On Saturday evening, we wandered into a Magic Shop. While I'm sure that May and Sarah would wholeheartedly disagree, I'm convinced that it miraculously appeared through a blip in the space-time continuum, beautifully manifested directly onto our path back to the car.
Inside were 2 Nepalese wizards, selling wisdom, laughter and peace, along with dense, coloured rice paper "that you can iron," crystals, didgeridoos and clothing. We spent about half an hour in the Magic Shop talking with them, and playing their selection of Tibetan Singing bowls. I ended up buying one of these therapeutic instruments. When I tap it lightly, it hums with a beautiful low sound and when I circle it's edge with the striker, the sound ebbs and flows in waves. These bowls have been used for centuries to relax the mind, signal the beginning of meditations and clear out blocked chakras. Modern science has discovered what the Buddhist monks already knew. A singing bowl actually reverberates with anywhere from 5 - 7 different tones at any given time. These oscillations in sound help to slow the brainwaves into their most meditative - the delta and theta states.
Quantum physics now tells us that everything is energy. The clouds, the sky, my couch, my computer, my thoughts, my mind, my heart. Everything just vibrates at different frequencies. Sound and music is vibration and frequency too. And I can't help but feel healed everytime I play the bowl. It's as though my own vibrational frequency entrains itself to it's peaceful energy and sound, the way all the guitar strings in a room will start vibrating when just one is plucked.
"If you play the bowl every morning and every night, your house will change, YOU will feel different. All negative energies will leave your house. They cannot be in the same space as this sound. It hurts them." he tells me, with joy on his face.
I believe him. So I play.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
The Velvet Rope
Toronto has been mental for the last couple of weeks. Labour Day hits, the kids go back to school, and it seems like everyone takes it up a notch. A sense of urgency has materialized and crushed the lazy days of summer in a matter of weeks. The Toronto International Film Festival has only added to the mania. Movie premieres, red carpets and crazed fans stalking celebrity gods like Brad Pitt, have taken over the city.
In Yorkville, land of flagship designer clothing stores (Prada, Gucci, Chanel), and poshy posh restaurants, young women dress like middle aged women - makeup covering luscious faces, masking their insecurity. Women just slightly past their due date, walk the streets with animal skin purses, stiletto heels and a look of desperation. Will they meet a producer? A director? or an actor? Is tonight the night they'll finally be discovered? Metrosexual men drive by in Porsche 911s and Bentleys, surveying the scene, slicked back hair and perfect 5:00 shadows. Do I look like a producer? A director? An actor? Is tonight the night I'll get lucky?
My friends and I walk up to the restaurant, and lo and behold there is a line of 20 people. This never happens. Not here. We stand with dismay on the sidewalk, considering our options. We are all starving. But blessings abound.
"How many of you are there?" the waiter asks us on the sidewalk.
"5!" we chorus, stars in our eyes.
"Ok," he says, under his breath, "stay here, I'll take care of you."
Rejoice! We are seated almost immediately.
But alas, we were not at an impossible-to-get-reservations-at restaurant.
And no, we were not at the hottest new club in town either.
There were no celebrities hanging out in the VIP room out back.
We were at a sushi restaurant.
In Yorkville, land of flagship designer clothing stores (Prada, Gucci, Chanel), and poshy posh restaurants, young women dress like middle aged women - makeup covering luscious faces, masking their insecurity. Women just slightly past their due date, walk the streets with animal skin purses, stiletto heels and a look of desperation. Will they meet a producer? A director? or an actor? Is tonight the night they'll finally be discovered? Metrosexual men drive by in Porsche 911s and Bentleys, surveying the scene, slicked back hair and perfect 5:00 shadows. Do I look like a producer? A director? An actor? Is tonight the night I'll get lucky?
My friends and I walk up to the restaurant, and lo and behold there is a line of 20 people. This never happens. Not here. We stand with dismay on the sidewalk, considering our options. We are all starving. But blessings abound.
"How many of you are there?" the waiter asks us on the sidewalk.
"5!" we chorus, stars in our eyes.
"Ok," he says, under his breath, "stay here, I'll take care of you."
Rejoice! We are seated almost immediately.
But alas, we were not at an impossible-to-get-reservations-at restaurant.
And no, we were not at the hottest new club in town either.
There were no celebrities hanging out in the VIP room out back.
We were at a sushi restaurant.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Fake Beans
She walks with me on my way to the food court in the hospital behind my office building. She has grey hair cropped short on her head, and a strange look in her eye. I don't know her, but I see she has a government ID just like me, so I match my step to hers.
I ask her, "Are you going for coffee?"
"I'm going to Tim Horton's, because I only support Canadian companies," she says emphatically.
I pause, "I thought Tim Horton's was purchased by Wendy's. Aren't they American now?"
She stops, momentarily thrown. She looks so confused, I say, "maybe I'm wrong. I'm headed to Starbucks myself."
Relief washes over her. "Oh, you shouldn't go to Starbucks. They use fake coffee beans!"
I try not to laugh. "Oh really...well, see you later."
Fake coffee beans?! What could they possibly be using? Raisins? Chocolates? Plastic? People are really too much sometimes!
I ask her, "Are you going for coffee?"
"I'm going to Tim Horton's, because I only support Canadian companies," she says emphatically.
I pause, "I thought Tim Horton's was purchased by Wendy's. Aren't they American now?"
She stops, momentarily thrown. She looks so confused, I say, "maybe I'm wrong. I'm headed to Starbucks myself."
Relief washes over her. "Oh, you shouldn't go to Starbucks. They use fake coffee beans!"
I try not to laugh. "Oh really...well, see you later."
Fake coffee beans?! What could they possibly be using? Raisins? Chocolates? Plastic? People are really too much sometimes!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Lanterns
Labour Day was quite possibly one of the longest days of my life. My friend Emily and I started the day off at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), and finished off at the Chinese Lantern Festival. I must have walked thousands of steps that day. At some point during the day, we paused for a much needed rest. The problem was when I stood up. My feet felt like they were on fire!! We survived though...in no small part due to the double order of fries, Philly Cheesesteak, and funnel cake we consumed, I'm sure!
We headed over to the Lantern Festival at Ontario Place as soon as it got dark, and it was well worth it. These lanterns were spectacular. The 30 lanterns were created by over 80 Chinese master craftsmen, who have been here in Toronto for most of the year working. Some of them were 50 feet tall, and 300 feet long. Sometimes I'm really proud to be Asian, and this was definitely one of those times.
Here's some pics...but of course, they don't do the lanterns any justice at all.
We headed over to the Lantern Festival at Ontario Place as soon as it got dark, and it was well worth it. These lanterns were spectacular. The 30 lanterns were created by over 80 Chinese master craftsmen, who have been here in Toronto for most of the year working. Some of them were 50 feet tall, and 300 feet long. Sometimes I'm really proud to be Asian, and this was definitely one of those times.
Here's some pics...but of course, they don't do the lanterns any justice at all.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Prayer
From A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron (which is blowing my mind):
What does it mean to pray ceaselessly? Consider this: It has been said that even before you ask, it is given unto you. It has also been said that ask and it shall be given unto you. Do you catch that? Asking is not begging, you do not beg The Source, for it is already given to you even before you ask. Begging and wanting simply gives a lack of that which you beg and want. This is not just a spiritual idea; it is also provable using quantum physics. The quantum 'soup' literally contains all possibilities of everything, Now, Here. In other words, that spiritual promise is also a scientific fact. Let us move on. It is also said that you can do anything if you believe. It has also been said that whatever you put your attention and intention on takes form. That is how you create things out of the quantum 'soup' of pure energy - by attention, intention, and belief.
Many masters, teachers, and sages from all cultures and times have told us to not worry, to practice detachment, to trust in the mysterious workings of the universe - not only because the universe works with supreme intelligence, but also because you may not be aware of what your soul or higher self is choosing. Here then, is what it means to pray ceaselessly: You have a desire; you will it to come into being, to manifest. You intend it wholeheartedly, clearly, focused, and with certainty. You pass this intent on to The Source, in whichever way you know how. Simple intention is enough, although meditation, stillness, are more effective when you have time to do so.
So, you pass on your intent, and you become detached from it. In other words, you watch it from behind the scenes, without a desire that it happens in any particular way or 'time' or sequence. And because you know this works, because of your certainty and consistency, detachment and gratitude, it will take form in the most unexpected and miraculous of ways. That is prayer.
Praying without ceasing is going through the whole day, everyday, with such focused intention for all your life's desires, with certainty, detachment and gratitude. This is not something you do once at a special time during the day and act totally different and confused the rest of the day. It is something that becomes a lifestyle. That is praying ceaselessly. Prayer is meant to be active, ever-present and part of normal wakefulness. It is co-creative with The Source; it wills to action, it is self-assertive...
There is no criterion by which The Source decides to grant or not to grant prayers. The laws of the universe apply to all equally and unfailingly. Prayer is an inward energetic process, a call you give out with a detached expectation of an answer, without a shred of doubt. It is strong and certain will. When you realize that even the request is not necessary, that you are one with All That Is including whatever it is that you wish to have and the granter of that wish, and the conveyer of the wish, you will truly be praying and receiving without fail. For your prayers will be of pure gratitude for what already is given unto you even before you ask. The request is not necessary. Just be grateful and smile!
What does it mean to pray ceaselessly? Consider this: It has been said that even before you ask, it is given unto you. It has also been said that ask and it shall be given unto you. Do you catch that? Asking is not begging, you do not beg The Source, for it is already given to you even before you ask. Begging and wanting simply gives a lack of that which you beg and want. This is not just a spiritual idea; it is also provable using quantum physics. The quantum 'soup' literally contains all possibilities of everything, Now, Here. In other words, that spiritual promise is also a scientific fact. Let us move on. It is also said that you can do anything if you believe. It has also been said that whatever you put your attention and intention on takes form. That is how you create things out of the quantum 'soup' of pure energy - by attention, intention, and belief.
Many masters, teachers, and sages from all cultures and times have told us to not worry, to practice detachment, to trust in the mysterious workings of the universe - not only because the universe works with supreme intelligence, but also because you may not be aware of what your soul or higher self is choosing. Here then, is what it means to pray ceaselessly: You have a desire; you will it to come into being, to manifest. You intend it wholeheartedly, clearly, focused, and with certainty. You pass this intent on to The Source, in whichever way you know how. Simple intention is enough, although meditation, stillness, are more effective when you have time to do so.
So, you pass on your intent, and you become detached from it. In other words, you watch it from behind the scenes, without a desire that it happens in any particular way or 'time' or sequence. And because you know this works, because of your certainty and consistency, detachment and gratitude, it will take form in the most unexpected and miraculous of ways. That is prayer.
Praying without ceasing is going through the whole day, everyday, with such focused intention for all your life's desires, with certainty, detachment and gratitude. This is not something you do once at a special time during the day and act totally different and confused the rest of the day. It is something that becomes a lifestyle. That is praying ceaselessly. Prayer is meant to be active, ever-present and part of normal wakefulness. It is co-creative with The Source; it wills to action, it is self-assertive...
There is no criterion by which The Source decides to grant or not to grant prayers. The laws of the universe apply to all equally and unfailingly. Prayer is an inward energetic process, a call you give out with a detached expectation of an answer, without a shred of doubt. It is strong and certain will. When you realize that even the request is not necessary, that you are one with All That Is including whatever it is that you wish to have and the granter of that wish, and the conveyer of the wish, you will truly be praying and receiving without fail. For your prayers will be of pure gratitude for what already is given unto you even before you ask. The request is not necessary. Just be grateful and smile!
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Garden
In downtown Toronto, on the corner of King and Church Streets, there is a majestic old church, called the St. James Cathedral. It's bells ring every hour, and on Sunday mornings, if I open my balcony doors at just the right time, I hear their angelic song, drifting on currents of air to my ears, 6 blocks away. It's beautiful, serene and always inspiring.
Next to the church is a park, fittingly called St. James Park. Until this year, the park was filled mostly with homeless and indigent people gathering in groups, drinking or taking naps on the benches. A few of them end up cocooned in the doors of the great church next door, sleeping peacefully and safely in her arms.
This year, at the beginning of spring, bulldozers, trucks and men entered the grimy park. Stone statues of angels appeared, their eyes looking heavenward. Row upon row of cheerful flowers were planted. A fountain took centre stage. These changes appeared as if by magic, fancifully created while I slept. By June, the garden had blossomed into a cacaphony of colour. Amateur photographers and wedding parties moved in, delighting in the gracefulness of nature. Young lovers replaced homeless old men on stone benches, holding hands and whispering to each other.
And though no one told the homeless to leave, they left anyways. Propelled out of the park by the beauty of its flowers, as though undeserving of such a gift.
Next to the church is a park, fittingly called St. James Park. Until this year, the park was filled mostly with homeless and indigent people gathering in groups, drinking or taking naps on the benches. A few of them end up cocooned in the doors of the great church next door, sleeping peacefully and safely in her arms.
This year, at the beginning of spring, bulldozers, trucks and men entered the grimy park. Stone statues of angels appeared, their eyes looking heavenward. Row upon row of cheerful flowers were planted. A fountain took centre stage. These changes appeared as if by magic, fancifully created while I slept. By June, the garden had blossomed into a cacaphony of colour. Amateur photographers and wedding parties moved in, delighting in the gracefulness of nature. Young lovers replaced homeless old men on stone benches, holding hands and whispering to each other.
And though no one told the homeless to leave, they left anyways. Propelled out of the park by the beauty of its flowers, as though undeserving of such a gift.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Inspiration
A Course in Miracles says that the most effective way to teach a child is not by saying, 'Don't do that,' but 'Do this.' We don't reach the light through endless analysis of the dark. We reach the light by choosing the light. Light means understanding. Through understanding, we are healed...
...Spirit accepts people unconditionally. To the ego, this is an outrageous thought, because unconditional love is the death of the ego. How will people grow if we all go around just accepting each other as we are all the time? Accepting people as they are has the miraculous effect of helping them improve. Acceptance doesn't prohibit growth; rather, it fosters it.
People who are always telling us what's wrong with us don't help us so much as they paralyze us with shame and guilt. People who accept us help us to feel good about ourselves, to relax, to find our way. Accepting another person doesn't mean we never share constructive suggestions. But like everything else, our behavior is not so much the issue as the energy that it carries. If I'm criticizing someone in order to change them, that's my ego talking. If I've prayed and asked God [the Universe/Divine/Source] to heal me of my judgement, however, and then I'm still led to communicate something, the style of my sharing will be one of love instead of fear. It won't carry the energy of attack, but rather of support. Behavioural change is not enough. Covering an attack with sugary icing, with sweet tone of voice or therapeutic jargon, is not a miracle. A miracle is an authentic switch from fear to love. When we speak from the ego, we will call up the ego in others. When we speak from the Holy Spirit, we will call up their love.
- From A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
...Spirit accepts people unconditionally. To the ego, this is an outrageous thought, because unconditional love is the death of the ego. How will people grow if we all go around just accepting each other as we are all the time? Accepting people as they are has the miraculous effect of helping them improve. Acceptance doesn't prohibit growth; rather, it fosters it.
People who are always telling us what's wrong with us don't help us so much as they paralyze us with shame and guilt. People who accept us help us to feel good about ourselves, to relax, to find our way. Accepting another person doesn't mean we never share constructive suggestions. But like everything else, our behavior is not so much the issue as the energy that it carries. If I'm criticizing someone in order to change them, that's my ego talking. If I've prayed and asked God [the Universe/Divine/Source] to heal me of my judgement, however, and then I'm still led to communicate something, the style of my sharing will be one of love instead of fear. It won't carry the energy of attack, but rather of support. Behavioural change is not enough. Covering an attack with sugary icing, with sweet tone of voice or therapeutic jargon, is not a miracle. A miracle is an authentic switch from fear to love. When we speak from the ego, we will call up the ego in others. When we speak from the Holy Spirit, we will call up their love.
- From A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Rest
Grandmother, I have not seen you for many years. But still I remember your face. I remember you chasing me around our trampoline, in the backyard of the house I lived in in 9th grade. You were scolding me. I was running, scared of you, but laughing and rebellious too.
I see your strength and stubborness in my mother. I feel it in me. A legacy passed through generations, as real as the breaths I still take.
My mother tells me you passed on as purely and cleanly as you lived. No loose ends. 97 years.
It has been 20 years since I saw you last. My connection with you is faint, a memory deep in my belly. But now I am crying. Why? I feel my grief for you through the grief of my mother, as she feels it for you. Resonance. Vibration. Cycles.
Rest.
I love you Mom.
I see your strength and stubborness in my mother. I feel it in me. A legacy passed through generations, as real as the breaths I still take.
My mother tells me you passed on as purely and cleanly as you lived. No loose ends. 97 years.
It has been 20 years since I saw you last. My connection with you is faint, a memory deep in my belly. But now I am crying. Why? I feel my grief for you through the grief of my mother, as she feels it for you. Resonance. Vibration. Cycles.
Rest.
I love you Mom.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Ten Keys to Happiness
This is from Deepak Chopra's newsletter Namaste. It's so beautiful and simple, that I thought it was worth sharing his insights. Sometimes happiness seems so elusive, impossible almost, when really, it's just sitting there inside you, waiting for you to take notice.1. Listen to your body’s wisdom, which expresses itself through signals of comfort and discomfort. When choosing a certain behavior, ask your body, “How do you feel about this?” If your body sends a signal of physical or emotional distress, watch out. If your body sends a signal of comfort and eagerness, proceed.
2. Live in the present, for it is the only moment you have. Keep your attention on what is here and now; look for the fullness in every moment. Accept what comes to you totally and completely so that you can appreciate it, learn from it, and then let it go. The present is as it should be. It reflects infinite laws of Nature that have brought you this exact thought, this exact physical response. This moment is as it is because the universe is as it is. Don’t struggle against the infinite scheme of things; instead, be at one with it.
3. Take time to be silent, to meditate, to quiet the internal dialogue. In moments of silence, realize that you are recontacting your source of pure awareness. Pay attention to your inner life so that you can be guided by intuition rather than externally imposed interpretations of what is or isn’t good for you.
4. Relinquish your need for external approval. You alone are the judge of your worth, and your goal is to discover infinite worth in yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks. There is great freedom in this realization.
5. When you find yourself reacting with anger or opposition to any person or circumstance, realize that you are only struggling with yourself. Putting up resistance is the response of defenses created by old hurts. When you relinquish this anger, you will be healing yourself and cooperating with the flow of the universe.
6. Know that the world “out there” reflects your reality “in here.” The people you react to most strongly, whether with love or hate, are projections of your inner world. What you most hate is what you most deny in yourself. What you most love is what you most wish for in yourself. Use the mirror of relationships to guide your evolution. The goal is total self-knowledge. When you achieve that, what you most want will automatically be there, and what you most dislike will disappear.
7. Shed the burden of judgment – you will feel much lighter. Judgment imposes right and wrong on situations that just are. Everything can be understood and forgiven, but when you judge, you cut off understanding and shut down the process of learning to love. In judging others, you reflect your lack of self-acceptance. Remember that every person you forgive adds to your self-love.
8. Don’t contaminate your body with toxins, either through food, drink, or toxic emotions. Your body is more than a life-support system. It is the vehicle that will carry you on the journey of your evolution. The health of every cell directly contributes to your state of well being, because every cell is a point of awareness within the field of awareness that is you.
9. Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated behavior. Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in the past. Remembering what hurt us before, we direct our energies toward making certain that an old hurt will not repeat itself. But trying to impose the past on the present will never wipe out the threat of being hurt. That happens only when you find the security of your own being, which is love. Motivated by the truth inside you, you can face any threat because your inner strength is invulnerable to fear.
10. Understand that the physical world is just a mirror of a deeper intelligence. Intelligence is the invisible organizer of all matter and energy, and since a portion of this intelligence resides in you, you share in the organizing power of the cosmos. Because you are inseparably linked to everything, you cannot afford to foul the planet’s air and water. But at a deeper level, you cannot afford to live with a toxic mind, because every thought makes an impression on the whole field of intelligence. Living in balance and purity is the highest good for you and the Earth.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Time
Wow! I can't believe a whole year has gone by since I started this blog.
It feels so much shorter than that, but when I think about how much has changed for me in that time, it makes much more sense. And really, do we measure time by the clock and calendar, or do we measure it by the events and emotions in our lives.
When I started this blog, I was in a pretty dark place. Closed, negative and blinded to all the beauty that's out in the world. I look back, and I can't believe that person was me. I can't believe that I subjected myself to that. Did I really hate myself so much? I have since learned to integrate the dark and light aspects of myself, and to accept them both equally with gratitude.
They say that hindsight is 20/20, and the longer I live, the more I believe this to be true. Looking back, I know this journey started the day I was born, and that there was a reason behind every event. Even the bad ones. At times, it was tough...more than tough. In those moments, I thought that nothing would ever change - that I would be locked in hopelessness, despair and apathy for all eternity. But now I know that those very things made me who I am today, and I could not want for anything more or less.
I am still evolving and changing and growing - this is a process that never ends, but for the first time, I can truly say that I am looking forward to what life will bring with optimism, hope, joy and excitement. And I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.
It feels so much shorter than that, but when I think about how much has changed for me in that time, it makes much more sense. And really, do we measure time by the clock and calendar, or do we measure it by the events and emotions in our lives.
When I started this blog, I was in a pretty dark place. Closed, negative and blinded to all the beauty that's out in the world. I look back, and I can't believe that person was me. I can't believe that I subjected myself to that. Did I really hate myself so much? I have since learned to integrate the dark and light aspects of myself, and to accept them both equally with gratitude.
They say that hindsight is 20/20, and the longer I live, the more I believe this to be true. Looking back, I know this journey started the day I was born, and that there was a reason behind every event. Even the bad ones. At times, it was tough...more than tough. In those moments, I thought that nothing would ever change - that I would be locked in hopelessness, despair and apathy for all eternity. But now I know that those very things made me who I am today, and I could not want for anything more or less.
I am still evolving and changing and growing - this is a process that never ends, but for the first time, I can truly say that I am looking forward to what life will bring with optimism, hope, joy and excitement. And I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Messages
Truth be told, I had a pretty crappy day yesterday. I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, that it was just one of those days when things are simply not clicking. A one step forward, two steps backwards kind of day. Extremely frustrating! By the end of it, I was ready to give in to my internal sabatoeur and walk down the low road of self-destruction. It's hard to take the high road of acceptance and gratitude some days, that's for sure.
Messages come to you if you're paying attention though. Even on the most trying of days.
"Why are you stressed?" Rosa asks, in her thick Chinese accent, as she briskly massages my face, "You have a good job. Lots of friends. A family that loves you. A nice home."
And she's right. I do have all that. Besides, why am I complaining? I'm getting a facial. Definitely a huge luxury! And Rosa is a blessing, always going above and beyond.
It didn't stop there.
I got home, and the security guard in my building stopped me, his white teeth smiling bright against the dark of his face.
"You know," he said, "You are one of the 5 loveliest people in this building."
"Really?" I was doubtful.
"Definitely," he said kindly, "You always have lots of friends and family coming to visit, and I can tell by your outside that you have a good heart. If your inside is not good, the outside cannot be good."
I smiled. The struggle of the day disappeared instantly.
I'm listening, okay?
Messages come to you if you're paying attention though. Even on the most trying of days.
"Why are you stressed?" Rosa asks, in her thick Chinese accent, as she briskly massages my face, "You have a good job. Lots of friends. A family that loves you. A nice home."
And she's right. I do have all that. Besides, why am I complaining? I'm getting a facial. Definitely a huge luxury! And Rosa is a blessing, always going above and beyond.
It didn't stop there.
I got home, and the security guard in my building stopped me, his white teeth smiling bright against the dark of his face.
"You know," he said, "You are one of the 5 loveliest people in this building."
"Really?" I was doubtful.
"Definitely," he said kindly, "You always have lots of friends and family coming to visit, and I can tell by your outside that you have a good heart. If your inside is not good, the outside cannot be good."
I smiled. The struggle of the day disappeared instantly.
I'm listening, okay?
Monday, July 31, 2006
Scarcity Consciousness
Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want. - Mark Twain
I'm on day 38 of a 40 day Prosperity Plan. It was given to me by a Catholic nun, and involves meditating and journaling on a series of 10 different statements about abundance. If you miss a day, you have to start over again from day 1. So far, so good. Although I must admit, that meditating everyday has been a serious challenge. For some reason, it's difficult to find 15 minutes a day to fit this in. Like my friend Virginia used to say, "The tail wags the dog. Life gets in the way...what are you gonna do about it?"
Well, usually I try to go with the flow, but in this particular situation (since it has to happen), my solution is to try to squeeze it in right before I go to bed. This happens around 1:00 in the morning, and more often than not after a long day of working, yoga, classes and socializing. It's tough. You'd think finding 15 minutes a day would be a piece of cake, but somehow that Summerlicious reservation at Canoe or taiko drumming class or jewellery shopping in Kensington with Em or the All Out War trailer release party at SPIN or planning my trip to Italy takes priority. The tail wags the dog. Life happens, right?
Honestly, sometimes I fall asleep during the meditations. Nonetheless, I can feel things shifting. Not so much in terms of how much money I have, or how much money comes to me. I didn't win the lottery all of a sudden or anything! It's more in terms of how I view the world. Something in me is shifting, and that's potentially more profound and lasting than any extra cash I might gain. I'm patiently waiting for it to unfold.
Louise Hay wisely says that "Prosperity or lack of it is an outer expression of the ideas in your head." I know I've just scratched the surface of this notion, but I'm starting to understand it in a truly meaningful way. I'm starting to see how much of life is lived in scarcity consciousness, and how deeply embedded this way of thinking is in North American society. I have friends who live downtown, wear designer jeans, and drive nice cars, and all they do is complain about how broke they are. They never offer to pay for coffee or drinks or meals...and the gifts they receive (monetary or otherwise) are never enough. All of this stems from scarcity consciousness. Sadly, when you feel like you don't have enough, ultimately, you feel like you, the person, are not enough, and then you start TAKING, to try to feel secure. This feeling of "not enough" takes over your life. And money is never the answer, but somehow, when you live in scarcity consciousness, it seems like the only solution. If I only had more money, then I wouldn't be so sad, so lonely, so stressed, so _______ (fill in the blank).
Which leads me right back to Mark Twain. Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want. And I'm not there yet. Probably nowhere close. But I'm working on it.
I'm on day 38 of a 40 day Prosperity Plan. It was given to me by a Catholic nun, and involves meditating and journaling on a series of 10 different statements about abundance. If you miss a day, you have to start over again from day 1. So far, so good. Although I must admit, that meditating everyday has been a serious challenge. For some reason, it's difficult to find 15 minutes a day to fit this in. Like my friend Virginia used to say, "The tail wags the dog. Life gets in the way...what are you gonna do about it?"
Well, usually I try to go with the flow, but in this particular situation (since it has to happen), my solution is to try to squeeze it in right before I go to bed. This happens around 1:00 in the morning, and more often than not after a long day of working, yoga, classes and socializing. It's tough. You'd think finding 15 minutes a day would be a piece of cake, but somehow that Summerlicious reservation at Canoe or taiko drumming class or jewellery shopping in Kensington with Em or the All Out War trailer release party at SPIN or planning my trip to Italy takes priority. The tail wags the dog. Life happens, right?
Honestly, sometimes I fall asleep during the meditations. Nonetheless, I can feel things shifting. Not so much in terms of how much money I have, or how much money comes to me. I didn't win the lottery all of a sudden or anything! It's more in terms of how I view the world. Something in me is shifting, and that's potentially more profound and lasting than any extra cash I might gain. I'm patiently waiting for it to unfold.
Louise Hay wisely says that "Prosperity or lack of it is an outer expression of the ideas in your head." I know I've just scratched the surface of this notion, but I'm starting to understand it in a truly meaningful way. I'm starting to see how much of life is lived in scarcity consciousness, and how deeply embedded this way of thinking is in North American society. I have friends who live downtown, wear designer jeans, and drive nice cars, and all they do is complain about how broke they are. They never offer to pay for coffee or drinks or meals...and the gifts they receive (monetary or otherwise) are never enough. All of this stems from scarcity consciousness. Sadly, when you feel like you don't have enough, ultimately, you feel like you, the person, are not enough, and then you start TAKING, to try to feel secure. This feeling of "not enough" takes over your life. And money is never the answer, but somehow, when you live in scarcity consciousness, it seems like the only solution. If I only had more money, then I wouldn't be so sad, so lonely, so stressed, so _______ (fill in the blank).
Which leads me right back to Mark Twain. Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want. And I'm not there yet. Probably nowhere close. But I'm working on it.
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