Today I will share with you an important practice that can bring you insight on your life at “multidimensional” levels.

Dreams are not just elaborations of the subconscious as many people think, but they are the symbolic language we use to communicate with the Universe. They are also the language through which the Universe communicate to us.

When someone comes to me, the first thing I try to understand is what symbols are involved behind that person’s experience. How they relate to it and how they live it all depends on what symbols they are holding in their mind and, at a deeper level, the symbols they have programmed within their soul.

For every event in life there is a symbolic counterpart. These inner symbols represent the blueprint through which we experience life, they are like a map for the Universe to respond to. Becoming aware of how this communication takes place allows us to understand our life deeply, redirect it towards what we need and even soften our challenges.

The following practice is fundamental in achieving this awareness.

NEW AWARENESS OF DREAMS AND LIFE’S SYMBOLS

Take a notebook that you only use for this purpose.

Divide a page into two parts. On one part you write the dream you just had soon after you wake up, while on the other part you write the main events of your day, do so right before going to bed.

Obviously the dream and the events in your life do not have to be the same. What you are looking for is signs and symbols that reveal your intimate connection between your daily life and the world of dreams that speak to you through a Universal language.

For this reason, don’t look up for congruences right away. Continue this practice for a month and, at the end of the month, see again what you wrote. What you are looking for is for recurring dream symbols that corresponds to recurring events.

More than that, take it a step further, and try to understand the direction of the event itself. Is that event taking you forward in life?
If it is so, then it is a great symbol.

Power Dream Technique n.1
You can use that symbol in meditation, or visualize it deeply, to stimulate any similar advancement in that whenever you want you want to. This is how you resonate with the Universe at a certain level, and it is how the Universe responds to you. It is a “bridge”!

Softening Challenges – Power Dream Technique n.2
If the symbol brings challenges, then try to understand the meaning of that symbol and the nature of the challenge (which you will be aware of thanks to the events you have observed in the notebook), and every time it comes out in your life put it mentally next to another more empowering symbol.
Let the challenging symbol become smaller in your mind, loosing its power and color, while the empowering symbol becomes larger, more powerful and vibrant.

Practice this technique and change your life in the way you want it!

To Your Joy and Success
Vincent Sandee
(Swami Ekabuddhyananda)

You can visit Vincent’s website at http://joycelestial.com

Technorati Tags: conscious creation, Dreaming, dreams, Growth, inspiration, law of attraction, life purpose, Lucid Dreaming, personal development, self help, self-discovery, Travel, universal energy

As human population grows and expands it takes over and destroys areas previously populated by wild life, often without as much as an offer of a minimal alternative living arrangement for the “Original Land Owners”.

Displaced animals, deprived of their natural hunting grounds, are forced to become scavengers, rummaging through human garbage and destroying man-made gardens.  As a result they are disliked by humans and are considered to be an annoyance.  They are labeled as pests and hunted down by the ones who are responsible for their predicament in the first place.

One such victim of man-manifested problems is a squirrel.  Because squirrels adapt so well, they live amongst humans and thrive, becoming more adapted and less fearful of mankind every day.  Being used to human company also means being around them more often and therefore being more of a focus-point for any perceived damage or mischief.

It is quite unfortunate that we humans have such a negative relationship with these amazingly creative and adaptable creatures.  If just for one moment we could put our biases and misconceptions aside we could see what an amazing zest for life and a sense of humor these little creatures posses.

Few years back while out for a drive I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a dead gray squirrel at the edge of a curb.  Although she lay there not moving, something inside me told me to stop and double-check.  I walked over to the poor creature and to my amazement discovered that she was fully intact and alive.  However, she was in shock.  Laying on the ground, curled up in a little ball with her beautiful tail covering her head she was literally paralyzed with fear.   She could not move even as I picked her up with my hands, carried her to my car and placed her in a little cardboard box.

Fearful that if I take her to an animal shelter she will be put down, I took her to an only vet-clinic I knew that treated exotic pets.  Although they were used to rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, squirrel was a whole different story.  However, examination showed that, apart from a bruise on a side of her head, physically she seemed to be OK.  They speculated that she might have been just grazed by a passing car, which sent her flying to the edge of the road and into shock.  This probably saved her life by preventing her from running into the middle of traffic.  She did, however, need time to recover, so I decided to keep her until she was well enough to be released.  The vet felt it would be best to give her some precautionary booster/antibiotic shots before sending her home.  I named my little patient Tulip.

Unfortunately, Tulip had severe allergic reaction to the shot.  Her entire body swelled up and broke out in hives.  In addition, the graze on her head must have been a little more severe than we thought, as she had a little difficulty with her balance and coordination.  Her recovery took longer than expected.  By the time she was ready to be released it was December.

I felt her chances of survival were greatly diminished by the fact that she still wasn’t 100% and did not have an opportunity to prepare food and lodging for a long, cold Canadian winter, so I allowed Tulip to stay with us until spring.

While nursing Tulip back to health I tried to handle her as little as possible, so that she doesn’t lose her wild instincts.  She was kept in a big wire cage and taken out only to receive her medicine and get her wounds redressed and disinfected.  However, as time went on, I started noticing that she was watching me constantly from the cage and every time I made an eye contact she would run around the cage, hang upside down from the top by her feet, pick up toys from the bottom of the cage and throw them in the air while swinging.  This made me laugh, which in turn made her more eager to interact.  She would come to the front, grab the bars with her front paws, look intently at me than try to open the lock on the door.

Eventually she figured out how to open that lock and it didn’t matter how much I tried to reinforce it, she would figure out how to open it again.  Once out of the cage she would climb on my shoulder and wrap herself under my chin.  Than she would place her paws on each side of my face and look intensely into my eyes, as if saying “I know you mean me no harm.  Thank you”.  She always made me laugh and after a while I gave up trying to “imprison” her in her cage and let her freely run around my room.  Surprisingly, she was not the slightest bit afraid of my Rottweiler or my cats, and they seemed to accept her as one of their own.  It was quite something to see them all sitting next to each other, eating out of their bowls.

As March weather approached I started leaving the window slightly open so that Tulip will get familiarized with outside smells once again, but she didn’t seem to be interested.  Than one day, early April, I came home to find a hole in my window screen and Tulip gone.  Something (or some squirrel I hope) must have finally caught her eye.

I don’t know what happened to Tulip, but I chose to believe that she found her soul-mate and lived out the rest of her life happy.  I hope I was able to show her that not all humans are cruel, selfish and incapable of loving and respecting other beings.  I hope she understood that I will forever remain grateful to her for teaching me how amazingly intelligent, gentle and playful squirrels truly are.

Thank you Tulip for bringing laughter into my life and for sharing with me your love, your playfulness and your wonderful sense of humor!

Technorati Tags: Animal Empathy, animal health, Animals, appreciation, Beauty, compassion, empathy, energy, healing, humour, injured, Milana Vinokur, Pets, squirrels, universal energy, wellness, wildlife, wildlife rescue

We live in a world of expectations. We are expected to be good parents, sons, daughters, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and others that I have probably missed. But, what about our expectations for our own lives? What do we expect to accomplish with our lives outside of others expectations?

Parents seem to be doing more doing for their kids instead of being with them. This isn’t a cheat shot at parents. Parenting is a challenging and vacation-less pursuit that lasts at least 18 years. Sometimes, all your kids need is 10 minutes of your time and not money for the latest video game. Instead of your kids thinking that Blackberry’s are phones, let them know that they are also a fruit that has been around since before TV (back in the “Electronic” Dark Ages). Why not take them to a berry farm and pick blackberries as a family?

It is time to consider the expectations for your life. There are two types of expectations. First, there are outcome expectations which are “Thinking from the End.” Second, there are efficiency expectations which are “Thinking about the Process.”

Outcome expectations are what goals to we want to accomplish in this life. What are the “Ends” that you want? Do you want inner peace? What about a satisfying romantic relationship? How about good friends? When we start to think about all of what we want from life it can become a daunting task that seems never-ending or impossible. Especially, when many of our life goals overlap. Don’t we want our romantic partner to also be a best friend?

I would make a list of what you want in your obituary. Kinda morbid but a great starting point. Ok, really morbid but life isn’t all roses until you expect that it is. Patanjali said, “There is nothing wrong in my world.” I would suggest that you write Patanjali’s statement and carry it with you. It will really help you. Stop reading this article and make the list. Once you have the list, review it. What will you need to do to have that obituary? Narrow it down to the 5 most important goals. This is the starting point of the second part of expectations which is efficiency expectations that is in my next column.

Technorati Tags: authenticity, Body, Chris Oldcorn, confidence, conscious creation, conscious parenting, energy, gratitude, Growth, Health, Honesty, inspiration, law of attraction, life purpose, personal development, self help, self-discovery, Spirit, spiritual, Success, Travel, universal energy, vivid life, vividlife, wellness

Do you ever wonder why life keeps making you repeat the same circumstances over and over again?

Maybe the God/Source/Universe wants you to learn from the mistakes and take a new direction for your life.  It is possible that you are faced with the same situation over and over again because life wants you to learn something from it that will propel you to a new life dimension.  We all fall down and not meet our personal standards all of the time.  Our shortcomings can be our learning opportunities.  We just have to be open to them.  A closed mind doesn’t learn much, but an open mind is capable of anything.

An open mind is the catalyst for overcoming life’s exams.  The only way to live your ultimate life is to be open to what life throws at you for you to catch.  When we drop the ball, we fail.  It is possible to fail forward and not backward.  We might try to pass a certain life exam and fail but that doesn’t mean we can’t try again.  For example, let’s say you don’t get along with one of your partner’s siblings.  You can leave the strained relationship or you can try to create a healthy relationship.  It might not happen with just the next visit but if you truly send out positive and loving thoughts towards them, over time they will come around.  I have seen the sourest people become friends and even lovers.  It is possible but without thinking about it and focusing on the process, it will not change.  The mind is very powerful.  There is no computer capable of the processing power of your three-pound brain.  You will need to focus your mind on the process of getting to the end goal.  If you focus on the process and don’t think about a desired outcome, the outcome might surprise you and be better than the outcome you wanted.

Action Exercise:

Pick a situation in your life that you seem to be repeating over and over again.  Think about the process of repeating and find a way to change the process to reach a different outcome.

Technorati Tags: authenticity, Chris Oldcorn, compassion, confidence, conscious creation, energy, gratitude, Growth, Honesty, inspiration, life purpose, motivational speaker, personal development, self help, self-discovery, Spirit, spiritual, Success, Travel, universal energy, vividlife, wellness

I love teaching Reiki, sharing Reiki, and just plain being in it. The greatest thrill is to see the light go on in someone’s eyes when they get it. I mean really get it. When that happens you know they’ll never forget it. Reiki is after all, all about the Light. It is said that Reiki is Universal Life Force Energy and while I do understand why it is perceived as such I have wondered over the years if Reiki isn’t really just Light.

In the context of the Reiki attunements and treatments I, as a master practitioner try to encourage the student and client to embody a greater quotient of light than ever before. If I am successful I know that the student/client will feel ‘lighter’, will experience ‘lights’ of swirling colors with their eyes shut, will see clearer and brighter than before, will feel slightly ‘light’ headed, and ‘lighter’ in their step and in their being.

A Sacred Calling
Reiki appeals to us on a mystical level. As human beings we all crave to be touched deeply by something magical and powerful that resonates within our soul. Inherently we already know that we are part of something bigger. When we meet Reiki we can feel that vast potential coursing through our veins. So often I hear people describe their sense of having realized a huge power that feels like it is trying to explode from within them. Something perhaps, that had only whispered to us in the past. But I don’t think that Reiki brings us something new. I believe it exposes our original unique essential being. In the light of Reiki we see ourselves as we intended to experience life prior to arriving in this particular expression of form. Reiki begs us to remember our truth.

Reiki’s power is to awaken us to the latent life force that flows throughout this universe within us. We come to understand that we have been sleeping and waiting. When this force awakens we feel called. We feel like we have heard the whisper of God’s voice in our ear. A sacred flame has been ignited. Once the fire has been lit, it is up to us to fan the flames and shine brighter.

The Truth is in the Quanta
Once people have been attuned to Reiki they feel the need to share it, but the truest blessing of Reiki is to be able to own it for your self. If the students of Reiki could but understand that Reiki is not something to do but rather to become; specifically a radiant being of Light, the sharing of it would be automatic. Reiki is a force of our natural world to which you can attune your being, not something to turn on or turn off. With commitment you can learn to brighten your being with consistent light, gradually overcoming the shadows of fear and doubt until peace and clarity are sovereign in your world.

So what does all this mean? I am not only referring to our ‘spiritual light’, that is only one part of who we are. I am also talking about our physical being. This takes us right into quantum mechanics. The word quantum means packets of light. In the world of science they are discovering that we are far more ‘light’ than dense physical matter. And that our world which seems so physical is but a virtual reality. The implications of this are vast. But for us lowly Reiki practitioners it simply means that just by turning our focus towards the light we can shift our attention away from a heavy reality of pain, suffering and fear. In the world of quantum, the heavier denser an object is the lower the frequency and hence the lower the quotient of radiant light. Also illness, depression, and fear are of lower frequencies than health, joy and love. Healing therefore, on any level, requires the turning on of light. Reiki teaches us to turn on the Light. The attunements, the precepts, the symbols, and the practice of it are all designed to dispel the darkness.

We find the purpose of this practice in the words of Goethe, “Light, light, the world needs more light!” Become the Light of Reiki and shine it out of you, sharing generously with all you meet. Let the Light set you free!

VividLife.me Contributor

Andrea Connell:
Andrea is a full time practicing Reiki Master, metaphysics teacher and energy practitioner. She has been assisting people in their life transitions for over 15 years and is passionate about teaching people the tools they need to feel empowered in their own lives. She is a popular teacher and offers many programs, seminars and workshop in self-empowerment, metaphysics, meditation and Reiki. When she isn’t teaching she’s busy working on her book. Find out more on her websitewww.centreforappliedmetaphysics.com and her blog at http://www.andreathielconnell.wordpress.com/

Technorati Tags: Andrea Connell, attunements, Goethe, master, mystical, natural, quanta, quantum, sacred calling, universal energy, universal life force energy

“Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too”
Thomas Fuller

Everyday, we come across people who are miserable and negative about themselves. We think about how much of a downer it is to be around them whether they are co-workers, classmates, friends, or family. Sometimes, I feel like telling people to just snap out of it and look at all the positives in their life. They have a job, friends, family, and nice possessions. I live in North America so the poorest people in my country are staggeringly rich in other countries. However, do we ever stop and ask ourselves if we are one of these people? We acknowledge everything wrong but don’t see their blessings all around us.

Most people don’t realize how negative they are everyday. How do we recognize if we are one of the negatives? Our thought lives and body language. If we think defeating thoughts then we act defeated. If we carry ourselves defeated then we act defeated. The key issue here is acknowledging that we suffer from defeatism and need to move toward positivism. Most people are too hard on themselves. One small mistake and they ruin the rest of their day if not week or longer. No one expects you to be perfect so don’t be a perfectionist. Only seeing what you do wrong and not what you do right is a horrible way to live. It is hell on earth. Spending your time on thinking about how too fat, too tall, or not smart enough is a waste of time. You need to love yourself before you can love someone else. This was probably the hardest lesson I have learned in my life. Without self-acceptance, there is no opportunity to accept someone else.

The opinion that you have of yourself is the most determinant factor of how others perceive you. If you constantly send out unworthy messages, you will receive unworthy responses. You will miss great relationships because they can never really become great without you having a great relationship with yourself. If you cannot have a great relationship with yourself, you do not truly understand how to have a great relationship with others. Being your own best friend is the key to being a best friend to others. If you honour and favour yourself, you can do the same to other people. Compliment yourself just as you would complement those around you.

What really matters? How you feel on the inside is more important than what you look like on the outside. Hold your head up high and shake off your failures. Start your day thinking about your successes and not your failures. Think to yourself, “So far, so good.” Find the good that you do. Say to yourself, “I am strong, healthy, and victorious! There is nothing I cannot accomplish if I put my mind towards it.” Dwell on your good qualities and not your bad. You are empowered and have all the talents necessary to fulfill your destiny.

“Before a person can achieve the kind of life he wants, he must think, act, walk, talk and conduct himself in all of his affairs as would the person he wishes to become”
Zig Ziglar

Action Exercise:
Don’t say anything negative about yourself for a day. You will see how much better you will feel about yourself. When you are at a mirror say, “I am awesome and I will let others know by how I act today.”

VividLife.me Contributor

Chris Oldcorn
Inspirational Speaker and Writer
http://www.vividlife.me
http://www.facebook.com/chrisoldcorn
http://www.twitter.com/chrisoldcorn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisoldcorn
http://nowgroup.wordpress.com
http://ptwithchris.wordpress.com

“Whatever you do, you are creating your own future.”

Technorati Tags: Body, Chris, Chris Oldcorn, confidence, conscious creation, energy, Growth, Health, law of attraction, life purpose, oldcorn, personal development, positive self-esteem, self appreciation, self esteem, self esteem and self love, self help, self love, self-care, self-confidence, self-discovery, spiritual, universal energy, wellness

Each of us has a special power inside that is waiting to be let out.  It is creative, empowering, and filled with unlimited potential.  Changing the way you think about your situations, talents, abilities, and relationships is just the beginning of your best year yet!  The source that we all originate from has empowered you with unlimited ability to live a greater life than those who came before you.

A great example of this power is from the biblical story of Abraham and Sarah.  Abraham came home one day and told Sarah that they were going to have a baby.  Both of them were past their prime baby years.  They were approximately one hundred years old and this was before any medical technology that could assist them in getting Sarah pregnant.  They had to do it the natural way.  Sarah did not believe she could become pregnant so she sends Abraham to sleep with one of their maids and have a baby.  They raised that child for twenty years while Abraham kept trying to make Sarah believe she could have a child.  Eventually, Sarah began to believe that it was possible at the ripe young age of one hundred and twenty to have her first child.

Maybe you have spent your whole life being told that you would never amount to anything, you are as dumb as a rock, or no one will want to marry you because you are ugly.  People around you have made you buy into a negative self-image.  Today is the day that you will walk away from that negative self-image and believe that you are special.  Throw away the coat of negativity and step into your new future filled with unlimited potential.

Your New Year’s resolution should be to perform at a higher level in every area of your life.  Change your thinking and hope for a better future in the coming year.  No one will believe in you until you believe in yourself.  It is not being conceited but having a positive self-image and a healthy feeling of self-worth.  You get what you expect whether you like it or not.  You cannot receive if you do not believe.

This is the year you become financially secure.  The love of your life will cross paths with you.  The unlimited potential will rise up and match you with the career you have been waiting for your whole life.

“Rise above the rest and be your best”

VividLife.me Contributor

Chris Oldcorn
“Whatever you do, you are creating your own future.”
http://www.facebook.com/chrisoldcorn
http://www.twitter.com/chrisoldcorn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisoldcorn
http://nowgroup.wordpress.com/

Technorati Tags: Chris Oldcorn, confidence, conscious creation, energy, gratitude, Growth, law of attraction, personal development, self help, self-discovery, spiritual, Success, universal energy, vividlife, wellness

I sat under a tree, along a bubbling brook, and watched as it made its last decent before meeting the great lake. Visualizing its vast journey from the sky … over waterfalls, over rocks, around bends, twisting, churning, and finally arriving with these characteristics – adaptability, flow, incredible strength, remarkable softness, integrity, to be alive. The inspirational voice of nature… a way of life.

VividLife.me Contributor

Nicholas Franklin Bray

With many film and stage roles to his credit Nicholas Franklin Bray has recently finished the lead role in the film “Alter”, which was accepted by the “Big Apple Film Festival in New York. Nicholas’s next project is the lead in a film “The Tale of True Blue”, and will also be in the film “Boys of Summer”. He also has film projects in New York, Los Angeles, Michigan, and Phoenix. Nicholas summed up his acting career thus far with these words:

“By living my dream and embracing my passion, I hope to inspire others to do so also.”
Nicholas Franklin Bray
www.nicholasfranklinbray.com

Technorati Tags: conscious creation, gratitude, Growth, Nicholas Franklin Bray, spiritual, universal energy

The brilliant yellow turned into a radiant orange and then red ablaze. This spectacular sight slowly descended, reflecting off white caps, splashing against its face. The glow radiated permeating the sky a florescence in turquoise, resting upon the sands of time.  I gazed into this illuminating heart a portal of such beauty … the celestial voice, reverberating of love … Love that flows through each and every one of us.

Contributor

Nicholas Franklin Bray

With many film and stage roles to his credit Nicholas Franklin Bray has recently finished the lead role in the film “Alter”, which was accepted by the “Big Apple Film Festival in New York. Nicholas’s next project is the lead in a film “The Tale of True Blue”, and will also be in the film “Boys of Summer”. He also has film projects in New York, Los Angeles, Michigan, and Phoenix. Nicholas summed up his acting career thus far with these words:

“By living my dream and embracing my passion, I hope to inspire others to do so also.”
Nicholas Franklin Bray
www.nicholasfranklinbray.com

Technorati Tags: conscious creation, gratitude, love, self help, self-discovery, Spirit, spiritual, universal energy

I stood in awe as I watched an eagle take flight with such grace, courage, focus and intent. It soared to breath taking heights, and then floated as if suspended in the big blue sky. Circling upon the currents of time … allowing life to unfold and to flow within … sharing its passion for life. Inspired to live life with courage. Rise to extraordinary heights. To focus with pure intent, and to walk in grace.

Contributor

Nicholas Franklin Bray

With many film and stage roles to his credit Nicholas Franklin Bray has recently finished the lead role in the film “Alter”, which was accepted by the “Big Apple Film Festival in New York. Nicholas’s next project is the lead in a film “The Tale of True Blue”, and will also be in the film “Boys of Summer”. He also has film projects in New York, Los Angeles, Michigan, and Phoenix. Nicholas summed up his acting career thus far with these words:

“By living my dream and embracing my passion, I hope to inspire others to do so also.”
Nicholas Franklin Bray
www.nicholasfranklinbray.com

Technorati Tags: conscious creation, energy, gratitude, self help, self-discovery, spiritual, universal energy