Dogs, Vampires and Screams, Oh My!
September 7, 2010
Are you caging yourself or being caged?
The second half of The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon gives us some great food for thought. I enjoy the metaphors sprinkled throughout the book, because they help to create a visual that can act as cues to remind us of when shifting our energy (or removing ourselves from negative environments) is essential.
Since Halloween is drawing near, I decided that I would use the months of September and October to practice ridding my inner and outer surroundings of the “negative dogs” and the “energy vampires.” By the time October 31st comes around I’ll be ready to celebrate the success of this challenge.
Truth be told, however, we don’t need an occasion like Halloween to practice these techniques. The dogs and vampires surround us daily, and relinquishing them of their power on a daily basis is where the mastery lies.
So, what’s all this dog talk? Here’s the story from The Energy Bus.
“A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, ‘I feel like there are two dogs inside me. One dog is the positive, loving, kind and gentle dog and then I have this angry, mean-spirited, and negative dog and they fight all the time. I don’t know which is going to win!’ The wise man thinks for a moment and he says, ‘I know which is going to win. The one you feed the most, so feed the positive dog.’”
We all have those voices inside barking at us all day. Which one is more productive and energy building, and which one makes us foam at the mouth (practically!) and sends people running in the other direction? I bet I don’t have to answer the question. It’s kind of scary to see yourself as a dog on attack, but many times that’s exactly how we act toward ourselves and others. Yikes! So, let’s heed the wise man’s advice and FEED THE POSITIVE DOG!
Joy, the super positive Energy Bus-Driver also refers to another creature we need to watch out for. She explains:
“I call the people who drain your energy Energy Vampires and they will suck the life out of you and your goals and vision if you let them. They will cause an engine leak, make your ride miserable, or even worse slash your tires.”
I never thought of these “energy suckers” as vampires before, but the visual is very powerful. We all know who these people are, don’t we? Sometimes we call them Debbie Downers, or Sore Losers, Wet Towels, Buzz Kills, etc. Humorous, yes, but true. When we are in our “flow” and feeling great, one of these vampires comes along and drains us of our energy through his/her complaints, accusations, depression, etc. Sometimes, we are the vampires. Yes, looking in the mirror often can be enlightening. We all have a shadow side and many of the things we see in others that make us feel uncomfortable are the very things we do to others unconsciously.
So, how do we not become the negative dog or energy vampires, and how do we avoid getting the energy sucked out of us from other negative dogs and energy vampires?
One way is to increase our self awareness, or consciousness. Take your dog on a walk; WALK THE TALK. Here’s what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of FLOW: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, has to say about leading your energy through consciousness:
“A person can make himself happy, or miserable, regardless of what is actually happening ‘outside,’ just by changing the contents of consciousness. We all know individuals who can transform hopeless situations into challenges to be overcome, just through the force of their personalities. This ability to persevere despite obstacles and setbacks is the quality people most admire in others, and justly so; it is probably the most important trait not only for succeeding in life, but for enjoying it as well. To develop this trait, one must find ways to order consciousness so as to be in control of feelings and thoughts.”
He also said:
“But no social change can come until the consciousness of individuals is changed first. When a young man asked Carlyle how he should go about reforming the world, Carlyle answered, ‘Reform yourself. That way there will be one less rascal in the world.’ The advice is still valid. Those who try to make life better for everyone without having learned to control their own lives first usually end up making things worse all around.”
Yes, folks, it all starts with us.
And, Joy, our super positive Energy Bus driver tells us that these are the final rules to creating our Energy Bus (continued from my last blog):
6. Post a Sign That Says No Energy Vampires Allowed on Your Bus. That’s right, just don’t let them in! Tell them to stay away. And, if you are the vampire, you’ve got some work to do.
7. Enthusiasm Attracts More Passengers and Energizes Them During the Ride. Do you want to be on the Debbie Downer bus or the Bob the Builder bus?
8. Love Your Passengers. The heart acts as an emotional conductor and radiates how you are feeling to every cell in the body via the heart’s electromagnetic field; this energy field can be detected up to 5 to 10 feet away. What are you attracting? Do you want to attract love or fear?
9. Drive with Purpose. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you get to where you need to go? Drive your bus with purpose daily and more people will come along for the ride.
10. Have Fun and Enjoy the Ride. In the end, isn’t this what life’s all about?
No Energy Vampires Allowed!
More and more, what matters to me is enjoying the process, not the end result. Finding joy and living energetically in the moment can provide us with millions of meaningful moments along our journey.
While common sensical, The Energy Bus provides us a story that we can relate to. We encounter individuals on a daily basis who have either given up, or who are fighting way too hard. Sometimes, we, ourselves, are those people. Author, Jon Gordon, gives us 10 simple steps to gain more control of our lives, raise our energy, live with heart, and allow the flow of life to bring us joy again.
We can choose to be energetic and happy. The choice always begins with us.
Halloween doesn’t need to be every day. That’s really scary! Let’s get rid of those nasty dogs and vampires and get a move on!
Enjoy your ride!
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
It’s Your Bus; Drive It!
August 2, 2010
Where do you want to go?
I bet you can remember a time when the most unlikely stranger made you go “hmm.” That’s right, he or she flew into your life just as quickly as he/she left, but definitely made an imprint. That’s the kind of feeling you get when reading The Energy Bus. The supporting character, “Joy” a bus driver, has been the miracle saver for the main character, George, whose life is in shambles. He is about to lose both his job and marriage, and has zero energy to do anything about it.
Meeting Joy was no accident, as George had no choice but to ride the bus to work when his car broke down and his wife refused to stop changing her plans to help him. What he didn’t know was that this “unfortunate situation” would be his life-changing opportunity. He didn’t just board any bus; he boarded the “Energy Bus.”
Joy is like the coach that everyone wants and needs; that friend you’d like to have in your pocket every time you need to be reminded of how truly great you have it and how much better things can be if you get out of our own way. Joy’s life purpose is evident; to get her passengers to embrace their lives, choose to live energetically, and bring others along for the ride. She does this by sharing her 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life with Positive Energy. Not only does Joy share these rules, but she has her “students” practice them with daily exercises, and holds them accountable to boot! Yep, she’s a coach all right!
After a few days of riding Joy’s bus, George’s energy had shifted dramatically. Those around him began to see a difference, he felt a difference, and having to ride a bus wasn’t so bad after all.
This book is an easy and quick read, but its message is timely and timeless.
Here are the first five rules with short take-a-ways:
1. You are the driver of your bus.
- Why would you let other people and situations manage and/or manipulate your energy? Your energy is your “bus;” now steer it to where you want it to go!
2. Desire, Vision & Focus Move Your Bus in the Right Direction
- How will you get to where you need to go without a map, a plan or support? Chart your course, get excited about it, and keep moving!
3. Fuel Your Ride with Positive Energy
- Think of those people, activities, foods, and thoughts who/that energize you and those who/that drain you. Get the picture? Only you can fuel your ride with positive energy. Make smart choices.
4. Invite People on Your Bus and Share Your Vision for the Road Ahead
- Positive energy is magnetic. Don’t keep your purpose and excitement to yourself. If you are authentic, others will want to match your energy and come along for the ride.
5. Don’t Waste Your Energy on Those Who Don’t Get on Your Bus
- Yep. This is an important one. Negative energy will always be around, but where will you be? Stay away from the water cooler, folks!
I’ll close this post by sharing a few other bits of info Joy offered to George along the way, which made me go “hmm.” Maybe they will make you think a bit as well.
- Did you know that most people who die pass on a Monday morning at 9 am? We can infer that a lot of people prefer to give up on their lives than go to work! Scary thought.What should your thoughts be aligned with on Monday mornings?
- At the end of a long game golfers usually forget all of the bad shots they made and remember the one great shot they had that day. The thought and feeling they get when thinking about that particular shot makes them want to play again and again; this is why so many people get addicted to golf. I’ll have to ask my golfer friends if they agree with this one, but it sounds on par to me (hee hee!)What would happen if you would focus each day on the one great thing that you experienced? Would you be more energized to go into the next day and get excited about the opportunities that you know will come your way?
Food for thought.
I am on a wonderful Energy Bus this month; on a road trip with my family. It has been a lot of fun so far, and in those not-so-fun, stressful moments, I remember the 5 rules I shared with you above, and I remind myself that I have to be my own “Joy” and stay in charge of my bus.
Cheers to the rest of the ride!
May you all enjoy an energized week,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Which Bus Are You On?
July 21, 2010
For those of you who know me well and keep up with my posts, my next Relaxed Book Club selection will come as no surprise to you. For me, ENERGY is not a buzz word; it is life. I’ve come to learn that energy is not ethereal, but very tangible. It has everything to do with the level of personal and professional success we feel we achieve, as well as with the positive relationships and experiences that keep us motivated and IN LOVE with our lives.
I feel I am one of the lucky ones who has had the opportunity to practice, coach, and assess others on Energy Leadership–a unique system and assessment (and book!) developed by Bruce D. Schneider, Master Coach and Founder of iPEC Coaching. Essentially, when our “E-Factor” is healthy and rising, we lead our lives, not the other way around. (Yep! We can measure your Energy Factor! Cool, huh?)
Who’s driving your bus?
Are you on the LOVE bus, or the FEAR bus?
How are you leading your life?
I have not yet begun reading Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, but the reviews are stellar, and I’m really looking forward to starting on this journey, which comes just in time for my longest road trip to date. I’m ready for the ride…both of them! If you’d like to join me for this trip, pick up your copy and let’s get to more learning and teaching. I just can’t get enough of either!
Here’s some of what we have to look forward to:
“The Energy Bus takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment – at work and at home. Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company and team will have to overcome negativity and adversity to define themselves and create their success.”
I invite you to read along with me. 🙂
Vroom Vroom,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Show Me A Miracle!
July 9, 2010
This is my final post about Zero Limits and the Hawaiian-born problem solving tool referred to as Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono. I’ve posted daily this week in an effort to help make clear a process that (without being open to and reading the entire book) can be quite difficult to “get.” As I mentioned in my first post about the book, in order to even begin to understand the potential usefulness of this tool, you must have a good amount of faith and trust in the “unknown.”
I thought it would be effective to close then with a few definitions listed at the end of the book, drafted by Dr. Hew Len.
Here they are:
Ho’oponopono: I am an ancient Hawaiian problem solving process updated for today’s use by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona Kahuna La pa’au, recognized as a Living Treasure of Hawaii in 1983. I am composed of three elements: repentance, forgiveness, and transmutation. I am a petition initiated by the Conscious Mind to Divine Intelligence to void memories to reestablish Self I-Dentity. I begin with the Conscious Mind.
Repentance: I am the beginning of the Ho’oponopono process initiated by the Conscious Mind as a petition to Divine Intelligence to transmute memories to Void. With me, the Conscious Mind acknowledges its responsibility for the memories replaying problems in its Subconscious Mind, having created, accepted, and accumulated them.
“I AM SORRY.”
Forgiveness: Along with Repentance, I am a petition from the Conscious Mind to Divine Creator to transform memories in the Subconscious Mind to Void. Not only is the Conscious Mind sorrowful, it is also asking Divine Intelligence for forgiveness.
“PLEASE FORGIVE ME.”
Transmutation: Divine Intelligence uses me to neutralize and to release memories to Void in the Subconscious Mind. I am available for use only by Divine Intelligence.
“THANK YOU.”
“I LOVE YOU.”
And, as I’ve already written, when “transmutation” occurs, you are at “zero” and miracles occur.
In closing, nothing speaks more to miracle creation (for me!) than A Course In Miracles (ACIM), which essentially tells us that it is our natural nature to create miracles, but our human error gets in our way. That human error is fear, or expressions of fear, as opposed to love. In ACIM it speaks to the process of correction (like Ho’oponopono’s problem solving process), which contains these steps:
Know first that this is fear.
Fear arises from lack of love.
The only remedy for lack of love is perfect love.
Perfect love is the Atonement.
See the parallels?
May you send away your fear, and call up your perfect love.
May you see the miraculous being that you are, and always be miracle ready.
May you find your Self I-Dentity.
I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.
Stay tuned for my next Relaxed Book Club selection. I hope you will join me again. 🙂
Namaste,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Intention vs. Inspiration
July 8, 2010
by alancleaver 2000
In my first blog about Zero Limits I committed to blogging daily this week to help make more clear the purpose and benefits of the spiritual tool described in the book– Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono.
Specifically, I wanted to share how co-author, Joe Vitale, author of a variety of books which suggest using “intention” or “intending” as a success tool for attracting anything to us in life (health, wealth, careers, relationships, etc.), no longer intends at all. He simply goes straight to “zero.”
He shares:
“This is mind-blowing. Since I wrote about the power of intention in my book The Attractor Factor, and since I spoke about it in the movie The Secret, coming to realize intentions aren’t my choice at all was a shock. It appears that what I thought I was doing when I set an intention was simply verbalizing an impulse already in motion from my brain. The question then becomes, what or who made my brain send the intention?”
In Zero Limits, Vitale looks back on his many successes and realizes that behind each one of them was an inspiration he acted upon and took 100% responsibility for. He elaborates:
“None of them were directly created by me. In fact, what they all have in common is a spirit of Divine planning, with me a sometimes unwilling participant.”
…
“All of those ways (like intentions) have limitations. They are toys your mind plays with to keep you thinking you’re in charge. The truth is, you are not in charge, and the real miracles come when you let go of the toys and trust in a place inside yourself where there are zero limits. Where you want to be in life is behind all of those toys, which is behind the chatter of the mind and right there with what we call the Divine.”
Through spending lots of time with Dr. Hew Len and learning and practicing Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono, Vitale learned that solely focusing on intending was actually fighting with “what is.” On the other hand, letting go (Ho’oponopono) was giving into the Divine and allowing transformation to happen (what can be…if you listen and let it!).
So, where do tools like affirmations, EFT, visualization, and intentions fit in? Are they worthless?
Absolutely not. I think we can all attest to using these techniques and seeing and feeling positive results in our lives. At the same time, there are many people who use these techniques all the time and don’t get the results they expect. What’s the answer? Why did Joe make this major shift? Why does Joe no longer intend or even set goals?
He explains:
“There are at least three stages in life, beginning with you as a victim, them moving on to you as a creator of your life, and ending — if you’re lucky– with you becoming servant to the Divine. In the last stage, astonishing miracles happen– almost without you trying.”
…
“The other day a reporter asked me, ‘Where do you see yourself a year from now?’ In the past I would have given him a sincere accounting of what I hoped to achieve. I’d talk about my plans, goals, and intentions. I’d tell him about books I wanted to write or things I wanted to be, do, create, or buy. But, because of all the work I’ve done with Dr. Hew Len, I no longer state goals or intentions or make plans for the future. So I instead replied with the truth of this moment: ‘Wherever I’ll be will be far better than what I can imagine right now.'”
This makes sense to me. We will go through our lives and meet many people who will never experience an “awakening.” They may remain stuck forever in victimhood, blame and conflict. Yet, some will awaken out of the victim stage and proceed to the “creator” stage, where they are beginning to take more responsibility for their lives, thoughts, experiences, actions, emotions and energy. Being the creator of your life is a GREAT thing! But, now, I see how much power there is in truly letting go and letting the Divine guide me and speak to me. Everything feels so much easier…like a tranquil ride down a river. Ahhh.
Do you have moments where you feel you’re pushing so hard to achieve something; almost going up-stream, yet never arriving? Can’t it be exhausting? Share your thoughts.
For Joe, when you are at “zero”:
“You begin to realize that your intentions are limitations. You begin to see that with all your newfound power, you’re still not able to control everything. You begin to realize that when you surrender to a greater power, miracles tend to happen. You learn to recognize inspiration when it comes to you, and you act on it. You agree to each moment. Miracles happen, and they constantly astonish you as they do.”
…
“When you come from the zero state where there are zero limits, you don’t need intentions. You simply receive and act. And miracles happen.”
by azrainman
So, I think Joe said this to Dr. Hew Len in the book, and I am claiming it for myself now…
I INTEND TO BE AT ZERO AND LIVE IN INSPIRATION! It’s a start. 🙂
Inspired,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
On Letting Go
July 7, 2010
by her wings
This week I am giving you snippets of information from Zero Limits (my Relaxed Book Club selection) as well as other magnificent resources, which can help all of us better understand what Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono is and what “Zero” feels like. Read my first post about Zero Limits here.
In practicing Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono so far, to me, it feels like the ultimate surrender. It feels like letting go.
Zero could feel like:
Give up, and you will succeed.
Bow, and you will stand tall.
Be empty, and you will be filled.
Let go of the old, and let in the new.
Have little, and there is room to receive more.
The wise stand out,
because they see themselves as part of the Whole.
They shine,
because they don’t want to impress.
They achieve great things,
because they don’t look for recognition.
Their wisdom is contained in what they are,
not their opinions.
They refuse to argue,
so no one argues with them.
The Ancients said: “Give up and you will succeed.”
Is this empty nonsense?
Try it.
If you are sincere, you will find fulfillment.
Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22
(Piatkus, 1995)
Have a wonderful day,
Monique
Faith, Trust, & Getting to Zero.
July 6, 2010
“With whatever spontaneous action arises out of presence, an intelligence is then at work in the situation. Whatever the situation, that intelligence is far greater than the intelligence of the thinking mind.” – Eckhart Tolle
At our work retreat this year, our team used the StrengthsFinder book and assessment. I always enjoy the reaction of those who use if for the first time. In this instance, I have to say that each person seemed to have felt validated for “who they are” and “what they bring” to the table. It was wonderful to hear everyone speak about their strengths and identify ways they can best use them to be “en pointe” more of the time.
For me the experience was the same. I too felt validated when I saw Learner, Maximizer, and Positivity among my top strengths. And, in preparing for this next blog, they came through loud and clear.
Today, I am writing about a spiritual (not religious) tool that is used widely in Hawaii (and now all over the world!). I enjoy reading about practices and principles and that are employed to help us be at our best. Doing so brings out both the “learner” and “maximizer” in me and keeps me in a “positive” state of mind.
I enjoy trying new techniques for spiritual awakening, stress reduction and general betterment. I don’t necessarily keep them all as “my practices,” but I enjoy learning about them, trying them out, and sharing them with all of you.
Just as I am sharing a new tool with you today, I’m sure you can share with me what works for you. Perhaps like this one, it requires a lot of faith and trust. Let’s go there now.
… … …
When you think of the word ZERO, what comes to mind? My first thought is “nothing,” or “lacking.” Think about it…we live in a world where having very little or not doing/being “enough” is not acceptable. In the corporate world, if our load is not large enough, then we are “unproductive.” And in our personal lives, if every minute is not occupied, then we are not “super” enough. No wonder we are exhausted, question our passion, and constantly seek our purpose! The more I read about the power of zero, as described in Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More, by Joe Vitale and Ihaleakala Hew Len, Ph.D., my definition of zero is forever changed. Now, for me, Zero = Limitless.
Zero Limits speaks about a way of being…a way of life based on a spiritual principle and technique born in Hawaii, called Ho’oponopono. As with many (or all) universal principles, applying them requires a lot of faith and trust in the unknown. We don’t always understand why some things happen or work the way they do, but we see miracles happen every day. Ho’oponopono is a miracle-creating process that is turning heads and changing lives.
Ho’oponopono is defined as the Law of Least Effort, and a simplified version of the practice utilized by Dr. Hew Len has taken the world by storm. Why? Here’s where faith and trust come into play BIG TIME. Dr. Len was hired to work in a mental institution where the most dangerous and ill individuals were housed (in Hawaii). Staff didn’t last, and the patients were regarded as “lost causes.” They were locked up all day, in dark rooms, in shackles, with no rehabilitation in sight. So how is it possible that without even meeting with the patients, Dr. Len was able to heal the majority of them? In fact, all but two of the patients were released and the ward was closed. He did it with Ho’oponopono.
The spreading of this miraculous story is what launched Joe Vitale on his search to find Dr. Hew Len and (together) write this book, thus expanding Ho’oponopono’s reach and benefits for all.
Here’s what Dr. Len had to say about his work in the hospital:
“When I worked at the mental hospital and would look at the patients’ charts, I would feel pain inside me. This was a shared memory. It was a program that caused the patients to act the way they did. They had no control. They were caught up in a program. As I felt the program, I cleaned.”
What he refers to as “cleaning” or “erasing” is the process of using Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono to “clean” this programming (memories/habits) which prevents us from being in our zero state where we receive inspiration; where we are tapped into the Divine.
What ZERO really is.
“The Divine is our zero state—it’s where we have zero limits. No memories. No identity. Nothing but the Divine. In our lives we have moments of visiting the zero limits state, but most of the time we have garbage…memories playing out.”
How do you do Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono?
There are simply four statements that you quietly repeat over and over, nonstop, addressing them to the Divine.
I’m sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.
The order doesn’t matter, and according to the book, just saying “I love you” (addressed always to the Divine) is just as powerful and “erases” just as well.
So, you may be wondering why you are apologizing to the Divine and asking for forgiveness? One of the questions I kept asking when reading about this process is, “Why should I apologize for something someone else is doing or saying, just because it’s in my presence?” Here’s the kicker (more trust is needed here, folks!); the explanation:
“Dr. Hew Len explained that everything you seek and everything you experience—everything—is inside you. If you want to change anything, you do it inside, not outside. The whole idea is total responsibility. There’s no one to blame. It’s all you.”
When do we use Ho’oponopono?
All the time. Hmmm. Really? Let’s dig deeper. If we were to journal all of the thoughts and feelings that we experienced every day (those that our conscious mind allows us to capture), I bet we could fill an entire book (and that’s not including our subconscious ones!). Many of these thoughts and feelings cause us stress, and move us to doubt our abilities, strengths and talents. We also are filled daily with thoughts of judgment, anger, spite, jealously, blame, etc. Imagine how much inspiration we could access if we could simply erase this negative content? Well, according to Zero Limits, we can.
Zero Limits tells us:
“For Self I-Dentity to be moment to moment requires incessant Ho’oponopono. Like memories, incessant Ho’oponopono can never go on vacation…The Conscious Mind can initiate the Ho’oponopono process to release memories or it can engage them with blame and thinking.”
This negative content is akin to static on the radio, a lost connection with the source. With this tool; this way of living, we can take full responsibility for every thought, emotion and action that shows up in our lives; accepting them and cleaning on them, and truly “Let go, and let God” (or Spirit, Divine, Universe, etc.).
I can see how Joe Vitale’s life changed in so many ways through his meeting Dr. Hew Len and bringing this story to the world. I’ll speak more to Joe’s transformation in my next post about Zero Limits. And, because I know how difficult it may be to fully comprehend what I am blogging about here, today, I plan to post additional brief snippets from the book that we can reflect upon daily for a bit.
By the way, if this post is making you feel uncomfortable in any way, this is a perfect opportunity to clean using Self I-Dentity Ho’oponopono. If you are reading it, then it is in your reality, and you are responsible for it in some way. Yes, hard to swallow.
In closing, this sums up how it feels to be at zero:
“You can feel this in your life: events will take on a perfect momentum, a glorious cadence. You can feel it in your body…You can feel it in your spirit. You will enter a state of such perfect grace that you will resound over the landscape of reality like ephemeral bird song.” – Deng Ming-Dao’s 365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Faithfully trusting and moving toward Zero,
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Cry. Release. Cleanse. Renew.
June 18, 2010
This blog is a result of one of my daily 21.5.800 writing challenges. Learn more about the challenge here.
Today, I cried. A lot.
You’re probably wondering why, but that’s not the point of my blog today. No. Sometimes I cry because I’m laughing so hard that I just can’t help it. Other times I cry because I’m empathetic to the emotions or pains of others. And sometimes I cry because I am experiencing pain or sadness. Regardless of why I cry, though, I notice how exceptionally wonderful I feel afterward, like a drain that had been clogged and now is wide open, ready to take on lots of water, some junk, and some jewels!
Release.
Yes, it was a release; one that I apparently needed. I know many people who just refuse to cry. I can certainly understand why. Crying makes us feel vulnerable, like that wide open drain that doesn’t want to get taken advantage of and filled with unwanted stuff. Sometimes it’s easier to remain closed and protected, right? Oh, but that release is so powerful! Imagine all of the new, beautiful, healthy thoughts, people, and experiences you can fill it with?
Cleanse.
Just yesterday my daughter asked me why tears are salty. I thought, “Great question!” I couldn’t really think of how to answer, but I tried, and said, “Well, maybe it’s because 70% of our bodies are made up of water, and just like the ocean’s salt water is healing, our tears exist to heal us.” Now, I know you scientists out there have the right answer (which I would love for you to share with me so I can save myself the Google search), but I kinda liked my answer, and so did my daughter. She loves to cry, to taste her tears, and now she understands how her tears can help her feel better.
That discussion, however, did ignite my interest enough for a search on the healing properties of water and salt. Here are a few interesting tidbits of information I found:
- The brain is over 75% water, and, when it detects a shortage of available fluids, it implements a water rationing process by producing histamines, which are known to cause pain and fatigue (Yikes! Drink up).
- Thalassotherapy (from the Greek word thalassos, meaning “sea”) is the medical use of seawater. The properties of seawater are believed to have beneficial effects upon the pores of the skin.
- The salt water healing abilities are profound and well documented. Salt water is an astringent and speeds wound healing. Floating in sea water is an extreme release of tension and stress of the day.
- Many scientists have become increasingly interested in finding ways to configure water molecules to make them more “energetic”, such as exposing a glass filled with water to direct sunlight for a while or placing a copper or gold object into a glass of water. Such water can be called an “ideal” antioxidant and it is similar to the increasingly rare pristine water of pure glacial melt and high mountain streams. The importance of consuming food and beverages having a high quality water with hexagonal cluster arrangement of water molecules will reflect as a positive impact on our well-being.
Renew.
Regardless of this information, though, intuitively I believe we understand how water heals. When we are stressed, a shower or hot bath helps us feel better. When we have cuts or colds, we head to the beach for some salt water healing. When our throats hurt we rinse with salt water. When we are tired, splashing our faces with cold water wakes us right up. When we are dehydrated, a nice glass of water balances and energizes us. How about dancing in the rain for a lively refresher? Sign me up. What other examples can you share?
For some more thoughts on water and healing, you can refer to my earlier blog about self-love, which refers to a phenomenal book Love Thyself: The Message from Water III, by Masaru Emoto (more about energized water and hexagonal structures).
So, don’t hold back. Have yourself a good cry; it’s good for you. Let it all out, and then do yourself some more good and drink it all back in with a nice tall glass of water that you’ve energized with your thoughts and words, and perhaps, the sun.
I raise my glass of healing water to you, and to my great cry today!
Cheers,
Monique
Here I go again. Up for a challenge?
June 8, 2010
What I love about blogging is its organic nature. Sure, I have a general plan for what I hope to write about, like my Relaxed Book Club, but there is certainly flexibility in the process, especially when new opportunities arise out of the blue.
So, here’s a challenge that I encountered by reading one of my favorite blogger’s post; one I simply cannot resist. Why? It happens that it will push me to do more of what I already love to do–yoga and writing.
The 21.5.800 Challenge begins today. Here is the deal:
- For 21 days, we’ll be doing 5 days of yoga a week and 800 words of writing per day.
- THE WRITING: The writing can be ANYTHING. Memoir, blogs, business plans, essays, fiction, free-writing, letters,……..ANYTHING. The point is to get writing again daily and to have the boundaries and challenge of a daily word count to reach.
- THE YOGA: There are several options for you to do the yoga portion of 21.5.800 5 times in 7 days. Here are the options: 1. Go to a yoga class in your ‘hood. 2. Do a yoga dvd at home. 3. Take a 20-40 minute savasana at home on the floor.
Some of you are saying: “She is crazy.”
Some of you are questioning: “Maybe I should try this?”
So, I’ll ask you: Why should you try it and what would you like to get out of it?
I answered those questions for myself and here are my answers:
- I really need the yoga right now! And, it just so happens that I’ve gotten back into the swing of my yoga practice again and it’s feeling great!
- It just so happens that I have a lot to write about these days, for my blog, for work, and for me.
So, won’t you join me? I’m not promising to blog about my experiences daily, but you’ll definitely be hearing from me more during these 21 days, like it or not! LOL.
For those of you who may be new to Being En Pointe, you may be asking yourself: “Why is she saying here I go again?” Well, last December I participated in my first bloggers challenge. You can read the first post of that challenge here and follow from there if you’d like.
By the way….this will count toward my 800 words today (385…415 to go)!
Cheers,
Monique
Walking and Writing – The Soul’s Work
June 2, 2010
When I blogged last week about The Walk I mentioned that I was almost finished with the book, but I had no idea I would wrap it up within 24 hours. I guess my longing for a novel was stronger than I had imagined! Here’s both the funny and frustrating part– when I noticed (on my Kindle) that I’d read 99% of the book, I thought to myself, “That’s impossible, he hasn’t walked that far!” Then, I came to the last page which read, “Coming April 2011, book 2 of The Walk series.” What??? That was the frustrating part. The funny part was when I shouted out loud, “I have to wait until April??” Yes, I had been suckered, and I wanted more!
I was looking forward to taking each and every step with Alan on his journey to Key West, but I guess I will have to wait a bit longer. So, for those of you who are used to my four posts per book, sorry, we’ll have to pick this one back up in April!
However, there is one thing I didn’t mention about Alan Christoffersen, and that was his journaling habit. It all began when his mother gave him his first diary for Christmas at the age of 8, a little over a month before she dies. As he states once he reaches Key West (we do know he gets there!):
“After a few minutes, I go back and sit cross-legged in the sand next to my pack and do what I always do at the pivotal moments in my life: I take out a pen, open my diary, and begin to write. My writing habit began long ago– long before this diary, long before my walk. It made me feel important to have something in my life of such consequence that I needed to lock it up from the world. (It would be) a habit I would continue for the rest of my life.”
He tells us more:
“I started writing in my diary because my mother told me to. After her death, I continued because to stop would be to break a chain that connected me to her. Then, gradually, even that changed. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the reason I wrote was always changing. As I grew older, I wrote as proof of my existence. I write, therefore I am.”
The Walk IS Alan’s diary.
It seems to me that Alan’s writing habit– his process of purging his soul on paper– prepared him for the moment when he could no longer keep his thoughts and feelings under lock and key, but take them out into the open, exposed, open for nature and the unknown to do with them what they wished. Alan’s walk is his ultimate release, his vulnerable soul’s trek toward transformation.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy Grason, author of Journalution. Sandy defines Journalution as:
- the act of revealing inner wisdom through writing
- the act of cleansing emotional blocks through writing
- journal writing to produce or further radical change from within
- a process for becoming free from confusion or doubt
- a process for discovering or shining in one’s passion and purpose
- a journey from one place to another (i.e., from where you are now to the life of your dreams).
Makes you want to grab a journal and write, huh? Who doesn’t want a little (or a lot!) of any of the above?
Not many of us will experience the kind of loss that the main character of The Walk does. And, not many of us will ever embark on a 3,600-mile trek on foot. But, we can certainly use his lifelong habit of journaling and his new way of life, walking, in small bits daily to help us live more lightly, creatively, and spiritfully (I may have just invented this word!).
I don’t journal daily, nor do I walk daily, but I have a feeling that if I were to do both daily, mindfully, I would more deeply and meaningfully tap into my inner wisdom, cleanse any blocks, produce radical change from within, become free from doubt or confusion, discover or shine in my passion and purpose, and journey from one place to another.
Blogging certainly helps me achieve many of these.
How do you or can you use writing or walking to do your soul’s work?
Happy Trails…on paper or pavement. 🙂
Monique
My Relaxed Book Club will discuss selections from books I feel help high-achieving professionals continue to develop themselves and work on their personal leadership leading to more fulfilled, balanced and successful lives and careers.
Illumined Life Leadership 