OMTIMES MAGAZINE
contents 01
Karen Johnson, Excl. Interview:
THE JEWELED PATH: the Biography of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization
02
Agape Love and Spirituality
03
5 Reasons Why Black Cats Are Ideal Pets
04
It's Time to Stop Being So Nice at Work
05
11 Best Buddhist Music To inspire Children
JUNE / ISSUE A 2018
OMTIMES MAGAZINE JUNE / ISSUE A 2018
06 07 08 09
Human Nature-Visual Journeys 2 Vegan Instant Pot Rice Recipes Crystals Associated with Strength Are The Dead Really With Us
10
4 Simple Words To Up Your Manifesting Game
11
The Art of Creating space
12
14 ways Natural Disasters Reframes our Ability to Change
13
10 Steps Toward an Incredible Edible Town
14
4 Natural Supplements to Lose Weight and Trim up
15
LAW OF RESONANCE & MEMORIES
16
Battle Plan to Conquer Daily Stress
It is human nature to instinctively rebel at obscurity or ordinariness. Taylor Caldwell
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June A 2018
Cover Story 24
Karen Johnson - The Jeweled Path
Health & Wellness 34 36
4 Natural Supplements to Lose Weight and Trim up Your Physique Overwhelmed? Create a Battle Plan to Conquer Daily Stress
Spirituality 42 46
Agape Love and Spirituality Are The Dead Really With Us?
OM Living 54 62 66 76 82
11 Best Buddhist Music To inspire Compassion in Children 5 Reasons Why Black Cats Are Ideal Pets Visual Journeys - Human Nature 2 Vegan Instant Pot Rice Recipes 10 Steps Toward an Incredible Edible Town
Relationships 90
It's Time to Stop Being So Nice at Work
Metaphysics 96
Law of Resonance & Memories 104 4 Simple Words To Up Your Manifesting Game 108 Crystals Associated with Strength
Personal Growth
116 The Art of Creating Space 118 Sow the Seeds of a Happier Life
World Vision
122 14 Ways Natural Disasters Reframe our Ability to Change
Books
128 The Jeweled Path
OMTIMES MAGAZINE
KAREN JOHNSON
The Jeweled Path Karen Johnson is a longtime colleague of A. H. Almaas and cofounder of the Diamond Approach. They have been teaching together for many years. Johnson was educated as an artist and then received an MA in psychology.
What is the meaning of having a spiritual life in the midst of a busy world? he Jeweled Path invites you to enter into the story of how the modern spiritual path of the Diamond Approach emerged. With humor and intimacy, Karen Johnson, cofounder with A. H. Almaas, reveals the personal experiences that birthed the teaching and furthered its development.
These profound awakenings —occurring amidst ordinary life—became the building blocks of a remarkable new approach to human nature and to our understanding of reality.
OMTimes: What is the Diamond Approach? How is it different from other spiritual traditions? KAREN JOHNSON: It is hard to answer this question without getting too esoteric. This was one reason I wrote the book; I wanted to make this work more accessible and understandable by describing the inner feeling of it. Otherwise, I have to put ideas and perspectives that are hard to capture in a nutshell, but I will try. The Diamond Approach is a contemporary spiritual path that can lead to liberation, maturation, and actualization of the Human Being. The name itself is a description of what it is—a direct, precise, clear approach to one’s experience. Understanding any experience fully will naturally lead to the understanding of our True Spiritual Nature, like a stream that naturally flows into the ocean. I think we might be the only teaching that uses the term True Nature. We mean the natural underlying essential basis of what we are and what everything is. This is one way we are unique, but it’s not the most important one.
"The Diamond Approach teaching includes how to be an embodied presence in the world." Trying to enumerate all how the Diamond Approach is different are too many to list. That is another reason I wrote the book. I can name a few unique features of our work that are important: The True Nature of everything and being an individual in the world authentically are valued equally. Most traditions value the transcendent state over the individual or visa versa. From the DA point of view, you learn how these two inextricable sides are each real, of great value, and totally interdependent. The Diamond Approach teaching includes how to be an embodied presence in the world. The spiritual presence that one recognizes as one’s self can arise as qualities that the usual person in the world can recognize such as strength, clarity, joy, tenderness, willpower, and love among others.
The Diamond Approach uses psychological knowledge to aid us in These are distinctive understanding the understandings of the development of the ego Diamond Approach and help us navigate teaching. They are all through the layers of it, expressions of the truth of which is crucial to the our nature and cleansed of development of a real our personal histories. human being in the world. OMTIMES
However, it is not therapeutic; it is simply what we encounter on the way in. Through understanding what we find—whatever it is—we become more transparent to our inner light. It is like taking off old clothes we don’t even know we are wearing because we have been wearing them so long we think they are part of us. Then we discover beautiful jewels that have been hidden underneath.
THERE IS NO END TO THE DISCOVERIES OF NEW INNER UNIVERSES OF EXPERIENCE. OMTIMES
U N F O L D I N G
T R U T H
THE DIAMOND APPROACH IS A DYNAMIC, EVOLVING TEACHING THAT LEADS TO OPENNESS, FREEDOM, AND REALIZATION
We encounter many kinds of understandings and realizations of what we are. We are sometimes separate creatures, sometimes connected to our deeper self or to others. We may feel part of a vast shoreless ocean, and then we can feel we are the entirety of the universe and everything in it. We don’t feel we must be in any particular state. For the Diamond Approach, there is no end point or place to get to. This is rare in most traditions and radical, really. The adventure is goalless, yet another very important difference between our work and other spiritual paths. There is no end to the discoveries of new inner universes of experience.
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OMTIMES: What Inspired you? How did this book come to be? KAREN JOHNSON: It made me do it! As the Diamond Approach work began to spread throughout the world, it became obvious that it was a teaching that would live on beyond Hameed and me and the original teachers and students alive today. Since people often asked me how it all began and “What was it like in the beginning? Who was there? How did you decide what to include and what to exclude when using the modern psychological material or ancient spiritual traditions?” I felt it would be useful to chronicle the events, people, and places that were instrumental in the development of the work.
I realized I needed to dispel the idea that this was a synthesis of a lot of other traditions. I felt this could only be effective if I showed, not told, what happened from the inside out. Hameed has written about the Path, brilliantly elucidating the knowledge of our discoveries. But I saw the need to demystify it by illustrating how we didn’t just get blessed with falling diamonds from the sky, or come up with a great system in discussions over tea. No one, no matter how brilliant, could have come up with this kind of illumination on his or her own. It is a path that erupted into the world through our souls. It found us and worked us until it taught us how to decode it, articulate it, and embody its perspective.
And quite a task since his English resembles Arabic! I delved into each journal and read them cover-to-cover, and it was an amazingly alive venture for me. We saw new connections to things we had not seen before. There are many details to the teaching that have never been taught, and I was reminded once again of how much beauty and precision there is in this knowledge. Some new areas of the teachings were discovered waiting to be unpacked. I always had access to these materials, but it had a very specific purpose this time. I went through the path again from beginning to the present from another perspective.
OMTIMES: What was it like going through Almaas’s material?
KAREN JOHNSON: Yes. Many things. The first was finding out I could actually write! Then, when writing, I found I would become exactly the condition I was writing about, so the book is alive with the energy of my authentic experience.
KAREN JOHNSON: Going through all the thousands of pages of handwritten records in his handwriting was illuminating, to say the least.
OMTIMES: Did anything surprising or unexpected arise from writing the book?
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I felt the textures and saw the people, places, and events as though I was there or it was here. It was like time traveling. As a result, what I wrote welcomed readers into the book with me. Another astonishing thing was how the force behind this book that kept me on task was similar to the dynamic thrust that birthed the teaching itself. A new kind of energy was unleashed, and I am still reeling from it. OMTIMES: What can we learn from The Jeweled Path? KAREN JOHNSON: You can see what it is like to witness a spiritual path manifesting, and in particular how the Diamond Approach emerged and developed. The individuals who have read it tell me that the opportunity to peek into the lives of the founders of teaching is a learning experience in itself. But most touching to me is how it has ignited their own desire to know more about life, themselves, and spiritual reality and trust in their own experience. As if some kind of love fire got fueled and the desire to get in touch,
to grow, know more, and follow their own truth to the mother lode. I guess the energy of the book was truly contagious. The Diamond Approach is a painful journey sometimes, but it also opens the human potential for greater joy and inner freedom than you can ever explain to anyone. Every experience has meaning and is a potential portal to a deeper sense of you. If we dismiss our experiences, no matter how joyous or painful, we miss an opportunity to explore and be surprised by what lay underneath. It is an adventure of a lifetime. And it is fun, too! OMTIMES: Can you share a story of Inner Realization? KAREN JOHNSON: There are many of them in the book. Choosing one is hard. There was the time I tried to melt a very strange feeling in my stomach for about a week Then one day while talking with Hameed on the phone in the mid-1970s he suggested I just sense it and be interested without assuming it shouldn’t be there.
I had been inquiring into many kinds of things related to the teaching and my place in it, what it meant for me, what my true interests were, and so on. I also wanted to get clearer about the teaching itself. So, as we inquired into my felt experience, I began to feel the presence of something I had not known before. Although I had experienced presence in many ways, this was new. I felt fresh dense and extremely present. Then I felt facets emerging. It was centered in my solar plexus and shimmered with scintillating light. Then I shrieked with delight.” OH my God! Hameed! It is a diamond!” That was my first recognition of presence in the diamond form. Then I became it over the following weeks, which then would be realization—to become present as a selfknowing medium that knows its own existence. This also brought understanding about the teaching for me, and it became clear, with diamond clarity, that this presence was making its way into the world and using me to that end.
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OMTIMES: What are your hopes for the future of the Diamond Approach? KAREN JOHNSON: That anyone who might resonate with the Diamond Approach finds us. We want to be visible to those who would feel pulled to what we have to offer and are on an authentic search. Each individual has to discover for oneself what their soul will feel called to. When the yearning awakens, and the light begins to shimmer, it will find the way. It might take a while, but it will happen. The Diamond Approach Teaching has always taken care of itself and will continue to do so. I have no wishes or plans to make it do anything, but I am waiting for what it wants me to do it. My hopes for the Diamond Approach aren’t needed. People need hope, and this teaching is one response to that need.
https://twitter.com/DiamondApproach https://www.facebook.com/DiamondApproach/ https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDiamondApproach
Health & Wellness Innovative new approaches to Healing as well as holistic methods for dealing with health issues and personal growth
4 Natural Supplements to Lose Weight and Trim up Your Physique By Rachelle Wilber There are many options for individuals to use as aids to lose excess weight. One safe alternative to aid in the battle against the bulge is the utilization of natural supplements. The following is a quick review of four of the safest and most effective natural supplement alternatives. Garcinia Cambogia Garcinia Cambogia exploded with popularity after being featured on a 2012 episode of the Dr. Oz show. The smallish green, pumpkin shaped fruit contains a chemical known as a hydroxycitric acid in its skin that is responsible for its weight-loss instigating properties. HCA has shown the ability to inhibit enzymes that produce fat and elevate serotonin levels. A 2011 review took into account 12 clinical studies done on the weight loss benefits of Garcinia Cambogia determined that the supplement was responsible for Omtimes.com
modest weight loss progress. Green Coffee Bean Extract Green coffee beans are coffee beans that have not undergone the roasting process. Caffeine, which increases the burning of fat, and chlorogenic acid, which inhibits the breakdown of carbohydrates are believed to be the source of the bean’s weight loss properties. The weight loss benefits of green coffee beans have been proven by several clinical studies. The bean is also suspected to help with both blood pressure and blood sugar levels. This can be very helpful in many different ways. Using coffee in its natural form can be highly advantageous for weight loss, which many people still do not understand. It is not just to help wake you up in the morning. Essential Oils Essential oils can be used to provide balance and harmony to the mind and body. When an essential oil is inhaled parts of the brain are stimulated that regulates mood and emotional stability. Researchers at the Smell and Taste Institute of Chicago found that inhaling aromas from substances such as peppermint, grapefruit, orange, and others periodically
throughout the day can suppress the desire to eat. The researchers also determined that switching oils regularly will prevent the individual from getting used to a particular aroma and diminishing its effectiveness. This is the power of essential oils, they can literally help you lose weight by managing your cravings. Everyone should take advantage of their helpful properties. Green Tea Extract Green tea extract is a popular weight loss supplement and many studies attest to its effectiveness. The active ingredient for weight loss is the antioxidant EGCG. It is believed that green tea extract works by increasing the activity levels of norepinephrine, a fat burning hormone. Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of green tea to promote fat loss, especially in the stomach region. Green tea has so many uses, it is an incredibly amazing substance. Natural supplements provide a safe and effective aid for individuals wishing to lose excess body weight and trim their physique. The four supplements above have been proven clinically to be among the best choices available. Omtimes.com
Overwhelmed? Create a Battle Plan to Conquer Daily Stress By Liesha Petrovich
Sometimes stress hits us like a sucker punch to the gut. And sometimes it creeps up on us. We may not be able to stop stressful emergencies from
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happening, but there’s a lot we can do about the stress that wears us down daily. Many of us have the same stress repeatedly. And we now just accept it. Our kids “forgot” to do their chores Our house is a mess, and our mother-in-law is coming over for dinner Our boss keeps nixing all our ideas One of these stresses is easy to handle. Experience them all on the same day and its stress overload. But expecting to have stress-free days isn’t realistic. Sometimes life just happens. The key is to find ways to be prepared for your daily dose of annoying stress. Think of it as your battle plan. And instead of waiting for stress to happen, you’re going to tackle it head-on.
Step Up Your Meditation Game Meditation is like brushing your teeth - do it every day because it’s good for you. There are plenty of apps that allow us to meditate during our lunch breaks or while sitting at our kid’s soccer practice. It’s a matter of making it a priority instead of a luxury. To help build a stronger practice, try incorporating elements into your daily meditation-like crystals or essential oils. In Choosing Healing Crystals for Anxiety, Ella Gibbons shares how a stone’s energy is more important than color: “The right crystal will call to you. That sounds a bit like new-age nonsense, but it’s true. Your goal isn’t to try to figure out why it’s calling to you, just that it feels right.” Do some experimenting and
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start surrounding yourself with elements that bring peace and help calm your mind during your next meditation. Put Out Stress Fires Before They Start I’m a big fan of preventing stress before it happens. This was a very hard lesson learned. After living with the neverending cycle of stress-reactstress, I changed my mindset. It’s not enough to simply react every time there’s a fire to put out. Why keep solving the same crisis over and over again? Why run around in circles reacting to situations you can change? There are many things we can’t change, but many of our most draining stresses happen over and over again. Let’s say you have the same argument with
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your partner every weekend about your recycling habits. He’s annoyed because you keep putting glass in in the cans bin. But you only have paper, bottles, plastic, and tin recycling bins! Instead of fighting over and over, the solution is very easy: get a glass bin too! This is a simplistic example, yet it illustrates that we don’t have to live with the same stressors. Strive to solve these situations instead of reliving them over and over. Some will be easy to solve, and some may take a lot of time and energy. Just remember your hard work will pay off in the long run. Start Saying No In 12 Ways to Bring Peace Into Your Days, Dr. Paulette Sherman advises us to: “Say no to things that drain
your energy and that don’t align with your Spirit. This enables you to say Yes to the things that do bring peace to you.” This seems so easy to do: we just start saying no. Yet, it’s not always simple to do. We over-commit to things we enjoy. We try to please everyone while putting our needs on the back burner. And we end up stressed out and forgetting why we enjoyed these things in the first place. This one may require some deep self-analysis but take the time to figure out what activities align with your Spirit. Say Yes to the things that won’t create more stress and anxiety. And start saying No to the activities that only add negative energies to your already hectic day.
Simple Changes for Big Results It’s not an exaggeration to say that meditation saved my life. It brings me a sense of quiet strength and balance that cannot be overstated. It’s a foundation that I’ve built my life upon. That’s a conscious choice and the first defense in my antistress battle plan. Your battle plan will be different, but the goals will be the same. Stop accepting that your day will always be stressful because that’s the way life is. Start creating a personal anti-stress plan that works for you. While we’ll never be able to eliminate every stress, we can do a lot to prevent challenges and create a stronger mental foundation for handling stress.
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Simply Spiritual To perceive reality from a different perspective is to open oneself to the wonders and unlimited wealth of creation. Simply Spiritual offers the opportunity to visit new places, new methods, and different ways to perceive the vast human knowledge of our Universe.
Agape Love and Spirituality by Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD
Can you imagine a God who is compassionate and forgiving to all, a Spirit possessing the quality of agape love, the love for all beings? Can you imagine this agape love as central to your own spirituality?
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Many of us long to know and connect with Spirit. When we do, we can experience a connection to Spirit in our personal energy field as a sensation or as an inner knowing that we are united with a loving and powerful force. Some say that through prayer, reflecting about the nature of God, or meditating on love or a loving Higher Power, they experience a sense of unity, peace, and love. Some might describe the feeling of love and joy experienced while serving others, or while just playing with grandkids or listening to a moving music performance, as a connection with Spirit, the loving and creative force. I can understand this characterization as I have felt that way, too. Also, through some of my shamanic work, I’ve had the direct experience of a creative universal eternal energy. My encounters have convinced me that Spirit’s love for us is real and that Spirit can infuse us with agape love. When I experience a spiritual connection to Source, a sense of agape love fills me: I want to give to others. I yearn to
express this love. Maybe you have experienced this sense of abundance and desire to send love outward to the world, too. Yet maybe you worry about your financial and emotional resources, and struggle to find the time and impetus to give to others. How much to give, and how much to invest in themselves, is not always easy to figure out. A conversation with Spirit might help you find the answers, and lead to abundance coming your way from an unexpected source. Some might call this karma for doing good works. Perhaps it is simply how energy with the quality of love moves through the matrix of energy that underlies our world. I believe it is an expression of ayni, or reciprocity. I believes Spirit works with us to help us experience agape love so that we let it move through us and outward to others. I’ve seen people who experience very real scarcity who understandably can be very cautious about husbanding their financial resources. At times, they can feel burned out by the burdens Omtimes.com
of life. Yet often, these people are extremely generous when it comes to expressing love and compassion to others and helping them in practical ways. Some have little more to give than inspirational words, or prayer on someone’s behalf. I believe all these spiritual practices of service have meaning and value not just for the person practicing them but for all of us. Praying for peace, prosperity, and an end to violence maybe have value on its own, even when it is not accompanied by good works or expressing love to other human beings directly through action and words. Perhaps if there were no monasteries and monks chanting or nuns praying behind tall stone walls, we would be experiencing even worse tragedies and traumas in the world than we are now. I do know this: Praying for others gives many comfort and reminds them of their connection to God, which often helps them to be kinder to others, and to serve people lovingly. Agape love seems to fill them up and provide them Omtimes.com
with the energy and impetus to share it with others. How do you get the inspiration to do good works? How can you become more inspired, and is that important to you? How can you replenish your supply of agape love? How can you reconnect with the Source of agape love? What spiritual practices cause you to feel filled with an abundance of love for all? What we do to feel loving and express love may differ from person to person. If you do not feel connected to Spirit, perhaps you simply need to find a different portal to an experience of agape love. Imagine what that portal might look like for you, and what you might experience if you discovered it and stepped through it. Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD, is a practicing clinical psychologist, Jungian analyst and shamanic practitioner. He teaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and is on staff at the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being. Learn more at CarlGreer.com.
“Are The Dead Really With Us?” By John Holland
I’m so honored and grateful for the feedback I’ve been receiving about my latest book: “Bridging Two Realms – Learn To Communicate With Your Loved Ones On The Other-Side.”
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While writing this book, emotions were running high for me as I wrote about some very personal experiences that are extremely close to my heart, which of course brought them to the surface, and I relived some of them again through my writing. I’m so glad that I kept it personal because many people are already contacting me saying how it has helped them cope with a loss of someone that was close to them. This is the main reason I decided to write this book, principally to help those who are missing or grieving for a loved one. The following paragraphs are a small excerpt from the book that I wanted to share, and I hope it helps you or someone you know at this time, who is
dealing with the loss of their loved one. Excerpt from Bridging Two Worlds When someone passes and leaves this world, the usual familiar ways we use to communicate, get interrupted for a time until a new form of communication is established. That new form of communication happens through the mind. With mediums who work mentally, the spirit of a loved one will link with the medium in a mind-to-mind telepathic connection. Once the link is established, the medium will receive information clairvoyantly, clairsentiently, or clairaudiently. The words, images, or feelings that are given from the spirit to the
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medium are all part of the authentication process of validating their identity. However, you don’t have to see a medium to communicate or feel close to a departed loved one. Many people who come to see me are longing to connect with the Other-Side, but in reality, they’ll be receiving the information secondhand. Whether you lost someone recently or long ago, know that it is possible to connect with them yourself. They do welcome your thoughts and do what they can to help. Many people feel that their loved ones immediately become all knowing after they’ve passed. Although there’s a natural progression of the soul, they’re still the person you knew. They’re learning new things themselves as they reacquaint
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themselves with their real home, the Spirit World. They do what they can to guide us; maybe nudge us in the right direction to be in the right place at the right time; and, of course, continue to love us. However, they cannot take away the karmic lessons that we are meant to learn here. Your loved ones know what you’re going through, and they realize how much you’re missing them. Many people have said after a loss, “It’s so strange, I feel as if they are right here with me.” The reason for this is simple: they could possibly be there in spirit right next to you! While they try to comfort you, it’s easy to miss those subtle signs they’re sending you, especially during times of grief when your emotions are so sensitive. JOHN’S LESSON When the time feels right,
I recommend sitting in a comfortable place and trying to clear or calm down the chatter in your mind for a few moments. Now, just focus on sending your thoughts to your loved ones. Send them your prayers, your wishes, your love . . . And, if need be, send your forgiveness. Don’t expect a dramatic response, like a scene from a movie where a spirit manifests right in front of you. You may not get a loud voice booming in your ear. You might even feel as though you’re not having any success at first. However, please keep talking and sending those loving thoughts out. You’ll know if you connect. It might be the most imperceptible feeling as if a light flickered over your soul.
You might get answers in ways you weren’t expecting, so acknowledge them by letting them know you feel them. The more you connect – the stronger the connection will grow. Your thoughts and the love you have for your loved ones and pets is the bridge that you are building that reaches farther than you could ever imagine! Try to not let anyone talk you into believing it’s just your imagination. You’ll know in your heart when you have forged a loving link with your loved one. It’s a totally different feeling than our own normal conscious thoughts! You’ll understand what I mean when you experience it for the first time. Trust me when I say, “They want to talk to you — as much as you want to talk to them!” Live a Soul-filled life!
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OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle
OMTIMES |MAGAZINE
There are many circumstances or activities that can help boost intelligence in children. Music is one of them, but it is not the only one. Many studies have attempted to establish a link between learning a musical instrument and intelligence. And then? Who does not learn to play an instrument will be less intelligent?
Music certainly brings many hidden benefits to the children’s brains and their hearts. Buddhist themed music seems to infuse the children with a positive dharmic effect, bringing awareness and giving them perspective on the life of sentient beings from a broader perspective.
 INSPIRATION JUNE A 2018
CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILDREN BE MORE Â COMPASSIONATE?
It seems that music prepares our brains for certain types of thinking. For example, several surveys have found that after listening to classical music, adults can perform specific spatial tasks more quickly. But why does this happen? Apparently, the "classical musical pathways" in our brain are like the ways we use for spatial reasoning. So, when we start to listen to classical music, the spaceways would already be "on" and ready to be used.
Sacred Bodhi  Tree.
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In fact, music brings many benefits to the infant's brain as well as to the minds of adults. Many types of research have focused precisely on proving the effect that music exerts on the minds. .
The Buddha's counsel for parents is straightforward: help your children become generous, virtuous, responsible, talented, and contribute to their becoming self-sufficient adults. The most important lesson parents can convey to their children is that every action has its costs. Each giving moment in our lives is an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Nevertheless, it is up to us to choose how we want to think, speak or act. Our abilities to make kind and compassionate choices in our lives will eventually influence our practice on compassion, happiness, and ability to experience joy. If you wish to introduce some beautiful Buddhist songs for children, you may start playing the following 11 Buddhist songs (with lyrics) for your kids: .
#3 – Don’t Be Angry Lyrics: Imee Ooi Music: Woon Yoke Fun If you’re angry You’ll make yourself an ugly little child, ugly little child Put on a smile and cheer up Make your daddy and mummy proud La la la la la la la la Anger scares your friends away La la la la la la la la So smile and brighten up your day . #4 – Compassion Lyrics: Imee Ooi Music: Woon Yoke Fun Praise the Lord, Lord Buddha Embrace the world with compassion Praise the Lord, Lord Buddha *Maha karuniko natho Hitaya sabbapaninam
#1 – Birth of the Buddha Lyrics/Music: Daniel Yeo In the ancient land A child is born Once in a time so long And the gods and men So they said Homage to the Lord *Namo tassa bhagavato arahato Samma-sambuddhassa.
*Translation: The Lord, the Great Compassion For the welfare of all beings . #5 – It’s Great To Give Lyrics/Music: Daniel Yeo
*Translation: Homage to that Lord, the Worthy One, Perfectly enlightened by Himself. .
It’s great to give, it’s a blessing to be able to give It’s better for you to give than to always receive Just like the Buddha, He perfected the act of giving I wish one day too, I’ll be like Him .
#2 – To Love Is To Care And Be Kind Lyrics/Music: Imee Ooi Be kind to all your friends and family Be kind to cats and butterflies and trees Don’t hurt the fishes swimming in the sea Here is what the Buddha says to me To Love is to care for all living around us To Love is to be kind to all beings around us .
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#6 – He’s Here For You and Me Lyrics: Imee Ooi, Ven K. Dhammika Music: Woon Yoke Fun If you have a problem Don’t worry, hand it over to the Buddha Just listen to Him and you will see the light to all the darkness and miseries Gautama Buddha, He’s here for you and me By your side Day and night Rain or shine Gautama Buddha, He’s here for you and me Welcome Him to our hearts till eternity
Like a caring mother holding and guarding the life of her only child, so with a boundless heart of loving-kindness, hold yourself and all beings as your beloved children. Gautama Buddha
#7 – Pass It On Lyrics: Daniel Yeo Music: Imee Ooi
#8 – The Four Sights [Listen] Music/Lyrics: Mei Tuck Foo Children vocal: Jina Lim/Toh Wei Qi
There is a gift from Lord Buddha I like to share with my family Share it with my friends and take it round the world and share it with all beings Pass it on, pass it on Let the Buddha’s wisdom stay on Pass it on, pass it on Let the Buddha’s love spread on Pass it on, pass it on Sacred Bodhi Tree. Let the Buddha’s compassion flow on Pass it on, pass it on Let the Buddha’s Teaching goes on and on
Prince Siddhartha, please tell me why you grieve Outside the palace walls and fields of green The lives of your people whom you have not seen Prince Siddhartha, please tell me what you wish Prince Siddhartha, please tell me what you’ve seen Outside the palace walls and fields of green An old man, a sick man, a dead man, and hermit Prince Siddhartha, please tell me what you think Why does he grow old? Why does he fall sick? Why must people die? And Who is that hermit?
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#10 – Beneath the Bodhi Tree Music: Ng Kang Kee Lyrics: Yeoh Pow Li/Daniel Yeo Vocal: Lim Shu Fen/Huang Jing Rui/Daniel Yeo/Lim Chee Wee/Ng Kang Kee Children vocal: Jina Lim/Toh Wei Qi
May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending each other.
Siddhartha sat beneath the Bodhi tree Tonight His love will set you free No more sorrow let His wisdom shine Siddhartha’s search shall end tonight All creatures on Earth fled in fright Only brave Siddhartha sat tight Defeated Mara by His glory and might Siddhartha’s search shall end tonight Gods and men sang in delight “The Teacher of gods and men has arrived” Gods and men sang all night “The Buddha, our Lord has arrived.”
May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness- the children, the aged, the unprotected- be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood. Gautama Buddha
. #11 The Metta Metta Song Music and Lyrics by: Daniel Kwok
#9 – Siddhartha Taught Me the Middle Way Music/Lyrics: Huang Jin Rui Vocal: Huang Jing Rui Children vocal: Jina Lim/Toh Wei Qi
Metta metta Mama Metta Papa Metta friends and enemies Metta near and far Metta I will spread High and low, all around me Metta radiate, full of joy All around Metta I will spread High and low, all around me Metta I will keep in my mind, in my heart
Siddhartha taught me the Middle Way Happiness isn’t too far away Not to the left Not to the right Balance is the guide Siddhartha taught me the Middle Way Happiness isn’t too far away Not too much work Not too much play Balance is the way This path so easy to follow Keep your balance wherever you go Now wave goodbye to your sorrow Don’t wait till tomorrow Now I’ve learnt what the Buddha says Happiness isn’t too far away Not to the left Not to the right Balance is my guide Not too much work Not too much play Let’s walk the Middle Way! .
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Nursery Rhymes for Children Buddhist Finger Family Song | Lil Abby Daddy finger, daddy finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Mommy finger, Mommy finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Brother finger, Brother finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Sister finger, Sister finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do? Baby finger, Baby finger, where are you? Here I am, here I am. How do you do?
ORIGINAL ARTICLE FIRST SEEN AT LOTUS-HAPPINESS.COM LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST IN LOTUS HAPPINESS YOUTUBE .
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5 Reasons Why Black Cats Are Ideal Pets By Cathedral of the Soul
The Fur Color in animals, while not defining the personality of the cat, may be related to some behavioral characteristics of the animal. In the case of black cats, these cats are friendlier and more sociable than cats of other colors, according Omtimes.com
to animal expert and author Temple Grandin. Black cats tend to live better in groups. Similarly, they are more peaceful, which makes them ideal candidates for coexistence in urban environments. It is
worth noting that in addition to these characteristics, the personality of each individual animal determines the degree of sociability and their level of aggressiveness. History of Black Cats There has not always been this silly tradition of bad luck associated with black cats, but the reality is quite the opposite. They have always been considered sacred animals. In Ancient Egypt, it was believed that black cats possessed divine qualities and, therefore, were related to the cult of Bastet, the goddess of fertility. At other times in history, the belief was that a newly married couple who saw a black cat had ensured prosperity in their married life.
related to witchcraft. Luckily, these days, this black cat image has already been modified, and people just notice the incredible beauty and temperament of these beautiful cats. Characteristics of black cats Leaving aside the absurdities of the superstitions, when we see a black cat we cannot help but contemplate their impressive charm and elegance. They are very affectionate and grateful to their owners, perhaps because they have been so mistreated over time. People who own black cats can give testimonies of how affectionate they are with their owners and with other animals. They like to sleep in bed with their owners.
The sailors also believed that if they took a black cat on board during their journeys, they would give them good luck.
Without a doubt, it’s the most intuitive type of cats out there. They are sure that they will not do you any harm, they are very loving and tender.
However, these considerations regarding the magical powers of black cats changed in the Middle Ages, where they became unfairly
In his book, Animals Make Us Human, Temple Grandin explains that some characteristics differentiate black cats from cats of other colors, Omtimes.com
showing that evolution made these cats peaceful beings for them to proliferate. The reasons below confirm that black cats are affectionate animals that deserve the great love that owners feel for their cats. 1. Black cats are friendlier than cats of other colors Whether with other cats or people, black cats are more affectionate and live well in groups. Even though they are more familiar than cats of different colors, black cats are viewed by people as antisocial, according to a study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley. Such perceptions may contribute to statistics that point to black cats as the least adopted and most sacrificed in the United States. However, it is worth noting that black kittens are extraordinarily amiable and, like other cats, mirror in the routine and behavior of their owners. 2. They cope better with crowded environments In her book, Temple Grandin mentions that black cats deal better with crowded environments. Whether in a Omtimes.com
busy city or in a house with several animals, black cats tend to adapt to these environments better than cats of other colors. Wherever they go, black cats leave a legacy. In ancient Egypt, they were worshiped and having a black cat at home was considered a symbol of luck. Today in Japan, these animals are also considered lucky. As much as black cats deal well with other animals and people, it is always interesting to offer a safe place for them to stay. Putting a bed like this in a hidden or raised place like on top of a piece of furniture, for example, allows the cat to observe what is going on around him without being seen, which can help him feel safe and protected. 3. They are more inclined to live in the community than other cats Of course, black cats are more inclined to live in the community than cats of other colors. They are quieter than other cats, and this makes them ideal animals to have at home. For pet owners who get a lot of visitors, the black cat may be
the desired choice among other cat colors because of these characteristics. 4. They get less scared than yellow cats Ms. Grandin also mentions other studies that show that orange cats are naturally more reactive than black cats. This is because orange cats feel more fear and this fear, therefore, can generate reactivity. The genes that cause yellow cats to be more timid and fearful are inherited. Thus, even reducing fear in these cats, it is difficult to completely eliminate their shyness. Because black cats do not have this same level of shyness, they are naturally friendlier and more natural to socialize with other animals and people. 5. Despite having a recessive gene, black cats multiply Black hair is a recessive gene. Despite that, the black cats tend to proliferate with ease. One reason is that the black hair gene also carries an essential advantage for these cats. According to Mr. Stephen J. O’Brien of the
Feline Genome Project, it is possible that the mutation that is generated by black also creates immunity against viruses in the feline HIV family. The gene, which also makes the black cats more peaceful, may be responsible for their ability to mate with other females. While more aggressive cats, like yellow cats, spend their time struggling with other diverse cats to be the first to mate with females, black cats patiently wait their turn. With this strategy, they do not get hurt so much in fights and continue the proliferation of kittens with a black coat. We want to pay homage to the black cats for their beauty, their temperament and their incredible elegance. These cats are now related to superstition and witchcraft, but we are going to demystify that tradition. People who decide to adopt a black cat should know how to appreciate the characteristics and virtues of these gorgeous cats, their beauty, and their elegance, leaving aside the contrary popular belief.
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VISUAL JOURNEYS
OMTIMES |MAGAZINE
HUMAN
NATURE
JUNE A 2018
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable,  to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and  lived well. Ralph Waldo Emerson
OMTIMES |MAGAZINE
"The next
for humankind is to move from human to kind."
Anonymous
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
― Mahatma Gandhi
OMTIMES |MAGAZINE
YTINAMUH FO SECAF
evolutionary step
"There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed." ― WOODROW WILSON
"Human nature is not obliged to be consistent." ― Lucy Maud MontgomeryÂ
"The more one analyzes people, the more all reasons for analysis disappears. Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human nature." ― Oscar WildeÂ
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. Nelson Mandela
Open
HE AR TS
WE ARE ONE You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Mahatma Gandhi
Modest Mussorgsky
We are Seeds of Humanity
Art is not an end in itself,  but a means of  addressing humanity.
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2 VEGAN INSTANT POT RICE RECIPES
OMTIMES MAGAZINE MAY
2018
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ISSUE 11 /
VOL
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SUPER EASY RECIPES
By Candice Hutchings Photos by BIGSTOCK & PIXABAY
The Art of Pot Rice Today I am going to show you how to make 2 easy vegan instant pot dinners! First a vegan mushroom risotto and secondly an easy homemade Spanish rice recipe. I am obsessed with my new Instant Pot and if you got one for Christmas I am sure you are too! The Instant Pot is a 7-in-1 multi-functional cooker that does the job of multiple appliances and is designed to replace your slow cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker, Dutch oven, and more.
MAKE YOUR OWN This decadent mushroom risotto tastes like it was cooked the traditional slow and painful way, but it wasn’t! Thanks to Instant Pot! It tastes like someone sat there and stirred the rice for 25 mins, but no one actually had to. This dish can set well on its own as a main, but also make a gorgeous side dish. It is a most delicious variation on the basic risotto recipe with some soy sauce and white miso to really bring out those umami flavors. I used a recipe I’ve had my eye on for years… I forget what website it was from though… and adapted it to fit my vegan eating requirements. I hope you love these recipes as much as we do.
Vegan Mmushroom Risoto
Prep time 5 mins | Cook time 30 mins | Total time 35 mins Serves: Serves 4-6 Ingredients
Instructions
2 vegan chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes dissolved into 4 cups of hot water 2 cups dried porcini mushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup vegan butter 1 lb mixed mushrooms, stems trimmed and roughly chopped pinch sea salt+ extra to taste pinch freshly ground black pepper+ extra to taste 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1½ cups risotto rice, such as arborio 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp white miso paste ¾ cup dry white wine ¼ cup soy cream or cashew cream ¼ cup vegan parmesan (optional) + more for serving (I used Follow Your Heart brand) Handful fresh Italian Parsley + more for serving
In a microwave-safe dish, place dissolved bouillon water and dried mushrooms and microwave until it simmers, about 5 mins. Use a fork or slotted spoon to remove the mushrooms from the broth. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside both the mushrooms and the broth in separate bowls. Press the 'Saute' button on your Instant Pot, and heat olive oil and butter. Add the mixed mushrooms (not the ones we just hydrated), and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 8- 10 mins. Add onion, garlic, and reserved porcini mushrooms and cook until onions are soft, stirring frequently, about 3-5 mins..
/ OMTIMES MAGAZINE / JUNE 2018
Vegan Mmushroom Risoto
Add risotto rice and toast, stirring constantly, for 3 mins or until it’s slightly toasted but not brown. Add soy sauce and miso paste and stir to combine. Add dry white wine and stir, for 2 mins or until wine has evaporated slightly. Add the broth we set aside earlier and submerge rice fully. Close Instant Pot and the pressure valve. / OMTIMES MAGAZINE / JUNE 2018
Hit the 'Pressure Cook' button and set for 5 mins. After 5 mins, then open valve to release pressure, STAND BACK. Remove the lid and stir the risotto until you get a creamy consistency. Stir in cream and vegan cheese (if using), and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately, garnished with additional vegan parmesan and parsley.
Spanish Rice
Prep time 10 mins | Cook time 15 mins| Total time 25 mins Spanish rice is a popular Mexican side dish made from rice, tomatoes, bell peppers, vegetable broth, onions, and spices. This Instant Pot Spanish Rice recipe is a quick and easy delicious side dish made with fresh veggies and vegetable broth. This vegan Spanish rice is a delicious accompaniment to grilled veggies, tofu, sausages and Mexican mains like tacos or enchiladas. This Spanish rice is very similar to the rice you often find served at Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants. It is easy to make and substitutions are simple if you don’t have the exact ingredients at home.
Spanish Rice in an Instant Pot Serves: serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ red pepper, diced ½ yellow pepper, diced ½ green pepper, diced 1 vegan chicken or vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in 2 cups hot water 1 small can of tomato paste ½ tsp chili powder ¼ tsp ground cumin 1½ cups white rice, well rinsed 1 tomato, seeded & diced Instructions Press 'Saute' on your Instant Pot and heat up olive oil. Add onion, garlic, red, yellow and green peppers and sauté the veggies until soft about 3-5 mins.
/ OMTIMES MAGAZINE / JUNE 2018
Add onion, garlic, red, yellow and green peppers and sauté the veggies until soft about 3-5 mins. Add the dissolved bouillon (I used Better Than Bouillon vegetarian chicken broth), tomato paste, chili powder and ground cumin and stir to combine. Then, add rinsed rice and stir to combine again. Top the rice with diced tomato and place the lid on the Instant Pot. Turn the pressure valve to the sealed position and hit the ‘Pressure Cook’ button and cook time to 10 mins. When the Instant Pot machine beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 mins. After 10 mins, open the pressure valve to release additional pressure. Remove the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve rice with a side of vegan garlic aioli and a sprinkle of parsley. The Edgy Veg is a delicious vegan and vegetarian movement catering to the forward-thinking mealcreators of the often-boring veg community.
GET THE NEW COOKBOOK: http://bit.ly/edgyveg-cookbook Follow The Edgy Veg on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1eTMJim (@edgyveg) Follow The Edgy Veg on Instagram: http://bit.ly/18DGpxo (@edgyveg) Visit The Edgy Veg Blog: http://bit.ly/1dxcNmv Like The Edgy Veg on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1gNzEZk
/ OMTIMES MAGAZINE / JUNE 2018
10 Steps Toward an Incredible Edible Town By Julian Dobson Six years ago, a woman in a small town called Todmorden, at the back end of a Yorkshire valley in the north of England, dug up her prize rose garden. She planted vegetables, knocked down the garden wall, and put up a sign saying, “Help Yourself.” Today, Incredible Edible Todmorden has changed that town. There are herb tubs at the railway station, raised beds at the police station. The canal towpath is lined with edible plantings. Outside the health center, patients can pick healthy fruit and medicinal plants. But that’s not all. There are now 50 Incredible Edible groups across the UK and around 300 in France. More are popping up all the time, from Montreal to Mali. People worldwide are making connections and changing the way they think about food. So how can your town become Incredible Edible? Here are some steps you could take: Omtimes.com
1. Start with what you have, not what you haven’t. Cities and neighborhoods around the world face similar problems. People struggle to find work, look after the kids, pay the bills. But they have enormous energy and resources of friends, families, skills, and connections. The cornerstone of an Incredible Edible town is its people. 2. Don’t write a strategy document. There isn’t a blueprint or a magic formula, other than to get stuck in. Start first and apply for funds later. The money should be the servant of the project, not the other way around. Incredible Edible Todmorden has attracted plenty of grant money, including half a million pounds to build a cutting-edge aquaponics center in the grounds of the town’s high school. But the vision and the action came first. 3. Don’t wait for permission. As Incredible Edible Todmorden co-founder Pam Warhurst says, it takes too long, and you’re improving the place anyway. In Todmorden, there was a derelict health center where Britain’s most
prolific serial killer, Dr. Harold Shipman, once practiced. A place people used to avoid was planted with beans and brassicas and became productive and useful. Groups around the world are now creating edible towns, edible campuses, even an Edible Bus Stop. If you’re not sure how to start, find one of them and ask how they did it. And if you run into opposition, take the advice of Todmorden’s Nick Green: “Smother your enemies with love.” 4. Make it easy. In Todmorden, they have a motto: If you eat, you’re in. If your project is only for sandal-wearing vegans who hand-knit their clothes from home-grown hemp, you might not have many backers. Incredible Edible projects attract people from all political and religious persuasions, professions, and social backgrounds. There’s a serious message about fixing a broken food system and helping people to take control of their own futures in a way that sustains the planet now and for our children. But you don’t need to pile political baggage on top before anyone can join in. Make it Omtimes.com
easy and fun.
the land they’re not using.
5. Propaganda planting starts conversations.
7. Start now but think two generations ahead.
You’d be amazed how much difference a “Help Yourself” sign can make. Neighbors talk to each other. Vegetables planted in unloved public places start conversations about how a town can look better. When the police station is surrounded by corn or beetroot, people chat with the cops again.
There’s much more to the Incredible Edible ethos than community growing. It’s about rethinking the way we do food and creating more resilient and capable places, producing what we can ourselves to minimize waste and our dependency on industrial-scale food production and retailing.
6. Make connections.
So, think about the skills your children and grandchildren can learn and share. One kid in Todmorden was shocked to discover that bacon came from a pig; he thought it came in a packet from the supermarket. Today, the town’s high school is teaching children how to grow food and serving up local produce in its kitchen.
A lot of what you want is what other people want. Incredible Edible Todmorden wanted people to be able to eat fresh, healthy food picked on their doorstep. So did the doctors at the new health center — so the prickly shrubs outside it were pulled up and replaced with fruit bushes. Market traders want more customers; Incredible Edible wanted places where people could buy locally produced food. That’s a shared agenda. Bureaucrats in the local council can be friends, too. They want places that are buzzing and happy, not run-down and depressed. Ask them how you can help them do that, and suggest they hand over
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8. Rediscover lost skills. Skills of food preparation that used to exist in all our communities are being lost as people become more dependent on bigstore retailers and packaged meals. Our elders are often the only ones left who know how to use every bit of a sheep or a pig, what to do
with vegetables like kale or chard, or how to turn leftovers into delicious soups. Use their skills to reconnect the generations. 9. Reconnect businesses with their customers. Incredible Edible is all about building local resilience, but it isn’t anti-business. Alongside community and learning, the third key strand of Incredible Edible is enterprise. In Todmorden, there’s a cheesemaker and a rare breed pig farmer who is now succeeding because of Incredible Edible. There are new opportunities for market traders. There’s a social enterprise, Incredible Farm, which is selling fruit trees and salads and providing classes and workshops for young people. There is business affects you might not have expected, too. The arrival of “vegetable tourists” from around the world is providing customers for hotels and guest houses, restaurants and bars. 10. Redesign your town. When communities are having conversations, schools and colleges are putting food at the heart of learning, and businesses are discovering the value of local
produce, it starts to rebuild a functioning local economy. But you could go further still. Look at your town and imagine how it could be redesigned to support food production and encourage biodiversity. In Todmorden, a Green Route now connects a town that was divided by busy roads. You can walk by the canal, through the health center, past the theatre and market, and up to the railway station, and find fruit, vegetables, and pollinator-friendly plants wherever you go. Once you start thinking about the town as a whole, you can identify the challenges and find new ways to address them. It takes time, and there are always pitfalls. But whatever happens in the future, Incredible Edible has changed Todmorden. This is why we’re now publishing the story of Incredible Edible. Written by Pam Warhurst with Joanna Dobson, it will explain why the Incredible Edible effect has caught on in so many places and how it can inspire a new wave of changemakers. Article originally published at https://www.shareable.net Omtimes.com
Relationships
The interconnectedness among all human beings and, consequently, the relationships among us are the focus of this section. The dynamics of the web of connections we make is one of the most prominent aspects of human existence: how we interlace with each other’s existence in a meaningful way.
It’s Time to Stop Being So Nice at Work By Marcia Sirota, MD.
Have you been trying to be a really nice person at work? Have you been noticing that your attempts have been backfiring? You might want to consider the possibility that instead of being so nice, you should work on trying to be kind, and that this subtle shift will make the Omtimes.com
difference between workplace struggles and workplace success. The way I understand it, there’s a meaningful distinction between being kind and being nice; with the former being a successful interpersonal style at work and the latter being much more problematic. People are kind and compassionate when they’re confident and comfortable with who they are. Having good self-esteem, they’re not overly preoccupied with how others see them. An overly nice person, on the other hand, often feels more insecure, and seeks the approval and validation of others. This type of person tries to please others so that they can feel good about themselves. Very nice people bend over backward to oblige. They deal with potential conflicts in the workplace by doing more for the other person because they can’t bear to have anyone upset with them. Kind people still expect to be treated with respect at work.
They assert themselves when necessary and avoid conflicts by choosing not to engage with the troublesome individuals in their workplace. They’re helpful to others but set appropriate limits on how much they’ll do. Overly nice people are often mistreated or taken advantage of in the workplace. They’re the ones who do the lion’s share of the work -- the ones who come in early, stay late and compensate for the slackers. The overly nice person focuses on doing for others, to the detriment of their own needs. They rarely, if ever, ask for what they want, for fear of creating conflict. Sadly, their need for approval makes them look weak in the eyes of their colleagues. As a result, they’re more likely to be disrespected, exploited, even bullied. They try to please, but more often than not, their efforts are met with contempt. Eventually, the people-pleaser can become resentful at work, especially if their attempts to curry favor are met with disrespect, or worse. There Omtimes.com
might even be emotional leakage, in the form of snarky comments, passive-aggressive behavior or angry outbursts. When the overly nice person’s resentment begins to leak, the result is the opposite of what they’d intended. Instead of ingratiating themselves with their colleagues and supervisors, they end up alienated from them. Kind people are happy people, to begin with; it’s their happiness that causes them to be thoughtful and considerate. Their positive attitude, as well as their confidence and self-respect, inspire the admiration of their colleagues and supervisors. Nice people inadvertently create more unhappiness for themselves. Their need for affirmation fosters a negative reaction to their efforts to please. If you’ve been an overly nice person at work, you should understand that your selfworth can never be improved by trying so hard to please others. You have to learn how
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to validate and respect yourself, and stop doing so much for your co-workers. When you can focus on making yourself happy, you’ll do a better job at work. You’ll conserve the energy that you were previously spending on doing so much for others, and you’ll be able to put more into your own performance. When you stop trying so hard to be nice, your relationships with your colleagues will improve. Paradoxically, the less “nice” you are, the more likely it is that people will appreciate you and want to help you; the more you focus on respecting yourself and taking care of yourself, the more your supervisors and colleagues will respect you and support you. If you like the idea of being a good person at work, but your attempts at being helpful to have been backfiring, it might be time to let go of trying to be so nice and choose simply to be kind, instead. Sign up here for my free monthly wellness newsletter.
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Metaphysics
I remember reading a story once, which is from Panchatantra stories one of the oldest surviving fables from India. It is an Ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in verse and prose, and the animals depict a ‘personality.’ In one of the stories, a lion goes Omtimes.com
near a well and peeps inside. He finds his reflection in the water, but he did not know that it was his own shadow. Thinking that who else could be as powerful as him, he roared, and the shadow roared back with an echo. His ego felt challenged, he felt bothered, and he was
angry and hence jumped into the water to kill his own shadow and lost his life. Just like this lion, we all meet our own shadows in the form of people and the emotions that we experience with them. Someone who lives is an ordinary consciousness goes through all kinds of feelings like competition, jealousy, envy, joy, love, anger, etc. while being with people in office, home, friends, etc. And reacts like this lion due to the lack of spiritual knowledge because he does not know that everyone is reflecting his own self in percentages, he does not know what is ‘The Law of Resonance.’ Hence the person reacts, fights, and gets involved in the vicious cycle of ignorance. And due to that, just like this lion, feels broken, tired, stressed and sometimes ‘Lifeless.’ What is the secret of the universe that can help one to transcend this inner lion, all other internal animal instincts and one day even the human aspects that are not divine? It is the law of resonance that changes one day, everything for an initiate, the way he perceives himself, the life and the reality
concrete. He becomes able to see and understand his shadow as a reflection of his hidden as well as apparent aspects. He becomes ‘Wise’! The Law of Resonance explains that we always attract what we are regarding memories, both positively and negatively. Understanding this law is essential for us to be able to accept that in an assault or aggressive situation, we are as much the aggressor as the victim, we are both the person who aggresses and attacks others as we are the person (or people) attacked. Understanding the Law of resonance in dreams as well as in concrete reality is fundamental for the correct interpretation of dreams and signs. However, since we only know an infinitesimal percentage of ourselves, we don’t realize the resonance we have with a person or situation that attracts or bothers us. That is why it is important not to identify 100% with the negativity that we experience – disturbances, ordeals, difficulties, etc. – but always remind ourselves that we also have beautiful qualities and potentiality. Nevertheless, we Omtimes.com
have to be prepared to accept that, to a certain degree, on an individual level, we do indeed have similar aspects to the person or situation in question. The will to apply the Law of resonance in all circumstances is a critical element in the evolution work. In Physics, Resonance is a phenomenon in which a vibrating system or external force drives another system to vibrate with a higher amplitude at specific frequencies. A familiar example is a playground swing, which acts as a pendulum. Pushing a person on a swing in time with its resonant frequency makes the swing go higher and higher. Or take for example a piano. If we tune two pianos at the exact same frequency and keep them close to each other. When we play a note on one keyboard, the other piano will sound the same note with greater amplitude. The same goes for each time we are put out or feel joyful by something, someone, or a situation. Regardless of the degree of frustration or joy, it’s because we have memories in our unconscious that resonate with whatever is bothering Omtimes.com
us or making us happy. This is an absolute fact. Even if we apparently have nothing to do with what we are shown, the fact remains that there’s resonance in the dimension of our memories and therefore the frequencies connect. But what are memories? Memory is an organic, psychological function that allows us to record, preserve, and restitute the information we have accumulated. Memory constitutes our ability to remember, to mentally reconstitute the past for ourselves. It participates in our identity, intelligence, and affectivity because it allows us to store what we perceive and record through our 5 senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch). These are entrance doors permitting access to information coming from both the outside and the inside, such as pain or pleasure. The specialized areas of our brain: associative, sensitive, gustatory, visual, auditory, and olfactory constantly recognize, analyze, and deal with information conveyed through our senses. This sensorial, sensitive memory sets our tastes, preferences, and
our search for sensation. Our conscious memories represent a tiny, minuscule part of our global memory, the majority of which remains hidden behind the veil of unconsciousness. This veil separates what we know about ourselves from what we have forgotten, repressed, frozen, buried, stored away, left waiting, dormant, or half awake. Even if we don’t know about all these memories, they are still present in us and affect us in many ways depending on the category they belong to. Indeed, the unconscious memories contained in our soul, or personal computer, are also connected to the collective memory, i.e., to all that exists in the Universe. Unconscious personal memories. Lodged directly underneath the veil, in the unconscious part called the subconscious, these memories are nearest the conscious level Memories concerning all of the elements of our life from life in the womb till today. They represent our deep personal unconscious Unconscious family memories transmitted by our family and
ancestors Unconscious ethnic memories accumulated by our race or ethnic group, containing all the events it has experienced Unconscious collective memories accumulated by the whole of Mankind, as well as all of the archetypes (the knowledge and meaning of all symbols) And finally, the unconscious organic memories contained in the history of Life from its origin. Since we have existed, just like a living computer, we have recorded in our soul all of our positive and negative memories. Our behavior and attitudes are the results of our evolution, which occurs by our memories. Memories manifest in different forms according to the Law of resonance, always revealing certain known or unknown aspects, facets, and characteristics of ourselves. Our memories reveal who we have become, and who we were in all of our lives. They represent the numerous influences we experienced, and they warn us of what we could become if we do not transform the Omtimes.com
negative that dwells in us into a positive, constructive force. Simultaneously they connect us with everything that exists in the Universe. They are our multidimensional, karmic luggage, as well as the most secret memories we have kept encoded in our deepest depths. In our dreams as well as in concrete reality, we constantly visit our memories. Often coded, we need to know the symbolic language and apply the Law of resonance and the principle of the mirror effect to be able to read, decode, and understand them. When we begin to work on our memories, becoming aware of them, purifying, transforming, and liberating them, we are first of all put in touch with our personal and family memories. As we gradually evolve, Cosmic Intelligence orchestrates learning experiences, apprenticeships, encounters, and life scenarios for us that lead us to work on collective, ethnic memories. Our personal life program is often an integral part of a program for collective evolution, which may concern a more or less large group of people in a social, Omtimes.com
cultural, economic, political, humanitarian organization context, on a regional, national, or international scale. Understanding the fact that we are a collection of data and memories that communicate with each other as well as with everything that exists, allows us to better perceive the multidimensions we visit in our dreams, as well as the magic of synchronicity and coincidences that manifest in our daily life. We always attract, on all levels, what we are, what resonates with our memories. When we understand the Law of Resonance and concept of memories, then we understand that I attract who I am. Before we know ourselves, we only know a tiny part of who we are conscious. I know most of us feel we know who we are completely and yet we do not understand what happens to us every day. We question life, again and again, asking why me or why not me? By observing our day, every day, little by little, it is possible to know ourselves better. Sometimes people feel that other people were discussing them or talking
ill of them. With time they cannot keep friends, and because of their insecurities, it is easier to find faults in everyone and talk about it to be accepted, as people love to hear what is not right! Then with the understanding of Law of Resonance when one seeks to observe their insecurities, works on changing himself, also look for the positive in people and as time passes the resonance reduce and one day leads to transcendence. With resonance it is important to constantly modify self on the inside, and it has helped one be at ease with people and genuinely see the good in them. When we are disturbed or bothered by an event in life, it reveals to us a part that was hidden, and now it has presented itself as a gift because we are ready now in many ways to be aware of their existence. If we experience and attract what is beautiful, positive, pure and divine, it is because we have these qualities within. If we attract or experience distorted, imperfect or inappropriate aspects or situations, that means we have this within us, too. When we start observing our
inner states and can establish connections with what is happening on the outside, we get information that helps us identify what needs to be modified and transformed within ourselves. In this process, we start to develop qualities. We understand the Law of Resonance and apply it in our daily lives. Practicing the Law of Resonance helps the evolution of our soul and prevents us from going around in circles. When we understand the lesson in every ordeal, every situation, we need not repeat it over and over again. For example, when we study in a class, and we understand our lessons well and practice and do well in our evaluations we don’t have to repeat that class, we naturally progress to a higher class. This progression in our being helps us cleanse our Karmas and poor actions because we start to perceive others and all our experiences as a reflection of who we are. We have all heard of the mirror effect, and our Reality is our Mirror! Know yourself, and you will know the Universe! That is the true meaning of the Law of Resonance. Omtimes.com
4 Simple Words To Up Your Manifesting Game by Laura Brown
So, let’s not make any mistake-co-creation, manifesting, well this stuff takes a little bit of work. It’s not the watered down, “just feel good and think good” version so rampant in pop
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culture and these 4 words alone are not going to turn you into an all-powerful, infallible manifestor. BUT I have found that these 4 words have immediately shifted the flow of my manifesting to create a more open path. These 4 words affirm our commitment. Our vision. Our resolution. They tell the Universe, “here I am.” So, what are they?
IM READY TO RECEIVE. That’s it. I’m reading to receive. With these words, we declare that we are ready to be receptive to that which we desire. We create pathways in the brain that direct it to look for evidence that we are ready to receive. Evidence that there is something around us, in our environment, and within us, to receive. Why are these 4 words so incredibly effective for opening the path? Because simply put our biggest block is not the lack of what we want. It’s not that we are unworthy
of what we want (though we very well could be blocking ourselves on this front too). It’s not even that there is a karmic reason for why you haven’t received what you want. IT’S BECAUSE WE ARE THE BIGGEST BLOCK TO RECEIVING WHAT WE WANT. See we all come with a heavily ingrained perception. This perception serves as code for our brains. We create the code of our perception, “upload” this code to our brains, and thus our brains are given the commands through which it functions This wouldn’t be an issue if our codes were not so often riddled with blocks, lack of receptivity and beliefs that are untrue if not devilishly damaging to our sense of wellbeing. In truth for so many of us, the code we’ve uploaded to our brains is horrifically root in limitation and lack. Therefore, our brains, which are operating via a system of limitation and lack, process
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information in accordance with this limitation and lack. It will only accept information which affirms or supports limitation and lack. Our brains will reject everything else. Even the painfully obvious evidence that our programmed brain is wrong will be debased and discarded. But when we begin to reprogram the brain with a different code, with a code which suggests we are worthy, that we are here with purpose. That we are inherently limitless and can manifest anything we desire for the self so long as it is authentic, and of our highest good suddenly the world around us appears to change. IT DOESN’T REALLY CHANGE. I mean it’s not as though suddenly matter has changed right before our very eyes (or has it, hmmm) creating an entirely new world around us. But our brain sees an entirely different world because now its receiving and accepting information which supports our limitlessness.
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In truth, this world was always available to us we simply needed to shift our perception. To change our internal code. So, you can see how by just simply declaring loudly and proudly. With meaning and with heart. With intention and with passion, “I’m ready to receive” can become an anthem which can radically alter the way our brain takes in information about what is available to us to receive. We can quite literally go from perceiving the world as being devoid of anything to give us to being limitlessly abundant in what is available for us to receive. Laura Brown is an Intuitive Therapist who runs Of Spirit & Bone, an online home for modern, intuitive therapy, manifesting and intuitive Tarot readings. You can book your session today and read other inspiring articles on OfSpiritAndBone.com and receive free daily readings by following Laura on Instagram
Conscious Dating Makes all The Difference
"Our Souls Recognized Each Other"
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Crystals Associated with Strength
The power of Earth’s minerals can be felt the minute you put a crystal in your hands or near your physical body.
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Crystals are the treasures of the earth. These stones are filled with energy to be used. Any crystal can give you strength
as they are all sources of life energy! Some of the best crystals for both inner and out strength include Azurite, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Garnet, Lapis Lazuli, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Selenite, Smoky Quartz, Tiger Iron, and Green Tourmaline. They can be used for awareness, inner strength, grounding, enlightenment, power, outer strength, better understanding, and transitions. Azurite Flowers These stones are approximately 3/4 inch each. They activate the brow, and throat Chakra brings more assertive communication and alertness, quiet, deep access to the subconscious and other times/places/ lives. Psychicness, creativity, decisiveness, deeper insight, seeing the truth, reduce depression, anger, abnormal cell growth. Referred to as the jewel of wisdom. It is said to increase psychic abilities. The deep blue stone helps you release the past and gracefully anticipate and accept the
future simultaneously. Cultivates the ability to reach into the subconscious and examines states of mind. This cleanses the mind and makes one more capable of insight and pure thought. Helps one recognize the resources within themselves. An integral part of many crystals and gemstone-healing layouts. Also enhances meditation. Chrysoprase: This stone allows greater flexibility, wisdom, generosity, and self-confidence. It Heals depression, excess self-focus, emotions/sexual imbalance. Placed on heart, neck, or on brown for meditation. This stone uplifts the Heart Chakra. It soothes the energy of the heart when you are heart heavy. It, therefore, brings internal peace, harmony, and contentment. This stone symbolizes clarity of thought. It soothes the central nervous system and creates calm. It is a stone that leads its user to new and intellectual approaches. When working with Chrysoprase as a healing
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stone, it must be laid on the body for a long time. Helps one achieve greater personal insight, feel calmer, become less egotistical, and more open to new surroundings and situations. Stimulates creativity and draws out unknown talents. This stone provides a balance between the conscious and the unconscious. Citrine: This stone is very versatile and is used for mental and emotional clarity, problemsolving, memory issues, will power, optimism, confidence, and self-discipline. An energizing and highly beneficial crystal, citrine absorbs, transmutes, grounds and dissolves negative energy, which makes it a very protective stone. Citrine crystals are invigorating and positive. They can surround and fill anyone with its brilliant color, energizing every aspect of life. Increases motivation and Persons involved with education or business will especially benefit.
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Can guide you to harness and utilize your creative energy. Helps us analyze events and steer them in a positive direction. Develops inner calm and security, and makes us less sensitive and more open to constructive criticism. Can dispel negative feelings and help us to accept the flow of events. This stone is great with help in achieving goals. Because of its matrix of iron and quartz, it is most effective in the Sacral/Sexual/ Navel Chakra, the Solar plexus Chakra and Crown Chakra. Citrine energizes every level of the aura, cleansing and balancing the subtle bodies as it aligns it with the physical body. Citrine is the stone of abundance. It teaches us the lessons of achieving wealth and prosperity. Not just on a monetary level, but in all aspects of our lives. Garnet: This stone symbolizes faith, love, devotion, and trust. Garnet is most famous for balancing our emotional states. Therefore, garnet is
one of the best stones for soothing emotional stress and balancing out anger that is held in and not expressed. Therefore, garnet is good for those who have anger issues directed to themselves, NOT for those who spew anger like venom or attack others with their anger (think orange or yellow stones for this condition)! Garnet is a good stone to have around for emotional drama, traumatic crisis or when you feel backed into a corner with no way out. Garnet will show you the way out. It is the perfect stone for clearing the Emotional Layer of the Aura. Garnet encourages feelings of joy, hope, and willpower. Its fiery color drives away fatigue and stimulates the imagination. Lapis Lazuli: In meditation, opens Brow Chakra: higher guidance, intuition, connection to higher self, overview, decisions for the good of all. Organizes quiets the mind. Opens Throat/Thyroid Chakra: Selfexpression, writing, creativity,
dream insight, allows total awareness...Anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, shyness, depression, serenity, selfacceptance; pain (especially head), protection stone. This stone shelters the wearer like a shield. A powerful thoughtamplifier and is helpful in aligning all the elements of the body and mind. Can increase psychic abilities and will open the third eye. Can guide you in the direction of mental and spiritual purity. Rhodonite: Rhodonite is the “Stone of Love”! This stone symbolizes “self-realization.” Rhodonite works with the Heart Chakra by soothing the heart center as well as the Root Chakra for grounding and balancing, due to the presence of black oxides in this stone. This balance of colors allows for a powerful and vibration for caring for one’s self. Rhodonite allows for confidence and self-worth. Helps us express confidence and lovingness on the physical plane in day-
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to-day ways. Calms and feeds the soul through the heart; love and service. It helps us with confusion and allows us to focus. This stone helps to strengthen mantras, chanting, affirmations, singing, and toning. Rose Quartz: Rose Quartz represents love, beauty, peacefulness, forgiving, lovingness, selflove, and emotional balance! Rose Quartz works with the Heart Chakra. It is a soft, gentle, soothing stone that warms the heart center. Its value as a nurturing friend cannot be overstated. Neither can it’s soothing influence. Helps diffuse negative stimuli and uncomfortable memories. Helps us discover the ability to love ourselves and makes us more open to other people. It is of particular value in helping us to forgive ourselves, hastening selfacceptance. Helps us realize that all change is important, even difficult change. Stimulates love and tender appreciation of all things.
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Ruby: Wealth, Joy, Love, Sexual Energy and Power. Warms energize after exhaustion. Strengthens physical and emotional heart (4th chakra), love, courage, confidence, vitality, stamina, strength, leadership, success over challenges. Intensifies all emotions (passion, jealousy, impatience, love...) Attempted use of pressure/ control (for love) backfires onto the user. Used for reproductive/root Chakra; infections, cholesterol, clots, blood detox (alcohol, caffeine), sexual blocks. A powerful stone whose stimulating energy can bring startling things to light. This stone is an amplifier of energy-both positive and negative. Can bring anger or negativity to the surface quickly. Should be used with a knowledge of how to gain from experience. Otherwise, you are likely to be overcome by the passion it stirs up. Can also amplify positive energy. Helps us in all matters of love, including a love of ourselves.
Stimulates motivation and visualization. Selenite: A Gypsum. White/clear striated crystals. Has been used to work against cancer and is known to stabilize epileptic disorders. Mental focus, growth, luck, immunity, kundalini. Smoothes emotions. Holding crystal, visualize it bringing white light/energy (higher ideas/consciousness) from a transpersonal point above head down through the body, out through feet into earth/physical plane. Place on 3rd eye for stored info. May help physical and emotional letting go. Repro; spine and nerve system, emotional and athletic flexibility. Sends healing to the earth. Expands sensitivity, the field of awareness. Smoky Quartz: Smoky Quartz is a grounding stone. It is used most often to overcome depression, nightmares, and stress. Quartz stimulates the natural crystal in body tissues and fluids to
resonate at the highest healing frequency. The clearest smoky quartz is the most intense, powerfully opening the Crown Chakra emanating light down to the Root Chakra, therefore, inducing Alpha/deep meditation. Because of this situation, it benefits also include channeling higher guidance, deep relaxation and helping with unconditional love. Heightens your understanding of nature and concerns for the environment. Smoky Quartz helps store information well for easier recall. Because it is associated with the Root Chakra, it helps to alleviate fear, anxiety and associated emotional depression. When placed opposite other smokies in a crystal grid these stone vibrate at a high energy level. It is the perfect stone for strength and grounding the Etheric Layer of the Aura. Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac http://www.peacefulmind. com/strength Therapies for healing mind, body, spirit
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Personal Growth & Development We grow as individuals as we face challenges and overcome life’s obstacles. This section is dedicated to helping you chart your course.
The Art of Creating space by Alexandrea Floyd
Inhale. Retain. Exhale. Breath is what sustains us, it’s what moves us, it’s a core pillar to life and yoga, but what happens in between the breath? What is left at the end of the exhale? Often, it’s there
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we find space, and in that space truth. As we enter into a new moment in our lives, we yearn to create change, we want to let go and move on, but in order for something new to be created we must first create and hold space. In the same way darkness needs light, creativity needs space. Inhale. Retain. Exhale. We’re so eager for something new we forget the importance of space. When we don’t honor the space between there’s no room to create newness and we quickly find ourselves falling back into old patterns. Dumfounded as to how we got here — again— we look around to see the same fears, the same worries, the same pain. Often, we become stuck do to a fear of claiming space. A deep seeded voice tells us we’re not worthy to step into space. We choose smallness over greatness because we
buy into the lie that it’s safer. We believe our worthiness comes from results, achieving goals, hitting milestones and forget about the bravery it took those before us to move into their own greatness. If we want to address our shadows we must first sit with them and hear what they have to say. Inhale. Retain. Exhale. Instead of rushing into a new phase, our new goals, the next yoga pose we need to slow down and honor what we find at the end of the exhale. Sit in the stillness, in the shadows, and respect what they have to say. Breath into the truth we find there so it can begin to create space. The truth must first be heard and held only then can we release it in honor of what’s to come. Alexandrea Floyd is a Therapist (LMSW), yogi, yoga teacher in training, hard core animal lover, and wannabe writer. In her free time, she can be found hiking around the wilderness of New Mexico with her husband and three dogs.
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SOW THE SEEDS OF A HIGHER AND HAPPIER LIFE By Guy Finley
If we are ever to realize the integrity and consistent kindness of our True Nature, if we long to know something of heaven while we live on earth, then we must sow the seeds that bring that higher life into fruition. One cannot expect to reap what one does not sow; and merely hoping for a higher life is not sowing true spiritual seeds, any more than climbing an imagined mountain is the Omtimes.com
same as reaching its top. To sow spiritual seeds means that we do spiritual work. Spiritual work is always interior work first, even if, as a matter of course, this work becomes manifest through exterior action. What is this interior work by which we sow the seeds of the celestial within us? Following are four ways to sow the seeds of a higher and happier life.
1. We must work to not burden others or ourselves with past regrets, disappointments, or fearful future visions, even as we learn to ask truth for more insight into those unseen aspects of our present nature that are reaping their regrets even as they sow more of the same dark seeds.
directly in the eye, and instead of seeing what is impossible according to their view of life, sow the seeds of a new self by daring to doubt their dark view of things. Our refusal to identify with self-limiting negative states reaps us the reward of rising above their inherent limitations.
2. We must learn to sit quietly with ourselves and wait patiently for the light of peace to replace those dark, noisy thoughts and feelings telling us that we have too much old baggage to finish our spiritual journey. Each time we sow these seeds through some quiet meditation, we reap the strength that comes from realizing that this silence that comes to us is our true home.
If we wish a life that is whole and loving, one that is filled with new light, then we must sow these eternal seeds within ourselves; that is our work. Make your own list of ways to work at sowing the seeds of the higher life. Set your self to the task of being an inwardly awake person and watch how you begin to reap the awareness that makes all things possible.
3. We must deliberately remember our intention to start our whole life over every moment we awaken to find ourselves reliving some past conflict. To cultivate this refreshed outlook, born of remembering that our true life is always new in the Now, is to let go of who we have been and to begin reaping a life free of anger and fear.
(Excerpted from Let Go and Live in the Now, Red Wheel Weiser, 2004)
4. We must learn to look our fears, weariness, and anxiety
Guy Finley is the best-selling author of more than 40 books and audio albums on self-realization. He is the founder and director of Life of Learning Foundation, a nonprofit Center for Spiritual Discovery located in Southern Oregon. For more information visit www.guyfinley.org, and sign up to receive a free helpful newsletter emailed to you each week. Omtimes.com
When you look at the view of Earth from space, you are immediately in awe of what you do see: the incredible beauty of Creation. It is not until you look closer that you realize what you do not see. You do not see lines partitioning countries. You do not see separation between races. You do not see division between religions. You do not see the walls people build to isolate themselves from each other. There is only One Planet. There is only One Humanity. This section is dedicated to introducing thoughts and ideas to foster a greater understanding of Humanity’s interdependence.
World Vision
14 ways Natural Disasters Reframes our Ability to Change Embracing Natural Disaster As A Path To Shifting Our Continuity By Crystal Presence
Honoring nature while also doing our best to make sense of why we go through natural disasters. Acknowledging the ability to choose how we respond in times of crisis. Reframing and embracing natural disaster
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as part of the shifting continuity, consciousness, and ability to bring forth a new context of living. Tips on how to cultivate awareness, safety, wellness and being part of resolution in times of natural disaster.
All Earth’s creatures are nurtured, fed and housed by nature. Nature also delivers times of devastation by floods, volcanos, hurricanes, droughts, and earthquakes. We are in awe and appreciation of nature yet still making sense of why natural disasters happen to us. We respond in various ways including going through stages of physical, emotional and spiritual upheaval. Many people accept these turbulent experiences as random acts of nature, just as how life is. Some wonder if our collective stress, control, and turbulence cause nature to be stressed and turbulent too? Deepak Chopra, the pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, sees nature as linked to everything including our oil consumption, politics, war and global warming. He comments, “If the collective mind is turbulent, then nature is turbulent. We tend to separate ourselves from nature, but we are not. Maybe if we settle down, nature will settle down too.” What if we embrace natural disasters as a way to unravel our denial and shift our continuity? What if disasters
teach us to make choices at point easy rather than at point crisis? Can natural disasters help connect us in bringing forth a new context of whole being wellness for all beings? Natural disasters are often sudden and overwhelming. We can lose ourselves or choose to bring forth the best in ourselves. The following 14 tips can support us in cultivating new levels of being awareness and wellness as a result of natural disaster… 1. Loving ourselves, no matter what the conditions. Accept and embrace the responses we have to whatever is happening inside and on the outside. Deciding to stay connected with ourselves and our source. 2. Staying present while making life-affirming choices. Wise decision-making is often challenging in a time of disaster and its aftermath. Staying present allows us to listen and act on the guidance of our internal guidance system. Staying present can be a lifesaving decision. 3. Moving from the inside out. Letting our bodies move, vibrate and shake! It is amazing Omtimes.com
how quickly we can move through deep and overwhelming emotional states when we allow our emotions to vibrate, move and be expressed. 4. Taking full responsibility for how we are responding to what is happening. Reframing our experience to focus on the best things and opportunities that being offered to us. Ask ourselves if we could change our response to produce the outcome that we want, what would it be? How can we look at this experience in a different way that gives us a positive and energizing feeling? 5. Doing our best to stay healthy. Releasing tension and tightness in our bodies. Trusting our source will provide us sufficient food, rest and whatever we need in its most perfect timing. Remembering that the source that gave us life is always with us and offering us what we need.. Our job is to recognize and receive all that we are being given. 6. Asking this question: What is the nature of
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experiencing the power of staying connected to ourselves, our source and our lives? 7. Avoiding excess exposure to dramatic and traumatic news. Getting the information, we need, moving on and putting our focus on ways to reframe what is happening so we can be part of the resolution. 8. Using relaxation strategies such as breathing, laying our bodies on the Earth, massage, napping and listening to relaxing music. Listening to conversations that reframe disasters and remind us of all wonderful things that are also happening in the world. 9. Tapping. Emotional Freedom Techniques are very simple and can restore our inner balance, our thinking, emotional states and behavior. There are many youtube videos and books available to learn how. 10. Releasing any shame and guilt that is triggered by being a survivor or not being able to help people in the ways we wanted to. Letting go of the contracted energy of
guilt and shame will open the space to reframe and be present as part of the resolution. 11. Reaching out to others. Overwhelm and trauma can cause us to separate and isolate ourselves. Reaching out allows the healing power of listening and being listened to. It reduces feelings of helplessness, betrayal and loss of faith.
thanks. Gratitude triggers the release of antidepressant and mood-regulating chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and oxytocin, while inhibiting cortisol. 14. Meditating. Connecting with ourselves and our source allows us to enter deeper levels where healing takes place. About the Author:
12. Maintaining healthy boundaries. Disasters are particularly insidious because they tend to traumatize large populations of people at once. It is important to remember that we can stay present, have healthy boundaries and choose to make individuated choices on how we respond. 13. Conjuring up the gratitude that can support our emotional resiliency. Any small change in the perspective of what we can be grateful for has been scientifically proved to boost our sense of wellness, sanity and physical health. Gratitude includes extending something to another person, even if it is only a verbal affirmation of
Crystal Presence is a certified guide, coach, author, and facilitator of a five-day event called Freedom at the Core. Her passion over the past 35 years has been offering a safe, fun and nurturing space to get clear on exactly what her clients want and what they need to make it happen. She guides them in uncovering hidden challenges, beliefs, and energy that may be holding them back. The tools she offers allows their wellness process to be easier and much more fun than they ever expected. The experience leaves them feeling renewed, re-energized and inspired to set themselves free. www.CrystalPresenceOnline.com www.facebook.com/ crystalpresenceonline
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Books
The Jeweled Path: The Biography of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization
The Jeweled Path invites you to enter into the story of how the modern spiritual path of the Diamond Approach emerged. With humor and intimacy, Karen Johnson, cofounder with A. H. Almaas, reveals the personal experiences that birthed the teaching and furthered its development. These profound awakenings—occurring amidst ordinary life—became the building blocks of a remarkable new approach to human nature and to our understanding of reality.
For more information, or to purchase the book, click the cover or visit:
Amazon.com
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MAGAZINE
June A 2018 Contributors Writers
Alexandrea Floyd Andrew Pacholyk, MS L.Ac Candice Hutchings Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD Cathedral of the Soul Crystal Presence Guy Finley John Holland Julian Dobson Kaya Laura Brown Liesha Petrovich Marcia Sirota, MD Rachelle Wilber Alexandrea Floyd
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