Weeding your life's garden - Part 2

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 62

As we pulled the weeds out of our flower garden, it was easy to remove the grass that had grown in between the flower plants. However, grass was not the only weed that was growing; we also had rosebush and rosehip, as well. We liked them both because the roses are beautiful when they bloom and we could make jam with the rosehip. We had to make a decision as to what and how much we were going to keep.

We planted four o'clocks and poppy and wanted to give them a chance to bloom but not be overrun by the other flowers. We found a solution; cut back some of the rosehip, as well as, the rosebush - we had more growing on the other side of the garden.

What about your life, then? How do you identify those weeds that are overtaking your life? There are things, events or persons that you know you definitely need to weed out of your life. These are the no brainers, like the grass. But what about those that are not in themselves bad and do serve a good purpose? Then, the decision to weed takes more of an evaluation process.

How is this adding value to my life? Is this the right time for this event? Is it occupying the time that I need to focus on my true desire? Could I cut back on some of this activity so I could give more time to this other activity or spend less time with these friends so I develop more time with new friends?

As you evaluate and begin to weed your life's garden, these are the questions you need to consider. If not, like our flower garden, you will find your life overrun with perhaps good events and friends. And unless you do some cutting back, trimming away or defining how much time and space they occupy in your life you will not be able to fully enjoy or fulfill some of the dreams you desire to manifest.

Pamper your body, Pamper your spirit

Getting my body back - Day 79

Today I decided to take pampering time for myself. The suds and warm water rolling down my skin felt really good; so relaxing and refreshing. My body was thanking me for this.

When was the last time you took some time to pamper your body, and even more so, time to pamper your spirit? Just to sit in the silence and allow the warmth of the love of God to just saturate your inner being, relaxing and refreshing your soul. Your soul will thank you for this.

Pampering your body is necessary, but pampering your spirit is paramount for optimum functionality on all levels of your life. As you turn inwardly toward the flames of love allow this love to flow through your inner being and bring peace to every part of you; your mind, body and spirit.

Fuelling words: As I pamper my body, I take the time out to pamper my spirit so I am completely refreshed.

Garden workout

Weeding your life's garden - Part 1

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 61

We've spent the time over the weekend pulling out weeds that had overtaken our flower garden. Our four o'clock and poppy are growing nicely but they were being overrun by the fast pace growth of rosehip and rosebush. We knew that we needed to weed the flower garden but was so busy weeding and transplanting in the fruit and vegetable garden that the flower garden was neglected for a while.

We didn't realize how much extra weed growth there was until we began the tedious but necessary task of weeding. Actually, it didn't look like much at first. But if we want to enjoy our flower garden, we had no choice but to clear out all the unwanted growth.

Last year, we had mostly rosehip and rose bush in the garden and that was okay then. But this year, we decided to do something different; adding four o'clock and poppy and leaving a smaller and more defined area for the rosehip and rosebush, at least on that part of the flower garden.

If you're the kind of person, like anybody else with aspirations, anything goes is not your status quo. You're not going to allow any and everything to enter and inhabit your life, especially if you're trying to accomplish some worthwhile goals. Keeping watch over and constantly weeding your life's garden is definitely the step to take to keep down and eradicate unwanted growth in your life.

Once you've defined your life, like we've defined what type of flowers we desired to have in our flower garden, then making the decision to how much of the other stuff you'd like to keep becomes easier.

Now that we've cleared all the weeds, shaped out the garden, defining the area for the rosehip, the rosebush, the four o'clocks and the poppies, the flower garden gives a sense of freedom.

Take a good look at your life for signs of overgrowth and begin the tedious but necessary steps of defining and weeding your life.

Thirst for Spirit

Getting my body back - Day 78

Water is essential for nourishing body cells and removing waste and therefore drinking an average of 8 glasses per day is necessary for optimum body function.

It is said that many times when we feel hungry even after we've already eaten, it is our body sending us a signal that it needs water. Instead of satisfying a hunger, our aim should be to satisfy our thirst. Our bodies are calling for that which is natural and necessary to its makeup.

Many times the response to this call is more food, juice, coffee or tea which aggravates the thirst factor and leaves one in a state of wanting more and more to satisfy this thirty.

The response is similar with our natural thirst for Spirit. We were created to live in oneness with the Spirit and life separated from the Spirit only leaves us with a void needing to be filled. Only one thing satisfies the deep inner thirst; daily constant reconnection with the Spirit.

However, the opposite is true for many. Instead of going within and drinking from the life energy that lies inward and flows from within, the tendency is to go outward attempting to fill up with things that only provides temporary gratification but does nothing to rejuvenate and satisfy the soul.

As one comes to the realization that our Source is not found in the created but the Creator, external things are put in the rightful place; to be used for our outward expressions but not for our inward satisfactions.

Our joy comes from within and nothing outwardly acquired could ever satisfy or replace that joy, neither was it meant to. Outward things, house, car, jewellry, clothing etc. are all for our outward expression of our internal manifestation of our already satisfied life. It is not the attaining of these things to be satisfied but the expression of an already satisfied life, using these outward tools to physically manifest the inner self.

Fuelling words: I go deep within and connect to the Spirit and satisfy my thirst for original Spirit connection.

Gardening - full body workout

From the Spirit

From the stillness of brilliance you emerged and illuminated in the womb of Katherine. For the remainder of the nine months, you were polished by the Spirit knowing that there was none to perform like you or ever will.

Michael, my Spirit child, how I love you. For in your illumination, you have touched billions and allowed them to let their light shine. So, I welcome you home. For this I give to you. Your power of illumination will shine brighter than a morning star for eternity; so will you be loved.

In honour of Michael Jackson

Written by L. Campbell

Deepak Chopra's Tribute to Michael Jackson

This article written by Deepak Chopra about Michael Jackson was quite inspiring. I just want to share it with you...

Michael Jackson will be remembered, most likely, as a shattered icon, a pop genius who wound up a mutant of fame. That's not who I will remember, however. His mixture of mystery, isolation, indulgence, overwhelming global fame, and personal loneliness was intimately known to me. For twenty years I observed every aspect, and as easy as it was to love Michael -- and to want to protect him -- his sudden death yesterday seemed almost fated.

Two days previously he had called me in an upbeat, excited mood. The voice message said, "I've got some really good news to share with you." He was writing a song about the environment, and he wanted me to help informally with the lyrics, as we had done several times before. When I tried to return his call, however, the number was disconnected. (Terminally spooked by his treatment in the press, he changed his phone number often.) So I never got to talk to him, and the music demo he sent me lies on my bedside table as a poignant symbol of an unfinished life.

When we first met, around 1988, I was struck by the combination of charisma and woundedness that surrounded Michael. He would be swarmed by crowds at an airport, perform an exhausting show for three hours, and then sit backstage afterward, as we did one night in Bucharest, drinking bottled water, glancing over some Sufi poetry as I walked into the room, and wanting to meditate.

That person, whom I considered (at the risk of ridicule) very pure, still survived -- he was reading the poems of Rabindranath Tagore when we talked the last time, two weeks ago. Michael exemplified the paradox of many famous performers, being essentially shy, an introvert who would come to my house and spend most of the evening sitting by himself in a corner with his small children. I never saw less than a loving father when they were together (and wonder now, as anyone close to him would, what will happen to them in the aftermath).

Michael's reluctance to grow up was another part of the paradox. My children adored him, and in return he responded in a childlike way. He declared often, as former child stars do, that he was robbed of his childhood. Considering the monstrously exaggerated value our society places on celebrity, which was showered on Michael without stint, the public was callous to his very real personal pain. It became another tawdry piece of the tabloid Jacko, pictured as a weird changeling and as something far more sinister.

It's not my place to comment on the troubles Michael fell heir to from the past and then amplified by his misguided choices in life. He was surrounded by enablers, including a shameful plethora of M.D.s in Los Angeles and elsewhere who supplied him with prescription drugs. As many times as he would candidly confess that he had a problem, the conversation always ended with a deflection and denial. As I write this paragraph, the reports of drug abuse are spreading across the cable news channels. The instant I heard of his death this afternoon, I had a sinking feeling that prescription drugs would play a key part.

The closest we ever became, perhaps, was when Michael needed a book to sell primarily as a concert souvenir. It would contain pictures for his fans but there would also be a text consisting of short fables. I sat with him for hours while he dreamily wove Aesop-like tales about animals, mixed with words about music and his love of all things musical. This project became Dancing the Dream after I pulled the text together for him, acting strictly as a friend. It was this time together that convinced me of the modus vivendi Michael had devised for himself: to counter the tidal wave of stress that accompanies mega-stardom, he built a private retreat in a fantasy world where pink clouds veiled inner anguish and Peter Pan was a hero, not a pathology.

This compromise with reality gradually became unsustainable. He went to strange lengths to preserve it. Unbounded privilege became another toxic force in his undoing. What began as idiosyncrasy, shyness, and vulnerability was ravaged by obsessions over health, paranoia over security, and an isolation that grew more and more unhealthy. When Michael passed me the music for that last song, the one sitting by my bedside waiting for the right words, the procedure for getting the CD to me rivaled a CIA covert operation in its secrecy.

My memory of Michael Jackson will be as complex and confused as anyone's. His closest friends will close ranks and try to do everything in their power to insure that the good lives after him. Will we be successful in rescuing him after so many years of media distortion? No one can say. I only wanted to put some details on the record in his behalf. My son Gotham traveled with Michael as a roadie on his "Dangerous" tour when he was seventeen. Will it matter that Michael behaved with discipline and impeccable manners around my son? (It sends a shiver to recall something he told Gotham: "I don't want to go out like Marlon Brando. I want to go out like Elvis." Both icons were obsessions of this icon.)

His children's nanny and surrogate mother, Grace Rwaramba , is like another daughter to me. I introduced her to Michael when she was eighteen, a beautiful, heartwarming girl from Rwanda who is now grown up. She kept an eye on him for me and would call me whenever he was down or running too close to the edge. How heartbreaking for Grace that no one's protective instincts and genuine love could avert this tragic day. An hour ago she was sobbing on the telephone from London. As a result, I couldn't help but write this brief remembrance in sadness. But when the shock subsides and a thousand public voices recount Michael's brilliant, joyous, embattled, enigmatic, bizarre trajectory, I hope the word "joyous" is the one that will rise from the ashes and shine as he once did

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/a-tribute-to-my-friend-mi_b_221268.html

Written by Deepak Chopra, Author, Sirius radio host, founder of the Alliance for a New Humanity

Remembering Michael Jackson

Today we say goodbye to a great artist, Michael Jackson, who has touched our lives through his music.

In spite of his personal problems, Michael Jackson used his talents to the fullest capacity. We thank him and that God for allowing us to share in the enjoyment of his tremendous ability and style.

It is said that Michael was a soft-spoken quiet person off stage, but on stage he was totally immersed in his passion to entertain us in song and dance.

Michael expressed his true divinity through his music and his connection with Spirit was evident as he was totally engaged in his performances.

Michael showcased his gifts to the world and invited us to come along and join in his melody. Not only were we invited to come join him but he himself was the guiding light giving others the freedom to use their talents as well.

He has inspired many over the decades to launch out on the own paths and live their dream.

When Michael performed, he was totally free. His shy character was put on hold and his true nature unveiled itself in bold confidence.

When you've decided to be determined to live your inner gifting with Spirit, it is only natural that your true nature will show. It is your inner connection with Spirit and Spirit's avenue of expression in and through you.

However, this expression should not be limited to your gifts, but also in and through every area of your life. You entire life will experience complete freedom and joy living and walking with the Spirit.

Michael Jackson completed his journey, fulfilling his purpose in this time slot, in this era, 1958 to 2009. His legacy will continue to live on and inspire us as we reflect on his amazing contribution to the music industry and to our lives.

Tending the Garden of the Spirit - Part 3

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 60

When you use your talents and abilities to full capacity with Spirit guidance, your boarders begin to expand beyond the current place of inspiration. Others are attracted and drawn in to your circle by the Spirit. It only takes one person to be impacted by your talents and abilities to start the ball rolling. As you remain consistent and persistent in your activities of imparting to others, you create a ripple effect.

Every ripple in the pond creates another ripple and it keeps extending outward of the original ripple. It is much the same way as your talents and abilities. Begin the ripple effect where you are and let it extend to others through the pond of life. Repeatedly throwing the pebbles of your talents and abilities into life's pond makes a constant ripple and impacts the lives of others near and far.

It is your responsibility to drop the pebble. The results of that ripple happen naturally. You never create the other ripples, only the initial step. Other opportunities will present themselves to throw other pebbles in other parts of the pond of life, creating another ripple effect and an intertwining of all the ripple effects in the pond.

See your body through Spirit eyes

Getting my body back - Day 77

When you see your body through the eyes of the Spirit, you begin to see and treat your body differently.

Your body should not take the attention away from who you truly are inside, but it should be seen as a visible means of expression of the Spirit and of your talents, abilities and inspiration. All thought and desires alone without your body remains in the invisible realm. But when the body is involved you enjoy the physical manifestation of those desires.

Therefore, see your body as being the expression of the Spirit and from which it draws its life and is the physical channel of the Spirit to express all of the abundance of life; love, joy, peace, health and wealth on all plains.

There should be a clear flow of the Spirits energy from the inside out. Any visible deficiencies is an indicator that there is a block in the flow of Spirit energy and therefore looking within to find that blockage is the starting pointing to clearing the Spirits access to physical expression.

Imagine yourself upstream where there is free flow of fresh abundant supply of water. Then you go lower down and instead of experiencing the same abundant flow, you see the water stagnant and sickly looking. Your first inclination is to find out what's causing this insufficient flow of water.

You travel upstream to the exact spot where the stream's blockage begins. You see some logs and debris and you begin to remove these blockages out of the way. With each log removed, the flow of water begins to fill the stream. When all of the logs and debris are taken away it gives way to a gushing down-stream flow of fresh abundant water vigorously pushing away anything that remains in its path.

When you survey the outward symptoms of your life and you've become aware that there's a blockage, not from without but from within, you begin to make the travel inwardly with the Spirit's guidance to start removing the logs and debris which have inhibited your experience of the abundance of life.

The Spirit is always willing to help and guide you in this process because the life of Spirit's abundance is awaiting complete physical expression in your manifested reality.

Fuelling words: I remove every external symptom by going upstream towards Spirit and with Spirit's help and guidance remove all blockages that I may experience fullness of life.

Garden workout - full body workout.

Tending the Garden of the Spirit - Part 2

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 59

In order to tend the garden of the Spirit, you must first be willing to use your gifts and abilities to not only benefit yourself but others, as well.

Every gift and abilities given to each person was given with the intention to benefit the whole. When we neglect to develop them and use them, we neglect to satisfy the needs of others and also deny ourselves of the benefit of such usage.

Your specific talents and abilities were given for specific purposes in the place you occupy. The people that you come in contact with await your contribution, whether or not they are consciously aware of this.

No one you come in with contact with happens by accident, whether it's for five minutes, five years or five decades. You may be harbouring inside of you the key to someone else's path to fulfilling their destiny.

If we had not started a garden in our neck of the woods, the land would have simply remained as lawn in our yard. We would not have known the joys of growing this garden, and we would have missed the valuable lessons and inspiration gleaned from this experience.

I would not have been sharing these inspired thoughts with you at this time and you would not have been getting new ideas for your life had you not been reading this. Not only would we have been denying ourselves of this awesome experience but you would have been denied the opportunity to be inspired at this point in your life, perhaps at the time when you needed it the most.

In addition, the seeds we purchased would not have had the opportunity to grow and begin to blossom to fulfill their true potential in this plot of land.

Come into communion with the Spirit to take a closer look at your God-given talents and abilities and uncover ways in which you could begin to use them in the garden of the Spirit.

Be flexible

Getting my body back - Day 76

Sometimes I find myself getting into such a rigid schedule; things have to be done at this time, this way and for so long. Rigid schedules could suck the life out of enjoyment at times, leading to stress when you don't keep to the schedule.

Where schedules are important, it is also equally important to relax and be flexible because it may be the time when you are being sent an awe-inspiring idea. When you are so hung up on keeping to schedule, you may be setting yourself up to missing the most inspiring moment of your life.

God does not always work on our timetables and schedules. However, the timing of the Spirit is always perfect and right on time.

If we allow ourselves to be flexible in our daily activities, we find ourselves relaxed and in tuned as everything that we are so concerned about falls into place. God is quite aware of the responsibilities we have, and God also knows how to fulfill every obligation that we must fulfill. As a matter of fact, some of the things that we put as priority sometimes are not as important as the amount of emphasis we place on them.

When you find yourself becoming overwhelmed and stressed, you have detached yourself from Spirit and for that moment have become independent. But once you turn and look within and relax your grip on the outcome of your day, you are giving the Spirit the opportunity to work on your behalf and you are giving yourself the opportunity to be released from stress and frustration.

Let go, let God and walk with the Spirit to meet all your obligations.

Fuelling words: I let go and let God work out the finer details of how to reach my ideal weight.

Garden workout - all body exercise and toning

Tending the Garden of the Spirit - Part 1

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 58

When you've embarked on the journey to tending the garden of the heart, you'll find that your heart becomes more sensitive to the inner voice of the Spirit's guidance. Not only do you see yourself differently, but you begin to see others differently, as well. You come from the heart of passion towards others; expressing love in the spirit of compassion.

Because we are one, each a part of the whole, whatever you do for one, you do for another and also for yourself. Whatever benefits another, also benefits you.

It was first our thought as well as our desire to begin a garden so we could grow the fruits and vegetables we love to feed our family. In return for this desired results, we go through the process of planning and preparing the soil, purchasing the seeds, sowing the seeds and the whole nine yards of nurturing the garden.

We are giving our attention to these plants, working diligently to ensure they produce a good harvest. The plants get what they need and we, in turn, also get what we desire.

In order for the cycle to be complete and to activate the law of giving and receiving, we must extend outside of ourselves to care for others in the garden of the Spirit. For in the Spirit we are one; coming from Spirit and returning to Spirit.

As you give of yourself to others, be diligent in giving your fullest that others may fully benefit and grow to their fullest potential.

Getting to your ideal goal with the Spirit

Getting my body back - Day 75

Father's week was great and now it's time to get back to manifesting my ideal weight.

With the nice weather here, I've found it boring doing my regular exercise routine. I began paying attention to what I was truly feeling inside and discussing with God how I felt. I know I desire to get to my ideal weight goal, but I felt that I needed to incorporate my exercises into my regular schedule; something that was naturally worked into my schedule and that I enjoyed doing.

After that inner connection, I went about my daily activities, one of which included working out in our huge garden. I tell you; the work that I do out in the garden doesn't feel like work but leans more on the fun side.

After my garden workout I felt aches in places and muscles I forgot I had. Even in my regular exercise routine, I don't think I've really worked out these muscles. Talk about a full body workout naturally and effortlessly. I say 'effortlessly' because as I said before, even though I was working, I was having fun, even with the aches. I'm seeing more results now than when I was only doing my workout routine.

Now, that works for me. Do you find yourself engaging in boring routines perhaps necessary to achieve your goals? There's never just one way to arriving at your desired results. If you allow yourself to be open to the Spirit you never know what inspired ideas you may be led into or think of. And as a matter of fact, the results of those ideas may be a short cut to achieving the same goal with more fun, less effort and less time.

The Omniscient Mind knows every path and every possible combination of ideas to get you to the results that you've been working on for many years now.

Stop and make connection to the inner Spirit, communicate your desired end results and look for and expect to receive the answer to the path you should take to getting to your ideal goal with the Spirit.

Fuelling words: I communicate consistently with the Spirit and discover new inspired ideas to the path I should take to achieve my desired results.

Garden exercise - full body workout.

In honour of Dad

As we focus on Dads today, we call to mind that which is good and worthy of honour in our Dads. The more we focus on the good that our Dads bring to us, the more good multiplies, not only in our lives, but in the lives of our Dads.

My Dad recently turned 78 and has been a strong active contributor to his family. North American society places so much emphasis on the woman being the primary caregiver of the children and the media displays men as being so feeble when it comes to caring for newborns, feedings, diaper changes and nurturing for children on a whole.

My Dad cared for all of his 6 children; from bath time, to feeding, to diaper changes, washing and cooking. Not only did my Dad care for his children but he also worked a full-time job as a teacher and had a part-time business as a woodworker. Yes, my mother did work full-time, as well, and did her part, but my emphasis is on my Dad because he was confident enough to share in the responsibilities of his household by choice and not by gender preference.

I honour the love of my life, partner and Dad of our children and just like my Dad, has taken on this similar role of fatherhood - actively participating in all aspects of nurturing 7 our children.

I believe men, just like women, have the inner capabilities of raising their children and being great role models to them. It's a matter of choice and decision.

You have the ability and all that you need inside of you to be an effective contributor in the lives of your children, to be totally involved without reservation. You have much to offer; your unique talents, your different viewpoint and ideas of fun. You have what it takes to be a great Dad.

Choose to be. Listen to your inner intuition and be the Dad that you were designed to be. Allow your children to learn from you, learn from your gifts and build a close and priceless relationship with you.

I honour you Dad. Happy Father's Day.

Dadspiration: I have much to contribute to my children. My God-given talents and abilities are designed to use to inspire and guide my children to the path they should take.

Set aside prejudices

Prejudice comes in different forms, whether racial, political, religious, against people with accents, or people with disabilities. Whatever case it may be, in order to walk in oneness with our Source, these prejudices need to be laid aside and see others through the eyes of the Spirit.

One may be racially prejudiced against another but what's the difference between one skin colour and external appearances? We all share the same emotions at one time or another. We all share the same ambitions; to love, be loved, care for our loved ones, enjoy life to the fullest. We all bleed the same, have babies the same, suffer at different times with the same or similar illnesses; there is no difference.

A rose is still a beautiful rose whether it's pink, yellow, white or red. You may have preferences for a special occasion but does that mean that the other colour is any less than your preference? You wouldn't destroy the others just because of your preference would you? Thank God for differences in races for we all came from the Creator; our Creator's masterpiece.

Others may be prejudiced against those of different accents, but those languages also came from our Creator showcasing divinity in creative variation of verbal expression. No language is better than the other even though one may be more widespread than another.

People with disabilities have been the subject of ridicule by children, as well as, adults who should know better. Not because divinity is expressed in a way that is against what we call the 'norm' means that it is any less special than us. As a matter of fact, it takes great strength to live without full capabilities than with them. People who live with disabilities have learned to develop great inner strength to deal with, not only their disabilities but the victimization that they endure.

Harbouring prejudices keeps one bound internally and is therefore denied inner freedom. Search your heart and mind for hidden prejudices and determine to set them aside by changing your perspective on individuals that are different. Decide and determine to see others through the eyes of the Spirit and through the eyes of oneness.

Then and only then will one soar to great spiritual heights and depths and experience Oneness with God.

Dadspiration: I lay aside any and all prejudices that I may soar in oneness with the Spirit of God.

See others as you see yourself

The familiar proverb says, "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

When you're living by the Spirit, you naturally desire to help others because you now see them as you see yourself. Whatever you do to others, you're doing to yourself. We are all one, coming from the same Source. And because we are coming from the same Source, whatever we do not only affects us but affects the whole. You cannot injure one and not injure all.

In the same way, you cannot do 'good' to one and not do 'good' to all, whether or not others are consciously aware that they are affected by your actions. As a ripple affects the movement of water in a pond, so does every action we do, whether good or bad.

As you begin to see others as you see yourself, you become more conscious of your thoughts, words and actions. You begin, as it were, to put yourself in the other person's shoes. You feel their feelings and share in their pain.

Take a look at your body, if the foot is injured does not other body parts run to its aid? You focus all of your attention to the foot and do all you can do to help it. You never see any part of your body as separate from you. Every part, distinguished they may be from the other, has a significant role in making up all of your body.

No part is better than the other, or more special than the other. You don't say to your left hand, "I love you more than my right." Or would you say to your mouth, "I love you more than my ears."

As we are all part of God, no one is more special than the other. We are all God's expression of himself, though distinguished we each may be. You may be the 'feet', instrumental in making the way for others to follow to the path of awareness of who they are. Or you may be the 'eyes' to see the truth and reveal it. Or you may be the 'mouth' to speak up and reveal that which is good.

Whatever part you may be, see others as you see yourself. We are one with one purpose, expressing the uniqueness of God's divinity.

Dadspiration: I see others as I see myself, therefore, I do to others and for others that which I would have them do to and for me.

Ordering your life with Spirit guidance

Once you've entered into conscious co-creation with the Spirit, all of your life is guided and directed according to the Omniscient mind. Every situation you will ever encounter, whether relationship, finances, health or business affairs, when surrendered to the Spirit, will have a positive outcome.

All things work together for your good. Regardless of what you've gone through, when you walked unconscious to the Spiritual connection, will be used to produce good in your life. Nothing is ever wasted. Even adverse conditions, when submitted to the Spirit's usage, is an effective tool to developing compassion and dealing with others from a place of compassion.

With Spirit's guidance, wisdom is available to you each and every step of the way; from the tiniest task to the largest circumstance. Your eyes and understanding are opened up in new ways as you are willing to be enlightened to new fresh ideas.

Walking with the Spirit calls you to a higher standard of living, one that is specifically designed for your personality, gifts and talents, and purpose in this era. Therefore your decisions to life are made in direct correlation to these.

No longer are you satisfied to fit in with the norm, just because, but you delight, even more, to be associated with and acquainted with all that the Spirit desires to do through and in you. You are free to choose.

Your circumstances no longer dictate the way you live or influence your decision, but you now can change your experiences, speak to the mountains in your life and remove them in confidence knowing that you shall have what you say.

Just as plants and trees sown in the soil germinates and grows naturally and effortlessly, so too, will you as you yield to the Spirit's guidance naturally and effortlessly.

Dadspiration: As I trust the Spirit's guidance, my life is ordered in accordance with God's grandest idea for me.

Living life on purpose

Living your life on purpose comes from a different perspective as you walk with the Spirit. You live from within outward as opposed to outward in. Instead of reacting to outward circumstances and see them as a basis for your response, you come from within and respond in accordance to the Spirit within.

Living this way may seem contrary to societal behaviours of reacting to adverse situations in a negative manner. As we take on the personality of the Spirit, which is our true nature, our responses become expressions from the heart of love.

Your perspective on situations and people changes and so does your tolerance of others. You see others are you see yourself. You feel for others as for yourself. Therefore, as you use your gifts and talents, you use them not only for yourself but for the benefit of others.

Ordinary gifts and talents when immersed in the soil of the Spirit and given away to others, with the intention of enhancing their lives, will be endued with the multiplication miracle working energy to perform extra ordinary acts of kindness. In return, your life becomes enriched with inner peace and contentment in abounding measures.

Your immeasurable value to others as a light source empowers them to living life on purpose and allowing their light to shine brightly.

Dadspiration: I live life on purpose that the expression of the Spirit is lived in and through me touching the lives of many as I come in contact with them.

Living life connected to Source

Once you've come to the realization that your life is in God and God in you and you are one with God, then, how does one live connected to the Source?

You become and remain connected to Source by making the decision to connect to God as a way of life. Not only connecting as a one-time event or on an occasional basis but regular constant walking in and with the Spirit, where friendship and relationship is developed as you become acquainted with and accustomed to the inner voice and signals. There you find wisdom for every situation.

Does living life connected to Source mean that you succumb to boredom and give up all that is exciting?

To the contrary, when you live life connected to Source you turn inwardly to experience the contentment you desire and in turning inwardly to truth you find your true self and true meaning to life.

When you listen to and are guided by Spirit, you are directed to different avenues that lead to deep inner fulfillment. You find those channels along the lines of your personality and all events of your life that does not outwardly manifest who you are and who you are becoming begins to naturally fall away and become distasteful. Those activities may be alright for others, but you are transforming and therefore certain activities may no longer be a part of the weave in your tapestry.

In this process of transformation, new friendships may be formed as old ones fall away or evolve to a new level. Don't expect to be and feel the same once you've embarked on this journey.

Before a butterfly comes into its full beauty it goes through several stages of complete change and so will you, which is a natural process. Move with the flow and don't give in to the resistance. Know that all roads lead to your good and Divine Wisdom and Omniscience knows the way to the fullness of Divine Magnificence in and through you.

Dadspiration: I live with and walk in Spirit fulfilling my purpose and living to the fullest in every area of my life.

Return to Source

All comes from and flows out of God and goes back to God.

You are God's idea of himself expressed. Once you've come to know and understand this you begin to live your life differently. Therefore, as a living expression of God, you must live life to the fullest expression of who you are that all may see who God is and see the true light within themselves and express the grandest idea of who God is in who they are, expressed.

As a co-creator with God, you've come to earth with an inner mandate written within your inner knowing. The things that intrigue you and those that you gravitate to are indications of your mission and purpose on earth. You didn't come to planet earth to walk around aimlessly trying to figure out the meaning of life and the purpose of your being here.

It's all in the divine plan that you are here at this hour, on this planet, in this era, in the place where you currently live with your specific and unique combination of talents, abilities and personality to fulfill your purpose.

When you live separate from your Source, you short circuit your power and eternal effectiveness in the scope of the complete divine plan. Living apart from your Source is denial of your oneness with God and denial of who you are.

When true essence of life is denied, fulfillment and inner peace is sought after from created sources, outward material and experiences, to fill the place of belonging and true heritage.

Many are dissatisfied with life, whether poor or rich, when all of life is focused on attaining external gains to satisfy that which only Spirit can. When one comes to the realization that something is missing the journey to fill the void may begin by searching for all the externals to satisfy the inner core.

As you return to Source and live life connected to the Source, your light shines brightly and the effectiveness and use of your gifts become empowered with true life specific directed purpose.

A sense of fulfillment may come from life accomplishments, which is okay and has its place, but in the face of inner peace returning to Source is the only place true peace, love, joy and contentment can be found.

Dadspiration: I return to Source to experience true living and fulfill my highest purpose.

Forming a friendship wheel

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 57

For a garden to be successful and produce a bumper crop, specific placement of certain types of vegetables is essential. A gardener that takes the time to acquire this knowledge and plans the garden cuts down on bugs and pests, thereby giving plants the fighting change they need to bear fruit to their full potential.

Because the type of people you associate with are so important for your progress, as well as theirs, consciously knowing and understanding the type of friends you should associate with will produce the best relationship possible for you and your friends.

Decide on what type of friends you feel you'd like to associate with and the type of relationship you'd like to establish with these friends.

Once you've made that decision, decide to be the type of friend you'd like your friends to be. Act in the way you'd like your friends to act. In doing this, you'd be setting in motion the type of relationships you'd like to have and draw these people into your circle of friendship.

As your friendship wheel continues to roll, you'd begin to see the friends that are not adding value to you begin to fall away.

Praise - Part 5: Praise Your Community and World

Getting my body back - Day 74

When you appreciate and praise the community you live in, you open yourself to see the beauty that's hidden within it. There's ugly in many cities. So much that it's become a part of the daily news, whether on print, television or the internet.

The more you look at the ugly the more your eyes see ugly. What you focus on expands like yeast in dough. With the added ingredient of our focus, you begin to see more and more of unpleasant events.

However, if you seek to find the good within the community, good will surface and more will emerge as you give your attention to it.

Again, due to the information brought to us by the media, more ugliness is uncovered to the point it seems as if misfortune is more glorified than good events. When you become inundated with the daily negativity, feelings of fear and despair are heightened causing a tailspin of emotions within our globe. These negative feelings are recycled over and over again forming more negative events in our reality.

Let's make a conscious decision to look for the good, praise the good and create feelings of appreciation and gratitude recycling those feelings to change our communities and our world.

Fuelling words: I look for and praise the good in myself, my family, my community and the world.

Warm-ups, stretching, weight training and cool down.

Forming symbiotic relationships

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 56

We've come to learn that some vegetables form a symbiotic relationship when planted in the same area of the garden. Each has their uniqueness that contributes to the survival of the other. The reverse is true; unique differences when grown together could inhibit the growth or taste of another vegetable.

Cucumbers grow well with corn because they require the same soil conditions and water. Because cucumbers grow on vines, they are good anchors for corn and repel ants.

As a flower with its abilities to repel insects, Marigold is planted in the garden for vegetable bug protection.

Pole beans and Dill stunts the growth of carrots.

There are people with whom you've formed a symbiotic relationship. Your strengths support and protect each other and they are the ones that will promote your growth, whether its business or personal success or enhancement.

On the other hand, there are others who simply tear you down and prohibit you from living your full potential. The wise gardener knows to separate these inhibitors and place them where their strengths are needed.

The people who are not adding value to you may be needed to add strength to someone else but you must disassociate from them if you desire to be the best that you were designed to be. In order for you to reach maximum growth potential and produce the most succulent fruit flavour through your gifts, you must align yourself with those who support and enhance you and with those with whom you may share your gifts.

Consider the friends you're associated with and ask the question, "Are they uplifting me or are they draining the sweetness of my fruit?" When you've analyzed and answered the question, you'll know the next step to be taken. You are the wise gardener in your life.

Praise - Part 4: Praise Your Loved Ones

Getting my body back - Day 73

Even though we love our family, at times we may tend to take them for granted ignoring the rich treasure we have. As we learn to appreciate our spouses, children, siblings, parents and other relatives, we begin to see the value in having them with us now and not when they've departed.

Now is the time to praise your spouse for just being there with you. Praise him or her for their contribution to your life. Praise him or her for their uniqueness. Yes, your spouse may say or do things that you may not approve of but consider yourself, as well. You are also not perfect. Look for the good and praise him or her for it.

Appreciate your children. You may feel like they're giving you gray hairs, but they are precious irreplaceable gems. Praise them for the good they do, show them and encourage them to see the good in themselves. In so doing, you'll be building their self-esteem and help them be confident.

Praising your loved ones brings a positive energy into your relationship with them and strengthens your family bond. When praise replaces criticism, the flames of your love for them is rekindled.

Fuelling words: The healing energy of my praise empowers me to keep moving towards my goal.

Deep breathing - relaxes the muscles and sends oxygen to the muscles where exercising alone would not reach.

Taste the success

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 55

All the seedlings in the garden have germinated. The carrots are now beginning to emerge, a few cracks here and there. We were concerned about them because they were sown before some of the other vegetables that have already germinated. We would consider these as late bloomers.

You may be concerned about finally reaching some of your goals. You've been working diligently at accomplishing what you set out to do and wonder if you'll ever reach the finish line or begin at least to see some progress. Keep working. Keep doing what you're doing.

Examine your progress and if changes are necessary, make them. But whatever you do, don't give up. As long as you keep plodding along, keeping in mind your vision, your mission, your ultimate goal, you will get there, one day at a time.

I'm already looking forward to enjoying some fresh carrots to go with our crisp lettuce, succulent cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and mouth watering green peppers. Yum, yum!

How about you? Can you taste the success of achieving your goals?

Praise - Part 3: Praise Yourself

Getting my body back - Day 72

Everyone appreciates being praised by another and it is right to recognize other people's talents and successes. But many find it difficult to praise themselves; to find and recognize the goodness in their own talents, progresses and successes.

Genuine love for yourself begins by praising you. When you've become comfortable with praising yourself, appreciating you despite your imperfections, can you truly see the beauty in others and praise them too.

How do you begin to praise yourself?

Praise your mind for its creativity. "I appreciate the beauty of my creative ideas."

Praise your body for its beauty. "I love my body and appreciate my body for allowing me to express my creativity and enjoy the beauty of nature surrounding me."

Praise your soul for its divinity. "I appreciate my soul that keeps me connected to the Source of life and teach me how to live, love and be loved."

Find the good things in yourself and praise them; your beautiful eyes, your hair, your kindness, your inner strength, the way you articulate words, your organizational skills; appreciate you. And in so doing, it will be difficult for you to speak damaging words of yourself and insulting the Creator which created you. You'll feel good about who you are in your uniqueness.

Fuelling words: Body, you are so beautiful. You are wonderfully made. You are a fruitful vine. I thank you. I appreciate you.

Deep breathing, stretching, walking and integrating interval exercises during the day.

Trust in the growth process

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 54

It's amazing and exciting to see the seedlings as they penetrate their way up through the soil in the garden; watermelons, squash, cucumbers, peas, beans and other vegetables. Our family has enjoyed preparing the garden and now we're just excited to see things really happening.

Before we could transplant the seedlings that were growing indoors out into the garden, we had to take them through the hardening process so they could adapt to the new temperate change. Because they were grown indoors, they were not used to the extreme weather conditions outside. Manual hardening is essential in order to avoid the shock of the changed and fluctuating outdoor temperatures.

It's amazing how nature provides its own hardening process for the outdoor seedlings. A little at a time, they crack the surface of the soil while harnessing the warmth of the sun still partially shaded by patches of soil. Gradually, they gain strength each day until they finally break free right through the soil, totally exposed to and absorbing the sun's rays. It's truly an awesome process. And even though the seedlings have to push their way through to the surface, the process is so natural and effortless.

Whatever may seem as a struggle for you at this time, consider these seedlings, relax and trust the process. You become stronger, a little at a time, as you persevere. You press forward , a little at a time, until you break free. The seedling never struggles but naturally and effortlessly yields to the process as it emerges gracefully.

See the beauty of the process as you go through whatever adverse condition you're facing. Instead of seeing your struggle from inside your storm, come from without as an observer like we are, observing the seedlings emerge, and know that the breaking through process is necessary for your growth and stability.

Praise - Part 2

Getting my body back -Day 71

The Habit of Praise

With the same measure in which we have made criticizing a habit, we equally and with an even greater measure, need to make praise a habit and a lifestyle. As we honour those around us, not just our families but those within our communities and even the stranger, we are honouring ourselves. For whatever we put out will come back to us in the same measure.

How to make change a habit

1) As with all things, you need to make a conscious decision to let praise be a dominant part of your thoughts, words and action, and therefore, become a part of your lifestyle. "I make a conscious decision to praise."

2) Shift your mental thinking of the way you see others, change your perspective. Purposely look for the good and praise it.

3) Look for the good in every situation no matter how bad things may seem. Praise the good.

4) Repetition and practice. Retrain your subconscious mind to be in total agreement with your conscious decision and yield its power to aid you when you consciously praise.

When you make that decision to praise instead of criticize and you're in a situation in which you would normal go toward the negative, you'll remind yourself to find and praise the good.

Fuelling words: I find and praise the good each day as I get closer to achieving my ideal weight.

Deep breathing, stretching, walking and integrating interval exercises during the day.

Bringing dreams to life again

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 53

Some of our tomato seedlings died; they may have been scorched by the sun. But we've been told, by more experienced gardeners, that as long as the roots are okay they'll spring back up.

Have your dreams been scorched by the heat of your external circumstances? As long as the roots of your desires are sunken in soil of the Spirit you can still start again. It is not that you cannot have that desire but the conditions may be too harsh, not suitable at the time for the growth of your dreams.

What we've done to save the tomatoes was give them a shady area to catch themselves back, another expert advice. We've left them in shade for a few days until they hardened some more and were able to be exposed to direct sunlight (that is the ones that survived).

If you are determined to live your dream, make the necessary conditions ready in order for your dream to survive and then thrive, empowered by the soil of the Spirit to grow stronger.

Dreams may be temporarily delayed but not inevitably destroyed.

Praise - Part 1

Getting my body back - Day 70

Much can be said about praise and not enough is expressed in our society. Many are quick to criticize instead of looking for the good and praising that which is good. It's become such a habit to criticize that our society thrives on it; from the government to the media to the work place through the school system and into the homes.

Everyone has a complaint and is dissatisfied about something or someone. I agree that there's a place for constructive criticism but where is the line drawn?

If criticism is there to tear down and not build up, how then is it beneficial? You know when your criticism is proving beneficial when it is expressed in a manner to create change, enhance a person, a system or a community.

When the motive behind the criticism is embedded in the soil of love, then the fruit of it will produce positive results and change. If the motive behind the criticism is to tear down, set yourself up at being better than another or just plain gossip, then you are poisoning your own soul. You are not healing another.

Words used in honour of another will go much further than words used to dishonour. Dishonouring words weaken your power, darkens your soul and separates even closest of friends.

Let words of praise spring from your soul to heal yourself, your family, your community and the world. Find the good in others and praise them for it. If there is an issue, something's not working right, speak your words out of a heart of love and praise the outcome of those words. Always look to communicate praise and good first, then address the issue.

Fuelling words: I praise the process of achieving my goal that I may be opened to receive new inspiration and direction.

Deep breathing, stretching, walking and integrating interval exercises during the day.

Living your dream!

A story of living your dreams.

As an aspiring artist, my nephew Baby C (Christopher Meyers) is living his dream. It's amazing how time flies. I remember taking care of him when he vacationed at my parents house, and now, he's writing, creating and singing songs of praises. He's doing what he has dreamed of doing.

He's had days of struggles but he's persevered through obstacles and still continues to pursue his dream. I hope you enjoy his music and in so doing consider your own dreams and make plans to or continue building your dreams.

Click here to view on you tube.

When dreams die

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 52

Our first set of broccoli seedlings died and we had to start a new set. I think they were probably waterlogged. The second set is doing really well and we've thinned them out and set them out in flower boxes. We're really looking forward to a good broccoli harvest.

What of your dreams? Have some of them or many of them died? You can begin to dream again and allow those dreams to come into reality. As long as you desire to manifest your dreams and take action in the direction to activate your belief you could bring your dream to life.

We examined why our broccolis didn't survive and made the necessary adjustments for the next set; giving them less water, put them in a warmer more sunny area.

It's not over when there's disappointment or even failure. As long as you're willing to examine where you went wrong and make the necessary adjustments, always ready to learn and make changes, victory will be within your grasp.

Mental Exercises - Part 6

Getting my body back - Day 69

As important and essential as it is to consciously focus on achieving your goal and creating that mental shift when necessary, another aspect we need to consider is the subconscious mind.

What is the subconscious mind?

I'm not going to go into any scientific or psychological way to describe the subconscious because I'm neither a scientist nor a psychologist. So in very basic terms I'll describe the subconscious as the inner autopilot of our stored personality and experiences which makes up our belief system.

It's that inner programming that causes you to walk without having to consciously think about how you're going to do that. You already did that when you were perhaps about the age of 1.

It's that part of you that stores all of the memory of riding a bicycle, so even though you may not have ridden one in years, you don't have to start learning all over again; it just comes automatically, maybe a little rusty at first, but all of the memory is still there.

It's that part that stores all of your driving instructions so you don't have to wake up every morning and take a driving lesson over again. This could be quite annoying.

When you're making changes in your life you need to not only make those changes on a conscious level but also on the subconscious level.

Why do you need to change on the subconscious level, as well?

Because everything you've made a habit of doing and have accepted as truth in your experience and to your perceptions have been appropriated in your subconscious. Your subconscious gives power to your conscious and comes in agreement with your conscious decision if you train it to.

If your change is only on the conscious level, before long your subconscious kicks in and short circuits what you're attempting to achieve. So when you say, "I weight 120 lbs when you've been hitting 180lbs, that little voice says, "What? Yeah, right! You wish!"

When you train your subconscious to agree with you, then when you make your statement, the subconscious agrees with you, there's no conflict and the rest of your body moves into alignment with what your conscious and subconscious mind agrees on. "Oh, why then are we at 180lbs, something's wrong here, we need to be at 120 lbs."

How do you make the changes on the subconscious level?

You already have the answer to this one. Go back to when you were learning to ride a bicycle, or drive a car - repetition, practice.

You listen for the subconscious response to the achievement of your new goal. Hear what it says and repeat the new order to it, over and over until it's implanted into your subconscious. You keep doing this as many times as necessary until you can finally say with all of you, "I can and know I can achieve this goal of __________ (fill in the blank).

Fuelling words: I can and know that I can achieve my ideal weight.

As I go about my daily activities, I am consciously emphasizing each bending movement, tightening leg muscles as I go up each step and incorporate stretching in between my activities.

Talent seed

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 51

Our cucumber seeds are now beginning to germinate. We're so excited to see them breaking through the soil's surface.

Depending on the type of cucumber, one cucumber may have enough seeds to give at least 100 people one seed to sow so they can have their own cucumber plant which in turn will yield many cucumbers with many more seeds that will multiply the number of seeds and fruit to feed themselves and others.

Consider your gifts, once matured like the cucumber, can produce many seeds from that one talent nurtured and developed to maturity. From this fruit you can have enough seeds to give away to others so that they can also develop their talents and you can also sow your own seeds to develop others talents that sprung out of the original talent seed.

The possibilities are endless when you consider how far and wide your talents, when carefully nurtured, can take you.

Mental Exercises - Part 5

Getting my body back - Day 68

When engaged in mental exercises, you may sometimes fall off track and resort to old habits, old way of thinking. You may have allowed the external circumstances to blur your inner vision and therefore speak words not in alignment with your inner desire.

Keep in my mind that this is a transitory period; going from focusing on thinking thoughts due to the external images in your outer circumstances, to now focusing on thinking thoughts due to the internal images of your internal vision. We all have those moments and need to remind ourselves to get back on track.

How do you get back on track?

You shift your mental thinking. The more you practice this and make it a conscious decision, the more you'll remember and the quicker you'll shift your thinking to line up with the image you initially set out to manifest.

As you continue to do this, you'll find yourself more and more in the habit of keeping on top of things, mentally changing and creating your desired results despite what your outer circumstances are saying to you.

As a matter of fact, you'll begin to verbally say to your circumstances, I am healthy, even though your physical body is displaying physical symptoms that say otherwise. You'll say, I am wealthy, even though your physical bank account may be in the red. Or you'll say, I'm at 120 lbs, even though your physical body still shows baby fat. Okay, that part's personal. But you get the drift.

Make a mental decision to stay on track and practice staying off track. If you've fallen off, don't beat yourself up. Just get back on track and get 'your head in the game'. Before you know it, you'll be manifesting your desired results and begin working on another goal.

Fuelling words: I stay on track in my mental focus until I manifest my ideal weight.

Now that the good weather is here, incorporate exercise into your daily routine even as you go outside and are working around the house.

What goes around comes around

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 50

I'm sure you're familiar with the saying, "What goes around comes around." And I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "Whatever you give will come back to you." What about this one? "What you sow, that will you reap."

These words are so powerful and they are effective directions to the way we should live our lives. Whatever you do in thought, word or deed, are seeds sown and if you are always conscious of this fact you'd be more careful of your thoughts, your words and your actions.

Let's look at this from the view point of a circle - what goes around comes around. We'll imagine five points on the circle and label each one A, B, C, D and E, representing each seed you've sown. A = good deed, B = nice words, C = positive thought, D = good deed, E = nice words, and back to A = good deed.

By the time you get back to A, perhaps over a period of time, the good deed seed would have germinated, grown and began to bear fruit, ripe for your picking. The same is for the other seeds you've sown. Keep in mind, what you reap may not come back to you from the same person to whom you've done the good deed, but the seed has been sown in the soil of the universe and the fruit of that seed, when it reaches maturity, will be yours to enjoy.

If you add in the example bad deeds, guess what? They, too, will also grow as well, unless you consciously replace those bad seeds with good. Pull up those weeds you've allowed to grow and replace them with good. A positive thought, words or deeds are much more powerful than a negative one.

Be consciously aware of the seeds you sow that you will rejoice when harvest time comes.

Mental Exercises - Part 4

Getting my body back - Day 67

Because thought is the life blood of the creative process, it is essential to be alert and be consciously aware of what thoughts are entering your mind.

Your thoughts should line up in accordance with what you wish to accomplish in your life or put another way, your thoughts should line up with what you wish to manifest in your outer world. Whatever thought comes to your mind, if you accept it, is saying to the universe, "I approve and this is what I want evidenced in my outer life."

When you come to the realization that there's a direct link between what your thought energy produces and your outward experiences, you'll develop a keen sensitivity to your thought patterns. You'd do well to consciously monitor these thoughts and address those thoughts that do not fall in line with what you desire to experience.

Observing your own thought patterns and behaviours brings you to a place of knowing certain thought triggers. For example, when I become overwhelmed, if I don't check myself, I find that feelings of depression step in bringing along with it negative thoughts. I've learned to immediately check myself and focus my thoughts on the things that I desire to be evidenced in my outer world.

Mastering mental discipline changes your perspective on life and as a result brings you to a place where you reap the benefits of those life-producing thoughts. Decide and determine today to be a master of your thoughts and change your world inside out.

Fuelling words: I am the master and gate keeper of my thoughts.

Walking is a great way to get out and enjoy the fresh air while getting my body into ship shape.

Turning empty news boxes into flower beds - Part 3

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 49

Posterchild's imaginative newspaper box transformation is truly inspiring. Click here to read the article.

Train your eyes to see beauty in everything. We live in a society where the negative is magnified and good is downplayed. But if you train yourself to look for beauty in everything, no matter what it is, beauty comes back to you. You know the saying, "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."

The same is true of the opposite. If you look for the bad, all you'll see is bad and therefore miss the true essence of that which is good.

Posterchild saw the potential for beauty in the old beat up newspaper boxes. The beauty of the flowers draws your attention away from the worn out boxes and adds character to its new face lift.

If we could see each other, not as we currently are, but as what we are becoming or the beauty we are coming into, we would learn how to appreciate our spouses, our children, brothers, sisters, our neighbours and interestingly enough, those we call our enemies.

Train your eyes to see passed the flaws of others and know that they, too, are also searching for the true meaning of life and love. After all, we are one.

Mental Exercises - Part 3

Getting my body back - Day 66

Become laser focus on your desired results.

Once you've become clear and formed a mental image of your desired outcome, remain focused on this image. Think about your desired outcome constantly, regularly, with focused intent with the purpose of seeing it formed into reality. Set aside some time to rehearse these images in your mind.

Allow the feelings of having your desire materialized emerge inside of you as you live your fulfilled desire in your imagination knowing that it will soon manifest itself. See yourself enjoying your desired results.

Surround yourself with external images of your desire. Some people have used dream boards to help them remain focused. If you desire to have something bad enough you'll have no problem keeping it in your thoughts. Choose what works for you.

Talk with your friends and family about your goal. Now, keep this in mind, if they're not supportive in your achievement of your goal, then, it is pointless engaging in conversation about this. You should have positive feedback and encouragement from others, not negative feedback and discouragement.

I've worked on realizing some of my goals privately, in my own mind with the Creator and creative power and only until I reached my goal I decided to share. If you feel that you need the help to keep you on track and focused, then, by all means, share with someone you trust and that would support your decisions.

Know too, that if your desire is for a trusted friend, you can attract such person into your life. Other than that, work quietly, focusing on the final outcome.

Fuelling words: I am laser focus on achieving my ideal weight goal.

As I go about my daily activities, I am consciously emphasizing each bending movement, tightening leg muscles as I go up each step and incorporate stretching in between my activities.

Turning empty news boxes into flower beds - Part 2

Tending the garden of the heart - Day 48

If you missed Part 1, click here to go to the article on the street artist named Posterchild to see his creative imagination at work.

People would go to purchase their daily newspaper at these once filled newspaper boxes. After time has gone by, worn out and old, these boxes stand empty, until someone came along and saw that even though the boxes were out of use for holding newspaper, they were not totally out of commission. It took some imaginative wheels turning to get them back to serving a different purpose.

No matter where you are in life or how old you may think you are, you are not out of commission. You are the creative imagination in your life. Step back and take a good look at you. As long as you've got breath, you still have purpose.

Are you feeling worn out like these boxes? Like Posterchild, change your perspective of how you see yourself, your abilities, your experiences and your life. You may not be used in the same capacity as before, but you still have plenty of value available in you if you choose to look at all of you from a different angle.

No one has your characteristics, personality, viewpoints and experiences. Your uniqueness belongs to you. Look for ways to bring out this inner beauty and present them in a way that will make others stop and smell the roses in your flower bed.

Mental Exercises - Part 2

Getting my body back - Day 65

How does one exercise the mind?

When you make a decision to attain an ideal weight, you get a clear mental picture of what you'd like to look like at that weight. Therefore, the first step to mental exercise is by getting very clear on what it is you desire to have or achieve.

Be specific as possible in deciding your final result. As discussed in Part 1, confusion sends mixed messages. When you are clear on what it is you desire to accomplish, you're sending clear mental images to your brain. Your brain sees in pictures not words. In addition, you're sending a clear specific thought energy to the universe which pools this thought energy bringing the desired result into form.

Once you're clear on what you desire, you are now able to constantly play this image over and over in your mind, your imagination, your visualization. You have a clear path to achieving your goal. This clarification is very important as it is the first step to prayer, the first step to decision making and all else builds from there.

The first discipline to mental exercises is concise and precise decision making. If you are unclear, you need to stop and open honest dialogue with yourself - "What is it do I really desire to achieve in _______?" Fill in the blanks. Once you can see the end results in your mind's eye, you can move forward.

Fuelling words: I remain very clear on the mental image of my ideal weight and see myself at this ideal weight.

Now that the good weather is here, incorporate exercise into your daily routine even as you go outside and are working around the house.