Losing Your Mind ...To Heal the World!

This Wednesday's Wisdom - Practicing the Presence  (March 30 7:00 pm) welcomes back Freddie Weber for a very special workshop based on her work with Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson and Joel Goldsmith. And of course her very special music!

If you have not seen Freddie, you have missed out so don't miss this event!

Freddie is a Speaker, Author, Award-winning Broadway and Off Broadway performer and composer, who writes and performs inspirational and spiritual songs in the jazz idiom. She has won the Los Angeles Dramalogue Award for best music and lyrics, as well as the New York Critics Circle Award, the Obie and Theater World Award for best musical performer Off-Broadway.

Freddie has been the guest speaker many times at New Thought Churches over the years, and presented her One Woman Show , “BEING HERE NOW,” as well as her workshop, all based on her studies with Eckhart Tolle and his books, “The Power of Now” and “A New Earth.”

Freddie Weber - Losing Your Mind to Heal the World

Meditation Can Bring World Peace ...Join Us!

Join us at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley at 4:00 a.m. PST on Thursday December 31st.

World Peace and Healing Meditation

Please arrive at 3:45 a.m. - Bring a friend! Bring a Veteran! 

Meditating for World Peace, The Scientific View 

An experiment conducted in the early 1980s, during the height of the Lebanon war, sought to discover whether meditation could reduce war. When 1,000 people in Jerusalem meditated on world peace war deaths in Lebanon went down by over 75 percent. Not only did war deaths go down, but crime, traffic collisions, fires, and other destructive events also went down on the days the group meditated.

From this and other similar studies that showed that war deaths and injuries went down on days groups were meditating on peace, scientists reluctantly concluded that group meditation seems to prevent war. In reporting on these unexpected findings, world-renown quantum physicist John Hagelin Ph.D. commented: “There is far more evidence that group meditation can turn off war like a light switch than that aspirin reduces headaches. It is a scientific fact.”

Healing the World

World Peace Meditation Day 

Since 1986, December 31 is World Peace Meditation Day. On December 31, 1986 over 500 million people of all religious faith in over 70 countries joined their minds in peace, love, forgiveness and understanding. The event is still going on, for one hour starting at noon Greenwich Mean Time, with groups gathering in all U.S. states and around the world.

Also called World Healing Day or the International Hour for Peace, this simultaneous global linking of minds takes as its basis the principle of quantum physics that thought can direct energy, creating reality. Meditating on peace can create peace.

Wednesday Wisdom - Never Give Up! Practicing the Presence...

Join Rev. Judee Chapman this Wednesday Sep 16 at 7 pm at The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley to listen to the wisdom of Mary Brogdon! See you there!

Practicing the Presence - Wisdom - Never Give Up!

"Exuberance is beauty." ~ William Blake

My week has been filled with youthful exuberance; visiting a brand new Icelandic horse and spending time with my beautiful granddaughter!  What a blessing and a beautiful reminder of the vitality of life.

I invite you to see the beauty this week in the lavish vigor that is all around you.

Who's Your Boss?

Back in the early 2000s, I began to experience a symptom I now know as air hunger. I should say, re-experienced, because I’d had the same problem when I was in my early 20s. “It’s just nerves,” the doctor said. “Relax and it will go away.” And indeed within a year it was a distant memory. When it happened again, my doctor said, “nerves” and handed me a prescription for Xanax. But this time it wasn't going away, in fact it was getting worse.

When I was young, I believed doctors knew best…better than I did. After all, they were highly educated, trained professionals, right? So when my body didn't do what it's supposed to do, the doctor could fix it. And if the doctor couldn't fix it, then it was either unfixable, or all in my head.

But I've learned a lot in the intervening years. I learned that if I was in a relationship where my partner treated me badly, that I could choose to leave – or stay. I learned that if my employer was taking advantage of me, I could choose to leave. In fact, I learned that it was I who chose that disparaging partner, that disappointing job and if I’d listened to my own inner wisdom, I might have taken a different path.

My inner wisdom was telling me this breathing problem was not “all in my head”. It wasn't just stress. And when my tests came back normal, I trusted my inner wisdom. I kept searching. Specifically, I refined my perception of the issue and discovered “air hunger”. Once I could clearly name it, I could find the condition – Babesia, a malaria-like infection that often comes with Lyme disease, which I also have.

I’d like to say I did this all on my own. And while taking total responsibility for my health was all me, I had invaluable help. I tapped into the vast well of knowledge and experience of other Lyme patients. There’s not one symptom; one reaction to medication, one painful procedure I experienced, that someone else in my Lyme community hadn't been through. There was always someone ready and willing to share, guide and support me.

Inner wisdom, what some call intuition, is simply the Universe speaking. Sometimes It speaks so softly you have to lean in. Sometimes the inner chatterbox drowns It out, but you can learn Its voice. Inner wisdom never fails.

--Pamela Rocke

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path...

Do not go where the path may lead,
go instead where there is no path...

Sunday is church day. I love church day, connecting with my spiritual community, spending time in prayer, meditation and spiritual growth with my peeps!  That's the way it has been for decades in my house.

Every once in a while, I find myself away from my spiritual center and look to connect with God in whatever town I find myself. Today was one of those days. Not finding a Center for  Spiritual Living in our area didn't stop my husband and I in finding a place to connect with the Infinite. We found ourselves in Snow Canyon State Park just outside St. George, Utah. 

As we embarked on what was expected to be an easy 4 mile hike I noticed all of the other hikers out finding their bliss in nature. We were following a general trail that seemed well established, but like life,  there were so many options to cut off the main path; we really had to pay attention. As you might guess, we did find ourselves on a completely different trail, at a completely different destination. And yet, what we were looking for: Peace, Nature, Beauty and God surrounded us. There were other nature enthusiasts out and about and we shared moments in passing - connecting on common ground. That experience that I love so much each Sunday at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley I found in a different way, with a different group of spiritual seekers today in nature. 

Like the spiritual seekers that we are, my husband and I forged our own path several times today. We went off the beaten path, creating our own, and always, always we were aware of God. My Center in San Clemente is my spiritual home of choice where I connect, grow, teach, learn and engage in living my divine purpose; today I am reminded that God is everywhere, right where I am God is. And so it is. 

If you're Happy and you know it- let it show!

My family shares my happiness!

I have heard it said many times “If Mom is happy, everyone is happy.”

Recently I considered a new idea: When the kids are happy, mom is happy and when mom is happy – well you know how the saying goes….

Books, experts, the not so expert, and society advise us that our job as a parent is to raise happy, well-adjusted children so that they will be productive, healthy participants in our world. That is in the "good parent" job description. We take it seriously.  As a parent of young children I spent countless hours offering solutions; negotiating with teachers, friends and friends' parents; cleaning, packing and unpacking all to ensure that my children were happy. It wasn't so much that I wasted my time as it was that I misdirected my energy.

It seems to be a rite of passage that every parent goes through: Realizing that they are not the source of their children’s happiness.  Another rite of passage in the stages of parenting is realizing that our happiness and value is not dependent on our children’s success, happiness, friends or lack of friends. We have a role in our children’s happiness. They, in turn, have a role in ours. It's understanding what happy is that is important.

I am honored to share the parenting journey with many families and, on the first Thursday of the month, we come together at the Parent Forum. This group, comprised mostly of moms and the occasional dad, is a plethora of inspiration, knowledge and support for each other.  Recently the subject of happiness came up at the Parent Forum.  Several insights were shared that day. One that really struck home for a lot of us is that happy looks different to each of us.

Because "happy" is an inside job, it is shaped by us, as an awareness on the inside. My happy looks very different from my son's. If I was determining his level of happiness on my happy scale, he would come up short and unhappy which according to some would mean I was failing as a parent. But he has his own meter and happiness looks different on him than it does on me. Before I can know his happy, I have to be open to it being different than mine. For him to know his happy, he has to know himself. This is one of the  greatest lessons we can give our children - to know themselves - including what makes them happy.

How do we raise happy children? We help them to know what happy means to them by modeling what it means to us.  And then we let them show it in their unique and perfect way. Do you know what your happy looks like? Do you show it?

Are You Living Like the World is Flat?

That's a deep thought on the image...what does it even mean?

Last night I started a new class at The Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley.  I have been taking classes for a couple of years now and they have transformed my life...

...that said, last night's class BLEW my mind!  It literally pushed the limits of my comprehension about the vastness of life, the Universe and the tiniest of specks we really are in the Universe.
I would like to pull out a parcel of our discussion from last night in the hopes that it will expand your own thinking AND your awareness of how YOU are living YOUR life:

"...For instance, when people believed the Earth was flat, they lived as though it were, afraid to venture too far lest they fall off the edge.  So, to them, it might just as well have been flat.  We are so free, we can actually experience what has never actually been true as though it were."

....as I read that again, it blows my mind all over again.  Here's why:

How often do we find ourselves living like the world is flat?

Scared to make a move towards what we really want because the "economy sucks," "my parents wouldn't approve," "my religion doesn't allow it," "I'm too old," "I'm too fat," "I have acne," "I have kids," etc., etc., etc.

I am sure that many of us have "bought into" those untruths at one time or another, and yes, they are untruths....just as are predecessors found out the Earth being flat was an untruth.

These are untruths because they are NOT the Truth of God, Universe, Buddha, Spirit, that Infinite Intelligence (call it what you will)!!

As humans, we can't even comprehend the entire Truth of the Universe, but we know it "ain't" broke, looking for approval, looking for excuses, draped in fear, and all the plethora of challenges we put on ourselves!  The Universe just does...it flows.

If we truly live as the spiritual people we are, we live with one Truth:  that the Universe has our back...no matter what.  When we let go of fear, excuses, our stories, and the idea that what we've been taught is correct, we THEN live purposefully, passionately and attract abundance, prosperity, happiness and all the things we want! Your life purpose becomes a reality!

That is when we experience what has never actually been true as though it were!

Listen, I'm a work in progress as well.  I'm continuing to teach what I have to learn as well.  I'm still getting my own head wrapped around the greatness of this idea.

I have worked to let go of the programming that was taught to me through my upbringing, the media, our culture, etc., however, this expands the work that needs to be done...

...but it's an EXHILARATING idea to contemplate.

What have I been allowing into my experiences that is UNTRUE, but I don't know it's untrue?!? What can I let go of, KNOWING, that it is no longer true because I decide it's not rather than waiting for someone to tell me it's untrue?

I encourage you to join us for this crazy, thought-provoking class! Every Tuesday from April 2 - June 4th, 7:00 p.m.  Change your beliefs, change your thoughts, transform your life with a group who have dedicated themselves to doing the same!

Teaching our children is a blessing and humbling experience.

Teaching our children is a blessing and humbling experience. 

Planning and presenting the lessons for the youth of our center is a powerful and humbling experience. Each week, children from infancy to 12, come for an hour of their precious weekend to learn about God, affirmations, prayer, universal laws and all the reasons why they can and do use them. They come for connection, inspiration and because they know they are important to our extended spiritual family. Well, I like to think that is why they are coming. And some are! In reality, I know some are dragged by their parent-- "you will learn to be spiritual", some are coming for the promise of the donut after the service, and some are coming to see their friends and maybe get a chance to speak into the microphone on the platform. Whatever their reason, I and our teaching team, are ready to receive them with discussions, activities, spiritual practices, crafts and most importantly our love and to listen. We listen to the stories; the desires of the heart of a four year old who wants to play with the trains and the ten year old who wants to fit in at school. We take that lesson that we have spent hours on and adapt, tweak and shift it up to meet the needs and desires of the kids who have shown up. I often wonder if the kids show up because of the lesson that has been created in Mind, or does the lesson show up for the kids. Of course, it is both. Sometimes, as I am planning a lesson, a particular child will be on my mind and I am never surprised to see them, but I am always left with the humbling thought that they are responding to the same inspiration that I am. That we have connected at deeper place that brought us to share this lesson.

This week we have been planning our Palm Sunday lesson. For more than ten years this has been my favorite lesson. I know it has been at least ten years because my children who are now young adults participated as children in this lesson with me. The lesson, has evolved and grown over the years.  I can't remember how it started that we re-enact the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  Like so many inspirations it is timeless and continues to give year after year. In this lesson, together we create the road lined with flowers, covered with palms and beautiful fabric that symbolizes the cloaks of the people.  We ask, What must that have been like to have the road lined with people who adore you? Singing your praises and laying down palms and cloaks for you to walk upon. The only similarity in our lives is when the winning team of the World Series returns home and gets a parade of adoring fans. Is that as close as we can get I wonder.  I wonder if those athletes who are being greeted by adoring fans realize the magnitude of their words and their actions. Surely this is a great moment in life.  Knowing who we are matters, what we think, say and do makes a difference. This is our Palm Sunday lesson As we re-enact the event from two thousand years ago we recognize that the great teacher Jesus owned his power. He owned it with all of his being. He didn't say well sometimes I'm pretty good like if I'm with good friends and if the stars and moons are aligned I can do great things. He owned it all the time. So we learn to own our power, to share our gifts, our talents with the awareness that we glorify God by shining our light.  And, here is the great part of our lesson: Jesus knew that the same divine potential that he owned so completely in himself was and is in every person. In this lesson we explore what it is to have the courage of Jesus to let our light shine, be great in all that we do and the awesome humility of knowing that that great light is God and is everyone. Not just some, not just a few special ones, but everyone. We learn to let our light shine with courage and to recognize that light in ourselves and everyone around us as the light of God.

Like I said, creating and presenting the youth lessons at our center is an awesome experience. I know that what I am doing is making a difference. I know that the children I am sharing these lessons with are making a profound difference in my life. Finally, I am blessed in knowing that our spiritual community is a place to learn about Life, about Love, and about the awesome Power that each of us has.

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

My daily commute to work always consists of listening to positive music that uplifts me and keeps me centered, especially whilst dodging crazy drivers on the I-5 and trying to stay safe.  I spend a lot of time with Jason Mraz in my car, not only because I adore his voice, but also because his music is so filled with LOVE and truth.  In his song, "Living In The Moment", he starts it with:

If this life is one act
Why do we lay all these traps?
We put them right in our path
When we just wanna be free

I will not waste my days
Making up all kinds of ways
To worry about all the things
That will not happen to me

So I just let go of what I know I don't know
And I know I'll only do this by
Living in the moment

How much time do you spend thinking and worrying about the future?  I know that I tend to stress myself out thinking about all of the daunting tasks that are set before me.  Then, I remember that right here and right now, all is well.  Tomorrow is not here.  I stop, look around, and see the amazing beauty that surrounds me, living in Southern California, and remember to be grateful for my surroundings, my health, my friends, my family and all the gifts that I receive from every person I meet on a daily basis.  When I do that, my stress tends to dissipate little by little.

Later in the song Jason sings:

I'm letting myself off the hook for things I've done
I let my past go past
And now I'm having more fun
I'm letting go of the thoughts
That do not make me strong
And I believe this way can be the same for everyone

And if I fall asleep
I know you'll be the one who'll always remind me
To live in the moment

 
How often do you dwell on the past and hold onto anger and resentment?  What I know is that every experience we have had has brought us to this moment in perfection.  Although those not-so-pleasant experiences don't appear to be in alignment with our greater good, there is always a gift of some type in which we cannot always see.  Whether or not it can be seen right now, the key component is LETTING IT GO and not allowing it to keep creeping up in our present lives.  Why live in the past!!!  What would happen if you just let it go and didn't dwell upon it?  What would you lose?  What would you gain?  Just something to think about.

The song concludes:

I'm living in the moment
I'm living my life
Oh, easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
Peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
I'm living in the moment


Easy and breezy...doesn't that sound heavenly!  If I'm at peace with myself and the world, life is easy and breezy, and who wouldn't want that.  I'll take it.  Thanks to musicians such as Jason Mraz and so many other amazing songwriters who grace my car stereo, I do take it and live it.  See you on the roads   Namaste'


 

The Unexpected Income Club

Abundance is far more than money...it's about unexpected gifts from the Universe

The Tuesday night class I'm taking at the Center is called Beyond Limits. This week we are learning about abundance. Not just abundance of money but abundance of anything from health to friendships and so on.

Last week Dr. Heather challenged us to take part in an experiment called The Unexpected Income Club. For the duration of our class, about four weeks, we are to look for unexpected income or gifts. This means your income from your job is expected so it doesn't count. Money that does count for the experiment is gifted money for birthdays or other special occasions. 

Now you might be wondering, what's left?! Going out for a planned lunch with a friend and your friend pays for your lunch, is one example. Totally unexpected! Or you may find a $10 bill crumpled up in the pocket of an old pair of jeans you don't wear much anymore. By now you get the picture. 

As I sat in class on Tuesday I listened to many of the students recount their week of unexpected gifts and income. One person found $300 filed away among some papers in the file cabinet! Another woman got her year end bonus and it was twice the amount she usually gets equaling $6000! I didn't want to, but I had to share that i had received a 1099 tax notification on some money that was gifted to me last year. Dr. Heather's reaction was, "Oh good!" Huh? Not the answer I was looking for. Clearly I wasn't understanding this abundance thing very well. At this point I felt I should hand over my membership card for The Unexpected Income Club. So instead, I decided to reset my consciousness.

The next morning as I was walking with my girlfriend on the beach trail, I noticed her beautiful jacket. She told me she had just purchased it. Even though it was well made of wool and a nice camel color, she really didn't like it. She said she would like to give it to me. So I excitedly took it off her hands. Once home, I put it on and looked in the mirror. It finally dawned on me and I screamed," This is my unexpected gift! This S...T really does work!!" 

Try the Unexpected Income Club for yourself and come back and comment. I'd love to read about it.

by Robin Pajaro

Key #8 in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life

This week's video is sharing the 8th key in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life!

This one is probably the one that is most desired in people's lives.....

1201 Puerta Del Sol, First Floor
San Clemente, CA 92673

A Spiritual Living Phenomenon

And So It Begins! Welcome Home. ~ @ClarkDRHeather

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. ~ W.H. Murray
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Begin it now. ~ Goethe

Key #6 in the "9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life"

Today, we are bringing you Key #6 in our 9 week video series for creating a phenomenon in your life.  In this video, we talk about a key component to creating a life you love...meditation:

Adventure in Faith starts in two weeks.  Join us for this celebration of community, commitment and growth!  There are many activities planned for the month of October at the Center for Spiritual Living, so CLICK HERE and grab your calendar so you don't miss a thing!

Key #4 in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life

So far, we have covered three keys to creating a phenomenon in your life:

1.  Visioning
2.  Imagination
3.  Gratitude

This week, I caught up with Rev. Pattie Mercado to have her share number 4:  Spiritual Healing

Be sure to grab your Spiritual Healing Exercise HERE and learn about the very areas of your life that you could use some healing to create a phenomenon in your life!

Keep following our blog to find all the spiritual guidance that will allow you to truly build the life you dream of!

The 3rd Key in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life

In this video, we introduce the third key in the 9 keys to creating a phenomenon in one's life.  This 9 week video series leads up to The Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley's Adventure in Faith Celebration. 

This week, Pam Rock introduces our next key:

Grab your gratitude exercise HERE and start to attract more to be grateful for each day!  Enjoy!

Key #2 in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life

Today, we are sharing key #2 in our "9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life" video series.

With Dr. Heather gone for a week, we are doubling up on the content this week, so help me in sharing this week's post with our guest, Dave Friedman introducing the second key.  This spiritual guidance is sure to help you get in tuned with your own personal gifts and talents!


To expand your imagination, CLICK HERE to download your imagination expansion exercise!

Enjoy and if you experienced an "a-ha" moment within this post, please share it, tweet it, G+1 it.  Help us spread the goodness of creating a phenomenon in one's life!

Act On Your Inspiration 

#1 in the 9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life

Download your supplemental worksheet for this video HERE
 

In this video, we introduce the first key in the 9 keys to creating a phenomenon in one's life.  This 9 week video series leads up to The Center for Spiritual Living - Capistrano Valley's Adventure in Faith Celebration. 

Adventure in Faith is a community celebration of commitment to faith and support of our center.  The CSLCV has an fun-filled month planned for the South OC community! Grab your "9 Keys to Creating a Phenomenon in Your Life," then join us for a fall celebration!

This video is supplemented with a three-page visioning worksheet. You can DOWNLOAD IT HERE