by jimmeditates | Feb 6, 2024 | Uncategorized
I am often asked what can I do to better my life, here is my response. Below is a mindful guide of best practices that you may choose to utilize to UNSTUCK your life and be more mindful, boost your energy, and be more heart centered.
Meditate Daily: Set aside a small amount of time (20 minutes or less) in the morning to meditate and or pray. Include a practice of Gratitude, such as maybe three to five things you are truly grateful for. Make sure these are heart centered, meaning you can feel emotions such as love & joy when you contemplate on them. Be careful not to pick the same things every day, make them different, heart centered, and specific. Please note that small things can be extraordinary as well. Starting your day in this way sets you up for great success.
Keep Your Body Clean: Your Body is Your Temple and “Cleanliness is Next to Godliness.” A body that is clean emits better and more pleasant vibrations. Keeping your body clean also programs your mind to the fact that you have respect and reverence for life and your spirit. Notice the theme, Mind-Body-Spirit.
Bless the Food You Eat: Thoughts are things, and your spoken words carry vibrational energy. The energy of the spoken word or blessing enters the food you are consuming on a psychic level and removes or neutralizes any negative vibrations in it. By blessing the food with love and respect it is more readily digested and nourishing to your body. Also ask your body to digest and accept the food and nourishment with love. This is also a practice of gratitude as well.
*Dedicate Each Day to God & The Universe, or Yourself: Disclaimer: We All have some form of spirituality within us. The purpose of this specific practice is not to indoctrinate anyone to any belief at all, but to focus your efforts to live life to the fullest each and every day. Be MINDFUL that at any moment it could be your last, so make the most of this NOW moment, and seize the day with zest for life and enthusiasm for living.
This is a sample of what I use, from Paramahansa Yogananda’s Life Lessons, which I recommend for those so inclined. “Divine Father, Heavenly Mother, Friend, Beloved God (or Universe/Higher Power, Jesus Christ, Bhagavan Krishna, Mahavatar Babaji… and the Saints of All religions)… May the Light of Your Love Shimmer forever on the sanctuary of my devotion, and may I be able to share thy love and fill the hearts of all men and women.”
“This day shall be the best day of my life. Today I will start with a new determination to dedicate my devotion forever at the feet of God.”
“In the stillness of my soul I humbly bow before thine omnipresence, knowing that thou art ever leading me on onward and upward on the path of self-realization.”
Or you can affirm from these more secular examples.
“I claim my own power, and lovingly create my own reality, I trust the process of life.”
“I live a life Full of Magic, The Universe and its contents constantly conspire in my favor.”
“May I FLOW with Life.”
“When I nourish the inside, the outside will flourish.”
“Nothing scares me anymore, nothing can stop me from achieving my goals.”
***
Love Your Body = Movement IS Medicine: Everything in energy, and your body is no exception, it is the conductor of your energy and so it is vitally important to take care of it and love it. Move it. Nourish it. The stronger your body is the more capable you are to utilize your intelligence, creativity, and ability. It also does wonders for your mental and physical health, including longevity. With Gratitude to my friends at Recharge Modern Health and Fitness in Ellicott City, MD.
Don’t Feed Your Mind Negative Thoughts: Go look up the story of The Two Wolves. Most people aren’t aware of this fact but our brains are hardwired to detect threats, it is our alarm system. When this system is in balance it can help us stay alive, but out of balance we can excessively worry, catastrophic thinking, or get caught in negative stress reactivity cycles in which negative thoughts, vibrations, and energy accumulate. By bringing Awareness to this cycle we can begin to clean up the clutter and take out the trash. Don’t let negative thoughts infiltrate your mind and allow the negative wolf to win. Let the thoughts if they arise, pass by, and LET THEM GO. As Shunryu Suzuki taught, “Leave your front door and back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go, Just don’t serve them tea.” Another way is to turn BLUE thoughts (negative) to TRUE thoughts (neutral to positive) to create a more balanced perspective.
Be Mindful of Spoken Words: This is a personal challenge for many, including myself, but I can accept it. The Buddha’s Eightfold Path includes the concept of Right Speech. Think about it from an energy psychology perspective, words articulate thoughts, judgments, and emotions, and if you are speaking negativity into existence then you are compounding negative energy in your life. Remember, how you think about and treat others is a direct reflection of how you think and feel about yourself, so speak kindly to yourself and to others.
Understand Yourself As Well As Others: Try to always be mindful of the hidden ideas motivating your actions and those of people you encounter in your life. We all have motivations, some obvious, and some hidden, so it is wise to get to the heart of the matter in every moment so you can adaptively cope with yourself and others in all situations. This practice of discernment is invaluable. For example, a question I ask myself sometimes is “What are the lies I am telling myself?” Now, your first impulse might be, well, that is not something I do, I don’t lie to myself, but that is a naïve statement. As you look inward into your thought landscape certain things will reveal themselves to you that are valuable to take a look at for your personal growth on a deeper level. Remember there is no need to judge yourself harshly, but simply to be curious and honest with yourself about you and your motivations and behaviors and relationships.
Break Away From the Veil Of “MAYA”: In Hinduism and Asian Thought, “Maya” means illusion. Don’t let the temporary illusions of lack, want, or the meaning of your present circumstances distract you from the inner truth that you are a miracle, and you have the universal or God given power to rise above all seeming problems and conditions in your life. There are an infinite number of possibilities if you will open up to them, you are never stuck. Also, do not allow the collective cloud of negative news on the internet, television, and news to blind you to the fact that this universe is good, and it wants you to thrive for your highest good as its Ultimate Purpose.
Give Gratitude For ALL GOOD: There are many studies now that confirm these practices as being immensely positive for your mental health and wellness, but practice giving thanks to God and the Universe for your life and the Planet we live on. This world is truly amazing and filled with wonder and beautiful people. Go find excitement and adventure in your life.
Have An Accepting Attitude: Acceptance is a foundational attitude of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. See if it is possible to allow yourself to accept that GOOD is a natural part of your life’s experience.
Read/Consume Inspiring Literature, Videos & Messages: Carve out time, at least 5 minutes or more to read and consume inspiring material in your life during various points in your day. There are so many amazing people who have overcome so much adversity in their lives that willingly share their message of hope, courage, and resilience daily. Much of it is even free, although the cost of any of it is an amazing investment in yourself. While this may seem obvious many people’s attention is fixated on social media and news consumption that tends to make us dumb, frozen in fear, anxious, and depressed while imprisoning our minds and nervous systems in fight or flight mode in a continuous stress reactivity cycle. To be mindful is to intentionally SHIFT into a more inspiring way of being, such as this example below:
“In the Infinity of life where I am,
all is perfect, whole, and complete.
Each one of us, myself included, experiences the richness
and fullness of life in ways that are meaningful to us.
I now look at the past with love and choose
to learn from my old experiences.
There is no right or wrong, nor good or bad.
The past is over and done.
There is only the experience of the moment.
I love myself for bringing myself
through this past into this present moment.
I share what and who I am, for I know we are all one in spirit.
All is well in my world.
-Louise Hay
***
Forgive As You Would Wish To Be Forgiven: Perhaps your “Sh*t” doesn’t stink, but if you are like the rest of us try to be empathetic, and understand other people’s pressures, stressors, and strains in life. In the mind of a master understanding can also replace forgiveness. But forgiveness is a high form of love. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting that someone wronged you or hurt you dearly, but it can give you the POWER to recognize that hurt and heal it with love so you can move forward with strength in life. Forgiveness is a superpower. When I started practicing with this concept I consciously forgave anyone and everyone that ever hurt me, and I also prayed and asked for forgiveness from everyone I ever hurt knowingly or unknowingly. They will never know this, it is done in private, but it can release you from the bondages of anger, hurt, and being a victim. Again, this is done from a place of empowerment.
The beautiful practice and spiritual and mental cleansing of the Hawaiian Ho’ Oponopono Mantra & Meditation:
I Am Sorry
Please Forgive Me
Thank You
I Love You
***
Be Peaceful (Ahimsa): May your heart be peaceful, safe, and flow with life. When your thoughts, actions, and behaviors are aligned with peace your inner world will reflect your outer world. If we all did this world peace would happen in moments. We all have the power to manifest peace in our hearts, it is our natural state. Ahimsa means nonviolence.
Associate With Evolved People: Work to cultivate relationships with people who see the big picture and are highly evolved or aspire to seek truth and wisdom in life. If you do not have such friends and community we live in a world where it is possible to find. One study found that sitting next to a high performer boosted performance by 15% while sitting next to lower performers decreased performance by as much as 30%. If you want to evolve seek out people who are aligned with peace, wisdom, and love for themselves and others, and you will benefit.
Cultivate Community: Fulfillment in life is doing what you were made for. Community helps foster strength, support, and encouragement. Whether it is a church, gym, professional, or other spiritual or meditation group find a place that will support your growth with positive and enthusiastic support.
Be Mindful of the Evolvement of Others: Be aware of the evolvement of others. Find people who act for the good. Also, be aware of how they affect you, whether that is for the good or ill. Be aware, and act accordingly.
Be Silent: Keep your plans and desires to yourself if you can. In my own experience when you announce you have plans to do something, quite often, the people who are closest and love you the most will through shade and be negative about your plans. Sometimes this is done out of their own anxiety to protect you. Sometimes it is a projection of their own fears or jealousies. Remember what we said earlier about people’s hidden agendas. To keep your thoughts and desires free from interference keep them private as you work tirelessly to execute them. One example I recently heard that I liken to this principle is this: Some of the most famous athletes like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Kobe Bryant worked very hard to be the best at their craft. There were a million little things that they did to prepare for the big championship moments on and off the court. They weren’t lucky, they worked very hard. Nowadays whenever I hear a young person aspire to play professional sport I encourage them, yes, it is good to have a backup plan, but don’t let others opinions dissuade you. So often in life and in my clinical practice people have lived lives chosen for them by their parents or others. Don’t be afraid to live your life fearlessly. One way you can do so is to keep your goals close to the vest.
Get Proper Sleep For Yourself: Common sense tells us that getting proper rest is nourishing for our health. Sleep allows us to DREAM! When our minds are sleeping, we are connected to the divine and our subconscious mind, or our higher self. We don’t need to remember our dreams although it can be interesting to keep a dream journal. The seeds of our dreams and inspirations are already implanted in our minds to hatch in our waking moments.
Think Positively: It is a tremendous skill to see the good even in the darkest of temporary conditions and circumstances. Every crisis has opportunity for growth.
Good Times Create Weak People
Weak People Create Bad Times
Bad Times Create Strong People
Strong People Create Good Times.
-Tony Robbins
***
Remember Who You Are: You are a miracle, a spark of the divine flame, and heir to the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven/ Universe. The essence of your true Selfhood is ONE with God/ The Universe and Eternal Life. Believe in Yourself. You are Loved. You are Worthy. You are more powerful than you may realize and deserving of all that is good. As with anything you seek and have read in this post, take what feels true and right for you. Don’t accept my word as truth, see what resonates as true in your own wisdom, and trust yourself, and leave the rest. I hope that this serves your highest good in some way and I wish you well on your journey.
by jimmeditates | Jan 1, 2024 | Uncategorized
2024 Happy New Year!
To all of you lovely souls,
If you happen to come across this message then congratulations, you are some of the lucky few. As the world starts to change, and it is always changing there are some things that might be helpful to know.
The world that we live in is vast, the universe is expansive and growing. To give you a more philosophical idea about life then you will need to remember Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.” If you are unfamiliar then you should look it up now.
2024 is an 8 year in numerology, the year of the Dragon. It will be a year of transformation. What this means is that we have the ability to create the reality we want to live in. I would focus on you as an individual, because that will inform our collective consciousness.
The most important thing to know is that you chose to be here at this time. This is the place to be, despite all the chaos of what is happening all around. Everyone likes a good story, this is the greatest. You are in the Hollywood story. The funny part is that Hollywood gave you a glimpse when they created “The Matrix” over 25 years ago. You are a SOUL having a temporary experience in a human body. You can choose to awaken to this or not, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that you choose to be peaceful, kind, and loving to yourself and others.
Jenn Palmer, my wonderful co-host on Brave Journey Within, who is an Intuitive Energy Healer recently published an episode on manifestation. I also wrote a blog on manfiestation with some practical tips (here). As I previously stated you have the ability to create the life you want to live. While many sometimes confuse manifestation with material things there is much more to it than that. You get to choose how you show up in your life. To BE present, and to BE in the NOW. The definition of Mindfulness is to be present, on purpose, and in the present moment nonjudgmentally. Be intentional in your life.
***
One technique that Ken Elliott says to consider is to think in this way:
“I am in my future, … (think of the future your want with visualization- you can be specific or not)
… and I am so very grateful.”
***
One thing I want all my clients to realize is that they are powerful. You are not a victim unless you allow yourself to be so, even if you have been victimized. YOU have the power to heal your life. There are countless examples of people overcoming tremendous odds in this regard, whether it is physical, mental, or medical.
One of the most power things you can do to supercharge all of these things is to be grateful. Practice GRATITUDE. While this may be self-evident for some of you if you need evidence, Stanford Professor Andrew Huberman, PhD of the Huberman Lab Podcast says that it is some of the best ways he has found to create his best life. He writes 5 things he is grateful for daily. Ken Elliott recommends 7, this is relative, but the practice is powerful, you choose what works for you.
Learn to BE GRATEFUL for the wonderful things in your life. If this is hard for you pay closer attention. There are many people in your life and things you can find to be grateful for, and if that is a challenge then you have work to do to SEE THE GOOD in your life. Seeing the good in your life is a technique, as we are not hardwired to this with our reptile brains, where we are often in fight or flight mode.
We will choose what happens next. BELIEVE you have that power and choose accordingly. Don’t be afraid, be strong, and courageous. BE KIND and LOVING. May we all have a safe and joyful year!
by jimmeditates | Dec 27, 2023 | Uncategorized
Much has been written about manifestation, but I will start by sharing some of the best words and insights that I have found on the topic beginning some thoughts about love and fear. As Alana Fairchild writes on Peace and Prosperity in her Angelic Lightwork; “Healing fear requires love. Fear might relate to financial security, abandonment, hurt, or losing a loved one, cherished treasure or rare opportunity. To the insecure and uncertain part of us, fear might seem like the most sensible response, as though it will protect us. In reality, fear is counterintuitive. It closes us off and prevents us from remaining open to the abundance and generosity of the universe. At times, we need to decide whether we will give in to fear and put off our growth to another day. This is always our choice to make. Instead, we can move into the realm of the heart, choose to remain open, ask for clarity and run the joyful, challenging risk of becoming more fully alive. Your commitment to your aliveness will manifest what is best for you. Many gifts lie unopened on the path ahead. Ask for what is rightfully yours and continue to make your journey with peaceful knowledge in your heart.”
If you are open, here are some of the more notable teachings I have found helpful on the topic of Manifestation. As we head into the year 2024, which will be a very transformational year, these guidelines can help you start to create the life you want to live. We will start with Bashar, as he has become one of the more influential voices I have been consuming on the topic recently.
Bashar, is a dynamic multidimensional entity (Extra Terrestrial being, yes, like E.T.) channeled by writer, film director, & producer Darryl Anka. He is an amazing channeling talent, has been doing so for nearly 40 years, and if you have any doubts about his authenticity & ability, I suggest you simply listen to his teachings and lectures in many YouTube clips and podcasts, and see if Bashar’s words resonate with you. I personally find it tremendously authentic, and through Jungian synchronicity is how our podcast, Brave Journey Within with Jim & Jenn was created, which I share in the latest episode here.
***
Bashar’s Formula-
1.) Act on your excitement, your passion, whatever is most exciting to you, in the moment. Do this every moment that you can.
2.) Do this to the best of your ability. Take it as far as you can go until you cannot take it any further.
3.) Act on your excitement/passion with absolutely no insistence, assumption, or expectation of what the outcome should be.
4.) Choose to remain in a positive state regardless of what happens.
5.) Constantly investigate your belief systems. Release & replace the un-preferred beliefs: fear-based beliefs, and the beliefs not in alignment with who you prefer to be.
I was reading Bashar’s formula and journaling about changes I wanted to make in my own life when I came up with the idea to start a podcast as something that would both challenge and excite me. One of my awesome client’s pushed back on me one day when I expressed doubt that a new podcast would fare well in today’s saturated market- specifically on the idea of non-attachment to outcome. Fact is when I was a guest on a podcast I enjoyed it tremendously. I had far more fun than I thought was possible. I was fearful of speaking in public and putting myself out there, which is precisely why I set out to give it a try. Do hard things and you will be rewarded.
The next step was meditating on my idea and I decided to bring in a strong Divine Feminie energy to balance out my masculine energy. Jenn Palmer, my wonderful co-host, is also a teacher to me as well as a seasoned Intuitive Energy Healer. She has special intuitive & psychic gifts that augment her energy healing and I thought her perspective would be a tremendous addition to the show, which it is. When we had our first meeting about the potential of a podcast, I sat down in her office, and the first words out of her mouth were something about watching someone called Bashar on a popular podcast called Next Level Soul. In that moment, I laughed out loud, because Bashar and his formula was literally the reason I was sitting in her office. That was a synchronicity, and the validation I needed to proceed with the show’s creation, and which Bashar states will explode once you start paying to signs and notes from the universe. Be skeptical, but be open to give this formula a real shot tto see for yourself if it works for you. Better yet please let me know if you get real results as well, as we would love to highlight them on our show.
If you wish to learn more about Darryl Anka and his remarkable UFO sighting in West Los Angeles in 1973 and how he became an inspirational and internationally renowned channel you can watch his documentary, First Contact on YouTube for free here.
***
The next master teacher I want to highlight is Neal Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God, An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1 (1996) has a interesting take with his Be, Do, Have model.
Be, Do, Have, Paradigm.
Start where you want to end up. Be loving, Be happy, Be secure. Choose with intention how you want to BE. Before you walk into any moment decide to be happy, secure, and loving, then you will say, think, and do things that are happy, secure, and loving.
Walsch views The Secret, or The Law of Attraction as “sand-box metaphysics,” seeing how the book/movie focuses on the material, instead of things that actually matter in terms of higher consciousness such as World Peace, Love, and Safety on our planet. He says this tongue in cheek and nonjugmentally as he was in the movie, and focused on manifesting material things for years like so many of us. The allure of our dream houses, cars, wealth, and romantic partners that emanates from our imagination can lead us astray from things that actually matter and align with our values.
Now Walsch would say that if you focus on being love, joy, peace, and those types qualities in your life, then the rest will take care of itself in a way. The outer world being a mirror or reflection of your inner world. As within, so with out.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things will be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33
My own interpretation being if you bring in the Kingdom of Heaven into your heart in the here and now then all other things, i.e. love, health, love, and abundance will manifest in a state of flow.
Walsch is a wonderful teacher, obviously he says some things that will challenge your belief systems, but that is what makes him great. One thing he talks about is the Platinum Rule, which is to “Do unto others what they would have you do unto them.” Something to contemplate as you ponder these aspects of being.
Also, “nothing that is human lacks dignity, only the way in which you hold it and do it.” N.D.W. Wherever you are in life right now, never lose sight of your own intrinsic value and worth. You are loved eternally.
***
Dr. Joe Dispenza, New York Times best-selling author, researcher of epigenetics, quantum physics & neuroscience. He gained notoriety in the 2004 film What the Bleep Do We Know, which Wikipedia, the arbiter of truth (sarcasm) affectionately calls a pseudo-scientific film. That film resonated with me deeply although I could not put it into words at that time. You alone have to decide for yourself what resonates with you as authentic or true in your life. I will say this, the more spiritual I have become the more interested in science I have become. Spirituality intersects with science. Hence, Disnpenza’s work is quite interesting as it has evolved over the past twenty years.
Dispenza’s formula for creating the life you want to live has to do in part with creating heart coherence, something akin to metta or loving kindness mindfulness meditation. When you achieve this state through meditation your vibrational field and resonance starts to heal yourself and interact with the quantum field. There is a great deal of science and research behind his claims that you can look up but I will share the formula here. In very simple terms:
When you Create a CLEAR INTENTION + ELEVATED EMOTIONS = A NEW ENERGY.
So for example, a better job with a greater salary might be match with the emotion of feeling empowered. When you have written this down and sit in a meditation and truly feel into that intention, it creates a new energy, interacting with the quantum field that brings in the new job into your being. Thus, you begin to magnetize yourself to the opportunities you are seeking. One way this resonates with me is what Dr. Joseph Murphy said in The Power of your Subconscious Mind (1963), … “remember always, what you are seeking is also seeking you.”
***
Dr. Joseph Murphy, was a new thought minister known widely for his affirmative thinking philosophy.
According to Dr. Murphy, the best time to impregnate your subconscious mind is prior to sleep and upon waking. Ideas worth remembering… The feeling of health produces health, the feeling of wealth produces wealth, how do you feel? You avoid conflict between your conscious and subconscious mind and the sleepy state. Imagine the fulfillment of your desire over and over again prior to sleep. Sleep in peace and wake in joy.
It was never intended that you should lead a life of indigence. You can have wealth, everything you need, and plenty to spare. Your words have the power to cleanse your mind of wrong ideas and to instill right ideas in their place. This process of transforming self-defeating core beliefs.
Some key points-
1.) Deposit thoughts of prosperity, wealth, and success in your subconscious mind, and the latter will give you compound interest.
2.) Your true source of wealth consists of the ideas in your mind. You can have an idea worth millions of dollars. Your subconscious mind will give you the idea you seek. (This idea speaks to our innate ability to create infinite possibilities in our lives).
3.) Envy and jealousy are stumbling blocks to the flow of wealth, rejoice in the prosperity of others.
4.) The block to wealth is in your own mind destroy that block now by getting on good mental terms with everyone.
Dr. Murphy’s Affirmation: “By day and by night, I am being prospered in all of my interests.”
***
Julie Poole, Bsc; SQHP, a hypnotherapist and author of From Hoping to Having: the ‘3 Rs’ to Create Your Best Life- Remember, Reset, Receive (2022). Her book is wonderful, she has a really great personality that comes across in her audio book. She like others scoffs at the utilization of the term “Law of Attraction” as not a law but simply a reality. Thoughts are things. You either feed the bank of love and prosperity, or fear and lack. You choose, so choose wisely.
1.) Remember– One of the important things to REMEMBER is that you are an individuation of God, as a creation of God (or the Universe). As such you are very powerful, this concept is often described as the Mighty Divine ‘I AM’ Presence. So in order to manifest, one must remember who they are, and by who they are realizing or remembering your I AM presence. So you can call in this presence by saying: “I AM calling upon the divine intelligence within my being to come forward, you allow all the answers to flow to you empowering you into appropriate action.”
2.) Reset– This part involves establishing healthy boundaries. The only approval you need is that of your own. You matter. “I can please others, but not at my detriment. I matter, my needs matter, my desires matter, my opinion matters, my inner calling matters, my path matters my choices matter my heart matters.” Seek your own approval, and release all fear and negative beliefs and emotions that are not serving your highest good. You can work with energy with your intention by saying “I ask to release all negative energy, emotions, and self-limiting beliefs.”
3.) Receive– Aspects of this are fairly self-evident but worth mentioning. Kindness to yourself and others is a valuable way of being and helps emotions (energy in motion) flow.
“Energy expands itself, always.
What you think about, you bring about.
Thoughts become things.
Where attention goes energy flows.”
The above passage speaks to where you put your awareness and focus. Focus is a major aspect of completing any project or any goal.
Love and Acceptance are foundational keys as well to get into heart coherence as well. Love yourself, your body, your health. Be grateful. As Julie Pool concludes her book… “I can, I will, I am…
Say to yourself, and say it often,
I AM ALL THAT I AM
I AM a Divine Spark of Consciousness.
I AM manifesting all of my dreams, my goals, and my desires, easily.
I AM my best version of myself, now.
I AM creating my best life, now!
I AM aligned with all that I desire, now. I am ready now!
***
I share these authors and teachers and their lessons with all of you in the hopes that some of these teachings may resonate with you, and I invite you to take what is useful to heart and use it for your highest good, and for the things that don’t resonate with you to gently leave them behind. Know that you can create the reality you want to live in. May you have a wonderful, safe, and prosperous 2024. Don’t get distracted by the chaos emerging around you, be mindful of the hurricane and know you can always find the eye of the storm. You are a creator, so create your life lovingly and to the best of your ability to navigate through all the obstacles you encounter. BE kind to yourself, and stay present as best you can.
by jimmeditates | Dec 8, 2023 | Uncategorized
From a young age I loved learning about ancient traditions and philophies and how they viewed the world we lived in and of course about our creation story. How did we come to exist? I first learned about reincarnation learning about the world’s religions attending a Catholic high school, for which I am very grateful. The concept of birth, life, and rebirth were interesting to me, and also that life was more cyclical than linear, or didn’t exist at all. But it wasn’t until I had a professor that declared that reincarnation was a “fact” that I truly opened my mind to such a bold claim. Dr. Drew Leder, a medical doctor with a PhD in philosophy at Loyola University slowly changed my mind. He shared the life’s work of Dr. Ian Stevenson, who was the founder and director of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia School of Medicine for fifty years and studied nearly three thousand cases in rigorous detail.
Cases usually involved children with scars or birth marks and deformities that would correspond to memories of past lives that involved fatal or catastrophic injuries. Children recalling details of their murderers, including names, things far too specific to be random although that is the skeptics claims. When he would travel to investigate cases he would often collect many more than anticipated which made him hypothesize these instances were far more common that anyone realized. They were also not isolated to cultures that believed in reincarnation. Some of the most famous cases were decidedly of western or European and American children and families whose parents didn’t believe in the possibility of reincarnation.
Dr. Stevenson discovered other phenomenon as well, such as a large number of children who were born in Burma after WWII that had reported memories of being Japanese soldiers who were killed in the war. These children acted strangely according to their culture and had an interesting desire to wear Japanese style clothing and prefer raw fish to the more traditional spicy Burmese food and clothing (Stevenson & Keil, 2005).
There was an American Express commercial a few years ago that showed the process in some detail about how the Dalai Lama was chosen at a young age. In the commercial it shows a committee of the previous Dalai Lamas friends who show a young child a mix of objects on a table, some that belong to the Lama and some that are meant to deceive a young child. If the young child among other things chooses the correct objects that belonged and had an emotional attachment to the deceased Lama then he is then recognized as the new Dalai Lama. There are many Lamas in Tibetan Buddhism. This process will repeat when the current and 14th Dalai Lama leaves his body.
I have met two clients who personally remembered past lives consciously. One was an adult female, who was an officer in the US military. She had an attraction to the lifestyle of prostitutes that made little sense as a young child and recalled in vivid detail her life as a prostitute in London in the late 1800’s. She was even able to find a photograph of herself from that time in her research about the life that seemed so real to her from a young age. She could describe the objects in the photo and the story behind them. It is rare that an adult can so clearly recall a past life, typically these memories, if they are present in a young child, tend to fade by the time they are age 7 or so. I have only met one other child who remembered multiple past lives. This recollection troubled the parents who thought their child might have some mental disorders, but they were quite normal. There is a certain innocence a child has when they are recounting memories that can be quite authentic and genuine, especially when describing in detail past events that are all too vivid for a child’s imagination and limited life and real world experience. It was utterly fascinating as the child was so special and gifted. There is only one other adult that I am aware of that can consciously recall all of his past lives. His name is Matias De Stefano, and you can look up his story and media shows quite easily. His knowledge and detailed memories of the history of Lemuria (or Mu) and Atlantis, and the transition to Egypt are quite compelling should you wish to learn more about them. In fact, a number of my clients recall memories of Atlantis, which caught me by surprise.
I did my first past life regression a few years ago now. I trained with renowned hypnotherapist, Dr. Wendy Hill, of Encinitas, CA. My training was focused on inner child regression, which is a modality that helps train the mind to explore self-defeating limiting beliefs and transform them into healthy, empowering, and loving beliefs that can help unlock your life. When I went into my past life regression I was nervous, not knowing what to expect, but praying for some good to come out of it. We went through the induction, which is a type of meditation, and then finally arrived to a point and time in my past. I looked down, and saw my feet, which were a different color than I expected. I then started to describe my environment, which was sandy, and I also saw the pyramids of Giza. I was a middle-aged male, who was in the desert, traveling by camel in a caravan. I was nomadic. Dr. Hill asked me what I was and the word “Bedouin” flashed in my minds eye. This made no sense to me at the time. I had heard of the term before but did not have any sense of where they lived or lifestyle. Then we went into the life, which was very violent traveling in the caravans. My son was murdered during one skirmish when my caravan was raided. I saw people from my current life in my past life, who I won’t name at this time (this I now know is know as Soul Pods- we play and travel with people we like). Survival was the name of the game, and I was good at it, but it was a difficult and violent life. War was a way of life. The connection with my current life is this: after 9/11 I could have easily enlisted in the US Marine Corps and would have felt good about it. However, the idea of traveling to an Islamic country without a gun sounded more challenging to me and in greater alignment with where I was spiritually at the time, with gratitude to Dr. Leder for influencing me with meditation. I chose the US Peace Corps instead as my way of serving. Hence, in this life, I laid down the sword, and embarked on a more spiritual path, teaching people meditation, counseling them, and helping them help themselves without violence.
I share this experience so that you may understand that reincarnation is not something to be afraid of and neither is living in this life. Our souls are perfect and eternal. You don’t have to believe in a higher power, you can simply believe in yourself, as it is said in John 10:34, Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? This is reiterated in Psalm 82:6, I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. Rather than be told what you can believe or not believe trust yourself and your own wisdom about how the world and the universe really is. Seek out truth and wisdom, ask and you shall receive.
One book that has stood out to me for a long time is Plato’s Allegory of the Cave in which Socrates gives a metaphor about people being chained and unable to look beyond the shadows being cast on the wall from behind them. Being unable to move, they think the shadows are reality. This is because they have never experienced anything beyond the shadows. Past life regression can give you a peek behind the shadows, should you wish to see. Mindfulness and more profoundly Vipassana meditation are ways to explore consciousness as well. Many people are afraid to do so. We crave safety in our world, and consequently find ourselves susceptible to slavery and authoritarian control in our modern world.
We are living in a very interesting time. The world is changing rapidly as I have written about. People are awakening from the slumber of the cave. There is a big universe out there and we are opening to it. Be mindful of your own self-defeating and limiting beliefs. Know you are powerful beyond imagination. Be grateful for the experience of this life and stay in the moment as best you can. There is good in this world!
by jimmeditates | Nov 21, 2023 | Uncategorized
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and has been for a very long time. All families look different but for me this was the one time that my whole family got together, cooked with each other, and could spend some quality time catching up with one another. As I have aged and some of our loved ones have departed the holiday has evolved for me and my family. Friendsgiving has now become something I hold in high regard as friendships are very special to me, and for my mental health. Quality friends are a treasure that I am fortunate to have in abundance, and for that I am grateful. If you don’t have community, be courageous and open and go find your tribe. Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful, and in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) it is defined as being thankful for being alive. It is one of the 9 foundational attitudes in MBSR because it is one of the most helpful practices you can have not only for reducing stress but improving both your physical and mental health.
According to the Mayo Clinic there are a myriad of benefits including improved sleep, mood, and immune system response. Additionally, a daily gratitude practice can ease chronic pain, anxiety, and decrease depressive symptoms. They go on to say that if a pill could do this everyone would be taking it. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Harvard Health had this to say in a recent article, “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
One technique my client shared is that he has an alarm that goes off at 12pm daily in which he acknowledges three things he is grateful for, and they cannot be the same things he said the day before, which is lovely. The practice is intentional. You are choosing to look for the good in your life when you do this, because there are good things in your life. They can be small things. It can be as simple as having a joyful interaction with the checkout person at the grocery store. A smile to a stranger passing by, or receiving a warm welcome or hello, i.e. being friendly to a greeter at Walmart. Being grateful for the warmth of the sun, a roof over your head, or the love of a dearly beloved pet.
This holiday season you can choose happiness. Stress less, and don’t let miserable people make you miserable. Let go of grudges and resentment. Choose love over fear and unity over polarity. You don’t have to go low vibration to discuss politics or choose a side in an armed conflict unless you want to. You can be appreciative of the people, the food, the conversations, and even the process of cooking. These are actions that you can be mindful of and even get into flow states with. I am always grateful for the aroma of homemade cooking; it simply brings joy to my life. Take time to acknowledge what you are grateful for now, and may you have a wonderful holiday.
by jimmeditates | Nov 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
Once upon a time I had a near death experience where I was given a sneak peek behind the veil of the matrix, and it forever changed my life. I have shared this experience in a previous blog post about my ferry ride across the Ganges/Padma River in Bangladesh. When I hear people say if God (or if that is triggering for you say the universe, source, the creator, etc.) exists, prove it! I simply smile. You see, I don’t have a choice, and haven’t for quite some time now.
Mindfulness meditation, Vipassana, and various forms of yoga, hypnotherapy and past life regressions have helped to open my consciousness to deeper levels of understanding, which is what I wish to share as the Earth and our civilization are entering a new era, which is happening now. I want to be very clear that it doesn’t matter if you believe or don’t believe in God or a higher power or believe that we are entering a New Earth/5D Reality, it is simply happening in the present moment. The Mayan calendar was not off, but the end of a cycle. It is in the magic of this present moment that we will focus on today to help give you some tools as the shift into this “New Earth” unfolds, now.
As the shift is taking place it is important to focus on yourself and your energy and making sure you are healthy, well, and coming into your own personal power. I will define personal power as being seated in your heart center. We are far bigger than we realize. Our power lies in our heart and connection to emotion. If you are like my wonderful brother and can’t relate to any of this spirituality and think this is all just new age gobbledygook then perhaps you can relate to Marvel Comics…think of… say Tony Stark… yes, Iron Man, it is basically like that. The shift into the New Earth is an upleveling into a new dimension in the multiverse., or another way to think about it is the next step in the evolution of our consciousness on the planet. We all understand the universe in our own way, and it is perfectly okay, there is no right or wrong way, we all have free will to believe anything we want. Iron Man is a great example of someone connecting into the amazing energy and power of their heart, even when artificial.
Which brings us back into the power of the heart. I have spoken previously how the fundamental practice of Mindfulness is the Body Scan. When we scan our body, we can start seeing the subconscious aspects of ourselves that we are holding onto. In some meditative techniques the theory is that the sensations in our body hold the answers to the root of our suffering. Once we can bring awareness to those roots, they can be eradicated and dissolved. The Body Scan is basically a clinical appropriation of the Vipassana Technique that the Buddha used to become enlightened and enter higher states of consciousness. Don’t worry, you won’t become enlightened by doing a body scan… or will you? No judgment.
Either way the meditation technique is useful tidying things up and helping you become clearer, and more heart centered towards yourself and others. In vipassana meditation at the end of a retreat the focus is on Metta meditation, in which a mantra you may hear is: “May all beings be happy, May all beings be peaceful, and May all beings be liberated.” It is a very powerful meditation to wish loving kindness to all beings on Earth.
Another technique is to drop into a meditation and then ask yourself this question:
“Heart, show me, what do I need to be most aware of to come more fully into the heart?”
Once you have asked the question, be still and calm and see what insights pop into the field of your awareness. If you don’t get anything right away be patient, and allow things to unfold in their own time, but you will eventually gain insights into what is needed to get closer to your heart. It is advisable to write things out that come to you during meditation, or dictate it into your smart phone.
Additionally, whatever comes up for you it can be helpful to then say to yourself: “I love and accept the part of me _______ (that is sad, or anxious, or is fearful, feels shame, guilt, or something positive).” Remember, you don’t have to worry about whether it is good or bad, you are loving and accepting all parts of the self nonjudgmentally.
This technique of “loving and accepting” allows you to harvest the energy from the mind matrix (ie Central Nervous System and you Default Mode Network, aka Automatic Pilot) that is preventing you from anchoring into the heart and greater heart coherence.
Heart coherence according to HeartMath is a high performance and healthy state- physically emotionally, mentally, and spiritually- that brings out the very best in us. Heart coherence is a synchronized and empowering state that allows us to become our best selves. The ultimate state of FLOW.
Your real power is the ability to create beyond the limitations of the mind. Start from the heart. By practicing some of these techniques you be clearing away negative self-limiting beliefs and opening your heart to greater insights, connection, and joy in your life.
When you are living and honoring your life in a more authentic way you will understand that there is no need to worry about the shift because you will already have shifted. Be kind and true to yourself. Find your Ikigai (life passion), laugh, connect with friends, dance, have fun, and don’t forget to be happy. Physical exercise, sleep, and adequate nutrition will be helpful as well. It is an exciting time, don’t be distracted, manipulated, or ruled by fear, there are brighter days ahead and in the infinity of life, all is well.
