Josephine Decker Aug B Issue
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CONTENTS SPIRITUALITY 46
86
GET BACK ON YOUR PATH OF PURPOSE
52 THE POWER OF HO'PONOPONO
HEALTH AND HEALING 40
SHOULD WE ABIDE BY THE CODEX FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING?
+
Jerry O'Connell
METAPHYSICS
SPOTLIGHT SHIRLEY
88
THE POWER OF THE PHOENIX
INTERVIEW BY LIANE BUCK
92
4 SPIRITUAL RITUALS TO HELP YOUR FUTURE
Cover Photo Courtesy of Neon
98
WHAT DEATH CAN TEACH US ABOUT CHANGING THE WORLD
RELATIONSHIPS 80 74
THE HIDDEN COST OF IGNORING OUR EMOTIONS
OMLIVING 60 PANDEMIC AND HIGHER THOUGHT
3 WAYS TO OVERCOME GRATITUDE FATIGUE
PERSONAL GROWTH 104
10 LIFE HACKS FOR THE “NEW NORMAL” IN THE PANDEMIC
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August 2020 Issue B
AUGUST B EDITION
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PERSONAL GROWTH
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102
METAPHYSICS
72 RELATIONSHIPS
SPIRITUALITY
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Writers
Robyn M Fritz
Kathy Biehl
Greer Jonas
Lisa Shaw
Liane Buck
Sharon Sayler
Marcia Sirota MD.
Judi Lynch
Anu Dayal-Gulati
John Holland
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Shirley Bril The lian ce o f
Joseph ine Dec ker
OMTimes
OMTIMES
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Exclusive Inte rview
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Shirley THE FACE OF AUDACIOUS FILMMAKING
Shirley is a 2020 American biographical drama film, directed by Josephine Decker, from a screenplay by Sarah Gubbins, based upon the novel of the same name by Susan Scarf Merrell. It stars Elisabeth Moss as novelist Shirley Jackson. It also stars Michael Stuhlbarg, Odessa Young and Logan Lerman. Martin Scorsese serves as an executive producer.
OMTimes was fortunate to sit down with Josephine Decker to talk about her new movie, Shirley, her career, her art, and her dreams.
Josephine Decker is an American actor,
filmmaker, and performance artist. She has directed four feature films: the experimental psychological thriller Butter on the Latch (2013), the experimental erotic thriller Thou Wast Mild and Lovely (2014) both premiered at the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival; also the experimental drama Madeline's Madeline (2018), and the semi-biographical thriller Shirley (2020). She also explores collaborative storytelling via T.V. directing, documentary making, performance art, accordion playing, acting, teaching, and leading artist residencies with the School of Making Thinking. She also co-directed the documentary Bi the Way (2008) with Brittany Blockman. The Movie Madeline's Madeline, Josephine's earlier film, premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and Berlin film festival in early 2018 and was nominated for best picture at Independent Filmmaker Project's Gotham Awards and for two Film Independent Spirit Awards
Josephine is also an actress in many independent films, including Joe Swanberg's Uncle Kent, Onur Tukel's Richard's Wedding, Saturday Morning Mystery, the romantic tragedy Loves Her Gun, and Stephen Cone's critically lauded drama film Black Box in 2013. In November 2015, Josephine Decker served on the Jury of the 33rd Torino Film Festival. The Italian festival had already paid tribute to her work in the Onde section of the 2014 edition. Her most recent film, Shirley, was released in June by Neon, and premiered in the U.S at Dramatic Competition at Sundance, where it received the Special Jury Award for Auteur Filmmaking. Recently named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Josephine Decker premiered her first two narrative features at the Berlinale Forum 2014 and theatrically in NYC. OMTIMES
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OMTimes: So, let us start with the first question What moved you to create this non-biopic movie based on one of the many versions of the real person of the writer Shirley Jackson? What tickled you to create this movie? Josephine Decker: Yes. Well, the script was written by Sarah Gubbins, and I was really attracted to it. She had written a terrific script, and I didn't know that much about Shirley's real life at the time. I had read her fiction, and so really, the main reason I wanted to work on it was the chance to go deep into Shirley's writing and try to create a film that felt like you were entering a Shirley Jackson story. OMTimes: That's interesting. The movie is like seeing a corresponding reality, and you see the people. You see, they are living their lives, but there is a network of things working in the parallel existence that's overflowing. So, how do you classify? I know you are incredibly creative. You have your own voice, and I actually took the liberty and saw your other movie. OMTIMES
I noticed that you wear the language, something about the way you direct things.The eye of the observer. How would you classify your artistic genre, your style of directing? Shirley is a noteworthy movie, while it is a work of fiction, a non-biopic creation. At the same time, it seems to have a Documovie vibe. Why is that? Josephine Decker: You know, I think I really prioritize performance. I think I love being in the moment with the actors and so I have chosen a method – at least for my last film – of directing that allows me to be very present with them. It means giving the Cinematographer a lot of freedom to be performing with the actors and moving with them, being in conversation with them so that the camera, and the eye through which you're seeing the film, is breathing and is filled with life and is responsive to the environment.
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That was, I think, a big contributor to why my films feel the way they do. Because, otherwise, it is really just trying to hire really wonderful people and let them do what they do really well and let them teach me in a way. I love to learn from my co-workers and be incredibly open and collaborative with them so that they can kind of fill the movie with their vision, too. So, it is really a process of conversation, I guess, it's my style of directing. OMTimes: It seems that all the independent movies are always in a constant process of flow, of unfolding, of improving and of endless editing (Of course, it must be a nightmare when you edit). How do you know when a project is done? Do you have guidelines or rules for that, or do you or play by ear?
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Josephine Decker: On previous films – oh, my gosh – I would just torture myself, and I could go on forever and ever. In this film, we had a deadline that was defined by not me but by the producers. They were very flexible, so I think the deadline was the right deadline. It was kind of the time when the audience was doing a lot of test screening. It was kind of when people seemed to feel that their experience of watching the film – they were "I don't know how you could improve this" – and stopped having notes. That was a good thing. OMTimes: Most of your films have a theme of the dance between Light and Darkness. In Shirley, we have a very instinctual motion picture, madness and seduction seem to be the shadow dance. I think the most horrifying and seductive aspect of the movie is that the audience cannot pinpoint the level of manipulation because all the characters are so profoundly and eccentric deceiving. |AUGUST B
Can you talk a bit about this element of strangeness and Loneliness of every character? Josephine Decker: Well, some of that we try to bring out on set when we're shooting. We will do a lot of work, seeing if the presence of the actors can find their own spontaneous and unpredictable performances.
But, then, also actually go into the edit. In the edit, we try to really refine the performance that happened in front of the camera. Then there's the performance that's put together in the edit, and in the edit, what we're trying to do is choose maybe the most unpredictable way of putting together the scene so that you kind of don't know what's going to happen next. But it feels that you are always excited to see what could happen next, so it's not random.
OMTimes: That's for sure. Most of your movies are very feminine. The energy of the feminine is powerful, and the womanly in all aspects, all those nuances, all the degrees are spherically feminine. Based on that, would you say that the female and male characters are alike in some ways? Despite their societal and age differences, both are like notes in a symphony, because the movie plays a lot like music: a symphony of Loneliness, of invisible women. They're undervalued and, in a way, tormented and haunted. What are the similarities between those two characters?
It doesn't feel like so crazy what you're seeing, but there's a level of unpredictability that also feels inevitable. You have to bring those two things together and allow your characters to be very much themselves. Also, be unpredictable so that the viewer is excited to see what could happen next.
Josephine Decker: Yes. Well, you know what's interesting, we tried to have the two characters really reflect the characters in Shirley's own writing. When Shirley writes, she often has two female characters, one of whom is sort of misanthropic. One character has a terrific sense of humor and is brilliant.
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The other is, in a way, conforming to societal expectations. She's good at baking, very generous, human, has a light spirit, gets on well with men. Her Biographer talks about this kind of dynamic of these two quite different female characters. In a lot of Shirley's work, as being two sides of her own consciousness that Shirley was working with, and these women blend into one person. So, in a way, I think they are very different on the outside and the inside. I think what you are picking up is that they are very similar. We even tried to work with the costumes and makeup to sort of seeing that where Shirley starts in the movie, kind of disheveled and unable to get out of bed, is where Rose is towards the end of the film when she's just had her baby. She totally has not brushed her hair in a month and can't leave the house. They flip-flop places. They have something inherently in the center of them that's similar. Josephine Decker
OMTimes: How was your experience in selecting the actors that would portray such rich and densely disturbed characters? Are you peculiar in your process of choosing them, what do you first look for in an actor/ actress? How do you pick them? Is there anything unique that you look for, or do you have a wish list? Josephine Decker: You have to pick great actors. You cannot do too much when you don't have a great actor. In this movie, we got incredibly lucky. We just had the best actors ever. I cannot believe we got Elizabeth Moss to play Shirley and Odessa Young to be Rose, and she did such a great job of making Rose so complicated. Then Michael Stuhlbarg is one of the greatest actors. He is just one of the greatest actors of all time. He is so wildly good. Then, Logan Lerman playing Fred. He is also just a super patient and an open person. I feel like across the board, we had just terrific actors. Yes, you try to find the person who fits the role and who instinctively feels right for the part. If it is a fit, they're usually excited, too, and they bring all their magic.
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OMTimes: "Shirley "is a movie with a lot of soft details that give glimpses into the haunted mind of Shirley Jackson. These subtleties play well to a more artistic inclined public. They are very delicate threads that make the spectator oscillate between madness and seduction. Was that done on purpose, following a framework, or it was just something that started flowing naturally, as the result of a spontaneous creative process? Josephine Decker: Yes, I know what you mean. We did both. We were trying to be very in the moment and responding to the performers and to the environment. We obviously had our intentions, and then we tried to bring those to life but also tried to go with what wanted to unfold. So, there was a lot of spontaneity and presence, but it was also about trying to make sure that we had fulfilled our dreams for the scene. That we felt that we had, hopefully, exceeded our own expectations. I think it gets back to that unpredictable element that we were talking about earlier.
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Josephine Decker: That's so great. I think that is a beautiful metaphor that you brought up – the song. I feel that music is a big inspiration for me for filmmaking. OMTimes: Shirley, as a character, is sometimes witchy, sometimes mystical, but always totally eerie. As a creator of this non-biopic tale, would you say that your version of Shirley has real prophetic qualities, or is everything part of her "mise en scene" as a horror writer? Josephine Decker: Oh. I think a lot of connecting with the beyond or with spirit is about your intention, and I think in the movie, she is trying to be really tapped into her own subconscious and listening to herself. I think the reason that the I 'Ching or Tarot Cards are so effective is that they ask you a very open-ended question that then you get to put to Sometimes in editing, we have to be very, very yourself. So, I think Shirley is opening. She's intentional about how we lay things out so that working very hard to work her magic, mostly on the audience does feel there's the symphony of herself. She's trying to open up a part of herself so details that is ramping up and building so that that her story can come out. So, I think the magic certain notes are ringing again and again; so that that Shirley is really doing in the film is really the the ending really feels like the climax to the film magic of the creative process. It's the magic of as a whole. unleashing her own imagination and of using the tools around her to make that happen. Using, or OMTimes: That is remarkably interesting maybe abusing, the tools around her to make that because the movie has a rhythm of its own. happen. Yes, so I think she's witchy in the way that I do not know if it is because I really was into artists are witchy. Artists are very much the the movie. It's kind of creepy, and I'm Shamans of our time. not really a horror type of person. Still, I noticed that there is actually a little OMTimes: Oh, I agree with you, 100%. Now tell us coordination between the playing of the a little bit more personal about yourself. You have music in the background and the lighting, been on the circuit of Independent movies and and how the angles of the characters move the Production of Documentaries for a while. You into and between the scenes. You may say are also an actress: How these experiences that this was completely natural, but it played a role in the making of Shirley, from looks like it was almost like a symphony. production design to the directing? I really liked the movie.
Josephine Decker: I think that everything you ever do in your life prepares you for directing. The beautiful thing about directing is you have to do everything: Communicating across all the departments, which are the camera, the costumes, the actors – very importantly – hair and makeup, the production design, the coloring at the end of the film, the sound, the editing, the music. There are so many aspects so, I think almost anything in life is preparing you for one of those things. Maybe just living a very crazy story helps you become a better storyteller. So, for me, acting for sure supported me in understanding how to be just really honest with actors about what I know and what I don't know, or what I see and feel more comfortable in talking to actors. Having been an actor, not very much, but just sometimes, feeling like it opened me up to be a bit freer. There are lots of ways of communicating. There is not a right way to direct an actor. It is more about like you just have to make sure you're communicating with them, and then to help them feel safe. When I was in High School, I loved photography, I played music really seriously when I was a kid. I think that has had a significant impact on me, too, in terms of how I direct. OMTimes: That's fantastic. Well, you mentioned two things. You said Tarot Cards. You mentioned the I 'Ching. Do you use one of those yourself? Josephine Decker: I use Tarot Cards sometimes. Yes, me and my best friend, Ruby, we love to read them for each other, even at long distances.
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OMTimes: Another thing I meaning to ask you is: Do you have a ritual, self-centering, that helps you with your daily work and help you create? Josephine Decker: I started meditating. I started practicing Zen Buddhism in 2011, so I think that really affected my work so much. When I started practicing Zen Buddhism, I started practicing meditation, so I try to have meditation be a part of my life. I have a baby now. She is eight months old, so I do not have as much time exactly. I think that is its own meditation. So, she, in a way, now, is my spiritual practice. I grew up Christian, and I still go to church sometimes, and I also practice Zen Buddhism. OMTimes: Oh, that's awesome. I don't think that Buddhism is actually a religion. I believe that is where I started. I am that weirdo that believed that all paths go to the same place. Do you cultivate any spiritual practice, an if so, what is its impact on your creative process of work? Josephine Decker: No. Well, I like to make up rituals with my friends. I help run an Artists' Residency, sometimes,called The School of Making Thinking, and we do a lot of rituals there. I think ritual is beautiful and a superimportant part of life, and I wish that I did more of it, but I love the rituals that I have been part of. Some of those are ancient ones, and some of them are ones that we just make up for each other at this Artists' Residency, which is nice.
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OMTimes: There is an element in rituals that's marks rites of passage. I see things from this perspective, it's almost like a Shamanic thing –an Aboriginal element. You sing to existence each day of what is in your head. You sing into existence because you have to bring it in. First, it forms in your mind, and you know you as a Shamanic storytelling master, the way you will tell that story that you brought into existence. That's a ritual. In this movie, you have a lot of rites of passage. I want a lot of people to see the film, but that's the thing. I think it's fantastic.
With equal opportunities that more people in America get the chance to really thrive and that all of us can come into the present. You know I had a great meditation teacher who said: "Love is really seeing someone clearly," and I wish we could really see each other very clearly right now. We don't really see each other very clearly, and if we could just see each other clearly, there would be a lot more love going on.
Do you have any spiritual vision for the world today? What would you change if you could? Josephine Decker: Vision for the world. What a beautiful question. I feel fortunate that I get to have the freedom to have a spiritual life that I have the time to. I wish that we had a country that has more equality – income equality – and less income discrimination and racial discrimination. OMTIMES
The Movie Shirley is available On Demand Everywhere.
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Health & Wellness
Innovative new approaches to Healing as well as holistic methods for dealing with health issues and personal growth
Why Abide by a Spiritual Code for Healing? The 7 vital Mandates to Practice Spiritual Work By Humanity Healing
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
T
he universe has summoned
Below we listed some of the rules
us to step into our healing
that need to be followed:
mode, wear our shamanic "garments," and to
1. BALANCE
consciously take part in our own evolution. Energetically we are all
Keeping up with your spiritual self is
being called to do our part.
essential for doing spiritual work, but balance is needed. We cannot leave
The classic shamanic archetype is
the material world to live only on the
one of the significant approaches
spiritual side of life. Excess can create
that is becoming animated in the
decompensation that can damage
collective psyche of our species at
a person's life. Spiritual and material
these trying times. Our spiritual life
work are two parts of a whole.
needs attention. We need to know
Neither side can prevail. The rule is
how to follow some rules for when we
to have balance and look forward to
do Spiritual Work. It is necessary to
always keep the middle way.
have the right concentration and to be ready to perform our healings and
2. CONSTANCY
prayers. To do this, with competency and aptitude, We need to follow some
It is necessary to respect the natural
directives that should never be left
order of things. One cannot seek
aside when practicing healing or
to do spiritual work in search of
spiritual work.
superpowers without first being aware of what is taking place. New
Healing works through a kind of
Skills come naturally at the right
detox: things have got to come up
time, and you must wait for them.
to be released. That is true of our
To be real, the aptitude developed
personal issues, and our collective
in spiritual work must be received
issues. We can't just push the
and not generated only by our will.
darkness down, pour pink paint over
We are a conduit of compassion, not
it, and then pretend it's not there. We
avatars of power.
have to look at it, accept that it exists and then release it for healing. Marianne Williamson
3. DISCERNMENT AND MODERATION
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
To be able to do spiritual work correctly,
with family members and coworkers
we cannot rely solely on the opinion
unnecessarily. Impulsivity in the esoteric
of others. We need to have our self-
world is also harmful. Full entry into
discernment and restraint during our
spiritual work can ruin your future in
development. During initiation, this
this world.
support is necessary, but it is essential to mature and continue to gain knowledge. Evolution and learning are
6. TOLERANCE AND RELAXATION
processes that never end. One should not act with rigidity. Upon
4. HUMILITY
receiving more information, the person who is starting the learning of Spiritual
One of the fundamental rules for anyone
Healing may believe that his mind is
who wants to do spiritual work is to be
expanding and therefore becoming less
humble. We can never judge our work
tolerant. There is a temptation to want
is superior to that of others. Esotericism
to force others to accept your ideas and
is opposite to the feeling of superiority.
ways of conduct. Entering this state
Humility is essential to be a perfect
limits the ability you were gaining and
conduit of Healing energy. It is a divine
even reduced the awareness you had
gift, and you are just the intermediary
already achieved. Beware of this tricky
vehicle of the healing.
state of mind.
At the deepest level, the creative process
7. CONCENTRATION
and the healing process arise from a single source. When you are an artist, you
One cannot lose concentration while
are a healer; a wordless trust of the same
doing spiritual work. The study and
mystery is the foundation of your work
practices do not accept dispersions
and its integrity. Rachel Naomi Remen
and distractions. Performing these
5. SERENE SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
activities without deepening and concentrating generates a false idea of ​​ knowing. The real knowledge lies in the understanding of what surrounds us
Never take inconsequential actions.
and understanding the complex reality
The impulse can break relationships
we live in.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
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.
Get Back on Your Path of Purpose By John Holland
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
I
n recent days, I talked about a
Now imagine that there's a big funnel
powerful technique I learned
starting to form on top of your head,
while studying in England. My
reaching out into the universe. Think of
tutors taught me how to move
it as a vortex of energy reaching upward.
away from feeling down and low
Let your awareness constantly flow
during challenging times and to
up and out of your head and into this
"think up," so I could get back on the
funnel above you. All the information
path of clarity and purpose. If you
you want can be brought to you.
are feeling anything like me, then as we move through this particularly
Now reach up with your mind, as if
challenging time with COVID, it's so
you're floating and blending with this
important to deal with any fears and
brilliant white light. Slowly merge
anxieties and to start to get back on
yourself into this space as you continue
your path of purpose. So, what better
to reach up and out of your body with
time than right now!
your mind. Take a few moments with this energy and feel what it's like to
Here's an exercise to help you
be calm and centered, to be one with
connect with your higher
your Higher Mind. Use this time of pure
consciousness. You will even be able
clarity to cleanse your mind.
to ask questions for a little extra It's time now to ask a question. For
guidance. Let us begin:
example: Sit in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and relax. Now I want
• What do I need to understand about
you to bring your awareness to
an old issue or past challenge that's
the bottom of your feet. Let your
surfacing during this pandemic and
breath assist you in transferring
causing anxiety?
the relaxing energy up through the
• What do I need to know regarding
bottom of your feet. Slowly work your
my job security or career and the
way up to your calves, your thighs,
future path to take?
your abdomen, your chest, your
• How can I best communicate with
fingers, your hands, your arms, your
a loved one that I'm having trouble
shoulders, your neck, your face …
getting along within such close
right to the top of your head.
quarters?
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
You can also ask if there's something
This technique can be used anytime
that your intuition has been trying to
you need it—especially during
tell you. Ask your Higher Mind how you
stressful times like this when you
can be more receptive when it's trying
may need an intuitive solution. Try
to communicate with you, so you're
to get into the habit of shifting up
able to truly get back on your path of
and accessing your Higher Mind at
purpose.
least once a day. With practice, you'll be able to seek insightful guidance
Ask one question at a time and wait
anytime you need it.
for a response. Take whatever answers come to you—may be a symbol, words,
Once you've tried this technique, I'd
or even a feeling.
love to hear how it went. Do share your thoughts on my Facebook
It's now time to bring your awareness
community, so others can try as well.
back into your body. Slowly take a
Equally, if you want to share this
breath and let it assist you in coming
newsletter with anyone you think
back to the present. Feel yourself
may appreciate this message, feel
shifting down into your body, entering
free to share this Soul Inspirations
through the open funnel. Move your
Series or recommend they join our
fingers and toes and gently open your
community.
eyes to become fully aware of your body and the room around you.
Live a Soul-filled life!
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
The Power of
Ho’oponopono!
By Cathedral of The Soul
Ho’oponopono is an ancient Hawaiian technique that promotes healing energy, forgiveness, and reconciliation. In its original language, “Ho'o” means “cure,” and “ponopono” means “to straighten, to fix,” that is, the addition and translation of both words say “to correct a mistake” or “ repair an error.”
The focus of this practice is to resolve painful issues from a past that is still present in a person's heart, mind, and spirit so that they can achieve a state of genuine peace.
THE POWER OF THE FOUR PHRASES OF THE HO’OPONOPONO
The ancient Hawaiians claim that the source of an error is fixed in thoughts engulfed by painful memories or traumas that have left their mark on people's emotional bodies. Freud said in "The Theory of the Unconscious" that people are ruled by the unconscious most of the time - and it is in the unconscious that our memories are always present. OMTIMES | Aug B
With this information, we understand that all our attitudes and decisions are made by the influences of situations in our past. With this, the Hawaiian technique of Ho'oponopono has appeared so that we can release all the negative energy from evil thoughts and remove all past mistakes that commonly harm us and affect our balance. It is a practice that releases the past, cleans that present, and Inspires the future. Ho'oponopono's focus is to help human beings to realize that all problems are like holographic memories that are repeated from a pattern emanating from the unconscious and that, with this perception, each individual can free themselves from these bonds.
Practice breaks mental obstacles, clears the memories that are disconnected from the health of the body, and makes our mind experience the happiness that we should experience today. What are Ho'oponopono's phrases, and what do they mean?
The phrases of this technique are: “I'm sorry,” “forgive me,” “I love you” and “I am grateful.” They serve to initiate the process of spiritual cleansing, the cleaning of the dubious memories that may imprison a person. Check out the meaning of each one:
-
The Benefits of Ho’oponopono.
“This force is unlimited. It is always moving and always flowing. The ancient Hawaiians, the Kahunas, used the metaphor of the flow of a running stream to represent the divine force.” Wayne Dyer
OMTIMES | AUG B
Practicing Ho’oponopono means that you will heal your mind of all the patterns of behavior provided by past wounds. The repetition of phrases that are part of the technique offers a proper understanding, acceptance, forgiveness, and many other benefits.
The Four phrases of Ho’oponopono 01
- I'M SORRY:
when you verbalize that phrase, you take responsibility for your current situation and acknowledge that some events from the past have settled in your memory. The act of recognizing shows that you are ready to change!
02
- FORGIVE ME:
when asking for forgiveness, you automatically ask for forgiveness from yourself and from the great Creator, so that He helps you to get rid of these recurring memories within you. Thus, you will be freed from these problems that are holding you back!
03
- I LOVE YOU:
this phrase carries with it immense power because, from the moment you release love, you allow it to return to your being. When you say “I love you,” you say that you love your memories and remembrances, and you are still grateful to be able to release each one of them and also to release your traumatized memories. Love is, has always been and always will be the best means of reconnecting with our inner sanctuary, and it is love who manages to transform and recover the energy that until then was clogged and blocked.
OMTIMES | Aug B
04
- I AM GRATEFUL:
Gratitude represents the end of cycles and trust in the Creator, regardless of what He is to you. We must be thankful that the subconscious makes clearing and healing all these bad memories timely. How to practice Ho’oponopono?
It's very simple! You do not need a mentor or help from anyone. You should be alone, at least for the first few days of practice. You can verbalize or mentalize the phrases. Connect with yourself, think about the memories of the past that left a mark on you and verbalize or mentalize with intention the four phrases mentioned above. In each of them, you need to focus all your feeling so that your subconscious releases each one of these traumas and memories that are repeated in your life. The power is in the intention and emotion you put in when you repeat the sentences. If your name is Maria, say to yourself (verbalizing it): "Maria, I'm sorry, forgive me, I love you, I'm grateful." If you want to forgive someone, use that person's name before each sentence. It is worth emphasizing again: the power of this ceremony relies on the intention that comes from your heart to break free from past hurt.
“There is a beautiful forgiveness practice I love, which is quite simple. It is called "Ho'oponopono" (pronounced: ho-o-pono-pono), and it is a lot easier to do than it is to say. It is a Kahuna Hawaiian technique, which involves repeating four phrases internally toward yourself or the person whom you're having a hard time forgiving.� Marci Shimoff
OMTimes Magazine Relax… Let your worries drift away into the moment… OMTimes is a free publication and can be delivered right to your inbox… Subscribe at: Free OMTimes Subscription Visit our website at: www.omtimes.com
OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle
Pandemic and Higher Thought by Arthur Telling
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
I
n this time of the Coronavirus
At this time in the year 2020, the
pandemic, spiritual knowledge is
return of the disease in epidemic
critical for coming to understand
proportions identified as Corona
and heal the body and Mind.
Virus or COVID-19in unbelievable.
It is critical now for Science to
Science must stop blocking the
seriously look at presently taboo
wealth of information conveyed
metaphysical sources and more
over the centuries to humans from
thoroughly comprehend the nature
the spirit worlds that we who are
of the infectious disease, how it
unrestrained by the conventional
actually spreads, and why it enters the
thought refer to as astral and mental
mainstream reality.
planes.
Science vs. Metaphysics
The Jane Roberts/Seth Material, a paranormal source of information
The world is not what it appears. There
recorded in the last century and
are no solid objects; consciousness is
popular still today, says it is clear and
the foundation of everything.
precise terms: “What exists physically exists first in thought and feeling.” —
Science is wrong at the foundation
The Nature of Personal Reality, a Seth
level. Man is not subject to
book.
environmental events generally outside of his control. Quite the contrary, he is a master of his
The Nature of Communicable Disease
environment. But he doesn’t know it, for he is duped by the allure of
All being consciousness, our daily
the colorful objects, sounds, and
experiences are driven by our
sensations of the world, Spiritualism
thoughts and emotions, individually
as philosophical doctrine is out of
and en masse. When our thoughts
favor in the present-day conventional
go awry, we open ourselves to
realm, so evidence of there being the
disease; it is a crucial warning
life of a non-physical nature is denied.
post that we need to change our
Information that could be useful,
thoughts. A pandemic evidences
even critical to Science, is taboo, and
the whole society as needing such
is excluded.
adjustments in the extreme. OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
Answers Found Within
When a society, through medical efforts, sees a cure or control of the
The entire nature of scientific
mass illness outbreak, our thoughts
examination is wrong because the
change. We come to trust the remedy.
foundation belief is wrong. We are
If we believe it works, then, by the
subject to disease appearing from
nature and functioning of the process
our inner thoughts. To look to the
of reality, it will work. If we believe
outer world for answers may be
social distancing works, then it will
useful because, in doing so, we are
appear to be working. If we believe
automatically and unknowingly
face masks will work, then they will
changing our thoughts. But we risk
appear to be working. But, as the
also going far astray, even to make
Master said: “We must truly believe.�
matters worse through this ignorance.
We must honestly believe something
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
is true, and then all things are
a correction. Our reaction now will
possible. There are no limitations
be critical in determining our short-
because all is consciousness, all is
term fates and long-term health,
Mind. Limitations arise when we are
individually and communally.
unable to overcome the confining beliefs of our surrounding world.
The process of learning the
The contagion of the pandemic is
elementary basics of the nature of
through transmission by thought
reality may be slow. The world will
and emotion. And all being
most certainly need the physical
consciousness, we are everywhere
crutch of “placebos” through the
connected. A “virus” could thus
designs of modern medicine and
jump unrestrained from one
the established religions, a means
continent to another, that is, when
of tricking the Mind into shaking off
our thoughts have a common
negative beliefs. But there is never a
element of communication
better time than now for setting foot
between differing peoples. Driving
on the path leading to a knowledge
the pandemic is apathy, despair,
of the deeper levels.
hopelessness, and fear. Science will observe the structural changes in
Arthur Telling has written many
consciousness as mutating viruses.
stories and articles on religion,
The pattern will appear the same, as
philosophy, and metaphysics.
though a virus is spreading through
His article, “A Different Jesus
some outward means. Yet, all that
Message,” appeared in the Nov.
is observable to Science originate in
2011 AMORC Rosicrucian Digest.
Mind.
Telling is author of nine books,
Resolving the Pandemic
including a new joint release with writer and philosopher Chirag Patel: “Seekers and Speakers:
The illness “in fashion” permeating
Learning to Walk Your Own Path.”
the world today has emerged
His website: www.arthurtelling.
because things have gone very
com and Facebook page
wrong already, in politics and
“Philosophy for a Modern Era:
religion and the sciences, all. It
www.facebook.com/philo30
comes as a warning and catalyst for OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
Relationships The interconnectiveness 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.
3 Ways to Overcome Gratitude Fatigue OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
T
he familiar ritual of keeping
routine like this, instead of making
a gratitude journal is a
daily lists, is a highly effective way
beautiful way of staying
to bring your full attention back to
connected to the positives
the act of appreciation and thanks.
of life, especially in difficult times.
On the days you write, look back at
But as time goes on, jotting down
what’s unfolded in your life and list
quick, regular notes such as “grateful
just four or five things for which you’re
for friends; today’s pretty sunset; and
thankful. Think particularly about
finding that amazing chicken recipe”
events or experiences that surprised
may not bring you the sparking,
you—they’re a reminder of how many
uplifting feeling of gratitude that it
forms the gifts of life can take. Record
once did.
them in detail, filling your list with particulars vivid enough to let you
If you find yourself going through the
relish them later when you reread your
motions in your gratitude practice and
entries.
feel less able to see and appreciate the unexpected gifts that life continually
2. Reconnect with the three
offers, you may have “gratitude
elements that lead to gratitude. First,
fatigue.” Researchers like Robert
says researcher Emmons, gratitude
Emmons, who study gratitude and
takes acknowledgment (Look!
its many positive effects, say that is
Something wonderful happened.
because our brains adapt to positive
What a gift!). Second, the recognition
feelings and quiet our response to
that goodness comes from outside
them as time goes on.
of you (I didn’t will it, ask for it, earn it, or make it happen. It happened
So, how do you reconnect with the
independent of me.). And third, a
joy that gratitude can bring? Here are
feeling of benevolence (This event or
three ways to reawaken yourself to the
experience that was set in motion by
unexpected goodness that’s flowing
something outside me has a benefit
your way:
for me.).
1. Choose just two times a week to
When you open yourself to seeing how
record the positive events in your
often you experience these elements,
life. Researchers say switching to a
you enter an almost magical-seeming
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
realm full of gifts and appreciation
dazzling when you slow down and give
waiting to be received with a thankful
yourself the eyes to see it.
heart. As difficult as life may be, sometimes, it is also strewn with
3. Write a gratitude letter. Gratitude
benevolence that can seem almost
comes alive when it is expressed
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
directly and warmly. Consider not
a difference. What you did for me
just noticing the gifts and kindnesses
changed my life.� And in saying them,
coming your way but expressing your
you not only feel your gratitude anew,
appreciation directly to those who
but you also offer it as a gift and send
have helped you - especially people
it into the world.
who may not know they’ve left a lasting imprint. It can be a heartopening exercise to look back and think about those actions - large or small - that have eased your way, helped you turn a corner, or perhaps kept you going when you were struggling. Perhaps a coworker pulled up a chair when you were eating lunch alone at your desk just to keep your company; an acquaintance made an introduction that led you onto a new path, or a teacher encouraged you to believe in yourself. Start by choosing one person and writing them a one-page letter telling them what their kindness meant to you and how it affected your life for the better. A gratitude letter can have positive and lasting effects on both you and the recipient, and delivering such a letter in person can be particularly powerful, allowing you to convey your warm feelings with a smile or a laugh (or with tears and a hug). Some of the most resonant and important words you can tell anyone are: “Thank you. You made
Charles Garfield is a psychologist and bestselling author who lives in Northern California. His new book Our Wisdom Years: Growing Older with Joy, Fulfillment, Resilience, and No Regrets, features many gratitude practices and guidance for keeping the feeling of gratitude alive in daily life.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Our Emotions by Anu Dayal-Gulati
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
W
hen we are made
It’s ironic, really. We connect with
to feel “wrong”
others by mirroring appropriate
for the emotions
responses—for instance, when we
we experience,
talk with others, we respond to
we disconnect not only from those
sadness with consoling words, and to
sentiments but consequently from
gestures of friendship with warmth
ourselves and all that lies within us. The
and smiles—and yet we’ve been
result is a blend of loneliness, stress,
trained to disengage from our own
overwhelm, guilt, and struggle. When
feelings.
we learn to process and engage with our emotions instead of judging or
The depth of disconnection
ignoring them, we can reconnect and reintegrate those disjointed pieces of
By disconnecting from the
ourselves. Emotions are a gift, a guide,
original pain that prompted such
reminding us who we are every step of
admonitions as “Suck it up,” we also
the way… if we only listen.
begin to disconnect from ourselves. We stop trusting ourselves because
At some point in our lives, we might
we’ve stopped trusting our feelings,
have been told, “There’s no point getting
and, as we become deeply critical of
so emotional!” Or perhaps, “You should
ourselves, our self-esteem starts to
get over it!” Or maybe even, “Suck it up!”
erode and become fragile.
If we hear these messages often
The voice inside us starts expressing
enough, we might start to internalize
its discomfort:
them. We might begin to believe them. We might start to think that there is
• “I feel like an outsider!”
something wrong with us for feeling
• “I feel invisible!”
what we feel.
• “I have no right to be angry!” • “I don’t belong in this family!”
The overarching theme here is that
• “I should be done grieving!”
we are supposed to ignore or suppress our emotions. There is a cost to this
The more attention we give to these
practice, however, and the price to be
cries, the more stressed, lonely, and
paid is high.
overwhelmed we become. Mired in OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
self-doubt, we start wondering whether
As we remove ourselves further and
we should be feeling this way. We
further from our real feelings and our
can’t tell what lies behind our anger.
pain, we are more likely to try and fill
We don’t know what our sadness is
the void through overeating, retail
underneath. We don’t know why joy
therapy, or even more destructive
seems elusive. We struggle with taking
diversions. All because we have
care of other people’s feelings while
been raised to believe that there’s
ignoring our own. We feel guilty for
something wrong with us if we were to
feeling the way we do.
tend to our feelings. OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
Our emotions are a gift
been our North Star, remaining the same for thousands of years.
Our feelings, when welcomed rather than dismissed, are of benefit to us.
If we want to come back into
They are sending us a message about
alignment with who we are, we need
ourselves. They are the compass of our
to stop judging our feelings and, so,
soul. While cultures keep changing,
ourselves. All emotions—even the
borders keep changing, technology
“negative” ones—are a call to aligned
keeps changing… our emotions have
action. For instance, when we are
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
jealous of someone, it’s because they
then we can uncover its message and
have something that we want: it’s
decide what to do about it.
showing us what we desire in our lives. When we are angry, it’s because
By reconnecting with our feelings and
we perceive an injustice of some
listening to the insights they have to
kind: it’s showing us our morals and
share with us, we can start the journey
boundaries. Our emotions offer us a
of reconnecting with ourselves… and
call to aligned action.
regain peace, joy, and harmony in our
The process of reconnection
life. If we are looking to take action based
An easy way to begin the process of
on this insight, Wild Oat Flower essence
decoding our emotions is through
allows us to see a way forward. Working
journaling. The act of journaling
with the energy of our emotions helps
reduces the emotional charge and
us to reclaim the power we might have
allows us to express ourselves without
given away. We can see the higher
judgment. As we write, we may gain
truth of a situation and begin the
clarity on why we are feeling a certain
journey back to ourselves.
way. Other creative activities like art and music similarly allow us an
Anu Dayal-Gulati helps her clients
outlet for that primal need to express
create the life and relationships
ourselves.
they want by releasing the emotional imprints of the past.
Being in nature—whether it’s
A certified energy practitioner,
going for a walk or a run, camping,
specializing in family energy
kayaking, or hiking—also lowers
dynamics and emotional healing,
the intensity of whatever we’re
she uses safe, natural, flower
feeling. Once our emotional levels
essences to help her clients get
are more manageable, we can start
the results they want. Get her
to understand why we’re feeling
free guide to deciphering your
upset. Perhaps we can even name
emotions from her website, www.
the specific emotion. Are we bitter?
floweressencehealing.com, or follow
Sad? Hurt? Invalidated? And once we
her on Facebook and Instagram.
know more about what we’re feeling, OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
Metaphysics
The Power of the Phoenix By Judi Lynch
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
T
he legend of the
we can stand again, maybe even a
Phoenix symbolizes
little stronger and wiser than before.
transformation and
Getting back up might mean that
rebirth. Just like the sun,
we have to have the courage to be
which dies in the evening and rises
able to reach out to ask for assistance.
again in the morning, the Phoenix
Spiritual help and compassion from
is reborn anew from the ashes of its
others who have knowledge and
former self.
resources help us rebuild our broken
The Phoenix, like our souls, is immortal.
hearts and dreams. Ultimately we have to accept the situation in our soul’s evolution to fully understand the purpose of the journey.
We all can tap into the phoenix energy whenever we may feel
The Phoenix is an incredibly
defeated or deflated in life. The will
powerful totem to visualize during
to rise again is inherited in our soul’s
meditation. It brings in the sense of
heart if we can stop and listen to
renewal and cleansing of the soul.
our needs. There may be times in
We may be working very diligently
our life that we feel we might die,
on a forgiveness theme, learning
or that a part of us has died. Due
to forgive others, and forgiving
to the circumstances around us or
ourselves. Remembering that
feelings that overwhelm us, it can
negative situations can evolve into
seem that we have lost the power to
something better helps us to manifest
transform.
forgiveness in tune with our spiritual theme and needs. The Phoenix helps
To tap into the power of the
us release what we no longer want
Phoenix, we have to believe that
or need in our evolution and leads us
this ability is inside us. We have
into the next story in life. It helps us to
the energetic forces to build new
heal the hurt so that we may manifest
thoughts and ideas to help us heal
in a higher frequency of knowledge.
our brokenness into a new life. That our souls are stronger than
The appearance of the Phoenix has
any force which would try to knock
been described in many different
us down. We have to believe that
ways. The oldest description says
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
the bird had halo-lit by the sun.
of an ostrich, but some believe it is
Its colors have been accounted to
comparable to an eagle.
be bright, vibrant, or peacock-like, while others say it is red and yellow
In many stories told about the
with yellow eyes. The eyes have also
Phoenix, it is said that their tears can
been described to be incredibly
heal any wound and to raise the dead.
blue. Its size has been told to be that
In Asia, it is a symbol of feminine
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
grace and reigns over all other birds.
into action when we know we can rise
It is considered a good sign of a wise
up and begin again no matter what!
leader. The Egyptians had the Bennu, a bird that resembled a heron, which
Judi Lynch is a psychic medium,
played a role in their descriptions
intuitive counselor, healing channel,
of creation. The likeness of this bird
and author. She is president of the
can be found in ancient artifacts and
Crystal Healing Foundation, Inc., a
was a symbol of rebirth, wealth, and
501(c) spiritual charity and writer
fertility.
for OM Times Magazine. She has authored two books, Friends with
The Phoenix was also an ancient
Lights and Conscious Ascension
symbol in Christianity because it
and has read for clients all over the
represented resurrection and eternal
world. To learn more or contact for a
life. Many had this image carved onto
session see judilynch.com
their tombstones to express their faith and belief in the teachings of Jesus. It is also a symbol of magical powers, being a metaphysical wonder that can change shape and form, which has no beginning and no end, having great healing powers and knowledge. Create meditations that bring in the meta-power of this magical, mythical bird to help sacrifice worries, doubts, conditions, and situations to the fire. We can let them burn and be transformed into grace, understand,
Article description: The legend of the
courage, and ultimate healing. In
Phoenix symbolizes transformation
these visualizations, we have the gift
and rebirth. To tap into the power of
of accepting new thoughts, ideas,
the Phoenix, we have to believe that
and the wonder of creation. We can
this ability is inside us. The will to rise
change our physical lives, exercise
again is inherent in our soul’s heart if
faith into hope, shape our thoughts
we can stop and listen to our needs.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
4 Spiritual Rituals That Can Help You Understand Your Future by Brooke Chaplan OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
T
here are many ways
78 cards have fascinating stories
to utilize spiritual and
behind them, and the reading can
metaphysical resources
help show their connections to your
to determine your life's
life. Schedule an in-person or online
path. Rituals can help ground us
tarot reading and see what kind of
in the present, help us come to
possibilities could be awaiting you.
terms with our past, and even
Consider looking up the details of
determine our futures. Your future
what the tarot cards signify yourself
might not be something you can
online.
forecast accurately, but if you pay attention, it shouldn't catch you by
Psychic Readings
surprise too much. The decisions you make in the present inform
Clairvoyant readings can offer a
your future. There are also ways
lot of insight into what may lie in
you can better comprehend it
your future. A medium will ask
through spiritual means. These
questions about your life to gauge
are four spiritual rituals to give you
an understanding of you and give a
a better understanding of where
psychic reading. This could lead to
you might be heading. Whether
you receiving a stronger idea about
you have experience with tarot or
where you're headed. Nagging
prefer psychic readings. Or if you
matters of your past can be
have precognitive dreams, or are
resolved, and you can look forward
interested in palmistry, you will
to a much brighter future.
be able to better understand your future by looking into these rituals.
Tarot Readings
Dreaming Have you ever had dĂŠjĂ vu and traced it back to a dream? Your
While a tarot reading covers more
subconscious could've been onto
than just your future, it can be very
something. Precognitive dreaming
informative. When you go to a tarot
might seem coincidental, but it's
expert, they'll present you with
worth paying attention to as a
cards that detail your past, present,
possible guide for your future. For
and future. The images on these
instance, if you keep dreaming
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
about a specific person who you
"sun line" is, but they're more than
haven't spoken to in years, you might
wrinkles. After an appointment with
want to give them a call. Dreams are
a palm reader, you'll never look at
amazing experiences, even if you're
your hands the same way ever again.
not spiritual. By recognizing patterns and how they apply to your life, you
Thinking about the future can
can make better decisions going
be very overwhelming and scary.
forward and feel more in control of
However, once you realize just how
your decisions. Not every dream is
much control you have, your future
going to mean something, but you'll
can be something to embrace. These
be better able to find meaning in
spiritual rituals bring you closer to
your dreams if you do your research.
your future and yourself. Brooke Chaplan is a freelance
Palmistry
writer and blogger. She lives
The lines on your palms are there for helping you perform manual tasks, but they can also have spiritual meaning. The act of palmistry involves having your palms observed for spiritual purposes. You may have no idea what your "fate line" or
and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @ BrookeChaplan.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
What Death Can Teach Us About Changing the World
L
By Karen Wyatt MD
ife has a way of leading us to
that experience. I didn’t know that
unexpected places.
my own Life would be profoundly changed by listening to the stories
As for me, back when I was
of those patients and learning from
a hospice physician making house
them the lessons that were being
calls to care for the dying patients
revealed as they drew closer and
on our service, I never dreamed I
closer to Death. But that is what
would one day write a book about
happened.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
One day a patient named Ted told
That’s when it dawned on me that
me that he had only just begun to
these were really the lessons of living,
understand “what really matters” in
and they could be learned at any time
Life. He bemoaned the fact that he
during Life, not just in the final days.
couldn’t pass along that wisdom to anyone else because he would be gone
Over the remaining years of my hospice
from this Life in a few weeks. So I made
career, many other patients came with
a promise that day to remember Ted’s
stories that added to my understanding
story and share it with others.
of “what really matters.” I learned to live in the Present Moment from Ralph,
From that point on, I began to
a previously homeless alcoholic. He
recognize that many of my dying
discovered a talent for drawing pictures
patients seemed to be learning lessons
after being told he would soon die of
in their final days that totally changed
kidney cancer. And from Andy, who lost
the way they looked at Life. For Ted, the
half his face to cancer, I was shown how
lesson was Love: he came to see that
to Surrender to whatever difficulties life
Love was far more important than all
brings along the way.
the wealth, status, and possessions he had accumulated during his lifetime.
As the story of my own Life unfolded
For Greg, a young man dying of
over time, I was given opportunities to
malignant melanoma, the lesson was
not only learn but to actually live each
Forgiveness as he reunited with his
one of these lessons that I had been
estranged brothers. All three of them
taught – all in preparation for one day
healed years of pain and anger during
writing about them in 7 Lessons for
the last weeks of Greg’s Life.
Living from the Dying: How to Nurture What Really Matters. But the biggest
At first, I saw these lessons as a step-
awakening came when I met Lorraine,
by-step guide for how to approach
a writer herself who was dying of breast
Death, and I shared them with other
cancer. She had been a spiritual seeker
dying patients who were struggling to
all her Life who had already been living
make sense of what was happening to
“what really matters” for many years.
them. But eventually, I realized that the
Lorraine showed me the paradox that
way I lived my own Life the stories were
Death itself is the path to Life and that
transforming each day I was gathering.
mortality is our greatest gift.
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
In an instant, my mind was blown open,
with perfect timing to bring us to this
and my vision expanded to the largest
point of transformation. If Death has
view possible: the more fully I accept
taught us anything, let it be that we
my Death, the more fully I will be alive.
cannot wait; the time for change is
When I no longer fear my Death, then
now.
I will no longer fear my Life. Suddenly I could see everything through new
Life has a way of leading us to
eyes. Death was teaching me a state of
unexpected places.
fearlessness that allowed me to move forward in areas of my Life where I had
In my case, Life led me to Death and
been stuck and stagnant before.
back again with a powerful knowledge of what really matters. And that
As I contemplate the dire condition of
changed everything for me.
our world today with a global pandemic, racial strife, economic disaster,
Where is Life leading you, and what
environmental degradation, and political
changes are you willing to allow?
unrest, I recognize that fearlessness is
Answer that question carefully, for
the only thing that can help us move
it is the change that takes place in
forward through these crises. We must
you that will bring about the change
be fearless to make the best choices for
the world needs to survive. Let your
the future, to stand up to hatred, and to
fearlessness guide your choices.
rid ourselves of outmoded biases and institutions that no longer serve our growth. When time and energy are at a premium, they must not be squandered on anything other than what really matters. The time has arrived for each of us to set aside our foolish and petty grievances and allow our false illusions to fall apart so that something new can emerge and grow. All the disasters on this planet are arising simultaneously
Karen Wyatt, MD, is a family physician who has spent much of her 25-year career as a hospice medical director, caring for dying patients in their homes. The author of 7 Lessons for Living f rom the Dying: How to Nurture What Really Matters and The Tao of Death, Dr. Wyatt has lectured and written extensively on endof-life issues with an emphasis on the spiritual aspect of illness and dying. www.karenwyattmd.com
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
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
10 Life Hacks For the “New Normal” in the Pandemic By Marcia Sirota, MD.
W
e’re all feeling
meaningful adjustments to the way
stressed, scared,
we think and the way we do things.
and lonely these days. Still, the one
advantage of all the quiet time at
Here are 10 more essential life hacks to adopt in the pandemic:
home is that we have an amazing opportunity to reflect on ourselves and our lives and make some
1. Never be afraid to assert your needs, feelings, or limits. When expressing
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
yourself, be brief and be clear. In
taught to you by selfish, uncaring
this way, you can be sure that if they
people who want to control you
refuse to respect what you’re saying,
so that you do what they want. If
it’s not because you didn’t say it
you’re consumed by guilt, it could
clearly, but rather because they
be that you’ve been successfully
aren’t interested in accommodating
manipulated by someone else.
your feelings or your needs. And by the way, asking for help is not a sign
5. You don’t owe your parents
of weakness; it’s a sign that you’re a
anything. They chose to have you,
normal human being.
and how they treated you will be the deciding factor in your feelings
2. You are responsible for your own
about them and the nature of
happiness and fulfillment. If you’re
your relationship with them. For
lonely, reach out to people. If
that matter, you don’t owe anyone
you’re bored, start a project. If your
anything other than basic courtesy
life feels empty, do good things
and respect. If they’re abusive, you
for others. Stop blaming your
don’t even owe them that.
situation or other people for your unhappiness. You have the power to
6. Intimacy is not a license for
create a better life for yourself right
abuse. Just because someone
now.
is a romantic partner or a family member, it doesn’t give them the
3. Forgive sometimes, let go always.
right to hurt you. No-one is allowed
You don’t have to forgive other
to behave hurtfully toward you,
people for what they did, but you
regardless of the nature of your
always need to let go. Forgiveness
relationship.
is something that should be earned by the person who wronged you,
7. Face the truth about your abuser.
but you can ever let go of your pain
People get killed by their partner
and anger so that they don’t get to
or ex-partner because they’re in
keep hurting you.
denial about this person’s capacity for harm. It might be upsetting
4. Guilt is a manufactured emotion. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s
to acknowledge how dangerous the person you love(d) might be,
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
but it could save your life. Never
refuse to deal with something you
underestimate an abusive person’s
never solve your problems, and you
capacity for violent behavior.
never get the opportunity to build your confidence by doing, learning
8. Your dysfunctional defense
and accomplishing things, and
mechanisms will always backfire.
d) Rigidity, because holding on to
a) Denial, because if you refuse
counter-productive expectations,
to see something, you’re never
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
empowered to deal with it; b)
will keep you stuck in your life and
Magical Thinking, because when
perpetuate your suffering.
you choose to believe that things are the way you wish they were,
9. Self-love is not egoism, and
as opposed to facing the truth
self-care is not selfish. You are
about how they actually are, you
absolutely entitled to both. In fact,
end up making terrible decisions;
it’s your sacred duty to yourself. The
c) Avoidance, because when you
narcissists in your life, however, will
OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
gaslight you to stop you from loving
are. If they make excuses for why
and caring for yourself.
they “can’t” give you what you need, they’ve just shown you exactly
10. A healthy confrontation is a good
who they are. Anything other than
thing. It allows you to see how
respecting your limits and meeting
reasonable, respectful and caring
your needs is evidence that this
the other person is. If you politely
person is not someone who you
tell them that you’re unhappy with
should be associating with.
something they did or said, and/or if you ask them to do something for
Sign up here for my free monthly
you, the way they respond will tell
wellness newsletter. I’m continuing
you everything you need to know
my special series on Coping with
about them. If they get defensive,
COVID.
deny their actions, minimize your
And tune in to my new YouTube
feelings, or call you names, they’ve
video series on Coping With COVID.
just shown you exactly who they OM TIMES | August B Edition 2020
Books
Expand the Power of Your Subconscious Mind and open the doorway to a life of endless possibilities Expand the Power of Your Subconscious Mind combines the teachings of New Thought Leader Dr. Joseph Murphy with illustrative commentary from Executive Coach and Consultant C. James Jensen. This motivational and in-depth title provides readers with the principles and techniques toward a deeper understanding of the relationship between the conscious and subconscious—welcoming opportunities for success and enrichment.
For more information, or to purchase the cards, click the cover or visit:
BeyondWord.com
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