Riding out the storm, picking your waves

Hurricane Sandy is much more powerful than I thought it would be and causing such waves! Part of it is because of the full moon. It never ceases to amaze me how it moves physical and emotional waves on all levels.

I wrote about the full moon a couple of months ago with the Blue Moon. With all the chaos, it is easy to get lost in emotions. It is severe, but remaining calm amidst the storm will guide you through the storm, as is in life.  I wrote about how these are going to be times of more waves and if you learn to ride out the waves the waves will give you a better surf. If you have been going through alot, remember this.

Remember how you like to ride the BIG waves, release the fear and remember how fun it is when you are able to crest the wave. Perhaps you need to shift your hips a little and you will be able to ride it better. You gotta swim hard to get to that place in the big wave. If you have been prepared to take on the big waves, it's really exhilarating right now! Where-ever you are right now, just check in with what you want to surf and move from here.

Thank goodness I have the lotus mudra meditation to keep me sane everyday, reminding me to do only things I can control, which are my emotions, thoughts, and actions. BREATHE! Breathe in light, breathe out tension. Breathe in love, breathe out fear. Breathe in faith, breathe out doubt. Breathe in trust, breathe out anxiety. Breathe in hope, breathe out disappointment. Breathe in joy, breathe out anger. You are enough. You have infinite potential. You can do, be, and have whatever you dream. All is well in your world.

Open Your Heart

I went to the Madonna concert this past Thursday. During the concert a strange thing happened. When she sang the song "Open Your Heart" much of the music quieted down for me and the words rang really clear. I've never really been a fan of this song but there was a message I was suppose to get out it. Some of the words are "I hold the lock and you hold the key. I'll give you love, if you turn the key." I kept getting images of this Skeleton key with a heart on it. I kept seeing a heart lock as well. The next morning in my meditation the words kept ringing though again and the same images. I asked the universe what is it that I'm suppose to connect. They told me it was time to turn the key. I held both the lock and the key. It was a really powerful point of awareness.

All of our hearts are lock up. You hold the key to open up your own heart and you hold the key to open up other people's heart. At the heart of every relationship is communication and YOU at any time have the power to unlock it whatever you want it to be. They will love you as long as YOU turn the key. 

As giving as we all are, our hearts are locked up. It's to protect us because we've been through a lot of things in our lives and now we are living more from our heads than our hearts. Check in with the words you use and you will catch yourself on how you resist many things you want. Are your words aligned with pure potential, pure love intent, pure joy? Your words are your law. Your words dictate your emotions. Your emotions control your thoughts. Your thoughts filter info and guide you to decisions. Your decisions create your destiny.

As we go into this last quarter of the year, I would like to remind you to live with your heart above your head. This could be the time of the best celebrations or greatest stress. The vibrancy you release will inspire others and remind them of their blessed lives. Check in often with yourself so you stay in your Vortex. Life and doubt will knock you out of it so remember how good it feels when you are in your power, flow, beauty, and alignment. Don't compare yourself to others because you have your path. The world deserves the best You, the happiest you. In this light you change people and re-ignite their inspiration. Every interaction you have can change someone's life. YOU must be the change YOU want to see in the world. Love people for where they are at and be the benchmark for where they could be. You can only control your thoughts and actions, please choose the good ones.

Lastly I want to remind you that it is EASY! Stop using the words "It's hard" because you make it hard. Your words are your law. When it seems difficult, ask yourself how am I making this harder on myself than it is? What is it that I must surrender? Is this thought serving me? What is it that I must learn? Is this really true? What can I do? What is the better thought? What does my soul need now? Then affirm yourself that it is imperfectly perfect, release the idea of perfection.

BREATHE! Breathe in light, breathe out tension. Breathe in love, breathe out fear. Breathe in faith, breathe out doubt. Breathe in trust, breathe out anxiety. Breathe in hope, breathe out disappointment. Breathe in joy, breathe out anger. You are enough. You have infinite potential. You can do, be, and have whatever you dream. All is well in your world.

I believe in you. 

Happy Harvesting!

I like any reason to celebrate and this is a celebration time! According to the Lunar Calendar, the Moon Festival is this Saturday September 15th, this is like the the Fall Equinox in the Asian culture. It is a time to Harvest your summer crops and feast.  

Last year I had a conversation with a friend where we spoke metaphorically about the concept of feast or famine which changed my mindset. This may resonate with you and help you shift for a more abundant HARVEST for years and beyond! 

Have you ever thought that your life is either "feast or famine?" For me, I've said this plenty of times, more so when it comes to dating! I'll go through a drought and then date a few and then there will be a drought again. In health, I'll go through times of lots of exercise, eating clean and cleansing regularly.  Then I totally blow it with little or no exercise, loading up on carbs and sugars. In business, August/Sept has always been a slower time in business. Does this pattern sound like you?

Does it make you a little neurotic and anxious like it does for me? My friend told me she wanted me to stop believing in the thought of feast or famine because it is a sub-conscious sabotage, even if I'm joking about it! In this belief, it puts me in a survival mode. In feasting times I know it will be over soon so I better eat what I can. In famine times I'm scavenging for what I can, praying for miracles, and ultimately not believing I have the skills to grow healthy and abundant crop to last me.  

What if you could HARVEST all year long? Every season has it's crop(s). At the beginning, identify what those crops are. Right now is the time to plant the seeds of intention while you are picking your HARVEST. Look at who showed up in your life at the beginning of summer that you really connected with. Every person that enters your life is for a reason, season, or lifetime. Seek to see how you can grow from each other. Seeds need time and consistent watering to grow. In your harvest, what should you cook now, what can be stored away for a few days or weeks, and what should you can/preserve for later? Your life is an abundant greenhouse and you can harvest all year! I wish you an abundant HARVEST and Happy Moon Festival! 

Oh Blue Moon

I was walking back to the salon last night from 2nd Home and saw the moon. It's gorgeous! My friend Amanda told me earlier in the day that there are 2 full moons this month. I came home to google it and found out that this rarely happens and when it does, the 2nd moon is called a "blue moon" Which is why there is that saying, "once in a blue moon." The full moon is on Friday Aug 31, 2012.

Because the full moon has power to change the tides, this is a very powerful time if you want it to be. It's about a time of waves, changes, and dreams. So if life is about riding out the waves...there are lots of waves right now! Take this time to pick out your waves so that you can SURF the best waves. There are lots of new opportunities for you and you can ride as many waves as you want. This is a time of excitement and allows for the dreams and the changes you want.

Take time today to think about one thing you want to change in your life or add to. Whatever is the first thing that pops in your head is your inner child and make it that. Ask the universe for it, or put it in the lotus meditation this week and see what manifests!

Happy Thursday an happy dreaming!

Confronting your fear...confession

Confession...this is somewhat embarrassing...

At the end of 2011, I wrote and produced a guided meditation. It happened in a matter of a month and perhaps by the grace of Jesus-Buddha-Allah-Krishna and all other things Holy, I finished it and it was downloadable on my website. It was very exciting and then I didn't know what to do with it... I did the most passive aggressive thing... I couldn't truly move forward with the marketing and getting it to a physical CD.

 

After quietly sending it to all the good people who had pre-ordered it digitally (for which I am deeply grateful. Thank you.), I moved on to the next project. Truth was, I was scared. Even after receiving positive feedback and testimonials, I was afraid that you wouldn't like it. I was afraid of criticism and failure.Unconsciously convinced by the little voice in my head that told me it wasn't good enough and that I wasn't good enough.

I've been meditating for years but I couldn't see myself as an expert. I only had 2 guided meditation CDs I personally owned. So I did the Chopra 21 day meditation challenge, bought 5 other meditations, went to guided meditation workshops and oneness blessings.  

It bothered me. Every few weeks, I would be reminded of this incomplete project. Someone would ask or I would think about it and then feel completely embarrassed. And none of the meditations got me anchored and inspired as much as my lotus mudra meditation in a matter of 6 or 13.5 minutes.

I did my meditation personally everyday because it really eased me. I take myself out of it and imagine it is someone else to keep focused. The more I did it, the more answers did show up for me, giving me peace and courage to get the 1st production of the CD out. The first production has some mistakes but the content is perfect. The other stuff is easily revisable.  

The CDs arrived July 5th and seeing it in the physical form was the mental bridge I need to cross over. Now standing on the other side, it is a breathe of fresh air and new adventures await...

 

My point of telling you all of this is two fold:

1. Letting you know what this project is all about and how it can be what you have been seeking.  

2. If you have a project that you want to do but fear keeps getting in the way, or have a project you've started but never launched.... Just do it!  It will be more painful not to do it, because thinking about it will eat at you and consume an enormous amount of energy.

You MUST be the change you want to see in the world

Recently I hiked Hanging Lake with my cousin Teresa. It's a beautiful hike where at the end of 1.5 miles straight up lies a beautiful blue green lagoon with waterfalls. There is this long log that you can walk across which makes it feel like you are walking on water! Of course I wanted to walk it and take a picture of it. I asked a guy to take pictures for Teresa and I on this log. I asked him to take a few pics, be  creative as he so chose, and take different variations.  

When I saw the pictures I was thankful but they were kinda blah. I got what I asked for: 3 pictures, one at a far distance so you can see how small we are, one medium, and one close up.  In return he asked me to take pictures for him and his girlfriend.I was happy to return the favor. When I took the pictures I did some candids of them because she was afraid to walk on the log and thought she was going to fall off, all sort of diagonals and some straight on, I took a dozen of them. When I handed it to him I told him he could delete them if he didn't like them. He was ecstatic and said they didn't have any pictures like these. 

In that moment I realized: people will do what you ask them, very few will go beyond and be creative, even if you encourage them to do so. Many people do not know HOW to be creative unless they were shown the way somewhere/somehow. What I wanted him to do, was what I did. My disappointment is really my own expectations. So in order to be the change in the world, YOU MUST be that change. I hope I planted that seed in him.  You can always delete but you cannot always get back that moment. I realized then to really be aware of what I ask for and perhaps even guide them with examples and let serendipity work her magic. Being vague can set you up for disappointment!

Transform your life in 12 Steps

With the summer solstice and change in season, I thought a good message to reflect on is embracing CHANGE. It's also been a reoccurring theme for me in the last month and perhaps it is for you as well. Recently one of my best friends moved to Denver because she wanted to change her life. Kara realized she was outgrowing her container in Scottsdale and wanted more balance. Being with Kara I'm seeing some things for the first time, learning and re-learning some lessons, and remembering to remember who I want to become in this process. Oddly in my airbrush tanning, teeth whitening, and eyelash extension sessions, clients open up to me with their desires for change yet they have so many hesitations. Change can be scary and EXCITING.

You can always choose which feelings you want to live in. You can always choose the excuses and justification. If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse. I still don't have everything figured out, but my life has changed drastically for the better. It's not the dragon you have to slay, it's the fear. Here are the 12 steps that has helped me to embrace change.

1. Be Honest with Yourself
Don't underestimate the power of denial. We've all got an amazing capacity for it, but that doesn't mean we need to use it. Shine some sunshine on the parts of your life that need exposing. If you have a close friend you trust, ask them to give you some help identifying things you struggle with. However, many of us surround ourselves with people that are similar to us, be aware of that. Sometimes those around us don't always have our best interests in mind. For instance, I worked in a restaurant and clothing store and so did most of my friends. No one was going to tell me I drank too much because many of them drank more than I did. In order for me to be honest about that, I had to look outside myself and my circle of friends. If you're concerned you have serious issues to iron out or don't have anyone to talk with, consider seeking a counselor's advice. A few sessions can give amazing perspective.

2. Perform a Personal Inventory
Putting something on paper brings it into the physical realm; it makes it real. This is especially helpful if you're dealing with denial. Read it out loud. Spell out the things you struggle with. Call them by their name. Get comfortable with them. Then write down why you'd like to change. For me some of the answers were obvious: my physical health was in danger (I have ulcerative colitis). But there can be so many reasons - spiritual and mental health, friendships and marriages, financial responsibilities, children - identifying them helps you find your inspiration and motivation.

There is a difference between inspiration and motivation. Motivation is like a sugar rush, it only lasts a little while, like when you read a book, go to a seminar. You take action immediately but then it goes away. Inspiration is your WHY, it burns inside you and reminds you to take another small step even on the most wall kicking days. Remember that your primary inspiration for change should be yourself, or your will may falter. You may inadvertently resent someone for "making" you change.

3. Visualize Peace & Health
Ask yourself the typical interview question: Where do I see myself in five years? Write down the things, big and small, that you're accomplishing. I wanted to be in great shape, debt-free, living in an amazing place. I wanted to be comfortable with my emotions, honest with the people in my life and eating healthfully. Don't worry if some of these things seem really off the wall. (I want to ride elephants!) The point is to have a well-rounded version of yourself to look forward to.

4. Start Small
After being honest with yourself, looking at where your life stands and what you really want, there's a temptation to dive right in, "fixing" one thing after another, crossing them off your list. That's sort of the New-Year's-Resolution way of doing things. This is unsustainable. Sooner or later, you're going to run out of steam, have a bad day and you'll drop everything thinking "There's no way I can keep this up." (inspiration vs motivation!)

Choose one thing and do it well. For me, it was meditating and exercising in the mornings. I could cross it off my list every day and it made me feel good. If I had a bad day and didn't meditate or exercise, I just started over the next day. After a few weeks it just became a habit.

5. Slow Down
Life's a marathon, not a sprint. Any lasting change needs to feel like a part of you in order to stick. As your one small thing becomes second nature, choose something else you'd like to incorporate into your life. If it becomes too overwhelming, stop and choose something different. This is where that honesty comes in.

6. Avoid All-Or-Nothing Thinking
If you exercise too much, you can hurt yourself. A diet must be balanced: fats aren't all bad. When I first started making positive changes in my life, I'd get really bent outta shape when I'd miss a workout or "forget" to eat the fruit on my desk, opting for a cookie. I would berate myself with shame and tell myself I'd failed; I must meet my goals, I'd scold myself. If we're kind to ourselves, we're much more likely to do our own bidding. It's pretty amazing how quickly we'll revert to teenage rebellion when confronted with all-or-nothing attitudes. Seeing the world in black and white is a dangerous way to set yourself up for failure, because it doesn't allow for mistakes.

7. Expect Growing Pains and Setbacks
Perfect is boring. Oftentimes our mistakes and setbacks bring us to a place where we learn more and become even greater individuals. The other thing about peace and positive change is that it can leave us feeling kind of ... odd. You long for a comfortable restful life and once it starts to happen, you start missing the drama and frenzy of your old life. This can be really unsettling. Just be aware of it. Sometimes it helps to revisit your writing and understand why you're making these choices. I never thought I would miss the life I left behind, but even 3 years later, I get twinges of sadness - grief for my loss. The first time I felt it, I was flabbergasted...perplexed. Now I just know it's there and let it pass through me.

8. Focus On What You Love
Change is tough, and if there's one thing that can make it easier, it's focusing on the parts of life you adore - something that stays constant. For me, food and beauty services/products was my muse. I talked about food, loved to grocery shop, spray tanned, galvanic my face..It may seem trivial, but grounding yourself in these small joys makes for an easier time and a more positive outlook.

9. Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People
It's time to take a critical look at the people you're spending time with. I'm not suggesting you ditch your friends (far from it!); I'm saying cultivate relationships that encourage your health and growth. While I had several people in my life who were drinking buddies, there were others who were excited to hit the gym with me or take a bike ride.

Chances are you've got relationships that will blossom like flowers in spring with the right conversations. Your other friends may not see you as much, but if the friendship is worth it, it will grow. Don't be afraid to let go of people. Toxic relationships create stagnant pools that make it nearly impossible to welcome real change in your life. I said goodbye to a few people I thought were close friends; it was hard but its a reason, season, or lifetime.

10. Reward Yourself
Ice cream. Spray tans. Lash extensions. Long walks. Flowers. Vacations. New toys. As long as it isn't something that's going to set you back, give it to yourself. You deserve it! Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools to keep you moving forward. Remember: treating yourself like a precious object makes you strong.

11. Change Begets Change
It seemed like the more small but positive habits I created, the more my life just transformed. Because I was choosing more fruits and vegetables, I started to crave them. I was less interested in eating processed or fast foods. The more choices and changes you make, the more you will see it in your life, like a domino effect.

12. Check In
Remember your personal inventory and your life visualizations? Hold onto those and check in every few months. This can be a lot of fun. Where are you excelling? What do you need to work on? Has your idea of peace changed? Answer these questions and modify your process if you need to. You can't know where you're going without knowing where you are. Do not compare yourself with another, everyone's idea of balance is different. This judgement on yourself is dis-empowering. Be the best YOU this world deserves. This last point is critical.

You are the director, producer, and main star in YOUR life movie. Assessing your resources, reevaluating your plan and acting in harmony with your surroundings will help you survive and thrive. If change was easy, everyone would be doing it. But it is a lot of fun and kind of addictive when you start getting good at it. Keep these secrets in mind and the life you've always wanted can be well within your reach.

I believe in you.