The Chariot shows that we can be driven by desire. This card depicts a man, on a determined journey towards love. The two horses, one dark and one light, representing the ying/yang and libido. Dressed in full armor, he is steeled by his conviction to succeed. To keep on the path - he must keep a tight rain on both animals, showing the potential struggle in mastering conflicting passions.
Be mindful: Harness your emotions rather than let them run wild. Like the Chariot's horses, if left to roam your journey is left to roam in circles and run the risk of not progressing forward.
In a relationship? The Chariot highlights sex and relationships, so can indicate the need for sexual harmony with your partner. By genuinely taking time to communicate you can move forward in your relationship. Your penchant for adventure may see you taking a literal journey together too.
Single? This is a great time for meeting action-driven people possibly connected with traveling. As events speed up, you will enjoy increased energy and, perhaps, a passionate encounter.
http://satorination.com
Thursday, November 4, 2010
How you can increase dream lucidity and recall
I'm going to share a dream “ritual†with you that I was made hip to by another individual. It will provide you with increased dream lucidity and recall. It’s very simple and the tools required are easily accessed.
1. Pan of water placed under bed w/ sea salt added
2. Pour sea salt in each corner of the room your bed is in.
3. Hang garlic in your window
The sea salt helps to keep good energy inside the room. The garlic in the window will keep the negative energy out and the water under the bed absorbs the negative energy already in the room. You should be able to have heightened dream lucidity and recall upon the first night.
Peace & Happy dreaming!
http://satorination.com/How-you-can-increase-dream-lucidity-and-recall
1. Pan of water placed under bed w/ sea salt added
2. Pour sea salt in each corner of the room your bed is in.
3. Hang garlic in your window
The sea salt helps to keep good energy inside the room. The garlic in the window will keep the negative energy out and the water under the bed absorbs the negative energy already in the room. You should be able to have heightened dream lucidity and recall upon the first night.
Peace & Happy dreaming!
http://satorination.com/How-you-can-increase-dream-lucidity-and-recall
Thursday, October 21, 2010
How to Be an Adult in Relationships
http://satorination.com/How-to-Be-an-Adult-in-Relationships
"Most people think of love as a feeling," says David Richo, "but love is not so much a feeling as a way of being present." In this book, Richo offers a fresh perspective on love and relationships - one that focuses not on finding an ideal mate, but on becoming a more loving and realistic person. Drawing on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness,How to Be an Adult in Relationships explores five hallmarks of mindful loving and how they play a key role in our relationships throughout life:
1. Attention to the present moment; observing, listening, and noticing all the feelings at play in our relationships.
2. Acceptance of ourselves and others just as we are.
3. Appreciation of all our gifts, our limits, our longings, and our poignant human predicament.
4. Affection shown through holding and touching in respectful ways.
5. Allowing life and love to be just as they are, with all their ecstasy and ache, without trying to take control.
When deeply understood and applied, these five simple concepts - what Richo calls the five A's -form the basis of mature love. They help us to move away from judgment, fear, and blame to a position of openness, compassion, and realism about life and relationships. By giving and receiving these five A's, relationships become deeper and more meaningful, and they become a ground for personal transformation.
Even though the title begin with "How to" this is not a self-help book. David Richo discusses what love is: giving attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection and allowing - the five A's as he calls it. The book is valuable as a piece of literature, as a philosophical and psychological work.
"Most people think of love as a feeling," says David Richo, "but love is not so much a feeling as a way of being present." In this book, Richo offers a fresh perspective on love and relationships - one that focuses not on finding an ideal mate, but on becoming a more loving and realistic person. Drawing on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness,How to Be an Adult in Relationships explores five hallmarks of mindful loving and how they play a key role in our relationships throughout life:
1. Attention to the present moment; observing, listening, and noticing all the feelings at play in our relationships.
2. Acceptance of ourselves and others just as we are.
3. Appreciation of all our gifts, our limits, our longings, and our poignant human predicament.
4. Affection shown through holding and touching in respectful ways.
5. Allowing life and love to be just as they are, with all their ecstasy and ache, without trying to take control.
When deeply understood and applied, these five simple concepts - what Richo calls the five A's -form the basis of mature love. They help us to move away from judgment, fear, and blame to a position of openness, compassion, and realism about life and relationships. By giving and receiving these five A's, relationships become deeper and more meaningful, and they become a ground for personal transformation.
Even though the title begin with "How to" this is not a self-help book. David Richo discusses what love is: giving attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection and allowing - the five A's as he calls it. The book is valuable as a piece of literature, as a philosophical and psychological work.
The Five Things We Cannot Change
http://satorination.com/The-Five-Things-We-Cannot-Change
Why is it that despite our best efforts, many of us remain fundamentally unhappy and unfulfilled in our lives? In this provocative and inspiring book, David Richo distills thirty years of experience as a therapist to explain the underlying roots of unhappiness—and the surprising secret to finding freedom and fulfillment.
There are certain facts of life that we cannot change - the unavoidable "givens" of human existence:
1. Everything changes - nothing last forever.
Everything ends, every beginning is the start of an end. Relationships end, people die. Seasons turn, things change. Get used to it. Learn to let go gracefully, change and grow yourself.
2. Things do not always go according to plan
The best laid plans often go astray. No plan survives contact with reality. Adapt, improvise, flex, adjust your sails, innovate. Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out. Plans are useless but planning is invaluable.
3. Life is not always fair
Some serious wrongs cry out to be righted but many more are best dealt with by moving on and not getting ensnared in a negative energy cycle.
4. Pain is part of life
There is a cost to everything and suffering may be part of that cost. Pain is not necessarily punishment and pleasure is not necessarily a reward. Pain can be a source of tremendous personal growth. But there is no need to seek out pain to speed your growth. Life will send you your proper measure!
5. People are not loving and loyal all the time
We are social, gregarious creatures. We depend on each other. But people are human and inevitably let us down. Our work as healthy adults is to feel this fear of betrayal and abandonment and deal with it, embrace it, learn from it, grow beyond it, NOT run from the fear. Running only strengthens fear.
FACE:
F--Fear: I am afraid I cannot survive if I am not loved, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
A--Attachment: I am attached to a very specific version of how things should be, of what life owes me, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
C--Control: I feel the need to control others' reactions to me and interactions with me, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
E--Entitlement: I believe I am entitled to love and loyalty from everyone, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
Solution: Acknowledging and accepting, moving beyond what you can't change to the inner work of what you can change: Yourself.
Richo shows us that by dropping our deep-seated resistance to these givens, we can find liberation and discover the true richness that life has to offer. Blending Western psychology and Eastern spirituality, including practical exercises, Richo shows us how to open up to our lives - including to what is frightening, painful, or disappointing - and discover our greatest gifts.
Why is it that despite our best efforts, many of us remain fundamentally unhappy and unfulfilled in our lives? In this provocative and inspiring book, David Richo distills thirty years of experience as a therapist to explain the underlying roots of unhappiness—and the surprising secret to finding freedom and fulfillment.
There are certain facts of life that we cannot change - the unavoidable "givens" of human existence:
1. Everything changes - nothing last forever.
Everything ends, every beginning is the start of an end. Relationships end, people die. Seasons turn, things change. Get used to it. Learn to let go gracefully, change and grow yourself.
2. Things do not always go according to plan
The best laid plans often go astray. No plan survives contact with reality. Adapt, improvise, flex, adjust your sails, innovate. Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out. Plans are useless but planning is invaluable.
3. Life is not always fair
Some serious wrongs cry out to be righted but many more are best dealt with by moving on and not getting ensnared in a negative energy cycle.
4. Pain is part of life
There is a cost to everything and suffering may be part of that cost. Pain is not necessarily punishment and pleasure is not necessarily a reward. Pain can be a source of tremendous personal growth. But there is no need to seek out pain to speed your growth. Life will send you your proper measure!
5. People are not loving and loyal all the time
We are social, gregarious creatures. We depend on each other. But people are human and inevitably let us down. Our work as healthy adults is to feel this fear of betrayal and abandonment and deal with it, embrace it, learn from it, grow beyond it, NOT run from the fear. Running only strengthens fear.
FACE:
F--Fear: I am afraid I cannot survive if I am not loved, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
A--Attachment: I am attached to a very specific version of how things should be, of what life owes me, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
C--Control: I feel the need to control others' reactions to me and interactions with me, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
E--Entitlement: I believe I am entitled to love and loyalty from everyone, and this is how I am a source of suffering to myself.
Solution: Acknowledging and accepting, moving beyond what you can't change to the inner work of what you can change: Yourself.
Richo shows us that by dropping our deep-seated resistance to these givens, we can find liberation and discover the true richness that life has to offer. Blending Western psychology and Eastern spirituality, including practical exercises, Richo shows us how to open up to our lives - including to what is frightening, painful, or disappointing - and discover our greatest gifts.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Someone to talk too
Article written by Gordon Scarritt: http://satorination.com/Someone-to-talk-too
Every once in a while we experience a state of confusion so great that we don't understand how to move through it and we become stuck. These are the moments when it is advisable to ask for help, and the sooner the better.Confusion is actually a form of resistance to what is. The longer we resist, the longer the confusion persists. The longer the resistance persists, the more energy we waste and the weaker our body and mind become. It is a downward spiral, that doesn't need to be.
Our mind will tell us that so much is wrong, that it will take forever to make all the changes required to overcome the confusion, but this is not true. Actually only one thing needs to happen to break out of this state, we simply need to allow the confusion to be. The attitude of allowing instantly dissolves resistance, because resistance will only arise in the absence of allowing. "But how do I allow?" That is the question I receive the most from my clients.
I recognize that sometimes it is hard to allow. We are all conditioned to resist experience we don't want. We are practically paralyzed by this habit. Our body is tense and tight, our emotions are frozen in despair, and our mind is locked in a loop of negative thought and belief. When you recognize these symptoms, it is time to ask for help.
The first form of help is to share your distress with another, some one who has experience with moving through these states, both personally and professionally. This process of talking about what is happening frees the mind from the loop of negative thinking. The guide's role here is to point out how you are misperceiving, how you believe your negative thoughts, and that those thoughts are not necessarily true.
Secondly and most importantly the guide can help you to allow by directing your awareness inward, to the feelings and sensations of the experience right now. The guide will remind you to stop trying to control the experience. It is the need to control that causes the resistance to arise.
Allowing involves deep listening, being kinesthetically connected to experience through all our senses. This breaks the cycle of identifying with thoughts and unrealistic expectations of how things are supposed to be. Allowing promotes relaxation and relaxation facilitates the flow of energy in the mind/body. This in turn helps us to stay present to what is, to be in the moment. Developing confidence in our ability to allow everything to be is the most effective antidote to resistance, to being stuck in confusion or any other negative state.
Every once in a while we experience a state of confusion so great that we don't understand how to move through it and we become stuck. These are the moments when it is advisable to ask for help, and the sooner the better.Confusion is actually a form of resistance to what is. The longer we resist, the longer the confusion persists. The longer the resistance persists, the more energy we waste and the weaker our body and mind become. It is a downward spiral, that doesn't need to be.
Our mind will tell us that so much is wrong, that it will take forever to make all the changes required to overcome the confusion, but this is not true. Actually only one thing needs to happen to break out of this state, we simply need to allow the confusion to be. The attitude of allowing instantly dissolves resistance, because resistance will only arise in the absence of allowing. "But how do I allow?" That is the question I receive the most from my clients.
I recognize that sometimes it is hard to allow. We are all conditioned to resist experience we don't want. We are practically paralyzed by this habit. Our body is tense and tight, our emotions are frozen in despair, and our mind is locked in a loop of negative thought and belief. When you recognize these symptoms, it is time to ask for help.
The first form of help is to share your distress with another, some one who has experience with moving through these states, both personally and professionally. This process of talking about what is happening frees the mind from the loop of negative thinking. The guide's role here is to point out how you are misperceiving, how you believe your negative thoughts, and that those thoughts are not necessarily true.
Secondly and most importantly the guide can help you to allow by directing your awareness inward, to the feelings and sensations of the experience right now. The guide will remind you to stop trying to control the experience. It is the need to control that causes the resistance to arise.
Allowing involves deep listening, being kinesthetically connected to experience through all our senses. This breaks the cycle of identifying with thoughts and unrealistic expectations of how things are supposed to be. Allowing promotes relaxation and relaxation facilitates the flow of energy in the mind/body. This in turn helps us to stay present to what is, to be in the moment. Developing confidence in our ability to allow everything to be is the most effective antidote to resistance, to being stuck in confusion or any other negative state.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Mercury Retrograde - Aug 20th - Sept 12th 2010
Mercury, the planet of communication, turns retrograde in Virgo from August 20 to September 12.
Three or four times a year, Mercury appears to move backwards in the sky for approximately three weeks. This is an optical illusion since no planet actually moves backwards or even slows down in their orbits around the Sun. However, it appears to move backwards from our perspective on planet Earth, since the planet may be orbiting at a different speed than the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Mercury retrograde periods introduce a certain level of confusion for us earthlings. As the planet of communication, Mercury rules speech, our listening abilities, negotiations, buying, selling, travel formal contracts and documents amongst other things -- all of which are affected when Mercury seems to slow down. Mercury rules how we perceive and interpret information and how we in turn act and react to that information as we interact with others.
The Leo Sun also opposes Neptune on August 20, which can have a lackluster, low energy, and marginally disappointing influence leading to muddled thinking and lack of motivation as we start this retrograde period. However, Neptune can be healing and very spiritual, and this can be an excellent time to chill out. August 20 can also have the thrill and flavor of romance about it and definitely a time to make your feelings known since we have a delightfully passionate and enthusiastic meeting of Venus and Mars in an exactly aligned conjunction in Libra.
Mercury retrograde periods affect each one of us differently depending on the placement of this planet in our individual birth charts. The effect on Gemini and Virgo signs, ruled by Mercury, will be stronger, but for other signs it is a time of trivial irritations. Being forced to slow down and develop patience can, however, be a blessing in disguise. It gives us all time to stop, go inward and reflect. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened awareness and creativity, and an excellent time for out of the box thinking, which can sometimes lead to startling revelations.
Three or four times a year, Mercury appears to move backwards in the sky for approximately three weeks. This is an optical illusion since no planet actually moves backwards or even slows down in their orbits around the Sun. However, it appears to move backwards from our perspective on planet Earth, since the planet may be orbiting at a different speed than the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Mercury retrograde periods introduce a certain level of confusion for us earthlings. As the planet of communication, Mercury rules speech, our listening abilities, negotiations, buying, selling, travel formal contracts and documents amongst other things -- all of which are affected when Mercury seems to slow down. Mercury rules how we perceive and interpret information and how we in turn act and react to that information as we interact with others.
The Leo Sun also opposes Neptune on August 20, which can have a lackluster, low energy, and marginally disappointing influence leading to muddled thinking and lack of motivation as we start this retrograde period. However, Neptune can be healing and very spiritual, and this can be an excellent time to chill out. August 20 can also have the thrill and flavor of romance about it and definitely a time to make your feelings known since we have a delightfully passionate and enthusiastic meeting of Venus and Mars in an exactly aligned conjunction in Libra.
Mercury retrograde periods affect each one of us differently depending on the placement of this planet in our individual birth charts. The effect on Gemini and Virgo signs, ruled by Mercury, will be stronger, but for other signs it is a time of trivial irritations. Being forced to slow down and develop patience can, however, be a blessing in disguise. It gives us all time to stop, go inward and reflect. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened awareness and creativity, and an excellent time for out of the box thinking, which can sometimes lead to startling revelations.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Eating Healthfully- A Long Term Vision
http://satorination.com/Eating-Healthfully--A-Long-Term-Vision
‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ ~Lao Tzu
The quote by Lao Tzu above rings true for nutrition as well.
It is a shame that so many people are obsessed with fad diets in order to quickly shed pounds and reach their desired weight. And yes extreme dieting of any form does work in the short terms but only for the weight to rebound back on and the body to regain its original weight or the weight it is comfortable at.
I see people fighting their bodies all too often dieting one week then bingeing on junk the next. This is fighting the bodies natural homeostasis in every sense, one week it is getting less than it would like and releasing stress hormones to cope and the next week the body is being overburdened with processed or overly sweet foods in order to compensate for the previous starvation again putting stress on the body as it tries to cope with the overflow of food and chemicals.
Others chronically under eat.
Sadly this process takes its toll on your body and while it could handle it in your teens and younger years as we age the damage goes deeper and effects our metabolism leaving us on a gradual path to more and more weight gain.
Contrast this with the people you know who eat practically whatever they want and stay lean and healthy — what is their secret? It is quite simply that they have never fought their bodies, never made themselves feel deprived or starved, their metabolisms never got damaged and this allows for good levels of energy and a stable healthy body weight.
This is not something out of reach but rather something that we can all achieve by having a healthy relationship with food. Some readers may already have this and hopefully this article will help you stay that way! This is not to say we should eat anything we like as certain foods can damage your body and should be avoided when you can, but I do not preach a diet of deprivation rather a way to eat wholesome foods which your body has evolved to deal with.
The first step is to stop seeing food as something special or magical and this can be achieved by feeding yourself well on a consistent basis starting with 3 solid meals per day. How many people do you know who skip breakfast have a mid morning cappuccino, graze for lunch then eat fatty meats, fried foods and sugary desserts for dinner.
The truth is when we eat healthy, wholesome meals 3 times a day our bodies reach a level of nourishment they may have not seen in years, cravings disappear and food stops being so special it becomes something we enjoy and look forward to but not something to live for. You will naturally eat less at meal times, you will feel fuller quicker without any effort, that ferocious appetite will disappear and you will eat more mindfully. It is just a result of your body being well fed and nourished rather then having to force any portion control …
The next step is to add live foods to your diet, especially if you tend to eat mainly cooked or white foods. Rather than depriving yourself of the foods you like introduce more healthful foods alongside them. I am talking about making a big salad with your meals:
Chopped Lettuce
Tomatoes
Carrots
Zucchini
Celery
A nice dressing of sea salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil
Have this at the start of every meal you have a chance, you may not like it at first and it maybe an effort to get down but this will soon change. You will develop a taste for fresh raw foods and you will continue to nourish your body. Try and do this for at least onemeal per day.
Conclusions
This is not about ramping up your “metabolism†by eating regularly but rather feeding your body adequately allowing health to fall into place. Once you start nourishing your body good things will start to happen. Your energy will increase, cravings for sugar and stimulants like coffee will disappear and your appetite will regulate. You will start to crave healthy and natural foods …
Eating Healthfully should always be a long term vision, never look for quick fixes when it comes to health – Consistency is key . Building a good relationship with food will leave you with more time and drive to do the things you love.
‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ ~Lao Tzu
The quote by Lao Tzu above rings true for nutrition as well.
It is a shame that so many people are obsessed with fad diets in order to quickly shed pounds and reach their desired weight. And yes extreme dieting of any form does work in the short terms but only for the weight to rebound back on and the body to regain its original weight or the weight it is comfortable at.
I see people fighting their bodies all too often dieting one week then bingeing on junk the next. This is fighting the bodies natural homeostasis in every sense, one week it is getting less than it would like and releasing stress hormones to cope and the next week the body is being overburdened with processed or overly sweet foods in order to compensate for the previous starvation again putting stress on the body as it tries to cope with the overflow of food and chemicals.
Others chronically under eat.
Sadly this process takes its toll on your body and while it could handle it in your teens and younger years as we age the damage goes deeper and effects our metabolism leaving us on a gradual path to more and more weight gain.
Contrast this with the people you know who eat practically whatever they want and stay lean and healthy — what is their secret? It is quite simply that they have never fought their bodies, never made themselves feel deprived or starved, their metabolisms never got damaged and this allows for good levels of energy and a stable healthy body weight.
This is not something out of reach but rather something that we can all achieve by having a healthy relationship with food. Some readers may already have this and hopefully this article will help you stay that way! This is not to say we should eat anything we like as certain foods can damage your body and should be avoided when you can, but I do not preach a diet of deprivation rather a way to eat wholesome foods which your body has evolved to deal with.
The first step is to stop seeing food as something special or magical and this can be achieved by feeding yourself well on a consistent basis starting with 3 solid meals per day. How many people do you know who skip breakfast have a mid morning cappuccino, graze for lunch then eat fatty meats, fried foods and sugary desserts for dinner.
The truth is when we eat healthy, wholesome meals 3 times a day our bodies reach a level of nourishment they may have not seen in years, cravings disappear and food stops being so special it becomes something we enjoy and look forward to but not something to live for. You will naturally eat less at meal times, you will feel fuller quicker without any effort, that ferocious appetite will disappear and you will eat more mindfully. It is just a result of your body being well fed and nourished rather then having to force any portion control …
The next step is to add live foods to your diet, especially if you tend to eat mainly cooked or white foods. Rather than depriving yourself of the foods you like introduce more healthful foods alongside them. I am talking about making a big salad with your meals:
Chopped Lettuce
Tomatoes
Carrots
Zucchini
Celery
A nice dressing of sea salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil
Have this at the start of every meal you have a chance, you may not like it at first and it maybe an effort to get down but this will soon change. You will develop a taste for fresh raw foods and you will continue to nourish your body. Try and do this for at least onemeal per day.
Conclusions
This is not about ramping up your “metabolism†by eating regularly but rather feeding your body adequately allowing health to fall into place. Once you start nourishing your body good things will start to happen. Your energy will increase, cravings for sugar and stimulants like coffee will disappear and your appetite will regulate. You will start to crave healthy and natural foods …
Eating Healthfully should always be a long term vision, never look for quick fixes when it comes to health – Consistency is key . Building a good relationship with food will leave you with more time and drive to do the things you love.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Clean-Slate A guide to starting over
http://satorination.com/Clean-Slate-A-guide-to-starting-over-a-simplicity
When we think about simplifying, we usually think about subtraction. Getting rid of excess stuff. Clearing away obligations. Deleting old emails.
We simplify by paring away the layers of something until we find the core. Too many books on the shelf? Give them away, one by one, until you’re left with a manageable number of the volumes you really enjoy.
But decluttering this way is hard. For example:
Do you really want to pull dozens of books off the shelf one by one, trying to decide whether to keep or sell each one?
Do you have the time to go through hundreds of backlogged emails, choosing which to save and which to delete?
And there’s another obstacle. When you’re forced to choose to keep or discard something, uncertainty rears its ugly head.
“Can you really afford to throw this away?†it whispers. “Are you sure you won’t need it eventually? Sure, you’re on a simplification kick now – but will you regret it later?â€
Playing the willpower game with uncertainty gets exhausting.
Simplifying Backwards is Easier
If you’re having trouble deciding when to hold on to something and when to let it go, try doing things backward. Learn to add responsibly instead of subtracting.
I call it the clean-slate approach to simplifying. Here’s how it works, in three steps.
Step one: Take all the clutter you’re facing, useful or not, and put it away. All of it. Put the pile of clothes in a box; put the old emails in a hidden folder. Now you have a “clean slate†to work with, but you don’t have to throw anything away. Yet.
Step two: Go about your business as usual. As you discover a genuine need for something (genuine being the operative word), take it out of storage with a clear conscience. No more agonizing over what to keep. Life will show exactly which things you actually need, and which things you only thought you needed.
Step three: When you’re ready, sell, donate, or throw away the stuff in storage. It’s easier now, since you’ve had weeks or months to overcome your attachment to it.
And here’s a bonus: if you develop the discipline to only put stuff back in your life when you absolutely, positively need it, you’ll find it easier to keep from buying, collecting, or accumulating unnecessary stuff in the first place.
4 Ways to Simplify with the Clean Slate Method
How can you put this method to use? Here are a few ideas:
1. Clean Out Your Email: If you’re staring hopelessly at an inbox full of read and unread messages, email drafs, and spam, consider declaring email bankruptcy.
If you use Gmail, the archive feature lets you easily move all the mail out of your inbox and into a separate folder. Instant inbox zero. If you use a desktop mail client like Outlook, you can export your mail data to a separate folder, then clear out your active inbox.
Worried about missing obligations to friends or customers? Send an email to your important contacts explaining your email bankruptcy and asking them to remind you of anything vitally important.
And now? Go about your business. If you need an old email, move it from your archive folder into another, active folder. Simple.
Don’t stress, don’t agonize – just go with the flow.
2. Pare Down Your Library: Clear off your bookshelves and put all the books in a box. Now you have empty shelves to work with.
If you discover you need a book to read or reference, pull it out of the box and put it back on the shelf. Books that you need and love will naturally come back into your life; books that were just nice to look at or think about reading will stay out of your way. This also works well with DVDs, CDs, or cassette tapes, if you have them.
Eventually, you may feel ready to donate or sell that box of old books entirely.
3. Reformat Your Computer: The easiest way to do this is with a secondary hard drive or USB flash drive. Take all your files and programs and copy them to your secondary drive. Then reformat (wipe) your primary hard drive and reinstall your operating system of choice.
Going forward, only allow yourself to download a file or install a program if life shows you a genuine need for it. Try to avoid overlaps: do you really need that fancy word processor – or is the simple text editor you already have enough?
On the other hand, when you do find a genuine need for a new program, you can install it without feeling guilty.
4. Simplify Your Closet: Take all your clothes and put them aside. Most items can go in a box or a drawer. If you’re worried about your nicer garments, just push them to one side of the bar or use a placeholder hanger to divide your “storage†section from your “useful†section.
You may also want to commit to a regular laundry schedule – waiting three or four weeks to do laundry is a sure way to fall right back into a cluttered closet.
After a while, you’ll develop a cycle or routine of clothing that shows you exactly which clothes you actually need, and which clothes are just closet eye candy.
Setting a Purge Deadline
To really make the clean slate method work for you, it’s helpful to set a purge deadline. This deadline is how long you allow yourself to keep all your old stuff in storage before you get rid of it for good.
When you set the deadline is up to you. You might decide to eliminate anything you haven’t found a need for within 60 days, or 90 days, or a month. Whatever your number is, it’s a good idea to commit to it in
advance, so there’s no second-guessing yourself later on.
The clean-slate method is just one way to simplify your life and your stuff, but it’s worked very well for me. If you find it difficult to simplify the “normal†way, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.
When we think about simplifying, we usually think about subtraction. Getting rid of excess stuff. Clearing away obligations. Deleting old emails.
We simplify by paring away the layers of something until we find the core. Too many books on the shelf? Give them away, one by one, until you’re left with a manageable number of the volumes you really enjoy.
But decluttering this way is hard. For example:
Do you really want to pull dozens of books off the shelf one by one, trying to decide whether to keep or sell each one?
Do you have the time to go through hundreds of backlogged emails, choosing which to save and which to delete?
And there’s another obstacle. When you’re forced to choose to keep or discard something, uncertainty rears its ugly head.
“Can you really afford to throw this away?†it whispers. “Are you sure you won’t need it eventually? Sure, you’re on a simplification kick now – but will you regret it later?â€
Playing the willpower game with uncertainty gets exhausting.
Simplifying Backwards is Easier
If you’re having trouble deciding when to hold on to something and when to let it go, try doing things backward. Learn to add responsibly instead of subtracting.
I call it the clean-slate approach to simplifying. Here’s how it works, in three steps.
Step one: Take all the clutter you’re facing, useful or not, and put it away. All of it. Put the pile of clothes in a box; put the old emails in a hidden folder. Now you have a “clean slate†to work with, but you don’t have to throw anything away. Yet.
Step two: Go about your business as usual. As you discover a genuine need for something (genuine being the operative word), take it out of storage with a clear conscience. No more agonizing over what to keep. Life will show exactly which things you actually need, and which things you only thought you needed.
Step three: When you’re ready, sell, donate, or throw away the stuff in storage. It’s easier now, since you’ve had weeks or months to overcome your attachment to it.
And here’s a bonus: if you develop the discipline to only put stuff back in your life when you absolutely, positively need it, you’ll find it easier to keep from buying, collecting, or accumulating unnecessary stuff in the first place.
4 Ways to Simplify with the Clean Slate Method
How can you put this method to use? Here are a few ideas:
1. Clean Out Your Email: If you’re staring hopelessly at an inbox full of read and unread messages, email drafs, and spam, consider declaring email bankruptcy.
If you use Gmail, the archive feature lets you easily move all the mail out of your inbox and into a separate folder. Instant inbox zero. If you use a desktop mail client like Outlook, you can export your mail data to a separate folder, then clear out your active inbox.
Worried about missing obligations to friends or customers? Send an email to your important contacts explaining your email bankruptcy and asking them to remind you of anything vitally important.
And now? Go about your business. If you need an old email, move it from your archive folder into another, active folder. Simple.
Don’t stress, don’t agonize – just go with the flow.
2. Pare Down Your Library: Clear off your bookshelves and put all the books in a box. Now you have empty shelves to work with.
If you discover you need a book to read or reference, pull it out of the box and put it back on the shelf. Books that you need and love will naturally come back into your life; books that were just nice to look at or think about reading will stay out of your way. This also works well with DVDs, CDs, or cassette tapes, if you have them.
Eventually, you may feel ready to donate or sell that box of old books entirely.
3. Reformat Your Computer: The easiest way to do this is with a secondary hard drive or USB flash drive. Take all your files and programs and copy them to your secondary drive. Then reformat (wipe) your primary hard drive and reinstall your operating system of choice.
Going forward, only allow yourself to download a file or install a program if life shows you a genuine need for it. Try to avoid overlaps: do you really need that fancy word processor – or is the simple text editor you already have enough?
On the other hand, when you do find a genuine need for a new program, you can install it without feeling guilty.
4. Simplify Your Closet: Take all your clothes and put them aside. Most items can go in a box or a drawer. If you’re worried about your nicer garments, just push them to one side of the bar or use a placeholder hanger to divide your “storage†section from your “useful†section.
You may also want to commit to a regular laundry schedule – waiting three or four weeks to do laundry is a sure way to fall right back into a cluttered closet.
After a while, you’ll develop a cycle or routine of clothing that shows you exactly which clothes you actually need, and which clothes are just closet eye candy.
Setting a Purge Deadline
To really make the clean slate method work for you, it’s helpful to set a purge deadline. This deadline is how long you allow yourself to keep all your old stuff in storage before you get rid of it for good.
When you set the deadline is up to you. You might decide to eliminate anything you haven’t found a need for within 60 days, or 90 days, or a month. Whatever your number is, it’s a good idea to commit to it in
advance, so there’s no second-guessing yourself later on.
The clean-slate method is just one way to simplify your life and your stuff, but it’s worked very well for me. If you find it difficult to simplify the “normal†way, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Weekly Horoscopes - Aug. 9th - 15th 2010
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ARIES ~ Whatever you're holding on to, time to loosen that grip and let it go. Get a clear, sober look at how and what the situation truly is. Be brave enough to take the necessary action, ideally one that fosters personal growth and expands your horizons.
TAURUS ~ The week may start out a little intense. Perhaps there are those giving ultimatums or maybe it's you that's had it and are forcing for a change to happen. No matter which it is, it's a good thing to have family, biological or otherwise, to lean on.
GEMINI ~ You're starting see some things through a different perspective. You're not quite sure what to make of it though. Keep your mind open and eyes peeled. The undeniable truth will reveal itself and unravel before your eyes.
CANCER ~ It's been a while since you've felt a dash of hope. It's also a little confusing that you sense this optimism is not in vain; yet your world as you experience it now doesn't much reflect the excitement you have inside. Have faith that your heart knows something the mind isn't aware of yet.
LEO ~ Perhaps you're seeing everything more clearly than ever. It may be disconcerting because what you've been clued in to is not pleasant or not at all what you hoped for. But maybe, it's something you've known all along and was not quite ready to “see†it.
VIRGO ~ That single candle lit inside a dark room is akin to what may be happening within your subconscious as the week begins. Whatever has been hiding, now comes to light. Whatever you've been holding back, now demands freedom from your grasp. This is a good thing. But it does require you to give up some control.
LIBRA ~ Reality bites. The upside, however, is that once you know the irrevocable truth about something or someone, you can't help but want to do something about it. Sometimes, things have be broken down in order to be rebuilt or replaced altogether. Welcome a renewal in your life.
SCORPIO ~ What we value in life changes over time. What we hope to achieve or acquire also goes through some changes. Yet sometimes we cling on to ideals, relationships, precepts that no longer support that which we work toward. Time to decide what and where to put your focus and energy on.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Friendships may be changing. Roles shifting. Some may even show their true colors as surprisingly unappealing. Don't let it bring you down. Change, after all, is the one constant thing in life. Perhaps it's time to expand your horizons, meet new people, foster new friendships.
CAPRICORN ~ You may have to give up something in order get something you want. Is what you want worth whatever you have to sacrifice for it? Is what you have to give up really a sacrifice? Maybe you don't need it anymore. Whatever it is, avoid making decisions based on fear.
AQUARIUS ~ There's a renewal for you within your significant relationships -- intimate or business or some other committed partnership. It may be time for make do of promises, whether yours or another's. Or time to eliminate what's been weighing you and/or your relationships down.
PISCES ~ How much of what you do for others keep you from taking care of business within your personal life? There is a way to be of service without being used or abused. Your health may also be a focus this week. Time to adopt a healthier lifestyle, maybe?
ARIES ~ Whatever you're holding on to, time to loosen that grip and let it go. Get a clear, sober look at how and what the situation truly is. Be brave enough to take the necessary action, ideally one that fosters personal growth and expands your horizons.
TAURUS ~ The week may start out a little intense. Perhaps there are those giving ultimatums or maybe it's you that's had it and are forcing for a change to happen. No matter which it is, it's a good thing to have family, biological or otherwise, to lean on.
GEMINI ~ You're starting see some things through a different perspective. You're not quite sure what to make of it though. Keep your mind open and eyes peeled. The undeniable truth will reveal itself and unravel before your eyes.
CANCER ~ It's been a while since you've felt a dash of hope. It's also a little confusing that you sense this optimism is not in vain; yet your world as you experience it now doesn't much reflect the excitement you have inside. Have faith that your heart knows something the mind isn't aware of yet.
LEO ~ Perhaps you're seeing everything more clearly than ever. It may be disconcerting because what you've been clued in to is not pleasant or not at all what you hoped for. But maybe, it's something you've known all along and was not quite ready to “see†it.
VIRGO ~ That single candle lit inside a dark room is akin to what may be happening within your subconscious as the week begins. Whatever has been hiding, now comes to light. Whatever you've been holding back, now demands freedom from your grasp. This is a good thing. But it does require you to give up some control.
LIBRA ~ Reality bites. The upside, however, is that once you know the irrevocable truth about something or someone, you can't help but want to do something about it. Sometimes, things have be broken down in order to be rebuilt or replaced altogether. Welcome a renewal in your life.
SCORPIO ~ What we value in life changes over time. What we hope to achieve or acquire also goes through some changes. Yet sometimes we cling on to ideals, relationships, precepts that no longer support that which we work toward. Time to decide what and where to put your focus and energy on.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Friendships may be changing. Roles shifting. Some may even show their true colors as surprisingly unappealing. Don't let it bring you down. Change, after all, is the one constant thing in life. Perhaps it's time to expand your horizons, meet new people, foster new friendships.
CAPRICORN ~ You may have to give up something in order get something you want. Is what you want worth whatever you have to sacrifice for it? Is what you have to give up really a sacrifice? Maybe you don't need it anymore. Whatever it is, avoid making decisions based on fear.
AQUARIUS ~ There's a renewal for you within your significant relationships -- intimate or business or some other committed partnership. It may be time for make do of promises, whether yours or another's. Or time to eliminate what's been weighing you and/or your relationships down.
PISCES ~ How much of what you do for others keep you from taking care of business within your personal life? There is a way to be of service without being used or abused. Your health may also be a focus this week. Time to adopt a healthier lifestyle, maybe?
Friday, July 23, 2010
Your weekend Love Horoscopes @SatoriNation:
http://satorination.com/Weekend-Love-Horoscopes---July-23-to-25--2010 horoscopes dating
http://satorination.com/Weekend-Love-Horoscopes---July-23-to-25--2010 horoscopes dating
Weekend Love Horoscopes ~ July 23 to 25, 2010
http://satorination.com/Weekend-Love-Horoscopes---July-23-to-25--2010
ARIES ~ It's a full moon in your house of friendships this weekend. There's nothing like a get together with friends that validates or sometimes help clarify your own journey -- may they be old, new, yours or inherited from an ex-lover or ex-friend. So, throw a little shindig or grab your sweetie and meet the gang at the old hangout. On Sunday, feel free to reconnect with an old, once dear friend, that remains close to your heart. I'm sure he/she will be thinking of you as well :)
TAURUS ~ You can be too practical for your own good, sometimes. It's difficult to get past what you know as truth, what's been proven as real. There is though something brewing now, deep in your subconscious. It's both unnerving (to your pragmatic side) and exciting (to your curious side). Don't fear it. Don't fret about it. Let it unfold on its own. Whatever energy you're tempted to give to it, channel that towards the object of your affection. He/she might just reward you generously for your attention and affection :)
GEMINI ~ Saturn's back. Cruising around your house of love. Lingering for two years. Yowza! Gone are the romantic notions of what love or a relationship is. Soon, Saturn gets real about what relationships should be built upon and how they need nurturing. This weekend, the Aquarius-Moon opposes the Leo-Sun for a full moon, illuminates your mental/communication houses. Expand your mind. Be open to receive and learn. Start with your sweetie. What does he/she have to say? Are you really listening? Be a true communicator. Listen. Reply. Repeat.
CANCER ~ ouch! This weekend's full moon hits you right where it makes you waaaaaaay too uncomfortable … in your house of endings, purging and transformation. Cancerians have been stereotyped as the natural hoarders of the zodiac -- maybe not in the material sense, but the emotional sense. Time to get rid of that emotional baggage you've been lugging around. Imagine how much lighter and enjoyable your days with your honey could be if you didn't have all that weight on your shoulders. Do more. Be more. Hey, your bad back might even get miraculously cured!
LEO ~ Happy birthday, Leos. It's the first weekend with the Sun in your sign! Already, the Moon grows full in your opposite sign. It's a reminder that life and love are to be shared. Coupled Leos, celebrate the weekend showering the object of your affection with the warmth of your undivided attention and devotion. Single Leos, the Aquarius-Moon honors friendships and associations so, be merry with your best mates under the bright light of this full moon.
VIRGO ~ Saturn has left your sign. Yey! What have you learned? Part of what he tried to teach you is living a lifestyle that promotes good health and wellbeing. Was he successful? The full moon this weekend supports Saturn's change of focus (now that he's in Libra, his focus is relationships) and brings closure in your house of health and daily routine. If you haven't already begun, make strides toward it now. Recruit your loved one for support. Exercise together. Eat well together. Have more energy for each other. Be more connected in the process. Live longer together.
LIBRA ~ Saturn's recent return for an extended stay in your sign is a bit of bummer. Fortunately, the full moon in your house of love offers a good omen that whatever needs to happen will happen and, in the long run, fosters a necessary change that results in an improved quality of life and well being. Until then, though, embrace this weekend's full moon and count your blessings; there are more than you might have originally imagined. Get some quality time in with your sweetie and maybe even take a look at him/her from a new set of eyes. Be filled with wonder.
SCORPIO ~ A long standing family drama comes to a close. Have I said that before? Hmm... well, I really mean it this time. This drama has taken so much of your time, energy and have taken you for an emotional roller coaster. Give it no more thought. It is done. It is finished. Focus instead on what you may have been missing out on because you've been too busy distracted. Reconnect and spend some quality time with your special someone. If single, then pamper yourself with a spa treatment or a little daycation.
SAGITTARIUS ~ “Free your mind and the rest will follow.†The full moon illuminates your house of thought, just as Saturn gets settled in the relationships sign. There are no real rules in matters of the heart. The dynamic of each relationship differs from one from another. What's unconventional to someone is the norm for someone else. What matters, I suppose, is that love itself remains between the two parties involved. Be open to however your existing relationship is evolving. Cherish your connection and embrace whatever may be changing. Who says love isn't flexible?
CAPRICORN ~ You plan. You anticipate possible outcomes or pitfalls. Always focused. Determined. There are, however, no way to plan for curve balls life throws at you. All you can do is duck and dodge which is difficult because you're a doer. Things are changing. Sometimes, it seems too slow to notice and other times, too quick and you wonder how you didn't see it coming. Keeping all of this to yourself may have left your loved one feeling like he/she no longer belongs in your world. Sharing is caring, right? Share your thoughts, even your fears. You are stronger together.
AQUARIUS ~ The Full Moon in your sign begs for you to take a long, realistic look at yourself and what your innermost desires are. The coming months offer chances to make a go of things. Whether or not your deepest wishes involve your partner, consider sharing your thoughts/plans with him/her, lest you appear distant or withdrawn. Keep a cool head this weekend. Let your heart rise and fall with emotion, but keep your reactions/interactions objective and logical.
PISCES ~ Quiet and relaxing may be just what's necessary to get you back on track. Spend lazy afternoons on the couch with your sweetie. Stay in and enjoy home-cooked meals, over candlelight and conversation. Things may have been fuzzy lately or maybe you've felt like you've just been moving slowly through a fog. Well, this full moon illuminates your subconscious house so clarity is coming. You'll be surprised, though, that the answer you seek is something you've known all along. All you've needed to do is accept it and work with it.
ARIES ~ It's a full moon in your house of friendships this weekend. There's nothing like a get together with friends that validates or sometimes help clarify your own journey -- may they be old, new, yours or inherited from an ex-lover or ex-friend. So, throw a little shindig or grab your sweetie and meet the gang at the old hangout. On Sunday, feel free to reconnect with an old, once dear friend, that remains close to your heart. I'm sure he/she will be thinking of you as well :)
TAURUS ~ You can be too practical for your own good, sometimes. It's difficult to get past what you know as truth, what's been proven as real. There is though something brewing now, deep in your subconscious. It's both unnerving (to your pragmatic side) and exciting (to your curious side). Don't fear it. Don't fret about it. Let it unfold on its own. Whatever energy you're tempted to give to it, channel that towards the object of your affection. He/she might just reward you generously for your attention and affection :)
GEMINI ~ Saturn's back. Cruising around your house of love. Lingering for two years. Yowza! Gone are the romantic notions of what love or a relationship is. Soon, Saturn gets real about what relationships should be built upon and how they need nurturing. This weekend, the Aquarius-Moon opposes the Leo-Sun for a full moon, illuminates your mental/communication houses. Expand your mind. Be open to receive and learn. Start with your sweetie. What does he/she have to say? Are you really listening? Be a true communicator. Listen. Reply. Repeat.
CANCER ~ ouch! This weekend's full moon hits you right where it makes you waaaaaaay too uncomfortable … in your house of endings, purging and transformation. Cancerians have been stereotyped as the natural hoarders of the zodiac -- maybe not in the material sense, but the emotional sense. Time to get rid of that emotional baggage you've been lugging around. Imagine how much lighter and enjoyable your days with your honey could be if you didn't have all that weight on your shoulders. Do more. Be more. Hey, your bad back might even get miraculously cured!
LEO ~ Happy birthday, Leos. It's the first weekend with the Sun in your sign! Already, the Moon grows full in your opposite sign. It's a reminder that life and love are to be shared. Coupled Leos, celebrate the weekend showering the object of your affection with the warmth of your undivided attention and devotion. Single Leos, the Aquarius-Moon honors friendships and associations so, be merry with your best mates under the bright light of this full moon.
VIRGO ~ Saturn has left your sign. Yey! What have you learned? Part of what he tried to teach you is living a lifestyle that promotes good health and wellbeing. Was he successful? The full moon this weekend supports Saturn's change of focus (now that he's in Libra, his focus is relationships) and brings closure in your house of health and daily routine. If you haven't already begun, make strides toward it now. Recruit your loved one for support. Exercise together. Eat well together. Have more energy for each other. Be more connected in the process. Live longer together.
LIBRA ~ Saturn's recent return for an extended stay in your sign is a bit of bummer. Fortunately, the full moon in your house of love offers a good omen that whatever needs to happen will happen and, in the long run, fosters a necessary change that results in an improved quality of life and well being. Until then, though, embrace this weekend's full moon and count your blessings; there are more than you might have originally imagined. Get some quality time in with your sweetie and maybe even take a look at him/her from a new set of eyes. Be filled with wonder.
SCORPIO ~ A long standing family drama comes to a close. Have I said that before? Hmm... well, I really mean it this time. This drama has taken so much of your time, energy and have taken you for an emotional roller coaster. Give it no more thought. It is done. It is finished. Focus instead on what you may have been missing out on because you've been too busy distracted. Reconnect and spend some quality time with your special someone. If single, then pamper yourself with a spa treatment or a little daycation.
SAGITTARIUS ~ “Free your mind and the rest will follow.†The full moon illuminates your house of thought, just as Saturn gets settled in the relationships sign. There are no real rules in matters of the heart. The dynamic of each relationship differs from one from another. What's unconventional to someone is the norm for someone else. What matters, I suppose, is that love itself remains between the two parties involved. Be open to however your existing relationship is evolving. Cherish your connection and embrace whatever may be changing. Who says love isn't flexible?
CAPRICORN ~ You plan. You anticipate possible outcomes or pitfalls. Always focused. Determined. There are, however, no way to plan for curve balls life throws at you. All you can do is duck and dodge which is difficult because you're a doer. Things are changing. Sometimes, it seems too slow to notice and other times, too quick and you wonder how you didn't see it coming. Keeping all of this to yourself may have left your loved one feeling like he/she no longer belongs in your world. Sharing is caring, right? Share your thoughts, even your fears. You are stronger together.
AQUARIUS ~ The Full Moon in your sign begs for you to take a long, realistic look at yourself and what your innermost desires are. The coming months offer chances to make a go of things. Whether or not your deepest wishes involve your partner, consider sharing your thoughts/plans with him/her, lest you appear distant or withdrawn. Keep a cool head this weekend. Let your heart rise and fall with emotion, but keep your reactions/interactions objective and logical.
PISCES ~ Quiet and relaxing may be just what's necessary to get you back on track. Spend lazy afternoons on the couch with your sweetie. Stay in and enjoy home-cooked meals, over candlelight and conversation. Things may have been fuzzy lately or maybe you've felt like you've just been moving slowly through a fog. Well, this full moon illuminates your subconscious house so clarity is coming. You'll be surprised, though, that the answer you seek is something you've known all along. All you've needed to do is accept it and work with it.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Shattering Subconscious Isolation - Inception, Lucid Dreaming and the Collective Unconscious
The upcoming sci-fi movie thriller by Christopher Nolan, Inception, raises many fascinating questions that experienced lucid dreamers (those who become consciously aware of dreaming while in the dream state) have wrestled with for decades:
- If you become consciously aware of dreaming, can you lucidly enter another's dream, or bring them into your dream?
- If they share unknown information with you, would this provide evidence for a shared or mutual dream?
- And if that information proves to be valid, what does that say about the nature of reality?
- Do dreaming minds have access to an individual or collective unconscious where they share information?
The plot of Inception portrays a talented lucid dreamer, who brings unsuspecting dreamers into a mutual dream environment and then "extracts" information from his or her subconscious. The lucid dreamers in Inception rely on a special machine, PASIV and a special drug, Somnacin, to achieve a stable lucid dream realm and enact their underhanded (or under-minded) deeds.
Inception's basic premise resonates with many experienced lucid dreamers who have empirically investigated these questions of gathering information and interacting in an apparent shared or mutual dream. Though complex, the simple answer to the above questions appears to be "Yes. Lucid dreamers have provided numerous instances of acquiring unknown information while consciously aware in the dream state."
In the movie's dialogue, Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) explains the three stage approach to ensnaring another's subconscious information while lucid dreaming. "We create the world of the dream," Cobb tells his understudy. After creating a stable lucid dream, "We bring the subject into the dream." Next comes the finale, "And they fill it with their secrets."
Nolan's cinematic version of shared dreaming offers a glimpse of what actually happens, according to some experienced lucid dreamers, possibly because Nolan appears familiar with lucid dreams. In an April 4, 10 LA Times interview with Geoff Boucher, Nolan comments on the reality of the lucid dream state.
"You can look around and examine the details and pick up a handful of sand on the beach," Nolan said. "I never particularly found a limit to that; that is to say, that while in that state your brain can fill in all that reality." As to the plot of Inception, he adds, "I tried to work that idea of manipulation and management of a conscious dream being a skill that these people have. Really the script is based on those common, very basic experiences and concepts, and where can those take you? And the only outlandish idea that the film presents, really, is the existence of a technology that allows you to enter and share the same dream as someone else."
Nolan correctly observes that nothing keeps a lucid dreamer from trying to interact with other dreamers in the dream state, and obtain information. In fact, many lucid dreamers have tried this, and some achieved stunning results. Let me share a few examples from my book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, in which lucid dreamers "extract" secret information while consciously aware in the dream state.
A talented lucid dreamer and university student, Ian Koslow, wrote me in 2006 to ask if I truly believed a lucid dreamer could obtain verifiable, unknown information when lucid dreaming? I suggested that he should devise an experiment that will prove or disprove the ability to get unknown, verifiable information in the lucid dream state -- and then try it in his next lucid dream.
A month later, Ian surprised me by submitting a lucid dream in which he did just that. He writes, "I was talking to a girl in my dorm about lucid dreaming, and we were discussing whether or not the people you see in the dream are actually real, or just imaginations. To test this out, we decided to do a little experiment."
The young woman told Ian that she had "an awkward looking freckle" on her back, and she invited Ian to locate her strange freckle in the lucid dream state. Within a week, Ian had two lucid dreams, and recalled the task. In the first lucid dream, he could not make it to her room due to distracting dream figures. But in the second lucid dream, he consciously requested that the woman come to him, and suddenly she entered his room. He recalls, "I finally found her in my lucid dream and searched her back until I saw a dark freckle on her lower back, dead center, right above her ass. I remember thinking during the lucid dream that there was no way this could be the right spot, because I thought I remembered her hinting to me that it was on the side of her back."
Waking with this lucidly sought information, he went down to her dorm room and told her of his discovery. "I went up to her back and pointed my finger at the spot that I saw it in the dream, and to both of our surprise, she lifted up her shirt and my finger was directly covering her freckle. Now, I have no idea what this means, but I don't think it's just a coincidence that I happened to guess exactly where the lone freckle on her back was. All I could think is that the power of lucid dreaming might be more then I imagined."
Notice how the freckle doesn't appear on the side of her back where he thought she hinted it might be; instead, he found it deep down on her lower center back. Notice, too, how in the lucid dream he thinks, "there was no way this could be the right spot" because it runs counter to the suspected hint that he already considered. Thankfully, when he visits the young woman, he points to the exact place indicated in his lucid dream. He follows the lucid dream information faithfully. (pg 177-8)
Another talented lucid dreamer, Clare Johnson, consciously sought telepathic information while competing in the annual Dream Telepathy Contest conducted at the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) conference. This educational event is an outgrowth of the scientific investigation into dream telepathy, conducted by Montague Ullman, MD, Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., and Alan Vaughan in the 1960's and ‘70's. Their book, Dream Telepathy: Experiments in Nocturnal ESP, summarizes the fascinating findings in support of dream telepathy.
On the night of the Dream Telepathy Contest, Clare became aware that she was dreaming and sought to find the "telepathic sender" who was telepathically transmitting an image (earlier in the evening, the "sender" had selected one sealed envelope with an image from a group of four sealed envelopes, and retreated to her room to open the envelope and transmit the image to contest participants). Before falling asleep, Clare incubates the desire to get in touch with the telepathic sender and discover the target image.
In her dream, Clare notes, "I am wandering around with IASD members, commenting on the greenness. In the distance, a woman's voice is shouting 'Tree! Tree!' as if she has just discovered the answer to some fundamental question....Later [in the dream], we are all at the conference site in a high-ceilinged room, discussing the dream telepathy contest. I see Beverly [the telepathic sender] across the room and know that I'm dreaming this. Beverly looks cheerful but I think she's got to be tired since she must be having a sleepless night trying to transmit the image. I ask her how she is feeling. She flings her arms out, grinning, and says, "I've just been shouting the word inside my head!"
"That's interesting," I say, "because in my last dream, people were shouting about trees." I want to ask her outright if tree is the image she is projecting, but think this might be cheating. A woman across the room says excitedly, "I've been getting that, too. Tree shouting." We get into a discussion about the nature of greenness. Is green a positive or negative colour? We agree that it is both dark and light. Deep and beautiful.
.... Then, very slowly, I wake up. I am smiling in the dark. 'The telepathy picture really might be a tree,' I think."
Upon waking, Clare finally visits the Dream Telepathy Contest table, where all four images are revealed; however, only one is the "target image." She comments, "When I get to Registration with the slip of paper upon which I scribbled down my dream, there are three images which don't resonate with me at all, and on the end is a picture of the tree I tried to draw in my dream." Clare selects this image and includes her dream report.
A few days later, Clare discovers that she won the Dream Telepathy Contest. Moreover, "I was intrigued to learn that Beverly did actually shout about trees inside her head while attempting to communicate the image. This experience has given me food for thought concerning receptiveness in lucid dreams." (pg 179-80)
The next real-life example touches on the plot twist of Inception, where Cobb must go beyond merely extracting information from another while lucid dreaming - he must "implant" an idea into another's subconscious without them being aware of it. If Cobb can do this "implanting" successfully, he will win his freedom.
In this personal example, I manage to "implant" an idea into another dreamer's subconscious, which she then showed me in the waking world. My lucid dream from November 24, 1998, begins as I lucidly observe the inside of a restaurant, "...when I see my friend, Moe, come inside. She's wearing a white t shirt and black pants. I ask her if she realizes this is a dream. She seems just a little bit alert, so I walk her around a bit. Then I decide to hold her and levitate (to convince her we dream). I keep saying, ‘See, we're floating! This is a dream.'"
Trying to make some impact on her, I get the idea to make a peace sign with my fingers. Putting them in front of her face, I say, "Look, Moe, do you see this peace sign? Every time you see it, it can make you become lucid -- you'll know you're dreaming." Again, I put the peace sign right in front of her face." I wake.
Four months later, I'm traveling on business on the West Coast and call Moe to see about having lunch. We make plans to meet. Arriving early, I wait outside the restaurant, and at last, I see Moe coming down the sidewalk. As she walks up to me, she gives me a curious look -- then suddenly, she reaches up and puts a big peace sign right in front of my face!
I feel completely stunned! I had recalled the lucid dream earlier in the day, but had never mentioned it to her. Shocked, I muttered, "Why did you do that?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders and said nonchalantly, "I don't know. Just felt like it." Over lunch, I told her about my lucid dream of meeting her and showing her the peace sign and how shocking it felt to see her mimic my lucid dream behavior in the waking world.
Moe's mirroring of my lucid dream action seems impossible to discount as mere coincidence. Not only had a "sign" been exchanged in the lucid dream, but my dream action appeared to influence Moe's waking action. Suddenly, the two worlds of dreaming and waking didn't seem so separate. For a moment on a sunny suburban street corner, lucid dreaming merged with lucid waking. (pg 182-3)
So does lucid dreaming allow us access to another person's mind, asInception suggests? Or do we all connect subconsciously in a meta-web, mind-grid of a Collective Unconscious, which our ego blithely ignores as illusory dream fantasies? Could we use lucid dreaming to provide scientific evidence of a mental realm or shared inner dimension?
Lucid dreaming offers us a new and revolutionary psychological tool to investigate such questions. Using advanced and experienced lucid dreamers, scientists could develop experiments that consciously explore the mysteries of what psychological researchers are now calling a "hybrid state of consciousness" with features of both waking and dreaming awareness. The dream theories of Carl Jung, often criticized for lacking an experimental basis, could be re-examined through lucid dreaming. From my experience, lucid dreaming points convincingly to a kind of collective unconscious or inner communication system.
Christopher Nolan correctly realizes that "the only outlandish idea that the film presents, really, is the existence of a technology that allows you to enter and share the same dream as someone else." However, he need not worry about technology or lucid dream machines. Talented lucid dreamers have already provided anecdotal evidence of obtaining unknown information while lucidly aware in dreams. This fact alone should wake up science to the potential of lucid dreaming to explore deeper aspects of consciousness - an Inception that many physicists, lucid dreamers and others have long imagined.
http://satorination.com/Shattering-Subconscious-Isolation---Inception--Lucid-Dreaming-and-the-Collective-Unconscious
- If you become consciously aware of dreaming, can you lucidly enter another's dream, or bring them into your dream?
- If they share unknown information with you, would this provide evidence for a shared or mutual dream?
- And if that information proves to be valid, what does that say about the nature of reality?
- Do dreaming minds have access to an individual or collective unconscious where they share information?
The plot of Inception portrays a talented lucid dreamer, who brings unsuspecting dreamers into a mutual dream environment and then "extracts" information from his or her subconscious. The lucid dreamers in Inception rely on a special machine, PASIV and a special drug, Somnacin, to achieve a stable lucid dream realm and enact their underhanded (or under-minded) deeds.
Inception's basic premise resonates with many experienced lucid dreamers who have empirically investigated these questions of gathering information and interacting in an apparent shared or mutual dream. Though complex, the simple answer to the above questions appears to be "Yes. Lucid dreamers have provided numerous instances of acquiring unknown information while consciously aware in the dream state."
In the movie's dialogue, Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) explains the three stage approach to ensnaring another's subconscious information while lucid dreaming. "We create the world of the dream," Cobb tells his understudy. After creating a stable lucid dream, "We bring the subject into the dream." Next comes the finale, "And they fill it with their secrets."
Nolan's cinematic version of shared dreaming offers a glimpse of what actually happens, according to some experienced lucid dreamers, possibly because Nolan appears familiar with lucid dreams. In an April 4, 10 LA Times interview with Geoff Boucher, Nolan comments on the reality of the lucid dream state.
"You can look around and examine the details and pick up a handful of sand on the beach," Nolan said. "I never particularly found a limit to that; that is to say, that while in that state your brain can fill in all that reality." As to the plot of Inception, he adds, "I tried to work that idea of manipulation and management of a conscious dream being a skill that these people have. Really the script is based on those common, very basic experiences and concepts, and where can those take you? And the only outlandish idea that the film presents, really, is the existence of a technology that allows you to enter and share the same dream as someone else."
Nolan correctly observes that nothing keeps a lucid dreamer from trying to interact with other dreamers in the dream state, and obtain information. In fact, many lucid dreamers have tried this, and some achieved stunning results. Let me share a few examples from my book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, in which lucid dreamers "extract" secret information while consciously aware in the dream state.
A talented lucid dreamer and university student, Ian Koslow, wrote me in 2006 to ask if I truly believed a lucid dreamer could obtain verifiable, unknown information when lucid dreaming? I suggested that he should devise an experiment that will prove or disprove the ability to get unknown, verifiable information in the lucid dream state -- and then try it in his next lucid dream.
A month later, Ian surprised me by submitting a lucid dream in which he did just that. He writes, "I was talking to a girl in my dorm about lucid dreaming, and we were discussing whether or not the people you see in the dream are actually real, or just imaginations. To test this out, we decided to do a little experiment."
The young woman told Ian that she had "an awkward looking freckle" on her back, and she invited Ian to locate her strange freckle in the lucid dream state. Within a week, Ian had two lucid dreams, and recalled the task. In the first lucid dream, he could not make it to her room due to distracting dream figures. But in the second lucid dream, he consciously requested that the woman come to him, and suddenly she entered his room. He recalls, "I finally found her in my lucid dream and searched her back until I saw a dark freckle on her lower back, dead center, right above her ass. I remember thinking during the lucid dream that there was no way this could be the right spot, because I thought I remembered her hinting to me that it was on the side of her back."
Waking with this lucidly sought information, he went down to her dorm room and told her of his discovery. "I went up to her back and pointed my finger at the spot that I saw it in the dream, and to both of our surprise, she lifted up her shirt and my finger was directly covering her freckle. Now, I have no idea what this means, but I don't think it's just a coincidence that I happened to guess exactly where the lone freckle on her back was. All I could think is that the power of lucid dreaming might be more then I imagined."
Notice how the freckle doesn't appear on the side of her back where he thought she hinted it might be; instead, he found it deep down on her lower center back. Notice, too, how in the lucid dream he thinks, "there was no way this could be the right spot" because it runs counter to the suspected hint that he already considered. Thankfully, when he visits the young woman, he points to the exact place indicated in his lucid dream. He follows the lucid dream information faithfully. (pg 177-8)
Another talented lucid dreamer, Clare Johnson, consciously sought telepathic information while competing in the annual Dream Telepathy Contest conducted at the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) conference. This educational event is an outgrowth of the scientific investigation into dream telepathy, conducted by Montague Ullman, MD, Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., and Alan Vaughan in the 1960's and ‘70's. Their book, Dream Telepathy: Experiments in Nocturnal ESP, summarizes the fascinating findings in support of dream telepathy.
On the night of the Dream Telepathy Contest, Clare became aware that she was dreaming and sought to find the "telepathic sender" who was telepathically transmitting an image (earlier in the evening, the "sender" had selected one sealed envelope with an image from a group of four sealed envelopes, and retreated to her room to open the envelope and transmit the image to contest participants). Before falling asleep, Clare incubates the desire to get in touch with the telepathic sender and discover the target image.
In her dream, Clare notes, "I am wandering around with IASD members, commenting on the greenness. In the distance, a woman's voice is shouting 'Tree! Tree!' as if she has just discovered the answer to some fundamental question....Later [in the dream], we are all at the conference site in a high-ceilinged room, discussing the dream telepathy contest. I see Beverly [the telepathic sender] across the room and know that I'm dreaming this. Beverly looks cheerful but I think she's got to be tired since she must be having a sleepless night trying to transmit the image. I ask her how she is feeling. She flings her arms out, grinning, and says, "I've just been shouting the word inside my head!"
"That's interesting," I say, "because in my last dream, people were shouting about trees." I want to ask her outright if tree is the image she is projecting, but think this might be cheating. A woman across the room says excitedly, "I've been getting that, too. Tree shouting." We get into a discussion about the nature of greenness. Is green a positive or negative colour? We agree that it is both dark and light. Deep and beautiful.
.... Then, very slowly, I wake up. I am smiling in the dark. 'The telepathy picture really might be a tree,' I think."
Upon waking, Clare finally visits the Dream Telepathy Contest table, where all four images are revealed; however, only one is the "target image." She comments, "When I get to Registration with the slip of paper upon which I scribbled down my dream, there are three images which don't resonate with me at all, and on the end is a picture of the tree I tried to draw in my dream." Clare selects this image and includes her dream report.
A few days later, Clare discovers that she won the Dream Telepathy Contest. Moreover, "I was intrigued to learn that Beverly did actually shout about trees inside her head while attempting to communicate the image. This experience has given me food for thought concerning receptiveness in lucid dreams." (pg 179-80)
The next real-life example touches on the plot twist of Inception, where Cobb must go beyond merely extracting information from another while lucid dreaming - he must "implant" an idea into another's subconscious without them being aware of it. If Cobb can do this "implanting" successfully, he will win his freedom.
In this personal example, I manage to "implant" an idea into another dreamer's subconscious, which she then showed me in the waking world. My lucid dream from November 24, 1998, begins as I lucidly observe the inside of a restaurant, "...when I see my friend, Moe, come inside. She's wearing a white t shirt and black pants. I ask her if she realizes this is a dream. She seems just a little bit alert, so I walk her around a bit. Then I decide to hold her and levitate (to convince her we dream). I keep saying, ‘See, we're floating! This is a dream.'"
Trying to make some impact on her, I get the idea to make a peace sign with my fingers. Putting them in front of her face, I say, "Look, Moe, do you see this peace sign? Every time you see it, it can make you become lucid -- you'll know you're dreaming." Again, I put the peace sign right in front of her face." I wake.
Four months later, I'm traveling on business on the West Coast and call Moe to see about having lunch. We make plans to meet. Arriving early, I wait outside the restaurant, and at last, I see Moe coming down the sidewalk. As she walks up to me, she gives me a curious look -- then suddenly, she reaches up and puts a big peace sign right in front of my face!
I feel completely stunned! I had recalled the lucid dream earlier in the day, but had never mentioned it to her. Shocked, I muttered, "Why did you do that?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders and said nonchalantly, "I don't know. Just felt like it." Over lunch, I told her about my lucid dream of meeting her and showing her the peace sign and how shocking it felt to see her mimic my lucid dream behavior in the waking world.
Moe's mirroring of my lucid dream action seems impossible to discount as mere coincidence. Not only had a "sign" been exchanged in the lucid dream, but my dream action appeared to influence Moe's waking action. Suddenly, the two worlds of dreaming and waking didn't seem so separate. For a moment on a sunny suburban street corner, lucid dreaming merged with lucid waking. (pg 182-3)
So does lucid dreaming allow us access to another person's mind, asInception suggests? Or do we all connect subconsciously in a meta-web, mind-grid of a Collective Unconscious, which our ego blithely ignores as illusory dream fantasies? Could we use lucid dreaming to provide scientific evidence of a mental realm or shared inner dimension?
Lucid dreaming offers us a new and revolutionary psychological tool to investigate such questions. Using advanced and experienced lucid dreamers, scientists could develop experiments that consciously explore the mysteries of what psychological researchers are now calling a "hybrid state of consciousness" with features of both waking and dreaming awareness. The dream theories of Carl Jung, often criticized for lacking an experimental basis, could be re-examined through lucid dreaming. From my experience, lucid dreaming points convincingly to a kind of collective unconscious or inner communication system.
Christopher Nolan correctly realizes that "the only outlandish idea that the film presents, really, is the existence of a technology that allows you to enter and share the same dream as someone else." However, he need not worry about technology or lucid dream machines. Talented lucid dreamers have already provided anecdotal evidence of obtaining unknown information while lucidly aware in dreams. This fact alone should wake up science to the potential of lucid dreaming to explore deeper aspects of consciousness - an Inception that many physicists, lucid dreamers and others have long imagined.
http://satorination.com/Shattering-Subconscious-Isolation---Inception--Lucid-Dreaming-and-the-Collective-Unconscious
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
http://satorination.com/How-to-simplify-when-you-love-your-stuff
It all depends on whether you have things, or they have you.†~Robert A. Cook
Simplicity. It is a lovely ancient spiritual tradition that has seen a recent resurgence in popularity. As we try to make sense of our erratic economy and the accompanying financial anxiety, it is natural to leap to a less risky lifestyle extreme — stop spending, scale back, live lean.
If you are a regular reader of Zen Habits, you are probably intrigued by the idea of simplifying. In fact, you may have even given up many material things and actively live a very simple life. People who have adopted this level of simplicity, especially in the land of consumerism, are incredibly inspiring and fascinating.
But let’s be real here. In spite of embracing the concept of simplicity, most people really love their stuff, and they love acquiring more stuff. Like our attitudes about a healthy diet, our feelings about material things are complicated. We know what’s good for us, but we just don’t want to give up what we like. Our stuff makes us feel good.
Is it possible to live a simple life and still love stuff? How much letting go of stuff really counts toward simplifying anyway?
Living simply and detaching from material things will make you happier. There is real research and lots of anecdotal evidence to support the truth of this. But is it possible that some material things can add to our happiness, sense of contentment and joy in life? If so, how do you go about deciding what’s good stuff and what’s bad?
Perhaps the deciding factor is motivation. Do the things that you own or wish to buy support your ego, or do they enliven your soul? Some material things can afford you a sense of warmth, coziness, beauty, fond memories, or comfort. There are other things that offer only that fleeting rush of acquisition.
If you infuse mindfulness into your ideas and actions around material things, you can create a gentle balance between loving stuff and living simply.
Here are some thoughts that might be useful.
1. Look around your house now.
Walk from room to room. Do you see things that you never use and don’t really care about? Why not give them away or sell them? Clear physical and psychic space by removing the “dead wood†in your environment. Someone else might really need these things.
2. Examine why you are hanging on to something.
Is it truly useful or meaningful, or does it feed your ego in some way? Are you holding on to it just to impress others or to make yourself feel better or more important?
3. Look at how you spend your time.
Do you have things you own for hobbies that you never pursue? Do you have a kitchen full of gadgets but you rarely cook? If you truly think you will come back to a hobby or activity, box things up and put them out of sight until you do. Be realistic about how much time you have to use your extraneous stuff.
4. Are you in a career that is thing-focused?
Decorators, car dealers, retailers and others involved in creating, buying, selling and marketing merchandise, can have a hard time detaching from material things because they are always surrounded by the newest and best. There is beauty and art in many things, but consider this: you don’t have to own them all to appreciate them. Eckhart Tolle once suggested to Oprah Winfrey that she not buy everything she likes or wants — just savor it for the moment in the store.
5. Consider experiences rather than things.
On the whole, experiential purchases provide far more pleasure than material purchases. The memory of experiences improves with time, but material purchases are harder to think about abstractly. Experiences also encourage social relationships which provide long-lasting happiness. If you are itching to spend, spend on a great experience with someone you enjoy.
6. When you think about your things or want to purchase something new, consider these parameters:
It brings beauty into your life and stirs your soul.
It supports a passion or hobby.
It helps bring family and friends together in a creative, meaningful way.
It educates and enlightens.
It makes life profoundly simpler so that you can pursue more meaningful things.
It helps someone who is sick or incapacitated.
It is useful and necessary for day-to-day life.
It’s part of a meaningful tradition or a reminder of a special event.
7. You will know you are buying mindlessly if you:
Buy on a whim.
Buy to impress others.
Buy because you feel you deserve it.
Buy when you can’t afford it.
Buy just to update something that still works or looks fine.
Buy because someone else has it and you want it too.
Buy because the advertisement seduced you.
Buy because you are bored.
It’s purchased because buying soothes you.
It is possible to balance a simpler life with owning and acquiring material things. You can enjoy stuff without living the life of an aesthetic. The exact balance you create is a matter of personal preference. But realize there is a diminishing point of return with accumulation and materialism that undermines authentic joy and fulfillment in life.
Apply mindful purging to your current lifestyle and belongings, as well as thoughtful consideration to your future purchases. Carefully examine your motivations for keeping possessions or buying new things. Once you allow things to serve your soul, rather than you being a slave to your things, your life will evolve into an artful harmony between what you have and who you are.
http://satorination.com/How-to-simplify-when-you-love-your-stuff
Simplicity. It is a lovely ancient spiritual tradition that has seen a recent resurgence in popularity. As we try to make sense of our erratic economy and the accompanying financial anxiety, it is natural to leap to a less risky lifestyle extreme — stop spending, scale back, live lean.
If you are a regular reader of Zen Habits, you are probably intrigued by the idea of simplifying. In fact, you may have even given up many material things and actively live a very simple life. People who have adopted this level of simplicity, especially in the land of consumerism, are incredibly inspiring and fascinating.
But let’s be real here. In spite of embracing the concept of simplicity, most people really love their stuff, and they love acquiring more stuff. Like our attitudes about a healthy diet, our feelings about material things are complicated. We know what’s good for us, but we just don’t want to give up what we like. Our stuff makes us feel good.
Is it possible to live a simple life and still love stuff? How much letting go of stuff really counts toward simplifying anyway?
Living simply and detaching from material things will make you happier. There is real research and lots of anecdotal evidence to support the truth of this. But is it possible that some material things can add to our happiness, sense of contentment and joy in life? If so, how do you go about deciding what’s good stuff and what’s bad?
Perhaps the deciding factor is motivation. Do the things that you own or wish to buy support your ego, or do they enliven your soul? Some material things can afford you a sense of warmth, coziness, beauty, fond memories, or comfort. There are other things that offer only that fleeting rush of acquisition.
If you infuse mindfulness into your ideas and actions around material things, you can create a gentle balance between loving stuff and living simply.
Here are some thoughts that might be useful.
1. Look around your house now.
Walk from room to room. Do you see things that you never use and don’t really care about? Why not give them away or sell them? Clear physical and psychic space by removing the “dead wood†in your environment. Someone else might really need these things.
2. Examine why you are hanging on to something.
Is it truly useful or meaningful, or does it feed your ego in some way? Are you holding on to it just to impress others or to make yourself feel better or more important?
3. Look at how you spend your time.
Do you have things you own for hobbies that you never pursue? Do you have a kitchen full of gadgets but you rarely cook? If you truly think you will come back to a hobby or activity, box things up and put them out of sight until you do. Be realistic about how much time you have to use your extraneous stuff.
4. Are you in a career that is thing-focused?
Decorators, car dealers, retailers and others involved in creating, buying, selling and marketing merchandise, can have a hard time detaching from material things because they are always surrounded by the newest and best. There is beauty and art in many things, but consider this: you don’t have to own them all to appreciate them. Eckhart Tolle once suggested to Oprah Winfrey that she not buy everything she likes or wants — just savor it for the moment in the store.
5. Consider experiences rather than things.
On the whole, experiential purchases provide far more pleasure than material purchases. The memory of experiences improves with time, but material purchases are harder to think about abstractly. Experiences also encourage social relationships which provide long-lasting happiness. If you are itching to spend, spend on a great experience with someone you enjoy.
6. When you think about your things or want to purchase something new, consider these parameters:
It brings beauty into your life and stirs your soul.
It supports a passion or hobby.
It helps bring family and friends together in a creative, meaningful way.
It educates and enlightens.
It makes life profoundly simpler so that you can pursue more meaningful things.
It helps someone who is sick or incapacitated.
It is useful and necessary for day-to-day life.
It’s part of a meaningful tradition or a reminder of a special event.
7. You will know you are buying mindlessly if you:
Buy on a whim.
Buy to impress others.
Buy because you feel you deserve it.
Buy when you can’t afford it.
Buy just to update something that still works or looks fine.
Buy because someone else has it and you want it too.
Buy because the advertisement seduced you.
Buy because you are bored.
It’s purchased because buying soothes you.
It is possible to balance a simpler life with owning and acquiring material things. You can enjoy stuff without living the life of an aesthetic. The exact balance you create is a matter of personal preference. But realize there is a diminishing point of return with accumulation and materialism that undermines authentic joy and fulfillment in life.
Apply mindful purging to your current lifestyle and belongings, as well as thoughtful consideration to your future purchases. Carefully examine your motivations for keeping possessions or buying new things. Once you allow things to serve your soul, rather than you being a slave to your things, your life will evolve into an artful harmony between what you have and who you are.
http://satorination.com/How-to-simplify-when-you-love-your-stuff
Monday, July 5, 2010
Horoscopes: WeeklyScopes ~ July 5 to 11
http://satorination.com/Weekly-Forecast---July-5-to-11--2010 * Days and times reflect North America EST
ARIES ~ The revolutionary planet of innovation and radical change, Uranus, who remains in your sign, slows down this week and retrogrades for the rest of the year. Some of the tension and hectic energy of June lightens a bit...but just a bit. Cardinal tension continues to grow stronger with the Cancer-Solar Eclipse happening this weekend. So, approach this week with a slower, steadier pace and concentrate of objectives.
TAURUS ~ The Moon in your sign for most of the work week should help interactions run smoother. Stand your ground for what you believe in. Just make sure that you are truly committed to your cause. You will need to see it through. Home life gets demanding as the weeks ends and approaches the Solar Eclipse in family-oriented Cancer.
GEMINI ~ Things are looking up. Prospects for supplementing income seem promising. Keep things simple and practical though. Include the possible immediate impact and/or sacrifices on your end when considering options. It's great to reap more but consider the cost – financially, as well as the additional energy and time required. This week, aim for little to no surprises. Anticipate possible obstacles and concentrate on what matters.
CANCER ~ Didn't we just have an eclipse? Well, another approaches this weekend and this Solar Eclipse is in your sign. Those born within 3 days of July 11 will feel its effects stronger than most over the next 6 months. As for this week, stay focus. You'll need your wits about you as you interact with colleagues, superiors, friends and frenemies. Don't be shy. Say what you need to say. Your opinion and ideas matter.
LEO ~ There's a focus on work at the start of the work week. A chance to interact with superiors, maybe even impress them. You may be thrown into an assignment or project you'd rather not be a part of, but take this as an opportunity to 'wow' those whose opinion matter that inches you ahead of the game. However your week plays out, see the opportunity instead of the obligation.
VIRGO ~ Your ruler, Mercury, gets busy making connections while he remains in your social house. By Friday, he'll enter the house of your subconscious for a quieter, more introspective weekend. For the week, you have the opportunity to cut through any fog of confusion and get at the truth or clarity. Recruit a trusted friend or colleague to help you bounce ideas around or seek their counsel.
LIBRA ~ Something's gotta give. You've been pulled so many different directions that you might have forgotten what you had set your eyes on to begin with. The Moon in your house of endings for the first half of the weeks urges you now to let go and release whatever's got a hold on you. The Solar Eclipse this weekend brightly shines upon your house of aspirations. Lighten your load now and make room for a future of your own making.
SCORPIO ~ Careful balance between career and family is the major challenge for the week. What else is new, right? You've got this in the bag. Set your goals early on or something will have to give before the work week ends. Watch your pace and don't forget to treat yourself with kindness. Tensions rise as the Solar Eclipse in Cancer approaches this weekend.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Busy, busy. Lots of little, time consuming work to do. A full plate this week. Watch that you take the time to care for yourself. It's easy to overlook your own needs when there's a long list of action items to get done. Be practical and take a 'hands-on' approach. Mid-week, you'll get a chance to bring something you've been mulling over to reality.
CAPRICORN ~ Being headstrong and willful have gotten you far in life and in your everyday dealings. This week, however, you may need to compromise more than you're comfortable with. You're not being asked to go against what you believe in or stand for. But you may need to trust that things can succeed even if it isn't your idea or even if it's not done your way. Everything is as it should be. We all have our part to play.
AQUARIUS ~ The past month may have been a whirlwind for you. New ideas. Opportunities. Enhancing upon what's existing. Breaking away. More happenings last month than the entire year, it seems. This week, your ruler, Uranus, slows down and takes a more introspective look for the rest of the year. Take this time to solidify plans, fine tune ideas, determine what's feasible vs. what's imagination, connect with like-minded souls and make future plans.
PISCES ~ Does it feel like you're on auto-pilot? It's difficult to sway the practical mind from focusing on the realities of one's situation. But this inability to perceive beyond what the eyes can visibly see or what the mind can logically wrap around keep that which is inspired from being experienced. This week, act boldly and the universe will respond accordingly. There is an inspired life to be lived. The first step requires expanding your mind.
ARIES ~ The revolutionary planet of innovation and radical change, Uranus, who remains in your sign, slows down this week and retrogrades for the rest of the year. Some of the tension and hectic energy of June lightens a bit...but just a bit. Cardinal tension continues to grow stronger with the Cancer-Solar Eclipse happening this weekend. So, approach this week with a slower, steadier pace and concentrate of objectives.
TAURUS ~ The Moon in your sign for most of the work week should help interactions run smoother. Stand your ground for what you believe in. Just make sure that you are truly committed to your cause. You will need to see it through. Home life gets demanding as the weeks ends and approaches the Solar Eclipse in family-oriented Cancer.
GEMINI ~ Things are looking up. Prospects for supplementing income seem promising. Keep things simple and practical though. Include the possible immediate impact and/or sacrifices on your end when considering options. It's great to reap more but consider the cost – financially, as well as the additional energy and time required. This week, aim for little to no surprises. Anticipate possible obstacles and concentrate on what matters.
CANCER ~ Didn't we just have an eclipse? Well, another approaches this weekend and this Solar Eclipse is in your sign. Those born within 3 days of July 11 will feel its effects stronger than most over the next 6 months. As for this week, stay focus. You'll need your wits about you as you interact with colleagues, superiors, friends and frenemies. Don't be shy. Say what you need to say. Your opinion and ideas matter.
LEO ~ There's a focus on work at the start of the work week. A chance to interact with superiors, maybe even impress them. You may be thrown into an assignment or project you'd rather not be a part of, but take this as an opportunity to 'wow' those whose opinion matter that inches you ahead of the game. However your week plays out, see the opportunity instead of the obligation.
VIRGO ~ Your ruler, Mercury, gets busy making connections while he remains in your social house. By Friday, he'll enter the house of your subconscious for a quieter, more introspective weekend. For the week, you have the opportunity to cut through any fog of confusion and get at the truth or clarity. Recruit a trusted friend or colleague to help you bounce ideas around or seek their counsel.
LIBRA ~ Something's gotta give. You've been pulled so many different directions that you might have forgotten what you had set your eyes on to begin with. The Moon in your house of endings for the first half of the weeks urges you now to let go and release whatever's got a hold on you. The Solar Eclipse this weekend brightly shines upon your house of aspirations. Lighten your load now and make room for a future of your own making.
SCORPIO ~ Careful balance between career and family is the major challenge for the week. What else is new, right? You've got this in the bag. Set your goals early on or something will have to give before the work week ends. Watch your pace and don't forget to treat yourself with kindness. Tensions rise as the Solar Eclipse in Cancer approaches this weekend.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Busy, busy. Lots of little, time consuming work to do. A full plate this week. Watch that you take the time to care for yourself. It's easy to overlook your own needs when there's a long list of action items to get done. Be practical and take a 'hands-on' approach. Mid-week, you'll get a chance to bring something you've been mulling over to reality.
CAPRICORN ~ Being headstrong and willful have gotten you far in life and in your everyday dealings. This week, however, you may need to compromise more than you're comfortable with. You're not being asked to go against what you believe in or stand for. But you may need to trust that things can succeed even if it isn't your idea or even if it's not done your way. Everything is as it should be. We all have our part to play.
AQUARIUS ~ The past month may have been a whirlwind for you. New ideas. Opportunities. Enhancing upon what's existing. Breaking away. More happenings last month than the entire year, it seems. This week, your ruler, Uranus, slows down and takes a more introspective look for the rest of the year. Take this time to solidify plans, fine tune ideas, determine what's feasible vs. what's imagination, connect with like-minded souls and make future plans.
PISCES ~ Does it feel like you're on auto-pilot? It's difficult to sway the practical mind from focusing on the realities of one's situation. But this inability to perceive beyond what the eyes can visibly see or what the mind can logically wrap around keep that which is inspired from being experienced. This week, act boldly and the universe will respond accordingly. There is an inspired life to be lived. The first step requires expanding your mind.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The end of busy
“Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.†~Lao Tzu
Post written by Leo Babauta @ http://satorination.com
Stop being busy and your job is half done.
Think about how busy we are, and how it has become a way of bragging: I’m so busy, I must be important.
“I have a million things to do! I never have time for anything! I can’t slow down — I’m too busy.†This is thought to be a good thing in a society where we must be productive, active, occupied.
But it’s a fool’s game. Busy is simply noise, action without meaning, lots of little unimportant things rather than a few important ones.
Stop being busy. Just decide to stop, today.
Now you’re halfway done. You’ve decided to slow down, and to focus on what’s important. All of a sudden, your schedule clears up, and your to-to list shrinks down to almost nothing.
Now you just have one or two things to do, instead of a million. You clear distractions, and focus.
But how can you stop being busy? It’s a simple change of mindset: you say, I’m not going to be busy anymore. Even if you have little control over your schedule, you can decide that you’ll slow down, and pick the important things to work on, and if necessary, talk to your boss about doing this. If you control your schedule, you can drop all the busywork, and just pick the high-impact tasks.
It might seem impossible, but once you decide to put an End to Busy, you have taken the biggest step.
You can now make time for work you’re passionate about, for work that matters. You can make time for solitude, for creating. You can make time for contemplation, for yourself.
Stop being busy, and your job is half done.
“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.†~Jane Austen
Post written by Leo Babauta @ http://satorination.com
Stop being busy and your job is half done.
Think about how busy we are, and how it has become a way of bragging: I’m so busy, I must be important.
“I have a million things to do! I never have time for anything! I can’t slow down — I’m too busy.†This is thought to be a good thing in a society where we must be productive, active, occupied.
But it’s a fool’s game. Busy is simply noise, action without meaning, lots of little unimportant things rather than a few important ones.
Stop being busy. Just decide to stop, today.
Now you’re halfway done. You’ve decided to slow down, and to focus on what’s important. All of a sudden, your schedule clears up, and your to-to list shrinks down to almost nothing.
Now you just have one or two things to do, instead of a million. You clear distractions, and focus.
But how can you stop being busy? It’s a simple change of mindset: you say, I’m not going to be busy anymore. Even if you have little control over your schedule, you can decide that you’ll slow down, and pick the important things to work on, and if necessary, talk to your boss about doing this. If you control your schedule, you can drop all the busywork, and just pick the high-impact tasks.
It might seem impossible, but once you decide to put an End to Busy, you have taken the biggest step.
You can now make time for work you’re passionate about, for work that matters. You can make time for solitude, for creating. You can make time for contemplation, for yourself.
Stop being busy, and your job is half done.
“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.†~Jane Austen
Monday, June 21, 2010
Much Ado about Nothing
Most of human activity is oriented around something, some thing. Externally, we may focus on material things, relationships, money, politics, and the like. Internally, the focus may be on feelings, thoughts, beliefs, identity, health, or—with particular force—things we like or don’t like about ourselves. During almost every waking moment, our thoughts are concerned with something. We may take it for granted that this is as it should be.
But we are often not comfortable within our crowded minds. When we speak of “wanting space,†for example, we express a wish not to be oppressed by people, obligations, and concerns. When the mind is preoccupied with thoughts, feelings, reactions, and judgments it can feel claustrophobic. When the mind is calm and spacious it can be relaxed and wise, even with a thought that may feel oppressive when the mind is tight.
There is much value in nothing. For example, an important element of a room is the empty space between the things in it. A room will have a very different atmosphere depending on
the size and shape of its space. Four people in an elevator feel very different from four people in a cathedral because of the different amount of nothing surrounding them.
Buddhist practice could be described as a practice of creating greater space in our minds and hearts and thus a more spacious and gracious mental environment. We can bring this about, in part, by appreciating nothing. In fact, nothing may be more precious than most somethings.
For example, having few possessions can bring happiness. A classic Buddhist story tells of a king who renounced his wealth and status and became a monk. His fellow monks were
skeptical that he would stay ordained without his accustomed luxury and comfort. Soon after the ordination, the monks were meditating in a grove of trees and the new monk exclaimed loudly, “Oh, what bliss, what bliss!†The other monks concluded that he had decided to return to his life of wealth. However, when they asked him why he exclaimed with joy, he replied, “When I was a king, I had guards posted inside and outside the palace, inside and outside the city, within and without the countryside. But now, on going alone to a
forest, I am without fear, not agitated, confident, and unafraid. This is why I exclaimed, ‘What Bliss! What Bliss!’â€
The example of the Buddhist monastic shows us the possibility of finding happiness and peace of mind with few possessions. Monastics haven’t tied their happiness to things; if anything, they are more interested in having nothing. This doesn’t mean that we lay people have to give up our money and possessions, but that we not expect these to be the anchor for our happiness.
Another area where an appreciation of nothingness can bring us happiness and peace is in the domain of identity. Asserting, defending, resisting, or denying identity or self-definition
can produce unnecessary suffering. When I was in college, I did art because I loved it. One day I decided that I was an “artist.†That was the day I stopped doing art. When I had
no idea of myself as an artist, expressing myself through art was natural and enjoyable. But my attempts to live the identity of “artist†inhibited that natural expression. All too often, when we enter a situation playing the identity game we suffer or cause others to suffer. Furthermore, we may limit the creative potential for something new to arise from the situation. On the other hand, to be without the need for any particular identity may free us from the compulsions of ego.
Yet another area where an appreciation of nothingness is important is preconceived ideas or judgments. Our attachment to our ideas can be as stultifying as our attachment to identity. An important element of mindfulness practice is developing “beginner’s mind,†moving through life ready to see every situation anew.
The Buddhist path can be described as an emptying of ourselves of fears, inhibitions, cravings, and other inner causes of suffering. We empty ourselves of our attachments to posses- sions, our images of ourselves, and our opinions and ideas. We empty ourselves of the need to plan anxiously, to fret, and to obsess. Ultimately, we even empty ourselves of the need to attain something in our practice such as some wonderful spiritual experience. We discover how little we need to be happy and at peace.
Another story of the importance of nothing is the famous parable of the raft, in which the Buddha described how we should relate to the teachings. The Buddha said to his monks, “Suppose a person comes to a river and there is no bridge. The person builds a raft and crosses safely to the other side. Once across, the person picks up the raft and continues the journey into the forest carrying it. What do you think—is this person using the raft appropriately?†The monks replied, “No, sir.†The Buddha then continued, saying, “The Dharma is similar to the raft, it is for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of grasping.â€
In some important ways Buddhist practice leaves us with nothing. Practice is sometimes described as “being nobody, going nowhere, having nothing.†An arahat or enlightened person is described as someone who “has nothing.†In discovering how to be free from clinging, fear, and the need for identity, we learn to be happy with nothing. It is as if happiness is our natural state that is finally revealed when we stop fixating on all the somethings.
Being nobody and having nothing doesn’t mean that we are passive or uncaring. Compassion and the wisdom to act effectively can work through us unimpeded when we are free of attachments to identity, opinions, and possessions.
Wonderful things can happen when we appreciate the power of nothing.
But we are often not comfortable within our crowded minds. When we speak of “wanting space,†for example, we express a wish not to be oppressed by people, obligations, and concerns. When the mind is preoccupied with thoughts, feelings, reactions, and judgments it can feel claustrophobic. When the mind is calm and spacious it can be relaxed and wise, even with a thought that may feel oppressive when the mind is tight.
There is much value in nothing. For example, an important element of a room is the empty space between the things in it. A room will have a very different atmosphere depending on
the size and shape of its space. Four people in an elevator feel very different from four people in a cathedral because of the different amount of nothing surrounding them.
Buddhist practice could be described as a practice of creating greater space in our minds and hearts and thus a more spacious and gracious mental environment. We can bring this about, in part, by appreciating nothing. In fact, nothing may be more precious than most somethings.
For example, having few possessions can bring happiness. A classic Buddhist story tells of a king who renounced his wealth and status and became a monk. His fellow monks were
skeptical that he would stay ordained without his accustomed luxury and comfort. Soon after the ordination, the monks were meditating in a grove of trees and the new monk exclaimed loudly, “Oh, what bliss, what bliss!†The other monks concluded that he had decided to return to his life of wealth. However, when they asked him why he exclaimed with joy, he replied, “When I was a king, I had guards posted inside and outside the palace, inside and outside the city, within and without the countryside. But now, on going alone to a
forest, I am without fear, not agitated, confident, and unafraid. This is why I exclaimed, ‘What Bliss! What Bliss!’â€
The example of the Buddhist monastic shows us the possibility of finding happiness and peace of mind with few possessions. Monastics haven’t tied their happiness to things; if anything, they are more interested in having nothing. This doesn’t mean that we lay people have to give up our money and possessions, but that we not expect these to be the anchor for our happiness.
Another area where an appreciation of nothingness can bring us happiness and peace is in the domain of identity. Asserting, defending, resisting, or denying identity or self-definition
can produce unnecessary suffering. When I was in college, I did art because I loved it. One day I decided that I was an “artist.†That was the day I stopped doing art. When I had
no idea of myself as an artist, expressing myself through art was natural and enjoyable. But my attempts to live the identity of “artist†inhibited that natural expression. All too often, when we enter a situation playing the identity game we suffer or cause others to suffer. Furthermore, we may limit the creative potential for something new to arise from the situation. On the other hand, to be without the need for any particular identity may free us from the compulsions of ego.
Yet another area where an appreciation of nothingness is important is preconceived ideas or judgments. Our attachment to our ideas can be as stultifying as our attachment to identity. An important element of mindfulness practice is developing “beginner’s mind,†moving through life ready to see every situation anew.
The Buddhist path can be described as an emptying of ourselves of fears, inhibitions, cravings, and other inner causes of suffering. We empty ourselves of our attachments to posses- sions, our images of ourselves, and our opinions and ideas. We empty ourselves of the need to plan anxiously, to fret, and to obsess. Ultimately, we even empty ourselves of the need to attain something in our practice such as some wonderful spiritual experience. We discover how little we need to be happy and at peace.
Another story of the importance of nothing is the famous parable of the raft, in which the Buddha described how we should relate to the teachings. The Buddha said to his monks, “Suppose a person comes to a river and there is no bridge. The person builds a raft and crosses safely to the other side. Once across, the person picks up the raft and continues the journey into the forest carrying it. What do you think—is this person using the raft appropriately?†The monks replied, “No, sir.†The Buddha then continued, saying, “The Dharma is similar to the raft, it is for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of grasping.â€
In some important ways Buddhist practice leaves us with nothing. Practice is sometimes described as “being nobody, going nowhere, having nothing.†An arahat or enlightened person is described as someone who “has nothing.†In discovering how to be free from clinging, fear, and the need for identity, we learn to be happy with nothing. It is as if happiness is our natural state that is finally revealed when we stop fixating on all the somethings.
Being nobody and having nothing doesn’t mean that we are passive or uncaring. Compassion and the wisdom to act effectively can work through us unimpeded when we are free of attachments to identity, opinions, and possessions.
Wonderful things can happen when we appreciate the power of nothing.
Following our Authentic Path
I am very dedicated with my clients in helping them follow their passions in Life. So often we "settle" for various reasons with people and situations that don't fullfill our soul purpose. Whether for financial insecurity or emotional insecurity and we can fall into the habit ending up stuck.
When we change our thinking from the negative thought process to the positive flow we naturally draw in the forces for us to create a path that will lead us to true happiness
So many of us today are just "surviving" going through the motions of daily tasks and truly missing out on living! So what do we do about this? Well, take back the control. Realize you are the Captain of your own ship and YOU CAN HAVE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! BELIEVE and it shall be...
I believe in creating an energy with our thoughts .Yes The Law Of Attraction. So many of us have written about it over the years. The Aquarian Doxology says it. Well it is true.Start everyday with a new outlook. If you realize your job is not making you happy and you dread going to work everyday than start focusing on what your "dream job" looks like. Make a mental plan a time frame for change to occur. Omit positive vibes daily. By this I mean share with others your thoughts and passions and you will start to create the flow of energy drawing those people into your life that are living on the path you wish to be on.
This works for love and business.Whatever is making you "stuck" and unhappy choose to leave it behind.Make the decision for change and most importantly take the action to create it in the physical plane..Using our mental plane on a vibrational leval as well. What I mean by this again your thoughts everyday minute by minute! If a negative thought starts to enter you mind then imagine something crushing it ,push it out and replace the thought with one that comes from love.
As I have heard many times in life and I believe in the simplicity of it immensly. There are only two paths we live one is the path of fear and the other is the path of love...Like the Nike campaign says " Just Do It"
Lynn Miller
When we change our thinking from the negative thought process to the positive flow we naturally draw in the forces for us to create a path that will lead us to true happiness
So many of us today are just "surviving" going through the motions of daily tasks and truly missing out on living! So what do we do about this? Well, take back the control. Realize you are the Captain of your own ship and YOU CAN HAVE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! BELIEVE and it shall be...
I believe in creating an energy with our thoughts .Yes The Law Of Attraction. So many of us have written about it over the years. The Aquarian Doxology says it. Well it is true.Start everyday with a new outlook. If you realize your job is not making you happy and you dread going to work everyday than start focusing on what your "dream job" looks like. Make a mental plan a time frame for change to occur. Omit positive vibes daily. By this I mean share with others your thoughts and passions and you will start to create the flow of energy drawing those people into your life that are living on the path you wish to be on.
This works for love and business.Whatever is making you "stuck" and unhappy choose to leave it behind.Make the decision for change and most importantly take the action to create it in the physical plane..Using our mental plane on a vibrational leval as well. What I mean by this again your thoughts everyday minute by minute! If a negative thought starts to enter you mind then imagine something crushing it ,push it out and replace the thought with one that comes from love.
As I have heard many times in life and I believe in the simplicity of it immensly. There are only two paths we live one is the path of fear and the other is the path of love...Like the Nike campaign says " Just Do It"
Lynn Miller
Summer Solitice
The first day of summer officially kicks off today at 7:28 a.m. ET, the beginning of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year—at least in the Northern Hemisphere.
Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer (see Shakespeare), St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.
The Celts & Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light.
Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June.
Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice.
Pagan spirit gatherings or festivals are also common in June, when groups assemble to light a sacred fire, and stay up all night to welcome the dawn.
Pagans (now neo-pagans) have always given this day a special significance. Their religion is rooted in the cycles of nature. Things come and things go; they rise and fall; ebb and flow. Today neo-pagan nature/earth worshippers gather in various "sacred" spaces on the planet to celebrate their reverence for nature. Solstice is both the peak and the tipping point of vibrant life in nature. At the ultimate moment of life and warmth, we're reminded that nature will now take its turn and move us back toward death and darkness. That's the "truth" of nature that pagans celebrate...
Summer Solstice Fun Facts
* Pagans called the Midsummer moon the "Honey Moon" for the mead made from fermented honey that was part of wedding ceremonies performed at the Summer Solstice.
* Ancient Pagans celebrated Midsummer with bonfires, when couples would leap through the flames, believing their crops would grow as high as the couples were able to jump.
* Midsummer was thought to be a time of magic, when evil spirits were said to appear. To thwart them, Pagans often wore protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One of the most powerful of them was a plant called 'chase-devil', which is known today as St. John's Wort and still used by modern herbalists as a mood stabilizer.
Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer (see Shakespeare), St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.
The Celts & Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light.
Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June.
Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice.
Pagan spirit gatherings or festivals are also common in June, when groups assemble to light a sacred fire, and stay up all night to welcome the dawn.
Pagans (now neo-pagans) have always given this day a special significance. Their religion is rooted in the cycles of nature. Things come and things go; they rise and fall; ebb and flow. Today neo-pagan nature/earth worshippers gather in various "sacred" spaces on the planet to celebrate their reverence for nature. Solstice is both the peak and the tipping point of vibrant life in nature. At the ultimate moment of life and warmth, we're reminded that nature will now take its turn and move us back toward death and darkness. That's the "truth" of nature that pagans celebrate...
Summer Solstice Fun Facts
* Pagans called the Midsummer moon the "Honey Moon" for the mead made from fermented honey that was part of wedding ceremonies performed at the Summer Solstice.
* Ancient Pagans celebrated Midsummer with bonfires, when couples would leap through the flames, believing their crops would grow as high as the couples were able to jump.
* Midsummer was thought to be a time of magic, when evil spirits were said to appear. To thwart them, Pagans often wore protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One of the most powerful of them was a plant called 'chase-devil', which is known today as St. John's Wort and still used by modern herbalists as a mood stabilizer.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Your Weekly Horoscopes: June 14th - 20th
WeeklyScopes ~ June 14 to 20
Join SatoriNation.com to receive your free weekly horoscopes: http://satorination.com/register
ARIES ~ It's all roses and sweet promises until it's time to make do on them. Whether they your promises or someone's got you excited over what might be, it is possible to make these ideas/plans/promises a reality or, at least, give a good chance for probability. But someone will need to not only take that first step, but commit to all that may be tangled up with that first step. There is work involved.
TAURUS ~ Perception. What we can see isn't always all there is. What we hear can also be deceiving. The full context isn't always readily available for us. This week, question what you perceive as truth and actively seek to become conscious of what realities may be hidden from you. Give a greater degree of latitude than you might usually, in a given situation.
GEMINI ~ Relationships, especially with family, may be at the forefront of your mind. Nothing serious, but you know a change is coming or have already begun happening. Maybe roles within your given relationships are shifting? Whatever it may be, embrace the change even if it's a difficult reality to accept right now.
CANCER ~ Venus enters your income house. This week, she makes friends with Jupiter and Uranus who are stirring things up in your career house. Ch-ch-ch-changes... Moving forward and improving the quality of your life requires letting go of what may be anchoring you to your current situation. The future is bright and hopeful, indeed. What are you willing to give up for it?
LEO ~ woo hoo! Venus graces your sign with her presence, where she'll remain until late next month. She currently makes a big play for Jupiter and Uranus who are all about expansion! Where in your life could you gain from the collaboration of these three planets? Think big, but fast. Mars and the Sun make their own alignments with Pluto and Saturn, respectively, later this week to help with putting action into your ideals.
VIRGO ~ It serves to be discriminating this week. Good thing you've got “picky†down pat :) So go ahead and extend your search or research far and wide. Reach out your arm and hand pick that thing, that idea, that person, that project, or that event of your heart's choosing. Choose, plan your next move, then make a move.
LIBRA ~ Everyone's got their demands. You seem to be the recipient. Feel free to delegate. You can realistically only accommodate the most significant and time-sensitive of these requests. After all, you also have your own life and set of action items that also need to get done. Unless they're children, these people can pull their own weight. Don't be an enabler :)
SCORPIO ~ Venus governs love/relationships but also finances. She has entered your career and future goals house, where she'll stay until late July. She now makes a lovely angle with the planet of possibilities, Jupiter, and the planet of surprises, Uranus, who are both in your house of work and daily routine. This week, sincere strides made toward work or changing to improve life's daily routines are favored to succeed.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Your week begins playfully which is a nice reminder on staying young at heart by connecting with your inner child. Trying to conceive? It's a good week for it. Actions working towards future plans or plans for increasing income are also blessed this week. It's just an all around fabulous week for you if you can stay focused and dedicated to your cause.
CAPRICORN ~ Time to get things in order on the home front. Whether it's projects around the house or repairing family relations or communicating to ensure everyone in on the same page, get it done. It will be a smoother road to achieving your personal objectives if you have your private life in order, as well as, have the support of family and loved ones.
AQUARIUS ~ Venus in your partnerships house until late July conjures up all sorts of fun, exciting possibilities in love relationships and business alliances, alike. Whether it's your love life or business life or both that needs a boost, be a little bolder, muster up some confidence and make your move. Venus' friendly ties with Jupiter and Uranus can help make your wishes come true or, at least, more feasible.
PISCES ~ There's work to be done. Everyone seems to want a piece of you – family, hubby/partner, children, employer. Just don't neglect the basic needs of the self in the process. Those who are looking for employment might find this an ideal week for job searching and/or scheduling interviews.
Join SatoriNation.com to receive your free weekly horoscopes: http://satorination.com/register
ARIES ~ It's all roses and sweet promises until it's time to make do on them. Whether they your promises or someone's got you excited over what might be, it is possible to make these ideas/plans/promises a reality or, at least, give a good chance for probability. But someone will need to not only take that first step, but commit to all that may be tangled up with that first step. There is work involved.
TAURUS ~ Perception. What we can see isn't always all there is. What we hear can also be deceiving. The full context isn't always readily available for us. This week, question what you perceive as truth and actively seek to become conscious of what realities may be hidden from you. Give a greater degree of latitude than you might usually, in a given situation.
GEMINI ~ Relationships, especially with family, may be at the forefront of your mind. Nothing serious, but you know a change is coming or have already begun happening. Maybe roles within your given relationships are shifting? Whatever it may be, embrace the change even if it's a difficult reality to accept right now.
CANCER ~ Venus enters your income house. This week, she makes friends with Jupiter and Uranus who are stirring things up in your career house. Ch-ch-ch-changes... Moving forward and improving the quality of your life requires letting go of what may be anchoring you to your current situation. The future is bright and hopeful, indeed. What are you willing to give up for it?
LEO ~ woo hoo! Venus graces your sign with her presence, where she'll remain until late next month. She currently makes a big play for Jupiter and Uranus who are all about expansion! Where in your life could you gain from the collaboration of these three planets? Think big, but fast. Mars and the Sun make their own alignments with Pluto and Saturn, respectively, later this week to help with putting action into your ideals.
VIRGO ~ It serves to be discriminating this week. Good thing you've got “picky†down pat :) So go ahead and extend your search or research far and wide. Reach out your arm and hand pick that thing, that idea, that person, that project, or that event of your heart's choosing. Choose, plan your next move, then make a move.
LIBRA ~ Everyone's got their demands. You seem to be the recipient. Feel free to delegate. You can realistically only accommodate the most significant and time-sensitive of these requests. After all, you also have your own life and set of action items that also need to get done. Unless they're children, these people can pull their own weight. Don't be an enabler :)
SCORPIO ~ Venus governs love/relationships but also finances. She has entered your career and future goals house, where she'll stay until late July. She now makes a lovely angle with the planet of possibilities, Jupiter, and the planet of surprises, Uranus, who are both in your house of work and daily routine. This week, sincere strides made toward work or changing to improve life's daily routines are favored to succeed.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Your week begins playfully which is a nice reminder on staying young at heart by connecting with your inner child. Trying to conceive? It's a good week for it. Actions working towards future plans or plans for increasing income are also blessed this week. It's just an all around fabulous week for you if you can stay focused and dedicated to your cause.
CAPRICORN ~ Time to get things in order on the home front. Whether it's projects around the house or repairing family relations or communicating to ensure everyone in on the same page, get it done. It will be a smoother road to achieving your personal objectives if you have your private life in order, as well as, have the support of family and loved ones.
AQUARIUS ~ Venus in your partnerships house until late July conjures up all sorts of fun, exciting possibilities in love relationships and business alliances, alike. Whether it's your love life or business life or both that needs a boost, be a little bolder, muster up some confidence and make your move. Venus' friendly ties with Jupiter and Uranus can help make your wishes come true or, at least, more feasible.
PISCES ~ There's work to be done. Everyone seems to want a piece of you – family, hubby/partner, children, employer. Just don't neglect the basic needs of the self in the process. Those who are looking for employment might find this an ideal week for job searching and/or scheduling interviews.
Monday, May 24, 2010
8pm EST Tuesday - FREE Relationship & Psychic Phone Seminar. Topic: Where are we headed? (Am I investing my time towards something with potential?)
SATORI NATION EVENTS
Free LIVE phone seminar - Tues. May 25th - 8PM EST/5PM PST!
Seminar with Dee of Love Solutions - Call Now!
Topic: Where are we headed?
Guest Speaker: Medium Marie will offer free Psychic Intuitive Insights.
Win a FREE 15 minute coaching session with Dee of Love Solutions! When you join us on Tuesdays phone seminar (exclusive for Satori Nation members).
Join us Tues. - Relationship Coach Dee will discuss behaviors, signs and tips on how to tell if you're investing your energy in a potential partnership or potential flop. We hope you leave our seminar with tools to see if your current relationship, or dating experience is headed towards a more serious commitment.
- If you are dating - will it lead to a relationship?
- If you are in a relationship - will it lead to something more serious?
- If you are living together - is it leading towards marriage?
- If you are dating trying to reconnect with an ex-partner - will you reconnect?
Unfortunately, even if your partners intentions are pure, you may both find that the relationship you are building or trying to build is more than he/she can handle. This is one of the main reasons why partners back away when discussions of a more serious comittment are discussed.
- Dee will give you tips and conversational pieces to help move your relationship past any commitment hurdles.
- Or, help you determine if you should cut the cord.
Move forward together or begin investing your time in yourself or a new relationship!
Let the romance begin all over again. At the end of the call Dee will answer your relationship questions. Those who ask questions - Medium Marie will offer her Psychic Intuitive Insights to help you see your relationship from an outside perspective.
Date: Tues. May 25th
Time: 8pm EST/ 5pm PST
Cost: FREE!
Dial in number: 218-862-1000
Access code: 985632#
Avoid relationship mistakes! Have the perfect relationship. ...Talk now with Relationship Coach Dee.
Pep Talk: Success as a habit
What might I share with your audience?
Aristotle once said: "Excellence, then, is not a single act, but a habit."
So, the reverse must hold true: Failure is not a single act, it is a habit.
Who knowingly practices the habit of failure? None of us, I am sure. But tiny things erode our success. It is the small detail that sets us back. For example, the habit of blaming others prevents us from changing ourselves. So this habit might be part of a framework of habits that surround failure.
There is no doubt that neither failure nor success are guaranteed. We control what we put out, and how we deal with feedback. If our efforts come to nothing, we can make improvements in our practice, or we can make excuses to avoid working on weaknesses and liabilities.
The choice is daily, and the choice is ours. Look at the success stories of history. Winston Churchill is credited for saving England from total collapse under Nazi bombardment. Yet he experienced failure, and depression. For Churchill to live through World War II and the Allied Victory, only to be voted out of office when England had arrived safely in the harbor of peace, must have been a blow. Yet he is remembered for his valor and deep belief in England and in freedom, not for petty politics. He endured when others gave up, because he knew those who had little courage or faith needed him, and he came through.
We pick ourselves up and carry on, we set our sights high, and we do not settle for anything less than the best of ourselves.
I think success is the habit of catching the little things, of starting over, and of aiming high, day after day. Success is indeed a habit, the habit of believing
http://ping.fm/JV3jt
For more articles on Success, Zen Habit and Simplicity please visit SatoriNation.com
Aristotle once said: "Excellence, then, is not a single act, but a habit."
So, the reverse must hold true: Failure is not a single act, it is a habit.
Who knowingly practices the habit of failure? None of us, I am sure. But tiny things erode our success. It is the small detail that sets us back. For example, the habit of blaming others prevents us from changing ourselves. So this habit might be part of a framework of habits that surround failure.
There is no doubt that neither failure nor success are guaranteed. We control what we put out, and how we deal with feedback. If our efforts come to nothing, we can make improvements in our practice, or we can make excuses to avoid working on weaknesses and liabilities.
The choice is daily, and the choice is ours. Look at the success stories of history. Winston Churchill is credited for saving England from total collapse under Nazi bombardment. Yet he experienced failure, and depression. For Churchill to live through World War II and the Allied Victory, only to be voted out of office when England had arrived safely in the harbor of peace, must have been a blow. Yet he is remembered for his valor and deep belief in England and in freedom, not for petty politics. He endured when others gave up, because he knew those who had little courage or faith needed him, and he came through.
We pick ourselves up and carry on, we set our sights high, and we do not settle for anything less than the best of ourselves.
I think success is the habit of catching the little things, of starting over, and of aiming high, day after day. Success is indeed a habit, the habit of believing
http://ping.fm/JV3jt
For more articles on Success, Zen Habit and Simplicity please visit SatoriNation.com
Pump It: Weekly Horoscopes May 24th - 30th
Big shift in the heavens. The Full Moon in Sagittarius signals the completion/culmination of something within each of our lives, and the time to prepare the next phase. It's the perfect precursor to Uranus' big, bold entrance into Aries where sparks of brilliant ideas can't wait to get under way. There's a danger of leaping without looking so, be mindful of that this week. Uranus has not been in Aries since 1935 so, this is a significantly influential celestial event that triggers the beginning of cardinal forces climaxing within the next few months.
By weekend, Saturn stations and prepares for direct movement, lifting obstacles or delays that may have been in our way. It's time to get our affairs in order. Saturn in Virgo is meticulous, analytical and thorough. He has been retrograde since January 13.
As the month of May comes to a close, Neptune stations and joins Pluto in retrograde motion. Focus turns inward for the already intuitive Neptune until November 7. We have the opportunity to get in touch with our spiritual, psychological self and give attention to whatever we may have been neglecting within our inner space in the course of living our busy, daily lives.
Your weekly horoscope:
http://ping.fm/Pvn90
By weekend, Saturn stations and prepares for direct movement, lifting obstacles or delays that may have been in our way. It's time to get our affairs in order. Saturn in Virgo is meticulous, analytical and thorough. He has been retrograde since January 13.
As the month of May comes to a close, Neptune stations and joins Pluto in retrograde motion. Focus turns inward for the already intuitive Neptune until November 7. We have the opportunity to get in touch with our spiritual, psychological self and give attention to whatever we may have been neglecting within our inner space in the course of living our busy, daily lives.
Your weekly horoscope:
http://ping.fm/Pvn90
Friday, May 7, 2010
Weekend Love Horoscopes ~ May 7 to 9, 2010
ARIES ~ Venus and Mars hooking up lights up all matters of love for you. With Venus in your house of communication, words are your superpower this weekend. Get your flirt on. Pull out all stops. Wow 'em!
TAURUS ~ There's comfort in stability, especially since last year brought so many unexpected changes in your life. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need or want this weekend. Just make sure that you want what you want for the 'right' reasons. And don't play innocent, you know what constitutes as 'right' in your given situation.
GEMINI ~ Conjure up the spell because you are enchanting and enigmatic this weekend. Venus graces your sign while Mars still got game in your communication house. Words and how they are delivered will get you just about anything you aim for. So, careful what you wish for and go for it.
CANCER ~ There is no time like the present -- may it be mending a broken heart, giving someone a try at winning your heart, being brave enough to take the next step in a relationship, or face some hard truths about your love life and how to repair it. Let this weekend be a turning point for you, your love, your life.
LEO ~ There is no doubt that love and a bit of romance is in your forecast for the weekend. The Moon is in your house of sex. Mars is still in your sign and is blatantly flirting with Venus, the planet of love. Keep things light, however. The Sun in your future goals house might get you looking far ahead. Play it by ear.
VIRGO ~ The future is bright and hopeful even if your immediate world suggests otherwise. The Moon lights up your relationships house all weekend. Be reminded of that which you treasure most and take the time this weekend to appreciate those. Bask in the love and comfort of what you hold near and dear.
LIBRA ~ Nothing says love and romance more than your ruler, Venus, getting frisky with Mars. Whether attached or single, all signs points to happy connections this weekend. Friends might even turn into lovers, or meeting a potential love through a friend might also be a possibility. Just about anything is possible, really. Be open. Experience.
SCORPIO ~ The Moon is in your house of love for much of the weekend, while the Sun remains in your relationships house. With Venus and Mars playing come-hither, it's a good time to spice up the relationship or get some grounding on a new relationship. Single Scorpys are poised to be the hunter this weekend. Go fetch your prey.
SAGITTARIUS ~ The planet of love is in your relationships house while she plays coy with Mars which makes for a weekend reserved for love. Single Sags, especially those with hearts that still need mending, should grab your best mates for good times to be had. You never know...you may just meet your future love.
CAPRICORN ~ With Mars still in your house of sex, while he gets amorous with Venus, the planet of love, it's pretty clear what might be in store for you this weekend. The Moon is dreamy in your house of thought and communication. Open your heart and mind.
AQUARIUS ~ Single or brokenhearted Aquarians may find this weekend of love and romance a little difficult. You don't have to feel left out, though. This celestial energy is prime for getting out there and having fun. Who knows, your next love may be just a 'hello' away.
PISCES ~ Miracles can happen. Wishes do come true. The Moon in your sign nearly all weekend suggests you might just get your just desserts. Whether it's finding your love, treasuring the life you share with your love or something in between, the sky is supportive of granting your wish.
TAURUS ~ There's comfort in stability, especially since last year brought so many unexpected changes in your life. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need or want this weekend. Just make sure that you want what you want for the 'right' reasons. And don't play innocent, you know what constitutes as 'right' in your given situation.
GEMINI ~ Conjure up the spell because you are enchanting and enigmatic this weekend. Venus graces your sign while Mars still got game in your communication house. Words and how they are delivered will get you just about anything you aim for. So, careful what you wish for and go for it.
CANCER ~ There is no time like the present -- may it be mending a broken heart, giving someone a try at winning your heart, being brave enough to take the next step in a relationship, or face some hard truths about your love life and how to repair it. Let this weekend be a turning point for you, your love, your life.
LEO ~ There is no doubt that love and a bit of romance is in your forecast for the weekend. The Moon is in your house of sex. Mars is still in your sign and is blatantly flirting with Venus, the planet of love. Keep things light, however. The Sun in your future goals house might get you looking far ahead. Play it by ear.
VIRGO ~ The future is bright and hopeful even if your immediate world suggests otherwise. The Moon lights up your relationships house all weekend. Be reminded of that which you treasure most and take the time this weekend to appreciate those. Bask in the love and comfort of what you hold near and dear.
LIBRA ~ Nothing says love and romance more than your ruler, Venus, getting frisky with Mars. Whether attached or single, all signs points to happy connections this weekend. Friends might even turn into lovers, or meeting a potential love through a friend might also be a possibility. Just about anything is possible, really. Be open. Experience.
SCORPIO ~ The Moon is in your house of love for much of the weekend, while the Sun remains in your relationships house. With Venus and Mars playing come-hither, it's a good time to spice up the relationship or get some grounding on a new relationship. Single Scorpys are poised to be the hunter this weekend. Go fetch your prey.
SAGITTARIUS ~ The planet of love is in your relationships house while she plays coy with Mars which makes for a weekend reserved for love. Single Sags, especially those with hearts that still need mending, should grab your best mates for good times to be had. You never know...you may just meet your future love.
CAPRICORN ~ With Mars still in your house of sex, while he gets amorous with Venus, the planet of love, it's pretty clear what might be in store for you this weekend. The Moon is dreamy in your house of thought and communication. Open your heart and mind.
AQUARIUS ~ Single or brokenhearted Aquarians may find this weekend of love and romance a little difficult. You don't have to feel left out, though. This celestial energy is prime for getting out there and having fun. Who knows, your next love may be just a 'hello' away.
PISCES ~ Miracles can happen. Wishes do come true. The Moon in your sign nearly all weekend suggests you might just get your just desserts. Whether it's finding your love, treasuring the life you share with your love or something in between, the sky is supportive of granting your wish.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The elements of living lightly
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.” ~Eckhart Tolle
Today I’m going to suggest a small change in mindset that could change your life.
I won’t keep you in suspense. Here it is: think of nothing that happens as either good or bad. Stop judging, and stop expecting.
It’s a tiny change — all you have to do is say, ‘That wasn’t good or bad, it just happened, it just is.’ It’s tiny, but it takes practice, and amazingly, it can knock you on your ass.
Why? Because with this little change, you will no longer be swayed up and down depending on whether good things or bad things happen to you, whether people (and their actions) are good or bad. You will learn to accept things as they are, and move within that landscape mindfully.
You will no longer expect good things to happen (or bad things), but will just take things as they come, and be content with whatever comes. This means you’ll no longer be disappointed, or unhappy.
“When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.”
~Lao Tzu
A Little Exercise
Think of something good that happened to you recently, and how it affected your mindset. Now think of something bad that happened, and what that did to your mindset.
Now imagine that neither event was good, and neither was bad. They simply happened, existed.
How does that change how you would have felt as a result of those events? How does it change your happiness, your mood? How does it change what you do in reaction?
When you stop judging things as good or bad, you are no longer. Nothing is good or bad.
Hamlet said, ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’
He was right. Without the human mind, things just happen, and they are not good or bad. It’s only when we apply the filter of our judgment that they become good or bad, beautiful or ugly.
A weed is only a weed when we don’t like it. Children are only naughty if we don’t like their actions. Life only sucks if you judge it as bad.
But what about truly horrible tragedies, like a plague or tsunami or the Holocaust? Surely those are bad? Sure, through the lens of the judgment we’ve been raised to make, they are terrible. But then again, remove the judgment, and then … they simply happened. Death and cruelty will probably always make us sad, but they’ve always happened and always will, whether we like them or hate them.
Holocaust survivor and author Victor Frankl wrote of a rich woman who went through the Holocaust, and who was grateful for the experience, as much as she suffered, because it opened her eyes. It transformed her. I’m not saying the Holocaust was good, but perhaps we can say that it happened. It serves as a lesson — one we should heed, by the way, in these days of politically charged hatred, of blaming our ills on immigrants and minorities.
There are other tragedies that happen that aren’t necessarily bad. They’re devastating losses, without a doubt, but in life there are always losses, and people will always die. It’s how we judge them that determines our reaction, and determines whether we’re capable of dealing with it sanely.
Great Expectations
The second half of this change is just as small, but just as important: dropping expectations. Not lowering expectations, but eliminating them.
Think about it: when we have expectations, and things don’t go the way we expect (which happens quite often, as we’re not good prognosticators), we are disappointed, frustrated. It’s our expectations that force us to judge whether something is good or bad.
When you expect something of a friend, co-worker, family member, spouse, and they don’t live up to that expectation, then you are upset with them, or disappointed. It causes anger. But what if you had no expectations — then their actions would be neither good nor bad, just actions. You could accept them without frustration, anger, sadness.
What if you went on vacation, to a place you had high expectations of, and it wasn’t what you thought it’d be? You’d be bitterly disappointed, even though it’s not the fault of that place — that’s just how the place is. It’s your expectations that are at fault.
When people disappoint you, it’s not their fault. They’re just being who they are. Your expectations are at fault.
The Why
But why make this change? Why should we stop judging? Why should we stop expecting?
Because judgments stop us from understanding, and can ruin our happiness. When we judge, we don’t seek to understand — we’ve already come to a conclusion. If we stop judging, we allow ourselves to try to understand, and then we can take a much smarter course of action, because we’re better informed by our understanding.
Judging makes us unhappy. So do expectations.
When we leave judgment behind, we can live in the moment, taking what comes as neither good or bad, but simply what is. We can stop ruining our happiness with our thinking, and start living instead.
The How
So how do we start doing this? In small steps, as always.
1 First, start by being more aware. Throughout the course of the day today, note when you make judgments, note when you have expectations, and when things don’t live up to them. Over time, you’ll notice this more and more, and be much more conscious of these types of thoughts.
2 Next, pause each time you notice a judgment or expectation. Take a breath. Then tell yourself, “No expectations, no good or bad.” Repeat this, letting go of the judgment or expectation.
3 Third, seek to see things as they are, and to understand. Be curious as to why things are the way they are, why people act the way they act. Investigate, empathize, try to put yourself in people’s shoes. See the landscape of your life as it actually is, without the filter of judgments or expectations.
4 Next, take what comes. Experience it, in the moment. React appropriately, without overreacting because it isn’t as you hoped or wanted. You can’t control life, or others, but you can control how you react.
5 Then, accept. When things happen, understand why they do, without judgment, and accept them as they are. Accept people for who they are. Accept yourself, without judgment, as you are. This takes practice.
6 Finally, know that the present moment, being as it is, also contains infinite possibilities. And those possibilities are opened up once you see things as they are, without judgment or expectations.
Today I’m going to suggest a small change in mindset that could change your life.
I won’t keep you in suspense. Here it is: think of nothing that happens as either good or bad. Stop judging, and stop expecting.
It’s a tiny change — all you have to do is say, ‘That wasn’t good or bad, it just happened, it just is.’ It’s tiny, but it takes practice, and amazingly, it can knock you on your ass.
Why? Because with this little change, you will no longer be swayed up and down depending on whether good things or bad things happen to you, whether people (and their actions) are good or bad. You will learn to accept things as they are, and move within that landscape mindfully.
You will no longer expect good things to happen (or bad things), but will just take things as they come, and be content with whatever comes. This means you’ll no longer be disappointed, or unhappy.
“When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.”
~Lao Tzu
A Little Exercise
Think of something good that happened to you recently, and how it affected your mindset. Now think of something bad that happened, and what that did to your mindset.
Now imagine that neither event was good, and neither was bad. They simply happened, existed.
How does that change how you would have felt as a result of those events? How does it change your happiness, your mood? How does it change what you do in reaction?
When you stop judging things as good or bad, you are no longer. Nothing is good or bad.
Hamlet said, ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’
He was right. Without the human mind, things just happen, and they are not good or bad. It’s only when we apply the filter of our judgment that they become good or bad, beautiful or ugly.
A weed is only a weed when we don’t like it. Children are only naughty if we don’t like their actions. Life only sucks if you judge it as bad.
But what about truly horrible tragedies, like a plague or tsunami or the Holocaust? Surely those are bad? Sure, through the lens of the judgment we’ve been raised to make, they are terrible. But then again, remove the judgment, and then … they simply happened. Death and cruelty will probably always make us sad, but they’ve always happened and always will, whether we like them or hate them.
Holocaust survivor and author Victor Frankl wrote of a rich woman who went through the Holocaust, and who was grateful for the experience, as much as she suffered, because it opened her eyes. It transformed her. I’m not saying the Holocaust was good, but perhaps we can say that it happened. It serves as a lesson — one we should heed, by the way, in these days of politically charged hatred, of blaming our ills on immigrants and minorities.
There are other tragedies that happen that aren’t necessarily bad. They’re devastating losses, without a doubt, but in life there are always losses, and people will always die. It’s how we judge them that determines our reaction, and determines whether we’re capable of dealing with it sanely.
Great Expectations
The second half of this change is just as small, but just as important: dropping expectations. Not lowering expectations, but eliminating them.
Think about it: when we have expectations, and things don’t go the way we expect (which happens quite often, as we’re not good prognosticators), we are disappointed, frustrated. It’s our expectations that force us to judge whether something is good or bad.
When you expect something of a friend, co-worker, family member, spouse, and they don’t live up to that expectation, then you are upset with them, or disappointed. It causes anger. But what if you had no expectations — then their actions would be neither good nor bad, just actions. You could accept them without frustration, anger, sadness.
What if you went on vacation, to a place you had high expectations of, and it wasn’t what you thought it’d be? You’d be bitterly disappointed, even though it’s not the fault of that place — that’s just how the place is. It’s your expectations that are at fault.
When people disappoint you, it’s not their fault. They’re just being who they are. Your expectations are at fault.
The Why
But why make this change? Why should we stop judging? Why should we stop expecting?
Because judgments stop us from understanding, and can ruin our happiness. When we judge, we don’t seek to understand — we’ve already come to a conclusion. If we stop judging, we allow ourselves to try to understand, and then we can take a much smarter course of action, because we’re better informed by our understanding.
Judging makes us unhappy. So do expectations.
When we leave judgment behind, we can live in the moment, taking what comes as neither good or bad, but simply what is. We can stop ruining our happiness with our thinking, and start living instead.
The How
So how do we start doing this? In small steps, as always.
1 First, start by being more aware. Throughout the course of the day today, note when you make judgments, note when you have expectations, and when things don’t live up to them. Over time, you’ll notice this more and more, and be much more conscious of these types of thoughts.
2 Next, pause each time you notice a judgment or expectation. Take a breath. Then tell yourself, “No expectations, no good or bad.” Repeat this, letting go of the judgment or expectation.
3 Third, seek to see things as they are, and to understand. Be curious as to why things are the way they are, why people act the way they act. Investigate, empathize, try to put yourself in people’s shoes. See the landscape of your life as it actually is, without the filter of judgments or expectations.
4 Next, take what comes. Experience it, in the moment. React appropriately, without overreacting because it isn’t as you hoped or wanted. You can’t control life, or others, but you can control how you react.
5 Then, accept. When things happen, understand why they do, without judgment, and accept them as they are. Accept people for who they are. Accept yourself, without judgment, as you are. This takes practice.
6 Finally, know that the present moment, being as it is, also contains infinite possibilities. And those possibilities are opened up once you see things as they are, without judgment or expectations.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Astro-Transits for May 2010
http://ping.fm/W2XXZ
April 28/29 – Mercury & Sun conjunction
Retrograde mercury will move into exact alignment with the Sun. Children born near this time have heightened potential for self-understanding, but will have challenges speaking in public without becoming nervous or feeling unqualified. Benefits will be highest when Sagittarius and Taurus are rising.
May 2/3 - Jupiter enters Pisces
Persons in Jupiter cycles and subcycles (“dashas” etc) will get a general bost of prosperity as a result, specifics of which depend upon your rising sign and other factors. Persons born under Sagittarius or Pisces especially will also get overall boosts, unless Jupiter is under distress in your individual chart. Others with Jupiter in Pisces, Virgo, Cancer or Scorpio will also get some (most likely) beneficial effect from the transit.
May 9th/10th – Moon Conjoins Jupiter
The effects will vary from individual to individual (as always) depending on the conditions of Jupiter and the Moon, and their inter-relationship, in each individual’s birth chart. However, in general, this presents good opportunity for increased philosophical or moral reflection.
May 14th/15th – Sun & Venus move into new signs
At nearly exactly 30º apart from one another, both the Sun and Venus will almost simultaneously change sidereal signs. The Sun will move into Taurus, and Venus will move into Gemini. The resulting situation is unusual because the three inner planets, Sun, Mercury and Venus will each be in a separate sign (Mercury in Aries, Sun in Taurus, and Venus in Gemini). These three are most often clumped closely together in the same sign – so having them spread out in three different signs distributes their energies in a strong and balanced way. Children born during this condition (which lasts for roughly a month) are benefitted by having stronger ability to express themselves through their intellect and senses. This would be particularly beneficial to those born while Leo or Aquarius rises.
This will cause the 9 planets to occupy 7 different signs, and when the Moon is in Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn or Aquarius, they will be distributed to 8 different signs, which is fairly unusual and suggests a good balance of energy and stability in general in the world during these times and for newborns.
May 26th/27th – Mars finally leaves Cancer!
Mars has been debilitated in sidereal cancer for a very abnormally long period of time: since the beginning of last October! This has been quite troublesome for those with Mars cycles and subcycles (“Dashas”, “Antardashas”, etc), especially those of us with planet in all the locations that Mars primarily aspects from Cancer. Today Mars will finally get to leo, and for many of us, that lets us close the chapter on contentious feelings and events brewing and surfacing since October.
Note
It is not possible to be “accurate” giving generalized “predictions” such as these. This is because each and every individual has a different astrological configuration in their birth chart – and therefore the same exact current transit will effect different people in different ways. Real accuracy and reliability can only be hoped for in one-to-one consultations with capable astrologers who can interpret the transits in reference to your personal birth chart.
Nonetheless I have tried to bring out some general themes of the transits for May, 2010 and phrase them in such a way that you do not lose sight of the fact that they are not personal interpretations for you, but general observations of potentials.
- Vic DiCara
April 28/29 – Mercury & Sun conjunction
Retrograde mercury will move into exact alignment with the Sun. Children born near this time have heightened potential for self-understanding, but will have challenges speaking in public without becoming nervous or feeling unqualified. Benefits will be highest when Sagittarius and Taurus are rising.
May 2/3 - Jupiter enters Pisces
Persons in Jupiter cycles and subcycles (“dashas” etc) will get a general bost of prosperity as a result, specifics of which depend upon your rising sign and other factors. Persons born under Sagittarius or Pisces especially will also get overall boosts, unless Jupiter is under distress in your individual chart. Others with Jupiter in Pisces, Virgo, Cancer or Scorpio will also get some (most likely) beneficial effect from the transit.
May 9th/10th – Moon Conjoins Jupiter
The effects will vary from individual to individual (as always) depending on the conditions of Jupiter and the Moon, and their inter-relationship, in each individual’s birth chart. However, in general, this presents good opportunity for increased philosophical or moral reflection.
May 14th/15th – Sun & Venus move into new signs
At nearly exactly 30º apart from one another, both the Sun and Venus will almost simultaneously change sidereal signs. The Sun will move into Taurus, and Venus will move into Gemini. The resulting situation is unusual because the three inner planets, Sun, Mercury and Venus will each be in a separate sign (Mercury in Aries, Sun in Taurus, and Venus in Gemini). These three are most often clumped closely together in the same sign – so having them spread out in three different signs distributes their energies in a strong and balanced way. Children born during this condition (which lasts for roughly a month) are benefitted by having stronger ability to express themselves through their intellect and senses. This would be particularly beneficial to those born while Leo or Aquarius rises.
This will cause the 9 planets to occupy 7 different signs, and when the Moon is in Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn or Aquarius, they will be distributed to 8 different signs, which is fairly unusual and suggests a good balance of energy and stability in general in the world during these times and for newborns.
May 26th/27th – Mars finally leaves Cancer!
Mars has been debilitated in sidereal cancer for a very abnormally long period of time: since the beginning of last October! This has been quite troublesome for those with Mars cycles and subcycles (“Dashas”, “Antardashas”, etc), especially those of us with planet in all the locations that Mars primarily aspects from Cancer. Today Mars will finally get to leo, and for many of us, that lets us close the chapter on contentious feelings and events brewing and surfacing since October.
Note
It is not possible to be “accurate” giving generalized “predictions” such as these. This is because each and every individual has a different astrological configuration in their birth chart – and therefore the same exact current transit will effect different people in different ways. Real accuracy and reliability can only be hoped for in one-to-one consultations with capable astrologers who can interpret the transits in reference to your personal birth chart.
Nonetheless I have tried to bring out some general themes of the transits for May, 2010 and phrase them in such a way that you do not lose sight of the fact that they are not personal interpretations for you, but general observations of potentials.
- Vic DiCara
Weekend Horoscopes ~ April 30 to May 2, 2010
ARIES ~ Sometimes a little escape is just what's needed to regain grounding and re-invigorate the spirit. Can you and your sweetie take off for a little weekend getaway? If not, plan a day trip, afternoon picnic, hit the beach, take a little hike or do some overnight camping. Even a leisurely stroll in the park hand in hand with your loved one should soothe the heart and soul.
TAURUS ~ Matters of the heart continue to be a hot topic, especially in your head. You may be wondering about expectations -- yours, your partner's and your future. Luckily, the Sagittarius-Moon is here to lighten moods. As she cruises through your house of sex, physical intimacy becomes the preferred form of non-verbal communication.
GEMINI ~ The Moon lights up your relationships house. Coupled or single Geminis, the planet of love is still in your sign so get out there and snag yourself a good time with your sweetheart, BFFs or a potential love. Friday night, the Moon aligns with Mars in your house of thought, prepare to get even more charming and witty. You'll be sure to blow people's minds :)
CANCER ~ It's easy to get caught up in “busy” work. Make time for yourself. Something you perceive as being 'off' requires your attention now. Communicate with your loved one or whomever the situation involves. Resolve issues. Gain the mental satisfaction you need. Avoid the blame game or ultimatums. Approach everything with the goal of finding resolution.
LEO ~ Escape in the arms of your beloved this weekend as the Sagittarius-Moon brightens up your house of love, so spend the weekend together in the Sun or under the moonlight or indoors snuggled by the TV. Single Leos, Mars, the planet of action, remains in your sign for that extra dose of confidence you might need as you go out and search for your Mr./Ms. Right (Now).
VIRGO ~ Although you normally take the practical, reasonable route, this weekend, your emotions may get the better of you. The Moon's link Jupiter on Saturday touches upon your relationships house. A little (or a lot of) romance with your honey is just the perfect way to celebrate the weekend.
LIBRA ~ Too much thinking, talking and not enough doing? Do something, anything. A step in any direction gets you unstuck. Your loved one may not understand. It's ok. Assure him/her that their love and support is more than enough to carry you through the fog of uncertainty. Then, enjoy an engaging weekend of sharing, caring, loving banter & 'sexy time' with your sweetie.
SCORPIO ~ Saturday night is perfect for some sexy, couple time with your sweetie as the Sagittarius-Moon link up with Jupiter and stimulates your house of love. Elsewhere in the sky, Saturn and Neptune may pull you into whatever drama is going on with family or friends. You may be called upon to mediate.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Cheers to another weekend with the Moon in your sign, giving you the license to party all weekend :) So cast worries away. Grab your sweetie and/or besties for some well-deserved fun. Just try and not get in too much trouble.
CAPRICORN ~ Sometimes it's in the quiet, familiar moments spent together that the weight of love shared between two people can be seen so obviously that it's almost tangible. Reconnect with your sweetie in the simplest but sincerest and most thoughtful ways. Holding hands. Cuddling while watching TV or a movie. Random, sweet, stolen kisses.
AQUARIUS ~ Get out there this weekend and shake off the week's happenings in the company of your love or friends. A little escape to clear your head will do you well. What better way to restore personal stability than to surround yourself with the trusted people in your life?!
PISCES ~ Saturn has returned to stir things up in your relationships house by obnoxiously annoying your ruler, Neptune, this weekend. It's time to lay everything out on the table. Make confessions or ferret out whatever may have been kept secret from you (intentionally or otherwise). Say what you need to say. Ask the questions burning in your heart.
TAURUS ~ Matters of the heart continue to be a hot topic, especially in your head. You may be wondering about expectations -- yours, your partner's and your future. Luckily, the Sagittarius-Moon is here to lighten moods. As she cruises through your house of sex, physical intimacy becomes the preferred form of non-verbal communication.
GEMINI ~ The Moon lights up your relationships house. Coupled or single Geminis, the planet of love is still in your sign so get out there and snag yourself a good time with your sweetheart, BFFs or a potential love. Friday night, the Moon aligns with Mars in your house of thought, prepare to get even more charming and witty. You'll be sure to blow people's minds :)
CANCER ~ It's easy to get caught up in “busy” work. Make time for yourself. Something you perceive as being 'off' requires your attention now. Communicate with your loved one or whomever the situation involves. Resolve issues. Gain the mental satisfaction you need. Avoid the blame game or ultimatums. Approach everything with the goal of finding resolution.
LEO ~ Escape in the arms of your beloved this weekend as the Sagittarius-Moon brightens up your house of love, so spend the weekend together in the Sun or under the moonlight or indoors snuggled by the TV. Single Leos, Mars, the planet of action, remains in your sign for that extra dose of confidence you might need as you go out and search for your Mr./Ms. Right (Now).
VIRGO ~ Although you normally take the practical, reasonable route, this weekend, your emotions may get the better of you. The Moon's link Jupiter on Saturday touches upon your relationships house. A little (or a lot of) romance with your honey is just the perfect way to celebrate the weekend.
LIBRA ~ Too much thinking, talking and not enough doing? Do something, anything. A step in any direction gets you unstuck. Your loved one may not understand. It's ok. Assure him/her that their love and support is more than enough to carry you through the fog of uncertainty. Then, enjoy an engaging weekend of sharing, caring, loving banter & 'sexy time' with your sweetie.
SCORPIO ~ Saturday night is perfect for some sexy, couple time with your sweetie as the Sagittarius-Moon link up with Jupiter and stimulates your house of love. Elsewhere in the sky, Saturn and Neptune may pull you into whatever drama is going on with family or friends. You may be called upon to mediate.
SAGITTARIUS ~ Cheers to another weekend with the Moon in your sign, giving you the license to party all weekend :) So cast worries away. Grab your sweetie and/or besties for some well-deserved fun. Just try and not get in too much trouble.
CAPRICORN ~ Sometimes it's in the quiet, familiar moments spent together that the weight of love shared between two people can be seen so obviously that it's almost tangible. Reconnect with your sweetie in the simplest but sincerest and most thoughtful ways. Holding hands. Cuddling while watching TV or a movie. Random, sweet, stolen kisses.
AQUARIUS ~ Get out there this weekend and shake off the week's happenings in the company of your love or friends. A little escape to clear your head will do you well. What better way to restore personal stability than to surround yourself with the trusted people in your life?!
PISCES ~ Saturn has returned to stir things up in your relationships house by obnoxiously annoying your ruler, Neptune, this weekend. It's time to lay everything out on the table. Make confessions or ferret out whatever may have been kept secret from you (intentionally or otherwise). Say what you need to say. Ask the questions burning in your heart.
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