Don't focus on weeds

Don’t focus on weeds

I recently had a conversation with a colleague who was dissatisfied with work and life in general. He talked about the difficulties he encountered during his struggle to find peace and fulfillment. 

He recounted discrimination and pressure he felt from his employer. 

His work skills were being minimized by menial tasks and subordinate duties. 

I could feel the frustration and his desire to find something that would bring fruition to his life. 

His chosen profession was law.

His firm focused on litigation. 

He wanted to practice mediation.

During the conversation he talked about all the weeds he would have to encounter to reach his goal.

I asked what his perfect dream job would be.

He began to describe his passion to help people through mediation.

He recounted his successes. 

His current employer would not allow him to engage in any law activity outside his job and thus kept him from doing what he loved most.

He talked about how the job description had been padded by the employer.

The reality of the position was entirely different from his expectation.

His real desire was to open a business where he could do what he loved. His predicament was finding suitable income to sustain him during the transition between the old menial job and his new dream job.

He again brought up the weeds he would have to encounter along the way. 

At this point I stopped him.

I refocused the conversation. 

Weeds will always be a part of life but our choice of what we focus on will make all the difference. If we can see flowers along the way, weeds will be minimal and the journey more memorable.

As a young man one of my first jobs was lawn care. It gave me spending money, got me out of the house and gave me a sense of accomplishment. 

Each spring I would place an ad in the paper for jobs which would keep me busy all summer.

When I took on a new customer, invariably I would find lots of weeds, an unkept lawn and overgrown bushes and trees that needed trimming.

As a young man it was hard not to focus on the weeds and overgrowth. 

At the end of the day when the grass was mowed, bushes molded and shaped and trees trimmed, I felt a sense of satisfaction. The cherry on top was the money that I earned. After that first initial push of cleaning and trimming, the rest of the summer was an easy money maker.

My lesson in life has been to keep focus on the reward and the end result, not about weeds along the way.

Walking my stepdaughter to school today I smelled the strong smell of poison pesticides. The lawn care professionals had been kind enough to post signs that it was not safe to walk on the grass, unfortunately they did not warn me of the danger of inhaling the fumes and toxic residues left by their choice of products. 

The price we pay for chemically manicured lawns and gardens is too high. 

The price we pay for a manicured life and job is too high. 

Society has mandated that we conform to standards that are not healthy choices.

Find out what is more important to you … peace and contentment or conformity to artificial standards.

My answer is to keep focus on the end result.

The path you choose and the focus of your intention will make the difference between finding weeds or peace and fulfillment.

Can you hear the music?

Can you hear the music?

It’s all around us …

We are surrounded by vibrations.

The vibrations that we choose to focus on shape our everyday lives.

Standing at my front door this morning I chose to hear the quiet cooing of the morning dove, the soft breeze of spring and the quiet of early morning.

Living in a city can be overwhelming with all the sounds, traffic, and people moving in a mass of chaos towards oblivion.

It can be, if I allow myself to focus on the chaos.

The movie August Rush tells the story of an orphan  boy who hears music in everything. He hears what most of us choose to ignore or tolerate. Within his selective hearing he creates a magnificent symphony out of chaos that unites him with his family.

I am also reminded of the story of Masaru Emoto, his story is the discovery that water crystals absorb the vibrations of the words and music they are subjected to. This water is frozen, sliced and photographed with high magnification. These photos reflect in their shape and color the objects or words. 

Masaru Emoto forever changed the way I look at myself and the world.

I built a music library based on the vibrations of the music and the way it made me feel. My library is large. It is filled with music from all parts of the world. I have native american music, world music, indigenous music, rock music, classical music, folk music, meditational music and many more. Each song is based on my personal taste in uplifting vibrational sounds.

I know that the sounds that I choose to resonate with shape my world, my physical health and my mental health.

Masaru Emoto was able to show in pictures the crystalline shapes of various music. Music that inspires and uplifts the soul resulted in beautiful crystalline shapes while other forms of music distorted and created misshaped crystals.

We as human beings are able to choose and tune in or tune out sounds and images that are beautiful or gross.

We literally form the world around us with the way that we choose to focus on or ignore people, objects, music, food or any other thing that comes into our vision.

As Gods and Creators of our universe we are able to change matter to suit our needs. Thoughts are powerful and we have power to create or destroy with those thoughts.

Humans contain large amounts of water. That water decreases with age. When we are born we are more than 90% water. When we die we are less than 40% water.

Words, music and food all play a part in the programing of that water. 

What makes a person happy?

What makes a person sad?

Is is possible to reprogram our bodies and DNA?

Masaru Emoto showed that water can be programed and reprogramed by sounds, words and pictures. His works can be see in a simple google search on the internet.

Choose your words carefully. You are creating the world you live in. You are influencing others with the actions you take.

Choose what you focus on. 

Be aware of your thoughts. 

Reformulate words to reflect what you want in your world, not what you don’t want.

Stop sending out negative vibrations and energy. You are creating chaos with these thoughts. 

While I live in the city I am choosing to see and hear the beautiful sights and sounds that are all around me.

What is it that you hear?

What do you choose to see?

Can you hear the music?

It’s all around us. 

Flip the switch

Life on the mountain

When I came to the mountain I had a vision. 

It’s why most people climb out of mediocre lives that occupy our time and energy, we want a fresh perspective. 

Habits, programing and routines form our waking lives. 

We seek approval from peers, family, coworkers and friends.

What is it that holds us back from being true to ourselves?

Debt, fear of failure, lack of confidence, and low self esteem begin a long list of negative reasons why we settle for less.

There is another reason why we choose choices that keep us locked in small cages.

There is a small almond shaped gland located about an inch beneath our temples. It is a part of the brain that regulates our fight or flight response. 

It is the amygdala. 

The following is taken from Wikipedia

Hemispheric specializations

There are functional differences between the right and left amygdala. In one study, electrical stimulations of the right amygdala induced negative emotions, especially fear and sadness. In contrast, stimulation of the left amygdala was able to induce either pleasant (happiness) or unpleasant (fear, anxiety, sadness) emotions.^[9] Other evidence suggests that the left amygdala plays a role in the brain's reward system.^[10]

Each side holds a specific function in how we perceive and process emotion. The right and left portions of the amygdala have independent memory systems, but work together to store, encode, and interpret emotion.

The right hemisphere of the amygdala is associated with negative emotion. It plays a role in the expression of fear and in the processing of fear-inducing stimuli. Fear conditioning, which is when a neutral stimulus acquires aversive properties, occurs within the right hemisphere. When an individual is presented with a conditioned, aversive stimulus, it is processed within the right amygdala, producing an unpleasant or fearful response. This emotional response conditions the individual to avoid fear-inducing stimuli.

The right hemisphere is also linked to declarative memory, which consists of information that can be consciously recalled. It also plays a significant role in the retention of episodic memory. Episodic memory consists of the autobiographical aspects of memory. The right amygdala plays a role in the association of time and places with emotional properties.^[11]

Well known to government, media, religion and social structures, the amygdala’s functions are manipulated to control our actions.

When we operate in fear we are allowing the properties of the amygdala to control our actions based on the fight or flight response.

Many of us operate in this mode without realizing the consequences.

There is a simple method to flip this switch to the positive mode.

Picture in your mind a light switch.

Now, turn the switch to the off position.

That’s it!

Simple and easy.

By doing this simple exercise any time you find yourself in a fear based negative mode you can turn your life towards a positive direction.

You may feel a physical sensation when you try this exercise.

You might even feel a little disorientation or vertigo.

It will quickly pass and you will find clarity in your thinking and decision making.

Climb out of your rut and get a fresh perspective on what you want out of life.

You may even want to come to the mountain, breathe in the clean fresh air and taste the fresh flowing water.

Look for me on the mountain, lets talk story and laugh at life.

So what do we do?

So here you are, a lifetime accumulation of experience and learning. You are at the peak of your learning, mental, physical self and now you ask yourself, what now?

What do I want to do?

Most of us have been carefully molded and shaped into someone else’s idea of what is proper, right and good.

We have learned how to play the game of life according to established rules of engagement.

The problem is, we no longer feel part of the world at large. It no longer feels good to play in the park by someone else’s rules.

So what do we do?

Give up?

Convince ourselves that we must be the odd ball that the rest of the world ignores or self medicate to placate us to a place of surrender?

I find myself continually morphing into a new place of being. 

My old programming is no longer applicable in the new world that I want to create.

My soul-ution is to return to my original programming, the inquisitive, open, hungry for knowledge, connective to nature, whole being who is innately filled with all the answers to all the questions.

Technology robs us of the ability to rely on our own unique software. We are powerful beings who are capable of anything we choose to focus upon.

On one of my walkabouts I spent a summer traveling in a small trailer with family and dogs visiting parks and exploring, reading and trying to find balance in my life.

That summer I had no means of communication with the outside world. We would wander for days only visiting civilization to replenish supplies.

At one point I felt a strong need to reach out and contact a friend who I had met earlier in life. On my next visit to pick up supplies I called and checked in with my friend. They were anxious about my safety and wellbeing and were sending out mental messages to have me contact them.

Once I acted on my feelings and contacted them, the feeling left and I was able to move forward in my journey of exploration.

Subtle thoughts that occur are often messages from the universe, giving us a heads up to events or important issues that we need to focus upon.

When we recognize and act upon these thoughts, our mental and physic abilities are enhanced.

Technology often keeps these natural abilities shut down and muted.

So … here we are, at the top of our game so to speak. Our innate natural abilities are beginning to be activated, the unnatural programming from this third dimensional world are crumbling around us and we are left to wonder, what’s next?

How do we integrate our old life into a whole new world?

In order to get to the fruit of the tree, we must go out on a limb, that is scary and often we must do it alone.

Once out on that limb, others will shake the branches. We have to hold on to the inner strength that we have and trust in our own ability to follow our dreams.

Do you have a bucket list?

Most of us do.

Begin to live the life you were meant to live.

Do it now before it is too late.

Let go of false beliefs, embrace your new found programming and seek out your own unique path.

Today is truly a new day, what you choose to do will either keep you in your old life or move you towards the life you were meant to live.

The choice is up to you.

Trust in you.

Believe in you.

Know that it is you that will make all the difference.

How do you see yourself?

When I began my journey I didn’t realize how powerful my manifestations would become. My dream/vision board has launched my new life.

A secret longing lies inside each of us, success in business, fame and fortune, perhaps a secret unfulfilled love. Whatever we want, we can create the way for it to be fulfilled.

When I find myself with the same thoughts day after day, I know that if I act on those thoughts they will be made manifest.

My secret process is finding out what is drawing my attention. It may be a place or a person or an idea.

The universe is literally our playground and once we realize the power that lies within us, the possibilities are unlimited.

There are consequences to the actions we take to accomplish our dreams and longings. We must decide if the risks outweigh the benefits of our creations. As with all new life, we are responsible for the “children” we create.

I have been taught the law of attraction in many ways. The movies, The Secret, Way of the Peaceful warrior, Indigo, Avatar, Lost Horizon, and many many others have inspired me to look inside myself for the answers to life’s questions.

Finding the natural flow of life is important so that we can learn the way that is best for us.

Life is unique to each soul that is born, we are not supposed to be like anyone else and the sooner we realize that important truth the sooner that we will be able to rise to our greatest potential.

Once you learn how to see your path, you will be able to maximize your time and efforts to whatever life path you set your mind upon.

The mind is powerful. Each thought you focus upon creates powerful waves of energy that are broadcast from your being. 

These thoughts seek out and attract other similar waves and are returned to you.

Whatever you choose to think will come back to you.

It is easy to watch and observe the effects of thoughts.

Do you find yourself attracting drama, poverty, accidents, or other undesirable actions? Maybe you need to be more mindful of your thoughts. 

Thoughts are powerful and they create our everyday lives in a very real way.

Pollyanna is a disney movie that has influenced my life. It tells the story of a happy child who looks for the good in people. She teaches others to look for the good in life and changes the way the whole town behaves. 

Positive thinking has helped me to turn my life into a dream come true.

Never doubt your ability to change your life. Find your passions and follow them, regardless of those who might try to persuade you differently. 

You are your own greatest enemy or your own greatest champion.

Own your dreams, write them down, buy books and learn more about your passions. Listen to music that inspires and moves your soul. Seek others who might have similar dreams. Dare to speak aloud your dreams to others.

When you have done all of this, place yourself mentally into your dream. Feel the sensation of the wind on your face, the smell of the ocean, the sun upon your skin. Imagine how you will feel when your dream is accomplished.

Feelings are the emotions that fuel the dream.

Dare to dream big, no dream is too large that you can’t accomplish it.

My cup is full because I see it that way. 

My life is happy because I see happiness wherever I go.

I am all things good because I see all things good.

How do you see yourself?

The shortest route is not always the quickest

The shortest path is not alway the quickest or best way.

Maneuvering through life is always a challenge when new experiences are unfolding.

        Most of my life has been anticipating the arrival.

I have cheated myself out of the joy of the journey, because the journey is also the destination.

The journey is more important than the destination because the way we achieve that goal shapes our perspective on the goal.

I was recently giving directions for my home in Escalante Utah and it dawned on me that the shortest route is not always the quickest.

My haste to get to the destination has left me wanting and my new resolve is to savor the journey as much as the destination.

There are many roads that lead us down the path of life, each varied and filled with wondrous adventures. The joy we feel in that experience is as much a part of our experience as the final destination.

Take time to enjoy the journey, stop at the scenic lookouts, visit the wayside parks, smell the flowers and notice the birds and animals along the way.

Get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and find your bliss.

I often walk through the cemeteries when I visit new places, for me they are a respite from the clamor and noise that accompanies most cities. 

Ultimately, a cemetery is the final destination for most of us.

        The end is not the prize, it is what lies in-between that holds the greatest treasure.

If and when I finally pass over, I want it to be written that, “Here lies an adventurer, he took the time to savor the journey and was not afraid to smell the roses.”

Left Handed Spoons

Left Handed spoons

I never knew there was such a thing.

I had to hold it in my hand and test it out to see for myself.

Yep, for those of us righty’s it just doesn’t work.

I knew about left handed guns, bows, and scissors but now I have been exposed to left handed pens, left handed books, lefty can openers, left handed rulers, left handed walking canes, left handed tubs, door latches, left handed casement window operators, and left handed tooth brushes.

What’s next?

Time will tell.

I have learned a lot about life these days that I didn’t know existed before I met left handed spoons.

She has given me a whole new sense of purpose and definitely introduced me to a whole new left side of life.

My old life was turning into a routine, a right handed comfortable, armchair kind of life.

Not that my old life was bad, on the contrary, it was exceptional. 

Everything up to now was preparing me for a right hand experience in a left hand world.

It is perfect … flexible, comfortable, challenging, life affirming, exhilarating, and definitely so much better than my old right hand world.

So thank you Spoons, thank you Universe, thank you Guardians, thank you God, for letting me know about and experience life in a left handed world.