If it is meant to be, it will be

At the beginning of the summer, we were invited by our Native American shaman friend to accompany her and another friend to England to stand inside the great ring of Stonehenge at dawn. We were asked to sing a song as the brilliant sun warmed the stones to a deep pink. Now I ask you, who would say no to this once-in-a-lifetime experience?

But there were obstacles to overcome. Our bank account was one. Soaring fuel prices meant soaring flight fares as well – the highest in history. Also, we were scheduled to perform on that night at a retreat outside of Denver. The two experiences had an ocean and seven time zones between them. To date, we have never canceled a gig, and we had promised we would be there in Colorado. To say we were conflicted would be an understatement.

But if it is meant to be, it will be.

The universe began to work overtime on our behalf, allowing serendipities and circumstances to shift into place. We had to shift into that place of allowing as well. No amount of excuses or sabotaging could stop what is meant to be. With the generous heart of a friend with lots of frequent flyer miles, we were thrilled to find ourselves standing on English soil four days before the event.

When the day arrived for Stonehenge, we got there at 6, long before the night gave way to the day. The stars shone pure and perfect in the night sky. The air was cool and crisp as if freshly born. The deep fog settled low into the surrounding valley, making it look like we were on the shores of the Isle of Avalon in King Arthur’s realm. Magical would be the word.

At 6:30, we were escorted by the night guard to the giant stones, standing black against the brightening sky. He left, leaving the four of us, along with two rabbits eating peacefully on the lush grass, to absorb the magnificence.

All these months of planning, dreaming, preparing and traveling funneled down to this moment. This solitary, exquisite, magical moment. I was preparing myself to be amazed.

But then I had to go to the bathroom. I was appalled when the physical tromped in on my spiritual turf, demanding attention, but my morning cup of tea was done with me. There was no fighting it. I ran with heels on fire back to the main compound. But time slowed. I got back in plenty of time because it was meant to be that I would be there.

At 7:10, the sun peeked above the horizon, a cool red with the promise of heat that hadn’t reached us yet. We brought out our instruments and sang the song that Tupelo had written especially for this moment. Our voices blended in harmony, singing to “the quiet that waits forever.” The stones absorbed the vibrations, turning a deep rose, basking in the quiet. The rabbits lingered close by so they must have liked it too.

No words can describe the clear emotions and the quiet peace of being inside the stones on that morning. Four friends came together, reuniting with their past and changing their present.

But the cosmos didn’t crack open as many friends joked would happen. We didn’t get zapped by a stroke of light from the universe. We didn’t get beamed up. The change was subtle. The shift within, soft and pure. The experience, gentle – like rabbits snuggling into the grass.

We were meant to be there on that clear morning, at that moment. Money, circumstances, or conflicting scheduling couldn’t keep us from being there. I didn’t question it. I didn’t doubt it, but I am eternally grateful for all the invisible work behind the scenes done on my behalf.

As if that experience wasn’t perfect enough, we did make our gig outside of Denver that night with ten minutes to spare. I should have been exhausted from the long road back from Stonehenge, but it felt like I had placed my hand in a light socket. I was energized and electrified.

It all worked out with perfect timing and delicate rhyme.

I’m still amazed by is all, and I was reminded once again: If it is meant to be, it will be.

I’m a big fan of Oprah. She has a tremendous influence on people around the world, and I admire how she wields her power in a positive way. She is honest, insightful and human, and I like that in a person.

I don’t watch TV, so I’ve only seen a handful of her shows, but I’ve subscribed to her O magazine for years. I flip past all the glitz and glamour, $500 shoes and perfume to get to the bones. I laugh with Lisa Kogan, enjoy Martha Beck, and agree with Dr. Katz (most of the time.)

On the very last page is Oprah herself, writing her monthly insight for us. It’s called “What I know for sure.” She’s a great writer and it’s always fascinating to read what her life is like and how she rides the tidal wave of fame to stay sane. It makes me like her even more.

I thought it would be fun to do this myself; sit down and write out my long list of “what I know for sure.” I got out a pen and big piece of paper. But I sat there for a long time. Every thought I “thought” I knew for sure, I immediately countered with “but what if…?”

For example, I know for sure the law of attraction works. It has happened time and time and time again. If our thoughts create the life we are living then I have had some great thoughts – full of joy and gratitude and love. When it comes to the best my life has to offer me, then, yes, I will gladly take credit and say yeah! for the law of attraction.

And then I got breast cancer. To say it came out of the blue is not quite right. It came out of the black. To my conscious mind, I never once put those two words together where it concerned me. The doctors shook their head and called my case “so unusual.” I didn’t fit the profile in any way shape or form. My friends got worried, “If you can get it, then anyone can get it.”

How could I have possibly brought this on? The physical experience is behind me now, and to be honest, the experience impacted my life in a very positive way. But, once was enough, thank you very much. I will live with the residue the rest of my life. Those two words, “breast cancer” and “me” are definitely residing together in my ethers. How will the law of attraction play out now? I’m hoping I have the ability to turn it off and on at will. Bring me what will do me the most good, but keep the rest at bay, if you please.

Back to my list. The same goes for believing in karma and reincarnation. I believed strongly in them at one time and felt these concepts answered quite a few questions when I was younger. But for many years now, I have given them little thought. They are barely hanging on the sidelines of what I know for sure. I have moved beyond the fascination of past lives and the role they play in this one. That goes for karma too. They are the glitz and glamour I skip over to get to the bones of who I really am.

The writing exercise that didn’t happen brought me to this conclusion: We don’t have to believe in any one thing forever. Spiritual concepts, life experiences, and our own evolution morphs as we travel through life. What we know for sure should morph too.

What I know for sure is that I don’t know anything for sure. And that’s okay.

Occasionally an original thinker comes along, and everyone benefits. Steve Pavlina is such a person and his new book is destined to become a classic. It’s called “Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth.”

What I appreciate most about Steve’s style is that he has a fresh perspective. He’s obviously very intelligent (he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 3 semesters), but beyond his keen intellect is a well-balanced student of expanding consciousness. Yes he has a big brain, but his heart is equally well developed. Most personal growth experts are either brainiacs or love gurus. Steve has pioneered a refreshing blend of head and heart based on common sense and direct experience. This is a rare quality.

“My greatest breakthroughs usually come from personal experimentation…” – Steve Pavlina

His refreshing approach is obvious at the beginning of the book where he outlines how the book was born and how it is organized. (And yes, it is very organized!)

“It took me almost two and a half years, but I eventually found the solution I was looking for. It consists of just three core principles: truth, love and power. Four secondary principles are directly derived from the first three: oneness, authority, courage and intelligence. Oneness is truth plus love. Authority is truth plus power. Courage is love plus power. And intelligence is the total combination of truth, love and power . . . these principles are universal; they cannot be successfully compartmentalized without sacrificing something far more important – our true nature as conscious beings.” – Steve Pavlina

The book is organized around these fundamental principles. Personal anecdotes from Steve’s life illustrate his points and keep the material easy to grasp. The principles are sometimes obvious and sometimes deep. I found myself occasionally thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?” (Many times, I did think of that, but had never articulated it so succinctly.) I appreciate his honest communication style and his gift of making deep concepts easy to catch.

“Genuine personal growth is honest growth. You can’t take short-cuts through the land of make-believe.” – Steve Pavlina

Truth

I resonated deeply with Steve’s recommendation for the importance of discovering your own truth and then learning how to live it on a moment-to-moment basis. We have all grown up in an era where we are brainwashed by the media. I know that’s a harsh assessment, but my own personal experience convinces me that it’s true. It’s a matter of degrees – some of us are mildly brainwashed and know it, while others are thoroughly brainwashed and clueless. (I explored this idea in depth in previous articles, “The Trouble with TV” and “Trade TV Time for Habits of Personal Development and Success.”)

“The cumulative effect of mass-media exposure is to condition you to adopt a false view of reality – one that upholds pro-advertiser values. The more you expose yourself to mainstream media such as television, the more skewed your mental model of reality becomes . . . this is a path of long-term laziness, apathy, and decay, not intelligent self-actualization.” – Steve Pavlina

Love

Here’s another topic that I have also explored in depth – connecting with other people. Steve explains how his wife, Erin helped him to open up to the fact that deep inside, we are really all one. Once that is experienced, relationships are forever changed. Close relationships become deeper, and new relationships begin to take on new dimensions. (I enjoyed exploring these important ideas in a previous article, “Meaningful Spiritual Relationships – Namaste Matters.” )

“There are few greater joys in life than the experience of conscious communication with another person. No ego games, false fronts, or manipulative tactics are employed. Both individuals simply want to connect with each other for the purpose of learning and growing. Once you’ve experienced such open, loving communication with another human being, it’s hard to settle for anything less.” – Steve Pavlina

Steve explains how Erin is a master of quick connections. She does this easily because she believes, rather she knows in her heart that we are all deeply connected, like individual cells forming one body. It’s not necessary for her to labor over creating new connections with people. Instead she just taps into the underlying connection she knows is already there. I’ve known a few people who can do this – my wife, Janey, for one, and it is a wonder to behold. It feels great, but I must admit, I’m still learning. I believe it, I love the idea of it . . . it’s just that I am still breaking through years of social conditioning and erroneous preconceived notions about our separateness.

“Instead of having to break the ice with someone, assume that there is no ice.” – Steve Pavlina

Power

The idea of exercising your own personal power and deliberately creating your best life is a theme that has run through many of my articles. I have known the value of this for a long time and continually explore new ways to do it better and better. It feels right to take the reins of life firmly in hand and deliberately steer it toward your deepest desires. What could be more important or more satisfying than to manifest the best version of yourself and the best life possible? (See “Your Passion as Your Compass,” and “Integrity Through Self-Reliance” and “Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God.”)

“When you set a goal that improves your present reality, what does it matter how long it takes to achieve the final outcome? Whether it takes one week or five years is irrelevant. The whole path is fun and enjoyable. More important, you feel happy and fulfilled this very moment. This drives you to take action from a state of joy, so you’re productive too. Instead of going after goals you think will make you happy in the distant future, focus on goals that make you happy right now.” – Steve Pavlina

Self-Discipline

Successful people usually have it. Unsuccessful people usually don’t. That’s a good clue about the importance of self-discipline in a successful and fulfilling life. To me, the idea of self-discipline is simply a promise I make to myself based on my current understanding on what’s best. It has to be best for me, as well as the good of the whole, for me to be able to get behind it and push when necessary.

“It’s your fail-safe, your motivational backup system . . . motivation starts the race, but self-discipline ultimately crosses the finish line.” – Steve Pavlina

Besides the satisfaction of completing self-appointed tasks as a result of well-functioning personal self-discipline, it feels good while the task is in progress too. It helps you feel good about yourself when you know you are capable of making an important promise to yourself . . . and then keeping it. (See previous article, “Self-Discipline in 3 Easy Steps.”)

Authority

Socrates said, “Know thyself.” That’s a good first step to being authentic. You can’t be yourself until you know yourself. Social conditioning has a way of turning us into homogenous drones . . . cogs in the wheel of industry and consumerism. There’s more to life that that. Much more. It all begins with our personal authority. Unless you assumne your own authority, don’t expect anyone else to simply grant it to you by default. (See previous article, “Know Thyself – Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself.”)

“When you live without authority, your default behavior is to squander your time. You may acquire some knowledge, but you won’t apply it well. You may take some action, but your movements will be chaotic and unfocused. You have the potential to live a powerful, self-directed life of your choosing, but until you step into your true authority, this potential remains a fantasy.” – Steve Pavlina

Each of us have the responsibility and the profound privilege to take the raw materials of our life and turn it into the life of our dreams. It’s satisfying beyond measure – easily worth whatever it takes to learn how to do it well. This habit of mental discipline is not done in broad strokes but in the small details of life. It’s the little things over a period of time that add up to making a big difference. What are you doing today that has the potential of making a lasting difference in the quality of your life and your personal satisfaction?

“People of authority focus on what really matters to them. They don’t waste time on trivialities . . . What’s important to you in life? What’s a relative waste of your time? . . . If you can’t honestly predict a positive long-term impact from your actions, admit that you’re wasting your time, and set some goals that really matter to you. There’s no substitute for investing your life in something that has the potential to make a real difference.” – Steve Pavlina

Persistence

It’s easy to give up. Anyone can do that. And most people do. Succesful people, in all areas of life, are simply people who have tried and failed enough times to have gained a good education. They fall down, get up and keep going. They recognize it as part of the journey. The failures are opportunities to learn, so they don’t shrink from them. Instead they embrace the new lesson learned and press on. Persistent people are inspired people, and they are inspiring. (See previous article, “Persistence and Perseverance for Winners – Losers Just Quit“)

“I don’t get inspired by people who have all the external trappings of success like money and fame. I’m moved by those who I can see are destined for greatness, but no one else knows it yet. The telltale sign is always the same – persistence.” – Steve Pavlina

Courage

One of my favorite authors in Carlos Castaneda and the way he described his tutelage by the Yaqui Indian shaman, Don Juan. I’ve read all his books, some of them several times, so I wasn’t surprised when Steve Pavlina quoted Don Juan . . .

“Before you embark on [any path] ask the question: Does this path have a heart? If the answer is no, you will know it, and then you must choose another path . . . When a man finally realizes that he has taken a path without a heart, the path is ready to kill him.” – Carlos Castaneda

Does this idea hold any special meaning to you? The idea of a path with heart is a very personal idea, and only you can recognize the truth of your answer. It reminds me of the lyrics to one of my songs:

“And no one but you can find the answer to your quest
Your answer’s for you and not all the rest
(You know your answer’s the best, it’s not a contest)
The question is easy enough, and any honest answer is good enough
You really gotta know . . . . . what do you love?”
- From the song, “Do What You Love” by Tupelo Kenyon

When you are in alignment with what you love, your path has heart. You find it easy, even joyful, to take action. You’re commited, and you like it that way. It’s not a chore but a thrill to do things when you are on your path with heart. (To honestly explore your personal path with heart, see this previous article, “10 Steps to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose.”)

“It’s a great idea to consciously intent what you want, and I highly recommend you do that, but if you don’t want something badly enough to take direct action, then what does that say about your intention? Doesn’t that suggest you aren’t really commited to it? When you’re really hungry, will you wait patiently for food to arrive, or will you get up and make something to eat? When your intentions are important to you, direct action becomes part of the manifestation process. The best instruments of the Law of Attraction are your own hands and feet.” – Steve Pavlina

Intelligence

There’s something deeply satisfying about reading what an intelligent person has to say about intelligence. That’s one of the reasons why I have enjoyed reading Einstein’s words, who said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.”

Steve is a very imaginative person, plus he has learned how to apply the knowledge he has gained. It takes intelligence to do that. His book allows him to take the next step which is to share what he has learned. He has worked hard on his communication skills because he recognizes the importance of sharing the wealth of his intelligence with others. I love being inspired by articulate, intelligent, big-hearted people . . .

“Intelligence is the highest form of human expression. Our intelligence is what defines us as human beings. It is our greatest strength, our staunchest ally, and our most noble pursuit. Without it, we are nothingness; we are form without substance and existence without purpose. It is only through the deliberate exercise of intelligence that we give our lives meaning, a meaning that is consciously chosen . . . the most intelligent thing you can possibly do with your life is to grow.” – Steve Pavlina

Habits

Personally chosen, deliberately cultivated habits help keep us on track. They are tools that allow us to translate our resolve into our daily lives. They simplify the day-to-day activities that help us get from where we are to where we want to be. Good habits are our friends, and I really appreciated the following jewels of insight Steve offered on the subject of habits . . .

“How do you know if a habit is positive or negative? Use your mind’s predictive powers to imagine what long-term, cumulative effect each one will have if you maintain it for the rest of your life . . .

“Since habits wield power over your results, you must wield power over your habits . . .

“Take a moment to consider the social consequences of your actions. Do your habits help others align themselves with truth, love and power, or does your behavior lead people astray? . . . Which habits put you on a path with a heart? . . . When your habits are aligned with truth, love and power, the guy in the glass is your friend.” – Steve Pavlina

Career

It’s inspiring to learn from someone who has figured out a way to harness his greatest gifts to experience abundance while helping others at the same time. This paradigm is still rarely manifested in our current society, but examples like Steve can inspire us to our own greatest potential of contribution.

“. . . the best way to optimize your income is to find a career medium that allows you to share your most important message. By sharing your message with others, you provide exactly the kind of value that can generate abundant income.” – Steve Pavlina

I appreciate Steve’s take on contribution vs. mooching. Many of us are taught to get as much as we can for as little as possible. That is, maximize the return while minimizing the input. The natural extension of this mindset is a nation (or a world) of people expecting a handout. It’s entitlement mentality run a muck.

Instead, Steve does a fine job of extolling the virtues (personally and globally) of a mindset based on contribution. When you provide value, it is inevitable that you receive value in return. It’s a wonderful idea and a tad sad that such a common sense approach has fallen out of favor in modern society. Imagine what it would be like if everyone dealt with one another with this dedication to contribution, rather than focusing on, “What can I get?”

“To build an authentic career, you need to find the path that keeps you aligned with truth, love and power. This requires paying attention to the following four questions:

1. Body (needs): What must I do?
2. Mind (abilities): What can I do?
3. Heart (desire): What do I want to do?
4. Spirit (contribution): What should I do?

“An authentic career is found in the place where all four of these questions produce the same answer . . . When you have all four areas working synergistically together, the combined effect is truly amazing. Instead of meeting your needs, you experience true abundance. Instead of applying your knowledge to your tasks, you unlock your true genius. Instead of tolerating your daily routine, you work in a state of joy. And instead of just putting in your time, you fill your days with a sense of purpose.” – Steve Pavlina

Money

It’s best to learn from those who know. I once had a college instructor who never once demonstrated what he taught. He taught a swimming class, and he never got wet. It was difficult to believe the teacher was much of an authority on the subject when he shouted his instructions from the sidelines. It would have been easier to learn from him if he would have joined us in the game.

StevePavlina.com is one of the world’s most popular personal development blogs (if not the most popular). With over two million visitors per month, he knows what he is talking about, whether he is speaking about personal development or financial development.

“. . . money is a human invention to facilitate the exchange of value. To shun money as something evil or unnecessary is a huge mistake. When properly aligned with truth, love and power, it becomes a valuable tool of conscious living – one that’s too important to ignore. If you want to live consciously, you must learn to use money intelligently . . . work within the area of overlap between your personal values and social values. This will enable you to do what you love while creating something that others treasure as well. Don’t force yourself to focus between your integrity and your income – demand that both be satisfied.” – Steve Pavlina

The section on money in Steve’s book is thorough and thought-provoking. It will challenge you to rethink your assumptions about money and how to get more of it. I feel confident almost everyone will benefit from this enlightened look at money.

“Do your best to create and share your value with others, and you’ll help create a richer and more abundant world for all of us.” – Steve Pavlina

Health

True to his commitment to personal experimentation, many of Steve’s major health improvements have been a result of his 30-day trial technique. This is how he proved to himself that his body responded best to vegetarianism. More energy, clearer focus, less sleep required, and other benefits convinced him to adopt it as a lifestyle choice after the 30-day trial period was over.

I am also interested in diet, nutrition and health and have devoured many books on the subject. I wrote a thorough review on one of my favorites. (See previous article, “Finally the Truth About Diet – The China Study Review.“)

The ideas in Steve’s section on health and in “The China Study” are not mainstream. In fact, they are controversial, not because they are so outrageous but because we have drifted so far away from common sense in our dietary choices. Yes, we are the product of insidious social conditioning and are trained to eat, not what is good for us, but what is most profitable for the advertisers to sell. Recognizing this fact is the first step to assuming responsibility for our own health and deliberately choosing what we put in our mouth.

“In order to be healthy today, you must exercise your self-discipline to overcome the drag of social conditioning. Summon the maturity to make intelligent choices for yourself, regardless of what throngs of sick people encourage you to do . . . the truth is that if the average person wouldn’t consider your current health practices extreme, you probably aren’t very healthy.” – Steve Pavlina

Diet and nutrition is a science in its infancy. It’s easy to find conflicting advice from different experts. (That’s one reason why I appreciated “The China Study” so much. It’s not based on any fad diet or conjecture or marketing hype. In fact, it’s based in emperical scientific evidence gathered during the largest nutritional study ever done on planet earth!)

Ultimately, each one of us makes the decision of what we eat. That one seemingly simple decision has a major impact on the level of health and vitality we experience throughout our lifetimes.

“You can delegate control, but never responsibility . . . If I give you any particular advice in this area that doesn’t resonate with you, you should reject it and trust your own judgement instead.” – Steve Pavlina

Relationships

We are all in this together and we are all in this alone. It’s an interesting paradox. Our lives are defined and given shape by the other people in our lives. The people we choose to spend time with influence us in many seen and unseen ways. Especially for those of us interested in personal development, we need to pick our companions carefully and deliberately in order to support our chosen direction of personal growth. (These ideas were explored in previous articles, “Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You” and “Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development.”)

“I’ve learned to place a great deal of trust in my feelings when it comes to relationships. When something feels wrong to me, I know the best thing I can do is to go to the other person and explain that something doesn’t seem right so that we can work together to sort it out. When you bring truth to your relationships, you build closeness and trust.” – Steve Pavlina

Some of our most important life lessons and aha moments come as a result of our relationships, so it makes sense to do our best to communicate well and be considerate of others. A little kindness goes a long way . . .

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting battles too,
Cruel wars within themselves, just like it is with you.
Be kind, because you’ll never know just how much good you’ll do,
A heartfelt word or two can soothe a hidden wound.

“Sometimes the ripples from our deed’s a gentle touch, doesn’t seem to matter much,
It’s like dropping flowers in the Grand Canyon.
And though we’ll never know just what becomes of them, it’s all the same to them,
So drop them anyway, because you can.”
- from the song, “Be Kind” by Tupelo Kenyon

One of the things I appreciate most about Steve’s book is the way he threads the themes of truth, love and power through all the aspects of personal development, including his very insightful look at relationships.

“Exchanges that are lacking in truth, love, or power eventually grow stale, but when all three elements are present, the blocks to deeper levels of connection and closeness are removed . . . What mix of truth, love, and power do you use to connect with others? Realize that your weakest channel will be the source of many of your communication problems . . . When you know your dominant connection strategy, you can use it deliberately to regain your closeness whenever you start feeling a little distant from one another.” – Steve Pavlina

Building close relationships involves an element of risk, but a little courage can make a big difference in the quality of your life. You can’t always expect other people to initiate the contact. Sometimes it’s up to you to extend your hand (and your heart) and invite people in. Imagine what you could miss out on, if you don’t.

“The biggest risks are missing out on laughs you never shared, people you never helped, and the potential partner you sentenced to solitude . . .

“Since all human relationships are impermanent, live with the awareness that every one of your current connections will eventually end. Take the time to appreciate them while they last, and don’t take them for granted. Even when a relationship ends in death, it can still continue in your thoughts. The memories of loving relationships can become your most sacred treasures.” – Steve Pavlina

One of our most popular songs explores this idea. Like love itself, it’s a timeless idea. Those we love go right on living in our hearts, long after they’ve left this world.

“And even though you’re hurting now, the hurting will not last,
The strength you gain from such a pain remains when it’s all past.
And even this will pass away, like this life itself someday,
And all that we take with us is the love we gave away.”
- from the song, “All That We Take with Us” by Tupelo Kenyon

Spirituality

In this section of the book, Steve challenges us to look at our idea of spirituality through the lenses of truth, love and power, rather than the conditioned habits of custom, peer pressure, and heredity. It’s an enlightened approach to spirituality, stripped clean of outdated dogma and exclusive ideas designed to keep us loyal to one particular brand. What passes for spirituality has a history of tearing us apart rather than bringing us together.

I love the way Steve encourages us to consider all things spiritual and take the best of what each has to offer. It assumes the ancient words of Shakespeare were actually true and that we actually care enough to keep an open mind rather than blindly clinging to any one viewpoint . . .”There are more things in heaven and earth than ever dreamed of by your philosophies.”

“Just as your physical senses act as a lens through which you perceive different subsets of reality, your spiritual senses also act as cognitive filtering mechanisms. These filters allow you to focus on bits and pieces of preprocessed information which may or may not be useful to you. The more spiritual sensory data you can access and comprehend, the richer your spiritual life will be, and the more accurately it will model truth . . .

“When we confront the key spiritual question of our lives, such as Who am I? And What is my purpose in life? . . . we can limit our input to a small subset of these channels. In general, when we limit our input too severely, we end up making things harder than necessary, much like trying to prepare a meal while wearing a blindfold and earplugs. This is what happens when we say, ‘I’m only going to consider this single spiritual point of view because it’s the one and only truth’ . . .

“Even though each channel of input has limited expressiveness, if you can access a diverse enough set of channels, each one compressed and filtered in different ways, you can develop a more accurate and complete picture of reality. Each belief system you consider provides another way of viewing the same underlying data, thus helping you develop a better understanding of the whole . . .

“By examining your problems from different philosophical viewpoints, you empower yourself. Holistic solutions finally start to emerge. You gain the ability to solve problems you were previously unable to solve . . . most of us are socially conditioned to overlook the simplicity of across-the-board, high-level solutions because we cling to fixed belief systems that prevent us from seeing the big picture.” – Steve Pavlina

These ideas are close to my heart as I look around the planet and see the result of so many people stubornly clinging to some particular brand of spirituality and refusing to see any merit in any other viewpoint. That’s got to be the manifestation of ultimate insecurity to not even be able to consider the validity of a different idea. (I explored this idea in previous articles, “Beyond the Brands of Truth” and “Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion.”)

Clear thinking and honest exploration of truth is a refreshing approach to spirituality, and that’s why I appreciate Steve’s style of saying what he thinks and feels, even though it’s not the mainstream viewpoint. Far from it. But, I recognize that the tide is turning as more and more people worldwide are beginning to take responsibility for their own spirituality and making their own choices, rather than settling for being spoon fed by tradition.

“A multispectral philosophy of life – that is, one that combines input from multiple perspectives – aligns closely with what’s considered common sense . . .

“The point of spiritual exploration is to help you make conscious, empowering choices . . .

“Many serious conflicts in the world result from the decision to pass on beliefs that label other human beings as unworthy, damaged, or evil . . .

“Your beliefs are not merely observations of reality; they also shape and define your experience of reality. Many of the thoughts you hold most sacred may reveal hidden falsehoods once you take the opportunity to consider the alternatives.” –Steve Pavlina

Celebrating an Expansive Viewpoint

This empowering book, like all great books, performs magic. It allows us to take a peek inside one of the great minds of our time. As a result, it makes the inside of my head (and heart) feel bigger. What more could you ask for in a book?

These last Steve Pavlina quotes do a fine job of tying it all together . . .

“The ultimate goal of any sound spiritual path is to be infinitely truthful, infinitely loving, and infinitely powerful. By extension, this also requires infinite oneness, infinite authority, and infinite courage . . .

“If it were somehow possible for everyone on earth to come together and agree on a single spiritual philosophy, it would be one that incorporates the universal principles of truth, love, and power. These are the ideals that guide us not only as human beings, but also as spiritual beings . . .

“Invest in creative self-expression, service and contribution, and you will suffer no scarcity. Your greatest gift to the world is to share who you really are . . . No one is served by your refusal to shine.” – Steve Pavlina

Personal Appreciation

Although I don’t personally know Steve and his wife, Erin, they both feel like old friends that Janey and I haven’t yet met. Steve’s writings have been a source of inspiration and encouragement to me for a couple of years. I first went to his website as a result of a link in an email from Derek Sivers, founder of CDbaby.com. Derek was impressed that anyone could graduate from college after only three (very busy) semesters, and recommended an article Steve wrote on how he accomplished that.

I began exploring his other articles and it soon became clear I had found a kindred spirit. His example inspired me to begin writing again, and TupeloKenyon.com was born shortly thereafter. The blog spawned the “Inspired on Purpose” newsletter which provides satisfaction and inspiration for myself as well as others. I have Steve Pavlina to thank for all this.

Thanks Steve, for all you do . . . and all you are.

Sincerely,
Tupelo Kenyon

P.S. Get this book, while it’s in first edition. It’s a classic, and I could only hint at it’s empowering breadth and depth in this (rather long) gushing review.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Do What You Love Discovering what we have a true passion for, and then figuring out a way to build a life around that passion is one of life’s greatest feelings of accomplishment. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor10 Be Kind Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9 All That We Take With Us Even sorrow brings us gifts of deeper understanding and a clearer perspective of what is really important. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor3 Endless Journey Traveling has so many gifts to give! Spectacular scenery, interesting cultural differences, and the inspiring people you’ll meet. What a well-rounded education is provided by getting away and looking around . . . and, it’s an inspiring education that never has to end. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor8 Songs by Tupelo
The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. Trade TV Time for Habits of Personal Development You” be glad you did, and once you go through the withdrawal stage, you’ll never look back. Your Passion as Your Compass Allow your passions to stretch their wings and the direction of your life could surprise you – in a good way. Celebrate life with passion! Integrity Through Self-Reliance When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God There are two approaches people use to manifest their desires. Some set goals. Others surrender and presume the universe is conspiring to deliver to them their every desire without strain, in its own way and in its own time. Which way is better? Can these two methods be used together? Self-Discipline in 3 Easy Steps Why is it so difficult to follow through and accomplish what you set out to do? Usually, there is one important missing ingredient: personal discipline. For most of us, the idea of discipline is an external force – it’s something that comes from the outside. For instance, we discipline our children. Most of us are familiar with discipline as a verb (something we do to someone else), but we’re not so familiar with the concept as a noun – something we cultivate from within and apply to ourselves. Know Thyself – Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else’s standards. This practice misses the point of “Know Thyself.” Instead, it’s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others. Persistence and Perseverance for Winners – Losers Just Quit Giving up is easy. Most people make a habit of giving up. In fact, they make a life of it Persistence through a solution-oriented attitude is for visionaries, dreamers and other winners who refuse to take “no” for a final answer. 10 Steps to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose Of all the self-help ideas I’ve come across through the years, this one has been the most helpful. For me, it’s been the Rosetta Stone of personal development techniques. After getting a handle on the idea of “purpose”, other areas of my life fell into place more easily. Finally the Truth About Diet – The China Study Review Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.” There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read and give it my highest recommendation. Change your diet and change the quality of your life. Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great, you are on the right track. If not, it’s up to you to do something about it. Life is too short to put up with other people’s pity parties, bitch-and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive. You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don’t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama. To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. With intent, practice and mindfulness, what was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires. Beyond the Brands of Truth Truth depends upon your belief. If you believe something is true, that makes it true . . . true for you. Of course, if you don’t believe that statement, never mind, because your belief defines your truth in another direction. But, we can commit to finding our own personal truth. We can hope our example will inspire others to look inside for their own truth rather than looking outside at the tumultuous world of competing brands of “truth.” Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world’s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination. Articles by Tupelo

I need to know how . . . at least I think I do. It must be programming – long established, deeply anchored patterns of thought in my brain’s left hemisphere. The logical, systematic part of me insists upon knowing the step-by-step details of exactly how a thing is to be done.

Understandable, I guess. After all, that’s what school was all about – methodology and left-brain thinking. The attributes and benefits offered by the right-brain were mostly ignored. This was probably due to a large-scale lack of understanding.

The intuitive, touchy-feely right-brain approach to life is a new realization. As more people (and more educators) grow to understand it, I’m hoping our kids will eventually receive a more balanced, holistic education. (For a fascinating and inspiring look at how all this right-brain / left-brain stuff works, check out a previous article and the linked video: “Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor.”)

According to my current understanding, the right brain interfaces with the world through inner guidance, hunches and feelings, with the help of coincidences and serendipities. All that sounds like an adventurous approach to life, but I must admit it’s not exactly the scientific world view pounded into my head by the educational system.

“Coincidences are a true paradox… on the one hand they seem to be the source of our greatest irrationalities–seeing causal connections when science tells us they aren’t there. On the other hand, some of our greatest feats of scientific discovery depend on coincidences.” – Josh Tenenbaum

The current educational system was designed and implemented by wealthy industrialists whose motivation was to train their labor force to keep the wheels of industry (and their profits) healthy. We were trained to be effective employees – well-greased cogs in the wheel. As a result, much was omitted from our education.

An example of a significant piece of the puzzle glossed over in school is the Law of Attraction. When I think back over my life, I realize how much I’ve benefited from learning about the Law of Attraction. I look around and see the results of my partial grasp of this powerful principle. (For details, see previous article: “The Law of Attraction.)

In a nutshell, the Law of Attraction says to focus clearly on WHAT we want to manifest into our lives and trust the infinite wisdom and inexhaustible resourses of the universe to work out HOW. Even after a few decades of being aware of this powerful principle, my WHAT is still accompanied by thoughts of HOW. They still come as a seemingly inseparable pair . . .

Peanut Butter and . . . . . . Jelly.
Abbott and . . . . . . Costello.
Pride and . . . . . . Prejudice.
What and . . . How.

I’d like to believe I’m getting better at it, even though I recognize I’ve got a ways to go. Hopefully, the realization that I could do it better is the first step to making it so.

In the past, when I was freshly brainwashed by the system, my thinking went something like this: “I want that . . . but since I can’t see any possible way to get it, it would be easier to just give up and pretend I don’t really want it. So, never mind about that thing I thought I wanted. I’ll try to only want things that I can understand the HOW.”

These days, I endeavor to approach it a little differently. Whenever I think, “I want that” . . . I’ll honestly admit that I don’t presently understand HOW it could be possible, but I choose to suspend disbelief.

Deliberately Suspend Disbelief

That seems to be a key point to this whole Law of Attraction approach to making dreams come true. Instead of pretending you really don’t want something when you know you do, allow the desire to remain. Don’t judge it. Don’t label it grandiose or improbable or impossible. Just acknowledge it and let it be. Declare a peaceful co-existence with it.

It’s not necessary for you to immediately know anything whatsoever about the HOW every time you desire a new WHAT.

You don’t even have to work at convincing yourself that you believe in all this right-brained, new-age woo-woo.

All you have to do is refrain from disbelief.

Be Neutral.

Your commitment to neutrality gives the Law of Attraction the benefit of the doubt. You honestly acknowledge what you want (instead of pretending you don’t) and you gently let it be. This approach gives YOU the benefit of the doubt too, because you’re not working against yourself.

Because of our predominant left-brained training, most of us try to manifest our desires in a very awkward manner. We typically work against ourselves in two important ways . . .

1) Whenever a new desire surfaces, if we don’t immediately see the HOW, we turn our back on the desire and pretend we really don’t want it. That’s bullshit and our inner self knows it.

2) If the HOW is not apparent, we believe the desire is simply not possible. This quick-to-adopt “belief” is not based on fact – it’s simply an uninformed opinion. It springs from a narrow, suffocating, self-defeating attitude.

This premature “belief” that something is impossible makes it so. Once again, if you are absorbed in the left-brain approach, you’re working against yourself. If you can’t count on yourself to be in your own corner, then who can you count on? Why would you do that to yourself?

Fortunately, quality resources are becoming available where we can learn how to approach our desires (and our lives) with a more balanced, holistic style. We can still benefit from the important left-brain mechanics we learned in school, but we can add the powerful right-brain skills now being taught as the The Law of Attraction and The Secret. (In fact, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield and Michael Beckwith of “The Secret” fame have joined forces to teach these powerful skills. See their SGR website. Impressive!)

Realizing our education was rather one-sided is only half the battle. Next, we’ve got to do something about it. It’s important to be proactive and learn these life-enhancing skills deliberately. A recent experience brought this point home . . .

A couple of good friends recently told us they were going to England for a whirlwind tour of some of the sacred sites including GlastonburyTor and Stonehenge. Their friend is going too and she just happens to be a retired professor of language, archaeology, anthropology and. . . quote . . . “the world’s foremost expert on ancient mystery schools.” Our friend also mentioned (in so many words) that her intuition tells her we are to accompany them and provide an important song.

This friend has always been very inspiring. She never worries about HOW. She just listens to her intuition (closely) and lives her life accordingly. It’s a rare skill and one worthy of emulating.

In the old days, I would have said, “Yeah right . . . $3000 for the plane tickets, another grand for hotels and ground transportation, and blah, blah, blah . . .” My knee-jerk, left-brain response would have choked off the potential before it ever had a chance to bloom.

Fortunately, this time I remembered to approach it like this . . . “Hell yeah, of course we’d like to go. I have no idea HOW, but this sounds like a trip of a lifetime.”

I chose NOT to believe it was an impossible fantasy. I chose to shift into neutral and hang out with the desire and enjoy how good it feels to think about it.

A few days later, a new song was born called, “The Quiet Waits Forever.” Immediately I knew this is the song our friend alluded to. When she heard it, shed knew it too. It came easy and quick, so it seemed only natural to keep an open mind and be on high alert for coincidences.

“Coincidences are spiritual puns.” – G.K. Chesterton

Long story short – the trip was made possible in a way that we never would have anticipated. A new friend heard us talking about the unusual circumstances, and was moved to offer an amazing gift. She offered her frequent flier miles to cover our plane fare because she has “lots and lots and lots.” (Thank you Francie!)

Coincidence? Serendipity? Law of Attraction? Dumb Luck? I don’t know what to call it, but I do recognize that it would never have happened with my old left-brain approach. It’s easy to guess what would have happened if I would have immediately written it off as an impossible pipe-dream because the HOW was not apparent with the WHAT. With that attitude, nothing could happen – no coincidence, no serendipity . . . nothing. That closed-minded approach is self-defeating. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“We could call it a coincidence, if that would be better for you,
But the way that it all fell into place was more than I could do.

Is that a glimmer of recognition, fleeting in our eyes,
A random act of happenstance, or a miracle in disguise.

I’m counting on a miracle, expecting a surprise,
Insight right between the eyes, or a miracle in disguise”
- from the song, “Miracle in Disguise” by Tupelo Kenyon

Instead, we just savored the idea of a wonderful journey, and lo and behold, the universe worked out the details and handed it to us. We didn’t even have to profess a belief in the woo-woo. All we did was chose not to dis-believe.

Little by little, I’m learning. Try it, and see what magic shows up in your life . . .

* Recognize what you want.

* Don’t deny you want it just because you don’t see HOW.

* Release disbelief in the possibility.

* Imagine what it feels like to manifest the desire (now, in present tense).

* Enjoy the process, and quit pretending you know more about the details of HOW than the entire universe. (For all you know, the universe may be conspiring on your behalf behind the scenes to bring you everything you desire and allow.)

Another important realization:

Even if all this new-age, right-brain woo-woo turns out to be poppycock, so what?

It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what others think. Your thoughts and your feelings matter. What matters is living a satisfying, adventurous, love-filled life.

Your life. Your way.

Whatever it takes and whatever you call it, regardless of the belief system you adopt, your quality of life is the bottom line.

So allow your desires to see the light of day. Work with them and not against them. (See previous article: “The Dilemma of Desire.”)

Celebrate life with a sense of awe and wonder. It’s good to be alive. What a grand adventure!

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Miracle in Disguise Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, "Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11 Don’t Tell Me No Just don’t do it. It’s better that way . . . for both of us! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor3 Time of Our Lives Time is so fleeting, so elusive, it’s good to remember the importance and power of living right now. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor7 Take the Plunge Their advice is "for your own good", but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11 No, Yes! Examines the folly of continually holding conflicting thoughts at the same time. Yes I can. No I can’t. I want that. But do I really deserve it? Around and around it goes. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Traveler Hearing about another’s experiences can be inspiring, but to really know for sure what it’s like, there’s nothing like personal experience. "Go, so you will know." http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor4 Just One Step Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Songs by Tupelo
	Manifestation Fill-In-the-Blank Formula Here’s a simple technique you can adapt to your own style. First, I’ll give you the formula as I currently use it. Next, I’ll discuss each word so you’ll see how it has evolved into its present state. Then, I’ll add some supporting information to provide you with a ready-to-go affirmation for your own experimentation. This manifestation technique is built around one simple sentence . . . The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. The Dilemma of Desire What is desire? Where does it come from? Why do we have it? Does it serve us in a positive way, or does it distract us and keep us perpetually in discontent? This article sheds some light on these important questions so that each of us can find our own answers. Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God There are two approaches people use to manifest their desires. Some set goals. Others surrender and presume the universe is conspiring to deliver to them their every desire without strain, in its own way and in its own time. Which way is better? Can these two methods be used together? Balancing Desire with Contentment It’s a fine line we walk between wanting more and feeling satisfied with what we have. Desire is unavoidable – it comes with the territory. So, the trick is to find the balance. There’s a middle ground to be found where deep feelings of contentment and satisfaction are spiced with the delicious excitement of something more on the horizon. How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it’s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action – intuition. How to Accelerate Manifestation Whenever a new desire or grand plan is born within us, the tendency is to share it with others. Every time we talk about it, the energy of the dream seems to deflate a little more, until it becomes merely a topic of idle chatter. Why is that? How can we add to the excitement and urgency of our dreams instead, and speed up their manifestation? Inspiration from a Stroke of Insight from Jill Bolte Taylor You’ve heard about the "right brain" and the "left brain," right? The left brain is all about logic and sequential thinking and the right brain is all about the abstract flow of consciousness and how it relates to "the big picture." Have you ever heard a description about watching from a peaceful, detached viewpoint as the cognitive brain functions slowly quit functioning? Have you ever heard anyone talk about what it feels like when the inner chatter finally quits and all that’s left is awareness? On this video, you will. Articles by Tupelo

Do you have to think, or do you think to have?

Thinking should be optional. Compulsory thinking is all too common. If your thoughts are non-stop, you are not thinking. Instead, your thoughts are having their way with you.

Your life is an effect of the thoughts that receive the most attention. If the thought process runs incessantly, willy-nilly, it’s easy to feel lost in the physical world, and life feels like something that just happens to you.

When you choose thoughts on purpose and concentrate your attention on those, your life is one of your own choosing, deliberately and strategically created, one thought at a time.

“Strategy is a style of thinking, a conscious and deliberate process, an intensive implementation system, the science of insuring future success.” – Pete Johnson

Unforeseen Benefits of Disciplined Thinking

Do you remember sitting in those uncomfortable desks at school, bored with what was being taught, and wondering how you’d ever use it in the real world? I studied mathematics for a couple of years in college. It came easy for me, but I remember marveling at how I was learning an entirely new language comprised of numbers, symbols and other odd characters that only other mathematicians would recognize or understand.

What was I going to do with all that gobbeldy-gook? Become a teacher? I could have taught it to other students who would also wonder about its practical value in their lives. I know calculus is handy for determining space travel trajectories and geometry is handy for carpentry, but beyond that, much of what I was learning left me feeling, “Cool, so what?”

To balance my checkbook, I really don’t access the theorems of calculus or the formulas of analytical geometry – although I was fascinated to learn a little about sacred geometry. (If you are interested in exploring it more, I wrote a short review of a fascinating book called “Nothing in the Book is True, But It’s Exactly How Things Are” by Bob Frissell. Here’s a link to my Recommended Books page.)

I was able to use trigonometry once to build a cabin in Alaska. It’s base was 23′ square, it was 17′ tall, and was built with the exact same angles and ratios as the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. I used trig tables for sine, cosine and tangent, but that’s the only time that strange language of advanced mathematics ever intersected my daily life.

Along with a few helpful ideas, I also learned lots of extraneous details in school. Still, the mental training I received and the discipline I learned studying mathematics has helped me every single day in many unforeseen ways.

“Thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break your world by thinking.” – Susan S. Taylor

Directed Thinking

I learned to think deliberately. I learned how to steer my thoughts and follow-through from A to B, B to C, C to D, and so on. It takes focus, concentration and one-pointed awareness sustained over a period of time. It’s about having an attention span that’s long enough to accomplish complicated tasks.

I took it for granted and assumed everyone thinks this way. In time, I discovered that many of the people I met simply don’t have the mental chops. They have the potential, but instead of deliberate mental training and exercise, many are content with the ever-shortening attention span that results from a steady diet of quick sound bites and the overwhelming video barrage so common on TV. Use it or lose it, and it looks like functional attention spans are lost to many.

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.” – Henry Ford (1863-1947)

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-68)

This skill of directed thinking comes in handy in many of my everyday activities, like writing this article, writing a song, learning to play an instrument, producing a CD or DVD, creating a website, building a house or a studio, or just talking with a friend and logically trouble-shooting a technical problem. In retrospect, I consider this ability of directed thinking to be one of the most valuable skills I have to show for all those years in school. And, it’s a major contributing factor to the ongoing creation of the life of my dreams.

“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.” – Charles R. Swindoll

“Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.” – Eric Butterworth

I Am Thinking – I Am Not the Thoughts

Since I learned early how to pick and choose my thoughts and follow through with a deliberate train of thought, I realized a valuable spiritual principle: Thoughts are transitory – they come and they go. If I am choosing thoughts on purpose, my sense of self, my identity, is beyond the realm of thoughts. “Who I am” is the thinker of the thoughts – the watcher.

“Who is the watcher, who sits in the stillness and knows,
And who is the looker, who notices the king wears no clothes.
Who is the seer, who sees beyond the mind,
And who is the seeker, who’ll find the grand design.”
(From the song, “Who is the Watcher” by Tupelo Kenyon)

Beyond Thought

Spiritual awareness (aka religious experience) is all about going beyond the mind into the realm of pure being. Disciplines and rituals from all cultures through the ages have been used to help take the practitioner beyond the mental realm of thoughts, words and identification with physical things.

“Thinking, understanding, reasoning, willing, call not these Soul! They are its actions, but they are not its essence.” – Akhenaton – Egyptian king (d. c.1354 BC)

Meditation helps to identify and then identify with the being behind the thoughts. Prayer beads, mantras, mandalas and zen koans are all used to transcend the chatter of the typical undisciplined mind. Musicians concentrate on melodies or musical passages, a process which stops the internal string of words which are otherwise forever playing in the mind.

Awareness grows only when the internal dialog is slowed and eventually stopped. Even when the parade of thoughts is curtailed only for brief moments, the awareness of “I am” has a chance to shine through like the sun breaking through the clouds. (See previous article, “Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion.)

Thinking on Purpose

Once you no longer identify yourself with the stream of thoughts that once dominated your life, you are free to use thoughts deliberately, on purpose, as a tool to help you manifest chosen outcomes. Instead of being blown all over the mental map by every thought that presents itself, you are able to be a thought wrangler.

You can keep them under control, manageable, and keep your life heading in the general direction you choose. When you notice a stray thought going off in another direction, you can redirect it to better support your vision, or you can choose to ignore it altogether and replace it with another thought.

This ability to think deliberately, on purpose, is directly related to your quality of life. Since the Law of Attraction is continuously bringing you the balance of your thoughts, what could be more important than learning to create the life of your dreams, on purpose, by thinking deliberately?

“Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.” – Terry Josephson

Whenever you notice a thought taking you away from your chosen direction, immediately replace it with another that feels better. Your emotions will let you know if a particular thought is working for you or against you. If you feel good, your present thoughts are now helping to manifest the outcome you choose. If you feel bad, your present thoughts are now taking you away from the outcome you choose. (See previous article, “The Law of Attraction.”)

“Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.” – Dr. Jonas Salk (b. 1914)

A Tool or a Prison

Your thoughts and the realm of thinking can be a powerful tool if it is recognized as such and used from the broader perspective of who you really are: awareness, consciousness, pure being. Or your thoughts and the realm of thinking can be a prison keeping you in an illusory world of words and things, mental constructs and objects of the senses.

“Awareness is not the same as thought. It lies beyond thinking, although it makes no use of thinking, honoring it’s value and it’s power. Awareness is more like a vessel which can hold and contain our thinking, helping us to see and know our thought as thought rather than getting caught up in them as reality.” – Jon Kabit-Zinn

This world of matter is a marvelous place, an incredible opportunity to experience the grandeur of the universe from within the universe. But, by all indications, we are just passing through.

We emerge from the stillness, the vast sea of emptiness. Compared to eternity, a lifetime is a brief moment, the wink of an eye, and then we return from whence we came. Where is that? Where is eternity? Where is the vast sea of emptiness? Is it everywhere? Is it nowhere? Here’s some interesting wordplay inspired by something Dr. Wayne Dyer said in his live presentation of “The Power of Intention” . . .

First we are nowhere.
Now here.
Then nowhere again.

Nowhere.
Now here.
Nowhere.

From this broader perspective, it’s folly to identify with the physical world or any of its attributes, including thinking.

“Just like an afternoon that disappears too soon,
Another summer’s day that fades away.
See how it marches on, another year is gone,
No time to dwell upon our fleeting fate.

“How can we wait again another day,
Now that we know how fast they always slip away.
Our little world’s our emphasis, this life is a parenthesis,
A heartbeat in eternity’s highway.”
(From the song, “A Heartbeat in Eternity’s Highway” by Tupelo Kenyon.)

Why not choose the best of both worlds? We are here now, in this world to enjoy and appreciate all that it has to offer. But, we are not of it – we’re just passing through.

The Unified Field That Contains Everything

In a live retreat, I heard Eckheart Tolle say the measure of spiritual maturity is how well you are able to transcend thought. I am paraphrasing, but my sense of his message is that there’s an infinite realm of being that exists as a colossal field. Everything else is included in that field. This is the same unified field that Einstein was trying to reconcile mathematically in the later years of his life. Perhaps “who we really are” is the field itself.

“A human being is part of a whole, called by us the “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest–a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” – Albert Einstein (1875-1955)

As we live our physical lives, we are individual manifestations of the awareness of the universe, beyond thought, beyond things, beyond phenomenon. We are the silent watcher who sits in the stillness and knows.

“The evolution of consciousness culminates in an all-inclusive consciousness that functions in the context of the infinite and the eternal.” – Phiroz Mehta

When we know that to be true, we are free of the incessant chatter of our internal dialog – our thoughts. The jumping monkey mind still performs its histrionics but we no longer identify with it. It’s not who we are – it’s a tool to be tamed and used purposefully.

We can still think – clearly, deliberately and powerfully whenever we choose.

But we don’t have to!

Thoughts are one of the most powerful forces in the universe. But it’s not who we are. We are much more than that . . . more powerful and much grander than our thoughts can imagine.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

	Who is the Watcher Explores the silent witness within and the idea that life occurs in this present moment. Always. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14 A Heartbeat in Eternity’s Highway In the grand scheme of things, what’s the difference between a single moment and all of eternity? What’s the point of reference? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor17 It’ll Be All Right Now It’s one thing to understand intellectually that the thoughts we think mold our experience, and another thing to live every moment as if it really is a basic law of nature. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Soul in the Stars It feels good to try to see the bigger picture once in awhile,and to focus on gratitude for what we have, rather than the frustration of what we are lacking. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4 Here A love song to the beloved and/or to the larger part of ourselves. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor16 Within Without An atom and a solar system is virtually the same thing – mostly empty space! Even quantum physics is still wondering, "Is the universe a great big thing, or a great big thought?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor6 Same Olde Time Time – it’s so relative. "What if distant starlight shining in the endless sky is just the same, by a different name, as the twinkle in your eye?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor7 You Gotta Have Fun Our moments are fleeting . . . and finite. Too few to squander on "bad news". We must steer our attention deliberately in order to attract the kind of life we were born to live. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20 Songs by Tupelo
Get a Broader Perspective – Do It Different and Work Smarter When I think of the view from our broader perspective, to me, it means the viewpoint of our inner self . . . who we really are. Without the filters of our ego, the world looks quite different. The problem is . . . this lofty viewpoint seems illusive. People occasionally identify with broader perspective with no apparent effort or intent, but it’s rare to arrive at such a viewpoint accidentally. More commonly, brief glimpses are caught deliberately by intent, and repeated by personal discipline and the use of clever techniques. Know Thyself – Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else’s standards. This practice misses the point of “Know Thyself.” Instead, it’s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others. Appreciate Here and Now No matter what’s going on in your life right now, there’s something to appreciate about it. The act of appreciation rivets our consciousness to this present moment. With our attention focused on the here and now, we are living life fully, since right now is the only time there ever is. How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it’s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action – intuition. Enhance Your Self-Image on Purpose Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word “inspire” derives from root words that mean “in spirit” or “spirit within.” Although there’s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. Ego or Soul? Who’s Driving Even though I identify my sense of self with soul, there seems to be another “something” inside forever jockeying for position and making its presence known. This is the ego. What’s the difference? How can you know which one is in charge? What are their characteristics? Since I prefer peace to mayhem and contentment to perpetual, blind striving, my goal is to keep soul in the driver’s seat as often as possible. Instead of an either/or situation, I like the idea of soul and ego peacefully coexisting in a manner that best serves the greater good. Inspire Yourself on Purpose – Inspiration from Inside Out Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word “inspire” derives from root words that mean “in spirit” or “spirit within.” Although there’s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. Integrity Through Self-Reliance When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. How Do You Feel – About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us – inner guidance. The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world’s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination. Articles by Tupelo

]]> http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2008/04/18/directed-thinking-vs-compulsive-thinking/feed/ 0 http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/ http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:00:03 +0000 Tupelo http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/ For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.

Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive.

You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don’t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama.

To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. They think, “Surely I would never choose . . . (fill-in-the-blank). They act as if such an idea is totally absurd.

There are two scenarios that can explain this kind of manifestation of drama:

1) They are not yet aware that thoughts and feelings are powerful creators, so the dramatic results created are not deliberate.

2) They have at least considered the idea of deliberate creation, but still have unidentified fears holding them back from further personal development. Rather than face those fears, it’s easier to continue to concoct daily drama drivel as an excuse to keep them from focusing on what is truly important.

Be Cause . . . It’s More Effective

Most of us interested in personal development have people in our lives who fit one of these two situations. Does that mean we have to be an effect of their drama in order to interact with them?

Practically speaking, yes, but it’s a matter of degrees. Until we attain the hallowed consciousness of total enlightenment, other people’s drama rubs off on us. But, there are things we can do to minimize the negative effect of these interactions.

Stay Centered

The best thing you can do is maintain your balance and stay connected to source energy. Just because the other person is drowning in drama as a result of their ego being in the driver’s seat, that doesn’t mean you have to join them there to interact with them.

Instead, do your best to allow your connection to spirit to infuse the relationship with the viewpoint of broader perspective. It’s not necessary to force this upon anyone against their will. It is enough for you to remain centered and focused on pure awareness, who you really are. The positive influence you contribute by such a focus is inevitable, even without any deliberate, specific attempts to help. Helpful energy oozes into the relationship simply by your dedication to your own balance and your mindfulness of who you really are.

Focus on Positive Attributes

Whenever you are in the company of someone dawdling in drama, do your best to ignore any of their personal attributes that annoy you. Instead, make a mental list of all their attributes you adore, and place your attention there. This mental exercise will help you interact with this person in the best possible way. As you focus your energy on these positive attributes, the other person responds by accentuating them. The less desirable attributes fade to the background when you are together as a natural result of withdrawing attention from them.

This shift can happen quickly, or it may require a period of time. But by focusing on their best attributes, your experience in the interaction is improved, and their emphasis is gradually shifted to their own positive attributes.

If the other person has any interest in your relationship, they will respond to your gentle emphasis of their most positive traits and their more abrasive traits will not come forward as often, when you are in their company. If the other person has no interest in your relationship, this process will not work as well, if at all. If this is the case, it’s a moot point anyway, because how long would you be inspired to endure an abrasive manner if the other person is not interested in a mutually satisfying relationship?

Personal Development Blockage

Some people may be aware of their potential power to create their lives deliberately, but for myriad reasons, they may be stuck in fear. They may be afraid of their own magnificence and sabotage their own growth with ongoing personal drama.

If the subconscious mind spoke, to might sound something like this: “I couldn’t possibly place any energy or attention on personal development with all this other stuff going on in my life. There’s no time for spiritual matters with the endless necessity of mundane details and sudden emergencies always clamoring for my attention.”

Personal Development is Preceded by the Desire for Personal Development

Of course, you cannot wish personal development upon someone else, no matter how much you think they need it. The desire for personal growth and spiritual development happens one person at a time. The best you can do when interacting with someone bent upon sabotaging their own growth with unnecessary drama is to remain centered yourself while keeping your attention focused upon their positive attributes. In time, the details of your interaction will gravitate around these areas, and your own connection to source will offer a positive influence in their life.

It’s not necessary for you to try to direct or orchestrate this influence in any way. In fact, you may be surprised and delighted in the details of your personal influence. On the other hand, you may never know any of the details of your influence, but you continue anyway simply because kindness feels good, and it’s the right thing to do.

“The way we live our life is like a pebble dropped, into a quiet pond,
It carries on just like a circle growing.
The ripples that we make may touch another shore, you may never know for sure,
How much you’ve helped someone without you knowing.
- from the song, “Be Kind” by Tupelo Kenyon

Be Mindful of This Moment to Make the Next One Better

Life doesn’t have to be an endless struggle from one personal drama to the next. Life can be fun, satisfying and joyful, from moment to moment. The thoughts we think, the pictures we envision, and the feelings we allow make all the difference.

Feel It . . . Then Let it Go

What if you are the one sinking into a whirlpool of personal drama? Recognizing it is the first step to pulling yourself out. Whatever the feeling is, experience it completely so you can let it go completely. Only when you are able to release any particular feeling, are you ready for the next one. If it’s a bad feeling, experience it and then release it so you are empty and available for the better feeling that is sure to come. It works the same way with good feelings. Experience it completely and then release it. Only then are you once again empty and available for an even better feeling.

Choose a Better Thought to Create a Better Feeling

The trick is to be aware of those thoughts, mental pictures and feelings so that you can deliberately make it better, and better, and better. Whenever you feel less than joyful, notice the thoughts and mental pictures that triggered the feelings. Retrace your thoughts for the last few minutes and be objective about them. Are they the kind of thoughts that help move you toward what you really want? Probably not.

Whenever you catch yourself sabotaging your dreams with sloppy thinking, right now, in this present moment, deliberately choose a thought that makes you feel better. If it makes you feel better, even a little, it is helping you move in the direction you want to go.

Once you have successfully turned yourself around and are once again moving toward your dreams with more appropriate thoughts, repeat the process. Choose a thought that feels a little better. Relish it, envision it, and pause to take notice of how you feel now. Better? If so, take another small step in the same direction. Choose another related thought that keeps you moving in your chosen direction, and continue to notice how you feel. (See previous article, “The Law of Attraction.”)

“You can drive yourself down the rocky back roads,
Bouncin’ up and down with the bumps.
Feed yourself garbage and your life is drivin’ you,
Spinnin’ wheels, down in the dumps.

Or you can live your life down the middle of the road,
Help yourself, by bein’ selective.
And live your life like a jambourie,
Be cause, it’s more effective.

Celebrate,
Celebrate Life,
Celebrate Being Alive”
- from the song, “Celebrate Life” by Tupelo and Janey Kenyon (1983)

The Drama Drops Away When You Want It To

As you make a habit of this mindful state of becoming increasingly aware of your thoughts and the feelings they spawn, life becomes an ever-more joyous journey of deliberate creation. Drama drops away naturally.

What was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires. Drama never spirals out of control again because you understand that you do have control. You control it by being mindful about choosing your thoughts and mental images deliberately to move you in the direction of your dreams. Your feelings tell you on a moment-to-moment basis if you are on track or not. If not, change your thoughts to change your feelings to change your life.

Some people catch on to this simple manifestation formula quicker than others. I have been aware of it for many years, but still occasionally forget and allow my thoughts to take me in the wrong direction, even though my feelings are offering obvious clues I’m on the wrong track. With practice, I have got better and better at it so the time that elapses before I catch on about my stinkin’ thinkin’ is smaller and smaller. There is always room for improvement if that is your intent.

Your Intent is the First Step To the Life of Your Dreams

It all begins with intent. If it is your choice to continually improve at deliberate manifestation, you are already well on your way. Your example will help to inspire others to open their minds to new ways of life, beyond drama. Your life will continue to unfold in pleasing ways, and your contributions to others add to your feeling of satisfaction, purpose and joy.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Be Kind Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Trash Our Treasures People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2 Low Maintenance Relationship Life seems to be all about relationships . . . to our friends, families, lovers, and to our creator. There’s always room for improvement. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor7 Songs by Tupelo
The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. Good Listener Secrets – Listen with Your Heart When someone is talking to you, do you hear with your ears, monitor with your mind, or listen with your heart? Invest a few minutes thinking about the importance of listening well – a deliberate conscious act – and watch your relationships grow to a new level of closeness and understanding. Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great, you are on the right track. If not, it’s up to you to do something about it. Life is too short to put up with other people’s pity parties, bitch-and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. Make Assumptions Obsolete by Communicating We assume because we don’t know. We don’t know because we don’t ask. We don’t ask because we act as if we already know. Or, we don’t want to appear stupid. So we make an assumption. Then we forget it is merely something we made up, and we behave as if it’s a fact. When the facts are known, it would never occur to us to assume. The solution is clear communication. When we know the truth, assumptions are forever unnecessary. Don’t Take it Personally Why do people criticize? It’s not about you – it’s about them. When you get criticized, here’s what to do with it – don’t take it personally. Praise can be just as harmful (but sneakier) – don’t take it personally. If you’re a habitual critic, here’s how to stop . . . but don’t take it personally. Meaningful Spiritual Relationships – Namaste Matters Behind the faces, beyond the reach of social conditioning, deeper than individual egos, we are identical. We are presence, consciousness, pure knowingness – the awareness of “I am.” We are life itself. Celebrate life with this insight on how to take your personal relationships to a whole new level. Communication – Friend or Foe Our communication skills can make or break us. This article includes some refreshing insights on communication from an unusual vantage point. Celebrate life with newfound attitudes about the art and science of communication. 10 Ways to Grow a Relationship of Mutual Personal Development Even though the way of discovery and personal growth is a one-lane road, it sure is nice to be able to share stretches of it with someone else. With what kind of person could you share something so profound? If having this kind of life partner is important to you, have you asked yourself, “How can I be that kind of person? Articles by Tupelo

]]> http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/21/life-drama-as-blockage-to-personal-development/feed/ 2 http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/07/consciously-programming-your-subconscious-mind-before-sleep/ http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/07/consciously-programming-your-subconscious-mind-before-sleep/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:26:54 +0000 Tupelo http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/12/07/consciously-programming-your-subconscious-mind-before-sleep/ For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.

We are all continuously feeding our minds with the words we read, the audio we hear, and the images we see on the screen. The ideas we expose our minds to immediately before going to sleep are powerful. They sink deep into our subconscious mind as we ease into the alpha state of consciousness, as part of the sleep cycle. Here, the subconscious mind reviews the ideas over and over, not because they are the most important, but simply because they were the most recent.

We all experience this phenomenon regularly. Pause and think about the last time you woke up feeling like you’d been dreaming all night about whatever your attention was upon before sleeping – a movie, a TV show, an article. Since it’s easy to recognize this principle in action, how can we use it deliberately to enhance our personal development?

Programming the Subconscious Unconsciously

To drive home the point, here are some ways people are affected in a negative way by this powerful pre-sleep input when performed in a random, unconscious manner. If you watch a violent horror movie right before going to bed, chances are your dreams will be full of scary images and fearful situations. This is how you set yourself up for nightmares.

Watch a soap opera or read a pulp-fiction “romance” novel before bed and, chances are, your dreams will be full of emotional confrontations. This is how you set yourself up for problems in your relationships.

Drop off to sleep while the TV is on a news channel and you are effectively programming your subconscious mind with ideas and images of violence, corruption, injustice, and an endless barrage of man’s inhumanity to man. In other words, the very worst examples of life on planet earth. This is how you set yourself up for a negative attitude that percolates into all areas of your life.

Who would do this deliberately? Nobody in their right mind. But, it’s done daily by millions of people all over the world non-deliberately, unconsciously, and unaware.

Justifying Unawareness

In countless ways, these actions are justified: “Oh, it’s just a harmless fantasy. Everyone knows horror movies aren’t real.” (Surprise, your subconscious mind doesn’t know that it’s not real. It processes the information just as if it were completely factual. Your muscles twitch, your heartbeat races, your respiration quickens in a bad dream, just as in real life.)

Here’s another common justification for unconscious, non-deliberate mind-feeding: “Oh, that soap opera or romance novel is just fiction. It’s harmless and has nothing to do with real life.” (Surprise, oh yes it does! If you saturate your mind with those attitudes – especially right before sleeping – they will begin to seep into your day-to-day life and contribute to the creation of similar interpersonal scenarios in your experience.)

“Oh, I’m not really listening to the TV. I just leave it on while I’m falling asleep to provide some background noise.” (Surprise, you don’t have ear-lids. You can close your eyes, but the sound goes deep inside as you drop off to sleep, when your mind is the most receptive – the most fertile ground for germinating new ideas.)

Accidental Hypnosis

Think of hypnosis and how susceptible the mind is to suggestions in the hypnotic state characterized by drowsiness on the cusp between sleep and wakefulness. This light, hypnotic state is a similar state of consciousness to the time when you are falling asleep. As the brain wave activity diminishes as it approaches the alpha state, the mind is open, fertile and receptive to whatever is presented. If you make a habit of presenting your mind with the atrocities graphically depicted daily on the evening news, are those really the seeds you want to nurture into such a fertile garden of your mind in such an optimum time for germination?

Bedtime Story

The tradition of a bedtime story for the young ones is another good example of this principle in action. What kind of parent would tuck in their young, wide-eyed child and read them a cozy story about the Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Any conscientious parent with half a brain and even a little heart instinctively knows to find stories that help instill helpful principles like honesty, helpfulness, honor, truth, self-confidence, teamwork and so on.

Why is it that this common-sense approach so often gets lost as we “mature” into adulthood? We know that these pre-sleep moments are important in the early development of the child. The altruistic principles illustrated in the best bedtime stories impact their fertile subconscious minds and contribute to the character and personality of the child.

This principle of feeding the mind deliberately does not stop at an arbitrary age of 9 or 13 or 45 or 78. The bedtime stories we continue to feed ourselves continue to impact our subconscious minds in powerful ways. They continue to contribute to who we are, how we view the world, and the quality of experiences we attract.

Beneficial Bedtime Stories – Deliberately

If we really understood and therefore believed that our mental diet makes a difference in the quality of our lives, what would we do about it? First, we would be conscious and aware of the information we provide for our subconscious mind all the time, but especially during the hour or so before going to sleep. We would deliberately put this principle to work for us instead of allowing it to work against us. Before bed, we would listen to positive, uplifting music with lyrics that accentuate the positive. Or, we would read inspiring words from books that resonate with us. Carefully chosen fiction would also be a good choice if the themes fire the imagination in positive ways. Short or medium length articles like the ones on this website offer productive, inspiring food for thought that offer healthy nutrition for the subconscious mind as you drop off to sleep. Try reading one article per day, just before bed. Another helpful technique is to listen to an audio recording or watch a video on self-help, personal development topics. (For a list of recommended, quality materials with my short reviews, click here.)

Mental Poison

Avoid the news like poison before bedtime. If you still feel the need to inundate yourself with the “best” of the planet’s bad news in the name of “staying informed,” do it earlier in the day. Then you have a chance to recover from it before you sleep.

“For most folks, no news is good news; for the press, good news is not news.” – Gloria Borger

More and more people are getting their news through their computers so they have more control on the kind of stories they get. Networks and news conglomerates have their own agendas that determine which stories they choose to spoon feed, and you can bet that your best interests are not at the top of their list.

You Call That Entertainment?

Pick and choose your entertainment more deliberately, especially right before bedtime. After decades of violence in the name of entertainment, we have become desensitized to just how perverse, hideous, and self-destructive it really is. We have been brain-washed into thinking nothing unusual about seeing dozens of acts of violence and murder daily in the guise of wholesome entertainment. Is it any wonder there is so much violence in our world when we consider it normal, average and healthy fare for entertainment?

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” – Isaac Asimov (1920 – 1992)

Your Personal Daily Review

Knowing the importance of the hour or so before sleep, how else could you put it to use for maximum efficiency? It’s the perfect time for meditation, contemplation, or quiet reflection of your day. Review the day’s events in your imagination and notice the instances when you could have done better. Whatever moments don’t feel good, ask yourself what would have been a better approach on your part. Visualize how you would like it to go next time. See it clearly. Act it out in your mind’s eye. As you drift off to sleep, your subconscious mind will accept these most recent, vivid images as truth. When similar situations come up in the future, you will handle them in a manner more in alignment with your deliberate choosing.

Do It Differently

Just because so many people seem to be unaware of the importance of feeding the mind deliberately is no excuse for you. You know better. Normal is not good enough. Average is practically an insult. The masses are well-duped by the media and continue to let poison pass by the gatekeeper to their minds. Many gatekeepers seem to be permanently out-to-lunch, retired, or simply incompetent due to lack of practice. For a life of excellence, you must be the proactive, deliberate, aware, and conscious gatekeeper and feed your mind on purpose. Protect and nourish your subconscious mind as if it were the key to living the very best version of your ideal life. Feed your mind the good stuff, especially right before bedtime, and enjoy . . . sweet dreams.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Trash Our Treasures People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2 It’ll Be All Right Now It’s one thing to understand intellectually that the thoughts we think mold our experience, and another thing to live every moment as if it really is a basic law of nature. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Who is the Watcher Explores the silent witness within and the idea that life occurs in this present moment. Always. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14 No, Yes! Examines the folly of continually holding conflicting thoughts at the same time. Yes I can. No I can’t. I want that. But do I really deserve it? Around and around it goes. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor10 Songs by Tupelo
The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. Benefits of Music for Personal Development All music is not created equally. This article takes a look behind the scenes to catch a glimpse of how the intent of the composer translates to the feeling evoked in the listeners. Many links are included to streaming mp3s. Celebrate life through music! Spiritually Thriving Through Choice As we go through the motions of life, eventually it becomes apparent that what we have to do to get by needs to be balanced with our deep longing to thrive spiritually. Our activities need to be undertaken consciously. Our choices need to be made deliberately – with full awareness of the potential consequences as well as the potential rewards. Articles by Tupelo

It’s a fine line we walk between wanting more and feeling satisfied with what we have. Desire is unavoidable – it comes with the territory. Our experience helps us realize what we prefer and what we’d rather avoid. The natural result of this process is desire – desire for more of whatever we prefer.

Perhaps our desire for more is the very same urge to expand and grow that’s in all life. The tiny acorn is wired to burst forth into a mighty oak tree. It doesn’t worry or care if this process is good, bad or indifferent – it’s just the way things are. Could this thing we feel called desire be the same force that keeps the entire universe growing, expanding and becoming more?

We humans are unique (as far as we know) because we experience this irresistible urge for growth consciously. Other species grow, develop and change instinctually, but we do it deliberately, consciously, on purpose.

Universal Sense Organs

Could it be that the universe itself benefits from our individual experiences with desire and the resulting manifestation? We provide the eyes and ears to help the entire cosmos know itself a little bit better, in all its glorious, ever-expanding diversity. In the same way, perhaps our contribution provides “All That Is” with experiences in desire and the deliberate manifestations that result from these primal urges.

Desire Used to Be Considered Negative

There are some ancient, but still popular teachings that say desire is something to be ignored or denied – subjugated. Perhaps in other times, in other cultures, that idea made sense because of rampant poverty and huge populations. Or, maybe the ruling class found it easier to control the masses if they could be “trained” to want nothing. The idea of abundance was worlds away from the day-to-day experience of the average person living in such a culture.

Rampant Consumerism

There are still people living with these very limiting ideas, of course, but this day and age is different. Today, many people have made their reality the opposite extreme. They want everything and they want it right now. Their whole life is about getting more stuff and guarding the stuff they’ve already got.

“Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” – Og Mandino

What’s the Real Cost

Abundance consciousness is a healthy, empowering state of mind, but when it is undisciplined and out of control, the question presents itself: Abundance at what cost?

So many people seem willing to trade it all for abundance (or their current concept of abundance). In the course of a lifetime, they trade their health, their family, their friends, often even their integrity for that fleeting carrot in the sky – wealth. To me that’s not a very smart trade.

“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – Buddha (563?-483? BC)

All the stuff eventually rusts, corrodes, gets eaten by bugs and turns to dust anyway. So again, the question is: All this frenzied activity about getting more and more . . . at what cost? If contentment and satisfaction are never experienced due to the relentless pursuit of “more,” isn’t that an unreasonably high price to pay?

“We may pass violets looking for roses. We may pass contentment looking for victory.” – Bern Williams

Peace from Balance

So, the trick is to find the balance. There’s a middle ground to be found where deep feelings of contentment and satisfaction are spiced with the delicious excitement of something more on the horizon.

A natural result of contentment is a warm feeling of appreciation – gratitude for all that has already been manifested. Satisfaction plus gratitude plus excited expectation is a good recipe for successfully launching new desires. From this balanced state, the principles of creative manifestation are more efficiently utilized.

From this easy-going state of balance, it’s easier to keep your attention focused on what you want to attract, rather than all the things you want to avoid.

“When we create something, we always create it first in a thought form. If we are basically positive in attitude, expecting and envisioning pleasure, satisfaction and happiness, we will attract and create people, situations, and events which conform to our positive expectations.” – Shakti Gawain (b. 1948)

To Want – Deeper Meanings

The opposite state of mind is one of desperate neediness. In this impoverished mental attitude, your attention is riveted tightly to the lack of whatever you desire. From that state you “want” – notice the other meaning Webster’s attributes to the word want: “Deficiency, need, lack, scarcity. To want is to be without that which contributes to comfort or is desired . . . What we ‘want’ would meet artificial desires, what we ‘need’ would satisfy real requirements.”

The Bottom Line of a Succesful Life

So what do we need? The bottom line seems to be that we need happiness, which includes a measure of contentment. To really relax into the moment and feel genuine, deep satisfaction, desires must be under control. It’s useless to deny them or dislike them. But it does seem healthy to keep them balanced with the other profoundly important things in life – happiness, personal satisfaction and contentment.

“Unless each day can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss.” – Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) – 34th US President

Today, as I was walking around our house, I really appreciated it. It’s cozy, warm and homey. Sure, a bigger house would be fun, but for right now, I feel grateful, content and satisfied with what we have. These same feelings apply to our recording studio, art studio, and vehicles. I feel genuinely satisfied and content, but still okay with the idea of something bigger and better (more) on the horizon, already heading our way.

Feeling Out Loud

If feelings could talk, this feeling I am enjoying would sound something like this: I love my life and all the “stuff” that we have manifested so far. I am grateful, satisfied and content with all of it. At the same time, I feel an exciting tingle of expectation for all the bigger and better “stuff” and experiences that are already on the way as a result of the universe noticing what we prefer and what we choose to avoid. Yes, universe – more of this and this and this please – it all feels so good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Trash Our Treasures People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2 Stuff, Stuff, Stuff, Stuff, Stuff About all the stuff you’ve been keeping that’s not good enough to actually use, but it’s way too good to throw away. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor4 May You Have Joy Have you ever felt a warm appreciation for someone in your life, and just wanted to wish them well? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12 A Heartbeat in Eternity’s Highway In the grand scheme of things, what’s the difference between a single moment and all of eternity? What’s the point of reference? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor17 Soul in the Stars It feels good to try to see the bigger picture once in awhile,and to focus on gratitude for what we have, rather than the frustration of what we are lacking. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4 You Gotta Have Fun Our moments are fleeting . . . and finite. Too few to squander on "bad news". We must steer our attention deliberately in order to attract the kind of life we were born to live. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20 Songs by Tupelo
The Dilemma of Desire What is desire? Where does it come from? Why do we have it? Does it serve us in a positive way, or does it distract us and keep us perpetually in discontent? This article sheds some light on these important questions so that each of us can find our own answers. The Subtle Side of Manifestation This in-depth, 4-part article explores the principles and laws that deliver what we desire. Celebrate life through the awareness that you have control of your future. The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. Goal Setting or Let Go and Let God There are two approaches people use to manifest their desires. Some set goals. Others surrender and presume the universe is conspiring to deliver to them their every desire without strain, in its own way and in its own time. Which way is better? Can these two methods be used together? Action and Satisfaction A satisfying life includes time for doing balanced by time for being , embracing and celebrating all aspects of life. Being, doing, having . . . all these things are important ingredients of our package of life experience. Denying any aspect of it only serves to diminish our joy of living a full, inspired, and satisfying life. Manifestation Fill-In-the-Blank Formula Here’s a simple technique you can adapt to your own style. First, I’ll give you the formula as I currently use it. Next, I’ll discuss each word so you’ll see how it has evolved into its present state. Then, I’ll add some supporting information to provide you with a ready-to-go affirmation for your own experimentation. This manifestation technique is built around one simple sentence . . . Articles by Tupelo

Last week-end, Janey and I attended a three-day event at the Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado. It’s called the Kryon Discovery Series – An Interactive Retreat featuring the profound core teachings of Kryon.

It was produced by our long-time friends, Dr. Sid Wolf and Dr. Amber Wolf. The main attraction was Lee Carroll, prolific author and channel for Kryon.

We were invited to play music each day as part of the program, so we had the double privilege of being participants as well as contributors to the event.

About a hundred people attended and everyone I talked to had a positive experience. By the end of the event on Sunday afternoon, everyone was glowing. It was a profoundly moving experience for most, and I know of at least a few who had a life-changing catharsis.

An Inspiring Diversity of Fascinating People

The teamwork was impressive as so many experts were available to share their expertise with everyone attending. Knowledge and wisdom were flowing not only from the presenters, but also from the people attending the event. Participants brought inspiration and experience from literally all over the world. I was amazed at how many people came from Europe, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, as well as from all over the U.S. There was so much to do and see and experience and learn, the time flew by and seemed too short, even though it was a three-day event.

The Producers and Hosts of the Event

Dr. Sid Wolf was the primary architect of the group exercises. His credentials include a lifetime of service in the healing arts as a psychologist, with a PhD in counseling. He’s a holistic health practitioner, certified Rolfer, and for the last decade or so, specializing in a fascinating healing modality called “Body Talk.” His expertise and forty years of experience was evident as the events of the weekend unfolded. He guided everyone through a series of exercises in small groups of five people. We met once a day with the same people in our small groups. Layer upon layer of superfluous personal baggage fell away, revealing our connection to one another in profound ways.

Along with his wife, Dr. Amber, Dr. Sid also served as M.C. His style is casual, although it’s apparent that his knowledge and experience is deep and wide. His delivery is friendly and warm, and his quirky sense of humor had us laughing constantly. The profundity of the experience had many weeping because of the deep, personal revelations discovered as a result of the processes designed by Sid and Amber. Other people had tears streaming down their face because there were some hilarious moments.

Dr. Amber was the perfect counterpart to Sid’s contribution. She has a very calming, deep spiritual presence that helped set the tone for the experience. She led everyone in powerful meditations, including two that she has recorded: Alpha Healing Access and Healing Wave Meditations – Your Divine Flame, Letting Go Into Deep Sleep.

Both Sid and Amber have been working with Lee Carroll for many years and their friendship and playfulness were contagious. Everyone responded to the obvious love and camaraderie shared among them. Their light-hearted style drove home the point that spirituality can be playful, joyous and spontaneous. Their example permeated the room throughout the weekend, and by the end of the retreat, everyone seemed to get it: personal development and spirituality is FUN!

The Main Attraction

For me, the main highlight of the entire event was meeting Lee Carroll. We had never met him before this event, and didn’t know what to expect from such a famous guy. We were delighted with his casual manner, his sincere kindness, and his wonderfully spontaneous sense of humor. He is one of the funniest people we have ever met. That’s a significant realization, considering we’ve been in show biz for 30 years together and have met many other entertainers, including professional comedians.

Lee is in a different league. His humor is not the result of skits or gags or scripts or memorized jokes. Instead, it seems to overflow from his joyous heart, his infinitely deep spiritual commitment, his keen intellect, and his childlike, playful spirit. He trusts his spontaneity completely, and appears to hear the humor for the first time, at the same time as the audience, and enjoys it right along with them.

If you’ve never heard of Lee Carroll or the Kryon books or the channelling process, here’s a brief overview in Lee’s own words. This is from book 11 – Lifting the Veil: The New Energy Apocalypse (Kryon). See my brief review of this and two other Kryon books here.

New to Channelling?

“I don’t have an evangelistic work. In other words, I don’t have a doctrine for you to accept, and I don’t really wish you to dump your old ways and see mine as great. What I really want is somehow for the channeled messages to open a door within you, expanding what you might think of yourself, and for you to examine some information of what most of the masters on the planet tried to teach us. Do this, and it might expand the horizons of the reality of your spirituality.”

From the Kryon Website: “Channelling Definition: The divine, inspired words (or energy) of God as imparted to Humans by Humans.”

Sacred Paths are Many

One of the things I appreciate most about Lee Carroll is his obvious commitment to the information coming through him. Of everyone I’ve ever known, Lee is the most ego-free. He has no possessive sense of ownership or monopoly of the truth. Instead, he honors and speaks highly of others who bring light to the planet in their own way, even if it’s different from his way. (And even if it’s very similar to his own way – other channelers, for instance.) This fact is demonstrated by his willingness to team up with other channellers and present programs together, each contributing their unique version of the truth.

The Reluctant One

If this was all Lee Carroll did, it would be amazing, even potentially earth-changing, but it’s just the start. He is known as “the reluctant channel” because, on the surface, it appears that he didn’t exactly choose this life. It chose him.

He used to be the kind of person who would roll his eyes at all this woo-woo (his word), and chuckle under his breath at the absurdity of it all. All this new age stuff is invisible, right? So, you can’t prove any of it. How convenient!

Lee’s background was very left-brained, linear and logical. He was a successful engineer and owned his own recording studio for about 30 years. He struck me as being very intelligent and has a love of understanding things scientifically. This particular trait makes for a fascinating dichotomy. The leading-edge information about spirituality and personal development described in the Kryon work is primarily invisible. At first brush, it’s not provable. It’s beyond the scope of the five senses, and therefore not in the scientific arena, by definition. Or, is it?

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

For someone like Lee, it’s not enough to simply deliver the information. Instead, for 18 years, he has been scrambling around behind the scenes “connecting the dots.” He seems passionate about finding and reporting on the scientific evidence that supports the information given by Kryon. The result is an amazing combination of the metaphysical and the scientific. The gap between spirituality and science is closing and Lee’s work is on the cutting edge of helping people see the bigger picture hinted at by the quantum physicists. (See previous article: “Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion“).

Witnessing the Channel

During the weekend, Lee channeled Kryon three different times. It was fascinating to see the process, as well to experience Lee’s casual manner about it. To say it was inspiring would be an under-statement. I was introduced to the Kryon material about ten years ago by Dr. Sid Wolf, and I have read all of the Kryon books. I’m familiar with the material, but to witness Kryon’s delivery from only a few feet away was a special spiritual treat.

The “New” Science Forecasted by Kryon

On Sunday, Lee presented a narrated slide show on his on-going research to validate and substantiate the Kryon information. It included information about the shifting of the earth’s magnetic grid, the evolution of human DNA, and our growing understanding of what was once called “junk DNA.” It now appears to be much more important than junk – perhaps even playing an important role in our awakening inter-dimensional awareness.

It would be amusing, if it wasn’t so sad, to admit that we humans see something we’ve yet to understand, and decide to call it “junk.” A better use of the word may be to describe our arrogant style of trying to force new discoveries into old paradigms.

Another fascinating part of Lee’s presentation was a six-minute video clip of gifted children in Japan who have the ability to learn in an entirely different way. Most of us were taught all the small pieces, one at a time, in a linear, sequential manner. From an understanding of all the pieces, we are expected to deduce the whole.

These special kids already seem to be aware of the whole. They see the big picture, and have the ability to learn spatially, holistically, and intuitively. The video showed them “reading” by simply fanning the pages of a book quickly several times and then reporting on the details.

Another youngster, probably about eight years old, was able to report the theme of the book simply by placing his hand on the cover. This is even more remarkable than reporting the facts and details in a book because the theme is not described in the words of the book. He got a holistic understanding of concepts that are beyond the words themselves.

There was much more awe-inspiring information in this scientific segment of the program. Ah-ha moments came often. I was soaking it up like a spiritually parched sponge. I felt like it was over way too soon. I could have been there for hours watching Lee “connect the dots.” You can catch a glimpse of more of Lee’s discoveries and insights here.

A Gig to Remember

On Friday and Saturday evening, before Lee’s channel, and again on Sunday afternoon, Janey and I were invited to play music. We played six songs on Friday night, right before the evening channel. We performed six more on Saturday, followed by the evening channel. Then, we played two more songs as a farewell at the end of the event on Sunday.

Were we nervous? Yes, a little at first, but the audience was so enthusiastic and loving, the experience was a pure joy.

Seconds before we took the stage on Saturday night, Lee turned to me and asked, “Ready?” My reply came quick and clear, “I’ve been getting ready for this moment my entire life.” What an honor to be a part of such a profound program! We made many new friends and became reacquainted with some old friends.

Genuine, Personable, Accessible and Fun

One of the most incredible aspects of the weekend was Lee’s accessibility. He’s available, just one of the folks, like family, usually hovering around with his Nikon camera, documenting the details of the retreat.

At one point, our conversation turned to websites. I mentioned this site and told him I had recently decided to make all our songs from all eight of our CDs available to hear online free, as streaming mp3s. He said he had recently done the same thing with the Kryon channels.

As of this writing, there are 69 channellings of Kryon available from live events around the globe since 1997. This list is continually updated. They can be read free online or printed out. Here’s the link to the printed transcripts. Some of these are also available as free audio downloads.

By request, Lee has also been invited to channel Kryon at the United Nations – six times! Those channels can be accessed here.

Later in the conversation about websites, Lee mentioned he was curious to see if book sales would diminish, but they remained steady, even with the same material available online for free. We talked about giving and contributing without preconceived assumptions or attachments to outcomes. And then, he probably said something hilarious, and I laughed until my sides ached. (Again.) Did I mention he was funny? And warm? And real? And inspiring? What an amazing person!

The Next Kryon Discovery Retreat

As you can see on the Kryon website (on the “Seminar and Conferences” page), there are several opportunities to go to a Kryon event (about 60 per year), but this Kryon Discovery Series is unique – it happens only once a year. We have been asked to return next year with our music (and quickly inked it into our calendar). Here’s another link with many photos of the 2007 event, including many of the attendees as well as the people mentioned in this article. There’s even a few of Janey and I doing our “Laughing Bird” thing. If all those great photos look like fun, that’s because it was!

The dates for next year’s event are September 26, 27 and 28, 2008. If you are interested in attending next year, here’s a link with a list of all the up-coming Kryon events. As the time draws nearer to September of 2008, this Discovery Series Retreat at the Sunrise Ranch will be listed (although it’s not listed yet, as of October 2007.) By January, it should be listed.

The 11th Annual Kryon Summer-Light Conference™
KRYON REUNION IN SEDONA

Earlier I mentioned how Lee Carroll sometimes teams up with other channellers at the same event. There will be three others joining Lee at this Kryon Reunion. (Geoff Hoppe, Steve Rother, and Ronna Herman. Ronna was responsible for helping to get Kryon noticed by sharing her experience and contacts with Lee when he was just starting in 1995.) This is the “flag-ship” event of the year and is being held in beautiful Sedona, Arizona on June 13, 14 and 15. We have been asked to perform at this event too, and are delighted to be opening the seminar on Friday. For complete details, here’s the link: Kryon Reunion in Sedona.

Music

The songs we chose to perform at the Kryon Discovery Retreat are listed below. (You can listen to 12 of the 14 songs online. “Life is an Art” has not been recorded yet – next CD. “Merlin’s Magic Spoons” is very visual and appears only on our DVD entitled, “Celebrate the Journey.”) Throughout the weekend, behind the various activities and meditations, they played our instrumental CDs entitled, “Celestial Sounds of Harmony and Light” – Volume One and Volume Two. This is the music offered at the beginning of most of these articles that you can listen to while reading.

Basking in the Warm Glow of an Amazing Experience

I drove away from the Sunrise Ranch deeply grateful that there are people like Lee Carroll in the world, and Dr. Sid Wolf, and Dr. Amber Wolf, and my wife Janey – busy going about the work they are inspired to do. They move us, open us up to new potentials, and help us see the bigger picture. These angels-in-disguise offer the wisdom of their experience to bring us understanding, laughter and joy in the sacred process of our own personal development.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Friday night: Love is Who You Are "What is love, anyway?" Is it something you give or get, have or make? Or could it be, down deep, simply who we are? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor1 Angels Around Us Is it your higher self, or your guardian angel, or perhaps an over-active imagination? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor3 All That We Take With Us Even sorrow brings us gifts of deeper understanding and a clearer perspective of what is really important. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor3 Be Kind Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9 Blue Water Water and the sea are such perfect metaphors for the larger reality we are all immersed in. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor6 Story Belt Celebrates the importance of keeping things in perspective while being a part of the bigger picture. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor8 Saturday night: Life is an Art – (not recorded yet) What Would Love Do Now It’s tough to remember to ask yourself this question in the heat of the moment, but it can pay big dividends. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor10 Who is the Watcher Explores the silent witness within and the idea that life occurs in this present moment. Always. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor-14 Soul in the Stars It feels good to try to see the bigger picture once in awhile,and to focus on gratitude for what we have, rather than the frustration of what we are lacking. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4 Merlin’s Magic Spoons In this story, set to music, Janey finally reveals the secret of her famous magical spoons and how she learned to play them so well. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescCJ.html May You Have Joy Have you ever felt a warm appreciation for someone in your life, and just wanted to wish them well? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12 Sunday Afternoon Wrap Your Wings Around Some call it intuition; others call it inner guidance. Whatever it is, once you begin to rely on it, it "sounds" mighty quiet when it seems to stop. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor4 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Songs by Tupelo
Choose the Companionship of Positive People Who Inspire You If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great, you are on the right track. If not, it’s up to you to do something about it. Life is too short to put up with other people’s pity parties, bitch-and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. Meaningful Spiritual Relationships – Namaste Matters Behind the faces, beyond the reach of social conditioning, deeper than individual egos, we are identical. We are presence, consciousness, pure knowingness – the awareness of “I am.” We are life itself. Celebrate life with this insight on how to take your personal relationships to a whole new level. Belief Systems vs. Knowing How do you discern between something known and a habitual thought – a belief? The first step is to recognize that the vast majority of our beliefs are based not upon our own personal experiences and revelations but upon anecdotal evidence and the recommendations of other people, past and present. How Do You Feel About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us – inner guidance. Guided Meditation for Self-Healing and Personal Development It’s helpful to have a helping hand once in awhile. I was fortunate to have friends show me how to meditate. It was just friends showing friends something cool . . . because they could. Or maybe it was some kind of big brother / big sister program for the spiritually ripe. It was easy. It was casual. It was a life-changing experience. Benefits of Music for Personal Development All music is not created equally. This article takes a look behind the scenes to catch a glimpse of how the intent of the composer translates to the feeling evoked in the listeners. Many links are included to streaming mp3s. Celebrate life through music! Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world’s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination. Articles by Tupelo

Take an objective look at the people in your life. Identify the ten people with whom you spend the most time.

Do these people inspire you? Do they have qualities that you are drawn to and that you would like to emulate?

How does their energy feel to you? After spending time with them, do you feel recharged and positive, about the same, or drained and negative?

These are important questions, and if you’ve never paused to deliberately think about how the people in your life are affecting the quality of your life, right now is a good time to do it. Here’s an easy 5-step exercise to help put it in perspective:

1) Make a list of the ten people with whom you spend the most time.

2) Look at the first name on your list, establish their presence clearly in your imagination and pay close attention to how you feel. After spending time with this person, do you usually feel energized, drained or about the same?

3) Place a mark by the person’s name.
“+” if they energize you.
“-” if they drain you.
“0″ if there is no change.
Don’t over-think this step. There may be a few surprises here for you. Just go with your first impression feelings. You can trust them. They don’t lie.

4) Continue through your list, rating the people in your life energetically, based on the feedback you are getting from your emotional guidance system – your feelings.

5) Act on what you have learned. Spend more time with the “+” people and less time with the “-” people.

You probably already know which people are energy drainers and which ones give you a boost. But, this exercise brings it clearly to your conscious mind. Once you see your list in front of you, it’s a good first step toward inspiring yourself to make a positive change in the quality of your life. Now you know what you need to do, by choosing deliberately with whom you spend your valuable time.

If the people you spend the most time with are inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and they demonstrate qualities you want to emulate – great – you are on the right track. If not, it’s up to you to do something about it.

A Deliberate Shift

When I was 19, I learned this lesson and did something about it for the first time. I started college at 17, and after two and a half years, I noticed that the people with whom I was spending the most time were not inspiring me – too many of them were energy drains. More importantly, I didn’t like the direction they were heading and I didn’t particularly like who I was becoming while in their presence. So, I changed my environment, rather drastically.

I flew from Texas to Alaska and called it home for the next 15 years. In Alaska, I met and became friends with people who inspired me. Alaska attracts and grows rugged individualists . . . I-think-I-canners, people who are ready, willing and able to depend upon themselves and take responsibility for their own lives. I thrived in this new environment and surrounded myself with people who shared the qualities that inspired me and energized me.

Parents Know Intuitively Who the Good Guys Are

I learned a valuable lesson early in life that has served me well ever since: Life is too short to share your valuable time with people who drain your energy. There are billions of people on the planet. If your current companions are not adding to your personal development, attract someone else. There are plenty to choose from.

Parents are aware of this basic principle of human nature. We become like the people we hang out with. That’s why conscious parents have an opinion about the friends of their children. They know how important this inner circle of friends is in the overall development of their children. The influence of the people with whom the most time is spent can be more powerful than school, church or even the guidance of sincere, caring parents.

The same principle is still alive and well as we grow into adulthood. That’s why it’s so profoundly important to pick and choose wisely, especially once you are interested in on-going personal development. All of us need a strong support team who understands and cares about our commitment to personal growth.

“Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with positive, nourishing and uplifting people – people who believe in you, encourage you to go after your dreams, and applaud your victories. Surround yourself with possibility thinkers, idealists and visionaries.” – Jack Canfield, The Success Principles(TM): How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.

Jack Canfield has a good name for people who drain you by sucking the life energy right out of you: psychic vampires. Why would you allow them into your life experience? It isn’t worth it. It’s not necessary to try to change them, or “fix” them or “save” them. They are learning their own life lessons by experiencing their freedom of choice. But, it’s not necessary for them to do that in your presence. If their energy feels toxic to you, simply remove yourself from their vicinity.

There may come a time when our commitment to personal development brings us to the point where we can be near anyone with any kind of energy without it affecting us at all. Spiritual masters, gurus and saints are reported to have this ability. Instead of being affected negatively, their vibration uplifts and purifies the negative dross of anyone in their vicinity. We can all do this in varying degrees, but until we master our energetic capacities, it is simply more efficient to pick and choose our friends and companionship deliberately to keep our attitude positive and joyful.

How to Be a “+” Companion

Turn the exercise around and imagine the ten people again. On their lists, would you be a “+” or “-” or a “0″?

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Of course, we’d like to be a “+” on everyone’s list. Here are some things to keep in mind that may help.

Be receptive to hearing about their hopes and dreams. Ask questions. Show your enthusiasm to help celebrate their successes and your compassion to help them through the tough times. During the tough times, it’s not necessary to try to “fix” anything. Just be there. They may need someone to talk to. Be that person. Listen well. Care.

“This communicating of a man’s self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in half.” – Aristotle (384-322 BC)

With close friends, you know their strengths and maybe even their current understanding of their life’s purpose. Encourage everything in their lives that supports their idea of “purpose” and gently remind them when their current course is taking them away from their optimum direction. Of course, their idea of purpose and optimum direction can change over time, so you can also be present whenever they need a sounding board in order to adjust their course.

“A true friend is somebody who can make us do what we can.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” – Henry Ford (1863-1947)

Being in your friend’s corner can make all the difference in the world whenever events shake their self-confidence. Show you believe in them, and help them to recapture and strengthen their self-confidence.

“Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.” – Vince Lombardi

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countance of his friend.” – Proverbs 27:17 Bible (15th-16th century – first known English translation from the Latin)

Mutually supporting friendships often have two members in the same mutual admiration society. Both people know when it’s time to teach and when it’s time to learn, when it’s time to be inspired and when it’s time to inspire, when it’s time to give in and when it’s time to stand firm. Both people admire and appreciate the individualism they see in themselves as well as in their friend. Variety in styles and differences of opinion are good – in fact, if you were both exactly the same, one of you would be extraneous.

“I do not want a friend
Who smiles when I smile
Who weeps when I weep
For my shadow in the pool
Can do better than that.” – Confucius (c. 551-479? BC)

“Better to be a nettle in the side of your friend than his echo.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)

“Nothing upsets me more, rubs the wrong way, and makes me so sore.
Than when I upset you, ah don’t ya know, that’s the last thing I’d want.
Yeah, the last think I’d want to do is to give you the blues.

So if I work and play just a little bit different than you,
It’s not a way to say, you shouldn’d do those little things you do.
No, I would like to learn from you, while we do what we must do.”
- from the song, “Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun” by Tupelo Kenyon (1977)

Some relationships are hard – you have to work at them to make them continue. Still, they can be rewarding. Others are easy – they flow like water downstream, with no effort required. These are like gold – rare and precious. Honor them. Celebrate them. Enjoy them for they don’t come around every day.

“Give me a low maintenance relationship,
One that carries on from right where you left it.
Don’t fuss about it, no need to nurture,
It‘s a low maintenance relationship.”
- from the song, “Low Maintenance Relationship” by Tupelo Kenyon

Be Your Own Best Friend

That’s a good place to start. When you enjoy your own company and find it easy to keep yourself positive and joyful when left to your own devices in solitude, that’s the perfect place from which to attract companions of like mind and heart. The Law of Attraction works by bringing more of whatever is your predominate thought. That’s why it all has to start with you.

“I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” – Henry David Thoreau (1817-62)

“When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death — ourselves.” – Eda LeShan

What do you want? Who do you want to become? Focus on those things and feel good about them with grateful anticipation. Allow the universe to go to work on your behalf to attract to you the very best people, circumstances and experiences in harmony with your desires.

Inspire yourself first, and then other inspired people will be attracted to you. If you are currently in a situation that feels like an inspirational wasteland, like I was at 19 years old, and inspired people seem hard to find, it may be a good time to surround yourself with positive ideas. This allows your attraction point to re-set.

A good place to start is right here on this website. There are many articles here waiting for you to discover – all free and right at your fingertips. Scan the titles for the subjects that appeal to you most. The music is positively oriented too, so you may find that the instrumental music as well as the songs recommended in each article will give you a lift. I hope so – that has always been my intention for creating them.

Build your own positive energy through the wealth of books, audio recordings and videos that are available in the personal development field. Until you are able to spend time with other successful, heart-centered inspiring people also committed to expanding consciousness and personal growth, you’re better off hanging out with the ideas of such people through their words.

“A book is a friend; a good book is a good friend. It will talk to you when you want it to talk, and it will keep still when you want it to keep still; and there are not many friends who know enough to do that.” – B. A. Billingsly

I have put together a list of some of the most inspiring and helpful books, tapes and videos I have come across so far. There are some excellent sources out there, as well as plenty of schlock. Just as in people, it’s important to choose carefully which ideas to spend the most time with.

What you think about most, you become. And, what you feel most strongly, you attract. So, let your own internal guidance system be your guide. This list of resources may be the perfect next step for you. Read the quick reviews I wrote for each book, and pay attention to which ones “light up” for you. That’s a vote of confidence from your inner guidance that there’s likely something valuable for you in that book, at this particular time.

“You know when you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” – Paul Sweeney

Your Number One Companion

When two people come together after becoming their own best friend, a rare and special relationship can grow in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Neither person expects to change the other, and both respect and honor the freedom of the other.

I have been fortunate to have such a relationship for most of my adult life. In fact, Janey and I recently celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary. We got together at the ripe old age of 26, lived together for four years and got married at 30. By then, we had already begun to fine-tune our point-of-attraction and had at least a general idea of what we wanted.

Neither of us was looking for someone to make us happy. We were already happy from within, and we were receptive to someone to share it with.

“Even in the common affairs of life, in love, friendship, and marriage, how little security we have when we trust our happiness in the hands of others.” – William Hazlitt (1778-1830)

The universe responded to our point of attraction, and we recognized the opportunity when it was presented. And, we have never looked back.

“Do you wanna be free with me,
Cause that’s the only way I can see,
Being together . . . forever . . . free.

I wish I would’ve told you that I don’t wanna hold you,
But here in my heart and in my arms,
No, I’ll never hold you down,
I’ll hold you tenderly, while we’re flying free.

And together, we can fly so high, where only two can share
Cause no one flying solo can make it way up there
But you and me, we’re flying free, in blue beyond the skies
To share what’s there with starry eyes . . . where only freedom flies.”

- from the song, “Where Only Freedom Flies” by Tupelo Kenyon
- (written in 1976 – Hatcher Pass, Alaska)

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and sings it back to you when you have forgotten how it goes.” – Unknown

What to Do When You Can’t Escape the Negativity

All of us have people in our lives who we don’t remember choosing deliberately – they just seem to come with the territory. Examples include some of the people at work and certain family members. It’s not always possible to just walk away from their oppressive attitudes and emotional storm clouds. So, now what?

Awareness is the key. Notice whenever an interaction with such a person is affecting you in a negative way. Watch your feelings. Pay attention to what’s going on inside you.

At the first clue of your energy level dipping, retreat to the objective viewpoint deep inside and just watch. Observe the dynamics of the interaction and learn. Instead of reacting to them in a knee-jerk manner, do your best to respond deliberately.

Keep your energy intact and don’t allow yourself to sink to their level by your lack of awareness. If you are “on auto-pilot,” you could be reacting to their vibrational output without awareness. That compounds the problem and feeds it more negative emotional energy until it spirals out of control. Instead, remain present (physically and spiritually) for as long as is necessary to fulfill your occupational or social obligation and then leave. Just remove yourself from their proximity as soon as possible.

If you can do it in a gracious manner, so much the better. If not, leave anyway. If your energy level, mood and attitude is becoming compromised by spending too much time with someone on your “-” list, it doesn’t do either of you any good to prolong the interaction. Excuse yourself and go recharge your batteries.

Retreat to your support group, or meditate, or surround yourself with inspiring ideas from one of your current favorite books, websites, audio recordings or videos. Do whatever it takes for you to feel good again, as soon as possible.

If you find it difficult to go from frustration to joy in one fell swoop, move yourself a little at a time. Do something to make yourself feel a little better – then something else to feel a little better still – and then something else. Take a walk. Or, watch a good movie – a comedy or something inspirational. Take a hot bath, or pet your cat.

“The cat could very well be man’s best friend but would never stoop to admitting it.” – Doug Larson

Feeling good right now is one of life’s most important lessons and makes everything else possible. Your point of attraction is everything and you have control over that.

Life is too short to put up with other people’s pity parties, bitch-and-moan marathons, and oh-woe-is-me clubs. We are all in charge of our own energy – it’s part of the deal in this arena of freedom-of-choice.

How we feel is our point of attraction. Since like attracts like, the Law of Attraction sends us more of whatever is the subject of our predominate thoughts and feelings. Remember, you are in control of these things and can choose to feel good now, on purpose.

So, think deliberately, in the direction of what you want – and feel good! When you feel good, you are attracting more circumstances and experiences into your life that will also feel good. That’s why it’s so beneficial to notice and then take control of how you feel. That includes surrounding yourself with thoughts, emotions AND PEOPLE who make you feel good.

“May you have joy, a peaceful mind and a hopeful heart.”
- from the song, “May You Have Joy” by Tupelo Kenyon

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

	May You Have Joy Have you ever felt a warm appreciation for someone in your life, and just wanted to wish them well? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#anchor12 Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun Nothing to do? How about too much to do? Our attitude seems to make the difference. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16 Low Maintenance Relationship Life seems to be all about relationships . . . to our friends, families, lovers, and to our creator. There’s always room for improvement. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor7 Don’t Tell Me No Just don’t do it. It’s better that way . . . for both of us! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor3 Where Only Freedom Flies To be together and feel free at the same time is the essence of a relationship of mutual personal growth. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor13 Songs by Tupelo
Make Assumptions Obsolete by Communicating We assume because we don’t know. We don’t know because we don’t ask. We don’t ask because we act as if we already know. Or, we don’t want to appear stupid. So we make an assumption. Then we forget it is merely something we made up, and we behave as if it’s a fact. When the facts are known, it would never occur to us to assume. The solution is clear communication. When we know the truth, assumptions are forever unnecessary. Don’t Take it Personally Why do people criticize? It’s not about you – it’s about them. When you get criticized, here’s what to do with it – don’t take it personally. Praise can be just as harmful (but sneakier) – don’t take it personally. If you’re a habitual critic, here’s how to stop . . . but don’t take it personally. Take Time for You Don’t put yourself at the end of the list. You deserve to be first, at least some of the time. Don’t let your entire life slip by with everything else (and everyone else) getting preferential treatment over your most important priorities. Their needs are important, but yours are important too. Celebrate life by taking time for YOU! How to Keep Your Word This article is a poignant reminder of the power of your word. Celebrate life by honoring your word . . . and therefore the people with whom you interact. Meaningful Spiritual Relationships – Namaste Matters Behind the faces, beyond the reach of social conditioning, deeper than individual egos, we are identical. We are presence, consciousness, pure knowingness – the awareness of “I am.” We are life itself. Celebrate life with this insight on how to take your personal relationships to a whole new level. Communication – Friend or Foe Our communication skills can make or break us. This article includes some refreshing insights on communication from an unusual vantage point. Celebrate life with newfound attitudes about the art and science of communication. How Do You Feel About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us – inner guidance. The Law of Attraction With anything as important as the law of attraction, it’s a good idea to hear it described many times from many different angles. This article looks at it from several viewpoints as well as revealing how to get the understanding of the law of attraction from the prime source. Many links are provided including links to streaming mp3 songs that incorporate the principles of attraction in the lyrics. Celebrate life with an ever-clearer grasp of how the law of attraction determines your life experience. 10 Ways to Grow a Relationship of Mutual Personal Development Even though the way of discovery and personal growth is a one-lane road, it sure is nice to be able to share stretches of it with someone else. With what kind of person could you share something so profound? If having this kind of life partner is important to you, have you asked yourself, “How can I be that kind of person? Articles by Tupelo