with another — or with several other things. As all of your habits are simply expressions of deeply rooted, repetitive thoughts, or “programs,” the obvious way to make a resolution work is to DEEPLY and REPETITIVELY think, feel, and remember NEW THOUGHTS that are more in alignment with what you want than the “old” thoughts you have been thinking. Change your mind; change your life.
But changing your mind isn’t the same as WANTING to change your mind; when you change your mind, your life changes automatically. Lots of people want to change their minds on New Year’s Day; but most are not successful. Sure, they talk about changing their minds; but then they fall back into old routines and old ways of thinking — and nothing changes. They’ll say their resolution didn’t work; but it worked perfectly. They may not get what they HOPED for; but we always get what we are resolved to receive. A few dropped resolutions and we’ve lost the idea and the spirit; yet we still go through the motions — compounding our sense of loss or failure.
You must become the change you seek. This requires slightly more thought than the mere wanting of a thing requires — hence all the unfulfilled people in the world. Wanting a thing is easy; everyone does it. Focusing, single-mindedly on a thing, however, is something only a few are truly interested in doing. And, as a result, most people don’t really understand the power of their own resolve, or will. Declare a thing; and declare it as many times as you have to in order to believe it. When you believe a thing is already accomplished, it will be; you simply need to say, “Yes,” where appropriate and do what you are moved to do. Talk only about whatever it is you truly want; and do what feels good and right in your heart. As long as you have that feeling inside, you are on the right path. All things are possible; and miracles — if that’s what you want to call them — do indeed happen every minute of every day. Pick a miracle for yourself; and keep it in your heart. If you’ve made a resolution, keep that in your heart. If you can keep a thought in your heart long enough, you’ll soon develop the resolve to see it made real.
To help you keep your resolutions alive and well — in your mind and heart — we will continue the discussion on the main topics listed above (as well as any new resolutions you might send in…):
- Health and Wellness
- Weight and Fitness
- Relationships
- Creating Change (eliminating fears, phobias, limiting beliefs, etc…)
Happy New Year!
A "Rosetta Stone"
December 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
In 1799, Napoleon’s troops discovered an artifact with the same passage of text inscribed in three different languages. Because one of the languages was known (Greek), the other languages were easily translated — including the language of Egyptian hieroglyphics. This stone, called the “Rosetta Stone” because it was found near the seaside town of Rosetta, represented a two-thousand year old bridge between languages — the same thing said in different ways — that allowed the subsequent translation of a wealth of Ancient Egyptian writings (wisdom, technology, history, etc…).
In our world, people are separated by a vast array of languages. Some people are more “visual,” while others may communicate with more auditory focus, etc. Another language barrier between people who speak the same language is that some reference everything they say, or base all of their beliefs, in science, or linear logic; and others may favor religious, spiritual, or more neutral terms, to discuss the meaning of life, and the way the world seems to come into being, or operate. The fact remains that everyone is looking for what they believe is “the Truth;” some think it’s in a cloud, some think it’s in a test tube, and most just don’t think… But, whether the stories are about talking snakes, asses falling into wells, or protons, neutrons, and electrons, these are simply words different people use to talk about the same thing — where stuff (including us) comes from.
Cultures are made up of people. Religions are practiced by people. Political agendas are pushed by people. Wars are started and fought by people. And ALL people really want the same thing — to be happy. Different people, unfortunately, believe there are different ways to happiness (other than just deciding to be happy). These differences in opinion, on how to go about “getting happiness,” are the source of all wars. Some people think they need other people’s resources in order to be happy; and those people think they need to repel aggressors in order to be happy. Everyone wants what they want; and they are all saying the same kinds of things in different languages. As Alice Hurley said, “We are all speaking the same different language.”
The Belief Formula, in this context, is a sort of “Rosetta Stone;” in that it bridges the most basic of human wisdom in practical terms from several schools of thought — religious, spiritual, scientific, medical, philosophical, etc. The Belief Formula has the unique ability to help you understand what “others” are saying by saying it in many different ways — and demonstrating how any of these translations can be applied, faithfully, to achieve the desired result. Achieving our desired outcomes is the one desire ALL humans truly share — whether the desire is to meditate peacefully on a mountain, or become a decorated war veteran. And each receives what they most think about — that which they think about enough to act upon.
If you are human, you would presumably desire wellness over illness. If you are a human, wellness is achieved in the same “way” regardless of the language you speak, or the method you employ. One cannot truly understand this concept without considering the approaches used by other people with similar problems. But when you do understand this, you can take charge of your own health — and create your own wellness. “It is done to you according to your beliefs;” if you read that and think, “Yeah, yeah; I’ve read that a million-times,” then read it again — and contemplate what this means. The Belief Formula was designed to make you think about thinking, and to help you understand simple, old truths in a new and powerful way. It doesn’t matter how many wisdom teachings you have memorized if your life sucks. Wisdom is only wisdom if it is PRACTICAL — in other words, it should make your life better (you more peaceful or happier) in some way.
At the heart of every religion, every philosophy, and every culture’s wisdom teachings, is the simple truth: You are the result of your thoughts. Throughout history, music, nursery rhymes, and bedtime stories have hidden this truth in plain sight; and regardless of varying stories, claims, and assertions, all religions begin here: You become what you think about; it’s the thought that counts. The focus of this blog is to offer new perspectives while addressing some of the more common, or popular subjects and issues — primarily health (wellness, weight loss, etc…), happiness (relationships, work, family, etc…), and success (creativity, courage, etc…). If there are other situations you’d like discussed, or other areas in which you have questions, please email them to us.
The Belief Formula Guidebook (coming soon to Amazon.com) — along with this blog — are intended to provide practical guidance through the process of using what you know to get “whatsoever you desire.” “Judge not” what another desires; if you want a world filled with peace, and a body that radiates health and wellness — think on those things. Don’t look for exceptions to this Universal truth; look for a Rosetta Stone so that you might avail yourself of the power and freedom Jesus, and the other great teachers and healers and philosophers, have always tried to bestow upon you with their words — no matter what language they spoke.
Secrets for Turning Resolutions into Realities, part 1
December 26, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions. Many early religious traditions, including Christianity, used this time of year to reflect on past mistakes and set better intentions for the coming year. But no matter what time of year it is, you are still right there between your past and future — continuously learning from the past and creating the future. The middle of winter — the depth of the “death” season — provides the perfect setting and opportunity to reflect on what has been, and contemplate what is yet to come.
Humans are creatures of habit; we do what we are programmed or conditioned to do. Jesus said, “As a man thinketh, so it is done to him;” and we think about the things we see and hear and feel — unless we have incentive to think of something else. We are taught what to think; and then we do what we think about. We can program ourselves; or we can allow ourselves to be “programmed” by our environment — adopting the opinions and desires of others. Gandhi said:
“Our beliefs become our thoughts.
Our thoughts become our words.
Our words become our actions.
Our actions become our habits.
Our habits become our values.
Our values become our destiny.”
This is a sort of map for the teaching, “It is done to you according to your beliefs.” Your beliefs ultimately become your experience of life. Sadly, most people never come to fully appreciate what this means. You can change your life by simply changing your beliefs. Conversely, if you do not change your beliefs, you will not be able to maintain the charade of any temporary behavioral changes you might manage to make. In other words, if you don’t believe in what you have resolved to do, you will not think about it in such a way as to make it become a new reality; at best you will make temporary changes that may even rebound to become worse than before. We are all familiar with the phenomenon of losing weight with a diet or exercise plan, only to gain back what we lost — and then some!
In order to put adequate energy into a resolution, you simply need to believe in it. Believing is easier for some people than for others; most people seem to need incentive to believe something new, or even take the time to pray for it.
INCENTIVE
One of the first things you will need in order to experience the reality of your resolutions is incentive. What do you want? Why do you want it? What will it be like when you get it, or reach your goal? Why are you making this resolution for yourself and your life? You need to know the answer to at least one such question. Resolutions start with the desire for something new, or different. That desire came from your growing awareness of the difference between how things “are” and how they “can be.” If action is required on your part, you will probably need a reason, or incentive, for expending your energy. What, in other words, is in it for you?
The answer is simple: What is it you want? What’s in it is what you are asking for. The “payoff” for your energy expenditure, or efforts, is your goal or desire; because you shouldn’t do anything that you don’t believe is leading you in that direction. There should be no question that you are doing what you are doing so you can get where you want to be, or have what you want to have, or do what you want to do. So, what is it you want? This is your incentive; or it should be. If you need more incentive than simply reaching your goal, you should make a new resolution. Why do you want this thing? Is it worth doing anything you might have to do? If so, you have adequate incentive and your successful resolution is assured.
It is also important to identify whether your incentive is “positive,” or “negative.” Are you chasing something, or running away from something? In other words, are you exercising because you are afraid of how you’ll look if you don’t, or because you are excited about how you will look and feel when you do? Your incentive should be something you want, not something you don’t want. Seek health, for instance, rather than fighting, or running from, illness; and think “creatively” about money, rather than worrying about bills or debt. Put your thoughts — your mental energy — on what you wish to achieve, or accomplish; don’t give any of your valuable time or energy to what you don’t want — in any context.
Find a reason to reach your goal or resolution; and find a reason to spend time thinking about it — “As you thinketh…” As you think about “whatsoever you desire,” imagine how it will be to realize your dream, or fulfill your desire. This is your incentive; you are being pulled toward a feeling of completion, or fulfillment. It is important to clarify what you truly want to insure that you aren’t focusing on something you don’t want. For instance, if you hate exercising, don’t make a New Year’s resolution to start exercising if what you really want is to lose some weight. These are two different things.
Think about looking in the mirror and seeing yourself 20-pounds lighter and thinner; and take note of how you feel seeing yourself thinner. Now, think about starting an exercise program and notice how that makes you feel. I realize that you may think or believe that exercise is the only way to lose weight; but it isn’t. And the focus that makes you feel good is the proper focus — not the perspective that makes you feel weak or overwhelmed. If you are dreading your resolution, or getting started on your “new project,” then you have placed your focus in the wrong place and haven’t given yourself proper incentive to happily reach your objective.
Think about what you truly desire to change in your life. Whether it’s the start of a new year, or not, a resolution is a resolution; you can change any part of your life you choose — if you have a desire and the right incentive. “Whatsoever you desire, when you stand in prayer, believing, will be given to you.” If you truly want what you are hoping, praying, or resolving for the new year, then give your resolution the same attention you give your prayers, plans, or any area of your life where you are able to turn your thoughts into reality.
It’s almost New Year’s Resolution time again!
December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It’s almost time to make those New Year’s resolutions again. One of the most well-known facts about New Year’s resolutions is that people simply don’t stick with them and, as a result, they don’t get that which they resolved to get. What’s the point in making a resolution you know won’t last? The point of all resolutions — like the point of all prayers — is to “formalize” desires in order to increase our chances of experiencing them in our reality.
But what exactly is a resolution? It is possible that people are not realizing their resolution simply because they don’t have their minds completely wrapped around the concept of what a resolution is — or what their resolution is. If you don’t really understand what you want, what you’re doing, or how to best do it, what kind of results do you truly hope to experience? You can learn how to make — and live — your New Year’s resolutions (no matter what day of the year you make them on).
I believe the definitions for, “Resolution,” which best apply in this context, are: “To find an answer to…;” “To deal with successfully;” and, “To declare or reach a firm decision about.” Of course, it starts with the declarations of our intentions to experience a certain kind of change; and then, perhaps, we reach our resolution and “successfully deal with” that which we wished to change. Essentially, a New Year’s resolution is our declaration of a specific change we wish to make in our life, and our intention to create it. It is a prayer, of sorts — perhaps one you wish to create on your own. As they say, “Declare a thing and it is so;” the best first-step to achieving anything is to make a resolution.
Most of the New Year’s resolutions people make have something to do with breaking old habits — or, changing old behaviors. “I resolve to quit…,” or, “I resolve to lose 25-pounds in time for…” In other words, most people resolve to change something about their body, or change some of the things their body does with “its” time. Honestly, if you knew how your body worked, you wouldn’t wait until New Year’s to let it be healthy and happy; and if you don’t know how it works, a resolution isn’t going to generate any real, lasting, positive changes — but it might start you thinking about something different for yourself. Enough of the right kind of thinking always inspires the right kind of action.
People wait until New Year’s, presumably, to join in the collective energy of millions and millions of people making resolutions on the same day — like a club, or a support group… Unfortunately, what most of them are doing is joining in an experiment in group failure — for the comfort, or safety, of being a part of a group. If I wanted something to happen, I wouldn’t go about asking, wishing, praying, or resolving, in the same way most people traditionally go about NOT GETTING what they want. Failed New Year’s resolutions are a cliche; they are so common, that the term, “New Year’s resolution,” has become synonymous with, “Something I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of accomplishing.”
If you’ve been hit in the head with a hammer each and every time you pushed a certain red button, Don’t Push that Button Again. If your New Year’s resolutions typically fall by the wayside, don’t keep doing what you’ve been doing. Try and think differently about your resolutions, decisions, declarations, or prayers. Make a resolution you can keep; and then keep it. In order to keep it, you’ll need to think about it quite often, and in a certain way. Most people have casual interests — like fitting into a certain dress, or losing a few pounds, or giving up something they really don’t want to give up — that are so casual they haven’t really thought about them since last New Year’s Day. These are typically the things they resolve to do — maybe because they know they won’t have to change. After all, everyone knows New Year’s resolutions are doomed to fail…
A New Year’s resolution is a twist on the, “There’s no time like the present,” or, “The best place to start is at the beginning,” philosophies — both of which are true. But, unless you devote mental energy to your resolution, it will fail no matter which day of the year it was made. Resolve to do something that’s been on your mind for some time, and is likely to stay on your mind. Resolutions require changes in behavior — those require changes in thinking. Don’t resolve to do something that you have to REMIND yourself to think about. Resolve to do something you can’t stop thinking about. If you have to keep reminding yourself what you want, you probably don’t really want it too badly. And, if you do know what you want, you might want to think about it, or pray for it, every day of the year — or until you received it. If your goal is the acquisition of some thing, this is a good way to start.
Of course, if your resolution is to have a better memory, you might want to write that down and resolve to read it several times each day… Really. In fact, write your resolution in the form of an AFFIRMATIVE DECLARATION, and put it someplace where you can read it in the morning and before bed. The more you write and speak your resolution, the more you are thinking about it — and the more real it becomes. The whole point of a resolution is to make this “new thing” a part of you and your life; affirmations are an immediate way to start doing that. Affirmations should be like prayers of thanks for receiving what you want exactly as it should be: “Thank you for my wonderful new body, and for making it so easy for me to reach and maintain my ideal weight and Divine health!” If your resolution was something like: “I resolve to achieve my ideal body weight,” then that’s a good affirmation. There are many possible affirmations for every resolution.
Pay attention to other signs and opportunities to take steps toward your goal or desire. For instance, if you resolve to be in better shape and play with the kids more, then don’t tell the kids you’re too tired the next time they ask! Go find out what it’s like to play tired! Remember when you were a kid?!? I promise you that you will find ENERGY you didn’t know you had — if you look for it, that is. Think about it; you don’t wish for a strong, healthy, attractive body so you can sit in a dark room on a couch watching the television and eating the junk your body tells you to eat. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! In fact, do something kind of like people who already HAVE the same things you RESOLVED to get for yourself.
If you resolved to take control of your health and reclaim your wellness, then you can absolutely do that; but not by complaining about your health to anyone who is kind enough to not walk away when you start talking about your woes. Talking about problems makes them bigger, not smaller; and healthy people don’t sit around complaining about their health — or dramatizing it. Do one thing healthy people do; and then do another, until all of your time is filled with the activities of a healthy person and you have no time left for the activities of an ill person. Start your road to recovery by resolving to speak WELL of yourself; and, if you cannot make yourself believe that you are well, “fake it ’til you make it.” You will become what you think yourself to be. Speak well of your self and your health — until you believe it. Only then will it be so.
The truth is, most people simply don’t think about the idea of a resolution, or what it means; they simply “make ‘em and break ‘em.” The next few posts will be about “Secrets for Turning Resolutions into Reality;” but these “secrets” aren’t really secrets, and they aren’t just for New Year’s Day. The more you change the way you think, the more your life will change as a result. If you are experiencing things you truly want to change, then you truly need a new way of thinking about those things you wish to change. Stay tuned for some simple and effective ways to create the change you seek — in your mind, body, and life.
Enlightenment in the Mirror
December 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
So, do you want to know how to make yourself really fat and miserable — and stay that way? It’s actually pretty simple; so simple, in fact, most women (and some men) already use this technique unconsciously. Here’s how it works:
1. Stand in front of the mirror.
2. Notice all the things about yourself that you do not like.
3. Hate what you see in the mirror — or what you look like.
4. Think about how overweight, fat, out-of-shape, or ugly you think you are — or think your body is.
5. (FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY!) Breathe life into your curses, foul-thoughts, and negative self-talk by speaking them out loud. Openly criticize yourself; and, for super-fast action, talk this way where others can hear you!
I told you it was simple. In fact, I bet you’re already doing it — or at least practicing some of these techniques. It only takes a few heavy, burdensome thoughts to make your body heavy and burdensome. Heavy thoughts = Heavy body.
Of course, to really let your body know how much you hate it, you could starve it, too. But don’t worry if a few pounds disappear as a result of your starvation; you will quickly gain them back — along with a few extra pounds to protect you in the event of future episodes of starvation. That’s how it works; so, don’t worry about getting too slim dieting. All you have to do to replace the fat is eat something — anything — and your body will do the rest based on your thoughts. One of the reasons your body produces fat is to protect you from starvation; so, by dramatically reducing your caloric intake, you are reinforcing this reason as a VERY REAL possibility. “See!” exclaims the body, “I knew we might starve! Now I’ll have to build even more fat to protect us from the next time this happens!”
I know many people who do this, or use this method; and it works perfectly for all of them. It really doesn’t even matter what you eat, as long as you hate yourself — or your body or appearance. Of course, there are always some people who want to go the other way; so, if you want to get “lighter” looking in the mirror, consider turning those thoughts around. Light thoughts = Light body.
Here’s the plan for those of you who actually want to be LIGHTER. Turn your thoughts around. Your body is a reflection of your mind. If you are holding a lot of junk you don’t need in your mind, then you will naturally hold an equivalent amount of junk you don’t need in your body. You may even choose to eat junk that is easier to store and hold onto. In fact, your subconscious will do this for you by directing your moods, feelings, and choices. In most cases, you can simply reverse your old way of thinking in order to reverse the trend your body is experiencing.
If you need it spelled out, here is how you gain “lightenment” by looking in the mirror:
1. Stand in front of the mirror.
2. Notice all the things about yourself you really like.
3. Love yourself and what you see in the mirror — AND what you look like.
4. Think about how perfect you are, how your body is a reflection of your thought-life, and how any part of it can be reformed simply by changing your thoughts.
5. Speak only of your desired reality (not judgments of an apparent reality). Affirm only what you want; “Declare a thing and it is so.” Your mind is powerful; and your words are one-step closer to reality than your thoughts.
You can use either of these methods. In fact, they are really the same method applied with two different kinds of energy: Negative; and Positive. The fact is that you are “formed and molded by your thoughts.” If you don’t get this, you have two choices: 1. Assume I, and all the great, wise men who have said this same thing, are wrong and that we don’t really know how we created and shaped our bodies; or, 2. Spend time in prayer (THINKING) coming to understand this. If you take the negative approach, you can preview your results by simply looking in the mirror and imaging MORE of what you see; while the more open, positive approach will gradually reshape your thoughts, body, and life.
Watch this video clip (it is the same clip from the post on “Shedding pounds by shedding Thoughts”), and realize that the latest scientific and medical research confirms that our thoughts, through a process that is “invisible” to the average person, shape our bodies and every experience we have.
Enlightenment in the Mirror (”What the Bleep do we Know”) clip
If you think, “I’ll love myself when I have a body worth loving,” or “I’ll love myself when I’m thinner,” or “I’ll love myself when I’m more lovable,” or “I’ll love myself when….” then you are lying to yourself. Period. Those are not your thoughts; they were given to you by a misguided, and misinformed soul who probably didn’t know what their words could do to you. It is YOUR CHOICE whether or not you keep them. If your thoughts are creating what you want, keep them; if not, change your mind about things.
It’s EASY to Love Fat — when you know what it is…
Everyone is born with body fat; it is a necessary — though fluid (changeable) — part of us. We all need fat in order to survive. Fat is our protector; our bodies only manufacture fat when they think they need to. Here are some of the ways fat helps us, or protects us:
1. Fat protects us from starvation by providing us with a way to store food for later use. By converting food to fat, we can use the energy and nutrients later — perhaps in times when food is scarce, or when we need extra energy…
2. Fat protects us from impacts, falls, and other trauma, by padding our bones and organs…
3. Fat protects us from the elements by providing us with a layer of thermal protection…
4. Fat protects us from attack by making us look larger, or more imposing, to potential enemies…
5. Fat protects us from unwanted physical contact by making us appear “unattractive” by some cultural standards…
6. Fat protects us from unwanted attention, failure, or possible judgment, by keeping us from seeking attention…
In addition to these things, fatty acids also provide the raw materials that help in the control of blood pressure, blood clotting, inflammation, and other body functions.
Fat is not the enemy; you want a good relationship with fat because you need fat — a good relationship will simply help you adjust and control the amount and location of the fat you carry with you. Love your body fat; after all, you created it. And all it’s trying to do is protect you from threats that you alone are perceiving. Besides, if you are doing anything but loving your fat, you are activating your stress response and creating more of what you don’t love. The ancient philosopher, Sophocles, said, “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; that word is LOVE.” Love thyself.
Besides the practical reasons for producing fat, your body produces fat whenever you are stressed (just in case…) — and hating what you see in the mirror, or thinking and talking negatively about yourself, are both good ways to turn on your stress response. Remember, fat is a very sophisticated, living, protective mechanism that responds to your thoughts; and you don’t need to be protected from the POSITIVE thoughts and things in life. So, if you want to continue being your own “science-experiment,” then keep on with the unchecked negative thinking; but, if you want to feel better about yourself, you can start right now by simply falling in love with YOU! Positively.
That’s enlightenment; and if you look with the right eyes, you can find it in your very own mirror. How cool is that?
The Mind-"Booty" Connection
December 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about the mind-body connection. Of course, this discussion has been going on for thousands of years; and the new consensus matches the old — there really is no “connection” — the mind and body are the same. The body is simply the visible repository for those things we hold in our mind; the body is the physical representation, or reflection of, the mind.
In a way, though, I still say they are connected simply because of this obvious RELATIONSHIP — which, to me, implies “Connection.” At any rate, the shape of your body — and the size of your booty — is intimately related to the shape of your mind and thoughts. If your mind is cluttered with old junk-thoughts, so will your body and life be cluttered with old junk. Keep your mind, body, and life fresh; change your mind often.
Here’s how the mind-”booty” connection works:
Your brain stores memories of all the things your body has experienced; and it is believed that your DNA stores memories of anything that IT has ever experienced — all the way back to the beginning of humanity. Now, your DNA hasn’t experienced everything everyone else’s DNA has experienced; but all DNA is “Original” and has been added to over the ages. Your DNA is in the middle of each of your cells; and it has never seen the light of day — no living DNA has. SO, your cells have lifetimes of “cellular memory” stored in them; and your brain and body has one-lifetime of memory stored in it — even if you can’t access or recall it easily.
It is with these memories that we form the filters of perception through which we see ourselves and the world in which we live. Any new experience is quickly compared to the old experiences stored in your memory; and a decision is made about your safety, or survivability, based on those past experiences and outcomes. For example, when you hear a loud “Boom!” and see a bright FLASH, your memory may tell you that you have seen and heard an explosion. Depending on where you live, your response could range from, “What was that?!” to “Oh no! They’re coming again and this time we’re going to die!” Explosions mean many different things to many different people.
If it was the 4th of July, and the explosion and flash was up in the sky, at night, during a festival, your memory banks — the stuff you “know” — will likely tell you that the purpose of the explosion is to entertain you rather than destroy you; but if you live in an active war zone, the nature and purpose of the “fireworks” is much more ominous. Your filters of perception, in other words, help your brain determine if your body is safe, or in jeopardy of non-existence. This is an “On-Off” or “Yes-No” decision; and if the verdict is “Possible danger,” your Stress Response is activated — much like we call the fire department when are in certain kinds of physical danger.
When you sense stimulus that matches a past experience in which things went badly, or could have gone badly for you, the “packet” of sensory information is delivered to a part of the brain that compares and decides if you are indeed in danger. If there is the slightest chance that you are, a signal is sent from a part of your mid-brain activating what many people call, “the Fight-or-Flight” mechanism (stress response). Technically, this chain of events is often referred to as the HPA-axis, because the “danger-signal” is sent to the Hypothalamus, which triggers the Pituitary gland to release a hormone called ACTH, which then acts on the Adrenal cortex, causing the release of stress hormones — such as adrenaline and cortisol. Hypothalamus — Pituitary — Adrenals (HPA).
More simply, researchers look at the overall “domino-effect” as it goes from: Psyche (Mind), to Brain (Nervous System), to Body — hence, “Mind-Body Connection.” Yes, there are many “little pieces” to this system; but the bottom line is that you are either in a state of stress, or you are not. And, in either case, it is your thoughts — your perceptions of things — that cause what your body experiences. (And then, we judge those “feelings” and sensations; but that’s another story…)
Stress hormones are great when you are really in danger; but they are not so great when you are exposed to them for prolonged periods of time. Chronic stress — constant, long-term stress — is related to practically every known medical problem; and it is the cause of most unwanted, or excess, weight and body fat. Stress hormones increase your heart rate, respirations, blood-pressure, anxiety, and cause blood to be directed away from your vital organs and into your arms and legs. Stress hormones also cause oxygenated blood to be forced from your brain’s “reasoning centers,” in the front, to its “survival centers” in the hind-brain. When you are stressed, in other words, you are literally “dumber” than you are when you are relaxed.
The stress response also shuts down your Immune system, Reproductive system, and Digestive system; as they are not considered to be vital in a life-threatening emergency. Unfortunately, our perceptions have made it so that most people consider everyday events, such as noise, bills, relationship difficulties, etc, as threats; and even if they don’t do this consciously, their subconscious thoughts often trigger the stress response for them. Most people know when they are stressed. Most people don’t, however, understand this process or what it is doing to them. If they did, they’d surely spend more time learning how to manage their stress by better managing their thoughts.
How does stress make you fat?
Stress causes you to produce and store fat for many practical reasons. The way the body makes fat is really quite simple. First, you perceive your life; then you judge it as a threat — or inconvenience that has threatened your peace, or status quo. As your stress response is activated, your digestion is slowed, or stopped; this causes such things as: Indigestion; IBS; Crone’s disease; Diarrhea; Constipation; Gas; Acid-reflux; and other gastrointestinal problems. Since you aren’t digesting, processing, and eliminating food; you must hold on to it (kind of like the thoughts you are holding on to…).
As part of this process, your body produces Cortisol to help convert the food you are holding on to into fat for storage. Fat is a part of our stress response because: 1. We can’t leave the food in our digestive tract for prolonged periods of time; and 2. Fat provides many practical advantages for a person in stress (under attack, in danger, etc…). If you are chronically stressed — often angry, sad, depressed, grieving, worried, anxious, afraid, etc. — it doesn’t matter what you eat — or how much you eat — your body will try to protect you.
It may surprise you, but food doesn’t make you fat. Of course, fat is made out of food; but so is every other cell in your body. It is your body that decides — based on your thoughts and perceptions — what to do with the food you eat. Food, like every cell in your body, is simply combinations of elements — Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen, mostly. When you eat steak, for instance, it doesn’t stay intact and migrate to your biceps; and when you eat ice cream, it doesn’t stay intact and migrate to your hips. Your body breaks these things down and uses the raw materials to build whatever you need. Cows are made of muscle (meat); but they eat only grass. And they produce milk (cheese, butter, ice cream, etc…) without drinking milk. Where do cows get all the fat? They make it out of grass and water; and you can do that, too, if you are stressed.
Stay tuned…
