Info for Your Potential

This LOA tip is one in a series of tips that will look at why LOA doesn’t work for some folks. In Tip #3, we’re going to look at self-limiting beliefs about having money and being rich and why being rich is good.

“Money will not make you happy.” How many times have you heard that statement? Did it give you the impression that doing without money and living in poverty would make you happy?  What it really means is…if you are unhappy, having money and being rich will not give you the happiness you seek. Seek happiness first, then becoming rich will be a benefit of your happiness. Having money and being rich is good! You can do whatever you want with your money and it should make your feel that you are doing the right thing.

Self-Limiting Beliefs About Money and Being Rich

• Having money and being rich is wrong.
• Rich people need to give their money to the poor.
• The poor are poor because the rich have all the money.
• The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.

I was confronted by a lady who insisted that the rich were responsible for the condition of the poor and insisted that the rich had the responsibility to give their money to the poor. I was amazed at the irrational reasoning behind this statement.

I have personally seen what happens when I gave money to the poor, they just become more dependent on me giving them more money. Over 15 years ago, when I was working in town, several co-workers and I decided that we wanted to help poor street people by giving them money. We went to the local shelter and talked to the counselors.  To our disbelief, they recommended donating to the shelter or any other philanthropic organization and advised us not to give money directly to the poor.

Needless to say, we didn’t listen.  I think we all had been listening too much to those folks who condemned the rich and insisted they give to the poor. What we learned was a very valuable lesson. We discovered to our horror that word had gotten around that we were handing out money. The last day we went to the shelter, we were mobbed. The shelter counselors had warned us, but we found out for ourselves why it’s not a good idea to give money to the poor.

The money we gave out didn’t help the poor find a job and it certainly didn’t teach them how to handle money wisely. We became enablers. We enabled several people to continue to be poor. They simply waited for us to give them money and progressively needed more and more. They had no ambition to get out of poverty and improve their lot in life. Their only ambition was to wait for us to show up and hand out money.

Giving money directly to the poor doesn’t help them. They realize that it is much easier to have someone give them money, than to have ambition and earn it themselves. There are programs to help the poor, but they first need the ambition to use them and second, need to know they exist. It’s what counselors at the shelter called the “Too poor to care” syndrome.

The poor are poor because:

1. they have no ambition to rise above poverty

2. do not have the ambition to use programs provided to teach them how to get out of poverty or find out what it takes to get out of poverty

3. think that someone “owes” them something (welfare)

4. they were born poor, have been taught by generations of poor family members that since they were born poor, they will always be poor and need to depend on others for money or

5. simply prefer being poor.

No one “owes” anyone anything. This is irrational thinking at its worst. We owe it to ourselves to make our lives our reality. I love this quote, “If it is to be, it is up to me to do it!” I just wish I knew who said it. My research didn’t reveal the person who said it.

The rich do not owe the poor anything. We live in a nation of welfare babies who think they do not need to support themselves because their government “owes” them. That is one of the most self-limiting, self-defeating beliefs of the 21 Century and has given rise to generation after generation living on welfare. The elderly, disabled and mentally challenged are a totally different issue. Most need assistance and there are programs to help them pay utilities and buy food which is usually paid for by philanthropic organizations.

If you think you are too poor to become rich, let me give you an example of rags to riches. Some of the poorest people in the world rose above poverty to become very wealthy. Andrew Carnegie was very poor. He rose above his poverty, became very wealthy and gave most of his wealth to charity.

Then there are the wealthy who give generously to charities. John D. Rockefeller, although he was not poor, he most certainly was not born into a wealthy family. He started as a clerk and revolutionized the oil and gas industry by founding Standard Oil. He was known for handing out dimes to folks he met on the streets (at a time when a dime was considered a lot) and he tithed 10% to his church every payday. He was the United States’ first millionaire and went on to become a billionaire. The Rockefellers, even to this day, are known for their philanthropy.

Bill Gates, born into a wealthy family, gives generously to charity.

And the best for last, Christopher Gardner. His life became a movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. A homeless father who became a self-made millionaire. He is the model of ambition and rising above poverty. He is a philanthropist who sponsors Cara Program and the Methodist church where he and his son received shelter.

The argument that it is wrong to be rich because the rich make the poor poorer is a lame excuse most people make when they themselves lack ambition and/or money. It’s easier to blame someone else than to blame themselves for not having the ambition to attract their desires. The key to success and wealth lies in ambition, self-discipline, knowing what you want, the vehicle to get it and having the faith to achieve it. This is the exact idea behind the Law of Attraction.

If you want to be rich, then you deserve to be rich! Being rich has its responsibilities. It’s what you do with your money and your mind-set that makes being rich a good thing. Buy what you want and need when you want and need it, help family and friends in need, donate to charity, invest in quality investments, put money in a savings account for unexpected emergencies and have money left over.

Life is meant to be enjoyed. Enjoy your life to the fullest. Be happy, be rich and be wise.

This LOA tip is one in a series of tips that will look at why LOA doesn’t work for some folks. In Tip #2, we’re going to look at how being happy will manifest your desires very quickly.

Happiness is a state of mind that you create with your actions, words, thoughts and feelings. You first need to find what makes you happy (Changing self-limiting beliefs is an excellent start!), get happy and stay happy, then attract your dreams and desires. It’s not the other way around, “I’ll be happy went I get what I want!”

This is true for anything you desire – a better job, the love of your life, that beautiful red sports car. If you are unhappy, attracting your desires will not make you happy. Only you can make you happy. If you are happy, attracting your desires are a complement to your happiness. If you are unhappy, then attracting your desires will clash with your unhappiness and you may find yourself even more unhappy when you realize that that beautiful, red sports car didn’t make you happy at all. You may have a few days of excitement, but you will not be truly happy.

Let’s get very clear on two ideas of being happy or happiness where getting what you want it concerned.

1. Contrived happiness.

2. Being naturally happy.

Contrived happiness

Contrived happiness is a thought process that says, “I will be happy when I get what I want!” This is a very negative, self-limiting belief. Remember, happiness is a state of mind. In other words, if you think you are unhappy, you can just as easily think you are happy. It’s all in your mind…your thoughts.

For some reason, today’s society has convinced people that it’s wrong to be happy. There is so much suffering and misery in the world; therefore, we all need to be unhappy. What a load of crap! Pardon my language. To make matters worse, it’s become such a materialistic world that social attitudes have taught people that in order to be happy, one must have everything they want and it has even gone so far as to tell us what we want that will make us happy – it’s called advertising.

What has actually happened is the fact that people have realized that they have become very good at getting what they do not want and that is what makes them unhappy. Let’s look at the opposite of these dilemma.

If more people would be grateful for what they have in their lives at this moment in time and be happy for it, then there would be less unhappiness and misery. Yes, there are they who suffer in abject poverty or misery at the hands of others, but even they can rise above their situation with help from others. For the whole world to feel pity and unhappiness at their dilemma only makes their plight worse and makes it seem as though we are responsible for their situation in life.

One of the 12 Universal Laws is called the Law of Polarity. The Law of Polarity states that everything has a range and an opposite. The opposite of unhappy is happy; therefore the opposite of lack is abundance and each has it degree (range) of unhappiness, happiness, lack and abundance. Another of the 12 Universal Laws called the Law of Vibration and it states that everything and everyone moves in a circular pattern and it applies to our actions, words, thoughts and feelings. What you give out, you will get in return. If you are unhappy, you’re sending out negative vibrations and you will get them sent right back to you in the form of what you do not want. What do you really want? Do you want to be happy? Do you want all your desires fulfilled? Then think yourself happy!

There is a literary work by James Allen, As a man thinketh (1902), based on a quote from the Bible. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is.” If you think you are happy, then you will be happy. LOA senses your happiness, which is a positive vibe, and you will get what you want. Is it that simple? Yes, fortunately, everything is that simple. It’s people that make things difficult.

Naturally happy!

When you are happy, you give off a very high positive vibration level (the Law of Vibration). High positive vibration levels attract your desires very quickly. Your desires manifest themselves much more quickly when you are happy, grateful and joyful.

Let’s go back and look at James Allen’s literary work from 1902. This man knew about LOA. He knew that if you think you are happy and have plenty, then you will get more of it in return.

His book opens with a poem…

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:—
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking-glass.

Quotes from his book…

• A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.
• Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment, of these, if you but remain true to them your world will at last be built.
• The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires - and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.
• Every action and feeling is preceded by a thought.
• Right thinking begins with the words we say to ourselves.
• If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

LOA is not prejudice. It will give you the focus of your actions, words, thoughts and feelings. The old saying that money will not make you happy is true. The only problem with this saying is that it has been distorted to benefit those who are against having money and being wealthy. What the old saying is trying to point out is, if you are not happy before you become wealthy, then becoming wealthy will only clash with your unhappiness and may make you even more unhappy. Having money, being wealthy, finding the love of your life and having the car of your dreams are all positive and very good, but your life will lack meaning if you think getting those things will make you happy when you are unhappy to begin with.

So…how do you get happy? Change your thoughts, change your mind-set!

Tips for how to get happy!

1. On a piece of paper, make a list of all the things you have in your life that you think you are not grateful for. This is your Ungrateful List. [Pretty negative, huh?]

2. On another piece of paper, create a new list by taking each item on your Ungrateful List and find a good reason to be grateful for having it. Example: You’re driving an old car. You want a new car. Be grateful that you have a car at all. You could be riding the bus or walking. This is your Gratitude List. [Much more positive!]

3. Add to the Gratitude List those things for which you are currently grateful. Example: your spouse, your children, your friends, your pets, your clothes, your furniture, anything for which you are grateful. Gratitude is a very positive vibration and helps you realize that you have a lot to be thankful and happy for.

4. Look at your Gratitude List everyday to remind yourself that you have a lot to be grateful for. Feeling grateful creates happiness!

5. Listen to music that makes you feel good.

6. Dance to your favorite music. No one has to see you dance. Dance like it’s the most wonderful thing in the world to do!

7. Watch movies that make you feel good.

8. Watch funny movies and laugh out loud.

9. Do not dwell on things that make you fearful, doubtful, mad or unhappy. Give yourself 5 minutes to fret and fuss, then get over it and immediately get happy. Think of something that makes you happy. Example: Christmas with your family. Vacation with your family. A funny joke or story. Teach yourself that it is OK to let go of negative situations and return to being happy.

10. Forgive people who you think have done bad things to you. Did you know that 90% of the time, the person you blame for hurting you doesn’t even realize they did something wrong. Let go of the need to tell them they did something wrong. It will only make the situation worse for you. You may need to realize that you may have been overly sensitive to something they said or did, when they honestly meant nothing by it. This is called “getting over yourself.” Try it! It works!

11. Develop the enthusiasm of a child. Get excited about your dreams and desires. “I want one of those!!!!!!”

12. Dream big! Want a new car, instead of a two year old used car. This another reason LOA doesn’t work for some folks. They have forgotten how to dream or they let fear and doubt slip in and to keep from being disappointed, dream small.

13. Enjoy daydreaming! This is visualization at it’s best and will manifest your desires very quickly because it creates happiness.

14. Enjoy the simplest things. A spring day. Watch bees, birds, kittens or puppies play. Notice the details of a flower. Enjoy life!

15. Laugh often, laugh out loud and laugh at yourself!

16. Let go of trying to control and manipulate everything and everyone in your life.  Let people and things be who or what they are meant to be.

17. Learn to be a good listener. It will actually make you happier!

18. Dedicate three hours a day to doing something you really enjoy.

19. Learn to relax. Do yoga, meditate, daydream.

20. Make it a point to donate at least a dollar everyday to charity. That’s $365 a year.  Expect nothing in return.  Being charitable is a very positive action.  Remember the Law of Vibration?  Everything and everyone vibrates in a circular pattern.  It’s that old saying, “What goes around, comes around!”  When you give to others, it comes back to you.  Donating is convenient. McDonalds has Ronald McDonald House donation boxes in each restaurant. Firemen collect for MS (Fill the Boot) at major street intersections at certain times of the year.

21. Eliminate self-limiting beliefs. Remove don’t, can’t, won’t, no and not from your words and thoughts.

22. Add 8 more ideas to this list. Create your own ideas for things that will make you feel happy.

Remember, get happy, then attract your desires!

There are so many reasons the Law of Attraction (LOA) does not work for many people. They make the mistakes of interfering with the allowing process of LOA, don’t get clear on exactly what they desire, have doubts and fears and fail to be grateful for what they have at this time in their lives or they simply do not believe that there is a Universal Law that explains why we get what we get in our lives.

Many people have trouble with giving positive focus and attention to their desires. They let doubt slip in by means of their negative words and thought processes, otherwise known as Self-Limiting Beliefs. LOA is a multiple step process. Within each of these steps is an even more complicated process involving human nature. Each of us is different. We are nurtured differently; therefore, our cognitive abilities are just as varied.

Throughout our lives, we develop certain thought patterns that are formed from our positive and negative life experiences. It’s the negative experiences that give us negative thought patterns that keep us from achieving our potential. These self-limiting beliefs are irrational, self-defeating and given time, become so second nature, they no longer require conscious thought.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? If they do, then you will never get what you want. So, what do you do? You work at changing your thought patterns. It can be done, anyone at any age can do it. All it takes is simply making a conscious effort to pay attention to your thoughts and feelings.

Negative thoughts give off low level vibrations. Negative vibrations will not attract what you want. They will attract more of what you don’t want. Positive thoughts give off high level vibrations and can overcome negative vibrations. Positive, high level vibrations invoke LOA and attract your desires. Self-limiting beliefs are negative vibrations. Now you can understand why self-limiting beliefs will keep you from attracting your desires.

Steps for Changing Your Self-Limiting Thoughts

1. Take a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle making two columns.

2. In the left-hand column, make a list of your negative, self-limiting beliefs.

3. In the right-hand column, write a believable positive statement that is the opposite of each of your negative beliefs.

4. This is very important! Cross out all the negative, self-limiting beliefs in the left-hand column.

5. Carry this list with you, look at it several times a day and read the positive beliefs to yourself or out loud.

6. You are no longer concerned with the negative beliefs in the left-hand column. You will not read these.

7. Any time a self-limiting, negative thought or feeling enters you mind, gently push it away and then read and say to yourself the positive beliefs you wrote in the right-hand column.

It takes 3 weeks to become comfortable with a new habit and 6 weeks to 3 months for it to become permanent. Change is good, but change is excellent, if it is positive and builds confidence and self-esteem.

Examples of negative self-limiting beliefs and their opposites.

Change your words, change your thoughts (thoughts are just words), change your life and attract your dreams!

Law of Attraction Tip #2 - Get Happy!

Every day I learn the lesson of, “You don’t know everything.” In my 40+ years, I have never heard of the Tao Te Ching (pronounced Dow De Jing). Never! I’ve heard of the Tao of Pooh and never really read it or took a look at it, but let one celebrity, doctor, author or guru write a book about it while making life-altering changes and everyone and their dog joins the bandwagon.

The latest life lesson bandwagon is from Dr. Wayne Dyer and his total immersion in Taoism. I bought his book Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, read the first three chapters, watched his program on PBS and realized that Dr. Dyer hasn’t changed one bit! Don’t get me wrong. I like Dr. Dyer. He’s a good man; I just find him a bit eccentric. I decided it was time to do some research on the Tao and find out what all the hubbub was about. Needless to say, I was not happy with what I found.

When I finished reading the Tao Te Ching (as translated from Chinese characters, not an interpretation of the Tao), my intuition was screaming at me that all this minimalism and nothingness and fits right in with communism. It reminded me too much of teachers who want Johnnie on Ritalin. Be quiet, be still, be good and there will be peace and harmony.

Even Lao-Tzu, legendary author of the Tao, admitted, “Some will think me lazy.” I have to admit, he was right. It was my first impression of him. My second impression of him was one of pacifist. The Tao Te Ching is the perfect philosophy for those who are deeply spiritual and have no desire to have material possession or think for themselves. Confucius and Buddha are contemporaries of Lao-Tzu; therefore, the inspiration for minimalism in Confucianism and Buddhism.

It’s a philosophy that says: say nothing, do nothing, think nothing, have nothing, do not value education over wisdom, have no pride in yourself or others and there will be harmony and happiness. While this may be agreeable to some folks, in most it will feel unnatural. There may be harmony and peace, but at what price? Happiness! I think all this mindless nothingness goes against nature.

After several days of thinking about what the Tao was teaching, I realized that my gut feeling was telling me that certain parts of the Tao philosophy were not right for me and it certainly didn’t fit a majority of today’s society. Even my husband was not impressed. He, like I, researched on the Net after watching Dr. Dyer’s program. My husband became concerned when Dr. Dyer talked about living the Tao and moved to Maui after closing his office and selling everything in the office. Living in Maui is not cheap. Living in Maui is not my idea of minimalism. When someone tells me they moved to Maui, I pretty much know they have plenty of money, so his speech about closing his office, selling everything in it and moving to Maui was not quite ringing true to the minimalist lifestyle, so he’s not 100% Taoist.

I like the idea of humility and kindness and I have to agree that too much education gets in the way of wisdom and common sense, but I don’t like the idea of minimalism and mindless nothingness for the sake of peace and harmony. In my opinion, both philosophies go against human nature and the laws of the Universe. To give up one’s free will just for the sake of “Don’t rock the boat” to keep the peace is unrealistic.

My least favorite quote from the Tao is, “If you want everything, you must give up everything.” It reminded me of Hari Chrisna in the 70’s. “Give all your worldly possession away, come live with us and find happiness, harmony and peace.” I had a friend in high school who bought into this philosophy. He sold everything he owned, including his clothes and moved to California. He was not happy and there was no peace and harmony. Everyone was unhappy, bickered over who was in charge, who was going to work in the fields to bring in food that was literally rotting in the Earth and lived daily trying to find food and clean clothing. He hated begging strangers for money and hated even more the looks on their faces. He came home after three months when he realized that Hari Chrisna was not what he had hoped. He learned a valuable lesson.

It is my opinion that we are not here to suffer and live a minimalist life in mindless nothingness. We are here to learn what it takes for each of us to succeed, achieve our desires and be happy. In other words, we are here to find our purpose in life. It takes ambition to find one’s purpose. It is a natural process to find this purpose, but for some, it is just too much pressure and they look for a religion or philosophy to justify their lack of ambition. In this case, the Tao fits that purpose.

It is natural to see opposing views. That’s how we know what beautiful, bad, slow or dark is. Without it’s opposite, we wouldn’t know and appreciate the difference. It is natural to think for ourselves (free will) and make judgments, for judgments come from intuition and give us insight. Judgments that come from intuition or a gut feeling are rarely wrong and help us to make the right decision. It is judgment from narrow-mindedness that is wrong – it’s known as prejudice.

It is natural to be ambitious. Without ambition, we would wither and die. Human beings need obstacles or challenges in their lives to give them a reason to live. It is the ambition to get past those obstacles that is a natural part of life. It is not natural to have nothing. Having nothing, saying nothing and doing nothing is just…nothing. Happy is the man who has, says, thinks and does nothing? That doesn’t even sound right! It sounds like what a communist government would want from it’s people.

There is a time to say something and there is a time to be silent. Knowing which to do involves desire and knowledge to know when it is wise to say something or nothing.

There is a time to take action and a time to do nothing. Again, it involves knowing which to do and that takes desire and knowledge to know when it is wise to take action or do nothing.

Some say having no ambition is laziness. I think a lack of ambition comes from a fear of money and/or success which leads to despising those who have money and wealth. Many folks with no ambition wrongly thinking money is bad because they don’t have any. These same folk work on the assumption that people who have money are bad. This shows ignorance about money. Money has no ego! It’s neither good nor bad. It shows no prejudice as to who should have more of it and who should have less. It’s an inanimate object.

People who do bad things with money give the impression that money is bad. This is an incorrect correlation between money and people who do not use their money wisely. The money didn’t make them bad; they could have just as easily done something good with their money. We need to change the way we think about money. For some, it’s easier to blame their lack of money on an inanimate object or they who have plenty.

I don’t know how many times I have heard someone tell me that people who are rich are bad. This all encompassing statement is irrational. It includes everyone who is rich. There are just as many rich people who do good things with their money as those who use money for bad intent. The only thing we hear about is the bad people and how it relates to money. It’s the only thing that makes the news and that’s usually all the media cares about.

To think that living a minimalist lifestyle will get rid of the bad that people do is like saying, you don’t need to brush your teeth if you don’t eat sweets. People will become desperate and tire of having nothing. Desperation creates even bigger problems.

Money should not be used for power against one’s fellow man or for hoarding in excess. Money should be used to buy the things we want and need, to help friends and family in need, to donate to our favorite charities, to invest for the future and to leave an inheritance to our children and their children. There is nothing wrong with being rich. There is nothing wrong with wanting possessions. It’s hoarding money, being greedy and collection possessions in excess that are wrong.

I talked to a car salesman at a Ford dealership the other day. He told me that his brother was a salesman at a Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar dealership. He told me that his brother told him that 90% of his customers were buying high-end cars to impress someone else. Rarely did he have a customer who was buying a MB or Jag because that was what they truly wanted. One customer told him that he didn’t like Jaguar, but he was expected to drive a high-end luxury car and his boss insisted that it be a Jaguar. This type of behavior is not fulfilling and serves no purpose. It will certainly not create happiness.

I say buy what you want and to heck with trying to live up to what others think you should have. I say donate to charities, help friends and family in need, invest for the future…do good things with your money. If you really, really want a Jaguar because you think it looks good, has quality and is the most luxurious car you’ve ridden in, then by all means buy one. It’s all about what makes you happy. It’s the mind-set behind money without the emotional attachment to it that makes one happy. Happiness is a frame of mind. You can choose to be happy or not. If you have the wrong mind-set, then money and possessions will not make you happy.

Other interpretations of the Tao Te Ching do teach some excellent values, but it’s not the literal Tao, it’s another author’s Tao. I love The Tao of Pooh. I’ve only just recently read it and it’s cute, creates a very valuable message by taking a negative and making it a positive and it fits today’s society. It’s the child-like idea that Life is Great and I love it! Some interpretations stray so far from the literal translations as set forth by Lao-Tzu, I had to make sure I was still reading an interpretation of the Tao. They make the Tao into something very positive. I say, “Bravo!”, but that means it is someone else’s philosophy, not Lao-Tzu’s.

Some suggest that Lao-Tzu was being sarcastic. Some say there is no proof he even existed. Let’s assume he did exist. All I know is that there are many versions of the translation and all seem to be similar, but there are 100s if not 1000s of interpretations and that alone leads to confusion. Some assume the Tao is a religion. Tao Te Ching is not a religion. It is someone’s philosophy on life. I love philosophy, it is very fascinating to me and it has it’s purpose…to give us insight and reflection into our self.

As for Lao-Tzu being sarcastic, I doubt it seriously since I found one website, www.marxist.org, that quoted all 81 verses of the Tao in similar translation. For a Marxist website to embrace the Tao, I think that pretty much puts to bed the idea that Lao-Tzu was being sarcastic. I think he was a literal idealist with visions of a Utopian society that lived in complete and total harmony by saying and doing nothing to disturb the peace. There is a passage from Verse Three that reads like a communist manifesto. This is a literal translation, not an interpretation.

The master leads by:
Emptying their minds,
Filling their bellies,
Weakening their ambitions,
And strengthening their bones.

If people lack knowledge and desire
Then they can not act;
If no action is taken
Harmony remains.

You or I may take that passage, bend, twist or distort it to mean anything we want, but literally Lao-Tzu was very clear: think nothing, have no ambition, knowledge, desire, or action and there will be harmony. In one sense, he is right! If nothing is done, said, thought, and there is no ambition, knowledge or desire, then of course harmony remains, because there is NOTHING to cause disharmony, but it’s not very realistic, either.

Lao-Tzu’s harmony comes at a price – an individual’s free will. It oppresses by convincing that there is no need: for knowledge, to express an opinion, to have an differing opinion from your fellow man (uniqueness), to think, to speak, to do and to have all for the sake of constant harmony and peace. That’s a rather unreal, boring existence, not to mention you would have to watch everything you say for fear of disrupting the peace. Goodness knows, someone may misunderstand what it is you are trying to say and you would be accused of disturbing the peace. “Hold your tongue! The master is coming!”

Isn’t that exactly what every good dictator and communist leader wants? Just imagine Karl Marx jumping with joy after reading Verse Three of the Tao. For all we know, he may have! At some point rebellion sets in. Not all people are so easily led. To think that there would be a benevolent leader who is egoless and would lead such mindless, benevolent people is idealism gone extreme, not to mention it’s considered oppression. Rising above one’s ego is difficult enough as it is. If one has risen to the position of master, then it is very likely that he has a massive ego.

I found some positive virtue in the literal Tao and it would do today’s society good to embrace it, but I also found what one needs to justify a lack of ambition and responsibility. I think Lao-Tzu was a pacifist and I understand and respect it’s place for those who are deeply spiritual, have no need for material possessions and their only ambition is to devote their lives to spiritual enlightenment.

To interpret the Tao any other way, other than literal, is only to make it fit a more positive agenda. I am all for being more positive, but I have a problem with taking someone’s philosophy and straying far from it’s literal meaning. I have read many interpretations of the Tao. I love the optimistic spin in many of the interpretations that the Tao teaches humility, kindness, benevolence and flexibility, but I can also understand and can agree with the literalist, in other interpretations, that Lao-Tzu was a pacifist. The question remains, what exactly was Lao-Tzu’s message in the Tao Te Ching about life as it applies to everyone? Who knows, but I can tell you that there are many interpretations of the Tao and every one of them is different.

Wouldn’t be easier to learn the virtues of humility, kindness, generosity, charity, compassion, empathy, fairness, faith, forgiveness, gratitude, tolerance, courage, humor, respect, loyalty, courtesy, patience, self-reliance, self-motivation, responsibility, honesty, self-discipline and being flexible to change without all the confusing Eastern philosophy double meaning? Why make it so difficult? Life isn’t that difficult. People make it difficult. For some folks, I think they’re just looking for someone to live their life for them. They want someone to tell them all the answers instead of looking for the answers themselves.

To know the “why” of life is to find your purpose. It requires ambition, knowledge and action. Try looking at the 12 Universal Laws. I found more answers about life, instead of more questions. There are 12 Universal Laws and 21 sub-laws and each interacts with the other. The Law of Attraction is one of the 12 Universal Laws and I can tell you, it has done my heart good to find it and apply it to my life. It has answered more questions about life than anything else I have found, including religion. The Law of Attraction is not religion, it is a naturally occurring law of the Universe and explains why we get what we want and more often, what we don’t want.

I leave you with a very famous quote from the Tao, Verse 64 (interpreted): “A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” And you just thought Confucius said that! I hope you find your purpose in life. Take that first step and think, feel, say and do everything you need to do to fulfill your desires!

Namaste!

First, an explanation. I am not a religious person, meaning I do not go to church or have an affiliation with any organized religion, but I do believe in the Divine spirit of God. I know the Bible for what it is: a book of God’s word, interpreted through the ages by man. This post is my opinion supported by Biblical quotes. It is my hope that anyone who wants a truly spiritual life will find the support and encouragement in this post that they need without religious bias.

New Age Spirituality

I am amazed at the number of folks who condemn and judge those who wish to become more spiritual by labeling them as New Age fanatics. Do you think the Romans walked around saying, “Hey, what do you think of all these New Age Christians?” Every new idea or concept is greeted with the same lack of openness and respect. Why would the so-called New Age Spirituality be treated any differently? It wouldn’t. Some folks, when they do not understand something or they fear it, seek to condemn it before they understand it.

I was reading a blog on New Age Spirituality. The author was obviously against the idea of being spiritual outside the realms of religion by expounding his opinion on the rise in mediums and communicating with the dead as part of spirituality. While his discussion was on one aspect of spirituality known as spiritualism, he failed to realize that for many people, including myself, spirituality also refers to those who practice a philosophy, doctrine or religion that teaches the spiritual aspect of “being.”

New Age Spirituality encompasses:

• the use of meditation to find balance, feel centered and as prayer,
• a means of closer relationship with God or the Divine Spirit,
• the use of listening to one’s intuition (from a Divine source) and
• the belief that we all believe in a single Divine Spirit.

While some critics think that New Age Spirituality revolves around the belief in being guided by ghost and space aliens, they need to realize that like all religions, New Age Spirituality has its extremists. These same critics of New Ageists state that there is no rationale, common book of reference or scientific basis for this type of spirituality, yet they would say the same thing about any new idea or religion that revolves around spirituality that is not within the confines of excepted standards of religion. New Age Spirituality draws its inspiration from most of the world’s major religions without being an organized religion itself. Therefore, I fail to see a problem with “being” truly spiritual with God without all the religious bias and prejudices.

When I was a girl, my family and I did not go to church and my mother and father never stopped me from exploring my curiosity of religion. They already knew what I was to discover over the course of the next few years of my young life, that religion or being religious offered no real answers to life’s questions, rarely had anything to do with being truly spiritual and lent itself to the behavior of judging others by their religious beliefs.

Many people do not take children seriously when it comes to any subject, but children are the prefect monitor. Their thoughts and ideas are unbiased since they have not been subjected to the bias of another person’s, mainly an adult, thoughts or ideas. Many children are confused by the Bible and any explanation they receive, even by a minister or priest, only serves to confuse them more. I remember thinking that Sunday School would answer my questions, but all we did was color and play. Questions were answered with the general, “In time, you will understand.”

If a family is devoutly religious, then over time, their child may develop the same religious doctrine of his parents; therefore, he may become biased that to be truly spiritual, one must have an association with an organized religion. Notice I say “may.” This same child may decide that his parent’s religious doctrines are not fulfilling his spiritual needs. This is the case for many people who are looking to become more spiritual in “being” and are finding that organized religion does not fulfill that need.

As a child, I discovered, much to my disappointment, that many people went to church only as a means of bettering their standing in the community. It had nothing to do with being more spiritual or communing (communicate) with God. I also noticed that several people parroted quotes from the Bible without so much as a single thought as to what it really meant. They also had no opinion of an interpretation of a quote from the Bible. They just believed that their religious instruction was right.

As I grew older, I found several ads in the Yellow Pages that stated, “Christian Owned and Operated.” Again, I was disappointed to realize that many people put these words on their ads to get business and had no idea of the Christian concept of morals or values. We were the victims of a few Christian Owned companies, one being a roofing company who charged my mother for work they never did. I saw this happen many times, not just with my family, but with others as well. I realize not all companies that state their Christian affiliation have criminal intent, but I will admit, if the ad states Christian company, I look elsewhere.

The Bible itself was very confusing to me as a child. Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, yet their children married other men and women not of their own family. How is that? When I asked about this, I was treated like a blasphemer. How dare I question the word of God? A good answer may have been that Adam and Eve were the first Jewish man and woman. Later, when I realized that the Bible (referring to the King James version) had been translated through the ages, I began thinking several things, all of which I arrived at by commonsense and free will.

Translation of the Bible

The word “fear” is a translation from the Jewish word “Yirah.” Yirah was translated into English as the word “fear,” but in this case, Yirah means immense respect of, faith in or overwhelming awe from being in the presence of great being or spirit. There is a quote from the Bible that to this day tells me that there are translation problems with the word “fear.”

And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. Exodus 1:21

The quote above, in my opinion, is a mistranslation of fear. It obviously refers to the midwives’ respect of and faith in God. Even as a child, I could not understand why any one would be paralyzed in fear of a loving and merciful God or angels. Why would a merciful God want his children to be paralyzed in fear of Him? It seems to me that this mistranslation has been used for centuries as a means to control and manipulate by fear. To fear someone or some thing does not create respect nor does it create love. Yet, Jesus taught that we should love one another since God is love. Why should anything that “is love” be feared? It shouldn’t. It should feel comforting and loving.

Interpretation of the Bible

I am very surprised how many people think it is wrong to pray for help. Somewhere along the way, this has to be a problem of misinterpretation. Whatever is needed will be given if you ask and have faith. Jesus in His sermon on the mount said this about prayer and the golden rule,

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8.

I love it when people quote back to me, “God helps them who help themselves” and they honestly believe it is a quote from the Bible. When I tell them that is a quote from Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1757, they look at me like I’m about to be struck by lightening. We all have free will and since we have free will, we must ask or pray for help when we need it.

Our lives are predestined by God

I have yet to understand this concept of predestination of our lives between the time of birth to our death. We all have free will. We are all in control of our thoughts, feelings, actions and our lives. Who or what we believe is our choice. Predestination, according to the Bible refers to the fate of they who do not have faith in God, then their fates are predestined. All that has ever been asked is that we have faith in God. Our everyday lives are of our choosing.

The concept of a predestined script for our lives makes me wonder why we are here at all if our lives are predestined. Since our lives would already be known, why bother putting on the play of life? I believe that in the case of predestination, it is another misinterpreted to mean that every choice we make, every thought we think, everything we feel has already been predetermined by God. It goes without saying that our birth is predestined and possibly our death, but the living of that life between birth and death is of our own free will.

There is a reason you are here…

I honestly believe that since each of us has free will, we need to discover our life’s purpose and act upon. This is where most folks have problems in their lives and with religion. Many religions do not teach how to find one’s purpose in life. They study and quote the Bible, taking many quotes out of context and distorting quotes to fit their own agendas and giving no real answers or guidance.

Many religions teach that our lives are predestined and we simply need to choose to live a virtuous life. If our lives are predestined, then why would we have the choice of whether or not to live a virtuous life? Having a choice implies free will. I think there is more to life than thinking God has preordained our lives. Each of us needs to find our purpose in life to be happy, fulfilled and to feel spiritually connected and we do it by our own free will.

Recommended Reading

I have read a few books on the New Age concept of spirituality. I like Doreen Virtue’s Angels 101 and Chakra Clearing. Both books are purely spiritual without religious bias, but her other books reflect her religious bias and stray from being purely spiritual. She interjects too much of her religious beliefs. Her psychology PhD is in question, but recently, I started a conversation with a lady and her husband at a restaurant. She is a psychologist and he an attorney.

In the late 1970s, the private college she attended for her PhD, lost its accreditation and her PhD was no longer valid and her licensed was revoked. Many of these private colleges, mostly in California, are referred to as degree mills. She was able to transfer a few of her credits and received her degree from an accredited state university.

The point here is that no matter Doreen Virtue’s (or anyone else’s for that matter) degree of education, the above mentioned books are very good, provide a point of view that is loving, kind and spiritual in nature. She teaches that angels love unconditionally, never tire of being of service, do not mind being called into service for even the smallest thing repeatedly, have no egotistical attitude and are omnipresent being able to help the multitudes all at one time. She also teaches that God is loving, compassionate and should not be feared.

If you look at her website, you will see she has workshops and seminars. The only problem I have with any workshop or seminar is the ridiculous prices some speakers charge. The price is a deterrent to those who really need help. I would like to think if someone was truly in need of spiritual counseling, that Doreen would be kind enough to provide her services without a fee.

The Secret by Rhoda Byrne. I was impress with the subject of The Secret, the Law of Attraction, but the more I looked into the contributors of The Secret, the more I became disappointed. Some of the contributors seem to have their own personal agendas and it’s called M-O-N-E-Y. They each have a website, they each promote, with a passion, their books, one to one coaching, seminars and programs. The one to one coaching is very expensive.

After reading The Secret, I looked at some of the contributors websites and was shocked at the cost of one of the contributors seminars; it was $3,200! I was floored. This wasn’t about helping people achieve their desires, this was about one contributor who was achieving his desire. I researched today and found that some of these contributors must have developed a conscience, because their seminar fees dropped to well within reason. If they’re going to speak at a college, church or hospital, they’re going to have to be much more reasonable than $3,200. I honestly do not recommend The Secret.

Law of Attraction by Michael J. Losier, expands on the real subject of The Secret. Many people feel that the subject of The Secret is visualization and positive thinking. Visualization and positive thinking are integral parts of the Law of Attraction and if used independently, would not be as effective as the full process behind the Law of Attraction. Actually, Michael’s book is much better than The Secret. He has a website and yes, he has seminars, but you know what? They’re actually affordable! I found most events charged $35 to $65.

Another author that I like is Richard Webster. His book Spirit Guides and Angel Guardians is very good. He does discuss spiritualism in depth. Spiritualism is contact with spirits, actually ghosts. God and angels are spirits and we wish to have a closer communication with them, but spiritualism takes it one step further by communicating with spirit guides and ghosts. He discusses pendulums, table tipping and automatic writing, which is interesting, but it is an area in which I am not interested. His claims are supported with proof by the research that has been done in the area of spiritualism.

He doesn’t indicate that angels love unconditionally and being of service. He instead he says to ask angels for help only when it is truly needed, don’t waist their time and to thank each one personally. I have found I can ask for anything, at anytime, take all the time I need where angels are concerned and of course, I always give my thanks and gratitude. I think some folks put way too much negative, egotistical human behavior into the personality of God and the angels. Any person or spirit that loves unconditionally wouldn’t have an egotistical personality. Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying about Richard’s book. It is very good and is purely spiritual in nature.

Like anything you read, you take the good with the bad. Every book has something good to offer. You simply filter out what doesn’t make sense to you and apply those ideas to your philosophy that do make sense. I personally prefer to believe, and it has been my personal experience, that God and the angels don’t seem to be bothered in the least by the simplest thing I ask. They seem to have no egotistical attitude and don’t seem to be perturbed in any way by the fact that I ask for their help. How do I know? I’ve had too many prayers answered lately that tells me I’m on the right path.

I hope this post has helped you and I hope you find your true spirituality.

Law of Attraction is spiritual in nature, so it was no surprise to me that the process of Law of Attraction (LOA) and asking Divine spirit (to whomever you pray or meditate) for what I want is one in the same. Many people do not realize this. Many believe they are different. One being religious (prayer), the other being some New Age, 21st Century fade (Law of Attraction). Honestly, there is no difference!

LOA is nondenominational and doesn’t care what religion you are or if you even believe in a Divine spirit, but the process for invoking LOA or praying for what you want is the same.

The process for both is that:

1. You clearly know what you want or need.
2. You ask for what you want or need.
3. You allow it to happen without forcing your influence upon it. Let LOA or to whomever you ask take care of the how and when. You just wait for it to come or get an inspired idea to take action.
4. You have faith (know without doubt) that you will get that for which you want or need.
5. You give what you want or need attention by expecting to receive it. Affirmation: “I expect to have…”
6. Show gratitude. Give thanks. Be thankful for what you currently have and what you expect to get.

Law of Attraction at work!

Pumpkin Has Asthma

Recently, my cat, Pumpkin, became very ill. She developed asthma and at several different times she could not get enough oxygen and would become cyanotic. Her tongue and gums would turn light blue. She would cough and deep belly breath. Any physical exercise was too much for her, so she became very lethargic. Asthma is very common in cats, usually Siamese, but all of this was new to me.

Pumpkin is a calico and like most calicoes, she is very energetic. To see her so ill was heartbreaking. Her condition over the next few days grew worse. I was beginning to think she was going to die. What was so amazing was the fact that I had just bought Doreen Virtue’s book Angels 101. I have always been amazed that things seem to happen for a reason and I believe I was led to this book for a very good reason. Without giving it a second thought, I asked the Angels to heal Pumpkin and return her to her healthy and energetic self and thanked them. For some reason, I knew she was going to get better, even though just a few seconds before I asked for help, I knew she may die.

The next morning she was better! She could breath easier and she was not cyanotic. Once again, I asked the Angels to help heal Pumpkin and return her to full health. Over the next 3 days, Pumpkin’s health improved very quickly. By the third day, there was no sign she ever had asthma. That was over two weeks ago and she is still her happy, healthy, energetic self. I am so grateful! She is a sweet, loving cat.

Health Club Membership Problems

My husband and I decided we were going to rejoin the local 24 Hour Fitness Center. We had had memberships there in 2004 and canceled. The trip to the Club was not fun. We were put through a hard sell similar to buying a car. The total upfront was more than our house payment. We decided we needed to talk about it, told the counselor we contact him with our decision and proceeded to get up to leave.

As we leaving, the counselor tells us, “Well, I’m trying to work with you, but you walking out on me.” I’m 48 and my husband is 50 and we’ve been around long enough to be “hip” to the hard sell tactics. I look at my husband and tell him, “Sorry, I’m not in the mood for a hard sell today” and leave. My husband is right behind me and we don’t say one word on the way to the car. We were both very disappointed.

We decide to eat lunch and as we pull into the restaurant, my husband’s cell phone rings. It’s the counselor at 24 Hour Fitness and he informs my husband that he is very offended that we walked out. The look on my husband’s face was total disbelief. He quietly hangs up the phone and tells me what the counselor said. I was surprised. Another hard sell tactic. Make the customer feel embarrassed so they will come back and close the deal. The counselor proceeds to call 3 more times, which starts to feel like harassment.

The next day, another counselor calls. He makes it a point to bring up the fact that we felt we had been hard sold. My husband tells him that we were hard sold and we didn’t appreciate it one bit. He makes an offer to let us renew our old contract and all we have to do is pay the first and last month’s membership fees and we will be all set. He tells my husband he can come in anytime to pay.

My husband tries to pay on two different occasions and the counselor is never there. At this point, I thought, why not ask the Angels for help. I asked, “Angels, please help us with this membership. The fees are still too high and we feel we are getting the run around. We would like lower fees and to feel like we matter as customers. Thank you.”

The next day I call the manager of the club. He was in a meeting, so I called back later. When I called back, he was available and I told him everything that happened. He apologized and told me that I am the customer and should never have been treat so badly. He offered us his special promotion which was $30 less than what we were told we would have to pay and it is ALL clubs membership as well! Our old membership was open to only one club. I knew immediately that my prayer had been answered.

Law of Attraction works! Follow the process and expect to get what you want, too.

One of the definitions of Spirituality is being spiritual. Spiritual is defined as pertaining to God. I define spirituality as being connected to Divine spirit. I am not a religious person, in that I do not follow the religious teaching of anyone one particular religion. I believe in Divine spirit – God, Buddha, Allah, Abraham, the Universe or to whomever you pray or meditate. I believe in Angels who are messengers of Divine spirit. I believe if there is ever anything I want or need, all I have to do is ask and it will be given, if I allow it and have faith that it will happen.

I meditate, which is just another word for prayer. I know I have Guardian Angels who are with me every day. All I have to do is call an Angel’s name and he or she will come to me. I ask my Angels for protection, help, guidance and healing for myself and others. I show my gratitude by giving thanks and I have faith that what I have asked for will be given.

I believe in free will. I do not believe that Divine spirit has a plan for me like some kind of script for a play. I believe that Divine spirit knows what I want and need well before I ask, but since I have free will, I must ask before Divine spirit will intercede.

I believe Divine spirit is kind, gentle, compassionate, understanding and loves everyone unconditionally as do his messengers, the angels. I believe that you do not have to be religious or believe in God to ask and get what you want. How do I know? It’s called Law of Attraction. Law of Attraction doesn’t care if you are religious or believe in God.

I believe that one way to fix a problem is to pray or meditate for it’s opposite. Focus on what we want, not on what we do not want. The opposite of war is peace. The opposite of lack is plenty. The opposite of famine is feast.

I know that no matter what religion you are, we both believe in the same Divine spirit. I believe that the truly faithful live in peace and harmony. Religions were created by mankind and the ensuing religious wars have nothing to do with faith in the Divine spirit or spirituality. It’s just one man forcing his will upon another’s free will in the name of religion.

I ask that we meditate or pray for peace, unconditional love for all of mankind and a world of harmony with plenty.

The best thing I have ever done for myself is learning to meditate. I love it! It quiets my mind, helps me to concentrate and relieves stress. Meditation is very simple in concept, yet it takes time to learn to focus and relax the mind.

The simple part of meditation is sitting and being quiet. I told you it was simple. The hard part is learning to quiet your mind. You brain is constantly thinking. It’s going over the events of the day. It’s thinking about what to cook for dinner, the meeting with the accountant, the noisy neighbors, the bills, money, work, the boss, the kids, the dog, the cat, who’s knocking at the door, the phone is ringing… See what I mean.

The hardest part of meditation for anyone just starting to meditate is learning to quiet the mind and ignore sound disturbances. At first, you will think that your mind just refuses to be quiet. You may find that when you meditate, your thoughts become loud, intrusive and flow rapidly. This is true only when first starting meditation. With practice, you will find that your brain will learn by repetitive patterns that you are getting ready to meditate and will automatically quiet the mind and relax the body. It will not run pell-mell through the day’s events. Thoughts will continue to pop up, but you will notice that your thoughts are softer, less intrusive and less frequent.

You may find that every time you sit down to meditate, everyone and everything in the world wants or needs your attention at that very moment. It seemed that way for me. I had to learn to ignore sound disturbances and realize that the only thing that required my immediate attention was a true emergency. Again, with practice, you will find that you will ignore sounds and other disturbances.

Catch the Wave

The best meditation is when your brain waves are at Alpha level. Brain waves are electrical impulses created by various states of arousal in the brain. You can literally put yourself into any brain wave level. Don’t think so? What do you think happens when you dream? See! Dreaming is delta brain waves, just as meditation is alpha brain wave.

When I first started meditation, I tried to meditate without music, just the ambient sound around my home, but then I stumbled upon an article on brain wave therapy for ADHD which I researched. I found that ambient music played over alpha waves helped people who meditate to reach alpha level brain waves and enjoy a deeper level of meditation. I bought a CD and tried it. It was great!

After three months of meditation, I realized that I could just sit down in my favorite place to meditation, take three deep breaths and say to myself, “Relax” and I would instantly go to alpha level. The process of sitting, breathing and saying “relax” were physical and mental cues to my brain that I was getting ready to meditate and it would instantly go alpha brain waves. I had trained my brain to learn to go to alpha level!

Meditation is a great way to relax, focus, concentrate and create contentment in your life. People who meditate every day have fewer problems, stay calm and focused in times of stress, sleep better, feel better and have more energy. Many people meditate with calm, peaceful music playing while burning incenses or candles. I say do whatever makes you comfortable and enhances the experience.

Diet and Meditation

There is a school of thought that in order to meditate, one must eat a vegetarian diet and fast. I don’t know of any proof that eating a vegetarian diet will help anyone meditate better. Several years ago, I went on a dietitian supervised vegetarian diet. I was very disappointed. I did not feel well from the beginning. I became very ill and it all pointed to the vegetarian diet. My cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure which all had been normal before the diet, had become alarmingly high.

A vegetarian diet was just not for me. I literally dropped vegetables and fruit from my diet for a month, eating only whole meats. I slowly added back certain veggies to my diet. I am a meat eater and my body functions very well on a protein diet. I know one thing for certain, when I eat too many carbs, I can’t focus and my meditation suffers.

You need to do what is right for you. If you find that your body and mind works well on a vegetarian diet, then that is what you need to do. There is not one diet in this world that is perfect for everyone. Each of us is different, our nutritional needs are different; therefore, our dietary needs are different.

Fasting

I have found that fasting is a great way to cleanse my body and it does bring about a wonderful sense of focus, concentration and awareness. Fasting is not for everyone. If you’ve never fasted, it could be a very bad experience. Fasting detoxifies the body and the detox process can cause headaches, muscle aches and flu like symptoms. These symptoms will subside in about five to ten days, but for most that is too long and too uncomfortable.

If you decide to fast, talk to your doctor, but I will tell you, most doctors are against it. I literally had to research it on the Internet. I took it very slowly and decided to do a juice fast on the first five days of every month. I bought V8 vegetable juice. I know every guru on fasting will probably have a fit over the fact that I use store bought juice, but buying a juicer and all the veggies is very expensive. I found V8 worked very well.

BTW, certain vegetables are said to be negative calorie, meaning it takes more calories to burn them than the calories they contain. I don’t know if it is true or not, but when I do a veggie juice fast and drink V8, I do seem to lose weight rather quickly. The main negative calorie veggies are tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, celery, chives, cilantro and beets and V8 has most of those veggies.

Beginners Fast

Day one: Breakfast – drink 8 oz V8, Lunch – eat normally, Dinner – eat normally, drink a total of 64 oz of water for the day. That is 8 – 8 oz glass of water a day.

Day two: Breakfast – drink 8 oz V8, Lunch – drink 8 oz V8, Dinner – eat normally, drink a total of 64 oz of water for the day. That is 8 – 8 oz glass of water a day.

Day three: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – drink 8 oz V8, drink a total of 64 oz of water for the day. That is 8 – 8 oz glass of water a day.

Day four thru however long you wish to do the fast: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – drink 8 oz V8, drink a total of 64 oz of water for the day. That is 8 – 8 oz glass of water a day.

Next time you fast, you may be able to go straight to a full fast without having to eating lunch and dinner. It all depends on how much junk you eat and drink.

Beginners Meditation

The best meditation for beginners is focusing on their breath.

1. Sit anywhere where you are comfortable and where it is quiet. On a chair, the couch or the floor. (I sit on the floor.)

2. Try to always sit in the same place.

3. If want to listen to music or use a brain wave CD, turn it on now.

4. Close your eyes.

5. Take three deep breaths very slowly. Inhale and exhale slowly.

6. When exhaling on the third breath say, “Relax.” Or you can use any word that helps you to calm your mind. You may want to say, “calm” or “peace.”

7. Focus on your breathing. Breath normally (no deep breathing). Inhale and on the exhale say, “One.” You are counting your breaths, so on the next exhale, you will say, “Two” and so forth until you reach “Ten.” Once you reach “Ten,” start over with the number “One.”

8. When thoughts or sounds interrupt your meditation, gently push them away and return your focus to your breathing.

9. Repeat numbers 7 and 8 above for fifteen to thirty minutes.

10. Slowly open your eyes, feeling refreshed, relaxed and calm.

Meditating for fifteen minutes once a day is good, twice a day is great and three times a day is excellent! Thirty minutes is even better!

Guided Meditation

Guided meditation is great for deep relaxation. You can use your own visualization or use a guided meditation on CD.

1. Sit anywhere where you are comfortable and where it is quiet. On a chair, the couch or the floor.

2. Try to always sit in the same place.

3. If want to listen to music or use a brain wave CD, turn it on now.

4. Close your eyes.

5. Take three deep breaths very slowly. Inhale and exhale slowly.

6. When exhaling on the third breath say, “Relax.”

7. This is my own personal guided meditation. As you visualize, you will, to yourself, talk slowly, pausing to feel what you are visualizing. The “…” are cues for you to pause to feel what you are visualizing.

Imagine you are on a beach. You are barefoot and are wearing your favorite loose comfortable clothes. You feel the cool sea breeze on your skin… hear the waves on the beach… the sound of the palm trees in the breeze… the sand beneath your feet is soft and warm.

The warmth of the sand warms and relaxes the muscles in your feet and toes. The warmth slowly moves up your ankles…calves…knees…and thighs… relaxing the muscles of your ankles…calves…knees…and thighs.

The warmth continues to move into your buttocks…lower back…stomach… spine…upper back…shoulder blades…and chest… relaxing the muscles of your buttocks…lower back…stomach…spine… upper back…shoulder blades…and chest.

The relaxing warmth moves into your upper arm…elbows…forearms…hands… and fingers… relaxing the muscles in your upper arm…elbows…forearms… hands… and fingers.

The warmth continues up through you neck…over scalp… forehead…eyes… cheeks… lips…tongue… and your lower jaw… relaxing the muscles of your neck… scalp…forehead… softening and relaxing your eyes… cheeks…lips…tongue… and your lower jaw.

Your body is completely and totally relaxed.

8. Focus on your breathing and count your breaths.

9. When thoughts or sounds interrupt your meditation, gently push them away and return your focus to your breathing.

10. Repeat numbers 8 and 9 above for fifteen to thirty minutes.

11. Slowly open your eyes, feeling refreshed, relaxed and calm.

There is no right or wrong way to meditate. It’s whatever works best for you. Create your own meditation that helps you relax, become centered and focused. Enjoy meditation and change your life.

The Law of Attraction says, “What you give all your attention to, you will get!”

Simple, right? It is very simplistic, yet very intentional.

World events such as war, economy, rise and fall of political powers are given full attention on the problems with each. We are a media driven society. I personally, have stopped watching TV news, reading the newspaper and listening to news radio. If there’s important news I need to know, I will find out about it by word of mouth; otherwise, I could care less about the media’s spin on the world’s issues. The media sets the tone for the Law of Attraction and it’s mostly negative.

What about focusing on the opposite? The opposite of war is peace. Mother Teresa was once ask if she would attend a war rally. She said, “When you have a peace rally, let me know.” She knew that war was not the true focus, it was peace. The focus with so many problems in the world today are on the problem itself. If the focus were shifted to opposite and giving attention to correcting the problem, we might have a much better society. Teaching people about the Law of Attraction and how it works and would go a long way toward eliminating problems on this planet.

Steps of Law of Attraction

1. Be clear about what you want. Know exactly what you want.

2. Ask for what you want. Ask the Universe, God, the angels or to whomever you pray or meditate for peace; a strong, growing economy and/or a healthy, democratic government.

3. Allow the Law of Attraction to bring it about. Don’t force your ideas of how it should happen. Let the Law of Attraction figure that out.

4. Know without doubt that what you want and have asked for will happen. Have faith and patience that the Law of Attraction will bring it about.

5. Focus on what you want. Give what you want your full attention with your words, thoughts and feelings. “It is my intention that there will be peace in…”

So, tomorrow, what will you do? Will your focus bring you what you want? Remember, the Law of Attraction is very deliberate. If you focus on the negative aspect of an issue, you will get more of the same. Focus on the positive aspect and change your perspective!

More info on the Law of Attraction