Not 'Yo Mama's Vision Board Workshop

Vision boards have been a quintessential strategy in helping people set their intentions for a New Year for a long time. This workshop is about creating a new twist to vision boards by creating something even more powerfully intentional.

This workshop will not only include your visual intentions for 2013, but will also take it a step further by creating a piece of art that is wrapped in your own personal energy around your intentions. We will be using sacred symbols, numerology, and feng shui to create a piece of meaningful art that up-levels the typical vision board and makes a beautiful addition to your personal altar.

Bring your old magazines or come prepared with your visual intentions already cut-out and we'll provide the rest!  

When: Sunday, January 13th, 2013  

Where: Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley - 1201 Puerta Del Sol San Clemente, CA 92673 Time: 12:30 - 3:30 PST  

Investment: $20 (includes all supplies)

The Spiritual Dr. Seuss Rhymes and Raps New Thought Teachings!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go. ~ Dr. Seuss

And So It Is! 

Science of Mind & Christmas

Rev. Barbara Waterhouse explores the concept of the Christ Consciousness as we embrace this mystical time of year.

Share Your Light
And So It Is!

Validation A Fable About The Magic Of Free Parking

val·i·date   tr.v. val·i·dat·ed, val·i·dat·ing, val·i·dates

1. To declare or make legally valid. 2. To mark with an indication of official sanction. 3. To establish the soundness of; corroborate.

Validation
And So It Is! 

The 3 Words that Changed My Life

Miracles happen everyday...if you notice them.

They can be small or the "miracles" that are shared on mass media...the big ones.  The unforeseen unbelievable ones.

We can ask for miracles, however, I recently ready three  words that changed the way I approach everything...EVERYTHING!

I was reading Carolyn Myss's book, "Anatomy of Spirit" and three words J-U-M-P-E-D off the page at me as if they were screaming at me to notice.

"MIRACLES WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS"

I knew immediately what that meant.

I have been praying for my own miracles, but when doing so, I dictate "how" they should be and what they should look like.

For example, "I am so happy and grateful for receiving the $13,000 I need for a PR agent."

I realized that I had been restricting my good.  I have been telling the Universe HOW my good should show up when, in fact, it's completely out of my hands and I just may be limiting or restricting my good by saying exactly what I want.

Instead, I pray for exactly what I need that will perfectly move my life forward with my highest good at hand.  

My prayers for miracles were restricted by my own ideas of what my highest good is....and how can I possibly know that?

I can't.

So instead of dictating my own highest good, I simply pray for miracles without restrictions  and know that what the Universe has in store for me is MUCH more than I can even plan for myself.  

Namaste.

The Golden Circle - Why How What

What is the science of making change? It all starts with inspired leaders.

In this excellent Ted talk, Simon Sinek gives us a simple but powerful tool for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright Brothers.

Let's Go Change The World
And So It Is!

Life is eternal, this we know. And yet today our hearts are broken.

Have You Ever Tried a Writing Meditation?

Insight Timer is an iPhone app to
time and track your meditation time.

I had never tried a writing meditation. A couple Sunday's ago Dr. Rev. Heather spoke of this "writing meditation," another tool for transformation, especially suited for tapping into your inner guidance system. 

The idea intrigued me. Sitting quietly in a lotus position is how I have defined meditation in the past. I didn't know you could write while meditating! I guess I should have taken the meditation class.

It was recommended that you write for 30 minutes. Giving yourself that long gives a chance for all the resistance to drain out.

I used my iPhone's "Insight Timer" to do my first writing meditation. As you can see from my settings in the picture I chose to meditate for 30 minutes. I decided to just quiet my mind for the first 10 minutes and then write for the remaining 20.

 What a great technique! Write down some questions and just keep writing. Try it for yourself. It only takes 30 minutes.

Vulnerability a Spiritual Practice?

I was having a conversation today with a friend/acquaintance about vulnerabilities that we both had.  In sharing each of our most vulnerable moments/fears in life, we realized how much we had in common.

It became a connector for us.  Both afraid to express our vulnerabilities, yet finding that they were the very link between us that will allow us to expand our friendship.  It was an eye-opener for both of us.

I was reminded of this Brene Brown TED Talk and thought it broaches an interesting question:  Is vulnerability a spiritual practice?

Jack Kornfield The Quality of Listening

In Africa. There is a story that illustrates the quality of listening that can come through meditation. In a particular east african tribe or village. When a child is born they don't count the birthday of that child from the day the child comes from its mothers body or even the day it is conceived as in certain other cultures, but rather from when that child was first a thought in its mothers mind, that is the real birthday. And as soon as the mother realizes that she would like to have a child with this particular partner, She will go off and sit out in a field under a tree, and listen, and wait until she can hear the song of the child that wants to be born in her heart that will come from the wedding or the coming together with this particular man. And when she hears this song, she sings it to herself, and then returns back to the village and teaches it to her partner so that when they make love together, joined together in love, They sing this song and invite this child to be born. And later as She is pregnant. She sings the song to the child in the womb and teachers it to midwives so that when the child is born. The first song or sound that it hears is those gathered around singing its own unique song. And as the child grows. The people of the village learn the song of this person so that when he falls or she falls and hurts herself. someone picts her up and sings her song to her, or in the rites of passage or rituals of the village the song is sung, the wedding ceremony where both songs are sung until finally even at the end of life, the song of this child now as an old man or women. is sung for the last time, and say their last words...

When I first heard the story in it touched in me a longing to live in a place where we heard one another's songs, where we were so in tune with ourselves and with one another that we could greet each other in that way, to meditate allows us to hear the song within ourself and to be respectful and hear the song of those around us. - Jack Kornfield

Happy Birthday Kate! 

Together...At Last

None of us can thrive in isolation; we are connected and each is impacted by what happens to the other.  We are all enriched by our diversity, and doubly so when we value each other and our diverse contributions to the whole.  An era of compassion and inclusion has been illuminated for the greater good of all, and it is time for us to step into this future together as one--manifesting a world that works for everyone...(can't you hear Etta James singing in the background?)  "at last...."

Welcome Home At Last 

What Is It You Want in Life?

"Behind the individual is the Universe, which has no limits." (Science of Mind, page 30)

What is it you want? You've got the Universe behind you...go get it!

Set your intentions. Dream with care.

Follow, follow the sun
and which way the wind blows
when this day is done.

Breath, breath in the air.
Set your intentions.
Dream with care.

Tomorrow is a new day for everyone,
brand new moon, brand new sun.

So follow, follow the sun,
the direction of the birds,
the direction of love.

Breath, breath in the air,
cheerish this moment,
cheerish this breath.

Tomorrow is a new day for everyone,
brand new moon, brand new sun.

When you feel life coming down on you,
like a heavy weight.
When you feel this crazy society,
adding to the strain.
Take a stroll to the nearest waters
and remember your place.
Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before you've came.

So which way is the wind blowin',
and what does your heart say?

So follow, follow the sun,
and which way the wind blows
when this day is done...

Your Vote Can Be Like Santa For A Kid With Autism

Can I get a click from you? Surfer's Healing is taking part in this years American Giving Awards, $2 million dollars is going to be shared with the charities that get the most votes.

Surfers Healing seeks to enrich the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing. All of this is provided at no charge to them.

Surfers Healing was founded by our friends Israel & Danielle Paskowitz. Their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Isaiah often suffered from sensory overload. The ocean was the one place where he seemed to find respite. A former competitive surfer, Israel hit upon an idea. With Isaiah on the front of his surfboard, and Izzy steering from the back, the two spent the day surfing together. Surfing had a profound impact on Isaiah.

They decided to share this unique therapy with other autistic children and expose them to a completely new experience of surfing.

Voting Ends Today! Be Like Santa!