Join us today on Chi For Yourself for a conversation with Simone Wright, author of First Intelligence: Using the Science & Spirit of Intuition.Simone says that that while we all have the ability to use our intuition, in order to be actively intuitive — which means to be able to use it at will instead of by happenstance — we must develop the skill. Her book is intended to give readers all they need to know to do just that.
Be with us for today’s Chi For Yourself and guest Daniel Parmeggiani. Daniel is the author of The Magnificent Truths of Our Existence: Unlocking the Deeper Reality of Permanent Happiness.
” Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared”
Buddha
Article: The Simplicity of Choosing Happiness
In our new age of spirituality, where east meets west in the modern labyrinth of mental and spiritual healing, two clear definitions to happiness remain; (1) that happiness is a value synonymous with well-being and thriving, and (2) as opposed to depression, it is something we as humans seek. In essence happiness itself remaining the primary goal – and more elusive.
Psychological research suggests that each individual has what is called a ‘Happiness Set-point’ (HSP) determining overall well-being; happier when things balance our inner HSP and quite unhappy (even miserable), when things go against us, or fall short of it. We alone draw that line and in so doing compound our intrinsic belief, that sentience has a right to happiness, no matter what. Even an animal (and our basic survival instincts) will seek comfort against pain, to find it.
Evidence from research shows that 40% of our happiness is within our control and a voluntary choice we make. Psychologist William James, adds that it is our attitude that hinders or helps us reach our HSP. It seems that it is a natural human reflex to alter our attitude to achieve it. We want to maintain our HSP at all costs. Ironically, the indifference of the depressed, is a matter of ongoing research on lower HSP levels as per socio-economic standards, environmental and chemical imbalance.
Biblical and Buddhist philosophy maintain that all happiness comes from seeking it, yet ironically, a principle point of Buddhism is that all striving is suffering. This would explain why realistic goals are paramount, as true happiness may only be achieved through the balance of effort and suffering, and not the eternal ‘good-time’ that modern pop-psychology would have us believe. Being happier takes effort, especially if it’s a choice we make and maintain with mindfulness. Without effort, one can argue that happiness is hollow and not happiness at all.
Transformation might well be as simple as ‘Seek and ye shall find’ and no matter your labour to your HSP (health, diet, supplements; yoga and exercise; meditation, gratitude, education, journals, self-help, new-age, and/or new-thought mindfulness); the bottom line is that you are still only partaking in the most natural human birth-right of our species. Best to keep it simple.
Growing up in a household traumatized by the violent death of his older brother, and caught between two radically different parental worldviews, young Daniel Parmeggiani often felt guilty, isolated and depressed. After years of trying to find freedom from this torment, Daniel had an epiphany. He realized that every human being shared the same desire – the desire to feel better. All the lofty, complex philosophies he had read boiled down to a simple, single Truth:
Our ONLY motivation in life is to be happy.
Seeing how this shift in understanding completely changed his own life from one of unhappiness to one filled with joy, Daniel Parmeggiani felt called to write his book, The Magnificent Truths of Our Existence: Unlocking the Deeper Reality of Permanent Happiness. Daniel’s book offers a new perspective for rational people looking for simple, clear and logical explanations for life’s most elusive mysteries.
Daniel will be the guest on Chi For Yourself this Thursday (May 29th) at 1pm Pacific time. Hear the interview at chiforyourself.com.
This week on Chi For Yourself we get “creative”, with a look back on the 2011 interview with Michael Michalko, one of the most highly acclaimed creativity experts in the world. Michael talks about his book Creative Thinkering and ways we can synthesize dissimilar subjects, think paradoxically, and enlist the help of our subconscious minds. His intention? Liberate your thinking and literally expand your imagination!
The interview will air on BlogTalkRadio at 1pm Eastern, 10 am in the Pacific time zone.
Article:
The Long Arm of the Universe: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide From Natural Law
So there I am, enjoying a beautiful Saturday afternoon of shopping with my mate. She and I had picked up several items when I casually suggested how one of those items could be used and then returned to the store. Nothing unusual- it’s done all the time. Not against the law, I thought. In fact, people do it all the time and the store actually expects it.
As the week progressed I realized that I had slipped into a behavior that was common in my younger days. Get something for nothing, use it, bring it back in perfect condition, and be ahead of the game- no harm no foul! But even if society doesn’t police these actions you can be sure the Universe does. I felt I had been slapped “upside the head” with a classic scarcity lesson. And what’s that queasy feeling I have in the pit of my stomach? Why I believe it’s guilt!
from Wikipedia: Guilt is a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has compromised his or her own standards of conduct or has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that violation.[1] It is closely related to the concept of remorse.
Hmmm. Remorse. Yeah, I’d say there was some of that, too. I wondered to myself why I felt that I had to resort to a mindset that I thought I had abandoned long ago. I’ve experienced such abundance in my life. Those store items were very affordable, but like a reversal of the well-known *Patanjali quote a “dormant force” had come back to make me feel otherwise. I had betrayed my Self. Not a shining example of genuine living.
“True guilt is guilt at the obligation one owes to oneself to be oneself. False guilt is guilt felt at not being what other people feel one ought to be.” (R. D. Laing)
I’ve since taken steps to balance the Universe’s “books.” And I’m doing that with great gratitude. I appreciate that I’m given the insight to see what I did and that I have the choice to answer that faint inner voice in the affirmative. In the words of author Marge Kennedy: “Hard though it may be to accept, remember that guilt is sometimes a friendly internal voice reminding you that you’re messing up.”
Messed up. My bad.
*“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
-Patanjali
Join us on Chi For Yourself as we talk about procrastination with guest Sam Bennett. She’s the author of Get it Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day.
Sam Bennett
Can you really be successful in just 15 minutes a day? Sam says “Absolutely! I’ve had clients finish their graduate thesis, complete oil paintings, make jewelry, cut albums, create voice over demos, lose weight, reconnect with their sexuality and even write a novel. It’s absolutely astonishing how much a person can accomplish in just 15 minutes, and especially when you put in 15 minutes every day for a week, a month, six months, or even several years. Small, consistent effort can bring jaw-dropping results.”
The interview begins on Thursday April 9th at 1pm Pacific, 4pm Eastern time. You’ll find it at chiforyourself.com’s Start page.
We’re starting off the April Chi For Yourself schedule with a visit by Peter Sklivas, author of THE SECRET OF ENDURING LOVE: Yoga Romance of Damayanti and Nala….it’s a 21st century re-telling of an ancient Vedic tale from India. Peter will talk about Princess Damayanti’s archetypal journey of embracing a life of loving the self, God and the beloved and the true nature of yoga.
Reviewers call it “an original and well-written tale about achieving true love.”
You’ll hear the Peter Sklivas interview on Chi For Yourself on Thursday April 3rd at Noon Pacific, 3pm Eastern on the Start Here page.
The Chi For Yourself guest this week is Jennifer Louden, author of The Life Organizer. Jennifer is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the self-care movement. She’s written fivebooks on well-being and whole living, a national magazine column, and she can say that she sat on Oprah’s couch.
You can hear the interview with Jennifer Louden this Thursday March 6th at 4pm Eastern time, 1pm Pacific at chiforyourself.com.
Article…
Making a (Genuine) Living: Putting Who You Are Into What You Do
I just returned from Central America. I’m considering moving to a home outside my native United States. I am grateful to be able to make surch a trip, and for the reasons I made it. Doing print and audio/video related work allows a person to live just about anywhere in the world while doing the things he or she feels inspired to do. One of the areas of my life where the small “inner voice” becomes my navigator is the type of work I do. I’ve felt this way since I was a small boy, but I’ve learned that what I do and who I am are two distinctly different things. I would advise anyone to make that important separation. And I’ve also felt the satisfaction of knowing that what I’m doing is what I must do- kind of taking a page from Maslow’s idea of Self Actualization.
So many of us feel that to present who we are to the world means to point to our occupation. But society puts different professions on different levels and it’s easy for a person to feel “less than”. Less than for holding what others see as a menial job. Less for being in a not very glamorous position. But history is full of the names of people who have been able to give us their skills and talents while holding down jobs seen as ordinary. Whether you’re in real estate or retail, a business person or a bus driver, your worth is folded into who you are an not what you do for a living.
Doing something that you enjoy and lets you meet your needs while allowing you to live in line with your values will always be more fulfilling that being in a high-status job you dislike. But it’s possible to find happiness in most any line of work. That’s because what you are doing is often not as important as how you you’re doing it. There’s much to be said for a good attitude. Couple that with good intentions and you can turn a so-so working situation into one that fulfills you because of your attitude.
If your efforts are benefiting others you’re adding value to the world. And if you’ve found happiness in your work and you feel that you’re living genuinely while also getting your emotional and physical needs met then you are are adding value to your life. If you’re sweeping streets then be the best street sweeper you can be. Know that you can bring your ability and skill to us no matter what work you do. Choose to be of service and your choice will be a wise one.
It’s called Human Design, and it’s intended to help you to create the outcomes you desire in your relationships and in your life. Hear about it on Chi For Yourself with guest: Chetan Parkyn.
Learn about Human Design when we bring back a previously aired Chi For Yourself episode- today at 1pm Eastern..10am Pacific Time
Click on the BlogTalkRadio logo to hear the show..
If you logged on to chiforyourself.com for the Meagan McCrary interview on January 9th you noticed that there was no Google+ Hangouts on the Start page. I’ve been doing test posts on Hangouts and I believe the problem in getting our embed code has been worked out. I’ll have more to say in a future post about who our next guest will be. If you have yet to hear the interview you can get caught up here…
Meagan McCrary
It seems that everyone, from athletes to celebrities to high-powered executives and politicians to stay-at-home moms and college students, is practicing yoga. Our Chi For Yourself guest has put together an encyclopedia of different yoga styles as a reference for those new to yoga and experienced yogis and teachers alike. But Meagan McCrary’s approach digs deeper than the physical descriptions of the practices to include everything from a style’s philosophical foundation and teaching methodology to what-to-expect and health benefits. Meagan is a certified yoga instructor and freelance writer. Her teaching path has been greatly influenced by Anusara yoga founder John Friend as well as Noah Mazé, Elena Brower, and Martin and Jordan Kirk. Her yoga, wellness, and lifestyle writings are widely featured in print and online in publications including Elephant Journal, GaiamLife, and Glo.Meagan McCrary is the author of Pick Your Yoga Practice: Exploring and Understanding Different Types of Yoga.
Travelers Today- Hot Yoga, a growing trend among exercise aficionados, is an experience that opens your mind to the spiritual and the disgusting. Share This Story.
Sara Bock – Restorative Yoga Postures. The holiday season, from Thanksgiving through New Years, can be a time of great joy, family gatherings, feasting, and fun.
Leslie – James Allen said “ As a man thinketh so he is.” As we speak so we are.” Affirmations and positive self talk are key to affirming the direction you want to …
Article..
Law of Attraction: New Years Resolutions that Create Effective Change
Make resolutions that are more about how you want to be – how you want to relate to the world – than about specific changes in behavior. They should be spiritual goals. Changes in behavior don’t last unless preceded by a change in consciousness. New Years Resolutions, to be effective, must be about changing our consciousness to be receptive to our desires.
Let your resolutions take the form of affirmations. That way you can say them or sing them or chant them to yourself, have fun with them, and remind yourself of the energy you are stepping in to.
One of my resolutions is the same as last year: to know that “I have multiple sources of passive income that support me lavishly.” This one is in wonderful unfoldment. I developed a product this year that is doing better than I expected and I have a lot of ideas to create in the future. I’m even hiring a virtual assistant to help me. This is so much fun! My work this year is to appreciate what I have while expecting more to come.
My second affirmation is that “I consciously, constantly practice the presence of Spirit within me.” This one is huge. It encompasses just about every spiritual goal I have and it influences every part of my life and my behavior. It says I am always aware that Spirit is my Source – so there can be no lack or limitation. It says that Spirit is always present and acting in my life – kind of like having an imaginary friend, except its not imaginary – more like an invisible friend beside me (or in me) at all times. It says I am always allowing Spirit to express through me – so I am non-judgmental. I speak kindly – even when aggravated. It causes me to allow my good to flow to me – to keep the channel open for the flow of love and energy and inspiration and comfort. This affirmation keeps me healthy because where Spirit is there is only vitality, ease and health.
A few years ago one of my resolutions was to more often find thoughts that feel good and do more things that I enjoy. This year my affirmation is to “Love myself”. Similar, but broader this year. As I love myself I bring to me all things that are loving. That means bubble baths, and fresh flowers; satellite radio and laughter; friends who brighten my light not diminish me; and it means appreciating myself, encouraging myself, and saying kind words to me. The only relationship we really want is between self and SELF. And that self love is the key to allowing. Self love leads to feeling deserving which leads to more allowing. Self love also lets us feel a little bit of the vast and endless love that Spirit has for us. I want a taste of that this coming year!
Copyright 2005 All rights reserved.
Lorna maintains an international Law of Attraction Coaching practice. From time to time she has openings for new clients. If you would like some help in consciously using the law of attraction in your life with ease, visit her website: http://www.transform-u.com.
We’re off to the resolution races- lose 20 pounds..move to a nicer address..take that tropical vacation.
May I suggest some inward inspection to start the new year? Ask yourself:
What is happening in my life?
How is my health?
How is/are my relationship(s)? Really, how are they?
How are my finances? Do I enjoy my work?
Just a few ideas to take care of the inner self so that the outer results might be more satisfying.
Happy New Year!
Don’t’ forget that we’ll be launching another year of first run Chi For Yourself episodes on January 9th. Our guest on that day will be Meagan McCrary. Meagan is a Los Angeles based freelance writer and yoga teacher who has worked one-on-one with some of the entertainment industry’s leading professionals. Millions of us practice yoga, but what kind is best? We’ll “pose” the questions to Meagan at 1pm Pacific..4pm Eastern time. You’ll be able to hear the interview live on the Start page of chiforyourself.com.
Meagan McCrary
And finally, we say goodbye to 2013 with a heartfelt thanks to the guests whose Conscious Talk helped to keep us on course toward genuine living! If you missed any of the shows you can catch up here..
Buddha
Make resolutions that are more about how you want to be – how you want to relate to the world – than about specific changes in behavior. They should be spiritual goals. Changes in behavior don’t last unless preceded by a change in consciousness. New Years Resolutions, to be effective, must be about changing our consciousness to be receptive to our desires.
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