Gratitude and Victimhood Can’t Co-Exist
August 17, 2010 by Mike Robbins
Filed under Spirit, personal development, • Feature
How often to you feel like a victim? If you’re anything like me, probably more often than you’d like to admit. Although I usually pretend to be too “evolved” to play the role of victim in my life, I do catch myself at times feeling, thinking, and talking in that old, familiar, “oh poor me” kind of way. Can you relate?
I remember one of my mentors telling me years ago, “Mike, you can’t simultaneously be grateful and victimized.”
The more I reflect on this piece of profound wisdom, the more I realize how true it is. Whenever I find myself feeling as though “It’s not fair,” or wondering “Why is this happening to me?” – I notice that I’m not at all in touch with anything I’m grateful for in those moments. On the flip side, when I take the time to focus on what I appreciate about myself, those around me, my life, and/or life in general – it’s almost impossible for me to experience victimhood at the same time.
I got a wonderful email recently which exemplified this power of gratitude over victimization. Here’s the note (with permission from the man who sent it to me):
Hey Mike,
I just finished reading your book Focus on the Good Stuff and I had a breakthrough that I wanted to share with you.
I’ve never been a good sleeper. For the past 17 years I’ve had to medicate myself to fall asleep. On a good night I wake up once; on an average night, two maybe, three times. I’ve done all the things you’re supposed to do to encourage better sleeping habits. Some nights when I wake up after 3 AM, that’s it, I’m done. I can’t will myself back to sleep – my day starts at 5 AM with a morning trip to the gym – which then makes for a very long day.
Now for the good stuff…One night several weeks ago I lay awake in the middle of the night. I tossed and turned and started to fret about not being able to get back to sleep. On my night table I saw your book which I had been reading earlier in the evening and I reflected on a couple of themes – appreciate myself and be grateful – and I started to think about what those meant to me. (new paragraph)
I lay there and made a mental list of all the things in my life that I was grateful for, and in no time at all I was fast asleep. No longer worried about what would happen if I woke up in the middle of the night, the next night when I awoke I made a mental list of all the things I appreciated about myself. It was easier than I thought and soon I was asleep with a smile on my face.
While I’m not quite ready to give up my sleeping pills yet, I’ve been able to shift my head space when I wake in the middle of the night. So my new approach is not to stress about why I’m not sleeping but to reflect on all the things that I’m grateful for or what I appreciate about myself.
Three weeks later, it’s been working like a charm – I’m sleeping better and I feel better in the morning.
I don’t know if I will be able to stop with the sleeping aid but waking up in the middle of the night is a whole lot more pleasant.
Sleeping easier…with gratitude,
Ian
What a great email, eh? Instead of feeling like a victim for his sleeping issue, Ian has chosen to use his wake-ups as an opportunity to practice being grateful. Not only is he deepening his capacity for gratitude and appreciation, but it sounds like he’s suffering and worrying a lot less, and ultimately sleeping better…how cool! Gratitude is powerful!
Here are a few things for you to think about and do, in order to expand your own capacity for gratitude in the face of situations, relationships, and circumstances which may have you currently feeling like a victim.
1) Notice where you feel victimized. Where do you feel like a victim in your life right now? Maybe you have a big issue or challenge related to your health, finances, work situation, love life, or family. Maybe there are some smaller “annoyances” in your life – sitting in traffic, waiting in line, dealing with difficult people, etc. – that leave you feeling a bit victimized. Take some honest inventory, without judgment, and notice where you go into victimhood yourself.
2) Ask yourself what you’re grateful for. Asking and answering the question, “What am I grateful for?” is one of the most powerful things we can do, especially when we’re dealing with a challenging situation. Remember, appreciating something or being grateful for it doesn’t necessarily mean you “like” or “agree” with it – it simply means you recognize the value of it. When we can acknowledge the value of something, even and especially when it’s painful or difficult, we take back our power from it and tap into some of its positive influence in our lives. Choosing to be grateful for the specific things we’re challenged by is one of the best ways we can transform these situations and our lives.
3) Think about, feel, and express what you’re grateful for. Gratitude is a wonderful concept and a transformative practice. Most of us know the importance of being grateful, but we can only benefit from it when we experience our gratitude. We can’t be grateful in theory (or in the past or the future), we can only be grateful NOW. Whether we choose to find the silver lining in difficult circumstances, use the situation (as Ian did) as a opportunity to focus on some of the things we appreciate about life, or simply remember to focus on what we’re grateful for at random times during the course of our day – gratitude is one of the most life-altering emotions we can tap into and experience as human beings. And, the great news is that we have access to gratitude any time we choose.
The Angels are talking… Are you listening?
August 17, 2010 by Sunny
Filed under Spirit, • Headline
The Angels are talking… Are you Listening?
By Sunny Dawn Johnston
If you had told me 15 years ago that I would be teaching people about spirituality, I would have thought you were crazy. Although I had always been a spiritual person, and believed in Angels and Spirit Guides, I was not one that would share my beliefs with people. As a teenager raised in a metaphysical household, in Salt Lake City, Utah, I was taught by society that if I wanted to be accepted by the outside world, I was not to share experiences that others would consider weird, I learned to conform. At that time, the early 80’s, talking to Angels, spirits and deceased family members was not only weird, it was unacceptable. Trying to find a place to “fit” is very important for a teenager, but because of my experiences, I never did “fit”. I had a ghost in my house for several years. She would turn the TV on and off, change the radio station to a song I was thinking about, and pop movies out of the VCR. This was “normal” in my house. My Mother was a wonderful, clear channel of spirit, and she taught me that this “weird stuff” was real, that I could ask questions, and get answers back. At the time, I never really knew who was answering back. I just always assumed it was me answering because it sounded like my voice. I learned that if it was a critical voice, it was my ego. If it was a voice of love, comfort and support, it was my Angels or my Spirit Guides. Unfortunately, I felt that most of my answers were critical, which meant I was too much in my head, coming from my ego, and I needed to learn to get into my heart and invite the Angels to work with me. I asked the Angels to help me love myself unconditionally, and it was then that I began my journey as a student, which turned into realizing my life’s purpose as a Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Healer and Medium.
The first time I saw an angel, I was 13 years old. I had awoke in the middle of the night, looked up, and saw this being floating over my bed. I wasn’t scared at all. I felt very safe and at peace. I acknowledged her, rolled over and went back to sleep. It was as if she had always been there with me, and she had. She was my Guardian Angel. Angels will come to you in the way that you believe them to be. What I mean by that is that if you believe they are beautiful winged beings with a human body, that is the way they will appear to you, as mine did to me many years ago. If you believe that they are an energy, which is the way they appear to me now, you will feel or see them as light, color or a vibration. When my brother was 5 years old, he saw them in the form of shapes. Many people see flashes of light or balls of light around them and wonder if that is the Angels. It is! Say hello to them, invite them in. Ask them what their message is for you today!
Many people have questions about communicating with their angels. In my classes and workshops, the most frequently asked questions are quite possibly some of the questions you have yourself, such as:
Why can some people see, hear or feel their angels and others can’t? Some people are more aware than others are. Everyone has the ability to see, hear, feel and know, but some people have developed it more than others have.
How do you know your Angels name? This is actually so simple that many people don’t believe that they can do it. You simply ask!
Are there really Angels around me, and if so, why can’t I see or feel them? Everyone has Angels around them. In order to see and feel them you have to develop your awareness.
The Angels are here to comfort, guide and support you… They are not here to tell you what to do, how to act, or who to be. They are not here to judge you. They are here to remind you that you have their unconditional love and support, at all times, no matter what “mistakes” or “problems” you believe you have created for yourselves. They remind you that everything happens for a reason, even if you aren’t aware of that reason at the time.
The first thing to remember when working with the angels is that in order for the Angels to work with you, you have to ASK for their help. Many times, in the midst of your busy, hectic lives, you forget to ask for help from the spirit world, oftentimes you forget to ask for help from anyone, period. People don’t realize that asking for help from the Angels is as easy as thinking the thought or saying the words, “Angels, I need your help”! You can ask for help with anything from taking a test, finding a parking place, meeting the perfect mate, or even healing cancer or disease. The Course in Miracles® states, “There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not “harder” or “bigger” than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal”. The Angels want you to be happy, and they support you in creating that happiness in your lives! Most of the time, the reason you don’t ask for help from the spirit world is because you forget, you forget that you have this unconditional love and support surrounding you. The Angels are always there, waiting and willing to help!
Now that you have asked the Angels for help, you need to pay attention to the guidance you receive. Awareness is the key! The spirit world is talking to you all of the time, and it is your job to listen. The Angels talk to you through license plates, repeated songs on the radio, “gut” feelings, Divine Timing situations, and through other people. Some people call it synchronicity or coincidence. If you truly believe that everything happens for a reason, there can be no coincidence, this is your Divine Guidance talking to you. When you listen to your messages, your life flows. Things just seem to fall into place. When you aren’t listening to your guidance, you often feel like you are hitting your head against a wall, that nothing you do is working right and oftentimes it makes you cry aloud, HELP! Then, you listen! Most of the time!
In order to connect with your Angels and Spirit Guides, you need to be aware of everything around you. It takes practice to tune in and listen to what is not being said. There are many exercises to help you develop your awareness of spirit in your daily lives. You collect all kinds of tools to help listen to your intuition and to pay attention to your guidance. Some of the tools that I have found very helpful are Angel Card Readings, Crystals, Automatic Writing, Reiki or Energy Healing, Manifestation and Intention, Meditation, and Psychometry. Your own body is always talking and it is very important to listen to it. To develop your guidance, I encourage you to find a teacher you connect with and use the tools that feel right to you.
Remember, the Angels are talking, are you listening?
ROBIN ARMSTRONG’S ZODIAC PREDICTIONS FOR AUGUST 2010
August 3, 2010 by Robin Armstrong
Filed under monthly horoscope, • Headline
ARIES: MAR. 21 to APR. 20:
There will be powerful contradictory energies for Aries to deal with this month. You will run into opposition and every instinct is telling you to attack, but the truth of the matter is that you are supposed to retreat and bide your time for a while, until a more positive outcome is likely. This is not the time to stand in front of the tank! Move out of the way!
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a positive one as far as New Moons go, but your choice will be problematic and your timing will be off. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a relatively uneventful one as long as you refrain from complaining and from vulgar expressions.
Special Focus:
Those Aries born in March will experience direct opposition to their initiatives. Why set up more adversity than you can deal with? Your level of impatience and intolerance will escalate. It will take considerable effort on your part to stay calm or at least out of the firing line!
TAURUS: APR. 20: to MAY 21
Be content with your circumstances. Do not get pulled into the problems of others. You will be able to express yourself well this month. Take your time. There is no need to force issues. Pay attention to specific details. There is a chance that you might gain from the misfortunes of others. Be gracious but do not make promises.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a stressful one. Expectations will be higher than the reality around you. Keep it simple! The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a positive one for you, but you must not rely on the feelings or promises of others.
Special Focus:
If you were born between May 17 and 21, you will be prone to temptation and confusion this month. Do not rely on promises, your own or others. You are walking around in a fog. Slow down. Avoid impulse spending! Keep it simple!
GEMINI: MAY 21 to JUNE 21:
The month will get better as it develops. You simply have to take the initiative and you will easily get the desired results. The most important thing is to act without talking! If you try to explain you will not be heard properly. The more that you think about something, the more obstacles will come in the way. Can you keep active but also quiet ….. for a month?
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a positive one. Be direct and don’t criticize! The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a stressful one. Don’t trust your instincts. Your timing will be off. Don’t explain!
Special Focus:
Those of you born between May 26 and June 15 will suffer from poor communications this month. Your energy level will be good but you are inclined to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Try to help others, but keep criticism to yourself!
CANCER: JUNE 21 to JULY 23:
This will be an unsettling month for most Cancers. You will be able to express yourself well but must be discriminating about what you talk about. You will be prone to making bad choices and becoming frustrated with the results. Keep well rested. Don’t complain! If you force issues they will explode!
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a relatively insignificant one. Be patient and avoid acting on impulse. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a positive one. It is a question of mind over matter and over feelings too!
Special Focus:
Those Cancers born in June will feel that the disturbing changes in the Force are increasing! You will be accident prone! This is not a good time for you to force issues. Expect confrontations. Be defensive and let go of things you cannot control! Protect what you can.
LEO: JULY 23 to AUG. 23:
The world is upset but if you are sincere, you will meet with success. Maintain your self-reliance and it should be smooth sailing. Your charisma will be in high gear. You will win the attention of others and gain appreciation. For each action that you take, benefits will increase. Smile as you go. Happiness will precipitate success.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be the most significant and sensitive one of the year for you. Count your blessings, trust your instincts and be kind. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be an insignificant one for you. Charisma is still in high gear. You have room to strut!
Special Focus:
Most Leos will have a favourable month but those of you born between August 19 and 23 will be under the spell of confusion and gullibility. Big schemes will cause problems. Strive for self reliance and minimize co-dependencies and expectations.
VIRGO: AUG. 23 to SEP. 23:
Powerful communications will prevail. This will be an excellent month to express yourself. Smooth sailing is indicated as you are not likely to run into interference or even much criticism. Its our move. Make it wisely. The chaos in the world around you will not knock you of balance this month. Enjoy it!
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a relatively uneventful one for most Virgos. There is no need to push the river, just go with the flow! The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a stressful one. Conflicting energies will surface. Follow your mind and not your feelings..
Special Focus:
The weight of the world has lifted off of your shoulders! Trust your ideas and put them into action. The dark cloud of anxiety has finally lifted and common sense will now prevail in your favour. Those of you born between Sept. 19 and 23 will really feel this shift and can start to rebuild now.
LIBRA: SEPT. 23 to OCT. 23:
Your charisma will be in high gear this month and the force is with you. You will most likely achieve whatever you set out to do. Start with a smile and you will attract smiles and positive reactions. This is no time for indecision. Take the initiative! Go for it. Don’t wait for Spring. Do it now!
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a positive one for Libras. Accentuate the positive and radiate charm! Good luck will not be far away. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a relatively uneventful one. Hold your course. Don’t take sides. Others will adapt to you.
Special Focus:
If you are a Libra and were born in September this will be a critical month filled with contradictions. If you enforce order there will be revolts, If you rebel you will run into confrontation. It is enough just to hold your ground and be patient. Better to deal with the familiar demon than an unfamiliar one. Be true to yourself!
SCORPIO: OCT. 23 to NOV. 22:
There will be pressure to pull you into questionable activities. You will also be blessed by an increased capacity for mental discrimination. Don’t be tempted to go against your conscience. Don’t get pulled into other people’s schemes. Maintain your self reliance and think things through for yourself before acting on them.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a stressful one. All that glitters is not gold. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a positive one. Stress is lifting and your popularity will be increasing.
Special Focus:
If you were born between Nov. 18 and 22 then once again you will be mired in confusion. While vulnerable to deception, make certain that you do not propagate any deceptions of your own! No promises! Stay away from intoxicants, you are spaced out enough!
SAGITTARIUS: NOV. 22 to DEC. 22:
Everything looks like it is moving in your favour. The traffic lights in front of you are all green. An enthusiastic approach will meet with success. This is no time to hold back! Go with your first choices rather than secondary ones. Reach out. Your charisma will have a positive effect on those around you.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a positive one for Sagittarians. Strut your stuff! The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a stressful one. Stick to positive and direct action. Don’t try to explain!
Special Focus:
If you were born between November 27 and December 17 you will be inclined to talk too much and say things that would be better off left unsaid. Keep physically active this month but do not indulge your mind!
CAPRICORN: DEC. 22 to JAN. 20:
Don’t panic. Be Cool! If you don’t hold it together, who will? Pressure is increasing this month but it will, with a little hard work, turn in your favour. Nothing will come easily. Take your stand and let the chips fall where they may. Don’t put good energy out to people who are not worthy of it. Maintain discipline, especially in the face of sudden change.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be an uneventful one. You ability to make appropriate choice will be impaired. Don’t force things. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be a positive one. Avoid loud and aggressive people!
Special Focus:
If you were born between Dec. 22 and 26, then Murphy’s Law will prevail this month. Anything you consider important will likely be challenged. Hold on to what is true and let go of what is not. You may not win all your battles but if you maintain composure you will probably survive to win the war!
AQUARIUS: JAN. 20 to FEB. 19:
This month will be a positive one for Aquarians. The energies at large are aligning with you in a positive way. A touch of patience will be helpful, but generally you can just go with the flow. Smile and the world will smile with you. This is a good time to get out and network or enjoy the company of others.
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be a stressful one. Your timing will be off and you should avoid expressions of arrogance from within and without. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will be positive. Enjoy yourself and share the good vibrations.
Special Focus:
Those of you born between February 3 and 9 will experience increasing anxiety about circumstances in the world and how they affect you. This is not the time for big risks. Don’t force your ideas. Look well and be patient. Everything changes in its own time!
PISCES: FEB. 19 to MAR. 20:
Your battles this month will be with your mind and your manner of expression. You will be restless and likely to over react to even the slightest criticism. This is a month when you need to keep your thoughts to yourself. Don’t trust your mind or your plans. It will be easy to go off track, so just slow down a little! Don’t empower thoughts!
The New Moon of Aug. 9th will be an uneventful one. Silence is golden. The Full Moon of Aug. 24th will bring contradictory energies your way. Don’t try to be the mediator. .
Special Focus:
If your birthday falls between March 18 and 20 then this month you will feel the tide of anxiety shifting. The most extreme vulnerabilities are lifting. It is time to start moving forward again, only this time you will have more patience. Don’t try to explain. Just do it!
Robin’s predictions are meant for entertainment and insight. Any serious decision made by astrology requires a full personalized horoscope to be calculated and studied.
For a personal consultation with Robin Armstrong, or to inquire about his School of Astrology or speaking engagements, or to be put on his email list, email Robin at info@thewakingdream.net or phone (905) 841-8565, or visit the website at www.thewakingdream.net.
Every month 3 lucky winners will be chosen from Robin’s email list. The prize this month is a thirty page interpretation of your horoscope. For a chance to win send an email to Robin. Once you are on the list you will be eligible win every month.
Soundcheck
August 3, 2010 by Anny
Filed under Spirit, personal development, • Headline
What is your alive sound? The sound that wakes us up every morning. Birds…children…an alarm clock…the radio….This is your soundcheck.
Listening is not the same thing as hearing. Hearing is a passive process. Listening is an active process of awareness. Listening is a sense of touch. As much as you reach out to touch with your listening, it reaches back and touches you. What do you listen for?
Doing a daily soundcheck is something that can help keep us in balance with the world that surrounds us. Sound surrounds us. It is our constant companion. Humans are the noisiest creatures on the planet and we have become desensitized to our soundscapes. How often do you hear a car with a sonic boom so loud it makes your teeth rattle? What is the appeal? Loud sound is like a hit of caffeine. Sound can make you high, it increases your heart rate, tenses muscles and revs you up. This is true of an amazing classical concert as it is of a drum circle.
So what do we check for when doing a soundcheck? Here’s three simple areas to cover:
Volume: Where is your volume today? Very loud sound appeals to those who may be numb, because it allows them to feel something. Can you be tickled by a whisper? Is today a day where you are feeling balanced? Give yourself of scale of one to ten and see where your volume sits in the morning, in the evening, or do a mid-day check.
Rhythm: Do you hear the rhythms and patterns around you? Patterns can be heard in the cycling of a fan, or wheels, the drops of rain or also in the music you are listening to. Is your rhythm fast, or you in a rush, or are you taking things slow? Do you notice anything getting done any faster because of your rhythm? Our rhythms can change throughout the day. They can also shift and adapt to those around us. Check in when you are around others and see if your rhythm is really your own or if you are picking up the pace of what is happening around you.
Intensity: How much passion is in your sound? Do you speak in a monotone voice or does your voice have a lot of variety and character? Is there a lot of mood and variety to your choice in music or do you listen to just one kind of music only. Are you in tune with the full soundscape around you, or do you just hear what you need to, to ‘get by’? There is a wide variety to the dynamic of sound that we both listen to and use. The intensity that we listen and use our sound is where we can choose how we communicate with others and how we create our own soundscapes.
Anny Fyreagle is a Sonic Mystic who teaches sound as a practice through classes and inspirational experiences. You can find out more at www.anandasound.com
KEEPING LIFE SIMPLE – HOW DOES LOVE MOVE THROUGH YOU?
August 3, 2010 by Lorraine Wilson
Filed under Spirit, • Headline
There are many quotes referencing the the power of love, such as ‘all you need is love’, ‘love makes the world go around’ but have you ever taken the time to notice how love actually moves through YOU? What is your relationship with love, do you embrace it, do you fear it, do you feel empty without it and do you search for it in all the wrong places? Giving or receiving love feels good either way. All anyone really wants in this world is to be loved for who they are. Love is the essence of who we are, and when we recognize it we feel free and complete, because love in and of itself, is boundless and free. How do you express love? Some of us do so by being creative, giving hugs, taking the time to give someone our undivided attention, paying compliments to others, buying or creating a meaningful gift, cooking a meal, writing a poem, singing a song, dancing or simply being kind or compassionate to others.
There are thousands of ways love is expressed throughout this world. There are also times when people choose to withhold love as a form of emotional control. But the truth is, love is who we are, there is no one or no thing that can get in the way of us receiving love but if you choose to keep your heart closed, you are the one who is depriving yourself of the love that is available to all, it’s everywhere. A question you might find useful investigating is ‘can I keep my heart open and love, no matter what’? This can be a tough question to answer, investigate if you can tell the truth to yourself about this. Look at circumstances in your life in this present moment and become aware if you are withholding love from yourself or others.
How does love move through you ? Do you love your SELF when you are feeling vunerable,? Can you love your SELF no matter what is happening in your life? The most important relationship you will have in your life is with your SELF. Can you love your SELF without judgements and expectations; can you stand in front of the mirror and honestly say to your SELF ‘I love you’? Love is the life force that flows through everything. When we become the love that we are and express acts of love it naturally flows back in many different forms.
Love flows through humans, animals, flowers, trees, mountains, books, art, food, buildings, clothing, furniture etc. It is the discovery of ourselves in everything. If you are holding back love that is a source of suffering for yourself or others make a conscious decision today to move from a place of love no matter what and see what happens.
My beloved teacher, Gangaji once said, “The love that you search for everywhere is already present within you. It may be evoked by any number of people or events. A mountain can evoke this love. A sunset can evoke this love. But finally, you must realize you are this love. The source of all love is within you”.
Honor your spirit and walk towards the journey your heart desires.
In love, Lorraine
