OMTimes Magazine June B 2018 Edition

JUNE B issue

“In a sense, when we utilize these brilliant questions, we are asking ourselves, “What if I’m willing to be wrong about myself in the pursuit of something new?

What if I’m willing to be wrong in the pursuit of something that I think is right?”

JUNE B EDITION

what's inside this issue

Barnet Bain

Interview Sandie Sedgbeer

The Enlightening Power of The Stupas

How to Hardwire Resilience into the Brain

Get In Touch With Nature

Physical Application of Crystal Reflexology

What Is Spiritual Awakening?

Characteristics of an Unfaithful Person

Empathy The Heart of Connection

Looking to connect with the Conscious Community?

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June B 2018

Cover Story 24

Barnet Bain - The Book of Doing and Being

Health & Wellness 38 42

Physical Application of Crystal Reflexology Get In Touch With Nature

Spirituality 46 50 56

How to Get into the In Crowd The Enlightening Power of The Stupas What Is Spiritual Awakening?

OM Living 64 74 78

Earthship Temples Empathy The Heart of Connection 4 Buddhist Places to Ignite Your Spirit

Relationships 94

6 Characteristics of an Unfaithful Person

Metaphysics

102 Can you Manifest Using Crystals - 6 Steps for Programming your Crystals 108 The New Moon Crystal Ritual to Bring About Change

Personal Growth

116 Becoming Our True Self Within 120 Surfing the Waves in Turbulent Times 124 The Power of Will 128 How to Hardwire Resilience into the Brain

Barnet Bain: The Book Of Doing and Being

In a world that’s changing more rapidly than we can keep up with, in which lightning advances in technology are wiping out entire industries and jobs. Where warranties once attached to a lifetime of training, skills, and knowledge is fast becoming worthless, how do we create a new sense of security for ourselves; a new purpose, a new passion, new careers? According to awardOmtimes.com

winning filmmaker, broadcaster, educator and creativity expert, Barnet Bain, in a future where nothing is guaranteed, success now hinges on one quality that all of us possess, but few of us appreciate ¾ our ability to dream, to innovate, to create.

Barnet Bain’s film credits include “What Dreams May Come” with Robin Williams, “Homeless to Harvard,” “The Celestine Prophecy,” and “Milton’s Secret” with Donald Sutherland. He is the author of The Book Of Doing and Being, in which he shares why creativity is the one skill set that can give us the resilience to thrive through the rapid changes we face today.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Your creative output is quite prodigious. You’ve written, directed and produced some very creative films, you teach creativity workshops, you consult with business executives and private clients, and you’ve written two books. At what point did you feel compelled to extend yourself beyond the film industry to teaching what you’ve learned about creativity in workshops and books?

Barnet Bain: It sort of went the other way around. For as

far back as I can remember, I had some sense that creativity was love’s work and that creativity is how humans express their consciousness. So that has always been my primary interest.

I’ve been both a seeker and a finder for as long as I can remember. Along the way, certain expressions of that journey show up as being a husband, a father, a writer, a filmmaker, and being a teacher, but it’s not the other way around. These are simply the organic expressions of developing and expanding consciousness.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Many people believe they’re not especially creative, but we only have to look at children to know that creativity is a quality that’s innate within all of us. So, why do you think it is that, as adults, we tend to compartmentalize and even minimize its role in our lives?

Barnet Bain: There is no such thing as an uncreative act or an uncreative moment. Humans are always creating all of the time with every thought, choice, belief, decision, emotion, and with every feeling and mood. These are all creative acts. They’re not always aware acts. They’re not always Omtimes.com

conscious acts. But, they are nonetheless acts of personal volition, and they are always creative.

But, what’s happened is that as a secular society we have siloed out a very narrow bandwidth of activity that we call artistic, and only consider those very narrow activities as artistic or/creative.

The moment we say we’re not creative, we reduce the ability for our imaginations to expand, we foreclose on possibilities for the future, we become more driven by the past than by the future, we find ourselves in the present having a present experience that seems to repeat patterns from the past more and more.

So, I am more interested in supporting people, in modeling for people, in encouraging people to discover their lives and to begin to experience their lives as a creative act, so they become artists of being alive. I am less interested in perpetuating the idea that, unless you are a singer, a dancer, an athlete or a performer of some kind, you have no creative abilities.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Why do you believe that unlocking our creativity is so critical Omtimes.com

today, in particular?

Barnet Bain: What creativity is about when it becomes a conscious practice, is healing our sense of the past, and it’s about understanding why our imaginations seem to have certain very predictable boundaries around what we expect. If I say to you that in the next five years you may find that you’re more stress-free and loving and living more expansively than you’d ever imagined or dreamed before, most people will push back on that. That, for most people, is a vision for themselves that is too large.

And the reason it’s too large is that our imaginations become structured. They become trained by the circumstances that we grow up in, by our families, our education, by our communities, our religions, and our politics.

This is not bad or good; it’s just life. But, our imaginations are highly conditioned and structured in that, and we suddenly have boundaries for what is possible.

So, when we develop our creative selves, the first thing that happens is those boundaries and limited ideas of self-get challenged. There are skills and practices to relieve some of the hard edges of those

old belief structures, so they’re more pliable and flexible. And then, suddenly, lo and behold, our imaginations become a little bit juicier, a little bit grander, and a little bit broader.

It’s sometimes said that we get the love we think we deserve. I like to say we get the life that we expect, and we can’t have a life that is larger than what we can imagine.

We’re living in really stressful times, and there are many challenges we face that have no obvious solutions. The pace at which challenges pile up is unprecedented; we’ve never had an experience where so many challenges pile up so quickly that it’s just more than we can handle linearly. And so that’s going to require a different magnitude, different juiciness and capacity of imagination to deal with. We’re pouring 20 ounces of water into 10-ounce glasses, and we’re going to be very stressed unless we can begin to develop our imaginations to keep pace with the magnitude of the challenges that we face.

So, it’s very important to begin to retrain our conditioned selves so that we have a juicier imagination.

We can give and receive more love in all the varied ways that can be expressed; yes, through the traditional arts, but also, a juicier imagination empowers mothers to love children in more expansive ways and fathers to relate to families in more expansive ways, and it allows us to see and hear each other more clearly and to receive input more clearly. It allows us to expand the quality and the circumstances of our life.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Creativity and imagination are widely undervalued in education. Arts programs are being cut from schools. What they’ve been trying to do for many years is foster conformity, not creativity.

And yet, what we see now, as you point out in your book, is that the kinds of jobs they have been training and teaching people to be ready for won’t exist by the time today’s kids leave school, which leaves many kids in a very challenging place, unprepared for the future.

When we have broader imaginations, it doesn’t simply lead to pretty pictures or music, it leads to an expanded menu of possibilities for the circumstances of our life, the qualities of experience that we are willing to have.’

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Barnet Bain: That’s so, so true.

Many people would be surprised if they had a sense of the kinds of jobs that will not exist in a very few years; there will be no need for most lawyers and accountants.

So many of what were considered safe jobs ¾ white- and blue-collar jobs ¾ have been replaced by technology and automation. So, it is critical that we begin to learn how to develop our imaginations and creative capacities. And that begins with understanding ourselves and the ways that our ideas and feelings about ourselves, our thoughts, self-images and belief structures were conditioned and trained so that we can make peace with that for us to expand those ideas.

It’s these personal psychologies that have to be understood, and then they can be dismantled.

They can be grown. Then we have all kinds of opportunities to do innovation.

The other piece that is important to consider around this issue of education and creativity is that you’re right, it is a tragedy and a disservice to our children that creativity is not concentrated upon in schools. For a while, the subjects that involve the head, like Omtimes.com

computations, mathematics, and analysis, were critical. The ones that do not involve the head, like art, music, appreciation of beauty and ethics, which are being cut from our educational programs.

But they, in fact, the ones that foster in our children the ability to have empathy, to come from the heart, to be in their bodies, and not to just have their entire focus of attention living in their head.

But they’re not perceived to be of value Most children, most adults for that matter, me included, are quite challenged around incorporating their consciousness and awareness into their bodies in any sustained way. If you say to somebody, ‘Where do you exist, put your hand on where you think you are,’ they almost always put their hands on their heads. We have become separated from our bodies, and very analytical. Our body doesn’t analyze and judge, our head does. And it’s important, it’s a critical function, but it’s not the only function, and now we live in a society that doesn’t know that.

There are many other kinds of intelligence, and none of those live in the head. There is intelligence that is beyond logic and

reason, which dwell in the body, and those are precisely the kinds of maturity and skills that can be trained in children with programs that stress the arts and gym.

To expand our creativity and imagination to meet the challenges of a world that’s becoming new, we are going to have to add on different bits of intelligence that are all latent in all of us but are relatively undeveloped in most of us. Most of us put all of our attention on developing our capacities of logic and reason and thinking, very rarely on intuiting, imagining and connecting.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Many children that I meet say we learn by doing, not just by hearing, not having facts stuffed into us. So, they know what they need to learn and to grow - working from their bodies and not from their heads.

Barnet Bain: I fully understand a worldview that elevates doing over being, that elevates thinking over being and imagining, and that equates thinking with imagining. I don’t think it’s bad or wrong; it’s simply an approach that will yield increasingly stressful challenges because trying to outthink life

itself, the head logic-and-reason analysis that only deals with a certain subset of reality. But the world seems to be showing us that there’s more to it than logic and reason, and the challenges that we face are not going to be met by logic and reason.

And so, it’s my desire and my passion, and certainly a lot of fun to explore what is there beyond logic and beyond reason, what else is there? And there’s an endless opportunity to begin to explore the creativity that lives outside of logic. I’m more interested in where we’re going than where we’ve been, what we can learn rather than what we can affirm inside of logic and reason. What can we learn about aliveness? What can we learn about the different kinds of intelligence, about the intelligence of the body, musical intelligence, geometric intelligence and empathic intelligence? Everything is meaningful. Everything is connected. The head operates by labeling and separating, slicing and dicing, and that’s an important quality. But, it does not have any attunement to the holistic nature of things; that is the realm of the imagination.

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Sandie Sedgbeer: In your experience, working so closely with creativity, with your curriculum having been used in communities, schools, and corporations, are you aware that people generally are becoming more cognizant of the need to bring back imagination and creativity into children’s lives?

Barnet Bain: When we attempt to go about teaching creativity from the head, we are not teaching creativity or expanding the imagination. Imagination is a capacity that is trained by our circumstances. And so, all of the disappointments, the hurts and the injuries we sustain as small children, all of our desires for love or for independence that is not sufficiently met are what form our sense of self. And unless the sense of self that was formed very young is understood, and seen and addressed, we can’t really open up our imaginations or our creative capacities because creativity is not born in the head; it’s born in the body. It lives in the personal body, and it lives in the body of the world. And the head cannot connect to the body of the world. Only our personal bodies can connect through feelings and emotions to the body of the Omtimes.com

world.

So, as Robert Frost said, a poem does not begin in the head. It begins with a feeling. It’s an uncried tear or excitement in the belly at the sight of something beautiful. The head will never understand that.

The good news is we don’t have to lament and be worried that the world’s in a terrible place and our children don’t have the benefit of a juicy environment to develop their imaginative capacities. I mean to develop their capacities to feel deep emotion along with the capacity for logic and linear thinking both ¾ because when we take that on for ourselves as adults, or as parents, family or as friends, we begin to develop that. And we’re never too old to begin to become aware of how our sense of the world is formed by our earliest years?

And to deal with some of the circumstances that molded us, which we continue to hold in the form of beliefs and give energy to. When we, as adults, take on that wonderful opportunity, it miraculously impacts those around us, especially our children.

Sandie Sedgbeer: As a film

producer, director, and writer, you’ve worked with some of Hollywood’s most creative artists.

What is the most important thing that you have learned from them?

Barnet Bain: The greatest artists I have had the pleasure to witness and be involved with have magnificent intellects, but even more important, they are aware of themselves in their bodies.

And so, they have the capacity for empathy, for compassion and passion. None of these things are thought. They have a deep repertoire of feelings that they have access to. Most people don’t have access to feelings; they have access to thoughts about feelings.

The most exquisite artists that I’ve had the pleasure to meet the model for us what it is to be in their bodies, to feel connected, to have an awareness of their body feeling. It’s in that way they are leaders.

Sandie Sedgbeer: The book Of Doing and Being contains exercises you designed to activate creativity by “jostling the connections between the subconscious and the conscious.”

Tell me more about those.

Barnet Bain: Many practices invite one to stimulate underused or underdeveloped aspects of ourselves. Some can be as playful as paying attention to the rhythms around you, the sound of the washing machine rocking and rattling and rolling in the next room. What is the rhythm of it? What is the symphony of that sound along with the garbage truck that’s coming up the street?

There are all kinds of ways that we can begin to tune our attention to pay attention to the world in a different an unexpected way.

And then, of course, there are invitations to slow down and to move the point of our attention from our head and our thought stream into our bodies. That begins with acknowledging that we do have a thought stream and what’s going on with it and maybe taking a few breaths, centering, closing our eyes and becoming aware of our breath going in and out of our nose. Paying attention to that with some awareness, just being aware of that and gently bringing our thoughts and attention back to the feeling of our breath going in and out ¾ those kinds of practices.

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Everything is a creative act. And when we can become conscious of our habituated ways of thinking and feeling, and fixed ideas about life, as these come up, sometimes as a thought, sometimes a feeling, we can realize 99 times out of 100 that this is an old feeling and not about now, this is an old thought and not about now. When I know that, I can put in the clutch a little bit, I can put it in neutral, and I can say, ‘Wow. This is not about now. So, what is about now?’ Now I have an opportunity to make a virgin choice. How remarkable.

But I really could not know or act differently unless I know that most of my kneejerk actions and choices have been programmed in so long ago.

Sandie Sedgbeer: The book offers some very creative suggestions: word hacks; how to use a newspaper or publication to prime the pump of creativity, tapping for EFT, and ‘The Amazing Thing.’ Would you share a little bit about that with us?

Barnet Bain: Underneath a layer cake of strategies to get along in life, we all have a kind of a luminous joy that sometimes Omtimes.com

we lose touch with. To recover and reestablish that I say, ‘Call to mind a moment, an experience in which you felt wonderful, connected, attuned, joyful, or where you felt loved or loving, whichever. Maybe that time you excelled at a sport or hit a hole in one, or maybe that time when you remember the family Thanksgiving or Christmas and just a perfect moment of feeling connected and loving and loved.

Maybe it’s a relationship that you have with a particular loved one or a pet, and when you think of that, you can attune to how glorious it felt. So, I ask people to find what it is, put their attention on it, and attune to the quality of that amazing feeling. Allow the feeling in the body, that feeling of love or accomplishment to come up and express itself on your face, in your eyes.

I call this feeling; this felt a sense, ‘The Most Amazing Thing.’ It’s kind of like a GPS that you can go to at any time, but when you go to it, one of the mysteries of life is that the energy itself is causal; it will have an impact on the quality of the choices you make, and of the mood that you have for the rest of the day. That mood will also have an impact on the kinds

of situations that you attract into your life and the ways that you respond to situations. When you come from ‘The Most Amazing Thing,’ you’re coming from the part of yourself that is luminous, filled with light.

Sandie Sedgbeer: Many people have wonderful imaginations and brilliant ideas but somehow never seem able to ground them, whether because of self-criticism, judgment, fear, anxiety or a belief that they’re unable to produce something tangible without expert help. What advice would you offer them?

Barnet Bain: Well, the selfcriticism and self-judgment, are trained. It generally comes from the experience of having others assess and criticize you or witnessing others assessing and criticizing somebody else and the feeling of fear that it might happen to you. These feelings and judgments are exactly the forces that constrict imagination, that constrict our ability to expect and to experience hope.

So, when I refer to developing creativity, I am looking at these forces of self-judgment and crit-

icism and understanding when and where they became empowered to have an impact on my life.

Those injuries arrested our capacity to grow our imagination, and one of the aspects of imagination is the ability to manifest. When we have constrictions in our imagination, the first thing that goes is the ability to produce something. We always create what we are most easily able to imagine and what we most expect. Even though we desire flow and love and abundance and growth, many of us are more easily able to imagine and to expect disappointment and failure. So, we need to understand and feel this so we can put it in a place where we can innovate beyond the limitations.

‘What were the moments where I learned how to judge myself, where I learned to lose confidence in myself?’ Because it is those moments that we continue to feed energy to.

So, what is important to me when I talk about developing creativity and imagination is to support people to learn how to identify these painful, disruptive, repetitive patterns from running your imagination, so we can identify them, interrupt them, and build new pathways forward.

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Health & Wellness Innovative new approaches to Healing as well as holistic methods for dealing with health issues and personal growth

Physical Application of Crystal Reflexology Foot and Hand Reflexology is based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all body parts.

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The physical act of applying specific pressures using thumb, finger and hand techniques, performed without oils, lotions or creams result in stress reduction causing a physiological change in the body.

Using a smooth tumbles massage wand, worry stone, or rounded smooth stone will allow you great benefits!

Rubbing the warm oil into the bottom of the foot and over and around each toe feels exceptionally erotic, so I suggest you explore the feet and discover what your client or friend is feeling. Utilize your massage crystal and begin to work in different areas that are tender. Many people will let you know when you are in a delicate spot.

than your feet in a self-help reflexology treatment.

Exercise your feet and hands by stretching out your toes and fingers as widely as possible, curling them in and out, twisting ankles and wrists, and finishing with an overall shake.

Walk around on your bare foot as much as possible, which stimulates the sensory output from the feet to the brain.

Specialist foot massage aids include contoured wooden shoes and sandals. You could also try rolling a golf ball or a rolling pin around the sole of your foot against the floor or between the palms of your hands.

Treatments for several disorders

Self-Massage

Allergy sufferers can relieve their sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes by rubbing the top of the first segment of the big toe with the thumb, in an upward movement toward the nail.

Depending on how flexible you are it may be easier to massage your hands rather

For abdominal bloating and digestive difficulties,

Working slowly and with different degrees of depth will allow you to explore every angle of the foot map.

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rub and press under the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe (ball of the foot) and the entire digestive zone area – the middle part of the foot where the digestive reflexes lie.

Women with menstrual pain or irregularity, other pelvic area difficulties, or lower back pain, should rub and press the area between the anklebone and the heel of the inner foot. Doing this regularly can significantly reduce the intensity and duration of menstrual cramping.

Stress cannot be avoided. We live with it every day. A day’s work, playing sports or giving a dinner party can be stressful but also exhilarating and fun.

Stress becomes a problem when we fail to manage it well, especially the pressure that results from challenges, frustrations, overwork, and worry. Work your crystal deep into the center of the foot for stress. Try the tip of the big toe for headaches. Reflexology reduces stress by generating deep tranquil relaxation.

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We all know how important it is for blood to flow freely through the body carrying oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in the body and removing waste products and toxins.

Stress and tension tighten up the cardiovascular system and restrict blood flow. Circulation becomes sluggish. By reducing stress and tension, Reflexology allows the Cardiovascular vessels to conduct the flow of blood naturally and quickly.

A reflexology treatment is one of the most relaxing ways to spend an hour on yourself.

It involves deep pressure on the soles of the feet - a very intense foot massage. The pressure stimulates the nerve connections that extend from the feet to the rest of the body.

It’s almost like having an all over body massage and only exposing your feet!

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac Peacefulmind.com “Living Life, Consciously” Alternative medicine and therapies for healing mind, body & spirit!

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THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

ADVENTURE

Dan Maston goes on an epic adventure

MONSTER TRUCKS ...and where to take them

ROADTRIPS OF THE YEAR

Shakti World

Powerful Jewelry

Check out our list of some of the best trips you will take in your life

Get In Touch With Nature

By John Holland

I’m so truly delighted that winter is finally over, and Spring is trying to emerge! To see the spring bulbs pushing their way up and the profusion of spring colors starting to change the landscape from the grey blanket of winter snow to the fresh, vibrant colors of Spring.

Every year, I remind myself that when I witness the re-birth of nature, it’s important to stop and tell myself how important it is to reconnect with the divine source and spend some much-needed time with nature. Fortunately for me, I have a little dog who insists I do that every day … but there’s more to connect with nature than just walking my dog.

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It’s essential that you don’t forget that we’re all part of nature, yet regardless of whether you live in the country or the city, it’s easy to lose touch and for nature to become almost alien to your daily routine. Being indoors for all these winter months, it easy to forget nature, but next time it rains, stop and look at the raindrops! Experience the breeze of the warm winds on your face or go and walk barefoot in the new grass, so that you start to reconnect with nature again.

As I firmly believe that we should all live a spiritually enriched life, regardless of our life span on this earth, we should increase our awareness and in doing so, increase the awareness of our higher consciousness. When you do this, it’s strange how you will find those quiet moments to pause and think. These moments help to confirm where you’re going and hopefully endorse that you’re doing something meaningful with your life, something that will have a lasting impact.

JOHN’S LESSON As part of reconnecting with nature, what better way than to use meditation. There are many types of meditation on the go,

rather than sitting quietly in your personal space. Simple walking meditation can be very beneficial.

When you’re out walking, just focus on your breathing, being conscious of your breath.

Naturally, as you’re walking, it’s more than likely that you will be breathing faster than when you practice your normal meditation, but that’s perfectly fine. As always, observe the inflow and outflow as you walk. Count quietly in your head as you breathe in and out ten times, letting all other thoughts slip away.

As you move into the next sequence of breaths, focus on the soles of your feet, from your heel to your toes as you walk.

Notice how it feels, the sensations, and how the rhythm permeates throughout your body, as your attention moves up from your calves, knees, thighs, back, chest to your shoulder and arms. AS you feel any tension anywhere in your body, try and let it go, as you move your awareness back down slowly back to your feet.

This is a wonderful healing meditation, and you get to have some exercise too, so it’s a win: win scenario. Enjoy your time in nature.

Live a Soul-filled life!

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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.

How to Get into the In Crowd

In high school I looked up to my classmate Rick Brown, the quintessential cool guy.

He was the good-looking captain of the football team and president of the Omtimes.com

student council. He had a cheerleader homecoming queen girlfriend and was liked by everyone. I envied Rick because he was at the epicenter of the in crowd, and I saw myself as a distant outsider.

Years after we graduated, I ran into Rick and we reminisced. I confessed, “I was always envious of you because you were in the in crowd and I was way out.”

Rick laughed. “Really?” he came back. “I always thought you were in the in crowd and I was out.”

I couldn’t have been more stunned. Here was a guy who had all the accoutrements of success, all the things I wished I could be and have.

Meanwhile he was envying me. How insane is that? That serendipitous meeting with Rick proved pivotal for me.

That day I realized that the

voice in our head that tells us that we are defective or lessthan is a liar.

A story from the video series The Beatles Anthology illustrates this very dynamic.

At the height of the Beatles’ illustrious career, George Harrison decided he wasn’t fit to be in a band as talented as the Beatles. He went to Ringo Starr and told him, “I’m not a real Beatle. You guys are the real Beatles, so I am going to quit the band.”

Ringo replied, “I was just thinking the same thing— that you three are the real Beatles and I am the fake, so I will quit the band.” The belief that either George or Ringo were not the real Beatles seems laughable and ludicrous, since each of those musicians was talented in his own way, and the unique synergy of those four made the Beatles the most successful entertainers in history. But each of them

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had to face and deal with their own demons. If even the Beatles suffered from a sense of deficiency, you can see what a fake that voice is, and why you should give it no credence and not let it stop you.

The pervasive belief that “I am a phony” is called “fraud guilt.” We all have it and there are several ways we deal with it. Most of us run from self-judgment by busying ourselves with endless tasks and errands, working continuously, or distracting ourselves with our Smartphone or other addictions. Others attempt to compensate for their perceived lack by building up an ego-façade of braggadocio, competition, bullying, anxiety-driven achievement, adding degrees, or collecting empty trophies.

Another group is willing to look within and heal selfjudgment by holding it up to the light of higher awareness.

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James Thurber, author of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, said, “All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” It is only when we are willing to stop, step back, and tell the truth about what motivates us that we can break free.

A Course in Miracles tells us that the world we have created is inside out and upside down, the exact opposite of the way we were born to live. If you want to know what is true, take most of what you have learned about how to succeed and reverse it. One of the most pervasive illusions is that we have to struggle to become good, worthy, and likeable.

The ego thrives on creating fictitious gaps between who we are and who we should be. But there is no gap. We are already good, worthy, and loveable as we are. If we can love, honor, accept, and cherish ourselves right where we stand, every door that we

have sought to kick down would open effortlessly before us.

Everything you do to try to become cool will backfire because you already are cool.

God created you cool, and there is nothing you can do to become uncool, except try to become cool. In the trying is the lying. The coolest thing you could do is be yourself.

To envy another person is to deny the gifts you uniquely bring. One way to reframe envy is to replace the word with the letters N.V., which stand for “new vision.” If someone has something you want, they are demonstrating that you are a match to that attribute because you are aware of it. Everything you see in the outside world is a reflection of what is going on in your inner world. “You spot it, you got it.” So instead of separating yourself from that person or attribute by believing it is outside of you,

expand your vision and claim ownership of that trait by realizing it is inside of you.

Then you heal the sense of separation and gain all that you thought you missed.

The in crowd is not a group of people you need to join. You cannot get in because you are already in. The real in crowd is made up of those who are willing to look within to find themselves.

Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the forthcoming The Tao Made Easy. Join Alan in Hawaii this December for his life-changing seminar Transformer Training to develop your skills and/or career as a teacher, healer, or leader. For more information about this program, Alan’s books and videos, free daily inspirational quotes, online courses, and weekly radio show, visit www.alancohen. com.

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The Enlightening Power of The Stupas

By Cathedral of the Soul

STUPAS are monument of the Buddhist tradition that represent the mind of all enlightened beings. The Stupa means “The Presence of the Buddha,� and they are the representation of the mind of the Buddha. Originally from Omtimes.com

India, Stupas are monuments that may contain relics of the Buddha, his disciples, later masters and or objects considered sacred or of vital spiritual importance. They are structures that also serve to commemorate events, they symbolize the many aspects of Buddhist doctrine.

The pagodas are an evolution of the Stupas. The construction of such structures follows a rigorous series of techniques and wisdom of the ancient culture of Tibetan Buddhism. Each section of the Stupa represents one of the steps of the path to enlightenment. The Stupa naturally establishes peace and harmony by subduing negative forces, helps to prevent epidemic diseases and stabilize the forces of nature as well as brings blessings of health, prosperity, and well-being to the community.

The site is carefully chosen for the Stupa, taking into account the principles of geomancy, Ley lines and Devic centers of power: Vortexes. These ancient

Indian burial constructions contain relics of kings and heroes. The monument Stupa contains within it thousands of prayers, relics of Buddhas, statues, incense and many other rare and precious substances and numerous offerings.

Stupas are the symbol of the potential that each one of us has to achieve enlightenment. The stupa is monumental architecture, emphasizing our connection to the spiritual by both its mass and symbolic shapes As mystical structures, Stupas have the power to restore Earth’s energy in its surrounding environment, to help balance its elements, to prevent natural and environmental disasters, to promote peace, happiness, health, and prosperity. As such it is a source of positive energy, peace, prosperity, and harmony between beings and nature.

So, in visiting these monuments and to walk around it - doing the kora - clockwise with a

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positive attitude, it is said that one to create tremendous benefits such as: - appease hatreds, conflicts, and wars; - avoiding Illnesses and curing epidemics and diseases; - quenching hunger and increasing productivity; - The increase Fortune and Virtue; - to calm the spirit, the mind, to develop well-being and the compassionate heart.

He taught his followers that doing spiritual practices in the presence of stupas would be the equivalent and have the same effect as making offerings to the Buddha himself, and therefore the power of any ritual practice in the presence of a stupa would be amplified. Stupas may have different formats. The tip of a stupa can show the level of spiritual development of the one in whose memory it was built.

Original History of Stupas

It is true that a stupa built in such blessed places unlimitedly increases spiritual power and provides enormous benefits to all who visit it.

The building of Stupas - a symbol of the infinite mind of an enlightened being goes back in time to Buddha Shakyamuni himself, who encouraged his disciples to build this kind of monument in auspicious places such as sacred places of Birth, of teaching, holy grounds (death or parinirvana) of the Buddha himself.

Many stupas are divided into two parts: a lower portion and the stupa itself. The lower part, which goes to the beginning of the dome, is actually the base, the throne on which the stupa is supported. The stupa truly begins from the crown of lotus leaves along the four steps, followed by the second lotus crown, the dome, and the upper elements. Each part

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of the stupa has a symbolic meaning: The basis of the stupa represents the ten healing actions: non-engagement in killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no slander, no verbal aggression, no intrigue, no covetousness, nor evil and false visions.

The first lotus flower of the stupa represents the six memories: remembering the master, the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, morality, and generosity.

The four steps represent the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind.

The base of the dome represents the five forces of a Buddha: The strength of faith, enthusiasm, attention, concentration, and knowledge.

The dome represents enlightenment.

The square on top symbolizes

the eightfold path and the thirty-seven qualities of enlightenment.

The lotus flower on the lower end of the pillar shows the freedom from the misconceptions of conditioned existence.

The thirteen rings represent the ten powers and three consciousnesses of a Buddha’s mind: the knowledge that he is free from all kinds of lust, the awareness that he is free from hatred, and the awareness that he is free from the impartial view to listeners and nonlisteners.

The conical ledge, which leads to the rings of the sun, represents the “Dharani of compassion,� which signifies the union of great compassion with the sixteen emptinesses.

The sun-set and the ring under the crown show the union of method and wisdom.

The crown represents the additional activities.

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The moon and the sun represent the wisdom of such-being and such-see, conventional and ultimate wisdom.

The apex corresponds to the condition of the Great Union of Enlightenment, in which the body and mind, or the illusory body, and the wisdom of the bright light were united.

The ornaments, which can be fixed between the apex and the dome, show the sixty members of a Buddha’s speech.

The four columns that may appear behind the stupa show the four passions of a Buddha: the fearlessness of conquering all the obstacles of defeat, the fearlessness of capturing all knowledge, the fearlessness of declaring what must be overcome and fearlessness to reveal the remedies.

The banners of victory in these four columns indicate victory over the four Maras or negative forces.

The garlands that eventually adorn the stupa demonstrate

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the 32 characteristics and 80 indications of a Buddha’s body.

In Buddhism, they are believed to contain relics of the Buddha himself, which, once divided, were housed in various stupas.

In the later Buddhist period, stupas were used with funerary urns for other significant figures. Although no ancient stupa remains entirely intact today, many were erected during the tremendous Buddhist expansion under its imperial patron, the Indian king Ashoka (268-239 BC). Over time, some stupas became essential places of pilgrimage and, as their prestige grew, they were covered with stone, usually with carved scenes depicting the life of the Buddha. In Tibet, the stupa has become a chorten, with a dome resting on a five-layered base that symbolizes the five elements of this world and, at the top, the pinnacle, sun on a crescent moon, expressing wisdom and compassion. In Southeast Asia, China and Japan, stupas have become pagodas, which represent the Buddhist cosmos.

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What Is Spiritual Awakening?

By Rachel Horton White

Many people are starting to have what is often called “spiritual awakening.� With our renewed interest in spirituality, many of us wonder if the internal shifts we feel can be explained by awakening in our lives.

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In fact, we are all undergoing a massive growth in our awareness as part of the intense energies now felt on the planet.

There are many definitions out there as to what exactly a spiritual awakening is. Does it mean someone is more evolved or enlightened?

No, not necessarily. It generally does mean that we now identify with our higher consciousness, with the understanding that we are connected to all that is in existence, and that the concerns of the ego, or the lower self, are no longer running our lives anymore.

Another common experience in awakening is seeing that reality is not what we thought it was. We begin to see through illusions and into the truth about the essence of interconnection, love, and power that lies within each human on Earth.

Going through this process can be disorienting. It can

lead us questioning our surroundings, relationships, careers and basically every aspect of our lives. We see the world differently now, and that can mean huge changes in how we experience it.

Here are a few ways to tell if a spiritual awakening is happening in our lives: We experience magical synchronicities. We find ourselves being in the right place at the right time and other psychic connections that we cannot easily explain.

We notice number patterns on clocks, license plates, etc. (11:11 is the number of activation that many people see now. This often progresses to 222, 12:34, 333, 444, etc.)

Songs, TV shows and even animals we encounter seem to have messages for us. The words address an exact situation that we are experiencing. It feels as if the

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song, for example, is speaking just to us.

We find that the “old ways” of operating in our lives often are no longer serving us and start to disintegrate (career, relationships, friendships, etc.). Our former identities are being shed as we awaken to who we really are, as spiritual beings connected to each other and all beings.

We start to see through the illusions of the media and the conditioning that happens there. We begin to question what we have been taught by every mainstream institution - religious, political, financial, social - in our society. We acknowledge that much has been hidden from us and begin to look for answers, knowing that not all information on the Internet is rooted in the light. If it does not feel right, it probably is not for our highest good.

Awakening is not just about feeling light in our bodies, but is also about

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acknowledging the darkness that exists, and has existed, for thousands of years. To continue in our expansion, we can learn to identify the darkness and no longer allow it to stunt our intuitive development and our inner power. Acknowledging the depths of this darkness can be deeply upsetting and feel like we are going through the process of grieving. We ebb and flow through the phases of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

Denial is common among people who are starting to see the truth; it is hard to accept when we see what has been done to us. And some people get stuck in one phase, like anger: even though we are “awakened,” we still have egos that contain our self-limiting beliefs and social conditioning. We are constantly growing and evolving as souls, but this soul evolution can be greatly accelerated once we undergo a spiritual awakening.

Spiritual awakening can be

a lonely process. We want to share what we feel with others in our lives, but we find that many in our lives do not understand. Some people tell us we are crazy, others get outright defiant. This is understandable: shaking up someone’s reality is like telling a 6-year-old there is no Santa Claus. When their world feels shattered, they may reject everything we say as a form of self-protection. We might thus be discerning around with whom we share our views. We can ask our heart if it is best to speak up to this or that person, and we will always be guided.

Gently planting seeds of new thought to receptive people often works better than dropping “truth bombs” on anybody who will listen.

To make it through our process of awakening, we might reach out and find people who see the world as we do and talk about it.

Find a group (virtual or inperson) to ask questions and share ideas in a safe, nonjudgmental space.

In our awakening, we are being asked to work through the layers of our negative ego selves, shedding fears and doubts that are holding us from sharing our light with others who are beginning to go through the process. Let us not be afraid. We can learn to reprogram our thoughts through affirmations, mantras and deep inner work like hypnotherapy.

Possibly, however, the most important solution for our expansion is developing a habit of meditating regularly. This will help us calm our worries and help to tap into our intuition and higher guidance, which will guide us every step of the way.

Not everyone is meant to awaken at the same rate. Some of us are here are way-showers to help clear the path for others when they are ready. Spiritual awakening is happening for many people now, at a rapidly accelerating rate. It is an exciting time to be alive as we learn to heal ourselves, our planet and our future.

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Relax…

Let your worries drift away into the moment…

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OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle

Empathy: The Heart of Connection

By Linda Bloom

Empathy results from understanding another deeply and can thereby bridge the gap between our world-view and that of another. Empathy can be learned, and we can look at issues from the other’s

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point of view. Learning how to manage our own tension, fear, and anger makes room for empathy to grow. Once deep understanding expands, that newfound awareness gives rise to less arguing, more harmony, and more closeness in the relationship.

Empathy is defined as “the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.” Empathy results from understanding another deeply. When we look at the world from our partner’s point of view, we begin to bridge the gap of understanding between us.

When we are emotionally activated by tension, fear, and anger, it is tough to empathize with and understand the other’s perspective at first. We are too wrapped up in our own sensations and thoughts to think clearly.

Looking through our partner’s eyes.

If we can take a little time to soothe ourselves, some room becomes available to see a different perspective,

we begin to notice that we have something to do with the predicament that we find ourselves in. The very instant we see our part in the breakdown, notice our lack of empathy and understanding, our anger lessens. And when we are not so busy being rigidly right, making the other person so wholly wrong, there is a bit of room to see the issue from their point of view.

Moving off of our “heels in cement” position, allows the other to become more flexible too. By taking responsibility for our part in the conflict, a dynamic is set up whereby our partner is more apt to take responsibility for their role.

It’s hard not to be defensive.

Dropping defensiveness is one of the hardest things we do.

Defensiveness has to do with trying to protect ourselves when we’re feeling afraid. If our partner is trying to protect themselves by being evasive, withdrawing, trying to avoid being emotionally vulnerable, rather than trying to get her to open up, try asking yourself and/or her the question, “Is there anything that I am

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doing that is causing you to feel anxious or frightened now? Is there some way in which I am giving you a reason not to trust me? Am I acting or speaking in ways that make you feel that I am not respecting what you are saying or feeling?” “What is it that you want me to understand?”

Creating safety and understanding.

These are essential questions, and it’s probably better not to ask them unless you’re prepared to accept your partner’s responses without judging or questioning them.

To do so would only give her more reason to feel unsafe and misunderstood. Listening without blame or judgment promotes empathy, and is the antidote to defensiveness.

Tension can dissolve very quickly if we are willing to sincerely try to empathize with the truth of our partner’s feelings and perceptions.

When a deliberate decision is made both to take the time and effort to search

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for our own part in any given breakdown and to put ourselves aside enough to look at the issue from the other’s point of view, the possibility for understanding expands.

Over time, we develop into more empathic partners. When we make the commitment to become more empathic, we begin to look for our complicity over time gives rise to less arguing, more harmony, and more closeness in the relationship. We discover that empathy is indeed the heart of connection.

Linda Bloom L.C.S.W. has served as psychotherapist and seminar leader practicing relationship counseling almost forty years. Check out her OMTimes Bio. If you like what you read, click here to sign up Bloomwork’s monthly inspirational newsletter and receive our free e-book: Going For the Gold: Tools, practice, and wisdom for creating exemplary relationships.

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OMTIMES |MAGAZINE

On the Path of the Buddha 4 BUDDHIST PLACES

TO IGNITE YOUR SPIRIT JUNE B 2018

Peace Pagoda

Mayadevi Temple

LUMBINI

NEPAL

Lumbini was the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince of the Shakya clan who would later become the Buddha. It is estimated that Buddha was born about 500 to 600 years before the Common Era, or even more, as some investigations point out.

In Lumbini, there is a significant number of temples and monasteries representing the various traditions of Buddhism. The Mayadevi Temple is the most sacred temple and marks the exact location of the Buddha's birth. In addition to the temples, you can find an assortment of places of

Sacred Bodhi  Tree.

Interest such as a museum, monuments, buildings supporting the pilgrims, hotels, restaurants and a wide green area. Lumbini was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997.

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"Ananda, there are four places that when seen will awaken a sense of urgency and emotion in the devotees. Which four?

'Here the Tathagata was born,' is the first.

'Here the Tathagata accomplished the perfect enlightenment', is the second.

'Here the Tathagata performed the ParinibbÄ na', this is the fourth. " - Buddha, Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN 16)

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ASHOKA PILLAR IN LUMBINI NEPAL

'Here the Tathagata set in motion the unsurpassed wheel of the Dhamma,' is the third.

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On the Path of the Buddha• may 2018

Eternal Peace Flame

Sacred never-dying flame in front of the central canal of Lumbini birthplace of Buddha.

The World Peace Pagoda is seen on the other end of the canal.

Chinese Buddhist Monastery in Lumbini

The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the Ashokan pillar and the Mayadevi Temple, where the supposed place of birth of Buddha is located.

From early morning to early evening, pilgrims from various countries perform chanting and meditation at the site.

Images: Wikipedia

BOUDHANATH NEPAL

Boudha, bodhnath or Boudhanath stupa with prayer flags, the oldest, biggest and Holiest Tibetan buddhist. In Kathmandu city -

UDNAMHTAK ,APUTS HTANAHDUOB

Buddhism in Nepal

OMTIMES |MAGAZINE

Located in the capital of Nepal, Boudhanath is one of the largest semi-spherical stupas in the world and is the most sacred Tibetan Buddhist temple in the world outside Tibet.

Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Boudha तुप (Nepali: बौ तुप, also called the Khāsa Chaitya, Newari Khāsti, Jarung Khashor, Wylie: bya rung kha shor) is a stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal. What makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.

.: Índia :.

BODHGAYA

 JUNE B

OMTIMES

TRAVEL

BODHGAYA Bodhgaya is the most important place of a Buddhist pilgrimage, for it was there that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became a Buddha.

It was also in Bodhgaya that the Buddha made the decision to teach the Way. Like Lumbini and other important places where the Buddha passed, there are temples and monasteries of the various traditions of Buddhism.

Many prayers sitting around the Bodhi tree which the buddha became enlightened on January 9, 2013. It is a place of pilgrimage. Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment here at 500BC

The most important Temple is the Mahabodhi, which marks the exact location of the Buddha's awakening.

Under the Boddhi tree, Buddha meditated and awakened, a relative of that tree remains in the complex. The Mahabodhi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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The Dharmarajika Stupa

The Dharmarajika Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas remaining, although only the foundations remain.

The rest of the Dharmarajika Stupa was removed to Varanasi to be used as building materials in the 18th century.

At that time, also relics were found in the Dharmarajika Stupa.

These relics were subsequently thrown in the Ganges river.

Sarnath derives from the Sanskrit SÄ ranganÄ tha which means "Lord of the Deer and relates to another old Buddhist story in which the Bodhisattva is a deer and offers his life to a king instead of the doe the latter is planning to kill. The king is so moved that he creates the park as a sanctuary for deer. The park is active in modern times.

Sarnath was the site of the first teaching uttered by the Buddha and the beginning of the Sangha (Buddhist community). The Stupa Dhamekh is the most important monument, it marks the site of the first teaching. It was built by Emperor Ashoka.

Gautama delivering his first sermon in the deer park at Sarnath. He preached the Four Noble Truths, the middle path  and the Eightfold Path.

Buddhist monk in red dress walking past a ruined temple in a sacred place with green trees .

Siddhartha Gautama taught Dharma here at 500BC

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THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

ADVENTURE

Dan Maston goes on an epic adventure

MONSTER TRUCKS ...and where to take them

ROADTRIPS OF THE YEAR Check out our list of some of the best trips you will take in your life

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.

Infidelity is a concept that has been the same for years.

Some people differentiate unfaithfulness and disloyalty.

Others believe that there is no

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infidelity. And you, what do you think about this?

Today we will see what the characteristics of an unfaithful person are, but first, we have to clarify what it is to be unfaithful and why people come to that.

What is it to be unfaithful?

Many people are very clear about what it is to be unfaithful. Infidelity means the breach of trust between the couple. In being untrue, we lie consciously, for we know that our behavior is not right.

Some people differentiate infidelity and disloyalty. The difference seems to be very clear, but it is not easy to understand. Infidelity involves being with others other than your partner. Many open relationships work under these premises. If this has already been discussed and allowed between the couple,

it may not be considered unfaithfulness. There are no lies, both people involved know and respect each other.

But what about disloyalty?

Disloyalty means infidelity without the consent of your partner, without his knowing the fact. Most infidels are in a monogamous relationship, while their bodies yearn to be with other people.

Nevertheless, instead of being clear with their partners and expressing their wishes, they prefer to hide the evidence.

Types of unfaithful disloyalties People may even forgive one infidelity or another, depending on what they consider to be “unfaithful.�

- Have sex with someone else.

They exchange kisses and caresses.

- They flirted with someone else.

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- They exchange spicy messages.

The profile of an unfaithful and disloyal person They are always on the go, because they feel desire for other people, or because they regard their lives being riddled with monotony, or for lack of passion in their relationship; these people search for new sensations, new challenges. They decide to cheat without trying to solve their needs within their relationships. But there is a characteristics that can design a profile of an unfaithful and disloyal person that fits in every case. Do you want to know what it is?

this produces in them a kind of fear of their partner doing the same.

The problem is when this behavior becomes sickly jealousy. Something that only exists in the imagination of the infidels by the guilty conscience that torments them.

2. Unstable emotions Emotions that become unstable are very extreme.

The unfaithful part easily becomes aggressive, controlling, inventing things that do not exist. This only shows the mental conflict that this unfaithful person has in his/her head and ends up expressing emotionally.

1. Frequent jealousy

3. Need for dependency

It is a contradiction, but it does. The infidels feel that they made a mistake and that their behavior was not correct.

They lie to their partners, and

The unfaithful person suddenly becomes dependent on his partner telling him how much she/he needs the other, how much they love them.

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This creates a great difficulty in the relationship, causing strangeness. The partner or partners may begin to feel overwhelmed and suspicious.

4. Contradictory ideas about love Infidelity tends to change the concept of what was, until then, what was established as mutual love. The person begins to have ideas to recreate the sexual passion with his partner, perhaps to try new things. Something innovative that, until then, had not happened before.

The unfaithful will probably begin to change the way he views relationships and begins to consider the possibility of an open relationship or some other way. Pay attention to these signs!

5. Addiction and company search If the relationship is broken

by disloyalty, the unfaithful, fervently, goes out looking for another partner. Some people need to have a companion, so they can be unfaithful.

These people do not seek profuse relations. The consequences, again, will be jealousy, betrayal, and the same vicious circle as before.

This kind of relationship is not healthy at all.

6. Emotional needs Many unfaithful people use sex to satisfy their emotional needs, that are not met. That is why they take refuge in a situation where they believe they will solve that need, when, in fact, this does not happen. They only increase frustration and discomfort.

What do you think about infidelity or disloyalty? We await your answers and your opinions on the subject.

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Metaphysics

Can You Manifest Using Crystals?

6 Steps for Programming Your Crystals

By Shakti world

Crystals and precious stones are the purest manifestations of energy and light displayed on our physical plane.

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The atoms that compose the crystals are always in perfect harmony with the environment and with the energies that surrender them, thus allowing the manifestation of cosmic light in a solid form. Physically, it has already been proven that crystals are the best conductors, transmitters, and amplifiers of energy are used in the composition of the optical fiber, computer chips, watchmaking (Ruby, Quartz), etc.

In the same way, as they are conductors, receivers, amplifiers or generators of energy, they are used metaphysically for healing, manifestation efforts, meditation, reinforcing grids, energizing environments and people, in general, they assist any living beings through the conveyance of cosmic energies.

Crystals have life, not a carbon-based one by a crystalline type of life. They

are part of a more massive “nation� formed of pure crystal-like energy. All that is conscious energy is life, transmits experiences, usually has a life.

Crystals can be considered extraordinary beings can become essential friends, helping us individually in our pursuit of spiritual growth and self-knowledge, and especially teaching innumerable ways to positively use their energy in conjunction with ours.

Using Crystal Wands as programming Crystals The Crystal Tips known as Crystal wands are powerful energy tools that open a way of connecting the third dimension with the Higher planes of Light.

They capture extraordinarily pure and positive energies from the higher planes and transmit it around them and primarily by their vertices.

If used in therapies, they

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remove energetic blockages in the body, decrease physical pain and increase the vitality of the organs to which they are pointed.

Used at home, they open a channel so that the forces of Light can send more love, knowledge, vitality, and protection to everyone on the spot. When held for more than 30 minutes they take us to the Alpha and Beta states, allowing our minds to also receive information and light from the higher planes.

Before Programming Your Crystals Before you start the process of programming your crystal, you should dedicate some time to clean and energize them properly. You need them to be purified before you can imprint and program a message you intend to manifest. You will want to make sure your message and transmission is clear, focused and proceed without

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interference.

We also highly recommend the use of a particular crystal for the exclusive purpose of manifestation. What it means is that you shouldn’t use your manifestation Crystals to use healing or other energetic activities.

Preparing for Programming Very merely, manifesting is a method of ‘programming’ your crystal to help your subconscious mind to create something concrete in your life that you need. Notice that we are dealing with Intention, not merely desires.

Therefore the appropriate feeling to be explored while manifesting is the need for something, not just the wanting of it.

Also, it is imperative to determine precisely what you want to manifest because of the crystals can’t make the conscious decisions for you,

of what you want and need.

Therefore you should be clear about what you intend to achieve. Resolve, in as much precise detail as possible, whatever it is you need to acquire.

3. Focus as hard as you possibly can imagining and feeling that you already have whatever it is you are manifesting.

To avoid dissipating the crystalline energies, make sure that the intent of manifesting is guided by the power of need, not only want.

4. Feel that You are extremely happy and relaxed, secure in the knowledge that your intent has already happened, and your need was already met.

6 Steps for programming your Crystals

5.Take your time to feel the sensations traveling your body, stay with the feeling as much as you can.

First, hold your crystal in front of you, with both hands.

Stare at it intently and visualize yourself and your intention Together. You may now close your eyes.

1.Bring into your mind a complete and exact image with as much detail as possible of whatever it is You wish to manifest.

2. Visualize as much detail as

possible

6. Once you have finished, take a large deep breath, relax your body and When you feel comfortable, open your eyes.

7. Repeat your manifesting process whenever it is possible, we highly recommend to do it at least twice a day (morning and evening).

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The New Moon Crystal Ritual to Bring About Change

When the moon is NEW, this is considered the time of birthing. Birthing new ideas, intention and seeding new ventures. This is also called the dark of the moon.

This time also marks the Omtimes.com

beginning of a major new cycle in your life. It is not yet a definitive separation with the past, but it is a time when old familiar patterns lose energy, and you instinctively feel an impulse for creating new beginnings. Setting your intentions and releasing them out to the Universe to manifest and express.

These are a few of my favorite crystals for the New Moon: Black Moonstone is a great crystal for finance and prosperity. It will help attract a gradual increase in your finances, and you will begin to feel more financial security.

Like the new moon, changing to the full moon, black moonstone is symbolic of this “new moon beginning” and the ideal time to plant the seeds of good intentions to watch them grow. Black moonstone will help to improve concentration, particularly in frenzied workplaces. Your home and

relationships will feel more grounded and settled when black moonstone is in use. It enhances intuition and inner knowing and connects you to understand your feelings and emotions. Black Moonstone can be used for general psychic protection. Black Moonstone goes well with rainbow moonstone, black obsidian, jet, and labradorite.

Black moonstone will also help to increase stamina. It is associated with the earth element, the zodiac sign of Aquarius and the Root Chakra. It has been theorized that black moonstone can protect against the effects of x-rays, radiation, and electromagnetic energies.

This healing crystal is particularly good for the colon, kidneys, liver, spleen and stomach and female reproductive organs. It can also be helpful for stroke recovery and brain function.

It can be used for painkilling rituals. This crystal can be used to help clumsy or accident, prone children.

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Obsidian is actually natural glass that is formed when hot lava is submerged in water. This is a strong grounding stone and is known as “the protector.”

It is said to “mirror one’s soul. This stone brings about objectivity, dis-attachment and is grounding. It reduces fantasy and escapism.

Absorbs and dissolves anger, criticism, fear, and therefore is protective. This unusual black stone absorbs darkness and converts it to white light energy. It is a warm and friendly stone, which is used at the Root Chakra, encouraging one’s survival instincts and is grounding.

Black obsidian brings higher Chakra light into lower ones; cleanses and uplifts. Changes fear into flexibility with the advent of change.

Onyx: balances and grounds thoughts, emotions and helps with stabilizing sex drive.

Onyx is believed to promote fidelity. Controls emotional intensity. This androgynous

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stone is excellent for centering/aligning total person with higher powers. It, therefore, essentially balance yin and yang energies.

Banishes grief, enhance self-control, helps with wise decision-making, encourages happiness and good fortune.

Can be used to provide a “peek” into the future, helps one to follow the path alone, promotes personal strength, understand the reality of the moment, become the master of one’s own future. Onyx comes in many colors, i.e.: black stimulates the Root Chakra and is grounding.

Black Pearl: is in tune with emotions, water, and women, especially pregnant women, pearls are a symbol of pure heart and mind; innocence and faith. Because it is from the sea, it has watery and lunar elements. Therefore it is used for balancing emotions, especially for water signs.

Absorbing by nature, this mineral absorbs thoughts and emotions and because of this,

must be used with caution. If you feel excessively negative while wearing a pearl, it will hold that energy until it is cleansed. Remember, Pearl is the result of layer upon layer of substance produced to combat irritation. Pearl can cool and soothe. It is very nurturing. Pearl is a cold and independent mineral, which is used, ironically at the Heart, Solar Plexus and Sacral/Spleen Chakra, to stimulate the heart, liver and emotional issues, digestion, immunity weakness and emotional stress. Pearls are mentally stabilizing, generate beautiful skin and clear toxins. Divers wear pearls for shark protection.

Tektite is a type of natural glass, chemically and structurally unique, of meteoric origin. Tektites are found on earth within narrow equatorial belt 80 degrees wide. They have been found in Thailand, Australia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Tektites usually have a heavily

pitted surface. Many have the appearance of being stretched while in a molten state. They appear black, but when held up to the light, you can sometimes see a golden tint in translucent areas around the edges.

Assists one in attaining knowledge and learning lessons throughout the travels of life. Balances the feminine/masculine, provides insight, strengthens one’s energy field. Can stimulate thought transmissions.

Start by cleansing your crystals. Pass them through incense, running water, or in flower petals. It is important to know what type of crystal can undergo which kind of cleansing.

Manifesting Hold your crystals at heart level. Send them love and honor, mentally.

For what purpose will you use them for? State your

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intention. When you feel your message is programmed into your crystals, lower them from the level of your heart.

A new moon meditation is a journey into your deeper self, your true self, your real pure note, your spiritual resonance.

It is a healing meditation on a multi-dimensional level.

A time of new beginnings.

It is about starting afresh, planting new seeds and connecting to your higher self. It is a self-healing and self-discovery meditation.

It empowers you with the knowledge and fact that once you can attend to yourself, you can attend to others with ease. It is about renewing yourself, rebirthing new ideas and activating creative life force in yourself and around you. It is a very rejuvenating meditation. This means to plant new seeds, e.g., dreams, goals, ideas, inspiration, affirmation, incantations, mission, vision.

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These seeds will grow and flower into your garden of dreams, goals, ideas, inspiration, affirmation, incantations, mission and/or vision. This meditation is for you, for ‘spiritual’ planting, for bringing in the new and creating freshness in your life.

As always, the best place to perform this meditation is within your meditation space.

A clear, peaceful space where you can meditate deeply, and free of disturbance. Prepare your meditation space with incense and gentle music if you wish along with a candle.

Once your meditation space is set, and ready get into a comfortable seated position and close your eyes.

Using 4 obsidian stones (or any of the stones suggested above, place them in your meditative space, either on your altar or table.

OR on the floor, so that you are able to sit in the middle

of them.

your intention is in your head.

You can then use a 5th obsidian stone, or a master stone (a crystal that is your favorite to work with or one which calls to you.)

NOW, spend time with your circle, intention and your crystals.

Trace the outline of the crystal circle with your master stone (either on the table or sitting within your meditation circle.)

Then place your master stone in the center of the circle.

(If it is on your table place it in the center. If you are meditating on the floor, hold it with you - in your dominant hand - sitting in your circle.)

Working with your Moon Intention

NOW, gentle breath work can be done, by breathing in and out. On the inhale, take in your intention... on your exhale, release your intention to the Universe.

Spend the time you desire to feel grounded, calm and relaxed. You will know instinctually how much time you need. When you are finished, you can end with a deep breath, a prayer, a large sigh... or simply open your eyes. Your intention has been noted!

Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac

If you placed your circle on a table or alter, you can write down your intention on a piece of paper then place it under your master stone in the center of the circle.

Therapies for healing

If you are sitting in your circle,

mind, body, spirit

http://www.peacefulmind. com/energy-medicine/ astrology/moon-power

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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.

Unmasked: Becoming Our True Self Within

By Shuddhaanandaa BrahmachariÂ

Abstract: Any identity we create is for the world. We hide behind many masks that may serve us well in the short term, but when it comes to authenticity and genuineness, our masks do little to aid us in making progress in our journey within.

Our inner journey begins when we, through mindful living and meditation, begin to shed our false personas and find our Omtimes.com

Self within, where true peace and happiness reside. Then and only then can we sincerely and compassionately reach out to others.

We are all caught in our fake personas We, humans, are gradually losing our presence; we are getting caught up in the mess of fake personas. We are unhappy because we have moved away from our true Self, and are living a life of pretense, wearing masks to satisfy the demands of the blind society. These masks may serve us well for a while, but eventually, they weigh us down and hold us back. That is when our personal and authentic inner journey towards being happened, resulting in our shaking off these false personas and realizing who we truly are.

Our true identity is in the recesses of our heart Any identity we create is for the world. Our true identity is hidden in the recess of our heart.

How can we be happy with our shadow identity? How long can we be happy wearing a mask called “personality?” When we shed the false persona and know that we are the children of

eternal light and that we have come to this transient world only to burn our karma and not create any more, only then can we dive within to know who we really are.

As long as we are in the society, sometimes we just have to put up the mask that the society loves to see. We will always attract people who are not happy with us, for everyone has his or her own expectations of us. We need to recognize this fundamental block which is the self-created image of our limitations based on others’ expectations; our own profile that is a fake mask!

Emerging from behind our mask Our masks are like the caterpillar that covers its own body with the silken fibers from its own mouth and remains bound within that cell where nobody can help it come out.

But like the caterpillar who, when in due course, transforms itself into a butterfly, cutting its own cell and emerging without help, we too can emerge from behind our mask to reestablish our lost connection with the very essence of the life principle, Omtimes.com

our true being.

Spirituality is to return to our natural self Life once again is expressed in its naturalness because the force of nature inspires the emergence of both the butterfly and our essential being or self.

Spirituality is to return back to our innate naturalness. We are nature. It is separation from nature that is causing pain and suffering in life. As we practice meditation and live mindful moments, our masks will fall off, and our natural self will blossom, like a butterfly, into a radiant being of light.

Becoming Happens Once we are closer to the radiant being within, then becoming happens.

Becoming what? Becoming a person without a false persona or mask! Becoming a truly good human being.

Becoming a person whose heart melts seeing the pain of others, and whose heart has no tint of jealousy in seeing another’s prosperity and success.

Becoming a person of pure compassion and

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unconditional love that touches all and heals all.

Becoming the Buddha in our heart to heal the world and hurt none.

Becoming a simple, humble person whose presence ignites all positive light in all who come in touch with him or her.

Yes, that being and becoming is the process that each one of us needs to go through to manifest our innate divinity, our birthright as a human: to be one with God again, and to be His eternal companion.

Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari (India): Globally acclaimed spiritual and inspirational speaker, author, and visionary social advocate; founded Lokenath Divine Life Mission, 1985, which serves thousands of poverty-stricken individuals in India. Received Lifetime Achievement Award, House of Lords, UK, 2015. www.beawareandawake.com www.facebook.com/srisri. shuddhaanandaa www.amazon.com/BabaShuddhaanandaa-Brahmachari/e/ B003W5XP5W/

Freedom From The Inside Out, Surfing the Waves in Turbulent Times

By Crystal Presence

Wondering about our ability to stay present in turbulent times. Coming to realize that we are shaping our lives by the way we think, feel and behave.

Freedom on the inside out as the experience of knowing

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that what is happening on our inside is shaping the experience we are having on our outside. Tips on how to how to experience freedom from the inside out.

In turbulent times we ask ourselves if we can stay present, make good choices and feel free as things are breaking down? We sometimes feel angry, scared, stressed and powerless in the midst of it all. We understand the concept of breakdown/ breakthrough yet sometimes find it challenging to stay fully present through the ups and downs of the breakdown. We dream about freedom, talk about it, have fleeting moments of it and are not sure how to make it a sustainable experience. We ask ourselves is it even possible to be free amidst the turbulence?

At the same time, science is proving the oneness of us all, that we are not separate from anyone, anything or our source.

There is the growing awareness that what we experience on our inside is affecting

everything we experience on the outside. We are coming to realize that we are shaping our lives by how we think, feel and behave. What if we knew that what we are cultivating on the inside is what we realize on our outside? What if knew that freedom is not dependent on anyone or anything outside of ourselves?

Freedom on the inside out is an experience of knowing that what is happening on our inside is shaping the lessons we have on the outside. A compelling question is what the nature of experiencing freedom from my inside out is?

An example of a fun and natural process for cultivating freedom from our inside out is: Gathering up some pillows.

Designate each pillow as a specific aspect of ourselves.

One pillow for the element of ourselves that guides ourselves.

The other pillow should be used for our emotions, hearts, and bodies. Begin a dialog with each aspect. We may find that our emotions are angry about how we often

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avoid, deny and control them.

They may want to scream, cry and hit the pillow about how they have felt abandoned, imprisoned, abused and denied by us. We respond and tell them our side of the story, why we did what we did. We interact, feel and express. We move, express, apologize and let our emotions know the changes we will make. Let each of our other aspects interact and express similarly.

As spirits, we are empowering ourselves to see the relationship and environment we have been creating within ourselves. With clarity, we can guide all the aspects of ourselves in a way that creates safety, unconditional love and empowerment from our inside out.

More of what it takes to feel freedom from our inside out is…

• Taking 100% responsibility for our lives, a knowing that we are not a victim of life.

• Staying connected with ourselves and our source.

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• Unconditionally loving ourselves, no matter what the evidence • Experiencing what we want by releasing stress, control, and manipulation • Shifting our perspective on what freedom truly is. Releasing limiting beliefs and trusting that freedom is possible.

• Vibrating healthy boundaries that radiate from our inside out.

• Moving, vibrating and circulating our energy, creating the space for changing beliefs and allowing in the new.

• Having the courage to do what many people are not even willing to talk about for fear that their lives will fall apart.

• Observing and being honest with ourselves • Shifting the habitual choices that hold us back.

• Meditating with the intent to experience the oneness of us all as we radiate from our inside out. Freedom from the inside out is NOT about looking for a way out or trying to fix ourselves. It is an undoing while engaging in empowering ways of living our lives. It is allowing any holding back to dissolve, resolve and evolve. It is not about needing to be happy or in a state of equanimity all the time. It is about knowing that we can always choose to make a shift.

Freedom from the inside out IS about knowing that the environment and relationships we cultivate on our inside are what is being realized on our outside. Freedom from the inside out includes.

Soon we realize that the more responsibility we take, the more freedom is available to us. Soon we recognize that everything appearing in our lives is happening in perfect timing. We begin to see ourselves in new and expanded ways and feel

empowered to have beneficial influence wherever we go.

We recognize that we are a catalyst for the changes we want to see in our world. It is the joy of knowing that our source wants the very best for us as our lives unravel in fun and loving ways. Once we get the hang of how this works it propels us to move forward and never go back!

Crystal Presence is an author, certified expansion guide with the Total Integration Institute, multidimensional coach, and facilitator for the event called Freedom at the Core. She draws from her own experience and the experience of the thousands of people she has worked with over the past 35 years. Crystal is known for the fun and empowering way she supports people in bringing forth the experiences they want in their lives. www.crystalpresenceonline. com www.facebook.com/ crystalpresence http://facebook.com/ crystalpresenceonline

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The Power of Will

By Judi Lynch The true powers of the human spirit include selfmastery, moderation and the astonishing will which can shine through no matter the challenge.

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In every human heart there lies a tremendous power in the will. Our ability to exhibit selfcontrol with determination to face our challenges takes amazing courage. Our very will to survive can overcome the direst, dangerous situations if we focus on living instead of our fear.

If our spiritual connections are strong and our energetic frequencies are on a high, we are able to hear our higher selves and conscious connections. We begin to understand the insight being sent and practice manifesting the events which will keep us in purpose and thrive.

Willpower needs motivation in creative ways. If it is an unhealthy habit we are trying to change, replacing it with a better option is a good substitute for the loss. We can train our brains to react positively and feel better about our choices instead of mourning what was unhealthy.

The same can be said of unhealthy relationships. Many stay because their will has been worn down by emotional abuse. When our will is weak, fear of change, being alone or the unknown can change overpower our thoughts with anxiety that plays over in a loop. In these kinds of situations, we lose the gift of free will and responsibility for our own lives.

If we are following someone else’s will without being able to express our innermost dreams and desires in purpose, we become less than we might have been. We can feel powerless and fearful of evolution and change. The goal is really for people to learn and evolve together.

When one is content to live as they have always lived and the other needs life to be a series of accomplishments, it can become a war of wills.

Free will means we can choose.

Concerning each other’s needs, it really can be possible to coexist if both are able to learn tolerance. A support system is an integral part of feeling purpose in life, and some people prefer to live a quieter life than those whose will is to learn and experience as much

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as they can while they’re here.

Free will to live and breathe as we truly came here for.

If our will or our spirit feels broken or weak, we may have suffered a deep personal loss or a big unexpected life change. These events can send signals to our brain that make us feel we have lost control.

We call it a test of our will because we really are being tested. We can choose to give up or fight back in most cases, with some it is harder to come back from trauma. It can take time and patience for the will to be made stronger.

Sometimes an encouraging word, resonating story or the love of a good friend can help mend a soul back into action.

Some believe our lives are predetermined and we have to follow the course that is set before us without willing any other outcome. Others believe we are in control of our destiny by choices and options we set for ourselves before we incarnated here. Their mode of operation is to nurture the will to succeed, to live a long life, to intuitively navigate life as if

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it were an incredible journey of discovery.

We can choose to believe in the existence of a higher force through which we judge our own actions to attune our energies for the evolution of the spiritual consciousness. We can also will ourselves into believing this is all there is and we had better make the most of it! Either way, the will is an incredible force. It has an energy frequency all its own. The true power of the human spirit will always include self-mastery, moderation and the astonishing will which can shine through no matter the challenge.

About the Author: Judi Lynch is a psychic medium, intuitive counselor, healing channel, and author. She is president of the Crystal Healing Foundation, Inc. a 501(c) spiritual charity and writer for OM Times Magazine. She has authored two books, Friends with Lights and Conscious Ascension and has read for clients all over the world. To learn more or contact for a session see psychicmediumjudilynch.com

We Engineer Second Chances

 You Deserve to TRY Joy

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How to Hardwire Resilience into the Brain

By Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, syndicated from Greater Good

One winter, I went camping with my friend Bob in the backcountry near Sequoia National Park. After spending the day slogging uphill through deep snow, we were exhausted but needed to make camp.

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As the temperature rapidly dropped, Bob began shivering uncontrollably. He had poured out so much energy without refueling himself that he was sliding into hypothermia, the first stage of freezing to death.

We hurried to set up the tent, get into our sleeping bags, light the stove, drink hot water, and eat hot food—and soon Bob’s teeth stopped chattering.

Luckily, we had just enough resilience to turn this misadventure around. Mental resources like calm, grit, and courage kept us going when we were hit with freezing temperatures. And these are the same types of resources we all can use to help us cope with and push through obstacles in our own lives.

But how do we cultivate them? The key is knowing how to turn passing experiences into lasting inner resources built into our brains. I teach this skill—called positive neuroplasticity—in my new book, Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness (written with Forrest Hanson).

Though it’s not a quick fix, you can change your brain for the better by working it the same way you would work a muscle.

As you become more resilient in the face of life’s challenges, you move toward greater well-being and away from stress, worry, frustration, and hurt.

12 resources for resilience Every human being has three basic needs—safety, satisfaction, and connection—that are grounded in our ancient evolutionary history. While our circumstances have changed enormously over the last 200,000 years, our brains have remained largely the same. The neural machinery that enabled our ancestors to satisfy their need for safety by finding shelter, for satisfaction by getting food, and for connection by bonding with others is alive in our brains today.

A particular need is best met by inner strengths that are matched to it—and these mental resources are what make us resilient.

To meet our need for safety, we can draw on: • Compassion: Being sensitive Omtimes.com

to the burdens and suffering of others and ourselves, along with the desire to help with these if we can.

• Grit: Being doggedly tough and resourceful.

• Calm: Emotional balance and a sense of capability in the face of threats.

• Courage: Protecting and standing up for ourselves, including with others.

To meet our need for satisfaction, we can draw on: • Mindfulness: Staying present in the moment as it is, rather than daydreaming, ruminating, or being distracted.

• Gratitude: Appreciating and feeling good about what already exists.

• Motivation: Pursuing opportunities in the face of challenges.

• Aspiration: Reaching for and achieving results that are important to us.

To meet our need for connection, Omtimes.com

we can draw on: • Learning: Growing and developing, a process that allows us to cultivate all the other strengths.

• Confidence: Feeling a sense of being cared about, worthy, and self-assured.

• Intimacy: Opening to knowing and being known by others.

• Generosity: Giving to others through altruism, compassion, and forgiveness.

To start cultivating more resilience, pick a challenge in your life, and then consider the needs at stake in it, in terms of safety, satisfaction, and connection. You may be dealing with an external challenge, such as a relationship conflict, a stressful job, or a health problem. Or you could be facing an internal challenge, such as harsh self-criticism or feeling unwanted. Sometimes there’s a one-two punch. For example, tension with someone might be stirring up self-criticism inside you.

As you consider a major challenge and the need(s) at the heart of it,

see if any of the twelve resources stand out. Ask yourself: • What, if it were more present in my mind these days, would really help?

• What inner strengths could help me stay peaceful, content, and loving when I’m dealing with this challenge?

• If this challenge began in the past, what would have been really helpful to have experienced back then?

• Deep down, what experience do I still very much long for?

The answers to these questions point to which resources you might need to get through your challenge. Next, follow my HEAL framework (Have a beneficial experience, Enrich it, Absorb it, Link it) to cultivate this resource as a durable strength hardwired into your own brain.

1. Have a beneficial experience Nearly everyone has many enjoyable or useful experiences each day, most of them mild and brief. For example, it feels good to put on a sweater if you’re chilled or feel friendly toward someone

who is kind to you. But do you take notice of these experiences and highlight them in your awareness, or just pass by them and move on to the next thing?

The brain is continually remodeling itself as you learn from your experiences. When you repeatedly stimulate a “circuit” in the brain, you strengthen it. The brain operates so rapidly—with neurons routinely firing 5-50 times a second—that you can grow resilience and well-being many times a day, taking a minute or less each time.

To have beneficial experiences in the first place, it helps to be alert to the good facts around you—for example, fortunate circumstances, the beauty of nature, tasks you are completing, people who care about you, or your own talents and skills. You can even find the good in hard times, such as seeing the kindness of others as you go through a loss.

Besides simply noticing useful or pleasurable thoughts, feelings, or sensations that are already present in your awareness, you could create beneficial experiences, such as by getting some exercise (to help build the Omtimes.com

resource of grit) or deliberately recognizing your own good heart (for confidence). Or you could make something good happen in a relationship, such as by listening carefully to someone (for intimacy).

Over time, you can learn to directly evoke a positive experience, such as relaxing at will, calling up a sense of determination, or letting go of resentment. Because of experience-dependent neuroplasticity, repeatedly having and internalizing a particular experience in the past makes it easier and easier to evoke it in the present. It’s like being able to push a button on your inner jukebox and quickly get the song of a useful experience playing in your mind, since you’ve recorded it again and again.

To grow the inner resources that produce resilient well-being, we must turn experiences of these resources into physical changes in the nervous system. Otherwise, by definition there is no healing, no growth, no development.

Having an experience is only the first stage in the process of learning (including the Omtimes.com

emotional, social, and somatic learning I’m focused on here).

The necessary second stage is to install that experience as a lasting change of neural structure or function. This is the stage that is routinely overlooked in psychotherapy, coaching, human resources trainings, and informal personal efforts at healing and growth.

Therefore, this stage is where we have the greatest opportunity for steepening the learning curves of ourselves and others.

We can increase the installation of our beneficial experiences in two kinds of ways. First, we can enrich them, making them prominent and sustained in awareness. Second, we can absorb them by heightening the sensitivity of the nervous system. Here’s how.

2. Enrich it There are five ways to enrich an experience: • Lengthen it. Stay with it for five, ten, or more seconds.

The longer that neurons fire together, the more they tend to wire together. Protect the experience from distractions, focus on it, and come back to

it if your mind wanders.

• Intensify it. Open to it and let it be big in your mind. Turn up the volume by breathing more fully or getting a little excited.

• Expand it. Notice other elements of the experience.

For example, if you’re having a useful thought, look for related sensations or emotions.

• Freshen it. The brain is a novelty detector, designed to learn from what’s new or unexpected. Look for what’s interesting or surprising about an experience. Imagine that you are having it for the very first time.

• Value it. We learn from what is personally relevant. Be aware of why the experience is important to you, why it matters, and how it could help you.

Any one of these methods will increase the impact of an experience, and the more, the better. But you don’t have to use all of them every time. Often, you’ll simply stay with something

for a breath or two while feeling it in your body, and then move on to the next experience.

3. Absorb it You can increase the absorption of an experience in three ways: • Intend to receive it. Consciously choose to take in the experience.

• Sense it sinking into you. You could imagine that the experience is like a warm, soothing balm or a jewel being placed in the treasure chest of your heart. Give over to it, allowing it to become a part of you.

• Reward yourself. Tune into whatever is pleasurable, reassuring, helpful, or hopeful about the experience. Doing this will tend to increase the activity of two neurotransmitter systems—dopamine and norepinephrine—that will flag the experience as a “keeper” for long-term storage.

This is not about holding on to experiences. The stream of consciousness is constantly changing, so trying to cling to anything in it is both doomed Omtimes.com

and painful. But you can gently encourage whatever is beneficial to arise and stick around and sink in—even as you are letting go of it. Happiness is like a beautiful wild animal watching from the edge of a forest. If you try to grab it, it will run away. But if you sit by your campfire and add some sticks to it, happiness will come to you, and stay.

4. Link it In Linking, you are simply conscious of both “negative” and “positive” material at the same time. For example, off to the side of awareness could be old feelings of being left out and unwanted (perhaps from a rocky childhood) while in the foreground of awareness are feelings of being liked and included by people at work. The brain naturally associates things together, so if you keep the positive material more prominent and intense in awareness, it will tend to soothe, ease, and even gradually replace the negative material.

It helps to use positive material that is matched in some way to the negative material. To identify the specific psychological resources that will be especially effective with particular issues, I Omtimes.com

use the framework of the three basic human needs.

For example, challenges to safety are often indicated by a sense of anxiety, anger, powerlessness, or trauma—and a sense of calm or grit can really help with these. Challenges to our need for satisfaction are frequently experienced as frustration, disappointment, drivenness, addiction, blahness, or boredom. Feeling thankful, awestruck, or already contented are well-matched to these issues.

Challenges to connection can be experienced as loneliness, resentment, or inadequacy—and feeling either caring or cared about is a wonderful relief, since love is love whether it is flowing in or out.

To link, you can start with something positive, such as the sense of a key resource. While having that experience, you can bring to mind some negative material for which it would be good medicine. Or, you can start with something that is uncomfortable, stressful, or harmful, such as a lot of anxiety before giving a presentation.

After letting your feelings be as long as you like and then letting

go of them, you find positive material to replace what you released, such as a sense of calm from knowing that people are actually interested in hearing what you have to say.

If you get pulled into the negative, drop it and focus only on the positive. And remember that this step is optional: If the challenge you’re facing is too powerful, you can grow mental resources for addressing it through the first three HEAL steps alone.

A core of happiness Going on a dangerous hike, we know that we need to bring food and other supplies. The same is true when traveling the road of life. We need psychological supplies, such as courage and generosity, in our neural “backpack.”

To fill up your backpack, be mindful of which particular need—safety, satisfaction, or connection—is at stake in the challenges of your life.

Deliberately call upon your inner strengths related to meeting that need. Then, as you experience mental resources, you can reinforce them in your nervous system.

As you grow these strengths and become more resilient, you will feel less anxiety and irritation, less disappointment and frustration, and less loneliness, hurt, and resentment. And when the waves of life come at you, you’ll meet them with more peace, contentment, and love in the core of your being.

This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC). Based at UC Berkeley, the GGSC studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. He’s been an invited speaker at NASA, Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and other major universities, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. Forrest Hanson is a writer, business consultant, and editor of Eusophi. A UC Berkeley graduate focusing on political linguistics and social theory, he has worked in one of the world’s leading PR firms.

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MAGAZINE

June B 2018 Contributors Writers

Alan Cohen Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac Ascending Hearts Cathedral of the Soul Crystal Presence John Holland Judi Lynch Linda Bloom Rachel Horton White Rick & Forrest Hanson Sandie Sedgbeer Shakti World Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari

46 38, 108 94 50 120 42 124 74 56 128 24 102 116

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