I had a very interesting 90 minute "spiritual reading" last week at a local center that provides some amazing "new agey" services to our community. I love this place. It is tranquil, loving, and always smells good. And the staff is wonderful. The results of my reading have kept me thinking about it for days, and set me on a path towards opening up parts of my life that are horribly blocked and under-utilized. My creativity, expressive power, and journey to embracing my gifts has been at an all-time low, but I've got that kick in the pants I needed and it has energized me with all the possibilities that will come my way if I just work at it.
So I'm working at it. I'm continuing my meditations--which I love! I am looking at ways to be creative--even a little bit--every day. Small steps towards bigger things. And I've become very aware of what is blocking my progress, and working on eliminating those blocks and replacing them with my own personal power.
It may sound hokey to some, but to me it's amazing. If only we could all be at our absolute best, the world would be even more of an amazing place. I'm spending this year working on my inner self. And as that opens up and improves, the physical self will follow.
Here are some of the tools I'm using to help me along the way:
Brene' Brown has been recommended by two friends of mine. She also has many videos on YouTube that I'll be looking into soon. I bought The Gifts of Imperfection last September for my sister Patti and I to read and discuss together. Sadly, that didn't happen. I have Patti's copy on my nightstand and a pen already underlining key phrases in the book. I am going to give my other copy to someone I think needs it, as well. Needless to say, she is very much in my thoughts as I read this book. I've only read a chapter, but it's already resonating with me very much and I can't help but think this would have made an impact on Patti's feelings about herself.
And for the creative part: Zentangle. My friend C-Joy first mentioned this to me many months ago, and I decided that Bud needed to make this a Christmas present. My Bud loves me--he not only bought me the book I requested, but got me a sketch pad, colored pencils, and the good 'ol #2 pencils you need for this exploration of "tangling".
I've only just started this last night, so we'll see how it goes. From the looks of my first attempt, I have ample opportunity to improve!
What are you doing that's new in 2013?
I have a wonderful friend and co-worker who I've known since I was a young teen. I used to babysit her three boys when I was just barely old enough to do it! Years later, we find ourselves working together at the bookstore and I can only say Deb is as wonderful now as she was then--but now I can appreciate her all the more because I'm an adult (and not babysitting for $1.00/hour).
Deb is always exploring, reading, attending programs and classes on spirituality, yoga, and finding out what sparks our sense of happiness and creativity. She's very open minded, and that has led me to some wonderful opportunities that I wouldn't have had without her telling me this stuff while we shelve romance and sci-fi books early in the morning.
Deb introduced me to Deepak Chopra's 21 Day Abundance Meditation Challenge back in early November. I have tried meditation before, but always find a reason not to do it. This was free, and about abundance of every kind--so I said "why not try it?" and immediately began listening to each day for the next 21 days. It was amazing. I made it a priority first thing in the morning to get up, start the meditation on my computer, and lay down on the couch and listen and be quiet for 15 minutes. I consciously tried to keep Deepak's simple phrases for each day in my mind as I went about my work and life. I realized after a week or so that not only was I somehow staying relatively calm during the day, but I was finding all sorts of wonderful instances of abundance all around me. No, I didn't have a sudden windfall of money, but little things happened that made me become aware of all the things we all do everyday that spread that light of positive energy around. And my brain was on fire when I was sleeping--very vivid dreams--every night, without fail. I felt like I was sleeping deeper and better.
I threw caution to the winds, and ordered Deepak's 3 21 Day Meditation Challenges. The Abundance challenge was the last one, there are two before it--on love and on body/mind/health. I have been in a bit of a funk since I finished the Abundance meditation, and was so happy to pick up my box of goodies today at Fedex.
So, if you're interested, you can get these through Deepak's website Chopra.com. There's a lot of other cd's, meditation, and music on the website--plus other goodies you can order. I'm fired up to start the abundance meditation again tomorrow morning.
As I work through the other 21 day meditations, I'll keep you posted on what happens and how they are helping me stay calm, stay positive, and stay aware.
