We can't exorcise demons. We can only bring them back home.
We all have our demons.
Over the last couple of weeks, one of my old demons has emerged, big time. (I won’t go into detail.) What was my first reaction? I wanted to “exorcise” it, of course. Isn’t that what anybody would want to do?
The demons I’m talking about are our old, hidden fears and stresses that limit our potential. There are countless techniques for “clearing” these demons. But you can’t clear them. They aren’t external. They’re you!
Your demons are nothing more than errant vibes that are out of resonance with your very complex energy field. And because they manifest themselves from your own energy field, that’s where their energy comes from. The more you try to fight them, the more energy you’re giving them and the stronger they get. When you fight them, you feed them!
Demons are always an opportunity for deeper healing. When they arise, embrace them…listen to them. They will give you great insight. Then love them! Love is the most powerful energy in the Universe. Continuous love streaming to your demons will eventually tune them back in.
You can't send your demons away; you can only bring them back home.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Life is Absurd
Nothing is worthwhile unless it's absurd.
Whatever you're doing in life; it's absurd! I hope...
This past Friday morning I jumped into the pool at about 4:45 for an Ironman training swim. I had been swimming for about a half an hour or so, with my mind pretty much in neutral, when it hit me; this is absurd! Who gets up at 3:50 in the morning so they can get to the gym at 4:30 so they can swim for over an hour in a box of chlorinated water so they can be ready to squeeze into a wetsuit in 5 months so they can jump into a cold lake amid the flailing elbows of 2500 other people so they can then ride 112 miles on a bike so they can then run a marathon! The thought of the whole idea made me laugh. (Which is a trick when you're underwater; beleive me!)
When I got to the end of the pool, two other swimmers were stopped, taking a quick breather between sets. I stopped and said, "You know what? This is absurd!" They both laughed and heartily agreed. After that, my workout was a whole lot more fun.
As you're pondering the absurdity of what you're doing, take a moment to enjoy this video of an absurdly funny comedy act.
Life is absurd! Have fun!
Whatever you're doing in life; it's absurd! I hope...
This past Friday morning I jumped into the pool at about 4:45 for an Ironman training swim. I had been swimming for about a half an hour or so, with my mind pretty much in neutral, when it hit me; this is absurd! Who gets up at 3:50 in the morning so they can get to the gym at 4:30 so they can swim for over an hour in a box of chlorinated water so they can be ready to squeeze into a wetsuit in 5 months so they can jump into a cold lake amid the flailing elbows of 2500 other people so they can then ride 112 miles on a bike so they can then run a marathon! The thought of the whole idea made me laugh. (Which is a trick when you're underwater; beleive me!)
When I got to the end of the pool, two other swimmers were stopped, taking a quick breather between sets. I stopped and said, "You know what? This is absurd!" They both laughed and heartily agreed. After that, my workout was a whole lot more fun.
As you're pondering the absurdity of what you're doing, take a moment to enjoy this video of an absurdly funny comedy act.
Life is absurd! Have fun!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Unstoppable!
"The only person with enough power to stop you is YOU."
Ed Hearn
2006 World Champion of Public Speaking
You are unstoppable! Unless...you get in your own way.
When Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen set out to publish Chicken Soup for the Soul, they were rejected by 130 publishers.
130!!!
But they kept going. Now they have sold over 100 million books. That's 100,000,000!!!
What if they had given up after the first rejection...or the 10th...or the 100th?
Whatever you set out to accomplish, you can do it. On the way, you will no doubt make some mistakes, take a few wrong turns, and make a few miscalculations. There may also be some circumstances and people who knock you down. Temporarily.
Just remember that regardless of what happens, you can't lose the game until you throw in the towel.
Ed Hearn
2006 World Champion of Public Speaking
You are unstoppable! Unless...you get in your own way.
When Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen set out to publish Chicken Soup for the Soul, they were rejected by 130 publishers.
130!!!
But they kept going. Now they have sold over 100 million books. That's 100,000,000!!!
What if they had given up after the first rejection...or the 10th...or the 100th?
Whatever you set out to accomplish, you can do it. On the way, you will no doubt make some mistakes, take a few wrong turns, and make a few miscalculations. There may also be some circumstances and people who knock you down. Temporarily.
Just remember that regardless of what happens, you can't lose the game until you throw in the towel.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
No Illusions; No Fear!
"There is no greater illusion than fear."
Tao Te Ching
Some call me crazy. (I am.) On the first day of this year I celebrated the New Year by participating in a crazy annual Coeur d'Alene tradition: The Polar Bear Plunge! This is the seventh year in a row that I have gathered with about 400 other intrepid souls on a snow covered beach in subfreezing temperatures to dive into the icy waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Anyone who has ever done it will tell you that the experience is challenging but exhilirating. To me, stretching myself by moving beyond my fears and rising to such an intense challenge -- and having a lot of fun in the process -- sets the tone for a happy and successful year.
As I do every year, I invited a number of my friends to come and join me. Most called me crazy. One replied, and I'm quoting directly: "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" My own brother referred to it as "madness."
Five actually showed up. They ranged everwhere from nervous to freaking-out terrified. And I'll admit that every year as I'm watching my breath drift off over the near frozen lake and facing the prospect of stripping down to my swimsuit and taking the chilly dip, I always think, "Geez, I can't believe I'm doing this thing again!" Then afterwards I feel great and I know I'll be back next year.
Here's what my friends said after the plunge:
"Awesome!"
"Empowering!"
"My sister always said I was the stupid one and I think I just proved her right. But right now I know I'm having more fun than her. She's probably still sleeping."
"I thought I would turn into an iceberg...we have GOT to do this again next year, and I am bringing all my friends."
"I was terrified of doing this...can't wait to do this next year...I feel more alive, less fearful of the unknown, and more grounded in my skills to consciously handle my life."
Not bad for 30 seconds in an icy lake!
Remember, your fears are nothing but an illusion. Wonderful things await you beyond your fears.
Tao Te Ching
Some call me crazy. (I am.) On the first day of this year I celebrated the New Year by participating in a crazy annual Coeur d'Alene tradition: The Polar Bear Plunge! This is the seventh year in a row that I have gathered with about 400 other intrepid souls on a snow covered beach in subfreezing temperatures to dive into the icy waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Anyone who has ever done it will tell you that the experience is challenging but exhilirating. To me, stretching myself by moving beyond my fears and rising to such an intense challenge -- and having a lot of fun in the process -- sets the tone for a happy and successful year.
As I do every year, I invited a number of my friends to come and join me. Most called me crazy. One replied, and I'm quoting directly: "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" My own brother referred to it as "madness."
Five actually showed up. They ranged everwhere from nervous to freaking-out terrified. And I'll admit that every year as I'm watching my breath drift off over the near frozen lake and facing the prospect of stripping down to my swimsuit and taking the chilly dip, I always think, "Geez, I can't believe I'm doing this thing again!" Then afterwards I feel great and I know I'll be back next year.
Here's what my friends said after the plunge:
"Awesome!"
"Empowering!"
"My sister always said I was the stupid one and I think I just proved her right. But right now I know I'm having more fun than her. She's probably still sleeping."
"I thought I would turn into an iceberg...we have GOT to do this again next year, and I am bringing all my friends."
"I was terrified of doing this...can't wait to do this next year...I feel more alive, less fearful of the unknown, and more grounded in my skills to consciously handle my life."
Not bad for 30 seconds in an icy lake!
Remember, your fears are nothing but an illusion. Wonderful things await you beyond your fears.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Top 10 Healthy Thoughts of 2007
Here they are -- the Top Ten Healthy Thoughts of the year. Thanks to all of you who took the time to vote.
10. "Truth doesn't need protection, it needs expression."
Lou Corletto, D.C.
9. "Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
8. "The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
7. "I hate gettin' old."
"Then quit gettin' old!"
A conversation I overheard at the gym
6. "What you wish to experience, provide for another."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
5. "Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives."
Louise Hay
4. "What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
3. "If your spirit is willing, you body will follow."
A triathlete I ran with during the Grand Columbian Triathlon.
2. "You are a being of beauty and perfection!"
My personal favorite
1. "There is only one journey: going inside yourself."
Rainer Maria Rilke
Others receiving votes:
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham
"We stand tallest while reaching for our dreams."
Inside a greeting card.
"Your dreams are your real job."
Joyce Spizer
"The future is not someplace we are going to, but one we are creating."
Deborah James
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attracions."
Albert Einstein
Do not worry whether you have strength enough for the journey.
It is on the journey that you will find the strength.
"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."
Hafiz
Additionally, although I didn't ask for a vote on the best link or video of the year, one reader cast a vote for "Best Video." Great idea! I'll keep that in mind for next year. This year's winner, by a margin of a single vote, is Mountain Wingsuit.
10. "Truth doesn't need protection, it needs expression."
Lou Corletto, D.C.
9. "Struggle ends where commitment begins."
Sumner Davenport
8. "The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
Professor Randy Pausch
A Dying Professor's Last Lecture.
7. "I hate gettin' old."
"Then quit gettin' old!"
A conversation I overheard at the gym
6. "What you wish to experience, provide for another."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
5. "Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives."
Louise Hay
4. "What humans can be, they must be."
Abraham Maslow
3. "If your spirit is willing, you body will follow."
A triathlete I ran with during the Grand Columbian Triathlon.
2. "You are a being of beauty and perfection!"
My personal favorite
1. "There is only one journey: going inside yourself."
Rainer Maria Rilke
Others receiving votes:
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham
"We stand tallest while reaching for our dreams."
Inside a greeting card.
"Your dreams are your real job."
Joyce Spizer
"The future is not someplace we are going to, but one we are creating."
Deborah James
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attracions."
Albert Einstein
Do not worry whether you have strength enough for the journey.
It is on the journey that you will find the strength.
"One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."
Hafiz
Additionally, although I didn't ask for a vote on the best link or video of the year, one reader cast a vote for "Best Video." Great idea! I'll keep that in mind for next year. This year's winner, by a margin of a single vote, is Mountain Wingsuit.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Welcome the Light!
"Life is a celebration of awakenings, of new beginnings, and wonderful surprises that enlighten the soul."
Author unknown
Today (Saturday) we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Although Mother Earth is still sleeping under a soft blanket of winter snow, we now welcome the lengthening days and increasing light in our lives.
So, how did I celebrate?
I was honored to join friends old and new and participate in a sweat lodge. The lodge is an insulated dome within a tipi where a dozen of us sat shoulder to shoulder in a circle as the fire keeper delivered hot rocks into the shallow pit in the center of the lodge. After delivering the rocks, she closed the entrance, leaving us in complete darkness except for the glow of the red-hot rocks which had spent the last couple of hours heating up in the sacred fire. Dry sage was sprinkled onto the hot rocks, followed by ladle after ladle of water. The resulting steamy heat is aromatic, and intense!
A sweat lodge is physically and mentally challenging, and deeply spiritually purifying. In the lodge -- the womb of the Mother -- we offer prayers to honor our Mother, Spirit and each other. As we sweat we shed that which no longer serves, awaken our inherent beauty and perfection, and allow our inner light to shine more brilliantly than ever before. Emerging from the lodge represents a new beginning in our lives. For me, among other things, I embrace this as an opportunity to become ever more committed to serving you as a healer, writer and speaker.
And whether you celebrated the solstice or not, pause to consider how today might be a new beginning for you, too...
Author unknown
Today (Saturday) we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Although Mother Earth is still sleeping under a soft blanket of winter snow, we now welcome the lengthening days and increasing light in our lives.
So, how did I celebrate?
I was honored to join friends old and new and participate in a sweat lodge. The lodge is an insulated dome within a tipi where a dozen of us sat shoulder to shoulder in a circle as the fire keeper delivered hot rocks into the shallow pit in the center of the lodge. After delivering the rocks, she closed the entrance, leaving us in complete darkness except for the glow of the red-hot rocks which had spent the last couple of hours heating up in the sacred fire. Dry sage was sprinkled onto the hot rocks, followed by ladle after ladle of water. The resulting steamy heat is aromatic, and intense!
A sweat lodge is physically and mentally challenging, and deeply spiritually purifying. In the lodge -- the womb of the Mother -- we offer prayers to honor our Mother, Spirit and each other. As we sweat we shed that which no longer serves, awaken our inherent beauty and perfection, and allow our inner light to shine more brilliantly than ever before. Emerging from the lodge represents a new beginning in our lives. For me, among other things, I embrace this as an opportunity to become ever more committed to serving you as a healer, writer and speaker.
And whether you celebrated the solstice or not, pause to consider how today might be a new beginning for you, too...
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Life of Your Dreams
"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."
Oprah Winfrey
(Thanks, Mary Jo)
Here's an interesting thing. When I first typed this up and went back to proofread it, I found a typo that was so cool I was tempted to not correct it. What I originally wrote was, "...to love the life of your dreams." Was that typo just a clumsy-fingered accident...or maybe my subconscious mind slyly sneaking out the message that I really wanted to convey? Hmmm...
Either way, you get the point. Life itself can be the most thrilling adventure of all, but only if you're pursuing your dreams. Like these guys.
(Thanks for the video, Marsha.)
Oprah Winfrey
(Thanks, Mary Jo)
Here's an interesting thing. When I first typed this up and went back to proofread it, I found a typo that was so cool I was tempted to not correct it. What I originally wrote was, "...to love the life of your dreams." Was that typo just a clumsy-fingered accident...or maybe my subconscious mind slyly sneaking out the message that I really wanted to convey? Hmmm...
Either way, you get the point. Life itself can be the most thrilling adventure of all, but only if you're pursuing your dreams. Like these guys.
(Thanks for the video, Marsha.)
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