Monday, February 29, 2016

Did YOU Take YOUR Meds Today?...The Art of Meditation!

Plant the seed of meditation and reap the fruit of peace of mind.  Your mind is your instrument. Learn to be its master and not its slave. -Remez Sasson

So… I awakened this morning to a day of New Beginnings…and Miracles in all areas of my Life…and… in addition to Affirmative Prayer…I went within to the place I Desired to BE!

Over the past nearly 50 years, meditation has entered the mainstream of modern Western culture, prescribed by physicians and practiced by everyone from business executives, artists, and scientists to students, teachers, military personnel, and … on a promising note …some politicians.
During most of our waking life our minds are engaged in a continuous internal dialogue in which the meaning and emotional associations of one thought trigger the next. All day long our mind experiences and expresses stories about our work, our health, our finances, our family, or, perhaps, even our Life Purpose.
Too often we’re not even conscious of the internal messages and recordings taking up residence in our mind…and, perhaps, often, the greatest source of stress in our lives.  

Although the mind is capable of creating life-affirming stories, it has what neuroscientists refer to as a negativity biasyes…that tendency to pay more attention to negative experiences than to positive ones. The negativity bias evolved as a survival instinct millions of years ago, as our ancestors…and, now those who choose to focused much more attention on avoiding potential threats than on rewards. Stopping to enjoy and savor a delicious meal or admire a Once-in-a LifeTime sunset would have used valuable intentional resources, leaving our ancient ancestors more vulnerable to attack by a predator.  Hey…go figure!!!  Those who survived to pass on their genes paid a lot of attention to danger. Their legacy is a brain that is primed to focus on negative experiences and has a tendency to get stuck in conditioned patterns of thinking, returning again…and once again to thoughts of anxiety, and limitation…that “not enough” stuff!
Despite the growing popularity of meditation, prevailing misconceptions about the practice are a barrier that prevents many people from trying meditation and receiving its profound benefits for the body, mind, and Spirit. Here are several of the most common meditation misconceptions dispelled.

Meditation is difficult. False!

This total misconception is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric practice reserved only for gurus, saints, and the Spiritually elite. In reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced, knowledgeable teacher or practitioner, meditation is easy and fun to learn.  The techniques can be as simple as focusing on the breath or silently repeating a mantra. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is that we try too hard to concentrate, we’re overly attached to results, or we’re not sure we are doing it right. 

You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.  False!

This misconception regarding meditation is, likely, responsible for many people giving up in frustration on a daily meditation practice. Meditation isn’t about stopping our thoughts or trying to empty our mind.  Actually, both of these approaches only create stress and contribute to that internal dialogue. We can’t stop or control our thoughts… but we can willingly decide how much attention to give them. Although we can’t impose quiet on our mind, through meditation we can find the quiet that already exists in the space between our thoughts. Sometimes referred to as the gap, this space between thoughts is pure consciousness, pure silence, and pure peace. When we meditate, we use an object of attention, such as our breath, an image, or a mantra, which allows our mind to relax into this silent stream of awareness. When thoughts arise, as they inevitably will, we don’t need to judge them or try to push them away. Instead, we gently return our attention to our object of attention. In every meditation, there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this state of expanded awareness and silence.
  As you become less identified with your thoughts and stories, you experience greater peace and open to new possibilities…truly a benefit of meditation!  Of this, I AM certain!

It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.  False!

The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate and in the first few days of daily practice. Many scientific studies provide evidence that meditation has profound effects on the mind-body physiology within just weeks of practice.

Meditation is a means of escaping.  False!

The real purpose of meditation isn’t to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true Self – that eternal aspect of yourself that goes beyond all the ever-changing, external circumstances of your life. In meditation you journey below the mind’s ego surface… which tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness…present awareness…where peace thrives.  In this state of higher awareness, you have the opportunity to let go of all the proverbial stories you’ve been telling yourself about who you are,  and all that is limiting you… and you experience the truth that your deepest Self is infinite, unlimited, and without boundary.  As you practice meditation on a regular basis, you clear out that which is not serving of perception… and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation as a form of escape …that way to bypass unresolved emotional issues…this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about meditation and mindfulness.  In fact, there are a variety of meditation techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release stored emotional toxicity… safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to your natural state of wholeness and Love.

I don’t have enough time to meditate.  False!

There are busy, productive individuals in all walks of life who have not missed a meditation in years.  If you make meditation a priority, you will do it. If you feel like your schedule is too full, remember that even just a few minutes of meditation is better than none.  In fact, I encourage you not to talk yourself out of meditating just because you might be feeling hurried, or you feel too sleepy.

In life’s paradoxical way, when we spend time meditating on a regular basis, we actually have more time. When we meditate, we dip in and out of the without time and space realm of consciousness . . . the state of pure awareness that is the source of everything that manifests in the universe. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, our blood pressure lowers, and our body decreases the production of stress hormones and other chemicals that speed up the aging process… and give us the subjective feeling that we are running out of time.  In meditation, we are in a state of restful alertness that is extremely refreshing for the body and mind….and, most especially, the Spirit!  As people stick with their meditation ritual, they notice that they are able to accomplish more while doing less. Instead of struggling so hard to achieve goals, they spend more and more time in the flow… aligned with universal intelligence…Source… that orchestrates everything.

Meditation is a spiritual or religious practice.  False!

Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy ego of the mind into a place of stillness and silence. It doesn’t require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs.  We meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the numerous physical and emotional benefits of the practice… including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep….to name but a few of the benefits. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy whatever we do in our lives more fully and with Joy…with bliss…whether we are at work, play, or rest.

I’m supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.  False!

Some people are disappointed when they don’t experience visions, lightning bolts, levitate, or glimpse enlightenment…that light bulb Ah ha moment…when they meditate.  Although we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate, including feelings of bliss, vitality, and oneness with Source, these aren’t the purpose of the practice of meditation. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the other hours of the day when we’re going about our daily lives. When we emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative, compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we encounter…identifying us to our highest and best good… or something better!
While we have just touched upon some the things that meditation is not…  It remains this meditator’s experience that…Meditation remains a birthplace of Happiness!

Beyond the substantial benefits meditation creates for the mind-body physiology connection, the greatest gift of meditation is the sense of calm and inner peace it brings into your daily life. When you meditate, you go beyond the mind’s noisy ego into an entirely different place… the silence of a mind that is not imprisoned by the past or the future. This is important because silence…the present moment… is the birthplace of happiness. For it remains in that very silence that we get our bursts of inspiration, our feelings of compassion and empathy, our sense of love…our sense of Self.  When you discover the silence in your mind, you no longer have to pay undue attention to all the random images that trigger worry, anger, struggle, and pain. When you meditate on a regular basis, all of your thoughts, actions, and responses are infused with  more love and mindful attunement. The result is a deeper appreciation and a profound awareness of the Divine quality of existence….the Truth of You!

I NOW invite YOU to Celebrate LIFE…Let’s Talk …with Your 30 minute complimentary Consultation!

Until then…To Our Health, Well-BEING & Empowerment Together!

Much Love & GOD’s Blessings!
Rhonda
949-5271574


"There is a mighty Power within you. There is that Spirit of Life, Light, and Love. The more you feast on these ideas and fast from old corrosive ones, the closer you experience the Life you desire."
-Frank Richelieu, The Art of Being Yourself

Rhonda Maria Farrah, MA, DRWA
The Wellness Institute International
949.527.1574
888.770.7370

Licensed Teacher
The Art of Feminine Presence

Author  of the Forthcoming Book
How To Live & LOVE During The Process of Divorce...
A Journey In Healing & Transformation


    


Speak Up, The World Is Listening!

Monday, February 22, 2016

The Love Of Life Itself Is Healing!

Yes…Being a real Lover…let’s talk some more about Love this week…It’s healing and transformative characteristics.

Love is the most important healing power there is.  -Louise Hay

Love is the inner eye that sees God everywhere. Love is the great healer.  -Emmet Fox

Your mind is at the essential center…your core… of all that you think and do…as well as, all that your body does for you. When a disruptive circumstance, situation or event…such as illness or dis-ease… occurs that requires healing, it is your mind, based on your emotions…that which speaks through your heart… that is responsible for the actions required to accomplish healing and recovery. But what is healing… and how does your mind participate?

Healing carries two definitions. Sometimes it entails assisting the body itself to physically heal a wound or disease.   Just as often, and  more importantly, it entails helping the person heal that place inside heart and mind where conflicts, resentments, disappointments, lack of forgiveness, and sorrow reside. This is crucial to realize…for any feelings can directly impact the body's ability to heal itself.

Please know that these two definitions go hand in hand. Doctors and western medicine perform the major work of physical healing of a wound or disease, while any of the work done in the heart and mind is an inside job…calling forth our Authentic Power from within. However amazing the skills and results that western medicine can produce, we can remember that it is, essentially, arranging body parts and organs. Once the body is put together, or attended to physically in any way, it is the heart and mind that orchestrate all that occurs to allow the body to heal itself. The clearer the heart and mind are about that work, the more smoothly the healing goes. Negative, fear-based, or hostile emotions can stall, hinder or totally block the body's ability to heal. Those emotions in our heart space produce like thoughts…which, in turn, produce our external world of health and Well-BEING, or something much less…the incidence of dis-ease.

As earthlings we are endowed with a unique ability to step outside ourselves. Our minds can see ourselves as strangers. We become the observer.  This ability is directly linked to how we can heal ourselves in the following ways.

Sometimes what we long for is compassion and Love. I Love compassion and Love…it feels good!  To heal ourselves with compassion, we must first allow the wounded part to speak to us.  Over 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer…right there in Breast Cancer Awareness month. Go figure.  In somewhat disbelief…after all, I’m a Health & Wellness Empowerment Coach, I sat quietly with myself. I brought an image of my right breast into my mind.  I asked it directly, "Why are you sick with a cancerous lump?" The answer came as an image of me taking care of the needs of everyone, but myself.  Yes…I heard an answer…she spoke to me loud and clear… "You seem to nourish everyone but me!" ("Me," meaning my right breast, as well as mySelf).  No surprise that the emotional ingredient of incidence of breast cancer in women is highly attributable to the inability to nurture and nourish oneSelf.  I spent some time commiserating with my breast, as well as with my heart space, and agreed to remember it always. The right healing modalities were called forward to me. I have been cancer free for over 10 years, and regularly now nurture, nourish, and even indulge mySelf as preventative measure…after all, that’s what Wellness is…and I AM very much a Breast cancer Thrivor! You can talk with your wound. Find out what it needs, and provide it. Having compassion…Loving, rather than battling and fearing… for the wound and for yourself allows healing to occur.

We need to let go of limiting beliefs about our right or ability to be healthy. We can then fill that space in our minds with affirmations such as… "I love my completely healthy body," "Every day my body (leg, arm, etc.) is healing in a normal and perfect way," "I am daily grateful for my healthy body."  Rev. Bruce speaks to this point, as he reminds us to include every body part, cell and organ that functions for us in our list of those 100 things per day we are thankful for. These can be sung, printed out on paper and pasted to the bathroom mirror or the hub of your steering wheel, woven into a cross-stitch, written in the sand, or recognized in any way that keeps it before you.  YES…whatever works!  Affirmations help us create the reality we seek, even when they sound untrue or strange in the beginning. The body listens to what we say to it. Of this…I AM certain!

Sometimes we can…and just need to… see the humor in our situation. Humor is, indeed, the best medicine and antidote for anger…the fuel for many diseases.  When I was a child, my brother and I were horsing around, chasing each other around the house, despite my great aunt’s requests for us to stop.  Well, my brother ended up pushing me into a wall, where I hit my head.  Upon seeing blood now pouring from my head, and his face saying “It’s not my fault”, I immediately burst into fear, anger, as well as tears.  My dear great aunt’s response was to immediately jump up, yell some obscenity at us, all the while bang her coffee cup and ashtray…she was a major smoker and coffee drinker… on the kitchen table.  Upon witnessing her reaction, my brother and I burst out laughing.  We laughed all the way to the emergency room for my sutures.  Some 48 or so years later, as I write this…I’m still laughing, as I picture this, as if it were yesterday.   Humor is the opposite side of the coin of anger. Not sarcasm or derision, but true humor. 
Laughter lets it all out… and restores healthy balance…and, likely, stops, or at least, controls the bleeding!

And talking about Love regardless of situation, circumstance or event…Acceptance and use of an experience can create an environment that promotes, provokes, and allows the body to heal. My friend was in a car accident and badly hurt, with many broken bones. She came out of the hospital with an array of metal plates and pins holding her together. Discharged into a rehabilitation nursing facility because she was so incapacitated, she found herself surrounded by very weak and sick elderly people. She chose to accept the experience as a series of lessons about BEING still… and about acceptance of support from others. She also determined to get to know the other residents by name and to hear each of their stories before she left the facility. When she did leave, the residents were talking more with each other, and addressing each other by name far more than before. Looking at her today, you would not know she had been so broken, and she came away from the experience with a new and uplifted sense of herSelf. Simply using an experience as a place to learn about yourSelf and others in a good way is powerfully healing.  

I invite you to accept and love that which is now ailing you…in body, mind, Spirit, relationship, career, Life Purpose…and everything in between!  Trust and Believe, your healing, as well as Transformation and Empowerment will be yours! Yes…Trust and Believe…I Know!

These are just a few of the ways that your heart and mind space can heal you, inside and out. In life, many opportunities will arise to challenge our understanding of who we are. We have the capacity to be mindful and powerful, and to use our heart and mind to direct ourselves toward health. Your heart and mind remain at the very center of all that you think and do… and all that your body does or does not do, for you.

To Our Health, Well-BEING & Empowerment Together!

With Love & Blessings!
Rhonda
p.s. AreYou ready to Celebrate Life?!  Let's talk!

"There is a mighty Power within you. There is that Spirit of Life, Light, and Love. The more you feast on these ideas and fast from old corrosive ones, the closer you experience the Life you desire."
-Frank Richelieu, The Art of Being Yourself

Rhonda Maria Farrah, MA, DRWA
The Wellness Institute International
949.527.1574

Licensed Teacher
The Art of Feminine Presence

Author  of the Forthcoming Book
How To Live & LOVE During The Process of Divorce...
A Journey In Healing & Transformation


Sunday, February 21, 2016

The Highest God and the Innermost God: One God, Sunday Service



In this moment, I hold the greatest expectancy that the entire Universe is conspiring for my good and I act like it. My every thought and action is blessed with the firm knowing that everything that happend in my life is the unfolding of my highest good.
And So It Is!

Monday, February 15, 2016

Will The Real Love Please Stand UP…NOW?!

With February Being the LOVE month…with Valentine’s Day having just been celebrated…by a large number of us…with chocolate covered strawberries, roses, Cupid’s arrow, and those proverbial Hallmark wishes…Let’s Talk About Love!
Let’s talk about Truth…NOW! …’cause Love is in the air!

Remember last week’s blog?...

Our primary relationship is with ourselves. When we love ourselves fully and unconditionally, we throw open the channels between ourselves and the universe to give and receive love.

Got IT?...Get IT?...GREAT!!!

If someone were to ask me: "What is the most difficult challenge that you've faced in your life?" I would unhesitatingly reply: "In time past…To be myself." To be oneself in all situations is often an impossible job that calls for effort, courage and brutal honesty. But, to be myself I need to know myself. And to know myself, I must  Love  myself.

Some may hate to describe themselves as self-loving because we have been told that this is narcissistic. That there is an element of wantonness in admitting: "I am a wonderful person and I Love myself"

Ask Yourself:  When I look into the mirror,  am I happy with whom I see.?  Do I ever allow my imperfections to neutralize what is best in me.?  Do I accept myself without conditions?

Dale Carnegie, the best-selling author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, tells the story of a woman, Edith, who, as a child, used to be sensitive, shy and overweight. She never went to parties, never had any fun and always felt that she was different and undesirable.  Later, she married a man several years her senior.  Her in-laws were all outgoing, poised and confident people.  But that did not affect Edith's shyness. She felt she was a failure and feared that if her husband found out the truth, it would be the end of their marriage. So, Edith put up a show of gaiety, while deep within unhappiness eroded her. One day, she overheard her mother-in-law say, referring to the secret behind her children's poise and happiness: "No matter what happened, I always insisted on my children being themselves." Almost overnight Edith changed. She began a search for herself, building on her strong points, accepting without apology her weaker points.

Striving for authenticity in thought and action is the first mature step in self-evolution. We feel alienated from others because we don't show our real selves for fear of rejection. The result is internal dissonance. We can connect with our inner selves only when we peel off all masks. To accept the totality of our being, we must become compassionate towards ourselves. Accepting our negativity is an integral part of the human experience; we can then extend this to others. This is true compassion.

The American philosopher, Emerson makes a valid point in his essay On Self-reliance: "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is  which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried."

Ironically, we spend a major part of our lives with a begging bowl, pleading for love from others. We believe that we will feel better if people   love us.  But the love I want begins with me. I can experience real   love only when I fill myself with love…and am willing to give it to others. The more I give, the more I receive.

All our life's experiences comprise an endless learning act. We merely need the willingness. We must all learn to bypass the cacophony of the world to reach into the silence of our soul. In order to love… in order to be happy… we must learn to be present in each moment.  Don't keep your happiness on hold.  Hey, Life is not a dress rehearsal.  Now is the only time we have.

If  we  work for them, all our material  dreams can be achieved. But if what we seek is something beyond, something that endures within us, we must give priority to love and happiness. We are willing to invest time and money in the pursuit of material gains. But, we don't do the same to establish love, happiness and peace of mind. If only each of us could pray to alleviate the pain and suffering of others, we could make that vital connection with the real us.

In his book Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav asks his readers not to pass value judgment or censure anybody. If we do so, we in turn will be judged by the universe and penalized accordingly. Judgments build walls between people, create hostility. When negative thoughts intrude, break its flow by repeating to yourself words such as love, joy and harmony. Words weave patterns in our lives. Build up a vocabulary of words that have positive connotations.

Tomorrow really never comes. We have only today, maybe only this fleeting minute. So let us be grateful for every moment that comes our way. Many successful people began and ended their day by an act of gratitude. The universe, God —call it what you will—has been magnanimous with us today.

So let us close our eyes, recall every happy moment that we have experienced, and thank this power with all our heart. As gratitude and appreciation grow and fill your life, you will learn how to sincerely love yourself for what you really are.

There is not a single person in this universe who leads a problem-free life. Yet we encounter people whose lives appear dynamic and joyous. What sets them apart? The answer: they do not allow themselves to be immobilized by little things. They respond to problems with ease, change things that can be changed and accept those that can't. In the process, they come closer to the wisdom of discernment.

Contemporary wisdom would have us believe that packing each day with things that need to be done is the secret of success. But Life isn't all about getting things done as much as it is about enjoying each step along the way. Many a marital discord erupts from couples' obsession with getting everything done in record time and to perfection. If, on the other hand, I ask myself each night: "Has my Life made a little bit of difference to at least one person?" and hear a resounding "Yes!" in reply, all the things I haven't managed to do over the day would not matter at all.

Remember…

Self love forms the foundation of your single, most important relationship - that with YourSelf. The strength of all your other relationships is exactly equal to the strength of that foundation. To love YourSelf is not just a self-esteem boosting piece of advice. It is the prerequisite to truly loving others. The Golden Rule tells us to, "love your neighbour as you love yourself". You are likely to have heard it many times, expressed in different ways, thinking it is about loving others. Look a little closer though, and you will find that at its very centre is the command to love yourself.

Will the Real Self Love Please Stand Up?
To love yourself is to be in awe of the miracle of your existence. It is to accept yourself as you are - the "light" parts and the "dark", the "good" and the "bad" - while knowing that the real you is above the perceived dualities of the physical realm. It is to be willing to receive as much as you are willing to give and do both equally. It is about knowing your values and your boundaries and honouring them. It is about teaching others how to treat you by showing them how you treat yourself. It is about being kind to yourself. It is about looking after your mind, your body and your Spirit; all three. It is about knowing you are worth it, not because of what you have achieved or what you look like or what others think of you, but because Love is your birthright no matter what.

To YOU Loving YOU!

With Love & Blessings!
Rhonda

Rhonda Maria Farrah, MA, DRWA

"There is a mighty Power within you. There is that Spirit of Life, Light, and Love. The more you feast on these ideas and fast from old corrosive ones, the closer you experience the Life you desire."
-Frank Richelieu, The Art of Being Yourself

Rhonda Maria Farrah, MA, DRWA
The Wellness Institute International
949.527.1574

Licensed Teacher
The Art of Feminine Presence

Author  of the Forthcoming Book
How To Live & LOVE During The Process of Divorce...
A Journey In Healing & Transformation

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Through the Prism of God's Love - Sunday Service



Today I celebrate love and oneness with God and all beings. Today I awaken to my spiritual magnificence by forgiving myself and all others. I steadfastly see a world in which unity with God and each other is emphasized.
 And So It Is!

Through the Prism of God's Love
Through the Prism of God's Love


Friday, February 12, 2016

Real Security Comes From Within


One of our members, Kimberly Wooldridge, recently performed in a delightful play, Man From Earth. It was about man who had lived and adapted to all the changes on earth since the stone age approximately 14,000 years. The audience hears his story through conversation at a farewell party for him put on by his colleagues who were shocked that he would just walk away from the security of a tenured position..

Lights similar to my light show


On my path, I have stepped away from security a few times -- and it has always ended well. The first time I did so, I had been teaching at W.P. Wagner Secondary School for three years. I had 11 years of continuous service in that school system but I knew I wanted to study to become a minister of the Science of Mind. The ministerial course was being taught in Calgary, a city 180 miles away. Class was on a school night. For that class I joined the high school students racing out of the parking lot to get on the highway immediately. I got to the ministerial classroom with no more than 20 minutes to spare. We were dismissed from class at 10 PM and I got straight into my car for the long drive home. I was filled with visions of my future, excited beyond words. I asked God for a sign if I was on the right path. (I knew that there would be very little sleep that given my excitement and the time it would be when I crawled into bed, and the alarm that would ring at 5:30 so I could get back to school by 7:45 AM.) I was given a light show. There were northern lights from the outskirts of Calgary to the outskirts of Edmonton. Those dancing lights told me I was moving in the right direction.And I had been thrilled to hear that we would not be meeting again as a ministerial class until the autumn.

Later that same spring, I knew I needed to leave Edmonton and move to Calgary. I would have to give up tenure to do so. When I first traveled to Calgary to interview for a position, I was told that there were one thousand applications for English teachers and there were no jobs at all! I was disappointed but not dissuaded. I felt, deep in my heart, that the move was necessary and would be supported. The interviewer said that the only shortage of teachers was in special education. Something told me I could  do that. I applied and got an immediate interview.  Now here is my demonstration for keeping the faith, moving through the negativity and seeing my vision: within three weeks I had gone from being one of a thousand applicants with no jobs, to having a choice of three different positions! 

I knew I was on the right path for me. Still my friends and colleagues attempted to dissuade me from severing all ties with the school system.

When one has confidence in life, one can step away the forms of security that the world promises. There is a greater security.


The real security comes from knowing and remembering who you are.

Monday, February 8, 2016

Would You Be Your Valentine?!

So…Do YOU Love YourSelf…Would You Be Your Valentine?!



Loving YourSelf is the single most important principle…on this planet… in the creation process. If you don't love yourself, it is likely that you won't decide to give yourself the things you think you want.  Likely that you won't think you deserve them…and even more that you certainly won't have the energy to take action to create them. Of this I am certain!

When we were born, most of us were the center of the Universe. Remember?  Everything revolved around us and our welfare. And then around age 2, socialization took over and familial and societal rules demanded the giving up of Self.  Remember that… share the toy you want, don't ask for what you want, don't want. Good little girls and boys didn't do those things. Now we're adults screaming, "Why can't I create what I want?"  Hey…I know!

It's time to reclaim that little person inside that knew they were good enough, smart enough, brave enough, and special enough to ask for, and get, what they wanted. It's been so long that most of us have lost the art of even knowing how to ask for what we want. Take it from “Little Rhonda” (“lr”)…it’s time!
In my speaking engagements and seminars, often, when I ask for people to state the above, I get responses like… "I don't want to worry about money anymore," and "I don't want to be alone," or "I don't want this dis-ease, illness…this sickness." Nobody says what they want!! They tell me what they want by stating what they DON'T want. Wow…what’s that about???!!!

It doesn't tell me what anyone wants… it doesn't give me clear direction. That is what most of us are doing with the Universe, and the Universe is replying… "Hey…YOU…I don't understand the direction. Say What?  I can't deliver the performance…that which your Soul is requesting and craving!"
I say we all give ourselves permission to love ourselves enough to give us - and the Creative Force - a very clear statement of desire for manifestation…that is, Wellness, Freedom, Love, Bliss, Security, Peace, Grace & Happiness. I AM, and create, all  in my life because I create me as these experiences within first. Match THAT, Universe. And the Universe says, "Yes."

We all want money. Ask for it. We all want love and passion. Ask for it. We all want wellness and unlimited energy. Ask for it.  What are we waiting for?  Really!

The original meaning of the ancient Hebrew teaching "Ask and you receive" …was "Claim or Demand...and you receive." Well, I am stepping forward to claim and demand the attributes of freedom, love, etc. to perfectly match up with the money and passion I claim. Really!  Also… that all is good, in integrity, and unconditional love for all concerned… Especially  me. And I AM standing in my knowing that when I experience my own love and power, I give everyone the excitement, right and power to do the same.

And the Universe says "Yes," “Little Rhonda”. The Universe says - "YES…your wish is my command!"
While I invite my audiences to consider a number of avenues to loving…yes, truly loving Self…I will leave you with what I consider the essentials of same…Loving YourSelf!  They remain…

Treat others with love and respect. Bringing joy to other people's lives will help you find joy in your own. In addition, those that you treat well will likely repay you with the same kindness. Gradually you will start to feel your worth through the smiles of gratitude. However, don't just be very kind to people so you can receive royal treatment

Learn to let go of past events. You deserve a fresh beginning! There are a lot of people out there that have had hard lives/bad beginnings or moments. Don't close yourself out of grief, disappointments, or fears of future ridicule. Acknowledge your feelings, but work to put them behind you. Cherish what you have learned from your challenges, and how you have changed and grown from them. Forgive those who have done you wrong. Most importantly, though, forgive yourself.

Forgive yourself. Don't punish yourself for something you have done in the past. Instead, look at the mistake as a learning experience. Say to yourself now: “I forgive myself for _______.” Go look in a mirror and say it out loud to yourself. Look yourself right in the eyes and speak forgiveness like you mean it. Don't ever demean or ridicule yourself. If you do, laugh out loud, realizing that was then and this is now. Every day is a new beginning. If you did something you are not proud of, resolve to never do it again and take steps to keep it out of your mind.

Do what you love. What do you love to do? If you could find something that you love to do and spend time doing it, you will experience love, joy, and happiness in your heart. That is when you truly connect with your authentic self. As a result you become happier and more loving. Do what you love. What do you love to do? If you could find something that you love to do and spend time doing it, you will experience love, joy, and happiness in your heart. That is when you truly connect with your authentic self. As a result you become happier and more loving.  Ask YourSelf…What makes my tail wag?!
  
Treat yourself like treating your very best friend. How do you treat your very best friend? Do you treat him/her with love, kindness, trust, appreciation, acceptance, and respect? If you can give that to your friend, why don’t you give that to yourself? Practice treating yourself like you treat your very best friend by saying kind words to yourself. Stop calling yourself names. Stop beating yourself up. Give yourself compliments. Know your boundaries ( a BIG one for me) and listen deeply to your needs. Always be kind and gentle with yourself.

Nurture yourself. Self care is very important. Set up some time to be by yourself, just by yourself. Do something that gives you peace, love, and joy with yourself. You can nurture yourself physically by exercising and consuming healthy food. You can nurture yourself emotionally by listening to love songs, painting, or helping others in need. As you give yourself to others and offer help, you receive the gift of love back. You feel good about yourself because you live your life on purpose. You can nurture yourself mentally by reading your favorite books. You can nurture your spiritually by doing meditation.

We spend so much time waiting to be loved, hoping love will find us, searching, yearning  for that special love. Feeling  empty and lost without it. Wanting someone to give us love and fill us up. Unfortunately, that’s not usually how life works. Loving yourself is mainly having self-respect which is the only dependable way to create love in your own life to share with others. When you expect love from an external source, and someone or something does not fulfill your void and fantasies, then you will feel worse than before. To be able to be loved, you must love and respect yourself as much as you do others. Understanding the effects of loving yourself will only enhance your ability to love others. By doing so, you are enabling positive energy and allowing for great situations to occur in your life. This guide will help. Never think that you're living your life for nothing.  Everyday,  there are people coming in and out of the world, so spend it wisely and respect yourself.

In order to love someone, you must love YourSelf!  Of this, I AM certain!

By the way...If you enjoyed this post, found it helpful...or just plain Liked it...Please feel free to share it with someone you know!

Happy Valentine's Day!

To Our Health, Wealth & Empowerment Together!
With Love & Blessings!
Rhonda



"There is a mighty Power within you. There is that Spirit of Life, Light, and Love. The more you feast on these ideas and fast from old corrosive ones, the closer you experience the Life you desire."
-Frank Richelieu, The Art of Being Yourself

Rhonda Maria Farrah, MA, DRWA
The Wellness Institute International
949.527.1574

Licensed Teacher
The Art of Feminine Presence

Author  of the Forthcoming Book
How To Live & LOVE During The Process of Divorce...
A Journey In Healing & Transformation

   

Speak Up, The World Is Listening!

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Discover Your Voice, Sunday Service



I see Spirit in me. I see Spirit in You. I see Spirit in all beings everywhere, I see each one as unique and precious. I celebrate Diversity in Unity!

And So It Is!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

What does empowerment mean to you?



When my Ella told me she had written a short on empowerment for CSLTeens I was intrigued, when I watched it for the first time I got all choked up, I am so proud of this young person.

It is amazing to think of how much of a positive influence our children are becoming on this thing called life.

What does empowerment mean to you?

What does empowerment mean to you?
Ella McClure CSL Teen

Friday, February 5, 2016

Essential to the Whole

Me with Millions of Snowflakes

I grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada, a place of much snowfall. I remember being enchanted with the idea that no two snowflakes were identical! In all that snow, you would never find an identical snowflake. It was mind-boggling to me then and still is. I later transferred that feeling of wonder to the awesomeness of human beings. There are billions of us, and no two are identical.

Ernest Holmes wrote: "Life has set the stamp of individuality on you.  You are different from any other person who ever lived.  You are an individualized center in the Consciousness of God.  You are an individualized activity in the Action of God." Thoughts are Things  (p. 79.1)

What does it mean to be an individualized activity in the Action of God?

To me it means that God's energy or Life is flowing through everything I do. I am individualizing God's energy by my perceptions, values, beliefs, words and actions.

When I think about the sacred trust that has been given to each being, I am amazed and a little overwhelmed. The creator created me with Its Creative Mind, imbuing that Creative Mind in me, and I do whatever I am moved to do. That many of these choices are not original but rather habitual leads me to question myself; to think about what I think about. I find myself choosing to be entertained through the creativity of others. Thanks to the fantastic array of writers, actors, cinematographers, and all manor of creative geniuses. It is quite humbling. And I am truly grateful to all those beings who said yes to the creative urge within them. 

And occasionally I am moved to think outside the box and let my inner genius come out and play. What should we make today?

One thing that helps me release the feeling of overwhelm or inadequacy is to remember that each being is spiritually magnificent just the way she is and just the way she is not. All beings matter. All my choices matter. I am an essential part of the whole -- and so are you.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Coming Home - Awakening to Spirit

A meeting designed for the new and long term person in sobriety to “reawaken” our connection to spirit, or our Higher Power. We would also like to invite people from all areas of life even those who have never had any problem with drugs or alcohol. It is our belief that people who are new to recovery could benefit from the experiences and support of others from all walks of life.


The format of this meeting will be a general discussion of the problems we face in life finding sobriety day by day and awakening our consciousness to help improve our lives.


1.  We will start with a short quiet meditation.
2.  Those who wish may share about the problems they are facing.  
3.  We will learn how gratitude can help us face these problems.
4.  What and how do we surrender problems to help us awaken to gratitude.
5.  We will learn how to connect with all of our relations for healing.

Facilitated by Gene Stone and Joyce Fournier Stone

Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley, San Clemente California Feb 5, 2016 at 8 AM. 1201 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, CA 92673 This is a non-smoking facility.