Tag Archive for serenity

Happy Days- When Will They Be Here Again?

September 16, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

The subject of happiness, how to land it and how to keep it has been taking a front seat in many major magazines and news periodicals recently. Figures show that the US currently ranks 23rd on a list of happiest countries despite all its apparent wealth and freedom. What gives? Our guest on this week’s Chi For Yourself says there’s a difference between the usual Western concept of happiness and the experience of deep contentment and joy. Dr. Thomas Bien is a leader in the field of mindful psychology and conducts workshops on mindfulness and meditation. He is also the author of numerous scientific articles and book chapters on spirituality and addiction.

picture of thomas bien

Thomas Bien

 

Thomas Bien is the author of The Buddah’s Way of Happiness: Healing Sorrow, Transforming Negative Emotion, and Finding Well-Being in the Present. The interview is scheduled for Thursday September 19th, at 4pm Eastern, 1pm Pacific on chiforyourself.com.

 

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Article:

 

How to Live Consciously and Attract Happiness

By 

Expert Author Emily A Rider

Do you live each day consciously or unconsciously? We would all like to think that we are conscious during our waking hours; that we are consciously making decisions, consciously choosing how we act, react, speak, listen, and think. But do you know that in order to be conscious you must be aware of your Self? Do you know who you are? Are you living out who you truly are? Take a moment to think this over, and continue reading on…

Now that you’ve taken a moment to consider how your actions reflect your inner Self, did you come to the conclusion that how you live just may not be who you really are? You may become angry or frustrated from experiencing certain circumstances, but anger and frustration is not what is composed of your Self. All those molecules and compounds that make up your body, mind, and soul are certainly not angry or hostile ones. This you must realize. So why is it you express every emotion within the spectrum of human emotions? Do you choose to? Or is it a reaction?

If you stop before each thought and action to give yourself time to decide first, you begin to live consciously. If you do not let yourself decide, you defer to reaction: you go into autopilot mode and act or think in terms of your strongest emotion (anger, fear, sadness, etc.) since it is what has taken over. This is how you allow your ego (your mind) to take over and take control away from your real Self (your soul). This does you no good because this is what living unconsciously is. If you are not consciously making a decision, then you are unconsciously and mindlessly reacting. Your ego is not YOU. If you believe there is a difference between your physical body, your mental mind, and your spiritual soul, then you must take into consideration each of their downfalls and learn how to allow your soul to shine through with everything you do.

Do you notice how sometimes after a typical reaction, you may feel a little remorse? Perhaps it really wasn’t very necessary to tell off that waitress who got your order wrong for the second time, or speaking rudely back to that customer service representative who was just trying to do his job.

Life can be hard; it can get frustrating no doubt about it, but it doesn’t mean we need to project negativity right back at it. This does nothing for us.

How can we begin to live consciously? Here is the secret: right now, close your eyes and find the greatest feeling you have ever felt: such as the immense love you have for your child(ren), or that time when you were the most in love with a partner. Pinpoint that highest note of all your experiences. Feel that fulfilling joy and let it linger until your whole being is saturated with it. Hold onto this…

Love is the purest thought, emotion, and experience a soul can choose to live out. Yes, choose! We can choose to think, act, and live the rest of our lives with love being the core of it all; the seed that grows our human experiences; the cell that divides exponentially. We have this awesome Godly power because we are all God.

Now take this feeling that you have just re-experienced within your Self. Take it with you every morning when you get out of bed; take it with you to work or school; take it with you when you go out with your friends; take it home to your family; and take it to bed at night. This ultimate essence is what you will base all of your thoughts and actions on (notice I did not say reactions!). You will re-experience this each time you are confronted with a problem, a situation, a confrontation. Then, after some practice, you will call upon this beautiful part of you every time you think a thought, speak a word, and take an action. Love will be the root of everything you do. Your ultimate goal is to be who you really are, and who you really are, is love. Love is what creates us, the universe, and everything in between. We attract what we project out. So project out only love!

The funny part about this is that in order to know your Self (love), you must also know and have experienced love’s complete opposite: fear. If love attracts like things, fear deflects the same way. So we know fear because we act on it. We make decisions based on fear. We fear our boss, we fear not having money, we fear rejection, and we fear physical pain and death. We know this because we end up reacting out of fear everyday for many of us.

So turn it around. Turn our fear into love. When we stop fearing, we end anger and frustration. We stop feeling like we need to take those negative feeling hostage, only to release them out onto others. We can begin to fill those empty places with much needed love. Fill your life with more of YOU by bringing consciousness into all you do. Love is all there for us to use. So take it. Take it and run with it.

It will not be easy. You have to practice and practice until it becomes second nature to you. It will require intention on your part, which requires energy. If you invest in this, the universe will invest in you.

Love before and after you think or do and your life will evolve. I promise.

Emily A. Rider invites you to browse more great articles she has written about living a more spiritual life at http://www.higherspiritualliving.com. This site contains may topics from meditation to evidence-based research; from spiritual cleansing to the paradigm shift the U.S. is currently beginning. Come gain knowledge and new perspectives on living spiritually now at http://www.higherspiritualliving.com

JohnK 9/16/2013

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Upcoming Shows, No-Shows, and a Zen State of Mind

August 5, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Well, there we were- all dressed up and nowhere to go! Thursday’s planned interview stream with Cynthia Gill did not come off as scheduled, apparently due to some scheduling confusion. So, I’ve put in the request to Cynthia’s publisher to re-schedule, preferably in mid or late August. Cynthia is the co-author of Jump Starting Boys. The book gives parents a thorough look into possible reasons why their lads are struggling in school. She includes case histories, take-action checklists, and helpful tips.

On this week’s Chi For Yourself you’ll hear the interview with Brad Warner, Zen monk and author of There is No God and He is Always With You. During our discussion we touched on the God-or-no God question and a number of others. The show will air on BlogTalkRadio.com on Friday, August 9th at 1pm Eastern, 10am Pacific.

 

Ponderous, man! Consider this from speakingtree.in-

The breath, the body, the name, all the forms and shapes in the universe, “It’s all the same  like branches of a tree just as one goes deeper and deeper one becomes aware of the fact that the self is consciousness and diversity is a mere mirage. The one who realizes the consciousness is the true self he shall be free from experiencing the mirage as reality..Read the article.

and on a related note, from the New Indian Express:

This whole world reveals the true consciousness within, like the waves rising in the ocean. Knowing that you are this essence, without a doubt, be that form of consciousness without any quivering attachment to the world of movement, names and forms. Read the article…

 

Tony Burroughs reminded us that we can design our day, not to mention our lives. Manifesting is his thing, and it can be yours, too. This week a guest offering from Alan Charter and his own thoughts on getting what you want for your life..

How To Let All The Prosperity You Want Come Into Your Life

 

by Alan Charter

watching the rainbowIn this article you will find solid self-help advice to assist you in working through your problems and attaining the level of success that you desire. The techniques presented here will train you to hone in on potential problems before they get out of hand and negatively impact your life. The tips are simple yet effective.

To achieve successful personal development you need to do more than just set goals. You should visualize them, too. How will it feel when you achieve them? What will the experience be like? This visualization process will motivate you by making your goals seem more tangible. It is also a process you can repeat as often as needed to restore your enthusiasm.

When suffering from a lack of confidence, you should try to engage in physical exercise or a type of sport on a regular basis. Not only will this improve your body shape and therefore your confidence in your looks, exercise releases endorphins which stimulate the mind and body to a natural high.

Always try to present yourself in a positive light. While you should not worry so much about what someone thinks of you, if you need to promote yourself, you do have to be understood. Just do well to be yourself so that you don’t paint a false persona for people just to get their business.

Remember that regardless of the few or the many things you are wishing to improve yourself and your life, you have natural talents that others do not. Capitalize on these talents and abilities as they can bring you to new level or even act as a stepping stone for a new career path or business venture.

Celebrate your successes as you work through your personal development plan to keep you engaged and excited about the process. Do not focus so much on the end result that you fail to recognize the steps you take to get there. Personal development and growth can sometimes be difficult, and acknowledging the small successes along the way keeps you motivated.

One key tip to self-help success is to start by choosing small goals. Whatever part of your life you are trying to improve, it will be much harder if you try and tackle the problem head on. Rather, start setting up small goals you can easily achieve, and this will motivate you to continue on.

Keep flashcards in your pocket! Yes, flashcards are an old fashioned approach to learning but they are also a proven approach. Make miniature flashcards in the desired subject matter and pull them out when you are waiting at the doctor’s office, riding the subway or in any other situation where you have time on your hands.

This article offered advice with respect to seeking Self-help . Many people, for many different reasons at different points in their lives seek help. Each situation and solution to each problem is different. By reading this article you will have the information to get the help that you need when you need it.

About the Author:

 

Grab this free video of strategy training to learn how to eliminate self-limiting beliefs and understand the secrets of prosperity consciousness. Only limited seats are available. Check this out for more useful information on how to make your dreams reality.

 

JohnK 8-5-2013

chiforyourself.com home page
 

 

What’s Going On Here? Manifesting, Law of Attraction, and Other Fun Stuff

July 1, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Before we get into today’s heart of today’s matters I want to give you a link to last week’s re-airing of the E. Dee Conrad 2010 interview. E. Dee talked with us from her home in Dubai..say what?? Dubai? That’s right. She folded up her successful life in the U.S. and moved to the United Arab Emirates to go in a completely different direction. I love stories of folks who leave everything they’ve known and set out on a new (risky?) life adventure. Did the same myself a few years ago..Listen to the show here:

 

                                             Listen to internet radio with GioHost on BlogTalkRadio

Picture of Tony BurroughsSpeaking of the show, our scheduled Chi For Yourself guest on July 25th will be Tony Burroughs, author of Get What You Want: The Art of Making and Manifesting Your Intentions. He’ll talk about manifesting and he’ll share an interesting personal story of the kind I like to feature on CFY. I plan to put it on the CFY home page as a Google+ Hangout On air.

 

 

 

Picture of Brad WarnerAnd..this just in- as radio news folks sometimes say- I found out just minutes ago that  Brad Warner will be a guest on Chi For Yourself on July 11th.  Brad is a Zen priest, filmmaker, blogger and the author of There Is No God and He’s Always With You. No, it’s not a typo. That’s the name of the book and he explains the title in that cool head-scratching way that only the “Zens” can.

 

 

 

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Now, time to take yet another look at The Law of Attraction. For some reason today must be LOA day because I’m hearing or reading about it at every turn. I was listening to the radio today and I heard a guy make reference to LOA as part of that “New Age Stuff”…his answer to manifesting is good old fashioned hard work and sweat.

A few minutes later, again on the radio, I heard an interview host say that ‘if you don’t  change your thoughts and keep on doing what you’re doing you’ll keep getting what your getting.’ Sounds like Law of Attraction to me!

Here are a couple of more views…see what you think. This is from The Self Help Hipster:

 
The Law of Attraction: An Analysis.
 
My preaching of the Law of Attraction and manifesting has always been accompagnied by disclaimers and a message of common sense/reality. At least, I hope so. I know I run a total positivity-for-president website, but still. I hope you noticed.
In case you hadn’t, let’s take a trip down memory lane..Continue reading..

 
….and, this from examiner.com:
 
Getting what you want through the law of attraction
 
We’ve all heard about the Law of Attraction and how it can help us get the love we desire, job we want and that new car. But, how many people have you ever talked to that put it into use? Not many people seem to actually put it to use. Continue reading..
 
Hmmm. I may do a poll about the effectiveness of the Law of Attraction. More on that later.

Be well..

JohnK 7-1-2013
chiforyourself.com home page

Notes to Start The Week June 24th, 2013

June 24, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments
I’m planning to bring back an encore episode of Chi For Yourself this week, possibly the interview of several years ago with E Dee Conrad. The older shows tend to be shorter than the more recent programs. If you’ve followed CFY since the early days you know that interview lengths were sometimes as short as 7 minutes!

 

A new, Southern California-based start-up magazine on health and healing has approached Chi For Yourself about possibly doing print versions of the interviews heard on our show. I like the idea a lot and I’m going to do all I can to make this happen..

 

…been reading a new book on manifesting by Tony Burroughs. I’m going to see about getting Tony on the show. His approach to bringing abundance into our lives is worth hearing, as is his personal story.

Chi For Yourself is a big proponent of meditation…no secret to be sure. We’ve had  the great pleasure hearing from some of today’s best voices on the practice on our show. My questioning to our guests often includes how much meditation time is enough time. This article from the White Hindu gives you one approach to a ‘compact contemplation’:

Meditation in Minutes: Does One Minute of Meditation Make a Difference?
Patheos (blog)
Last week I did my own meditation challenge. For me, I know I want to be meditating, but there’s always something else to be doing. Taking twenty to thirty minutes once or twice a day seems like such a small commitment, yet in practice it feels …

 

We’ll wrap up this post with a word about Yoga…actually about 450 words. Guest blogger Larry Cewtly has    some thoughts on Yoga’s body/mind benefits. And don’t forget to check out the Chi For Yourself Yoga page. You’ll find a video you can use for your own workout and some notes from the Yoga community..

 

Yoga Can Help Heal Your Body And Mind

 

by Larry Cewtly

Picture of yoga on beachIf you would like your body to be calm, you must consider yoga. This type of workout does not only exercise your body, but also relaxes your mind and soul. If you’d like to try this exercise, begin by looking for a local facility. Opt for a teacher with considerable experience so that you can execute the workout correctly and keep away from injuries.

You could find several types of yoga. It could take some time for you to identify which type is most suitable for you. Beginners are advised to participate in a few classes for different types of yoga. It can help you identify the type of yoga that’s ideal for you.

There are several other things that you need to look into when choosing a yoga teacher. They should not just have plenty of experience, but should also be trained properly so that they can do the same thing to you. A properly trained instructor keeps you far from injuries and prioritizes your safety before everything else. Yoga is something that will enhance your strength, flexibility and enable you to grow spiritually. Then again, it won’t happen when you’ve got injuries.

Locating the best yoga facility near you is easy, and you simply have to look at the years that it has been operating along with reviews that it has received. There’s a likelihood that you will have to take a look at a number of studios before you finally come to a decision. So make sure you spend time in checking out the studios in your area. You’ll be happy you spent the time to find the best yoga studio.

What is important about yoga is ensuring you do each and every stretch and exercise appropriately to avoid injury. You could harm your body if you do not hold poses and stretch properly. This is one of the main factors we suggest that you start with a trained yoga instructor, to allow them to explain to you the easiest method to do each and every stretch.

The most effective ways to get a yoga teacher near you is to go online and browse in Google. You’ll also see the various yoga studios in your area as well as studios that grant special discounts to new members. You don’t have to get stuck with a single studio. You can try several studios until you locate the one which is best for you.

As you check out different studios, be sure to identify which amongst these facilities make you feel comfy and provides the type of yoga that you like. As there are various types of yoga you will need to find the one is perfect for you.

About the Author:
If you want even more info on yoga in Napa Valley, then check out this video on gentle yoga in Napa Valley for your body.

 

 

 

Image for overheard

Overheard

 

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”

                                                                                                      ~B.K.S. Iyengar
 

 

JohnK 6/24/2013

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The Fathering Kind- A Look at Today’s Fathers and Their Effect on Human Development

June 16, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads!!

…the role of dad is undergoing a lot of change. With that in mind we offer this article from counselor Susan Leigh, who looks at a number of father figures. Chi For Yourself sends love and gratitude to them all.

Celebrate Fathers on Fathers Day

 

By

Expert Author Susan Leigh

Men often give themselves a hard time. They often expect themselves to be strong, masterful providers, to work long hours, be successful in their careers, whilst at the same time being loving, sensitive partners and fathers, keen and enthusiastic about sharing and spending time with their families. Let’s take some time this weekend to stop and celebrate fathers on Fathers Day.

For many of us there are different father figures in our lives apart from the father who gave us our genetic makeup; step fathers, grandfathers, fathers-in-law, as well as other key male role models can play a significant part in influencing our opinion of men and our expectations from male relationships in the future. School teachers, neighbours, the fathers of friends all have the potential to affect the way in which we develop and grow and influence our life choices.

Our biological father is for many of us, the most important man in our life, but in some cases he may be cynically regarded as a sperm donor and nothing more. There may be other, far more significant loving, caring and influential male role models in our lives.

A real father provides his family with a feeling of safety and security. He usually earns money with which to support the family, but is also increasingly involved with childcare and parenting duties. Many men are keen to care for their children, play with them and be involved in their lives. The days of the hardly present father, a somewhat stern, distant, disciplinarian figure are thankfully waning. Many men want to be hands on fathers, playing and being involved, getting to know their children and having a good relationship with them as they develop and grow.

Grandfathers play an increasingly important part in many children’s lives. With the high incidence of divorce many single parents rely heavily on the support of friends and family to help with childcare. A loving grandfather can be an important male role model in a young child’s formative years, providing love, guidance and advice as well as a constant source of stability. Having a caring, wise male family member readily available can be a source of comfort for a child. They can trust their secrets, discuss problems and share their worries with a grandfather, things they may not wish to discuss with a parent.

Often a grandfather can provide time for his grandchildren, time that perhaps he was unable to provide for his own children when they were growing up. It is not uncommon for people to say that their father was a dreadful parent but is an amazing, sensitive and caring grandparent. Often a grandfather can see the mistakes he made with his own children and feel privileged at having the opportunity to do a better job and make amends with his grandchildren.

Step fathers form an increasingly important part of many family structures, some families featuring a few father figures over time. Losing the relationship with one’s father and then having to cope with the implications of his departure is devastating particularly if he had a close connection with the children. Tact and sensitivity is required during the transition from both parents, as children need consistency, routine and to feel safe and secure. If a new step father is then to be introduced, taking time to establish the new relationship is important.

Many other role models bring invaluable inspiration and support into a child’s life. An impressive school teacher, foster parent, neighbour can teach so much simply by their attitude, behaviour, demeanour. A simple word or gesture can provide a lasting impression on a developing child. Even role models from literature, film and television can influence how we as children define men and their role in our life and society.

And sometimes we learn from the bad examples too, how we don’t want to be, the negative patterns we are determined not to replicate in our later life with our own children. All these are thoughts we can bring to mind as we celebrate fathers on Fathers Day.

Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples in crisis to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.

For more information see http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Leigh

 

JohnK 6/16/2013

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Hearts and Crafts: Chi For Yourself Guests Will Look at Genuine Living Through Creative Energy

May 7, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

 

Wanted to update you on a couple of guest bookings on upcoming editions of Chi For Yourself:

Picture of Eric MaiselEric Maisel is the author of:  Making Your Creative Mark: Nine Keys to Achieving Your Artistic Goal.  Eric has worked with best-selling authors, and Academy Award winners; teenagers who are just starting out; unrecognized painters, writers, and musicians who bring love and commitment to each new project, despite their lack of marketplace success; and creators in every conceivable set of circumstances. He says  “The human beings who come to me not only want to create or perform, but they also hope to do good work that is desired and respected. So much stands in the way of their realizing their dreams, goals, and ambitions!”

If you’ve been less than confident in bringing out your own artistic urge be with us for this interview. The recorded version will air on Friday, May 17th on Blog Talk Radio and our other audio hosts. But, visitors to chiforyourself.com and blog subscribers who’ve opted in via email can be with us on Thursday, May 16th at 1pm Pacific time. The interview will stream on Google+ Hangouts and you can watch on the home page.

 

Then, in June we’ll hear from Maggie Oman Shannon. 

Picture of Maggie Oman Shannon

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie Oman Shannon says stopping to smell the roses is good for us, and that you can literally “craft the crazy away” through beading and crocheting, candle-making, and collaging. In her book Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation, Maggie Shannon explores crafts and creativity as a spiritual practice that provides enormous benefits. We’ll look at making mindfulness through such projects as making a desktop shrine or mini-Zen garden, to stringing intention beads and painting personal prayer flags, 

The recorded show will air on Blog Talk Radio Friday June 14th..but you can be with us on Thursday June 13th at 1pm Pacific time for the live session. Again we’ll stream the interview on chiforyourself.com.

That’s it for now..be well!

 

JohnK  5/7/2013

chiforyourself.com home

 

 

 

Slacks, Ties, and Video Tapes: Out with Your Clutter and In With the Good Chi!

April 15, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Problems with our BlogTalkRadio post caused the Tammy Strobel interview to be pushed back to Saturday April 13th. We saw a similar snafu with the previous week’s Polly Campbell interview. It’s rare when we have these types of snags, but we’re caught up now. If you didn’t get to hear the shows you can catch them here:

 

Polly Campbell is the author of Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People

Picture of Polly Campbell

Polly Campbell

 

Tammy Strobel is the author of You Can Buy Happiness (and it’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too.

Picture of Tammy Strobel

Tammy Strobel

 


Article:

I’m really getting into this de-clutter “thing”. This week I’ve managed to unload what seems like a lifetime worth of stuff, though there’s still a long way to go.

Excessive clutter can creep into every area of your life, like waiting to do your taxes until the final day (which just happens to be today!) It spills over into your total enjoyment of life. Clutter can steal your attention, be a physical and mental burden, and ratchet up the chaos in your life. Moving out your stuff can seem to be  mission impossible if you don’t have some sort of plan for getting it done. This week I’m “chunking it”- concentrating on small steps each day.

Today I’m starting with the office. There are papers everywhere (research, you know!) Then the computer area. I gotta get to work. I’ll have a report on the office cleanup, and in fact I’ll update ya with posts this week. If I get any brainstorms on how to make this project go a little easier I’ll send them along.

Later

JohnK 4/15/2013

 

Image for overheard

Overheard: “Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter.

                                                        ~Terri Guillemets

 

 

A Barrel Full of Monkey Mind is No Fun- Meditation Can Quiet the Chatter

January 15, 2013 John Uncategorized No comments

Meditation practitionerThere you are, fretting over the state of your relationship, or worrying about an upcoming meeting at the office. Those voices in your head are back. It’s the usual chatter that has no rhyme or reason and keeps you totally confused and without real answers. It’s called the monkey mind, and it leaves you feeling as though you’re spinning in circles.

A good way to counter the frontal lobe free-for-all is to practice meditation. This gives you the chance to counter the noise by moving beyond thought. You can become the noticer- aware of your thoughts rather than thinking them. It sounds like the same thing, but there is a difference. When you notice your thoughts you can allow them to move on by without taking you with them. That calms the feeling of being pulled in so many directions. Concentration is key here. It will let you slow down the thought process and keep your attention on observation of those thoughts.

One method of working your concentration “muscles” is by paying attention to your breath during meditation. When the monkey mind begins its cranial chorus observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath. Breathing meditations differ. Some have you focus and the inhale and exhale and the movement of the abdomen. Others have you concentrate on the sound of the breath. Then there’s focusing on a candle flame as a way of reigning in the mind. Soften your gaze as you notice the color, shape, and movement of the flame, all the while trying not to blink. You can vary this by closing your eyes though you want to keep watching the flame in your mind.

It seems counterproductive when you realize that quieting your mind for meditation actually provides fertile soil for the mind chatter to take hold. Just remember to be kind to yourself and don’t give up. Meditation is often called “practice”, and continued practice will help you keep monkey mind to a minimum.

JohnK 1-15-2013

 

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