Minimalism in today's times

Lots of headlines are popping up predicting a US or global recession. I don’t claim to understand economic theory at more than a basic level - I took a few economics classes in college and manage our family investments, but that’s about it. We might go into a recession this year (my guess) or we might not. Either way, it is a fine time to re-examine how it would impact you.

Don’t count on the media to help you figure out what to do. On the one hand, there are lots of articles about stimulating spending in order to avoid recession, including giving people money in the hope that they spend it quickly and NOT use it to pay down debt. Yet personal advice columns are exhorting individuals to examine their spending carefully and reduce their debt, warning of job losses in a recession. So what should you do? Don’t be fooled by any rhetoric that you should feel good about spending because it “helps the economy” even if it puts you into debt that you might not be able to manage if things go south. The economy exists to serve you, and not the other way around - it isn’t some separate thing that we need to feed at our own expense. Spend money only if it is good for you. Decouple your spending from your earnings as much as you can so that the volatility and uncertainty in the world, which you can’t control, will not yank you back and forth as it rises and falls. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to say that a recession won’t hurt many people even if they have stripped their consumption to the bone, but hopefully living below one’s means whenever possible will limit the pain.

There is no better time to be a minimalist than right now - and that is always true, whether a recession is looming or not. If you’re personally at risk in a recession, learning what is essential to your happiness will help you through any bad times to come, whether they happen this year or a decade from now.

from theminimalist.net

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Highest and best!

Creating PSI Balls of Energy

All life is sustained by means of the Life Force, which pervades the entire universe, and is evident in all dimensions of life and reality. There are many names for this Life Force but it is still fundamentally the energy from which all things are made and are integral aspects. Once we can accept this we can begin to learn energy control.

To begin with, your mind and thoughts must be focused entirely on the task at hand. Put aside all the mundane things of daily life and have confidence that you have the ability to create a PSI Ball. Without this belief you will not succeed and with failure comes the belief that these abilities are beyond your reach.

1. Completely relax. It is important that you are able to achieve a state of complete relaxation as quickly and deeply as possible. It would be very helpful to learn meditation and relaxation exercises to help you get into this state quickly.

2. Close your eyes and imagine a glowing white sphere of white light on the top of your head. Hold the white sphere of light in this position at the top of your head.

3. Now imagine this light beginning to travel down your body; through your neck to your shoulders. As the light gets to your shoulders the light divides in two, half the light travels down your right arm and half the light travels down your left arm.

4. As the light reaches your wrists notice how bright and powerful the light is. Feel the energy and know that it will respond to your every thought.

5. Place your hands about four inches apart and fingers slightly cupped as if you were holding a grapefruit. Imagine the brilliant white balls of light traveling from your wrists to the palms of your hands and then emerge from your palms to form a brilliant white ball of light between your cupped hands.

6. Focus on the ball of light and feel the warm glow of energy coming from the ball of light. Picture the ball of light, as it increasingly gets hotter and hotter. Feel the pulsating power and know beyond all doubt that it will respond to your every wish.

7. Finally, move your hands closer together and feel the energy as it resists you and fights your efforts to compress it. Move your hands apart and notice how the energy releases with your movements.

With practice you can learn to manipulate this energy and know that it is at your will and will react the way you want it too. Give thanks to the Universe for the powers that have allowed you to accomplish this and appreciation for the understanding that we are all part of the Universal Life Force. There really is no such thing as separation; it is a construct we must break free of. When you can really understand that, creating a PSI ball of energy is just the tip of the iceberg.

HAPPINESS IS FREE -Hale Dwoskin

We spend most of our time looking for happiness in all the wrong places. If you simply look within, you can discover the source of unlimited happiness now. Also, if you examine those things that you think make you happy, I think you will find this pattern inside. When you satisfy a particular desire, even temporarily, your mind gets quieter and the happiness that is your natural state is able to shine through a little more. If you allow yourself to catch this process as it unfolds inside of you, you will learn to take happiness directly from it's source within you and you will enjoy everything that you have or do more fully.

Stop rushing past life

Have the attitude of, "I have all the time in the world," even when working on a deadline. You will not only feel happier but you will get things done more easily and quickly. If you catch yourself rushing, simply let go of pushing yourself as best you can and allow yourself to take one step or one action at a time.

Let go!

This is the core of the Sedona Method! Most of us spend way too much time holding onto what was. If you let go of what was, and stop dragging it into the present or projecting it into the future, you can enjoy what is now.

Accept what is

When we want to change what is, we suffer. If you just let go of wanting to change what is as best you can, even for a moment, you are immediately happier. Plus, you no longer have to hold onto your problems in order to change them, and they often change or clear up all by themselves.

Give from your heart

The giver is truly blessed. Whenever you give without wanting anything in return, even if it is just an understanding ear, you are instantly happier. The key is in not expecting to get anything from giving. If you want to get something back, you are not truly giving and you miss the blessing of happiness that true giving brings.

Give love instead of trying to get it

If you look for others to give you love, you will often be unhappy. However, if you allow yourself to be as loving as you can for no reason at all, you will instantly feel happier. As Lester Levenson used to say, "Love, love, love and you will always be happy."

Be present with what is

If you are simply present with whatever you are experiencing now, as opposed to what was or what might be, you will find there is no end to your happiness. As best you can, take breaks from trying to assign meaning and a history to the sounds, sensations and pictures that arise in your awareness. Another way to say this is to welcome whatever arises in your consciousness as best you can.

Live life wide open

Even if there are supposed threats around you, when you close off from your environment, you are only locking in suffering and holding away happiness. The more you simply open inside you let the pain you already have out and you become transparent to the pain that appears to be coming from outside of you. When you are truly open the pain can't stick to you.

Pick agreements

If you look for things to agree with just as they are, you can find them, even at your darkest hour. Every time you pick an agreement with what is in your experience, you experience more happiness.

Expand your awareness

As you expand your awareness, you expand your ability to feel happy. You can do this quite simply by allowing your awareness to be as contracted as it is and as expanded as it is. The more you embrace both sides, the more you can recognize the vastness that is your basic nature.

Accept the possibility of happiness now

Most of us are waiting for something to change in order to give us an excuse to be happy. If we decide it is possible to be happy, whether or not that something ever changes, we can become happy now.

Hold the Best in Mind

Most of us, when we think of the world, do not have particularly positive pictures. All you have to do is watch or read the news to see what I mean. In fact I hear from many people that the news is a significant part of their daily stress. Yet most of us feel compelled to watch, read or hear the news so we can know what is going on. I have also noticed that many people simply stop watching the news in order not to be influenced by what they view as its negativity. I do not recommend that you obsess over the news however I also do not recommend that you cut off from it. What I do recommend is that as you hear or see the news allow yourself to let go of the feelings that it stirs up in you. And if there are things in the news that cause you to feel anxious and resistant let go of the resistance and fear and let go of your expectation for those things to happen as best you can.

Allow yourself to picture the world the way you would like it to be and let go of all the feelings inside of you that say it cannot or will not happen. At the same time do your best to accept it as it is by letting go of wanting to change it. The more you can accept the world exactly as it is the more you will be projecting love to the world. By doing this you can stay informed and at the same time you are contributing to the solution even if you do not take any outward action. And if you are going to take action.

Be for the Solution

Many of us, even with the best intentions, find ourselves being "anti" towards what we do not like in the world. Yet if we are "anti" something, we are still holding it in mind, sometimes even more strongly then those who are for it. From my perspective all the anti-war sentiment during the Vietnam War for instance did not bring about a quick end to the conflict it only prolonged it. Whatever we hold in mind we are sending energy to and are supporting its creation. Here are some practical examples: Instead of being against pollution, be pro-environment. Instead of being against discrimination, be pro-equality. Instead of being against war, be pro-peace. Hold in mind the solution as opposed to the problem and you will get a lot more done with a lot less effort and naturally be more constructive in the process.

20 Questions to Ask Yourself every Sunday

At the cusp of new beginnings many of us take time to reflect on our lives by looking back over the past and ahead into the future. We ponder the successes, failures and standout events that are slowly scripting our life’s story. This process of self reflection helps maintain a conscious awareness of where we’ve been and where we intend to go. It is pertinent to the organization and preservation of our dreams, goals and desires.

If you would like to maximize the benefits of self reflection, I have 20 questions for you. These questions should be reviewed every Sunday morning or sometime during the weekend when you have some quiet time to think. Remember, reflection is the key to progression.

1. What did I learn last week? – If you have trouble answering this question, it’s time for a change. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you should learn something new every week.

2. What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week? – Reflecting on your accomplishments is a healthy way to raise self confidence and contentment. It’s also an effective way to track your progress.

3. Which moment from last week was the most memorable and why? – It may open up your mind to new passions and goals, or simple pastimes worth revisiting.

4. What’s the #1 thing I need to accomplish this week? – Everything else is secondary, and should be treated as such. Nevertheless, this question will also shine light on other noteworthy tasks.

5. What can I do right now to make the week less stressful? – Set reminders in your calendar, get your laundry done, fill the car with gas… organize yourself.

6. What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week? – The idea here is to learn from your struggles and better equip yourself for future encounters.
7. What was last week’s biggest time sink? – Steer clear of this in the future. Setup physical barriers against distractions if you have to.

8. Am I carrying any excess baggage into the week that can be dropped? – Physical clutter, mental clutter… eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may shine bright.

9. What have I been avoiding that needs to get done? – Pencil in a time to get these things done. For any 2-minute or less tasks, consider scheduling them first thing Monday morning.

10. What opportunities are still on the table? – If it’s still available and you want it, make a concrete plan to go after it this week.

11. Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to? – Regular communication can solve problems before they fester. Always keep an open line of communication to those around you.

12. Is there anyone that deserves a big ‘Thank You’? – Take time each week to thank the people who have helped you. Your kind gesture will not go unnoticed.

13. How can I help someone else this coming week? – The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. If you help them, they will remember you when you need help.

14. What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years? – You’ll never make any progress in life if you don’t setup realistic goals for yourself.

15. Have any of my recent actions moved me closer to my goals? – If the answer is no, something needs to change.

16. What’s the next step for each goal? – Knowing the next step is the key to accomplishing the whole.

17. What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? – The answer can act as a great source of motivation. If nothing exists, schedule something to look forward to.

18. What are my fears? – Consciously address your fears each week and slowly work on resolving them. It’s all about taking baby steps.

19. What am I most grateful for? – It’s a smart way to keep things in perspective, and something you should never lose sight of.

20. If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with? – Another helpful reminder… Life is short. Spend more time with the people you care about.

Take 30 minutes every Sunday and give yourself the gift of self reflection. It has worked wonders for me, and I am confident it will do the same for you.

Personal Business

Everyone is the CEO of Their Own Corporation

What most people don’t realize is that you never really work for anyone but yourself. The only question is: What are you selling, and to whom? Even when you have a full time, salaried, “Corporate America” position, you are still running your own business. You are selling one unit of your existence (an hour of your life) at a set price (the associated fraction of your salary) to a customer (your employer).

Good Business vs. Bad Business

Selling hours for dollars is a flawed business plan. Let’s take a quick look at the components of a good business plan vs. that of the standard hours for dollars routine.

A good business plan:

Multiple Products – Providing multiple options to your customers.
Product Development Growth – Innovating and expanding the core capabilities of your product.
Multiple Customers – Your total income revenue is acquired from several sources. The loss of a single customer will not jeopardize your sustainability.
Scalable – Your business can grow naturally without disproportionately increasing costs. Also, it cannot be shutdown by the absence of a single worker.
Inventory Expansion – Inventory can be expanded to meet increasing customer demands.
The business of strictly selling hours for dollars:

One Product – A single hour of your life.
Static Product Growth – You can change your level of productivity within an hour, but you can’t change the dynamics of the hour itself (which is the metric you are being paid by).
One Customer – Your employer. If you lose your one customer, you lose your business.
Single Point of Failure – If something happens to you (injured, ill, etc.), your business suffers.
Ever Declining Inventory – Life has a limited inventory of hours. They cannot be reproduced.
The Silver Lining: You Must Find Your Passion
There is, however, a silver lining. When you are passionate about your work, even in an “hours for dollars” environment, you open the floodgates to a world of accelerated personal growth and contentment. Suddenly, you are working to learn, mindfully indulging in the task at hand. This passion is the byproduct of interest. You have to be genuinely interested in the subject matter of your profession. In other words, dollars cannot be the primary source of motivation. Once you find your passion, here are some ideas for maximizing your career growth potential:

Learn as Much as You Can – This becomes a natural process when you are truly passionate about your work. Obviously, the more you know the more valuable your time will be to others.
Pursue Unpaid Growth Opportunities – Get out of the “hours for dollars” mindset. See if you can barter your skill set with others in your industry. You educate them as they educate you. Knowledge is worth far more than money.
Provide Value from Within a Black Box – This is how you increase your level of impressiveness. Your efforts must make someone think, “Wow! How does he/she do that?” They can easily see your inputs and your results, but aren’t 100% sure how you got from point A to point B.
Innovate – If you think there might be a better way, try it. The worst case scenario is you’ll have to revert back to the way things are now.
Help Other People – The best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. This will also aid you in establishing strong professional relationships.
Market Your Visibility – Don’t be bashful. Take credit where credit is due.
Avoid the “Hours for Dollars” Mentality
Even when working in an “hours for dollars” environment, you can avoid the “hours for dollars” mentality. Find something you’re passionate about and take it to the next level. Become a guru. This should help you to strategically position yourself as a “go to guy/gal”, someone your superiors (and industry insiders) see as a vital asset.

Doing so will ultimately free you from the bounds of an arbitrary hourly rate, because you (your business) will become entwined with the future objectives of your employer (and maybe even the industry as a whole). This typically translates into big raises, bonuses, etc. You’ll start getting paid based on the tangible value you provide. Eventually, this position of power can be leveraged to start a company of your own.

Choices

My character is forged by my choices. You will see it in my manner and my confident optimism. It is how I stand and talk, laugh and listen. Use my honor and integrity as the example. Give me work to do; point me to my neighbor in need. Choose me to go first or last. Let me challenge myself to do more. I know what is right. I pledge to improve myself and help others.

21 Suggestions for Success

By H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
3 .Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6 .Be generous.
7 .Have a grateful heart.
8 .Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
1o. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20 .Take good care of those you love.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

3 Traits of Success

1.Creativity.
2.Character.
3.Completion.

One definition of success is "Creating your ideal future"

Creativity:

We are creative by nature.


By asking right questions,we can rekindle our creativity.
By being creative,we can design our life.
Define what is a success for you, Create your ideal future and then just do it.

Purpose + creativity gives value.

Character:

1.Keep learning and try to improve your character traits.
2.Shed your ego. Let it go.
3.Accept full responsibility.
4.Begin to do things differently if they are not yielding the desired results.
5.Be Aware of the process.
6.Appreciate Time-Value.
7.Celebrate tiny accomplishments.
8.Have attention and focus on your goals.
9.Have your Master Belief Records right.
10.Expect to succeed always.
11.Have consistent and persistent action.
12.Use models for inspiration.
13.Aware of your thoughts.
14.You need every one's help in order to succeed.
15.Have a Master mind group.
16.Choose Happiness.
17.Don't ever Quit.
18.Health is the first wealth.


Completion:

1.Have the conviction to follow through and complete whatever you have started.
2.Have the courage to persevere and finish.
3.Fuse together Potential energy and release kinetic energy.
4.Get rid of fear(False Evidence Appearing Real-Zig Zaglar).
5.Your life is a miracle.
6.Find motivation through regret.
7.Battle your excuses endlessly.
8.Keep your vision quiet.
9.Failure is the prerequisite for success.
10.Opposite of succeess is not failure,it is Hopelessness.

GROUNDING

Grounding is something almost everyone has thought about or considered. But grounding is not a thought; it is an action, a tool to dissipate noisy thoughts, anxiety and undesirable emotions that run through our bodies...

Please close your eyes. In your imagination, create an image of a beam of light, a line of energy, a tree trunk, a pipe or a chain. Then connect one end to the lowest tip of your spine, the first chakra. Feel the connection. Make this real. Then drop the other end of the line to the center of the earth -- the center of the earth is not very far away. See the line of energy grow roots and strongly connect to the center of the earth. With your mind, reach down and tug on both ends and feel the connection. Now, expand the line to about 8 inches in diameter and give it the command to activate and become magnetic. Take a breath and notice a relaxation...

Thoughts are electrical; emotions are magnetic. The command to activate allows the grounding line, a natural part of your body's operating system, to release thoughts and emotions that do not belong to you, but constantly affect you. These thoughts and emotions flow through the unprotected energy field, stimulating emotions, creating reaction and discomfort. Interestingly, the majority of thoughts you think belong to the world surrounding you actually have very little to do with you at all. But once they are in your space, they create a distraction, distort your attention and direct your life. Grounding minimizes this noise...

masteringalchemy.com

30 DAYS

I love to set goals. But crazy thing is... I get overwhelmed by them. So... i decided to commit to my goals for 30 days. Whew! That feels so much lighter. And this month's goals will naturally lead me to my next month goals and each segment will move me closer to my big, big goals at a comfortable pace.

So yesterday I went to school and registered for a class which will bring me closer to my career goal.

Also, one of my goals is to keep my house model home/open house clean. It's working wonderfully. I'm not perfect but i'm making big progress!

Most important fact is... it takes 21 days to create a habit!!!!

PEACE

Peace consists of pure thoughts, pure feelings and pure wishes. When the energy of thought, word and action is balanced and stable, the individual is at peace with the self, in relationships and the world. To exercise the power of peace look inward in order to look outward with courage, purpose and meaning.

For our World

Hope Through Heartsongs


For Our World


We need to stop.

Just stop.

Stop for a moment.

Before anybody

Says or does anything

That may hurt anyone else.

We need to be silent.

Just silent.

Silent for a moment.

Before we forever lose

The blessing of songs

That grow in our hearts.

We need to notice.

Just notice.

Notice for a moment.

Before the future slips away

Into ashes and dust of humility.

Stop, be silent, and notice.

In so many ways, we are the same.

Our differences are unique treasures.

We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts

To nurture, to offer, to accept.

We need to be.

Just be.

Be for a moment.

Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,

Like children and lambs,

Never judging or vengeful

Like the judging and vengeful.

And now, let us pray,

Differently, yet together,

Before there is no earth, no life,

No chance for peace.

Birthday Begin-Again

My birthday is coming up soon. I'm off for a few days. So I decided to dedicate this time to quiet my thoughts, quantify my goals and actions,and re-align myself with my Highest goals and vision.

raw vegan powerpoint show

Chakra Descriptions

There are many chakras in the body but there are only seven main chakras. These are points in the body that corresponds to a specific area where multiple nerves crisscross. It is believed that through meditating on these specific chakras you can learn to control the energy in your body and experience everything from spontaneous healing to enlightenment. The level of experience and commitment will determine the success and the amount of energy one can develop through meditating on the chakras. The real key is in using proper meditating techniques and concentrating on three main chakras.

1.Root Chakra or Muladhara: This chakra is located at the base of the spine and aids us in our ability to survive and adapt. This area once opened is also considered to give us the stability we need to endure the trials of our everyday lives. When this chakra is blocked it makes us afraid of change but once opened will open us up to the beauty and wondrous opportunities that life has to offer.

2.Sexual Chakra or Swadhishtana: This chakra is located behind the genital region and it is concerned with our sexual and passionate energies. Free flowing energy in this area will bring about a positive energy in our lives. A blockage in this area can result in sexual and or reproductive problems that will inhibit the free flowing energy and cause negative energy in our lives.

3.Navel or Manipura: This chakra is associated with energy and willpower and is located just below the navel. This chakra is the power center of the body and is the release point for pranic energy. Meditating on this chakra will bring great energy can be used to summon great strength.

4.Heart or Anahata: The heart chakra is located in the area directly over the heart and is associated with great kindness and love. Meditating on this chakra can have a profound experience and open up your heart to the true undeniable beauty in the universe. This chakra is thought to connect the body mind and spirit.

5.Throat Chakra or Vishuddha: This energy point is located at the base of the skull and is mainly associated with our ability to express ourselves and also has a direct impact on our glandular system. Opening this chakra will also help those that have a difficult time communicating.

6.Brow Chakra or Ajna: The Sixth Chakra. The brow chakra also know as the third eye is considered to be the point at which the conscious and the unconscious knowledge come together to open up our psychic and intuitive abilities. Meditating on the third eye is a favorite among beginning practitioners because of the profound insights one can gain from even marginal success at opening the third eye.

7.Crown Chakra or Sahasrara: The Seventh Chakra. This is thought to be the spiritual chakra where one can find true wisdom and the nature of all understanding can be experienced. This is thought to be the energy point at which true enlightenment and a form of self-realization can occur. Meditating on this chakra will produce profound effects and must be approached with caution and knowledge.

The value of opening the chakras can’t be debated. These are energy points in our body that control whether we are healthy or unhealthy. Through the proper meditation techniques we can open our chakras and explore a life that will be both fulfilling and intensely spiritual by nature. There are three main chakras that when opened properly will accelerate your growth and spiritual awakening.
Learn the proper way to meditate to open the three main chakras for spiritual growth and expanding your multi dimensional consciousness. While the focus is on spiritual growth, the profound effects it will have on your health and personal life is unequaled.

Meditating on your chakras is a powerful way to raise your energy and spirituality. There are three chakras which you must concentrate on in order to achieve your goals. These will produce the greatest results and raise your dimensional consciousness in the shortest time possible.

loving acts

The loving acts of a generous heart always bring about happy outcomes.

Silence is Rejuvenating

Silence

A few moments of silence each day remind us of who we are, beings of peace.
It reminds us of our purpose in life, that we are God's children and that our task is to live together with respect, tolerance, dignity and trust.

Self Respect
Self-respect is a state of inner dignity which brings great benefit to the self. No matter what the situation, it makes everything easy and light. You have to look after your self respect so carefully, making sure you never lose it.

"Imagine what it would be like to experience your 'Self in its highest form - the soul, in its original, pure state. It is definitely possible to create such an experience. Indeed, this is what meditation is all about"
Dadi Janki