Being Perfect

I love what I read in Rev. Kathianne Lewis's newsletter this week. She talks about the word "perfect." She says in Aramaic the word "perfect" has other meanings, some of which were 'complete,' 'fulfilled' or 'mature.' That's Perfect! (sorry I couldn't resist it). At the heart of this lesson is "I am perfect, whole and complete - just as I am right here and now." How much time and energy have I spent comparing, critizing, condemning myself against others - a lot over the years. How much time do you and companies in particularly do the same - all with the intent of competing and "beating" others so they may be the perfect alternative for consumers. In reality, there is only one me. There always has been and always will be. There is only one you. Each of us are perfect just as we are - with all of our character defects right in there in the mix of things. It is that light and shadow that makes us this lovely tapestry that we call the world. And it all weaves together in harmony and balance - at least that was the intent of our creator. Finally, I love what Kathianne says about spiritual maturity. I am not the same person I was as a child. And that's not simply my mind and body that has evolved - it's my connection with source. For all those formative years when the world is constantly bombarding children with how to be, do and have - to "survive" in this world. Instead, wouldn't it be perfect if we realized we co-exist in this tapestry and in celebrating my perfection I celebrate yours and on and on and on. Join me in celebrating your perfect-ness, just as it is right here and right now.

God in the office

Interesting piece is USA Today - worth a read. They are claiming that acceptance of spirituality in the workplace is on the rise. Here's an except: "According to the workplace spirituality movement, creativity at work is a spiritual process that involves the whole person and not just the intellect or manual skill, and the new class of knowledge workers is devoting more of their time to work because they find deep meaning and a sense of purpose on the job." The bigger question to me is how many employees find that "sense of purpose" on the job - that then they are willing to give more of their time to work? I bet if we did a survey of this issue it would at best be a split - likely a low percent. Further, how many people take the time to know their true purpose, true calling in this life? And is it self-serving or serving a higher power, or at least a broader good? Ultimately - resonance comes from serving the one universal source that we all come from and go back to. How many people resonate at that level of consciousness and through that high frequency then impact positive change in the office-space? Please do comment on your perspectives.

The Saints

I am so uterly excited about the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl last night. Before I explain why, know that I am not a football person at all. The most football I watch in the past couple of years was the last 30 minutes of the game last night. Here's why I am excited. I believe we all contributed to the consciousness that showed up on that field last night. All of us rooting the people of New Orleans on for a big boost of energy - of resonance! To me last night and the coming weeks/months is not about football at all. It's about a team that has and will ignite the biggest fire in a long time - a fire of the heart. This victory is a celebration of a people who have been to the bottom and now have a chance to be catapolled to the top. It's a celebration of the countless people and organizations that have been (and continue to) rebuild New Orleans. From Habitat for Humanity volunteers to engineers and health care workers. Finally, yes it's sad that it takes such epic natural dissastor to wake us up - and it's a heavy price to pay. Maybe that's what is required - one nation at a time, one community at a time - to get us up on our feet, to put our arms up in the air and scream - YES WE CAN! Yes I Can! Yes You Can! Keep that positive radiance shinning folks - it works if you work it!

The Resonant Man

Friends, if there's one video that I found distills almost all of the lessons I've learnt in years of growth - this video summary of what Will Smith believes in is 100% on point. He distills the concept of "conceive, believe, achieve" as best as anyone I know. PLEASE invest 10 minutes to watch this and if you choose, comment about it! May you have all the success you desire, starting by giving 100% of yourself.

The Power of Laughter

Actually, it's the Power of Joy but I choose that title as laughter is probably the strongest action one can take to instantly step into joy. Please watch this video that a friend shared with his circle. I ask that you stick with the full 6 minutes. I also invite you to post your comments about what happened for you when you watched the video and if anything else came up. Thank you for making the world a more joyous place today, by being you!

A new decade

I haven't been up on the usual media summary of the past year so I might have missed this - a summary of the past decade. What a tremendous amount of change. I won't list it all and as I look back at my past 10 years I have nothing but gratitude and awe! Gratitude for the growth I have experienced and awe at the life I have. I am excited and in great urgency to start to intend the next 10 years I am starting to co-create with all of you by my side. I know that this is the decade when consciousness will become the technology of choice, when more people will become free, when more people will live for their true purpose and in doing so serve humanity, and I know that this is the decade when more people will focus on being inside-out, rather than outward focused. May this be your best year yet and may this be the decide for all of us to shine 100%!

Pat Tillman Foundation

I just learnt of this Foundation via www.thegentlemensfund.com. Here's what I know so far - Pat Tillman was a NFL player who stepped up into the reserves after 9/11/2001. The Tillman family and friends created the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2004, following Pat’s death while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Here's what I take from this - put aside war for a moment - Pat was clearly a Resonant Man who stepped up to serve/give as he was called to give, from the inside-out. I am all for peace and sad that we are in this prolonged set of wars. And within these events are many opportunities to honor the gold in men and women globally. As we approach 4am Pacific Time tomorrow - December 31, I invite you to join all human-beings to hold the intention that peace is possible in our life time. Please read out loud, ideally with as many people as you can - this meditation. And as you do, remember the many Pat Tillman's who have made a difference - be it serving their country in war, serving hamburgers at McDonald's, serving a trip to the moon with NASA, tilling the soil of mother earth to feed us, and on and on and on. I give thanks for all those who serve to make this heaven on earth.

Tiger Woods: What is within this story

Today, I want to talk about the core purpose of events like the Tiger Woods story. They are not about a celebrity - they are about you and me. In every story lies the opportunity to look within. To look at those places in us that we relate to a story and learn from them - either as "me of the past" "me of the now" or "me of the future." In addition, the magical power of such events lies in looking at what shadows come up for me. What, if anything, am I hiding, denying or suppressing. What is mine to forgive (including myself) that such a story brings up for me? Today, take a few minutes for yourself and ask yourself - what part of Tiger's story is my story? And please - go beyond the obvious. My invitation to you is not about adultry, it's about living your truth in all parts of your life. How many of us are in jobs that we don't feel we belong in? How many of us have truly explored the route cause of our anger/resentment about someone/something? That, my friends, is the work we have in front of us - if you choose to accept the invitation. P.S. A reminder to check out: http://theshadoweffect.com/ if you haven't already.

Tiger Woods: Corporates and Truth

How facinating, the opportunities that Tiger Woods is enabling us to observe - if we choose. I am dedicating a series to studying many aspects of the Woods event, starting today with the corporate response. First, I want to be clear - yes, his personal affairs are his. And until we all boycott general media we better recognize that the facination with celebrity gossip is here to stay. AND there's another way to think about it - actually many other ways. That's the purpose of my exploration. Corporate response to such events: in this case, as in most - it is mixed. Gillette has said they are going cold on him; Nike says they "support his decision to withdraw from professional golf" and AT&T says it's "evaluating its relationship with Woods." All of them in my opinion are a bunch of wooses - plain and simple. When will a corporation have the balls to really take a stand. I have no attachment to what that stand should be but come out openly and speak to how an event like this does or does not tie with your corporate values (or other truths if you have them). Naturally, do that only if you are 100% living your mission and values as a corporation. I judge there's tons of contradiction to begin with - based on what's convenient for the corporation. Just as The Resonant Man is about being and living your 100% truth as an individual, it's just as true for corporations. After all they are the heart of major communities that set the tone for how a group lives it's truth and eventually each individual within that collective. Our current global economic crisis is a perfect time to reevaluate how seriously we take corporate governance and values. Let's learn from experiences such as the Tiger Woods event - rather than turning our back to them.

Life - Part 5

"And it's not who's appeared, but who you've summoned." In closing with the fifth line of this quote, I just love this part. How often have I been surprised at the miracles that appear? The times when I think something and it appears at least in three ways in my life. And I go - "wow - how cool is that?" but come from a place of surprise and coincidence - as if I really don't believe in the power of a universal spirit that I am connected with - a part of. When I do recognize that I am one with that power, I am at ease and at my best. When I recognize that I summon all that I manifest, then I am living my truth. Wen I recognize that I am responsible for EVERYTHING that appears in front and around me - the projections that I choose to notice, then I have clearly invited those experiences/people/things into my reality. What have you invited into your precious reality today?

Be Your Truth

OK, so if you read the last 3 entries I made - awake, aware and alive, then read on. If not, I encourage you to read those first for this to truly make sense! As MaryAnne Williamson says: "... it's not our darkness that we are afraid of, it's our light." The light within, the TRUTH, that we are all One, we are all from one source, one Universe - call it higher power or God or ... And this whole game of life is about remembering this truth. As cliched as it is, the saying "the truth shall set you free" is 100% what life is about IMJ (in my judgement) and the one lesson we all have to learn in this human/earthly existence of our soul. Some learn it very early on and retain that delicate innocence that we all are at birth. Others muddle around neither in "speaking" a lie, nor living fully. And yet others live such a blatant lie (to themselves more than externally) that when they explode and come "clean" it's an amazing turn-about. Twelve-step programs are a great place to practice the discipline of being accountable to others, being in integrity with yourself and living "clean" how ever you choose to define that based on your agreed "bottom-line" behaviors with your sponsor. There is so much rich learning in the steps and before one even contemplates taking the steps - the first condition MUST be truth. Be true to yourself, first and foremost. To your God/higher power. And to those who you lean on for support (e.g. sponsor, loved ones). The topic of truth will be my exploration for September. Please do contribute with what you've learnt about the truth.

Aware

Once I am awake to an issue - from my inner consciousness, different perspectives and choices start to emerge. "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone" is an anthem song for me. Once I am awake I can see what's in-front and all around me better than before. Becoming aware of the options, the alternatives is the beginning to a true inner power and peace. I am starting on the path of not being a victim or perpetrator to anyone or anything. I step up in responsibility to change what has not been right in my life and in doing so I make my world (the world) a better place. So a tangible example - the financial crisis. Instead of pointing at the bigger picture of corruption and greed on Wall Street, let me bring it home. Pre-recession, I spent liberally - unconsciously. Post-recession (or I guess in the midst of it) I am getting better at more conscious/aware decisions on how I spend. I am grateful to continue to have a well paying and rewarding job. Still I step into responsibility - not out of fear of what may lay ahead but out of a decision to live differently. I ask myself before spending: "do I really need this?" and it's just as important to ask do I want something. How is self-awakening and self-awareness showing up in your life?

Apollo and You

Take time to remember what a awesome day it was for those present to witness July 20, 1969. The first time when men stepped on the moon. Visit NASA site to read a lot more if you choose. Here are the three things that came up for me about this today: - Gratitude: for the 3 men who represented huminity in-person for the first time. The Heros. - Humility: for the scores of people who got them up there and BACK. The Warriors. - You & Me: what is mine to do with this historic event? On that 3rd one, here's where I am - see if this fits for you: Imagine what I (you) can do if I strived for such an accomplishment and believed I can do it? Does have to be this lofty but more importantly is something that all of my being really knows is right for me? For instance, I deserve to give 100% of my gifts through the work I get paid for. Until I can fully FEEL that it's 100% and live that with every breath - I haven't landed on the moon. Having said that, the journey as we know is equally important. I would add - when there is focus. Without focus - we'd never get to the moon. Imagine if the goal was - "let's land on any other planet" - not as effective in achieving the clear goal that was accomplished in 1969. So what's your Apollo right now? Go Apollorize your day my friends!!!

This Is It

I remember going to see a play (as a child living in Jamaica) titled "This is It!" and the song continued to say "This is it! The moment you've been waiting for." How many of us wait for heaven? Believe that based on our karma we plant the seeds for heaven or that other place :)? Hopefully most of my readers believe in the concept of "heaven on earth." It's not a destination to strive for but present all around me, all the time. I just have to open to accepting that This IS it. I mean, imagine if when I died they said "well, how was the vacation?" And I look back and go - but wait a minute, they told me that was "the work" and this is the place to strive for? Today, take the concept of The Power of Now to the next level. Don't simply live in the now but celebrate every breath of it as if this is it. This is the moment you've been waiting for. All your hearts desires, all your dreams, your bucket list of 101+ things, all the words you want to share with those you love, all the service you want to give the world, all the ways in which you live your mission. Now go have fun, be happy and celebrate your greatness you amazing angel you!

I Think I Can

I love it when something hits me more than once in a short period of time. The concept of "I can" has been such a thing in the past few days. I'll spare you all the magical "coincidences" through which the concept has been hightened in my consciousness but here's what I learnt: Most of the time I strive to believe: "I know I can." I can concur my fears, my doubts, my "it's impossible" etc. Yes, the "I can" is very powerful and at the heart of my favorite affirmation: "I am that I am." Then there are times when I don't really believe in the depth of me that "I can." So I don't feel confident in knowing that I can. At times like these I have learnt it pays to fake it! The more I fake it to myself the sooner I'll start to truly believe it. That's the "I think I can." Try this form of faking it (to yourself) this week and comment on what you learnt about this powerful concept.

Brain Power

Please take the time to watch this video from CBS 60 Minutes. The possibilities of this technology that allows us to transmit our thoughts to a computer are just beginning to unfold. The example in the video got me thinking - imagine if we could find out what is happening in the mind of a person with Alzheimer's or other diseases that take away the ability of a patient to communicate. Now combine this with the Age of Consciousness that we are stepping into and imagine devices that can not only read our mind but also our heart. Yes, a bit much of tech for many of us and like anything there is a fine line and balance in the "how" it's done. More importantly I ask myself - the "why" we do what we do and so far this work seems to have a solid why as I see it - to enable people to communicate freely.

Wisdom = Love + Intelligence

Thanks to Kathianne Lewis, I now better understand the word wisdom. I've always pondered the meaning of the word wisdom, particularly as it shows up in the 12-step serenity prayer: "God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change (you). The courage to change the things I can (me). And the wisdom to know the difference." Now when I combine serenity with love I see that there is no love without serenity. If I am not at ease, how can I love? Surely there's something missing that is keeping me from loving fully. Next, as much as I'd like to believe love solves everything, I am beginning to appreciate the mind/the intellect more - or at least give it equal reverance than I have in my explorations of the heart. Courage does not come for me if I am not firm in my conviction of what I desire. That to me is intelligence. My intelligence. It's what's right for me - not what the books say, not what someone else says but the truth that I know resonates from within. So now when I combine those two powerful being states - I am love and intelligence, I am wise. It clicks for me - how about you? As always, please share your perspective.

Your Brain on God

What if we could all focus on our brain on God vs. brain on drugs, brain on sex, brain on ..... NPR has done a great job with this series (click on the image). There's a lot in this series but the story that really got my attention was the power of prayer for others. Yes, first you have to believe that you have the Power of Prayer in you - for you. If not, stop reading. NPR reports on a test where a married couple are tested for the power of prayer for their loved one. Read the article "Can Positive Thoughts Help Heal Another Person?" for details. My point of putting this out to my readers - regardless of where you are on believing this research - try it out. What do you have to loose? Yes, and if you believe it works - I believe that's even more powerful but not necessary. It just works.

The Making of a Butterfly

Click the picture to watch a 3 minute transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. I chose not to pay much attention to this phenomenon in school but now I am totally facinated by the metaphor of this evolution. Thank you Dr. Kathianne Lewis for sharing this knowledge last Sunday. Here's what facinated me: Did you know that in that phase of evolution when the caterpillar is in the cacoon - it turns into complete fluid form? That it's DNA from caterpillar to butterfly completely changes - 100% of it changes. This totally facinated me. If I truly live what I speak - "conceive, believe, achieve" - then there is NOTHING that I can not do. I just really have to want to - really really really want it to happen. I have to BE the embodiment of it as if it's already manifested. I then DO the things that make me believe I already am that thing. And then I HAVE the end outcome I desire. Note - this applies to any area of my life, not just material stuff. Most of my readers know this already. It helps to have a reminder from nature - as we are all One!

Obama in Cairo

If you haven't already - take the time to click on Obama's picture for a link to the speech he gave on June 4 in Cairo. Most of Obama's speeches are historic and authentic in my opinion. What's critical about this talk is even if it makes a dent in the perception of American in the Muslim world - he's saved at least 1 life. Imagine, if every man and woman in battle or contemplating conflict/terrorism would be impacted even a bit by his words. All we need is for people to just stop and think - to respond rather than react. One life at a time - global peace IS possible. Obama is simply a mass vehicle of delivering this message AND believing it is possible. Now the question is - do YOU believe global peace is possible in this century?