Archive for applied spirituality
finding community: you don’t have to be alone
Posted by: | CommentsHello Everyone,
I was watching the movie, The Beaver, with Mel Gibson and Jodi Foster. If you haven’t seen it, do. This is not going to be a film review. It was simply the catalyst for my epiphany…which didn’t come until the very last part of the movie with the phrase, “You don’t have to be alone.”
This was a big one for me. All too often we think we have to be alone whilst we do this “spiritual” work and inner growth.
After the movie, I went for a walk under the night skies with all the stars twinkling at me whilst I pondered this, because I could FEEL its importance to me. I thought about how we, as humanoids, are conditioned as we grow up. We are told to leave the best parts of us at home. Don’t be too exuberant. Don’t shine too brightly. Be who we want you to be; not who you are….you get the drift. Well after enough of this, we either distance ourselves from others (physically) or we put a big armor around our hearts so they can’t hurt us anymore. Most likely we do both. This is how the ego mind endeavors to ‘protect’ us; and this is the very stuff that we have to dismantle as we choose to awaken and become more fully ourSelf. This is the ordinary heroes journey stuff.
I personally distanced myself from the rest of humanity. I moved into the back country up in the mountains where I could feel unmolested by the world. Not a bad move nor a wrong move, just what I did. However, I took it to the extreme. I moved even further away from ‘the things of man’ until one night in Nye, Montana I realized that I could turn 360 degrees and not see one light…and more significantly, I felt excruciatingly lonely.
So I moved back to San Diego. However, the “protective” armor I now used was in by way of keeping people at a distance – emotionally. Not too close! That’s far enough! I picked relationships that were long distance and which appeared to give me my “freedom”. I declined to say how I felt in a relationship, not telling my truth. I kept the gap wide and broad even though I was physically present. A good start to moving back into civilization, but obviously I had much more unlayering to do before I was ready for community.
Then 2 years ago I decided to leave the back country and move to Ohio – to a city. Holy smokes! However, the Universe is benevolent and gave me a home facing a wild preserve so that I could feel like I was in the country, although I am definitely in the midst of an urban setting. After awhile I could “see” that I was still isolating myself. All around me people were engaged in life, and I was spending most of my days either alone or in anonymity.
It’s been a herky jerky kind of motion re-entering community. The watching The Beaver, I put it together for myself. I write this because I know I’m not the only one who has tried isolation as a means of getting though life. It doesn’t work well for a being of Love.
It works for awhile, until you can sort out what is yours and what is theirs. It works when you really need to be alone with your own Voice. It does not work as a way of life. It’s unbalanced for beings who are Love, who are Source Energy and who came to play with each other on the planet, which is each and everyone of us.
So here’s what I recommend as a recovering Light Being isolationist :
1. Carve into your daily practice time to be alone with yourSelf. Make some part of each day your special quiet time with just You. Honor that and never give it up – for anyone. Perhaps it’s an hour in the morning or a couple of hours in the evening, but devote that time to You, for You, with You selfishly. If you’d done this in the first place, you’d never have had to choose isolation in the first place.
2. Find community. This is not as hard as you might think. It doesn’t mean settling for any consciousness that comes down the pike. It is rather consciously choosing to become engaged in something that you enjoy that get’s you out from in front of the television or the computer and into face to face real interactions. Maybe you work at Starbucks instead of alone at home. Perhaps you join a writers group, or a photography club, a book club, a bowling league. It doesn’t matter what you join, as long as it is SOMETHING YOU LOVE or it seems interesting or intriguing to you. It must feel Good. That’s the only guideline. Go!
3. As you choose friends and they you, be honest about who you are and what you’re up to. You have to be vulnerable. Tell these friends as far as you know about yourself..your dreams, hopes, aspirations and what you’re ‘working on’ within yourself. You tell them you’re enlisting cheerleaders for yourself. You don’t expect them to do your inner work for you; but they can lift you up, dust you off, and remind you of Who You Are and What You Are Up To when you forget. And of course, you must be up to doing the same for them.
4. Play with these people. By ‘play’ I mean exchange the flow of Source Energy with them, much like a game of catch. It takes a pitcher and a catcher to complete the equation of Love. These exchanges look like and sound like encouragement, great conversation, laughter, jokes, fun, affection, caring, kindness, and outright support as in, “I believe in you and I hold the space for you.” They are your spiritual community. They can be online; or they can be right next door as I found.
Years ago a friend gave me a little slogan which said, “People of the same family rarely grow up in the same household.”
That’s the funny thing about a spiritual path. You learn that Love is matter of the heart, a feeling place and it can be found anywhere – in your birth family, online clear across the globe or right in your neighborhood.
Oh, one more thing. Don’t try to make everyone you meet your “spiritual family”. Let the Law of Attraction bring them to you at just the right moment; but in the meantime, get out there and play with humanity and have fun. You do not have to be alone.
Go on now! Get out there and smile at someone! Take that first little step. It’s a new adventure in your continuing expansion. The real fun of it is that you never know what gift is right there in front of you until you see it.
eliminate “is”; improve possibility thinking
Posted by: | CommentsHello Everyone,
Recently I began a program of brain muscle exercises. The point? To start using the incredible power of my brain by focusing consciously in more effective ways, of course. Just like doing curls to build the biceps, we can do exercises to build the brain for greater skill, flexibility and possibility thinking.
Oddly the first exercise describes eliminating the use of the word “IS” from language to encourage the brain to search for other possibilities. The instructions outline doing this for one hour a day for the first week, 2 hours a day the second week, 3 hours a day the third week and 4 hours a day the fourth week. Additionally you can practice this new skill by writing as well as language. I’m finding it helpful to do both. You’ll notice that I am doing it in this post except for the word “is” in describing the exercise.
Eliminating the word “is” takes the “absolute” out of what “is”…and expands the mind into possibility thinking, sending it searching for “more”. I’ve only been doing this for a few days, but I can tell you that I am find it challenging.
For example, instead of saying, “The car is blue.”You might rephrase it and say, “The car appears blue in the daylight.”
When we refrain from assigning absolutes values to things, we use our conscious mind to reprogram the unconscious mind so it has to acknowledge that there are other possibilities. Our minds become more receptive to new ideas and ways of thinking. We become innovative, more flexible and engage our creativity.
I would love it if you would do this exercise along with me for a month. If you are game, you have to do the exercises daily as outline above which means you need to consciously pay attention to what you’re saying in a very focused manner during that time. I found it helpful to confide in others who seemed eager to join in the game.
On a neurological level we are encouraging new neuropathways (new habits of thought) and increased communications between the left and right brain. The right brain is conceptual; the left literal to over simplify. For a really wonderful story about what lies in store for us in the right brain, read Jill Bolte Taylor’s book, My Stroke of Insight.
One last item. Click here to read in greater depth the idea behind this exercise.
And if you haven’t heard Dr. Taylor’s talk at Ted.com…please enjoy it right now and be inspired. Your brain, your focus of Source Energy to be the Creator of your reality intentionally. Use it or loose it.
how you create your reality (the science version)
Posted by: | CommentsHello Everyone,
This is such a fabulous time where philosophy and religion are coming
together with the science.I just keep getting supported by my science friends.
Last week Nassim Haramein, a physicist and today a video interview with
Dr. Joe Dispenzsa.You might remember him from the film, What the Bleep Do We Know?
I wanted to share this video with you, to give you a clearer idea of the changes
that are happening; what you are attempting when you do your inner work and
become a master of your thoughts. (And if you haven’t gotten started, now’s the time.
The Earthling’s Quick Start Guide is the place to start with it’s online course.)
Tell me how you’re doing with the course and where you need help. I’ve got a ton
of techniques to get you moving, unstuck and moving forward to the life you imagine.
love, Kath
ancient wisdom; modern ignorance
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Photo by Stephen Ferry
A friend sent me the link to the movie of the Kogi people living in Norther Columbia in the Sierra Nevada.
I highly encourage you to view the entire video; it is a well spent 53 minutes. The Kogi have separated themselves from the rest of the world for over 1000 years, holding the space of Well Being. They have found their wisdom and knowledge by direct education from the Infinite Intelligence. Whilst they appear to use simplistic language, they have a very profound understanding of Energy – obviously understanding it much more clearly than we moderns do.
What they simply know that we have forgotten is our natural place within the Universe. They understand that everything was created in perfect harmony and with equal access to Source Energy – equal honored place within the scheme of everything. Everything important, equally and in balance. We, however, have forgotten that we are another species of creature on planet earth. We are no more or less as homo saepiens. We can be crushed by tornado, tsunami, fire, or quake just as the other creatures and plants. We can be in harmony with All That Is, or not…and alas, we are not because we have forgotten that we are natural creatures, too. We have forgotten that we have access to Infinite Intelligenc – that we are integral to the Plan. We are included in the Plan; we are contained within the Plan; and we are subject to It’s Laws. That which causes the sun to come up every morning; the planets to remain in their orbits; the food you eat to become new cells is the ground of Intelligence, the basis of Well Being that Is from the beginning. It is the matrix of Life.
Every time we kill a snake; smash an ant, or remove the autumn leaves without regard to the natural process, we interrupt the balance of Well Being. But Well Being, the Natural Order of things will prevail no matter what we do. We, as a species, will simply be burped off the planet unless we grow and change in harmony with Universal Laws.The Earth will continue; it is the failed species that will disappear unless we adapt.
If I could teach one thing, it would be to remind everyone of their natural and rightful place within the scheme of Life. You belong, you are included, you are natural creature just as the snake, frog and tree. You are cared for and loved beyond measure; it was set up that way from the beginning. Everything you fear has no basis; for Well Being is the basis of you, the basis of this world, the basis of this Universe. It was set up, wired up, connected perfectly from inception.
I would encourage you to go out into nature and reclaim your place within it in your own mind, within your own consciousness. As you study nature you will come to understand the perfection of everything and that there is a way to be within nature that is with ease. That way is first in your mind, letting go of all fear and coming to your Oneness with the elegance of All That Is. Once you understand this and have expanded your human mind into the Mind of All That Is, you will fear nothing again. You will understand that as the lily in the field, you are loved and cared for personally.
The words are not just words, they require an integrated understanding which your Soul already knows. This is the spiritual journey; this is the Ordinary Heroes Journey: dispelling your fears and becoming Who You Really Are in your modern physical life. We are charged with expanding our limited human mind consciousness into the Mind of God and living that Reality on earth. This is not religion; this is the spiritual journey of expanding the human mind into the consciousness of Well Being. It is Applied Spirituality.
It requires that each of us do the work individually. Get started now.
a hero’s journey: your real life
Posted by: | CommentsGood Morning Everyone!
Everyone on the Hero's Journey
I’ve been busy discovering something new. Well, not exactly new, but certainly a revelation to me. Let me explain. Recently I embarked on an online marketing course. It is taught by really neat guy, Jeff Walker - an ordinary guy following his bliss. How his course came to my attention is known only to the Law of Attraction. But something told me to purchase it and take the course. Naturally my human brain thought the value to me would be the marketing knowledge I would gain. Not. I love how this works, it looks one way, but it’s really something else which is always about the Soul’s Journey of expansion. Anyway, he was talking about writing copy in terms of the “hero’s journey”. In that moment a shiver ran though me which is ALWAYS a sign for me to listen up. What the heck was this thing known as the hero’s journey?
I Googled around and easily found references to Joseph Campbell and his definitive work. How I got this far in life and never heard of this “journey”, well, I’ll never know. Of course I’d heard of “follow your bliss”…hasn’t everyone? Nonetheless I started reading the 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey. Suddenly I realized that I was on the Hero’s Journey. Holy Smoke! Then I realized that so was everyone else on the planet. We all are! Then I wondered where Applied Spirituality fit into that new view, and soon realized that AS is the very matrix on which the Hero’s Journey is played out; and it also is the means, methods and techniques to keep the hero moving forward on his/her path. Ta Da! Major Happy Dance!
Laugh with me, will you? I mean I have literally not been able to see the forest for the trees for about 25 years. I just stayed on the path, developing Applied Spirituality through the course of living my life. I thought maybe it would be helpful to you to see your individual live from the 30,000′ level – you know, with some perspective. Wouldn’t it be nice to know when you thought you were hopelessly lost or a failure that you weren’t? Wouldn’t it be comforting to know that in the midst of your most confused or fearful place, that you were just simply at a certain point in your hero’s journey – all perfectly natural, on time, and part of the story? And isn’t it nice to know that Applied Spirituality provides the 30,000′ view right on down to the moment to moment tools and techniques to reorient yourself, choose a tool and move on through to revealing More of Who You Really Are?
I feel like I’ve discovered the wheel! I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have the bigger picture for my entire life. I thought you would too. So I’ve embarked upon a 12 part series using my radio show, A New View of Life to inform us of the stages of the Hero’s Journey. With each segment you’ll learn about that step which helps you see your own life journey with perspective. It also helps us see everyone else we meet on the same journey of Self discovery. We’re all in it together becoming More – bringing the Super Hero of us into this physical reality known as our individual, real world, everyday, ordinary lives.
And now I know what the phrase, ‘Can’t See The Forest for the Trees’ means!It means your so caught up and focused on the details of the drama, you don’t see the bigger picture…the adventure.
Hallelujah!
homo saepiens: another species on earth
Posted by: | CommentsGood Day everyone!
I came across this video from the BBC production of Human Planet. The single most striking thing that came to me is that we, the human species, is just that – another species of creature on planet Earth. And as these documentaries illuminate, we have adapted and continue to adapt to living conditions on Earth. Just as all other species adapt or die, homo sapiens is obliged to do the same. In our terms: we are to reach for what feels better to us. When it is hot, we reach to feel cooler; when we are hungry, we wish for food; when we are poor we wish to be abundant; when we are sad, we wish to be happy. When we are in the dark; we wish to be enlightened. And so it is.
The Universe answers every request from every species all day, everyday as we are all hard-wired into the elegant language of the Universe. We, humans, call this Nature and later when we have discovered just how this is, we call it science. But the earthworm, the amoeba, the fish and fowl, trees and weeds alike are all equally hard-wired into the language of the Universe as well, and their wishes and desires are answered just as ours are. Thus, is the expansion of consciousness and the evolution of life on Earth. They are not separate phenomenon; but interlinked and intertwined one with the other, beautifully in a system of absolute Well Being.
Thanks for reading!
Kath
letting go human mind; finding Awareness
Posted by: | CommentsGood Day Everyone!
human mind says you are this; You are really That
Years ago when I first began my own transformation, I was told to “let go”. I wanted to strangle that person. Certainly, if I knew how to do that I would do it, right? Why would I hang onto something that caused me pain and suffering making happiness impossible? As the years went on, that question loomed bigger and bigger for me. How many times did I ask, “Oh, for Pete’s sake, won’t someone show me how to let go of what was, what is and this old, pitiful story?” I was sick of it; I was sick of recreating it…yet, the way to do that wasn’t clear until NOW.
The years went on and I learned more about human mind: it’s complexity, it’s incessant yammering, it’s falsity. I realized that the human mind was like the tail that wagged the dog. It ruled me and each person I knew. In fact, ego mind ruled the world. We suffer from the biggest illusion – the first illusion – Separation from Source, so therefore, human mind has become our false god.
If we think it, it must be so. If I can think, therefore I am…bosh. Yet, when you’re undertaking to write the opus of how it all works (the Universe, the World and the individual), there are many paths all leading you to the same Truth. After the Buddha wandered the planet suffering and witnessing all the suffering, he finally sat down beneath the Bodi tree and …LET GO. He surrendered. He gave up (his questioning and ego mind). Then it happened. He realized his Oneness – he realized the Presence of Awareness – he realized Who He Really Was.
Sounds like most of us, doesn’t it? Wandering the world, suffering within the drama of the human mind stories we make up about everything. The ego mind is the ultimate master of illusion, which is necessary to play the game on earth. But to be free is to realize you are not the story, the fear, the sickness, the mind – but the Awareness that is funding all the forms.
In walks Lester Levinson in the 1960′s and more recently the Sedona Method via Hale Dwoskin. My years of wandering in the desert to find the answer to my question of how to LET GO are over! You stop resisting it and welcome it in. Then you simply notice that you are not the story, the sensation, or the memory (idea, thought or belief). Then you notice what IS Present…Awareness. Oh sweet relief. Asked and answered!
Allow me to introduce you to Lester who figured all this out. Then we’ll explore the Triple Welcome Method tomorrow.
I want so much for us all to be free from the lie of separation. We are One with our Source, Awareness, always have been and always will be into eternity…and even right here, right now. Remember these…
“Yeah though I walk through the valley….Thou art With ME!” That Me is the Awareness.
“I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?” That I is the Awareness.
“I and my Father are One.” That I is the Awareness.
“I will keep thee in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on ME.” I and Me is the IAM Awareness…You.
Notice today, if you will, that Awareness is breathing you; seeing through you; hearing through you; enlivening you – not your human ego mind.
choose You, first: your gift to the world
Posted by: | CommentsHello Everyone,
Selfishness has gotten a bad rap. However are you going to give anything to anyone if your basket is empty? How are you going to give the world, your family, your job, your kids your Best Self if you haven’t nourished it?
The idea that giving is more blessed than receiving is maybe true; buy only if you think in terms of giving the gift of You to the world. I see so many people stretched beyond their limits, running like the Mad Hatter from job to soccer to home to scouts to home to job to meetings without ever taking a moment to see if their Tank is full or empty. Judging from the rise in healthcare all across America, I am persuaded to believe that most are going through each day with their Energy Tank on Empty.
There’s an Easy Way and a Hard Way to go through life. The hard way is the way most Americans do it; we approach Life through our human mind which is telling us there’s not enough time, money or energy. So we better run harded, work harded, move faster to get it all done, measuring ourselves by what we accomplished throughout the day without taking a Quality reading, ease reading, or love reading.
The Easy Way to go through Life is to open your hose to your Godself allowing in the full flow of Source Energy into every Now Moment, funding each transaction on Earth with Life, Enthusiasm, Energy, Creativity, Joy, and E.A.S.E. You can go through Well or you can go through hard, the choice is entirely up to you. The wonder of doing it the Easy Way is that time bends and expands as you leverage the Power of the Universe. You have Time, You have Energy; You have Efficiency and Effectiveness and Ease, Joy, Love, Abundance. Yes, you can have it all.
How to go through Life in Ease, connected to Source is what Transformational Life Coaching is all about. The reason to participate in Transformational Life Coaching is purely selfish. When you get yourself connected to Source and feel Good, then and only then can you enjoy the life you’re in; and what’s more then and only then can you deliver your Best Self to the world. So to be a blessing on the world, the only sane thing to do is tend to your Connection with Source. Then it really is more blessed to give than receive. This is what Applied Spirituality is, mastery of your Connection with Source. Won’t you join us for Sunday Evening Life Coaching and choose You, first?
Thanks for reading!
Kath
freedom + love = JOY
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Our Founding Fathers
On July 3, my son Judd, married his beloved Kelly at the National Constitution Center in Philly. As you might imagine, it is quite the dramatic venue, dedicated to our Constitution and its signers, our Founding Fathers. Add this to the national holiday weekend, throw in a military wedding and oh, yes, a funeral; well, you have many, many layers of Love present all at the same time.
I was on an emotional roller coaster most of the time choking up over one thing or the other as my heart opened wider and wider, letting go of past and expanding to embrace more and more Love – Daring us each to be more Love. By the by, I wasn’t the only one. Anyone in the vicinity of this wedding was feeling the Power of Love and is forevermore transformed even if just a little.
From the very first when the kids checked into the availability of the National Constitution Center as their venue back in September, 2009 and found July 3 available, somehow we “knew” this was prophetic of something that had the potential of being big, transformative, and profound. Paradoxically, the week long festivities began with a funeral. Kelly’s grandfather, Pop, passed away June 24. Kelly’s birthday was June 25 and Pop and was buried on Monday, June 28. In the spirituality business we soon know to pay close attention when paradox or irony appear -for truth is now available to those who would but see. It was Pop’s idea, I’m sure, to prime the pump and get our hearts opening up. By his returning to Well Being – back into the fullness of Love, he beckoned us to reach into consciousness and follow him to feel the fullness of what he is now.
Peg, Kelly, Francine and Aileen at Geno's, Philly
With our minds now quietened to some degree and our hearts more available, we were pulled forward into the wedding which by now had a life and momentum of its own well established. By we, I mean my new family, the Kelly’s. This family is applied spirituality in application. They immediately and without hesitation or reservation opened their homes and hearts to me. We went to the funeral together, to the fitting of the wedding gown together; we wept together and partied together. I slept in Kelly’s old bedroom, and was even welcomed by their life-long neighbors. I had no idea going to Philly that I would come home with a new family let alone of such heart and quality. I knew my dream of having a daughter was coming true, but little did I understand that my life was expanding to include the entirety of family. How amazing is that? Did I mention the food? Turns out that Philadelphia has it’s own food that one has to try: the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, Tastykakes, and Water Ice to name a few. I tried them all; I delighted in the Water Ice (sort of a cross between gelato and a slushy). Tastykakes are the answer to Twinkies and kinda fun. The Cheese Steak Sandwich was not my cupper with cheeze wiz. But, what the heck, it was so much fun eating it with my new family.
Jarrod and Judd Sing The Power of Love
On Friday evening Judd and Kelly hosted a party at JDMcGillacudy’s on 7th. True to the concept of love including, not excluding, the kids chose to include everyone who had traveled from out of town for the “rehursal dinner”. This was a magical evening of family reunions, karaoke, dancing and of course, more food. Everyone was caught up in the party. One by one, then by twos, threes and even more, people got up and belted out their favorite songs on stage whilst everyone else danced and enjoyed the music. Later in the evening I was surprised to see both my sons doing a duet to “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News and the movie, Back to the Future. Come to think of it, Back to the Future and The Power of Love pretty much describes the whole event vibrationally speaking. It was past; it was present; it was future; it was love of family, country, friends physical and nonphysical. It was gratitude; it was appreciation; it was joy; it was fun; it was delight; it was magical; it was meaningful; it was expansive, inclusive and fulfilled. We were in our Oneness, aligned with Who We Really Are.
On Saturday once the Constitution Center closed, the events people magically transformed the interior for the wedding and reception. Everyone appeared one by one dressed in the finery. Grandparents, parents, friends, cousins, mothers (both Kelly and Judd have two each), fathers and brothers were all there to witness and be immersed in this multi-layered event. The music continued to be the clues to the plethora of vibrations present: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring summoned Love at the beginning, followed by the The Secret Wedding from Braveheart and the recessional to All You Need Is Love as the newlyweds went through the sword arch. Readings were from 1st Corinthians 13, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, and the poem, The Master Speed, by Robert Frost.
Upstairs with the view out to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell the reception commenced. First, there was dancing! No usual order or predictability to this reception. Everyone was bid to join in and did. Later, there were toasts and speeches. Between every course there was more dancing. Everyone danced with everyone in groups, pairs, singles, circles. On the wall was a slide show of Kelly and Judd growing up 3000 miles apart. Judd at the Pacific Ocean boogie boarding; Kelly at the Jersey Shore. Judd playing baseball; Kelly rowing in high school. Judd at Ohio State; Kelly at Annapolis. Judd getting his aviator’s wings; Kelly getting her masters. With each slide they were winding their way towards each other finally meeting on their first deployment to the Middle East on the USS Belleau Wood. On Tuesday, July 6, Judd went out to sea trials on the USS Boxer.
I wish so much all of you could have been enveloped in this. I truly wish the whole world could have, for but a moment, felt all that we felt: the beauty, the healing, the possibilities, the magic and come away changed forever for the Good as we have. Life IS! We expand and become More, which is the perfection of the way it is and the perfection of being natural Creatures – Source Energy in physical format – all of us in this Universe of Love playing in Joy. Enjoy a few more pictures. And, of course, thanks for reading! Kath
 The Groom, Judd |
 Kelly and Dad,Harry |
 Mr. and Mrs. Judd Kirk |
