Sunday, March 30, 2008

Sunday Morning Video: Believe in Yourself

I found this first video sometime ago and thought "hey, that's a nice video about believing in yourself. I'll keep it in mind for 'one day.'" When I saw this I thought about a quote from the movie Pretty Woman when Richard Gere's character (Edward Lewis) takes Julia Robert's character(Vivian) to her first opera. He tells her that people have a strong reaction to opera, either they hate it or they are deeply moved by it.

Then this morning I didn't have this post ready, looked for something new and different. I looked again at this first video and thought it's too short. Looking at about 2 dozen other inspirational videos I kept coming back to this first one. Then I found the following videos that continued the progress of Paul Potts. I usually don't watch "talent shows" but this one performer caught my attention, mostly because of the first video.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I found myself enjoying them.










Paul ended up winning the Britain's Got Talent show. He's signed a contract and his first CD appropriately named "One Chance" is released. From the Sony BMG site:

The rich, powerful and mesmerising voice of rising star Paul Potts has touched the hearts of millions since his win on TV’s hot new talent show ‘Britain’s Got Talent'. Watched by 13.5 million in the finals, his hauntingly beautiful rendition of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma stunned the show’s judges and audiences alike, leaving many moved to tears.


On Paul's site and blog about his world tour, there is another video collage of the final show, that brought a tear to my eye.

Other Sunday Morning Videos

Sunday Morning Video - "Miracles Happen" By Lila Sakura

Enlightenment by Gary Evans

The Gratitude Dance

Affirmation Movie by Gamy Rachel

Matthieu Ricard - The World's Happiest Man

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Sunday Morning Video - "Miracles Happen" By Lila Sakura

I found this MindMovies on YouTube and it seemed to be just the right thing for this post, the first Sunday after the first full moon in Spring. (aka Easter) Lila Sakura is the creator of this video I'm sharing with you today.

Here is the MindMovies $5,000 Winning Mind Movie "Miracles Happen"



If you would like to learn how to make a MindMovies click here. I'm working on making mine and I'll share it soon.

One of the previous posts I shared was made using MindMovies .

Other Sunday Morning Videos

Enlightenment by Gary Evans

The Gratitude Dance

Affirmation Movie by Gamy Rachel

Matthieu Ricard - The World's Happiest Man

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Law of Attraction Carnival #30 - Religion

The Law of Attraction Blog Carnival #30 is now posted at Living the Law of Attraction.

The next edition of the Law of Attraction Carnival will be hosted here at the Law of Attraction for Beginners. It's Spring, a time of new beginnings, and sowing of seeds for a future harvest. For the next edition, the topic is "Back to Basics."

When I played sports, some of the first practices we had as a team were the fundamentals, the basics of the sport, catching, throwing, hitting, etc.

Write an article or give a lesson in the Law of Attraction for a beginner. Someone who has never heard about the Law of Attraction or is so new to the concept that you are pretty much sharing the information with someone without a lot of knowledge or experience about manifesting our realities.

For the readers, these articles are good for both the beginner and the experienced students, because, it's good to have the basics down as a solid foundation.

Please check the submission guidelines.

You can submit your article at Blog Carnival.

Blog Carnival submission form - law of attraction


Other Law of Attraction Carnivals:

Law of Attraction Blog Carnival #29

Law of Attraction Blog Carnival #28

Edward Mills list of all previous Law of Attraction Blog Carnivals

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Religion and the Law of Attraction

Ellie Walsh put forward a great idea for the current edition of Law of Attraction Blog Carnival concerning Religion and the Law of Attraction.

Tell me your perspective - your experience - with religion and the Law of Attraction.
Do you practice both?
Do you feel religion enhances or inhibits utilizing the Law of Attraction?



Tell me your perspective - your experience - with religion and the Law of Attraction.

I am a recovering Catholic. I attended Sunday mass every week. Received the sacraments of Baptism, Confession, Communion, Confirmation and attended Catholic schools all but 2 of my pre-college years. I seriously contemplated the priesthood and considered myself, not only a good Christian (acting in the ways of Christ), but also a devout Catholic.

While attending Mater Dei High School, my religion classes taught me about the Bible, other religions, Church history and teachings. The more I learned, the more the Church seemed too restrictive, dogmatic, full of conflict and I felt that my relationship with God and the Universe was more peaceful and loving, than to be burdened with rules and sins. But that is my perspective.

Like many young people, I then did some searching. I found community in other Christian churches, less restrictive, but still found no real connection.

I discovered meditation and Buddhism and later yoga. Peaceful and tranquil, but seemed to me, to retard my desires and ambitions. Finding balance was challenging for me and at times, still is challenging.

Then, through a series of events and people (those I attracted into my life, ya think) started learning about the powers of the mind. Then as I read personal development books, studied more religions and metaphysical sciences, I started to see similarities and connections between them. They are not exclusive of each other, they are interpretations and explanations of the grand puzzle of "life the universe and everything" that priests, philosophers, scientists, monks, thinkers, bloggers and others have been trying to explain as our understanding evolves.


Do you practice both?

No. What follows is my opinion, my beliefs and what I learned from my personal experiences.

I see religion as a stepping stone along the evolutionary path of consciousness. Look back over history and you'll see that polytheism is based upon the personification of the forces of Nature that were observed by early humans. Much like young children personify their toys and bring them to life. Later as the consciousness of humanity matured, monotheism developed and created a greater one and all encompassing force. Again, monotheistic religion personified Universal forces for human understanding. Now, in this New Age, leading edge thinking takes spirituality and understanding beyond monotheism and we find the universal forces and laws apply to everyone and can be used by anyone.

Although not religious, I consider myself spiritual. When I meditate, when the thoughts that wander through my mind are gone, I feel a sense of closeness, sometimes a oneness with everything. It's possible that my practice is novice if one were to compare with others. But those comparisons are a trap, so I will just say that my experience is my experience and fulfilling for me. As it should be for you.


Do you feel religion enhances or inhibits utilizing the Law of Attraction?

Religion can do both, enhance or inhibit.

Religion can enhance a person's utilization of the Law of Attraction when belief in their deity(ies) is strong and their faith that their gods/goddesses will grant them their desire through prayer or ritual. It is that belief and faith that brings about manifestation. Religions provide a good foundation for belief and faith. They provide teachings and affirmations for followers to develop and grow their faith. With an understanding of the Law of Attraction, a religious person can make better use of prayer, for example, replacing "Oh God, don't let me loose my house to foreclosure" with "Oh God, help me find ways to keep living in my home."

Those members who have faith and belief in their god's power to grant their prayers are just as successful in manifesting as those who are non-religious yet have faith in the Universe or even faith in themselves.

On the other hand, religions can inhibit utilization of the Law of Attraction when one is taught that we are sinful, unworthy, inferior, etc. and can only be "saved" by faith and, devotion will bring reward in the afterlife. It is these beliefs in sin, unworthiness and inferiority that cause resistance to receiving abundance. If one believes themselves unworthy (resistance), then those prayers asking for help will appear to go unanswered because of the belief of unworthiness.

The difference is a religious person can take the path of "it's god's will I'm in this condition" whether good (abundant) or bad (lack). The deliberate creator, one who accepts their role in the manifestation of their experiences, acknowledges their own resistances (or at least should acknowledge their role) and can develop themselves personally to reduce and eliminate their resistances and bring about abundance. Resistance is resistance, whether you are resisting God, the Universe or resisting your own deservings of being happy and fulfilled.

For the religious person, I believe that this New Age we are in, can actually make for a better relationship with their gods and goddesses. Just as offspring learn better ways to ask for what they want from their parents, so can followers learn to ask deities for their desires to be fulfilled. Knowing how to frame prayers when asking for divine assistance makes for a better communication process in the relationship with the Divine.

Whether you are religious or spiritual or not, I believe the Law of Attraction is a natural force available for use by anyone.

What do you think? I invite you dear reader to leave your comments or share your thoughts with me.


Other Law of Attraction Carnivals:

Law of Attraction Blog Carnival #29

Law of Attraction Blog Carnival #28

Edward Mills list of Law of Attraction Blog Carnivals

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Sunday Morning Video: Enlightenment by Gary Evans

This morning's video is from one of my fellow members of Personal Development Partners Gary Evans of Good To Feel Good. Gary's site is a great resource for personal development.

Gary has also produced the How to Manifest a Miracle program. This course consolidates all the information one needs to put the Law of Attraction to work in their lives.

I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Cooking with Thought Energy

I love to cook, always have. I was teased as a kid that when I get married the house will be my wife's but the kitchen will be mine.

Recently in a conversation with my kids one of them said "mom wants your recipe for tuna salad." And the other said something like "Mom's is good, but yours is the best." My first thought was "that's impossible, I make it different almost every time." Sometimes I use mustard, sometimes not; sometimes I use a bit of Worcestershire sauce, sometimes not, etc.

Then I thought about what I do put into my tuna salad each and every time I make it, other than Solid White Albacore in spring water, mayonnaise and chopped onion (sometimes red, sometimes brown, sometimes white). The common ingredient in every batch of tuna salad, in fact everything I cut, chop, prepare, cook or bake is my thoughts and feelings. I'm thinking about how much I love my kids, how much they enjoy the food I prepare, that I thoroughly enjoy cooking for the people I love, I enjoy getting compliments for what I made, etc. And of course other thoughts like "the noodles cook for 15 minutes, sauce heats up in 10, garlic toast is a quick 3 minutes DON'T LET IT BURN!, get the table set, fill the glasses, etc."

These good feelings and happy thoughts pass from me into the foods I'm preparing. The thought energy blends with the food's energy. You can taste the love and care I put into my foods. In a way, preparing and eating food is as much a physical process as it is an act of love.

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy.
And cooking done with care is an act of love.
- Craig Claiborne

Over the years of learning and practicing cooking, metaphysics and energy work I've put together a short list of ideas to think about when working with food.


PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Focus your intent on what you want from the meal you are preparing. Is this a romantic meal? Think of how sensuous the meal will be. Think about how the night will go. (wink wink) Is the meal a holiday feast? Allow your warm and caring thoughts for your family flow from you into the sauces, potatoes, meats, veggies and the bread or cookie dough before baking. Even a routine nightly meal is a good time to imbue the foods with thoughts of love for your family. If you are eating alone, take a minute and put in some thoughts of love and care for yourself.


FRESH FROM THE GARDEN VS. STORE BOUGHT

As a child, every Sunday we went to my grandfather's for dinner. He grew apricots, figs, avocados, tomatoes, grapefruit, oranges, herbs and more. Eating from those plants was a wonderfully delicious experience. Food picked fresh from a garden a few minutes to a couple hours ago is the best tasting food I've ever eaten. It's just bursting with vitality and flavor. The taste excites the mouth like nothing else.

When growing your own foods you can put in your thought energy into nurturing the plant. I'm sure you've heard that talking to plants helps them grow and thrive. Sure plants will grow with water and fertilizer and children will grow with food and water. But a child, in fact anyone, will thrive and prosper with positive encouragement and a supportive environment. So will plants. When I had a garden I talked with my herbs all the time. Neighbors complimented my plants asking what special fertilizers I used, I'd tell them I talked with them.


USE WHOLE REAL FOODS

For some people, like me now-a-days, having a garden is not an option nor practical. So, I buy my fruits and vegetables at stores or farmers markets. I do my best to buy from the outer perimeter of the store, away from the packaged and process foods. Well, as much as possible. Real, unprocessed food tastes better than packaged and processed foods. I don't even need to mention all the chemicals used in processing packaged foods.

Although not grown in your garden, they are obviously more alive than the box or canned variety. Still, when preparing your foods, think of loving and caring thoughts about your loved ones and those thoughts will be served with your meal.


VEGETARIAN (Full-time/Part-time)

Think about this, what you eat is energy. Eat animals, you are eating animal energy. I've heard some people say "I didn't scratch and claw my way up the food chain, just to eat vegetables." Fine. But at least look into reducing your meat intake, try some vegetarian meals every once in awhile. I still eat meat, but significantly less than years ago. I often make vegetarian selections in restaurants or even choose a vegetarian restaurant. Don't knock it until you try it.

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances
for survival of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet.
- Albert Einstein

ARRANGEMENT

Or as they rate on Iron Chef, presentation. Every restaurant I've worked in, always mentioned the importance of presentation of every plate as it leaves the kitchen. So take a moment to prepare the plates before seating. If you sit family style where everyone grabs their own serving from a community pot/platter/bowl, etc., then at least set an attractive table. A tablecloth, runner or small arrangement of flowers does wonders. (Hmmm, maybe I should start another blog on home decorating. Watch out Martha!)

I usually plate the food for my kids in the kitchen. While arranging the food, I like to use broccoli for ears, carrot sticks for hair or eyebrows, olives make nice eyes, mash potatoes piled in the center of the plate make a good nose. You get the idea. The idea is to put in a little thought that makes the meal something a little different, a little special. Something that says you put thought into preparation.


As deliberate creators, we spend time thinking about feeding our minds, visualizing our dreams and goals, who we want to be. I suggest we also think about what we eat and it's preparation to sustain our body as well as our minds. After all, we will be thinking when preparing the food anyway, might as well think of good, happy, loving thoughts.



Related articles:

How the Law of Attraction works: Quantum Physics

Law of Attraction is Magick

Seed Money: So money does grow on trees"

Sunday, March 9, 2008

The Biggest Rocks

Recently I've been thinking about issues with time.

How am I going to get all this done? How can I get all this reading done? I've got to do my taxes. How do these other bloggers find all the time to get all their reading, writing, commenting on other blogs, responding to their comments, etc? I've got to write another post. Make time to meditate, vizualize, write in my gratitude journal, etc., etc., etc.

Deep Breath

On top of that I need to spend time with my kids for fun, to help them with their homework, volunteer in their schools, keep after them to clean-up, make sure they brush their teeth, etc.

Deep Breath

and to keep myself sane:

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Eventhough I have schedules, planned events, allocated time for reading, writing, etc. Sometimes it takes longer to write the next post with thoughts "It'll take just a few more minutes, then it'll be done." One of the little people gets distracted and doesn't get done what I've asked them to do. An unexpected call. Something else just popped up.

Naturally I attracted the following story into my life to put a little perspective on it all. Eventhough I've read this story before, I evedentally needed to read it again.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

*************************************************
THE STORY


One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz," and pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.

He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."

The time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good," he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No," the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!"

Then he took a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit more things in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth is what this illustration teaches us is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the "big rocks" in your life? Time with your loved ones? Your faith? Your education? Your dreams? A worthy cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all.

So, tonight or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question, "What are the big rocks in my life? Then, put those in your jar first!"

Author Unknown

*************************************************

My big rocks are:

* Being with my kids, helping them with school, their activites, tending to scraped knees, etc.

* Work

* Personal Development (reading, writing, meditating, EFT, etc.)

Leave a comment and share "What are you big rocks?"

Sunday Morning Video: The Gratitude Dance

Wow, the idea of gratitude is really catching on in this world. Now there is a dance for gratitude.

This is a wonderful happy video that makes me smile when I watch it and silly when I do the gratitude dance.

Brad and Matty have given us three simple steps to a better life:

1. Write a list of what you are grateful
2. Turn on this video
3. Do the Gratitude Dance




Other Sunday Morning Videos you might like:

Sunday Morning Video: Affirmation Movie

Sunday Morning Video: Matthieu Ricard - The World's Happiest Man


Related posts:

The Most Important Part of the Law Of Attraction (IMHO)

A New Approach with Gratitiude

How the Universe has provided for me.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

How to STOP Being a Person that NOTHING Seems to Work For -by Bob Doyle


Recently I tried some other programs and techniques because of the good responses people seemed to be getting from practicing those tools. I believe that those tools work for them. I did go into those programs seeking to take my personal development up a notch. Now I'm back to what I call "the basics."

In reviewing the past couple of months of my life, I found the following article by Bob Doyle, one of the stars of the movie The Secret. So, I'm back with the Wealth Beyond Reason program and the practices that I followed months ago and feeling like I'm "back in the saddle again."

So I'm sharing this article with you and maybe you'll see a new or different approach to any personal development programs you are or have worked with in the past.

Following is Bob's article "How to STOP Being a Person that NOTHING Seems to Work For" Much success to you.

Dean

*************************************************

Do you ever wonder why great things happen to some people but not to you?

Do you ever read about people who have tried this or that product and had some incredible result, but when you try it, you don't get the same result?

Have you become a person who NOTHING seems to work for?

Maybe you've thought about trying the some new self-improvement package that sounds great, but you're just so tired of things not working for you.

Let's take a look at how you've gotten where you are and why these things might happen. First, at some point, you tried something - either based on a recommendation, a testimonial you read, or some other reason. Basically, you tried it based on someone else's positive experience. However, when you tried it, you did not get the same result so you made the assumption that it didn't work for you. But how true IS this? Often - VERY often - things work differently for different people, and it's a mistake to judge your life by comparing it with others. Perhaps you just needed more time. Maybe your circumstances are completely different! Regardless, however, you made up - you CREATED a Truth for yourself at that time, that truth being "This didn't work", although remember, that truth is based only on your surface comparison with someone else...and it really doesn't have anything to do with you, and what - in the cosmic scheme of things - is best for you. Those results you read about for that other person are what was right at that time for them, and that doesn't necessarily mean that NOW is the time for you and that it will happen to you the same way that it happened for them!

From then on, every thing else you try is then compared to that first experience, with the Truth in your mind being "Well, it didn't work that time...let's see if THIS works". So again you're comparing...and not really trying anything "purely" and on it's own merit without preconceived notions or judgements. You are already working against yourself! You may not yet automatically expect failure, but you have it as an option, and perhaps even a probability based on your previous experiences.

The more things you try with this mindset, the more you fortify this mindset - it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that "Nothing works for me". Before you know it, that is who you Become. The person you are about reaching your specific goals or trying this or that product or technology is "It works for others but never for me." Once you reach that place, it will most certainly become true for you.

So what do you do? How do you break out of this pattern? First, acknowledge how you got here...by comparing yourself or your results with other people who are really on a completely different path then you, although they may have been after similar results. Then create a new idea for yourself - give yourself permission to experience success on your own terms, without judging what happens based on other people or expectations set up by anyone other than yourself.

Once you believe that you deserve to succeed and that you CAN succeed and that you WILL succeed, your life will change. Whatever you try will work for you, because YOU define what "working" is - not somebody else! You set yourown timetable, you are relaxed, and non-judgement. Your infinite patience and lack of expectation based Externally,will work with you in very powerful ways and you will regain control over your destiny.

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Bob Doyle is the CEO and founder of Boundless Living and the developer of the "Wealth Beyond Reason" program, which provides a continuing education of the physics of wealth,abundance, and joyous living through the Law of Attraction. Wealth Beyond Reason


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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Another Look at Energy Exchanges and Relationships

I came across the following article because the current edition March '08 Parnormal Carnival is now posted at Season of Shadows blog.

The lead article Energy Cords: Working With Them for Emotional Freedom is an excellent article that ties in well with what I share in this blog.

Although I have spent more time on this blog advocating the use of Emotional Freedom Technique, my metaphysical background taught me about energy cords years ago.

I'm sharing this article with you because I feel it's important that we all see the interrelatedness of philosophies, techniques and teachings. For this article author Palehorse Redivivus writes:

One of the most important things to consider when doing this work is that intent is much more important than technique. Don’t worry about doing these exercises “right”, having a hard time visualizing, or spend time worrying about whether what you did was effective.


This is an idea that is shared with Law of Attraction practitioners and other metaphysicians alike.


Related articles about Energy Cords:

Let it go...Meditation for Cutting Energy Cords

Breaking the Cords that Bind You

On energy Cords


Related articles on this blog:

How the Law of Attraction Works: Quantum Physics

4 Essential Skills to Starting Relationships with Strangers

Ritual as an Agent for Transformation and Change

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Sunday Morning Video: Affirmation Movie


Happy Sunday morning.

One of my fellow members at Personal Development Partners Gamy Rachel from Mind Think Success has posted an Affirmation Movie on YouTube.

You can go directly to YouTube here.

Or watch the video below: