The Daydream Chronicles

Connecting with the fullness of who you really are . . .

2010-02-04T20:30:00.003-05:00

"THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONNECTING WITH THE FULLNESS OF WHO YOU ARE" ~ Abraham

In my last posting, I wrote about meditation and how important quieting the mind is for all aspects of well being and dream fulfillment. I also mentioned how quieting the mind and entering that place of allowing and connection with your Inner Being, doesn't necessarily have to be through conventional forms of meditation. It doesn't have to be you sitting on a mat with your legs crossed trying desperately to clear your mind.

The following video from Abraham-Hicks explains what I mean beautifully. I encourage you to hear it now:

When I first heard this segment, I immediately connected with it. You see, my art is just like this woman's fly fishing. I love doing it. I would spend all day and night creating. I rather be working at my drawing table surrounded by my markers and pencils than do just about anything else. I've been able to control it a little better but when art first entered my life, it brought such joy, the kind of joy I had never in my life felt before, that I didn't want to even go out of the house. If I was out with Jhon or with friends, although I would still have a good time, most of my thoughts revolved around "when am I going to be able to go home and draw?" I guess at the start, I needed to focus as much as I could on what was happening. Ever since the moment I listened to my inner being and acted upon what I heard and started working on my art, my life changed! It has been a journey of coming into alignment with who I am.

The more I do it, the more I discover things about myself. The more I create and spend time with the work, the more the Universe gives me the opportunity to connect with this JOY. Within the last month and 1/2, I have been able to shift and concentrate my focus more onto my work, my real passion. What I once thought impossible, which was working on my art all day long, every day . . . is now almost a reality. I am now able to spend 4 days out of the week fully connected to my source. And I am certain that devoting some time every day to my art, has helped all these new adventures and opportunities to manifest so easily and effortlessly.

So my point here is that if you can take some ACTION that involves whatever it is you love to do. . . If you can devote five minutes, ten minutes, a 1/2 hour or an hour each day and do whatever makes you forget everything else around you and brings you profound inner joy . . . If you can sing for ten minutes a day . . . create some art for 15 minutes . . . write a paragraph for your novel . . . do whatever it is that sparks that passion within . . . if you can do some action every single day that connects you to the energy of the Universe, the Universe will reward you by strengthening that connection more and more . . . And the more you focus on your passion, the more it will expand. . . the more you are grateful for being able to do what you love, even if for five minutes each day, the more you'll be rewarded with opportunities to do it.

Do these things for the pure enjoyment of doing them. When I sit down and work on a piece I'm not thinking about anything else but rejoicing in the pure act of doing. I'm doing it! I'm living my dream! It doesn't matter where or how I'm doing it . . . I'm just DOING. . . LIVING . . . CONNECTING . . . ALLOWING . . . MANIFESTING!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Taking ACTION by doing almost NOTHING . . .

2010-02-02T23:43:00.011-05:00

All know the way; few actually walk it. ~Bodhidharma

Action. Taking action. This week, we are focusing on taking actions towards the manifestation of our dreams. This is something that scares many people. And, you know, at first glance, it can be a really scary thing. Somehow, when you put together the words action and dreams, people freak out. I think it's because our minds make it a much bigger deal than it really is. Those that are working horrible, life-sucking jobs think taking action means quitting their jobs and jumping headfirst into poverty all for the sake of dream fulfillment. Other people aren't quite sure what they want or if they even have any dreams they'd like to fulfill. So, they think that since they don't know what they want or what their dreams are, they can't really take any action.

Well, I'm here to share my experience with uniting those two words, action and dreams, and surviving . . . thriving! I can promise you that it's not as scary as it seems and if you just trust the Universe and most importantly BELIEVE that you will be alright, no matter what, the action part of the equation will literally take care of itself. At least the big actions, the physical ones where you actually have to move and do things.

As the quote above says, we all know the way. I say this all the time, we all have the answers we seek. And, the first step in taking some action towards fulfilling our dreams is to actually do very little at all, at least physically. I'm talking about meditation of course. This is the first thing I tell someone that seems to be having a hard time dealing with life or not sure of what they are doing. Like I said, we have the answers inside, the way to get to them is by listening to the stillness within.

This is an action step of the spiritual kind. And I think one of the most valuable ones on the road to manifestation. Again, some people just don't get the whole meditation thing. They can't quiet their minds. They can't sit still. They can't keep thoughts from popping up every single minute. It seems impossible to be able to get any answers when all they keep hearing is the melody to Gaga's "Pokerface." I personally don't accept any of these as excuses to not meditate. As with anything else that might tackle in this life, the more you do it, the easier it gets. And, I'm one for doing away with rules for just about everything and meditation isn't spared.

The goal is to have what Abraham calls, pure positive thought. They believe it's easier to teach us to meditate than to have just pure positive thought. And, I believe they are right. But, on the way to pure positive thought, which can be achieved via a great meditation practice, feel free to try other meditative practices.

For example, although I do meditate and love my meditation practices, my biggest form of meditation is my art. When I am working on my art, I am taking part in almost 100% pure positive thought. Why? Because I love it! I can do it all day and night if I could get away without sleeping. When I am creating a piece of art, my mind is so focused on the work and I am in such a state of JOY that hardly a thought enters it. What does that remind you of? Meditation! By doing what I love, I am connected to the creative power of this Universe and nothing of a negative nature can be attracted to me at that moment. Hence the reason I am in BLISS. I am able to reach pure positive thought and in a sense practice hours of meditation while I am doing my art.

So, if meditation scares you and quieting your mind seems like an insurmountable feat, I urge you to do something you love doing for at least 10 minutes a day. Find something that will help you focus and be able to rest your mind, quiet those thoughts. Listen to some music and make it your intention to just concentrate on the music itself, on every single note of the song. Paint, draw, sing, go for a walk in the park . . . do whatever it takes to get you as close as possible to having pure positive thoughts. This is an important and life-changing step on the road to your dreams. Believe. Listen. Allow.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Living . . . in the light of TRUTH!

2010-01-30T22:16:00.006-05:00

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~Fanny Brice

Ah . . . to live constantly in my own truth . . . to go from one moment to the next without fakery or trickery. To constantly be so in touch with source that all I do is radiate authenticity. That is my intention. I wish to always be secure in who I am and what I believe in. I wish to attract the same in those I come into contact with. For to be honest and myself at all times, will not only benefit me but living in that truth will definitely benefit those around me.

Years ago, the Pet Shop Boys came out with a song, on one of their countless greatest hits package, that I used to love. The song was titled "Too Many People."(Video) It was a song about identity and being "too many people at once" depending on who you were with. At the time, I related to this song because that's how I was living my life. I went from place to place, always pretending to be someone. I went to a job I hated and tried my best to pretend to like it and be that "worker." I then went out with friends to the clubs, etc. and pretended to be somebody else. I'd change from being one person to the next depending on where I was and who I was with. I'm not saying I was a complete fake to everyone but there were elements of me that were always changing to suit the situation. This behavior came from really not being in touch with who I was. Oh, I thought I knew. But, I didn't really like that guy. . . the one I thought I was. You see, I hadn't taken the time to really get to know me and begin to like me. Why would I want to be this "real" me when I wasn't too crazy about him?

Anyway, after years of "pretending," I was finally ready to live my life as the bright being that came here to do so many things. One thing led to another and I kept attracting the teachers and the tools to get me closer to my authentic self. It is a process I work on every single day. But, it is worth it. Life opens up when you are true to your self. The Universe finally understands what it is you are all about and aids you in becoming more and more of that person you want to be. Where there are no pretenses or walls to hide behind of, there is nothing blocking the GOOD coming your way. Your mind is clear. Your vision is bright. You are secure and comfortable in your human suit. The space you occupy in this world finally feels right!

The more you practice living an authentic life the easier it is. Authenticity becomes the norm and whenever you are about to do something that doesn't fit with who you really are, you know it! You can feel it in every cell in your body. This is a wonderful tool to have since it can save you from making decisions based on ego or delusion and instead, you are always making decisions based on truth. There is nothing better than that. Even in the smallest things, you will always do your best to act from an authentic place.

By living with authenticity, all areas of your life will benefit. Your relationships, your work, your health, your JOY will expand and flourish. Everything grows stronger and beautiful in the light of truth. Shine this light upon every corner of your being and see the transformations begin!

No creature is fully itself till it is, like the dandelion, opened in the bloom of pure relationship to the sun, the entire living cosmos. ~D.H. Lawrence

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Peeling off the layers . . .

2010-01-26T22:13:00.008-05:00

"Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this." Eleanor Roosevelt

In researching quotes and articles pertaining to authenticity today, I found something quite interesting. Most of the quotes or essays made a clear connection between being authentic and being happy, joyful, creative, at peace, empowered, and most importantly, being of service. This last connection was the one that struck me the most. What did being authentic have to do with being of service or having the desire to be of service?

In today's text message to the Dream Circle, I used Andrew Cohen's quote about being our authentic selves. Part of it reads as follows: ". . . when your Authentic self miraculously awakens to itself . . . you will actually begin to make a difference in this world. . . " This connection between being authentic and true to yourself and subsequently wanting to help others kept on popping up everywhere. I guess I hadn't seen it as clearly as I did today. The more I connect with my Inner Being or Authentic Self, and peel off the layers and bullshit I've hidden under in the past, the clearer everything gets in my life. And, the less stuff I'm hiding behind, the easier it gets to focus on what is important in my life.

This is what all those quotes I read and posted today are saying. If we don't take the time to connect with our authenticity, with the being that resides in our human suits, then the less likely we are to be able to lead a fulfilling and successful life. It's hard work always being something you're not. It really is! I mean, depending on how hidden behind your facade you are, acting the part of somebody else can get rather complicated and tiring. That is definitely not a way to live your life! How can joy make its way in when we've built so many layers and walls around us? How can anything truthful or meaningful get through? How then, can we take the time to be aware of others and start asking ourselves how we can be of service? We're too busy pretending to even care.

I believe that there is nothing more pivotal to our physical, emotional and spiritual health than being authentic in all ways. Sometimes, it's not so easy. We do live in a world where conformity is thrust upon us from the minute we are born. . . I think it's time to reevaluate that. . . I think it's time to break out of whatever shell we've been living under. . . I KNOW the time has come to let our light shine . . . and in so doing, be able to move freely in this world and quite possibly see the world around us, clearly, for the first time . . .

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

A fixed INTENTION to achieve a desired end . . . a dream!

2010-01-19T22:08:00.010-05:00

How long should you try? Until." - Jim Rohn

This week, it's all about determination: firm or fixed INTENTION to achieve a desired end. The word had a lot of other definitions, but this is the one I liked best. The INTENTION to achieve something, your dreams, goals, aspirations and see it through until the end. As many of you know, I have some big dreams that I'm going to make come true. And the only reason they seem big is because I've never tried anything of this magnitude before. In actuality, I really believe that realizing my dreams, all of them, is as easy as attaining anything else. It's just a matter of allowing the manifestation in without hesitation or resistance.

But, since so many of my dreams are things that I've never even gotten close to thinking about before, well, that's the part that can be a bit daunting. But, only when I sit and think about it and tell myself that it's daunting. Therefore, I barely ever do that. The majority of the time I'm concentrating on the actual actions that will manifest my dreams. When I'm concentrating on creating my beloved and sacred art, there is really no time for any other thoughts to come into my consciousness. The only ones that I let in are usually affirmations to help me with my goals and aspirations. One of my favorites is from Louise L. Hay of course, "I express myself creatively with my art and earn a great income doing it." I repeat this over and over and over and over again as I work. And, one thing to remember when doing affirmations is that the Universe isn't responding to words . . . the Universe responds to feelings. So, as I'm working (action) and saying my affirmations, my goal is to use those affirmations to get me to the feeling place of my dreams. This helps in my determination.

As I create both physically, by working on my art, and spiritually, by reciting the affirmations, I use both things to help me feel the end result of my work. Whenever the two are done together, there is very little room for anything else to happen. This is why I always say that it is so important to devote some time, preferably every single day, to act on your dreams. I make sure that I do some sort of creative, artistic act every day. No matter how late it gets, I make sure to pick up a marker and at the very least, put that marker to paper and create something. This practice also helps with my determination to see my dreams come to fruition. And let me tell you a little somethin' somethin' . . . it's working! More info next time . . .

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING ~ KEEP DREAMING ~ KEEP, KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Hope and Light for Haiti

2010-01-14T22:27:00.005-05:00

At this time of such devastating tragedy in Haiti, I send all the loving light I can muster to them. I urge you all to do the same. Approach the situation with a sense of HOPE, LIGHT and UPLIFTING ENERGY.

Be Strong.

Be Powerful.

Be of Service.

Help in whatever way you can. . .

Here's some information from the US Department of State and Doctors Without Borders:

US Department of State Official Blog

Doctors Without Borders

Peace,

Gene-Manuel

Theme song for 2010 . . . SHINING LIGHT

2010-01-13T09:18:00.005-05:00

"These are the days you often say, there's nothing that we cannot do." ~ Annie Lennox (Shining Light)

Almost a year after its release, Annie Lennox's song "Shining Light" found me! I love Annie but for whatever reason, when The Annie Lennox Collection was released last year, I completely ignored it. I thought, I have every song already since I own all her records, so why bother? But, all things that are meant to happen . . . happen and in searching for some images last night, her photo came up over and over again with the title "Shining Light." I clicked on a link, that lead me to the video . . . I was hooked!

I can't tell you how much JOY this song has brought me in less than 24hrs. I am declaring it my theme song for 2010 and feel free to do the same! Download it! Listen to it every morning and start your day knowing YOU ARE A SHINING LIGHT!

ENJOY!

Gene-Manuel

Trust you'll make the right decisions . . . always . . .

2010-01-12T23:00:00.013-05:00

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. ~Benjamin Spock

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I'm a big believer in always, always, always . . . ummm ALWAYS trusting your instincts. I can't stress it enough! I mean, whenever I've gone against what my solar plexus is telling me, things have not turned out right. Ever! So, back on December 3rd, I wrote about an old friend, FEAR, coming in and trying to mess with my head. There were a few things going on at that time, a few changes that seemed to be happening, and I started to feel a hesitation. Since these were good things and they seemed to be along the same path that I wanted to go in, I just thought that my hesitation and lack of being 100% excited was due to FEAR of change. I thought it was FEAR of taking the necessary steps to move to the next phase of my life. I mean, I had been working with Erin Stutland in the Magical Manifesters group for a couple of months at this time. Some of these changes that were being presented to me stemmed from opportunities that had come up due to our work together. So, of course FEAR was trying to mess with my head and get me to start questioning my decisions . . . or was it?

It is now January 12th and in hindsight, I see that I was right . . . it was fear rearing its ugly head at me back in December. But, it wasn't for the reasons that I had previously thought and mentioned above. It was fear of NOT trusting my own instincts and making the wrong decisions about the steps I needed to take to make the necessary changes in my life. Does that make sense? I was afraid that the opportunities that were presented, weren't the right opportunities for me. Now, don't get me wrong . . . the opportunities and ideas were pretty damn good. And I do think that the reason my solar plexus wasn't in an outright uproar was because these ideas grew from a state of peace and calm, rational thinking and not out of desperation. So what if it wasn't exactly what I wanted, it was still a great thing happening.

Well, I decided to take it easy on this new venture. I took some time off towards the end of December and meditated on everything. I worked on my art. I started work on two commissioned Magicalized Portraits. I enjoyed time with Jhon and friends and time at home just relaxing and being open to the possibilities. I basically surrendered to the Universe once again. Letting it know that I completely trusted the fact that only GOOD would flow to me. And in a matter of a couple of weeks, I am happy to announce that only BRILLIANT, SHINING GOOD has indeed come my way.

The path is clear. The clarity of mind and spirit has never been greater. There is NO FEAR present in any cell of my body. Every step I take is decidedly sure and strong. I feel protected. I feel empowered. I see why everything happened the way it did. I also realized how wonderful the support and work done with Erin's Magical Manifesters has been and hopefully, will continue to be. Working with the group gave me the confidence to really trust in myself. And, I also felt that if one thing didn't work out as planned, I had the ability and support to try another, and another, and another if there was a need. As more details are revealed to me, I will then reveal them to you. Just know that some times, your gut instincts aren't as loud as you might think they'd be. You'll still feel something, but not as strong. Some times, they are a little bit muted and those are the times when it is best to take a breather. Stop all decision-making and let the answers flow. . . they'll come in due time. It's all MAGIC!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING, no matter what!

Gene-Manuel

Healing . . . in musical form . . .

2010-01-08T00:45:00.010-05:00

Thank you for life

Thank you for everything
I stand here in Grace and Gratitude
And I thank you ...
~ Grace and Gratitude by Olivia Newton-John

I've been meaning to write about Olivia Newton-John's 2006 release, Grace and Gratitude, for a long time now. I couldn't think of a better time than right now, especially after I've had the entire record on repeat on my iPhone for the past several days.

Just in case you're not aware of this CD, here's a message from Olivia:

"I am very proud to introduce you to my latest CD, Grace and Gratitude, so named for my appreciation of this incredible gift of life I have been blessed with! I hope these songs will help you to take time out of your busy life for relaxation or meditation. As a long-term cancer survivor, I have learned how important it is to take care of both my physical and emotional health. In my recovery, I became even more aware of the power of music. It can heal the body, calm the mind, and lift the spirit; but above all, it can connect us to our hearts." (This "healing" CD was released in America September 25, 2006.)

I absolutely LOVE the idea of calling this a "healing" CD and I wholeheartedly agree! Every single song is infused with magic and an authenticity that is palpable. There is also great love. Olivia's voice has never sounded more incredible as it does on this record. You can feel her connection to the music and her commitment to the messages. The messages are all here: having grace and gratitude, the power of the NOW, letting go and releasing, being of service, and so many others. This record is a beautiful reminder of how amazing and precious life is.

Here is Olivia performing the title track: Grace and Gratitude

The beauty continues . . . the healing continues . . .

Here is Let Go and Let God:

I urge all of you to add this music to your collection. Make it a part of your meditation or gratitude practice. It will become your "go to" piece of music whenever you need a little push toward some healing light. Music does indeed have incredible power - to move the listener, to bring joy, to enlighten, to heal.

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The power to rekindle someone else's light . . .

2010-01-07T22:28:00.007-05:00

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~ Albert Schweitzer

I really love this quote from theologian and philosopher Albert Schweitzer because there is such truth in it. But, instead of focusing on those times when our inner light is somewhat dimmed or has completely gone out, I'd like to focus on the times when the light is rekindled by someone else. Although my inner light hasn't gone completely out in a very long time, there have been those instances where the light has dimmed somewhat. For whatever reason, usually I've started thinking too much and lost focus on the moment, a dimming has occurred and I've found myself temporarily in the dark. It has been at those times when I've found solace in others and it has been their light, their spark as Mr. Schweitzer says, that has rekindled my own.

It can be anything. A simple, quiet smile from a stranger on the street or a quick phone call or text from a loved one or dear friend. To relight a flame not much is needed. There have been times when a short voice mail from a friend telling me they're thinking of me and sending me some love has worked miracles on my state of mind. Most of the time they don't even know what they've done. But, if you are always open to those moments, then they will come to your rescue, for lack of a better word, just at the right time.

This is a good thing to keep in mind when we are out in the world and living our every day. Especially this coming Decade of Light! Right? As I mentioned in my last entry, waking up and lighting our own brilliant inner light each morning is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves at the start of our day. This goes far beyond just our own well-being and self-care though. As we go out and radiate our light, we actually have the ability to do just what the quote above states. Studies have been conducted that have been able to measure how someone feeling happy can actually affect their environment and the people around them. (Happiness spreads in waves)

Imagine that! We have the power at our disposal to create a happy, jovial, brilliant and even healthy environment. It's contagious! Now think about it. What are you emanating as you go about your life each day? And what are you picking up in return? The thoughts you're letting in and sending out into the Universe have the power to do a lot of good to not only you but those around you. Make them all count. What kind of energy do you bring to your work place or school or into your home? How is this energy affecting you and those you love?

Peace and light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Turning on the light . . . inside . . .

2010-01-05T09:22:00.001-05:00

We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light. ~Earl Nightingale

Photo Courtesy: Inner Light Yoga - UK

It sometimes feels that way doesn't it? That we are constantly walking in the dark or surrounded by darkness. And we all know that nothing grows in the dark. For anything to live and prosper, flourish and spring forth, it needs light. Whether it is a flower or an idea . . . everything needs light. It can be the light of the sun or the light of understanding. As Earl Nightingale states, we all have to learn to "turn on" our own light. I think the light he is referring to is our own Inner Light, which I've written about before. It really is that important! Again, without light, nothing grows. So, how can we grow as human beings, how can we move forward and pursue our dreams and make them a reality, without our inner light shining?

I've mentioned that the new year, 2010, is all about shining bright. I'd like to make it the entire decade! Yes! Let's set the entire decade ablaze and light our path all the way through the next ten years! Why not?! But in order to do that, we have to start with today. We have to start with this moment. We have to start fanning the flames of our inner spark, every single day, every single morning. This is something that I've started to do each day as soon as my alarm rings or I wake up. I make sure that before I even move to try and get out of bed, I take a few minutes to light my inner spark. Before my eyes adjust or even before I open them fully, I go inside and start turning on the light. The light of gratitude. The light of Well-Being. The light of love for all that is.

Starting your day with Gratitude and choosing to be on the side of Positivity only helps shift the energy around you. Even before you set foot out of bed, you are already choosing how your day will go. At this moment you are still in that La La period, where you're not sleeping but you're not fully awake either. It's the perfect time to feed your subconscious mind a good breakfast of uplifting energy and thoughts to guide the rest of your day. And as always, as you set foot on the floor, say a silent "Thank You" to the Universe for another day. Another opportunity to make some magic. It's another day to make the most out of your life. Another chance to SHINE!

This is the first Day-Dreaming Tuesday of 2010 and I am so happy to be able to share it with you all. As I mentioned earlier this year, :-), I have lots of exciting things planned for this blog and for Day-Dreaming Tuesday. I hope you will continue to join me on this journey. I also ask you to please join the DREAM CIRCLE by clicking on the FOLLOW button on the right here. See it? All you will be asked for is an e-mail address and you can upload a photo of your beautiful shining self if you'd like, although it's not mandatory. You will not be bombarded by e-mails from me or anyone else. This is just a nice way to introduce yourself and let me know you're there. We'd love to have your energy added to the mix! Thank you in advance!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The thing about dreams is that . . .

2010-01-03T18:58:00.000-05:00

. . . they come true!

Here's proof:

January 21st, 2009 ~ Susan Boyle decides she's going to go down and audition for Britain's Got Talent. We all know what happens at this audition. She is laughed at. She is ridiculed. She is considered a crazy lady. She is expected to fail. She is considered an ill-dressed, delusional spinster.

At this audition, in January 21st, 2009, she proves everyone: WRONG

In April of 2009, this episode airs in England and within a couple of hours, the phenomenon begins. I heard about it via Ashton Kutcher on Twitter. He was the first person to alert me of this Susan Boyle. By that Sunday, she has already caught the attention of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALQCkizx4UI(YouTube does not allow embedding of this video)

At this audition, on January 21st, 2009, she mentions that she'd like to be like Elaine Paige. She gets laughed at of course. Ha! She's like to be like Elaine Paige. The woman is mad!

Again, we know how Susan's story unveiled. She is now a record-breaking recording artist. She has had the #1 record in the United States for the past SIX WEEKS! She has sold close to 3 million copies of I Dreamed A Dream in a little over a month in this country alone!

And, less than a year after her audition, she was on stage singing with Elaine Paige. Every time I see this video I burst into tears. Not just for the fact that the song is so beautiful and they both sound so incredible together, but especially because I have the privilege of seeing a DREAM COME TRUE.

Here is this amazingly talented woman living her wildest dreams! I am pretty sure that everything she could have ever imagined for herself has been surpassed by the incredible success of her debut record. But, never giving up on her dream is what has gotten her here. Never believing that it was over for her, got her to this point in her life. Never listening to the laughs and taunts, has gotten her here. Finally being ready to take charge of her life and with the pure intention of making her mother proud, that's what got her here.

Her story continues to inspire me as it unfolds. I see someone that believed in that spark that was within them so much, that it gave them the courage to attempt what others thought was impossible. That's what we have to all remember and take from Susan's incredible journey. What is within us that needs to be let out?! What spark do we carry inside that needs to SHINE in 2010 and beyond? Believe in that. Believe in the gift that you came here to give to the world. The Universe will help you in every way if you just believe in yourself, no matter what.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to work as I listen to I Dreamed A Dream one more time.

Peace and light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Giving THANKS to 2009 and 2010 . . . for everything . . .

2010-01-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everybody!

It is officially 2010! It is not only the start of a wonderful new year, but also the start of a brand new decade! Before we march forth, with our eyes focused on the bright lights ahead, I'd like for us all to give some thanks to 2009. That's how I started my day on this 1st of January, 2010. I did a Thankful Meditation where I sat down and gave thanks to 2009 for all of the experiences it brought me:

Thank you for my mom and dad still being around
Thank you for my beautiful Jhon being in my life
Thank you for my friends, both old and new, for the color they bring to my world
Thank you for the teachers I attracted and thank you for the lessons I was taught
Thank you for the art that flows through me
Thank you for the joy that this art brings me and others
Thank you for each day that I was able to take a breath and move my body along
Thank you for the cold, the rain, the sun, the heat, the sleet, the snow, the fallen leaves, the blooming flowers, the wind . . .
Thank you for passing time just as it always has and always will and letting me be a witness
Thank you for the special days
Thank you for the special nights
Thank you for each heart beat
Thank you for finishing the year on a high note
Thank you for beauty
Thank you for color
Thank you for laughter
Thank you for abundance
Thank you for lack
Thank you for the money that flowed into my life and bank accounts
Thank you for being able to pay others
Thank you for love

That was all for 2009. I then thanked 2010 for all of the amazing things that it brings forth:

Thank you for being so bright and shiny and new
Thank you for 12 months filled with joy
Thank you for the abundance that you bring
Thank you for the opportunities and possibilities that are right there for me to enjoy
Thank you for the love I can be a part of
Thank you for the times with family and loved ones and friends
Thank you for my art and the growth of my business
Thank you for all of the lessons that are on their way
Thank you for the teachers
Thank you for my life

I went a little further but you get the idea. This was a magical way to begin the new year. 2009 had its ups and downs but when all is considered, it was a phenomenal year. How could it not be? I was here on Earth. Each day gave me the opportunity to do what I came here to do on the physical realm. It was up to me to make things happen. In some areas, I succeeded. In others, I realized there is still work to be done. But, I was given 365 days to do something wonderful. I am now given another 365 days to do even better!

Thank you for being a part of my journey and I look forward to continuing it with you. There are some changes coming to The Daydream Chronicles. They are all very exciting and I look forward to sharing them with you. Many, many, many of my dreams are coming through this year. Some have already started to manifest and it feels wonderful! I will share all of them with you here and hope you start to share some of your dreams with me as well.

I encourage you to take the time these next few days, during the first five days of 2010, and do a Thankful Meditation giving thanks to 2009 and welcoming 2010. Give a heartfelt THANK YOU to this new year and welcome it!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Hooray for 2009! - Part One

2009-12-29T22:42:00.000-05:00

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. ~Aldous Huxley

I honestly can't believe that it is the end of 2009! I mean, really? Really? The year is over? It feels as if I just recently became comfortable with writing the number 2009 every night in my Gratitude Journal. But, even if it's hard for me to comprehend how the year has flown by, there's no denying that it indeed has. Not only has the year come to a close but so has the decade. It's all a wondrous miracle and an eye-opening experience because this feeling of how fleeting time is means, to me at least, that I didn't really pay much attention. Somehow, I went into auto-pilot for the past 10 years, or let's say 8 & 1/2, since for the past year and a half I've been in the process of awakening. But, instead of lamenting over the time that I've lost, it's time to take stock of all the incredible things that have happened to me and all of the things I've done and accomplished.

Image courtesy of COLORCUBIC

In my last Magical Manifesters meeting this month, Erin had us write down a few of the things we had manifested over the past year. She broke it down into different areas, such as Work, Personal Life, Career, etc. It was such a great exercise because unless you take the time to acknowledge all of the work you've done, it's very easy to dismiss it all. How many times in the last few days have you heard someone say Good Riddance to 2009! Yeah! They can't wait for this year to be over. . . It was such a bad year! Next year must be better than this one. And on and on and on. The interesting part is that most of these people said the same thing last year, and the year before that, and most likely, the year before that one as well.

This time around, I suggest we all follow Erin's lead and take some time to go over the past year and write down all of things that jump out at you. They could be obvious things like getting a big promotion at work or having a baby to the little things, such as painting your apartment or buying that new winter coat you needed so badly. You can break the lists down into categories, such as Work, Personal Life, Home Life, Relationships, Career, Health, Dreams, etc. Take your time and go through the year and allow these things to come forth. When you've finished with this list or lists, read them over and pay attention to how some of the things you've written down make you feel. This is a great way to determine how your year has gone for you. Do most of the things on your list bring you joy? Happiness? A sense of accomplishment? A sense of Peace? Or, are there areas where an obvious improvement is necessary? What are the actions you could start to take right now to bring that improved state to that particular area of your life?

Making this Year-End List is a great way to be able to visualize all the different parts of your life. Once you've taken stock and are more aware, then you'll be in a much better place to move forward. If you see a pattern that you've been stuck in for the past year, what are some of the steps you can take to get out of it? On the other hand, where did you excel and what did you do in those areas? What action steps did you do, either without knowing or on purpose, to get you where you wanted to be? Can those same steps help you in other areas of your life? See how this works? It all comes down to being aware. What works and what doesn't. Once you know, you are more apt to be able to move forward in the right direction.

Of course, gratitude plays a huge role in end-of-the-year recaps. Love, love, love Gratitude! Hmmm that's another wonderful list to do. I'll go into that on my next entry. I have so many, many incredible things to be grateful for that have happened to me this past year. In addition, 2010 has already started to shine its light . . . it's quite bright . . .

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

'Tis the Season . . .

2009-12-22T23:12:00.000-05:00

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give. ~George MacDonald

I would like to first apologize for not writing an update sooner. I have been so busy that I honestly didn't have the chance to sit at my computer and write. No, I wasn't busy going nuts over Christmas shopping or pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to give "so and so" and "the other." I've actually been busy creating art and finishing the first of two commissioned pieces. I've been busy envisioning my life in the coming new year. I've been busy enjoying the company of friends and loved ones. I've been busy decorating our home and spending an entire Saturday night listening to new Christmas music from Tori Amos and Mary Chapin Carpenter with Jhon. I've been busy laughing, feeling joy, living the moment, loving, taking it easy, doing IntenSati, looking at our Christmas tree, watching the snow fall, looking forward to time at home . . . these are the things that have gotten my attention.

I haven't set foot in a shop or a mall. I haven't gone into debt trying to buy things I can't afford just out of obligation or to show off. There hasn't been one day so far where the thought of wanting Christmas to be over has entered my mind. Why? Because it has been my intention since the holiday season began, to feel only JOY. It has been my intention to give and receive only JOY. I've made it my intention to focus only on what makes me feel GOOD and in turn, when I'm feeling GOOD, I am able to make those around me feel GOOD as well.

I was struck by some Facebook updates today. So many people were complaining about leaving everything until the last minute. They hadn't bought gifts or had forgotten somebody and needed to run back to the mall. Others were dreading having to wrap 30 presents. Quite a few were wishing Christmas was over and others were asking themselves, "why do we do this to ourselves?" Hmmmm All these depressing updates made me ask the same question actually. Why do this to yourself? Why make the season so overwhelming and dreadful? Why make it so much about the gifts?

There are so many ways to spread holiday cheer that have nothing to do with a Target or a Macy's! There are so many beautiful things you can make yourself that will be treasured and remembered for years to come and not just for a couple of days. There are so many special memories that are waiting to be created and shared among friends and families that will put any store-bought gift to shame. All you have to do is start with the intention to have the best time ever without going crazy. Make it your intention to feel as much loving energy as you can and in return, give that loving energy out into the world. Give of yourself to others and let that be the best gift you give this year. Take a little time to investigate how you can redefine the season. You'll be surprised how all of a sudden, the holiday crunch will seem to have disappeared. In its place will be full-blown holiday cheer. Remember, what you focus on expands . . . what will you give your attention to this Christmas? What really matters?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Intending a JOYfilled season . . .

2009-12-15T23:14:00.000-05:00

One With Dreams of Love - 2009

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

I didn't grow up with Christmas. My parents were, still are, Jehovah's Witnesses, so Christmas was never a part of my childhood. Therefore, I came into it, the whole tradition of Christmas, not too long ago. My first tree, a small fake 3ft tree, was bought in like the year 2000. Then, once Jhon and I moved in together, that's when I experienced my first real tree, which was pretty amazing.

I write all this just so that it's clear that I don't have any kind of sentimental attachment to the season. But, even with all that, I have to say that the Holiday Season, has become my favorite part of the year. I can feel some of you rolling your eyes or asking out loud, "Are you kidding me?!" Yes, it can get really hectic and out of control. I've seen that. Luckily, I've never experienced anything like that. And, I really believe that with a little focus on what's truly important during the holidays, anyone can make the season a truly magical time. I'm not suggesting to get rid of the presents or the parties or family get-togethers. By all means, these are all wonderful opportunities to share and create and brighten up the lives of many. Herein lies the opportunities to infuse magic into our lives. How awesome is that?

As in every other part of life, we have the power to make this time of the year, just how we'd like it to be. So, with that in mind. . . how would you like to spend this time? How would you like this festive season to be different from years past? What would make you and those around you the happiest? Is it the "things"? Or is it the laughter, the joy, the smiles of those you love. Material things are lovely and opening presents is one of my favorite things. But, what brings me an insurmountable amount of glee is giving someone else a present. Just the act of picking something out or creating it, and wrapping it, then giving it to that person I care about and knowing that they will love it . . . THAT'S the precious part of it all. So, in actuality, it's not the gift itself that brings the joy, it's the ACT of GIVING. Isn't it? Such a simple thing.

The season is filled with opportunities to bring and receive joy from the simplest of things. The smallest gestures have the capacity to change lives. If we all take the time to focus our energy in making the holidays as JOYfilled as possible for everyone around us, that in itself will change the energy around the entire season. It can go from a stressful couple of weeks to some of the happiest ones you've ever experienced. It's all in how we come into it and with what intentions.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Fear of a dark place . . .

2009-12-10T21:21:00.000-05:00

A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dark places . . . they can be quite nice . . . if you're sleeping or taking a nap. This wasn't the kind of dark place I ventured into this past Saturday. I woke up and started to get ready for the day ahead, going about business as usual. But, I felt a bit different. My energy was very low and my thoughts kept on focusing on what was NOT going on in my life rather than on what WAS. I tried my best to guide my thoughts in the right direction and for the better part of the morning, early afternoon, I sort of . . . well . . . did my best. Towards mid-day I decided to just go there. I decided to feel as miserable and dark as I wanted to. I wasn't going to fake it or stop it.

This little sojourn into a low and dark place was brought on by Fear of course. I had been battling it for the past couple of days and completely ignoring it the day before (Friday). I finally let it take me down although I was fully aware of the fact that I had within me all it took to come out of it. The first step was to promise that I would only allow myself to be in this state for a maximum of a couple of hours. That was it. I was going to feel the darkness, touch upon the misery, feel sorry for myself but only for the allotted amount of time. The other, was to not keep it a secret or fake my way through it. In the midst of it all I updated my Facebook status letting everyone that read it know what I was going through.

Almost immediately there were responses to my posting. Jhon already knew how I was feeling before the update so he had already given me his support, like he always does. The outpouring of concern and the sending of positive and uplifting vibes was palpable. By the time I got home, I was already coming out of the funk. Jhon had prepared an incredible dinner and we waited until I was fully in the clear before enjoying it. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by my art and by the people I love and love me unconditionally. Affirmations came to mind and I started to repeat them, almost without being aware of it. More than just repeating them, I entered the place of "feeling" them. "The Universe always has the best in store for me." "I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy." Two of my favorites that always have the ability to uplift and raise my energy.

Pretty soon I was able to do another status update that declared I was OUT of the dark place and into the light. In hindsight, my little adventure, because why call it anything else, really lasted about an hour total. Less than what I had given myself permission to experience! Ha! That was an awesome realization. The fact that I was able to go through a rough time, willingly, fully knowing that I was responsible for it and to then know that I had the ability to come out of it at any time. Giving myself permission to do feel as terrible as I wanted to, putting a time limit on that, and then receiving all of the positive energy from friends and loved ones are the reasons that I came out of the state so quickly.

Lots of things were proven to me by going through this. At least, for me, personally. First, that it's OK to some times just feel bad, sad or mad and full of rage and still hold on to the power we have within to get ourselves out of it. We always have it. In every single situation we are faced with, we always have control over how we feel. I also realized how important and powerful is the energy of friends and other people around you. I truly believe that when we genuinely send out positive, loving, caring or healing thoughts towards someone else, that is energy being released and sent directly to that person. And, it works. Believe me . . . it really does work. When my friends posted their comments on my update, encouraging me and sending me love and good energy . . . I FELT it. That was just through a computer. Then I received a phone call from another good friend asking me who's ass she had to kick for me . . . ah laughter and more loving and caring energy via a phone call and the sound of her voice. So, it's OK to let people know when you're not feeling 100%. It's OK to let others know how you are feeling and be truthful. The right people will come to your aid or offer just what you're needing.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The return of an unwelcomed friend . . .

2009-12-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile... initially scared me to death. ~Betty Bender

I've recently experienced something quite interesting. I was faced with some opportunities that had in them the potential for great things. They had the potential for some dreams to come true and real results, real change in my life. You're probably thinking, "Great! That all sounds wonderful!" And, you're right. Everything does sound and is quite wonderful. Imagine my surprise when I found myself not really wanting to go through with the necessary steps needed to get these projects rolling!

I actually found myself coming up with excuses not to keep a meeting that had been scheduled for weeks. Then, I started to ask myself whether I really wanted this to happen or that to happen. Was I sure? Did it all make sense? Was it the right time? I had a couple of very important meetings with people that could very well help me on my way. And again, my mind wanted to come up with excuses why I didn't think I was ready for this next step or the other. It was all quite ridiculous. Especially because, thankfully, I knew what my ego was trying to do. I knew what was behind all of it. Our good friend FEAR.

That little bugger knows exactly when to strike. Right at the point of actual change, Fear likes to come in and start to mess with our heads. I couldn't believe it! I actually started to laugh out loud the second I realized Fear was trying to get in my way. And it's such a sneaky thing . . . really quite talented at what it does. If you're not careful, Fear will get you to believe anything. Most of the things Fear was coming up with made sense to me. You know why? Because Fear uses our past against us. It takes our bad experiences, childhood traumas, the unknown, past failures and a slew of other things from our lives and twists and turns them to fit the current situation. So, when Fear gets started playing the tapes in our heads, it all sounds quite true because, well, we've been listening to those tapes for quite a while. The words might be different but the sentiments expressed are the same.

Luckily, I refused to listen to any of it. I stopped Fear dead in its tracks and went ahead with all my meetings, plans and decisions. I kept repeating positive affirmations and focusing on the ultimate goals I was in the process of accomplishing. But, Fear wasn't about to give up so easily. Even with all my armor, Fear dragged me down to a dark place. I'll get into that on Thursday. Until then, think about the role, if any, that Fear likes to play in your own lives. Is it a constant visitor or have you shown it the door OUT of your life for good? Does it stop you from LIVING and REALIZING your dreams? If so, what are you willing to do to take back full control?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Let's include a GLOBAL DREAM . . .

2009-12-01T22:27:00.000-05:00

Just a little while ago I told Jhon that I was sad. This wave of sadness came over me. I can't think of anything in my life that can be causing me to feel this way. I really think it's that I'm tapping into the cosmic wave on this World AIDS Day. There's this energy of sorrow due to the millions of lives that have been lost to HIV/AIDS and seeing how it is still a part of us.

I don't want to dwell in this sadness. In order to celebrate those lives, the best thing we can do is to continue to work towards finding a cure. We must continue to educate. We must continue to open hearts and minds. We must continue to envision a world free of disease, free of poverty, free of hunger, free of discrimination.

This is my message today. As we work on creating and realizing our own dreams, let's include a Global Dream. Our powers of manifesting are multiplied when we join together as one. While we meditate or give thanks for all we have, send out a message of hope, peace and love for this Earth. Let our collective energy join in the healing of the sick, in the preservation of our precious natural resources and in the expansion of all that is GOOD.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

A courageous & brilliant "freak" . . . flying high!

2009-11-26T20:31:00.000-05:00

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings

e.e. cummings truly gets to the heart of it all in such simple words. This past week I've been reminded over and over again about the beauty behind being authentic and true to yourself. This has come about due to my new-found obsession with Lady GaGa. I'll try not to make this post an entire love letter to her, but instead focus on what she has sparked in me. The connection that I've made with her goes beyond her music, which I do love. But, like she states many times when speaking about her fans, or little monsters, as she calls them, US!, she sees herself in her fans and we see ourselves in her. We get to raise our "freak" flag right up there with her!!!

This is something that I wasn't aware of when I first started listening to her music, which was really just about a week or so ago. Until then, I had stayed away from her, thinking that she was most likely another pre-packaged act with little talent to back her up. But, since the Law of Attraction works in all areas of our life, it was only a matter of time before I got around to attracting some GaGa into mine. And, I am so elated that it finally happened. I started listening to the music without knowing much about her. Then, via the beauty of YouTube, I was able to go back and learn a little something about the person behind the masks. Which to me is one of the funniest things about her. You'd think that someone that wears so many masks and wigs and in a sense, disguises, would be a total mystery and hard to understand. Someone guarded and strange. This could not be farther from the truth.

I have found her to be so self-assured and poised and, AUTHENTIC. She is pure in her message of acceptance and hell yes! Raise your FREAK Flag high and proud and let everyone around you know that you are one unique little monster. We all are. And in exchange for this revelation, we get the most amazing gift of all: FREEDOM. Freedom to be who we truly are deep down inside. This freedom is evident in Lady GaGa's composure. She's comfortable, SO comfortable in her own skin that at first I couldn't put my finger on it. I watched her interview on Ellen and then on Fuse's On The Record and I couldn't really understand what it was that was so different. Looking beyond her appearance, there was something quite different about this person. And then it dawned on me after watching the Fuse interview for the second time. Here was an individual that was completely at ease with the person she was. That is also such POWER!

Imagine being able to lead your life from an authentic, honest and pure foundation? Imagine the creative abundance that would flow into your life if there weren't any barriers put up to protect you from what the world "thought" about you? This is what being exposed to Lady GaGa has strengthened in me. The feeling of being able to trust my creative talents and listen to my inner guidance. I want to continue exploring all areas of my art and life and music. There are no boundaries when it comes to what we can do when we trust ourselves. And, if everything we do comes from that pure authentic core, there is NOTHING that can stop us from realizing our dreams.

Let's keep working on being in constant contact with our inner being and tapping into that core of truth that is within us all. We have the tools at our disposal to create miracles in our lives. No matter what our outer shell looks like, when we are true to ourselves, the rest of the world has no choice but to fall in line. I don't know about you, but, I'd rather be accepted for the "real" me than for some other "me" I could come up with to try and fit in. That seems rather boring after being Gagacized!

I hope you all had a wonderful week full of Thanks. I thank you immensely for reading and connecting with me. Here's to another week filled with magic! I'll be back on Day-Dreaming Tuesday . . . join me.

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The importance of being . . . YOU

2009-11-24T23:20:00.000-05:00

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings, 1955

Every Day-Dreaming Tuesday, I send out a text message to what I call the Dream Circle. And in every text, I usually include a quote that inspires the rest of the text. e.e. cummings quote above was part of today's Dream Circle text and it got such a great response that I knew I'd have to write a little more about it this week.

As I wrote in the text earlier today, I am choosing to think that the fight e.e. cummings mentions is really the fight we have with ourselves every day to be our authentic selves. That inner struggle to conform or not conform. I had that every single day when I worked in Corporate America (CA). There were many a times when I'd either sit in my car or stand in front of the building and cried. When I was working downtown at Salomon Smith Barney, I didn't even wait to get to the building. I'd start crying on the 1 train. What I was doing was so far removed from who I really am that it was painful. My entire body was rejecting the job I was doing. Every cell screamed out, "STOP!!! Don't do it!!! Go back! This is wrong!!!!!!!"

Talk about a place that wanted to make you like everyone else! Everybody dressed the same. All the guys had the same haircuts, suits, ties, shoes. No matter how much I tried, it was so obvious I didn't belong there. Make me wear a tie and it literally looks like I have a noose around my throat. Isn't it funny that a tightly knotted tie feels the same as if you were being strangled? I often pictured the invisible hands that were around my throat, forcing me to do what I didn't want to do. I could almost see the hands leading me by this "thing" around my throat. Dragging me around from floor to floor, office to office.

My last sojourn with CA almost landed me in the hospital. The stress of pretending to be someone I wasn't started to give me panic attacks. And, I don't mean once in a while either. I was getting a panic attack every single day, during working hours, usually while dealing with a pissed off client on the phone. It felt like I was dying and in a way, I certainly was. My inner being was slowly being suffocated, not only by the tie around my neck but by my constant betrayal of my authentic self.

After that job was over (I was a temp) I swore to myself that I would never do something so detrimental to my well-being. I mean, I understand that in order to maneuver our way in this world, we do have to abide by certain rules. Fine. But once this means a pushing down and stifling of the person we truly are, that's where the problems begin. It just never works ,does it? We can't last long pretending to be something we're not.

If you've lost that connection to your true being and your authenticity as a human being has been compromised, I ask you to begin the journey of self-discovery. Begin to uncover those things that make you, YOU. Get in touch with the person you came here to be..

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

When LIFE starts making sense . . .

2009-11-19T22:57:00.000-05:00

"People living deeply have no fear of death." ~ Anais Nin

Ah . . . "People living deeply have no fear of death." So simple yet so powerful and true. Those words by author Anais Nin really resonate with me. Besides inspiring me to live life to the fullest, they are also a reminder to live in the NOW. At least that 's one of the meanings I come away with. When we're focused on our BLISS, there are no thoughts of death or of wondering what will happen to us when we die. Being present, in the moment, the NOW, awakens within us a sense of being fully alive, and once that happens, we begin to understand how eternal we are.

I remember not too long ago when I had questions about why we were here on Earth. It all seemed so futile. A couple of years ago my dad was hospitalized for like the third time in the same year. Aside from the whole experience being quite horrible, I was also in a terrible state of mind. Rage coursed through my veins. And here I was, visiting him in the hospital every day. Seeing him practically unrecognizable. He was hallucinating and out of it most of the time. Well, I was certainly not happy. One day I sat in his hospital room and started writing this long letter about how horrible things were. I was basically asking why the hell we were here on Earth. What was the purpose of our lives if we came here, worked, suffered and then we died. What was all that about? I wrote pages and pages about what a complete waste of time life was. I just couldn't understand why any of us were here.

I still have that letter, in fact I read some of it a few months ago and it was like someone else had written it. And I understood him. Not because I agreed with what was written, but I understood how someone in his state of mind could think that way. At the time, I had no understanding of much of anything. I wasn't living any sort of life that gave me any kind of joy. I had no hope whatsoever and as I wrote last week, we can't survive long without HOPE. The me that wrote that letter was really a shell of a person living a life that barely touched the surface of anything. I wasn't even close to living deeply. At that time I was so far from my true self that it's really a miracle I survived at all.

So many, many things have changed since I wrote those words. I began to seek the answers to all of my questions about life and my purpose here. Was it just to work at a boring job or to keep struggling to become a famous singer? Or was I just wasting time until I died? I always felt there was a reason for my being here. . . but I wasn't sure what it was. at that point Slowly, when I was ready for it, the Universal answers revealed themselves to me. I began to understand more and more the reason for my existence. Although I don't always make it easy on myself, I do believe and get glimpses of the fact that at it's very core, LIFE is most definitely beautiful and quite easy. I now understand the power I have over the things I see and experience. Every single day I have the choice to live an authentic life and be true to the me that came forth into the physical to experience as much joy as possible.

The more I focus on joy and feeling good, the more reasons the Universe gives me to feel good and joyful. As I concentrate on that which brings me absolute bliss, I keep connecting to my Source. That eternal Source that is everlasting. Any fear of death disappears when you are living this life in the way that you intended when you came forth into the physical. Of course we start to doubt our reasons for living . . . if WE ARE NOT LIVING! The instant you begin to take steps towards revealing what brings you to a state of happiness and bliss, that's the instant life starts making sense. That is the moment you begin to truly experience life like you've never experienced it before. It ceases to be a journey towards an inevitable end but more of a journey that can be packed with a myriad of mind-blowing experiences without end. Life is eternal . . .

So, think about it for the next couple of days. What makes you feel alive? What steps can you take right now to bring some joy into your life? What is your BLISS? What wonderful gift are you here on Earth to give to us?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING

Gene-Manuel

Being inside . . . my human suit . . .

2009-11-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

"Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." ~ Rossiter W. Raymond - put to music by Carly Simon

Life is eternal. . . I truly believe those words. Although I have no knowledge of what happens after we leave this physical body or our human suit, I do have a strong feeling that we just move on. We are brilliant source energy and as we all know, energy cannot be destroyed. Energy can change form but not destroyed. Therefore, if we come from Source Energy, are connected to Source Energy while here in physical form, then we must return to that Source. Abraham mentions that we go back to Source Energy and once there, we're free to decide what to do next. Do we hang out "there" for a while or come right back and choose another life experience?

Ever since I was little, I always felt as if I was "wearing" this body. I remember looking in the mirror and being amazed that I was in there. I could literally feel my spirit, my life force, behind my eyes and inside my body. As I got older, there were times when I'd get a definite sense of inhabiting this human suit. Especially when I first started to meditate and I'd quiet the mind by going inside my body. I would focus on my hands, for example, and how I had them placed on my lap. The feeling of being the force behind the hands was so clear and evident. I wasn't this body that was sitting there on the seat, I was the spirit within. I was the energy giving life to these limbs. I was the force behind the eyes that stared back at me in that bathroom mirror.

Of course, as a child I didn't really have the words to describe what I was feeling. I just knew that the body my parents had chosen to name Eugenio Manuel Parets Larramendi Matamoros (yeah, I know . . . Yikes!), was just that . . . a body. The real me, was that energy inside the body that animated it. There were also times when I refused to answer to my name because it just didn't seem right. Many a times I had a full discussion with my mother, the one that actually chose my name to make my father "happy." I had come up with the reasons why she should have just given me a temporary name and then allowed me to change it when I got older. I explained to her that she really had no right to stick me with such a name that had nothing to do with who I really was. . . Needless to say, Regina wasn't amused. But, this was just part of that knowing. :-)

So, we come here into the physical. We cannot really die, only leave our physical bodies. What now? How do we use this knowledge to have a great time while we're here? How do we tap into this eternalness and make it work for us in the here and NOW? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to e-mail me and your ideas might show up in one of the next two updates, Thursday or Saturday. In the meantime, here's what I suggest you do. Let's do some mirror work like the little Gene-Manuel used to do. Look in that mirror, deep into your eyes and just be with yourself. See if you can go beyond seeing the physical you and tap into the source inside. Can you reach a feeling of united-separation between the physical and the spiritual? Let me know how that goes as well. e-mail me directly: gene-manuel@whirlingart.com

I'd like to also share this beautiful video from Abraham-Hicks in regards to the Death Experience: Abraham (Physical Death)

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Inviting HOPE . . .

2009-11-14T21:49:00.000-05:00

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, HOPE for tomorrow." ~ Albert Einstein

When faced with challenges, we can do many things to try and take care of them. We can face them head on, or ignore them. We can ask for help or try and take care of them on our own. I believe the most important thing to do when faced with a challenging situation, or what most people call a problem, is to really sit with it and ask, "What is this situation here to teach me?" I believe that every boulder that appears on our path is a lesson we are here to learn. And as Louise Hay says in You Can Heal Your Life, some times, as you walk in your own personal journey, a boulder shows up that you've faced before. It's there to see how you handle it this time around. How do you manage to get it out of your way for good? Did you really learn the lesson it is there to teach you?

I came across a boulder just in the last couple of weeks. It presented itself and at first, it seemed bigger than ever. I couldn't believe it. Hadn't I faced this one before and somehow managed to get it out of my way? Why was it here again and this time, BIGGER than ever! It was almost too much for me. I immediately knew that this time around, I needed to get serious and really tackle the issue at hand. This particular lesson had come back, and stronger, because I hadn't really faced it head on the last however many times it had visited me. I had sort of taken care of it, but not really. I had kinda used something to move it out of my way and proceeded to ignore that it was there, at the side of the road, traveling with me . . . gaining speed and veering towards my path.

First thing I did was meditate on the issue. I quieted my mind and asked for help. This is something I've done many times in meditation. Whenever I'm stuck on anything, usually on how to proceed with a certain situation, I turn to meditation for the answer. I believe we have all the answers we need right inside us. What happens is that we allow outside influences and noise and distractions to clutter our minds. The more we allow this to happen, the harder it is to be in tuned with our inner voice that is always there ready to guide us. By quieting the mind, and blocking outside noise, that voice is allowed to rise. In addition, we are able to tap into the Universal Source Energy, that from which we come from and are a part of. Ask and you shall receive.

I meditated and asked for guidance on a Monday morning and by 10:30am, on that same Monday, I had the first of many answers. A good friend had gotten the urge to visit a particular site, for no apparent reason that she knew of. She was about to click off of the site when something jumped out at her and she immediately thought of me. She e-mailed me the link to the site and wouldn't you know it? It was for one of the things I had been specific about in my meditation. The site almost used the exact words I had used in my questions to the Universe. In the past I would've put this down as an interesting coincidence, but, now I know better. My intentions when I meditated were very clear and honest. I was specific in my asking and I got specific answers . . . almost immediately.

This was only the beginning of the work for me. During the course of the week, I had to face that boulder more than once. A couple of times during that week, it felt as if I had somehow ended up underneath it and felt it crushing me. With additional meditation and a constant clinging on to HOPE, I was able to come out from under and once again, face it. I'm still in the process of easing it out of my path for good. This time though, I feel that it's moving easier than before. By setting my intentions and focusing on what's behind this boulder, I truly feel the shift happening. My hope is for this lesson to teach me all I need to know and for me to grasp every single bit of information from it. I wish to learn form the instances I've been faced with it in the past. I wish to deal with it in the present. . . .REALLY deal with it. And finally, I hope for a peaceful resolution. Every day I focus on all the amazing beauty and love and abundance and kindness that surrounds me. Every day I remind myself that everything in my life is perfect. I realize the power I have to manifest miracles. I invite hope into my heart and core and know that I am part of a loving Universe and that ALL IS INDEED WELL.

Be kind to yourself and those around you. If you're facing your own personal boulder, come face to face with it and then ease into it. Ask for divine guidance and listen to your inner voice. You have all the tools necessary to overcome any obstacle that comes your way. All you have to do is listen . . . you know what to do. You always have and you always will.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What would I do without . . . HOPE?

2009-11-13T22:39:00.000-05:00

"To sit patiently with a yearning that has not yet been fulfilled, and to trust that, that fulfillment will come, is quite possibly one of the most powerful "magic skills" that human beings are capable of. It has been noted by almost every ancient wisdom tradition." ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

What would I do without HOPE? What would my life be like without that inner spark that continually burns bright in my core? I truly believe that not much of anything would happen to any of us if we didn't have it. If we didn't hope for something better or brighter, or if we didn't believe that there really was magic in believing. Even the most unawakened among us, have some form of hope keeping them on whatever path they're on. There's the hope for a better job, more money, a sunny day, a good weekend, a cure . . . a hope for love, more time, things turning out well. . . and on and on we hope . . . we dream . . . we trust.

In our darkest times, that's when we need hope the most. During times of struggle and hardship, our connection with that inner spark needs to be strengthened. No matter what we may be going through, activating what Elizabeth Gilbert calls our "magic skills" is integral in our capacity to overcome the darkness and shine. It wasn't until recently that I've realized the importance of using anything and everything at my disposal to make myself feel good in times when I'm facing some sort of challenge. It's not a matter of ignoring the situation and pretending that it isn't happening, but rather a shifting of focus. By doing whatever I can to lift my spirits and latch on to a wave of positive energy, keep that hope alive as they say, then the challenge loses some of it's hold on me.

A lot of the times when we're faced with difficulties, it's so easy to be consumed by them and devote all of our mental and physical energies to them. The more consumed we are by what is happening, the worse it seems to get. Of course, this would make sense. What you focus on expands and that goes for the good as well as the bad. And while we're focusing on the challenge, there's very little chance of a solution popping into our heads. Instead, it's quite easy for fear to take over and add itself to the situation. I can tell you that living in fear of something is never a way out of any challenge or difficult circumstance. Fear paralyzes and once paralyzed, it's quite hard to make any kind of rational decisions, if any decisions at all.

If we are able to quiet the mind and put the challenge aside for just a little bit, we can begin the process of coming up with a solution. My usual challenge seems to involve financial issues. It's the one area of my life that still presents itself over and over again without some sort of resolution. I recently came upon this challenge once more. At first, I couldn't believe that it was happening again . . . AGAIN! I almost, almost, gave in to the usual fear and allowed feelings of hopelessness to take over. But, with the help of some of the magical techniques I've learned in the past year or so and some wonderful magical friends, I was able to rekindle hope. I was able to make the shift out of that dark place and at least focus on what was shining bright right here in front of me . . . even in the midst of the challenge.

I'll elaborate more on this in the next entry. For now, sit quietly for just a few minutes and visualize what HOPE looks like to you. If you were able to see a physical manifestation of it, what would it look like? To me, my Dream Symbol also stands for a symbol of HOPE. I see it as that spark that keeps everything lit up for me. Shine!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What if it's only . . . HOPE?

2009-11-09T23:58:00.000-05:00

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope. ~ Author Unknown

Photo courtesy: fall out of line

Someone asked me recently, "What if all they're selling is "hope?" By they, she meant people like Oprah, Abraham-Hicks, The Secret, Marianne Williamson, Louise L. Hay, etc. etc. I know this because I asked her to tell who they were. She wanted to know if that's all they were really doing? If there was nothing behind their books and TV shows and seminars? If the only real truth they were giving people was . . . HOPE. My answer was, "Maybe that's all they're giving. But, maybe, that's all we need."

As many of you know, I'm a huge Oprah fan. I love the teachings of Abraham-Hicks and find great comfort and truth in the words and affirmations of Louise L. Hay. I've just practically begun my journey into my own personal truth. I'm still learning every single day to break down the patterns of old thinking. There isn't a day that goes by that an old tape wants to start playing in my mind and therefore, competing with my current play list. The old tapes filled with doubt and self-image issues want to get into rotation. The ones that go on and on about how we have to work hard and suffer and nobody likes to work but that's how life goes. You're not supposed to like what you do for a living, you're supposed to just work to make money and have two weeks vacation. And on and on these tapes can go.

But, from listening to Abraham, The Secret, Louise L. Hay and the rest, I have gained the knowledge needed to stop those corroded tapes from spewing their tired old lies. In their place, a symphony of hope begins to play. With a simple affirmation, I can erase the damage of years past. By watching a YouTube video from Abraham, I can raise my vibration to a better-feeling state. By opening a book and reading the soothing and comforting words of Dr. Wayne Dyer, I can view the things around me in a different way and thereby changing the way I let them affect me. By playing a good Oprah episode filled with some one's dreams coming true, I can see evidence of the possibility!

Maybe all they're "selling" is in fact hope. Maybe my friend is correct in asking that question. The thing is, I have no objection to that. There is nothing better than to hope for something. It's what dreams are made of. Little particles of brilliant, smashing pieces of HOPE. Every time I shoot a rocket of desire for something I want, it is HOPE that propels it into the air. I'll delve a little deeper into the connection between hopes and dreams on Thursday. Until then, you know I have to give you a little assignment. :-) Take stock of the little things that bring or give you hope on a daily basis. Those little miracles that keep you moving in the direction of your dreams. They are PRECIOUS* gifts and the more we take notice of them, the more they will multiply to help us on our journey.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

*I went to see Precious this past weekend and I urge you all . . . URGE!!!! . . . to take the time to see this movie. It will leave you breathless, inspired and filled with great HOPE. Talk about believing in the impossible and making it POSSIBLE! Outstanding!

The energy of women . . . divine power!

2009-11-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

For the past week, I've been writing about the energy created by the gathering of two or more. I'd like to share with you something that happened to me quite recently at one of my last IntenSati classes. If you don't know what IntenSati is, please read my blog entries here: IntenSati or visit Erin's website directly: Erin Stutland.

Well, this happened at the end of October, which was also the last class of the 4-week workshop. We had just finished the physical part of the class, which really kicks up a storm of amazing energy. Erin then had us form a large circle and had us look around at the people in the room. Really taking the time to acknowledge each other. As I did this, I realized I was the only male in the room. No big deal really. Most of the time there are only a few guys in the Wednesday night class but this night, I was the only one. We then started the process of updating each other on our progress for the month. How did we do with our intentions and what actions did we take to manifest those intentions that we had set at the beginning of the month.

One by one, these amazing women started to share their incredible progress and accomplishments. I was close to the end of the circle so I had time, before I had to share, to really pay attention to what they were saying. All of a sudden I felt it. I was enveloped in a soothing, pure, loving, caring, kind, yet strong and powerful energy. Undoubtedly feminine. Undoubtedly divine. In what felt like flashes, I was given snippets of information about the Divine Feminine and the strength and intelligence in all women. I felt how this could have easily intimidated men and how important to their egos it must have been to weaken the female sex in order to protect said egos. As I looked around this room, the flashes kept coming. I felt how it's all starting to change. How the tide is shifting along with the changing times and how women are more important than ever in our world. I felt a sudden sadness in regards to the state of our planet. Our beautiful, ever expanding planet would be a much different place to live in if women had been given more control over it. There is a reason we call our planet Mother Earth. It is female. It's loving energy is that of a tender yet stern mother and its love for us, her children is unconditional and everlasting. Deep inside I gave a sincerely apology to all of the incredible women of the past whose energy and vision were stifled by the times they lived in. How proud would they be now of their current daughters and sisters.

My turn came to speak and I managed to get a few words out. It was actually about this blog and how I had managed to begin writing three postings per week. I wanted to share a little of what had just happened but we were pressed for time and I also didn't know how I would explain it in just a few minutes. I won't say that I came out of the class with a new respect for women because I have always had that. I've always thought that women were the strongest beings on Earth. I will say that I left the class excited about the future of our world. With women taking a stronger and more powerful leadership role on this planet, things will finally start moving in the right direction. My hope is that there will continue to be a new wave of The Divine Feminine and with a united force, women will lead us into a peaceful, spiritual and loving New Earth! Shine on ladies! Shine on!

I encourage you all, women and men, to do some research on The Divine Feminine and this article by Elizabeth Debold is a great start: The Divine Feminine, Unveiled

Peace and Light to you all and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The power of two, three or more . . . continued

2009-11-05T20:11:00.000-05:00

Om is the resonant frequency of the cosmos. In the beginning Om arose from the primal silence of pure consciousness, and from It came forth all that has ever been, is now, or ever shall be. And into It do all things return. - Courtesy of Atma Jyoti Ashram

Back in 1998 I had the opportunity to attend a talk/meditation with Lama Surya Das. I had just read his book, Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World, and although I couldn't find anyone to go with me, I ventured forth and went to the talk alone. This was actually unheard of for me at that moment in my life. I was always very afraid of attending places alone, feeling all self-conscious, etc. But, I had really enjoyed the book and it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up.

I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never attended anything like it and I definitely had never been a part of a group meditation. So, I was excited and scared and just did what I sometimes do in situations like that, I fake my way through them. I observe and pretend to know what I'm doing. No need to do that in this case since of course, everything was wonderful and everyone was very sweet and respectful and the like. Well, Lama Surya Das' talk was quite inspiring. He basically expanded what he had written about in the book and it was just a marvelous opportunity to get the information from him directly. At the end of his talk, he announced that we would then do a meditation session with him. I was like, Oh man, what's this going to be like. Coming from a Jehovah's Witness background, I had never really been involved in anything like that. There was no meditation taught, spoken or written about in their literature. None of that "going within" to find the answers and definitely, NO CHANTING! That was considered all sorts of wrong! A pathway to the devil for sure. So, at that moment, I really didn't know what was going to happen or how I was going to react to it. Again, I faked it. Well, I faked it at the start of the meditation, but then, something amazing happened.

He had us chant the word OM, but very, very slowly. We held on to the {{{{MMMM}}}} part of the word for quite some time every time it was said. At first my mind wandered and I kept opening my eyes to see what was going on. Then, I started to feel something in the room and in my body. The vibration formed by the {{{{MMMMM}}}} in OM started to take me into a deeper level of awareness. It wasn't only that I was chanting it, it was the also the addition of the entire room of close to 50 or 60 people. All of us united in this beautiful practice and chanting one simple word with so many meanings: OM (or AUM)

Global Om - 2009

The room started to vibrate with the power of OM. I felt it in my face, my chest, my arms, hands and fingers. Even my chair was vibrating. There was this incredible wave of energy that enveloped me and hopefully everyone else in that room. Instead of being freaked out, I was surprised to find myself completely immersed in it. I never wanted it to stop. This feeling of silent knowing and of all that is GOOD is what I had been striving for. Wow!

Well, as you can imagine, the meditation session had to end. Lama Surya Das expertly guided us back to "reality" and the night ended. I remember meeting a friend afterwards and having a hard time explaining to her what I had just experienced. Luckily, she was more attuned into the spiritual and chanting practice than I, so I didn't have to work too hard to explain it. But, that night and that experience has always stayed with me. I had first-hand knowledge of the power that we have at our disposal and how powerful indeed it could be when a group gathers with good intentions. The meditation/chanting also gave me a glimpse into our vibrational world. I felt the vibration of the word OM literally changed the atmosphere in the room until it became that loving wave that could be felt!

It had been years since I felt anything like that, but recently, I felt something very close to it. It happened at one of my last IntenSati sessions. This time, the feeling went a little beyond a wave of energy. It was more of a knowledge that was given to me. I'll go into details on Saturday. Until then, I encourage you to gain some knowledge about chanting meditations. Here's one to help you get started: OM Meditation

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The power of two, three or more . . .

2009-11-03T23:54:00.000-05:00

"The human mind is a form of energy, a part of it being spiritual in nature. When the minds of two people are coordinated in a SPIRIT OF HARMONY, the spiritual units of energy of each mind form an affinity . . . " Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich)

When I was growing up, I remember reading and hearing the following words from the bible: "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I will be . . . " or something like that. I remember being fascinated by that possibility. It was one of the few things in the bible that I found interesting. In all honesty, I'm not a fan of the book and most of what's written in it. Maybe it's the way it gets interpreted, but any book that blatantly calls for the discrimination of people, isn't at the top of my Book Club Selection list. But, that's for another blog entry at a later date. Returning our attention to those words, I do remember being intrigued by them, especially as a little kid. I remember asking my mom to really explain them to me. What exactly did they mean? Who was present? Jesus? Jehovah? Who!??

I think she said that it was Jesus and maybe a few of the angels or something. Well, I was even more interested in the whole thing. I kept on waving my hands through the air trying to see if I could feel anything. Much to the horror mixed with amusement of my mother. There was something that rang true to me about the statement. I actually felt deep down inside that this was something possible and true. I was too young to really understand it, but most likely, what I felt was the energy that Mr. Napoleon Hill talks about. Whether I agreed with what my mother and the other Jehovah's Witnesses were doing or worshiping, just the fact that they were together and united in one room with the same purpose, this was creating an energy force. In this case, we were dealing with Communist Cuba where my parents and other JWs weren't really allowed to practice their religion in freedom. Therefore, these clandestine gatherings were all they had. It was their only way of communicating and sharing their hopes and beliefs and love for their god. So, yeah, there was definitely an energy in the room and I was definitely tuned in to something going on.

As the years passed and we left Cuba and I became less and less willing to deal with the JWs, I forgot all about this. It wasn't until recently when I read Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich that I remembered those words from the bible. I also remembered that Eckhart Tolle had briefly spoken similar words during the Oprah webinar for A New Earth last year. I think he mentioned that due to the technological advances with the web and Skype, etc., we were all united in sharing the same energy. I'm not sure of his actual words but it was basically this concept of two or more people coming together for the same purpose and what an amazing energy and force it created. I was again extremely intrigued and fascinated by the whole thing.

Can two or more people gathered together for the same purpose or with the same objective in mind, really have some power? Are they generating some energy that only those people at that moment can produce? Hmmmm I've seen what can happen when a mob gets together with the intent to destroy. It does seem like there is an energy that goes from person to person and builds in that kind of situation. But, in a more controlled setting, can healing, supportive, caring, peaceful and loving energy be produced? Is that energy a powerful energy, able to soothe, calm, support or inspire?

I know it is! It's not only possible but in many ways, it's necessary. The need for our coming together as humans has never been greater. I've had many amazing experiences lately when I've been involved in groups of like-minded, beautiful people. I'll share some of these this week. Until then, be aware of what kind of energy you are conjuring the next time you interact with another person. Is it loving, kind, caring, for the greater good?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

You have absolute control over . . . YOU

2009-10-31T10:55:00.000-04:00

"Poor is the man, whose pleasures depend on the permission of another." ~ Madonna (Justify My Love)

Ha ha! Although I'll use any excuse to use a quote from Madonna, those words have always meant a lot to me. When I first heard these lyrics, as part of the "Justify My Love" song, I was a young kid still struggling with my sexuality. Therefore, I took them to heart as a message to be myself. That I had the right to love and be loved no matter what the world at large thought of people like me. The words kept repeating in my head. "Poor is the man, whose pleasures depend on the permission of another." It still took me about a year or so after this song to fully accept who I was. Part of this included the acceptance of the fact that in life, we sometimes have to deal with others not liking us for their own personal reasons. And the big lesson there is not letting this ever stop us from leading a fantastic, free and authentic life. No matter who these people are.

This quote applies to life, period. Poor is anyone that lets their own happiness rest in the hands of another person. When I decided to accept myself completely, that was all I needed to do. I'm not saying it was easy to come to the realization that by me coming out to my parents, I ran the risk of losing them forever, but you know what? If my being gay was going to do that, then they did not deserve me in their lives. I wasn't going to let that possibility get in the way of living a life free of hiding. The more I lied to them the worse I felt. I also realized that it was my responsibility to be honest about who I was. Whenever I lied to them, the one that was truly being deceived and ultimately hurt, was me.

With the understanding that we have absolute control over our lives, comes some responsibility. Nobody can do anything to you. Nobody can make you feel small without your permission. Nobody can make you feel less-than without your permission. Nobody can make you feel happy, sad, worthless, glorious, fabulous, etc. without YOUR permission. Granted, as children, without the proper tools or life experience, it's quite easy to get caught up in that cycle of letting others dictate how you feel. But, as we grow older and more experienced, there comes a time when we have to realize it's all in our power. Blaming others for how we feel is no longer a viable option.

When you fully understand that your happiness, well-being, peace and calm rests within you, it's a whole new game of life. NO LONGER can your mother drive you crazy without your permission. NO LONGER can that co-worker make you crazy because of what he or she does or does not do. NO LONGER can you be mad at your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse because they didn't act how you wanted them to act. My happiness begins and ends with me. My staying cool, calm and collected under a stressful situation all depends on how I react to said situation.

To quote Richard Bach, ""If your happiness depends on what somebody else does, I guess you do have a problem." The majority of the time, people will not act the way you'd like them to. It's just the way it goes and there's no other way around it but to accept each and every one just as they are. Accept full responsibility for how you make yourself feel. It's empowering to know that within you lies the secret to a joyful, peaceful, happy life. No one can get through unless you allow them. Once you get the hang of it, the instances when you do lose your cool due to somebody's behavior, will become less and less. And when you do fly off the handle or let some instance make you nuts, you'll immediately be aware of it because it will feel unnatural. You'll know that you've temporarily given your power to somebody else. It'll be easier to regain it and go on with your happy self!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Right from the start, you "know" . . .

2009-10-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

"It was much more important to you to recognize the existence of your own Guidance System, and to utilize it, than to be deemed correct by, or to find approval from, others." - Abraham-Hicks (The Vortex - Where The Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships)

The sentence above comes from Abraham-Hicks' new book, The Vortex. It appears as part of a chapter dealing with our relationship with our parents and how from birth, we already come with our own sets of beliefs, desires and actions we want to take in our lives. This is something I completely relate to and wholeheartedly believe in. I might not remember many things, such as what I had for breakfast this morning or the plot to a movie I've seen 100 times, but I distinctly remember this feeling of "knowing" all I needed to know when I was very little. I have vivid flashes of looking at my parents and thinking, "What?! Are you kidding me lady? Don't you know this is how it's done?" And, I also had no inhibitions whatsoever! Don't you remember a little of that? Or, if you don't, just observe a baby or a toddler and see how free they are. They know what they like and don't like and let you know with high-pitched screams, either of delight or anger. :-) They're not afraid to do anything and try everything. Brilliant little beings still so fully connected to the Source from which they came from.

As we get older and our well-meaning parents have taught us a thing or two, and we start dealing with other children in school, we start to lose that pure connection to Source Energy, or our Inner Being. As the connection begins to fade, our ability to trust ourselves implicitly also takes a beating. We start asking ourselves a myriad of questions before we take action. "What would mom and dad think of what I'm doing?" "If I wear this to school, I might get made fun of or picked on." "If I act this way, people will think I'm weird." And on and on and on. By the time we make it to the teenage years, it's a wonder we leave our rooms at all. It feels as if the entire world is always judging you, ready to make fun of you, or controlling your every mood.

How we survive these years and the shape in which we make it to adulthood depends on a variety of factors. Such as, what type of parents you have, religious influence, environment, etc. Personally, I was raised by Jehovah's Witnesses, lived in Communist Cuba until I was 8 and knew I was gay since I was about 4 or 5 (well, I knew I was different). Ha! With all of these factors active in my life experience, I learned to fake it to survive. But, luckily enough, I somehow kept that connection to Source that told me I was alright. I never felt a need to fully compromise myself in order to fit in or please other people. Even when those other people were my parents. I faked my way through the many years of going to Jehovah's Witness meetings and preaching door to door. What I mean is that I would do what they asked of me, up to a point. They wanted me to go preaching door to door on a Saturday morning? I'd go, but they weren't going to make me speak to anyone. They wanted me to participate in the weekly meetings and give short speeches? I'd do it, but I wasn't going to be the one preparing the speech or doing any of the research for it. I politely explained to my mother that if she wanted me to do it, she'd have to prepare the entire thing for me.

Many times we give too much of ourselves over to others in order to please them or have them like us. This is especially easy to do when it involves our parents or family members and we think that because we're blood related, then we must love and like each other no matter what. It becomes too important how another person feels about us. Too much control is then given to another. I've always had a different way of looking at these relationships, but I'll continue this on Saturday. Until then, take a few minutes and check on your connection to your Inner Being. Who's in control of your feeling good? Who are you trying to please and why? Does your happiness rely on what another person thinks about you or the way you live your life?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What others think about YOU is . . .

2009-10-26T03:32:00.000-04:00

What other people think about you, is none of YOUR business. - Unknown

In the brilliant work of Byron Katie, she mentions that there are three businesses. YOUR business, OTHER people's business and [THE UNIVERSE'S] business. Can you guess which is the one business we have to be concerned with? Yup. OUR business. That's it. If you mind your own business, and only your own, can you imagine the amazing things that would be accomplished?

In doing some research for these series of entries, I came across this small article where a sweet lady that had just turned like 102 or something like that, was asked how she get to live so long. Her answer? "By minding my own business." Ha! You know what? I believed her. It makes total sense to me that this incredible woman is still living a wonderful life by minding her own business. Which to me translates into her paying attention to her own life and not what "so and so" are doing. This in turn gave most likely gave her the opportunity to be more in tuned to her needs and to really be aware of what it was that she really wanted to do with her life. Well, I'm just guessing since there wasn't much detailed information on her life but, doesn't it make sense?

When we spend precious energy in trying to find out what other people are doing with their lives or what they think about our lives, we are neglecting what really matters. We are neglecting taking care of our own business, our life. If you look at our time here on Earth as a job, then what we are meant to do is to create and experience life! Our life is our business. The more time we devote to ourselves the better the outcome. This is true whether we're speaking of our physical bodies or our spiritual selves. When the focus of our attention is in making ourselves happy and living a JOY filled life, then the rest just doesn't even come into our experience.

I'm not by any means saying that we need to be these selfish beings and that everybody else doesn't matter. I'm all for doing what we can for the greater good, always. I'm really talking about the times when we stop ourselves from truly living in authenticity. Either because we're too busy worrying about what others will think of us or way too busy caring about what others are doing with their own lives. This then grows into all these different directions. Not only do we suffer but we are then giving so much control to other people. Think about it. When your own well-being or sense of self is based on what others think of you, who has the power? When your feeling good depends on how another person is feeling or behaving, who has the power?

I'll continue this on Thursday but for now, let's take stock and become aware of who's business we're into. Is it our own or have we been a little neglectful due to overtime activity in someone else's?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Follow your bliss . . .

2009-10-24T11:02:00.001-04:00

BILL MOYERS: Do you ever have the sense of... being helped by hidden hands?

JOSEPH CAMPBELL: All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time - namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.

Oh, to follow your BLISS . . . follow your BLISS . . . listen to your divine inner guidance and follow . . . your . . . B L I S S. Even just saying the words sparks a little joy within doesn't it? Say it out loud and see how it makes you feel. "FOLLOW YOUR BLISS"

I'm sure I had heard these famous words before but the one time I read them and truly felt them touch my core was when I was reading Anderson Cooper's book, Dispatches from the Edge. He writes about one of the most important things his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, ever told him, and that was "follow your bliss." I remember reading these words and thinking, "Wow!! What a fucking phenomenal thing to tell your child. 'Follow your bliss.'" This was at the very start of my search for my own personal bliss so I hadn't even heard of Joseph Campbell and his outstanding work.

Since then I've read, heard, and felt these words many, many times. They are the driving force behind my art and my life. They encapsulate the ultimate secret to a joyful life! Once we start to follow our own beautiful, precious, stunningly clear and simple BLISS, then it's all downstream from there. Downstream and fast without oars. Life becomes the incredible adventure it is supposed to be.

Like Mr. Campbell says above, once we start to follow our bliss, we are then connected with that path that has always been there. I'm a strong believer in how we come into this amazing world full of the knowledge that we need to flourish and shine throughout our physical experience. That's our BLISS right there. Along the way, the majority of us get distracted and subsequently thrown off course and following our Bliss doesn't even enter our minds. But, what we are born with, that brilliant inner light that I've been writing about this past week, that light is always there. No matter what we go through or all the things that have made that light get so dim it's almost gone out, no matter what, that light is still there because it is divinely connected to our Source. Call it God, Universal Energy, the Universe, Divine Light or BLISS . . . no matter what you call it, this connection is never broken. Our job then is to get with it and start to follow this bliss by letting this inner light guide us there.

The big question for me at one point was HOW?!! How do I follow my bliss? Shit! At one point I wasn't even sure what my bliss was let alone how to follow it. How could I follow something I couldn't identify? I mean, I had a few things I knew I loved doing and wanted to do, mainly my music and some acting, but it just seemed as if I wasn't motivated enough to follow them with passion. So, there came a point when I basically started asking for the answer. What was my bliss? What was I meant to do? I wrote a little bit about this here: Inspired Action (I) & Inspired Action (II) And this is how I finally came to following my bliss. I came to understand what would make me so incredibly happy and filled with joy. Once I started on that path to connecting with my inner light, slowly and carefully raising that dimmer switch on it, then it became easier and easier to see the path that would allow me to follow my own personal bliss.

I'm still on that journey. Some days I make it easier on myself than on others. But, the majority of the time, if I focus my attention on all the good in my life and on the things that make me happy, then I know I'm still following bliss. I hope to continue on the path and write about it along the way. I invite all of you to start your own journey and really tapping into your very own special inner light. Allow it to then illuminate your way towards bliss. It can be a little scary at first, but the more you trust, the easier it gets. I promise. FOLLOW.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Taking control of the dimmer switch . . .

2009-10-23T00:37:00.000-04:00

"If you look deep within, you will find a brilliant light. Too many, far too many, squint and turn away from the shine. Let your eyes adjust and bathe in the radiance." ~ Source Unknown

Our inner light. . . Let me explain what I mean by inner light. I'm talking about that special something that we all have within us. I truly believe it's our own inimitable gift or gifts that we came here with. Every single person I know has something that makes them unique and beautiful and brilliant! Whether it's the ability to sing, or write, or paint or something less artistic but nonetheless unique and wonderful. We all have IT! That's our inner light! That gift is what we are meant to give to and share with the world.

That's why I love the quote above and know that it's so true. Far too many people are constantly dimming their inner light or squinting and looking away. They're afraid to acknowledge it and give it its proper attention. After some time of doing this, that light surely begins to fade. Although, I don't think it ever goes away completely. I don't even think it's possible to kill it or eradicate it. But, I do believe way too many of us have learned or been conditioned to keep our lights really turned down low, to the point where it's barely visible.

I know so many incredibly talented individuals who live in a constant struggle with their gifts. They fear showing the world what they've got to offer. And, I'm usually so amazed and bewildered whenever I hear one of them speak of their struggles. How they fear being ridiculed or criticized for their work or artistic offering. Sometimes the fear of judgment is so overwhelming that it paralyzes them from acting on and realizing their dreams!!!

How can we possibly live a happy and fulfilling life if what we came here to do isn't being done? That just seems impossible, doesn't it? Yet, so many live their lives doing just that. And what is stopping them usually boils down to fear. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of letting others down. Fear of making others feel "less than" if they succeed. Fear of being called selfish. Fear of not living up to expectations. The list of fears goes on and on. All of these fears are keeping amazingly brilliant beings from giving us amazingly brilliant ideas and gifts.

Slowly, we have to start turning this around in ourselves. There is nothing more liberating than facing our fears head on and seeing them tackled to the ground. We are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for, and conquering our fears is something we all can do. And do you want to know why I think that? Well, it's because whenever I've faced one of my fears, I've always found it to be this teeny tiny little thing that I had some how managed to make into a much larger T H I N G. Do you know what I mean? Our minds have this ability to make our fears seem like gigantic and insurmountable monsters, when in all reality, they're quite nothing.

As an example, let's take a look at the fear of not being good enough. Well, that fear simply vanishes into thin air when we start realizing how fucking brilliant and amazing we are. That's just a truth. We come from a brilliant and amazing Source, of which we are a part of, so therefore, guess what? We're brilliant and amazing. No more arguments. The fear of not being good enough is non existent because it's not true. Absolutely false.

If you take some time to go over all of the fears that stop you from living your life to the fullest, I'm pretty sure you'll see how much stronger you are than any of them. This includes the fear of letting your family or loved ones down or fear of criticism from others. The minute you allow what someone else thinks of you, to interfere with your life, that's the exact moment you're literally giving someone else power over you. In all areas, if you give others more control over your decisions or life choices, etc., you give them control of that dimmer switch and your inner light is now in someone else's hands. Now, does that seem right? Hmmmm. . . it doesn't seem at all right to me.

I took control of my dimmer a while back and I've never been happier! How incredible it is to be in full control of that switch and crank up my inner light to FULL THROTTLE!!! No matter what goes on around me I do my best to keep shining. When it comes to my art, I never create anything and allow thoughts of how others will react or judge me on what I've created or done, to interfere with my creative process. Their reaction to my work is not in my hands. All I can do is gauge how I feel and if what I've created makes me feel fantastic and I feel like I'm shining as bright as I possibly can, then I'm on the right track. Not everything I do will connect with everyone and that's just fine. The right people will naturally gravitate towards what I do in due time. If what I come up with is going to touch someone, the Universe will make sure to make it happen. That person will stumble upon what I've done and the connection will be made.

So, once again I urge you to take control of that dimmer switch and raise it up a little bit more. Get that inner light shining just a little bit brighter if you can. I have faith in you. You're perfection in physical form. I've still got a little more to say about SHINING our personal inner light, but for now, get those lights a little brighter and start to "bathe in the radiance."

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

When you shine, you allow others to do the same . . .

2009-10-13T23:10:00.000-04:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

This incredible passage from Marianne Williamson, found in her best-selling book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks. In fact, this entire entry has been percolating for a while now. I guess I was just gathering more information or the Universe was showing me how many people suffer from this need to play small or keep their inner light on a dimmer set to low. Well, finally, I've started to write it and I have a feeling this subject might need more than just one entry.

Like Marianne mentions, we are all meant to shine! We are here on this Earth to shine a blindingly bright light and for this light to reach far and wide! We are all given a set of instructions when we come forth into the physical and nowhere in those instructions are the words "Keep your gifts to yourself and don't let yourself shine in order to not offend or make someone else feel bad about themselves." Nowhere! When we are born, we are the center of attention and we know it. Why? Well, it's not just because we are adorably cute, it's also because we just glow. Babies glow with the knowledge that they have arrived. They are here to have a really good time and make magic happen. It's inherent in all of us. So, what happens along the way to make us feel like we have no right to let this light shine? Why on earth would we start believing that it’s ok to go through life without fully realizing our inner beauty and letting that beauty flourish and radiate?

How many times are you afraid to do something just because you don't want to bring attention to yourself? How many times do you actually do what Marianne says and play small so that others around you won't feel insecure or think you are better than they are? How many times do you go against that inner voice that is always guiding you in the right direction? How many times do you not pay attention?

All good questions . . . I’ll get to them on the next post. Until then, let’s all start taking control of our own dimmer switch. First thing to do is to raise it up a notch. Just a little at first if you’re not ready for a full-blown light show . . . just a little. Shine!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Don't put off until tomorrow . . . you know the rest. . .

2009-09-30T00:10:00.000-04:00

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.” ~ Napoleon Hill

Although there's a 'should' in Napoleon Hill's quote, and you all know how we feel about that word, I still like it. I have been quite guilty of this for the past several days . . . if not weeks. There has been something that I've needed to do and I've been literally leaving it for the day after tomorrow . . . and the day after that . . . and the day after that . . .

How many of us are guilty of procrastinating about so many things in our lives? Now granted, what I've been putting off isn't one of my main goals or dreams. What I've been putting off has nothing to do with my art or my music or my writing or my myriad of delicious projects. But, at the same time, it is something that has continually been on my mind as THAT THING I have to do that I haven't done and I need to do in order to move on . . . So, something that obviously didn't start as an important thing, has now become this fucking annoying thing that won't go away. Of course, it won't go away because the only way it will actually go away is if I DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE.

To make the entire thing even more ridiculously absurd, when I sat down and finally took notice of what I needed to do, I realized that in actuality, it wasn't that big a deal. WHAT?!!! Yup! It really wasn't the scary, torturous thing my mind had created. This is what happens, isn't it? Most of the time when I procrastinate, I'm really just masking fear. In the case of this latest bout with procrastination, I was afraid of the steps I had to take to resolve the issue and of the resolution itself. Since I wasn't sure of what the outcome was going to be, I was fearing that end result and what that would then lead to. Oh, endless cycle of self-torture. It makes me laugh really. Because when I broke the big issue, I realized how ridiculous it all was. How what I had been fearing was actually what my mind had come up as the big, scary monster. It was all made up! What I'd been fearing was all in my head . . . all made up . . . what a waste of my time and energy.

Well, I've faced the big scary monster and he wasn't at all scary. What I've learned from the experience is to be prepared the next time I feel I'm procrastinating. I have to ask myself why? Why am I coming up with all of the excuses to keep me from doing what I need to do? What are the underlying messages in the experience? It seems to me that whenever I procrastinate about something, that means that I haven't been quite honest with myself about the issue at hand. There is something in the facing of the issue head on that scares me. There are things attached to the issue that I've been avoiding or trying to forget in the hopes that whatever it is will just go away. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen. Things we have to deal with in life don't just go away. They are, almost always, things we have to learn from. These little annoyances are put in our way to teach us a valuable lesson. The lesson might have nothing to do with the actual thing you have to do. But, if we peel back the layers, the gem is revealed. And, it's always a better day once we come to that understanding and hopefully, we learn a little something.

Whenever we procrastinate, we waste precious energy. Energy that could be better spent in manifesting our dreams. That alone is worth the effort to face what we have to face with the full knowledge that everything will turn out fine. No matter what. So, let's get on with it! C'mon!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Quick THANK YOU!

2009-09-29T23:54:00.000-04:00

Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since my last entry! I do apologize for that. One of my intentions for next month is to start blogging on a regular basis. It's really a matter of time management and I'm confident that with the right intention and mindset, I can accomplish this. So, I thank you all for stopping by and reading and sending me lovely messages about The Daydream Chronicles. From the start of this blog and Day-Dreaming Tuesdays, I always felt that the information would get to the right people. It is still my goal to share my experiences with as many people as possible. I'm on a fantastic, magical, spiritual journey and it's my belief that any journey is more fun when you have a great group of travelers along for the ride.

I thank you all once again for reading my entries and sharing your experiences. This is really a fantastic way to share energy - hopefully, positive, life-affirming, light-giving energy! As I share my little light-bulb moments, I feel the wave of love that is then sent back to me from you. When anything I write about touches you, in any kind of positive way, that feeling that gets stirred in you is directly sent back to me. Let's not even think about how it happens because it's most likely quite beyond our understanding, but believe me when I say that I feel it. I feel whenever a connection is made. Let's continue on this fantasmagorical journey together. Feel free to always leave a comment on any of the postings. Share any blog entries that you think might help someone else. E-mail me with comments or ideas or just to say hi. I'm also open to guest bloggers that would like to share how they're living the life of their dreams! We can always learn from each other. Always.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Staying connected to Well-Being . . .

2009-09-08T22:50:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've been going through a rather interesting period. I really think, or rather, I feel it's a period of immense transition. Through it, there have been lots of ups and downs in the situations surrounding me. The one constant, which is incredible, has been my attitude towards everything. That is pretty incredible for me to write and say. To actually admit and understand that in the midst of all that's happening around me, I have been able to remain positive, smiling and filled with joy . . . it's absolutely miraculous!

This wasn't really evident to me until last Thursday evening. I was visiting dear friends that live out of town and had a lovely and delicious dinner with them. After thoroughly enjoying my pasta dinner, even going back for seconds, I learned that the sauce in the pasta was a pesto sauce. Well, I am allergic to pine nuts. Not allergic in the sense that my throat closes up or anything like that but, I do get extremely sick. This also doesn't happen immediately. Symptoms start about 2 to 3 hours after I've eaten whatever the pine nut filled food was. So, once I found out about the pesto, I calmly told my hosts that I would most likely be getting very sick, but not to worry. I would keep them informed as to my condition and if it escalated to a need to get rushed to the hospital, I would let them know.

I then proceeded to have my delicious dessert, homemade ice-cream, and continued enjoying their company. There was absolutely no need to worry about what was coming because it wasn't there yet. I didn't try to get the food out of my system prematurely . . . well, there was no chance of that happening. It had tasted too good! I had a choice. Either I was going to continue to spend a good time with friends or I was going to worry about what was going to happen. I chose the first option. For as long as I could, I remained present and in the moment. Then, when the first signs of the reaction began, I prepared to go to bed and took each minute as it came.

The sicker I felt, the more focused on wellness I became. I had very little hope of not actually getting sick so I knew that the inevitable was going to happen. But, I made it a point to see what would happen if I at least was able to reach for better-feeling thoughts. What would happen if in the middle of the nausea and stomach cramps, I would continue to infuse my mind with thoughts of healing and beautiful things? I knew that my body was reacting to what it considers a poison, but I also wanted to try and use a positive antidote to that poison. As my body was working and preparing to get rid of that which was making it sick, I spent every single second focused on healthy thoughts. I refused to feel sorry for myself or scared about what could happen. No matter what, I knew that I would be alright. Whatever the outcome of my allergic reaction, I was going to be fine.

The moment came and I was lucky enough to make it to the bathroom in time. The closest I can get to describing the experience is that it feels like I'm being kicked in the pit of my stomach repeatedly by a powerfully strong opponent wearing combat boots. I'm kicked over and over and over again. Before I can take a breath, another kick comes in to join the last one. And again! And again! And again! All the way to the end. Once my body feels that the supposed intruder is out of my system, then and only then, do the kicks stop . . . Usually, I go through this about three or four times during an allergic episode. This time, everything happened just the one time. I was spared hours of this pain and torture. I was so, so grateful.

Through the entire process I've just described, I was fully present. But, in an interesting way, I was also able to distance myself from what my body was going through. It's hard to put into words but as my body was convulsing and the kicks kept on coming, I continued focusing my thoughts on Well-Being. That Well-Being that is a constant stream in our lives. If I honestly believe that All Is Well, then even in times of great physical pain, am I still connected to that stream? I found out that I am. Through the entire experience, I remained in what felt like two separate states. One, was the absolute physical, the one that felt every single thing that was happening to my body. The other, was the mental state that kept its connection to wellness. The wellness that was and the wellness that I would return to. I remember walking out of the bathroom and barely seeing my worried friends waiting for me outside. I can't imagine what they were thinking. I believe I said something like, "I think I'm done" and giving them the thumbs up as I headed downstairs to bed.

The next morning I awoke to a beautiful day full of sunshine. I felt fine and ready to face the day and concentrate on wonderful and creative things. It wasn't until I was on the bus back into Manhattan that I saw the connection between how I dealt with my being sick and some of the challenges I had been experiencing. Through it all, I've been focused on feeling good, feeling happy, being connected to well being. The more I've focused on that, the better things have gotten. And that's the trick. It's really that simple. Everything goes back to our ability to choose what we want to focus on and think about. In times of stress or disease, why focus on the cause of the stress or the disease? Although it's easy to get caught up in those feelings, if we just take a second and make that shift . . . that will make all the difference. It's just as easy to think about things that make you feel GOOD and at EASE as it is to keep beating the drum of sickness or lack or stress. At every given moment, we hold that power to feel better, think better, do better. Why choose otherwise?

All is indeed . . . WELL!

Peace and light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

A lesson about living in JOY . . . no matter what!

2009-08-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

"The basis of your life is FREEDOM. Your quest is JOY!" ~ Abraham

This past Tuesday, in the midst of a beautiful Day-Dreaming Tuesday as a matter of fact, I found myself in the middle of an interesting predicament. I found myself without any money. There was literally $1.50 or so in my bank account. My wallet was absolutely empty and since I don't have credit cards, I didn't have the option of using them. This meant that I was out in the world, at my day-job without the ability to buy any lunch or a way to get back home. By the time I had realized my situation, I was already at work. Maybe if I had seen this coming, I would've packed a lunch or asked my partner Jhon for some money, but I hadn't seen it coming. Well, it was a possibility in the back of my mind but I kept ignoring it for some reason.

So, there I am and it's a little past Noon. I get a text from Jhon and he asks me how I'm doing, hoping I'm having a great day. I answer back that I was indeed having a great day even though I was starving and had no money for lunch. Being the extremely loving and caring human being that he is, Jhon immediately sends me a text back. He's worried about me and he says that he is so sad. What I wrote to him made him very sad. I understood his concerns because if it would have been the other way around, I would've felt the same way.

For some reason, this is what I wrote to him: "Don't be sad. All is well. I'll find something to eat. Don't worry. I love you! It's a beautiful day!! Spend it in JOY! I'll be fine."

Jhon at first didn't understand this. He said that how could he find JOY when his favorite person was going hungry?!! I asked him to just trust that everything would be alright. To please join me in seeking out joy and beauty and happiness in the day. He reluctantly agreed . . .

So, I went about my day. I kept working. I kept daydreaming. I kept feeling hungry. Most importantly though, I never let go of my connection to feeling GOOD. Even when I came to the point where I felt a bit dizzy as I moved about my office, I was still in JOY. Sounds crazy, I know, but I had made it my intention to remain in a constant state of happiness, no matter what. This experience had presented itself for a reason and I was determined to live through it and learn from it.

I wasn't really hungry!! The possibility of going without food for 8 or 9 hours is nothing compared to the millions of people on this planet, right this very instant, that REALLY have nothing to eat. Eventually I was going to be able to get some food. Eventually, I would have money in my bank account, or in my wallet. So, this temporary state was just that . . .temporary. There were lessons to be learned and I looked forward to those lessons.

One of the most important things I learned on Tuesday was the truth behind the messages of always looking for a better-feeling thought. That was exactly what I did all day. I have to admit that I had started my day in a pretty good place. But, once I found out my monetary status, I didn't let that bring me down from that place. In fact, I used the experience to get me to an even higher vibration. I used my time to give thanks for everything that I had. The money and the food would come, but at that very moment, how many things did I have to be grateful for? How many incredible people were in my life? What could I be appreciative of? I found out that the list was pretty long. Everything was perfect just as it was. I accepted the situation and thanked the Universe for it. I continued to daydream of all the amazing projects and opportunities that were already here for me. I lived "as if" in a world filled with abundance and constant joy. I saw myself looking back on this day and feeling those hunger pangs and laughing. Everything was just perfect.

The outcome of all of this is pretty remarkable. As it turned out, I was able to find $5 that enabled me to get myself a large cup of coffee and a lovely and delicious piece of chocolate pound cake. I have never, ever, enjoyed anything more. Every single bite of that cake was a religious experience. It was as if I had never in my life eaten this before! The coffee, one of my favorite things, was one of the best coffees that deli across the street has ever made! When I finished, I was full and satisfied. And, I still had enough left over to get myself home.

Right after finishing my meal, I received a text from Jhon. As it turned out, extra money had literally just been handed to him. This wasn't money he had been waiting for or expecting. This was extra money that was presented to him without explanation. It was a beautiful thing!

When I got home and had a delicious dinner and we went over the day's events, it was pretty obvious that our attitudes during the day had made all the difference. Instead of allowing ourselves to wallow in misery and poverty and beating the drum of "NOT ENOUGH MONEY", "NO MONEY", we both made it our intention to beat the drum of FEELING GOOD! We looked for ways of being HAPPY, especially in our current situation. I believe this made all the difference. The things around us changed to meet up with our intentions. Situations and opportunities presented themselves to match our better-feeling thoughts.

I was also able to learn a few things about why I found myself in that situation. Even though I wholeheartedly believe that anything is possible, I found out that a lot of the time, my vibrational offerings are matching up with a sense of lack. Although I'm not constantly beating the drum of poverty and not enough money, I do let those thoughts play in my mind enough times that I found myself in that predicament. I'm still learning from the experience since its manifestation in my life means I was fully responsible for its presence. At the same time, I am so grateful for it.

Therefore, in times of challenge, do your best to keep a connection to well-being and feeling good, being happy! Whatever it takes, do it. Like Abraham says in the video above, it is our quest! We are here to find and live JOY! And in those times of hardship, if we can simply ease into the moment and reach for a thought that feels better, miracles will happen. From nothing, something will appear. All you have to do is trust that you will come out the other side in one piece. All is well.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

A tree . . . really isn't a "tree" . . .

2009-08-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

"When you don't cover up the world with words and labels, a sense of the miraculous returns to your life." ~ Eckhart Tolle from A New Earth

As most of you know, I'm a big fan of Eckhart Tolle's work, especially A New Earth. I've read that book twice now and took part in his Webinar with Oprah last year. The entire book had a huge impact on my life and there are passages from the book and moments from the webinar that are still with me. One of those messages has to do with the subject of labels and words in general. There was a point in the webinar in which Eckhart took a call from a mom in, I believe, Sweden. She was wondering how she could start teaching her son to start understanding about ego and not be become attached to material things and possessions, etc. Eckhart advised her to start getting him in contact with nature and while she was pointing things out to him, such as trees or birds, etc., to say to him, "We call this a tree or we call this a bird." He explained that a tree, really isn't a tree. We don't know what it is. Tree is the word we've assigned to it but in actuality, nobody know what it is. He went on to say the same thing about us. We're not "humans." Human is just a word assigned to our species to be able to identify ourselves.

I swear to you my mouth dropped when I heard this discussion. Up until that point, I had never realized how true this was. Of course a tree isn't a "tree." We are not "humans." We do not know what a tree really is or a bird or a dog for that matter. Our dogs and cats probably look at us and wonder why we keep calling them these words. This really opened up my mind to new ways of thinking and viewing the world around me.

This new way of thinking made one of Eckhart's exercises even easier to do, which was to go out in nature and just . . . be. I remember spending a Sunday afternoon in Central Park with Jhon and attempting to do the exercise. At first it wasn't easy. We are so accustomed to noticing something and immediately knowing what it is. But, the more I spent time not thinking about what I was looking at but instead conjuring up a feeling of wonder and awe, the easier it became. I particularly remember this tall tree that had all these different markings and colors. I walked up to it and just placed my hand upon it and walked around it. I made it a point to not even bring up the word "tree" to mind. This was just some thing that I had stumbled upon. I pretended that I had never seen anything like it before. This experience was nothing short of magic. There was an energy and vibrancy in that moment that I find hard to explain. In fact, this was over a year ago and right now, as I sit here in front of my laptop, if I close my eyes, I can see every single detail of that tree trunk and the surrounding area. By being as present as is conceivable and really placing my attention without judgement or preconceived notions on the object in front of me, everything about that moment just popped. There was energy and life!

Ever since then I make it a point to do that exercise as many times as possible. I've written before about how on my way to catch the bus, I look up at the sky and take in the clouds, etc. I do this exercise and every single day I am in awe because it's always a little different and I'm never sure what I will see. This practice also opens your eyes and mind to the beauty that is always around us. A beauty that we sometimes take for granted because we're so used to it just being there. How many times do you pass by a tree or a garden and not even notice it? Next time, make it a point to stop and just observe the miracle that is before you. Without immediately acknowledging what kind of tree or flower you are looking at, just take it all in. View it as if you are seeing whatever it is for the very first time. Notice how the miraculous and the ethereal in a flower becomes evident. I promise, if you approach this exercise with an open mind and with the sense of wonder of a child, you will reap amazing benefits.

My Flowers (22) by Llima Orosa

You see, there is an even more important reason to do this exercise. Eckhart advises to start in nature because it's so much easier to look at trees or birds or animals and not immediately label them or put them in a specific category. The ultimate goal of this exercise is to then do the same to people. How many times do we encounter others and immediately place them in a certain box in our mind? How does this affect our interactions with each other? How does this affect our relationships with ourselves?

I'll go into this next time. There are valuable lessons to be learned from viewing our fellow human beings as just that, humans . . . being. Everything changes when you can truly understand how we are all ONE. Until next time, go out there and be as present as you can. Be as open and full of wonder and excitement as you can. Look at the world around you as if you were seeing it all for the very first time. Get rid of the names and definitions for things and just observe them. You'll notice how even that annoying fly that sneaked into your apartment can be a mysterious and fascinating thing.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Life in the COMPLAINTS FREE ZONE

2009-08-09T14:57:00.000-04:00

If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

Alright, so I've been really focusing on zero complaints since last Tuesday morning, at 10 AM to be precise. As I mentioned in my previous post, I really have been living with a minimum of complaining for quite a while now. Even in my past, when I was living in full-time depression, I kept the complaining about minuscule things to myself. I'd spew words like "I hate my life" and my favorite, "I caaaan't", many, many times during the day, but complaining about every single annoyance wasn't my style. I mean, those two sentiments were enough, don't you think? They kept me quite unhappy and miserable for a very long time.

So, I started to really live in what I've started to call the Complaints Free Zone (CFZ) last Tuesday, and I was confident that it was going to be quite easy for me. And, while that has proven to be somewhat true, I still found out that there are plenty of times when I've stepped across the line to "A Little Complaining." It's been just little things but if you add the little things, they can become a larger issue. The past five days have really taught me to be more vigilant over my thoughts and actions. I hadn't been aware of how many times a day I complain . . . just a little, but I do it. There is this sound I make with my mouth, which my mom calls it, "friendo un huevo". It's hard to explain, but it sounds like you're frying an egg. That sizzling sound it makes? Well, when I make it with my mouth it usually happens when I'm a little exasperated with something. Maybe I missed my bus or something fell from my hand, etc. It can be anything, but when that happens and I make that sound with my mouth, you can be sure I'm complaining. Even if, like I mentioned, it's something really small and I immediately forget the thought.

While focusing on living in a Complaints Free Zone, those instances of exasperation turn into a complaint. Even if it's a wordless complaint, it's complaining. So, I've been more aware of those moments. They've happened less and less. Even when this morning's eggs fell from my hand and broke on the floor. I just looked at them and managed to save one. That's pretty good! I saved an egg and cleaned up the other. No big deal. I was still asleep and my eyes weren't quite open. Oh well.

I did fully step out of the CFZ this past Friday though. I was home and working on my art, which, as you all know, I love, love, love to do! But, I had promised to stop by my parent's house for lunch and pick up my contacts from the eye doctor. These were really nothing to get worked up about, but I saw them as distractions from my art. At this moment in my life I do a few things that I hope to change and not have to do. So, I think I associated these "distractions" with yet another couple of things taking me away from working on my art. So, yeah, I cursed and huffed and puffed as I got ready to leave the apartment. I didn't want to leave and why, oh why had I agreed to lunch and picking up the contacts . . . waaaah waaaaah waaaaah

This lasted about five minutes, but it was enough to show me the difference it caused in my energy and the energy surrounding me. Jhon was here and he immediately asked me what was wrong. My entire body was going through something. I felt as if I were in a bit of a fog, a gray haze. I immediately started to reach for better feeling thoughts. I got outside and started to appreciate the day and the beautiful sun that was shining. This led me to start a "Thank You Universe" Rampage which only added to the shift in energy from LOW to HIGH. By the time reached my folks, I had already made the connection. I just kept on seeking out wonderful things to be grateful for. The more I looked the more they appeared. My mom had made this delicious meal and they both looked well. I enjoyed my time with them instead of wasting that time and energy on wishing I were home working on my art. My energy was completely different and that in turn, made everything else around me change as well.

Another wonderful thing that has happened, is my focus on my dreams and desires has intensified. Without spending serious energy on complaining, even on those teeny tiny things, there is more time available to devote to what's really important. I'll keep you posted on how that evolves.

I've been back in the CFZ full-time ever since. So far, this has been an amazing experience. I think I'll stay in this zone. There is this new group on Facebook that is doing the same thing, starting next Tuesday. They will be doing 21 Days of No Complaining. Sounds great to me. I'll be continuing my own Zero Complaints living while adding a little something extra which I'll write about on Tuesday.

Some of you have contacted me and have decided to join me on the CFZ. I'd love to know your experiences, so please, either comment on the blog or send me an e-mail at gene-manuel@whirlingart.com. Let's continue spreading positive energy into this world. Starting with the small things, such as the little complaints we do each day. From changing the small we can change the larger world around us. There is great power in the energy we emit. Make sure it's positive and uplifting.

I look forward to your comments and finding out how living in the Complaints Free Zone has been for you.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

COMPLAINT FREE ZONE!

2009-08-04T13:00:00.000-04:00

"We all sorely complain of the shortness of time, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives are either spent in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do. We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end of them." ~ Seneca

On my way home, I usually take my time and walk from Chelsea to Port Authority. The walk is approximately 20 minutes if I go at a leisurely pace. I used to listen to my iPod in an attempt to block the world but I rarely do that now. I found out, it's a much more interesting walk without it.

The things you can overhear out in the streets of New York are notorious. There are books & blogs written about them. And, it's all true. Some of the things I've overheard have even shocked me and I'm not easily shocked. I won't go into any of these here because like I mentioned, there are countless books and sites devoted to such things. But, I have noticed something that has been a constant ever since I started my walks: people complain. They complain ALL THE TIME! I once counted how many overheard conversations were people complaining and I got up to about eight or nine people. Most of them were on the phone others were talking to whoever they were with. Some were complaining to themselves (they were alone.)

Whenever I see this happening, the same questions come up for me. What would we do if we couldn't complain? What would we think about? What things are we not dealing with or focusing on when we're spending that time and energy complaining? Is it helping? I know all about venting frustration and the like but, is all this venting, in public, in private, on websites, etc., doing any good? Is the complaining doing anything to change the world or help each other? I could go on with questions but I'll stop here.

I've decided to try a little experiment. For an entire week, I'm going to not complain about a single thing. Not only will I not complain, but I will not join in or agree with anyone else in their complaining. That's right. For one week, I will focus my energy on other things that have nothing to do with complaining or finding fault with things. I guess criticizing of any kind is out of the question as well. And, this includes the complaints that never make it out of our heads. When a thought pops in that is anywhere near a complaint, I will stop it and think a better-feeling thought instead.

I'll be honest and say that I already sort of live this way. I grew up with a mom that practically lived her life complaining. Granted, she had her good reasons for some of them, but most of the time, her complaining was for nothing. I grew up realizing that complaining didn't do much. Nothing got resolved by it. Most of the time, the only person that was hot and bothered and all upset was my mom. That was the extent of any kind of resolution her complaining brought about!

Therefore, even though I do my best to not complain, I do have my moments when I either make a small comment, even if it's constructive, that can definitely constitute as a complaint. I'm also guilty of joining in with either a nod or a few words of agreement when others are complaining. I think this is something we naturally fall into doing, especially in work situations where you feel a sort of unity with your colleagues. This too shall stop.

I'm curious to find out what this will do to my thinking patterns? Will this aid me in focusing even more on the positive things in my life? Can I even stop any complaints in my head before they have the chance to come out of my mouth? How will my world improve in a NO COMPLAINTS Zone?

I'm starting right now! It's Tuesday morning at 10AM. I'll let you know how it goes and I encourage you to join me in this little experiment. Let's see how productive we can be in our own lives when we stick to our business: Feeling Good! Concentrating on our beautiful lives and adding to the joy in it!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING and STOP COMPLAINING!

Gene-Manuel

Happiness can be shocking . . .

2009-07-28T16:03:00.000-04:00

"You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now." ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

Whenever I'm asked "How are you?" nowadays, almost 99% of the time I answer with an enthusiastic "I'm great! How are you?". I can't tell you how many times this simple and honest response gets me the strangest looks. Whenever I answer truthfully and with a beaming smile that I am in fact feeling and doing great, the majority of the time the person on the receiving end of my answer is shocked. Some people don't even know what to do or say in return. I've had people literally stumble backwards and do a double take as if what they have just seen and heard could not have happened. It's usually a clerk at a store or a cashier at Whole Foods.

By now, most of my friends are sort of used to my upbeat mood. Although there are times when I get asked if I'm "high" on something. That always makes me laugh because then I am compelled to answer "I'm high on life!" which always gets a different response altogether. Ha! That answer's not too far from the truth. I am intoxicated by every single day right from the start. My alarm wakes me and from that moment, I start giving thanks to the Universe for yet another day filled with possibilities right at my fingertips. In a half-daze I look at my vision board and pick out a few words that will stay with me throughout the day. That always helps me get out of bed with a feeling of excitement. Today's words were, OM, CREATIVITY and SEA OF GRATITUDE! Now, that's a pretty great message to start the day!

From there, I continue infusing my day with little things to keep my positive mood going. Being grateful and doing a "Thank You Universe" rampage definitely gets me on the right track for the day. Then, throughout the morning and into the afternoon, I consciously make the effort to be on the lookout for better feeling thoughts. The things I choose to read or see on my commute are also geared towards lifting my spirits and making me aware of all the good that is out there in the world.

Even the people I follow on Twitter are a constant source of inspiration. In fact, I make it a point to mostly follow people or organizations that tweet uplifting messages of hope, peace, and love. That in turn makes me want to do the same. On Facebook, I've begun to do a Thought For The Day, where I try to share whatever it is that I'm personally working through or with. I'm always on the look out for interesting and uplifting people to interact with. From these friends I get a myriad of ideas and helpful hints that add to my joy. There are daily affirmations and new YouTube videos to share and view. I have brilliantly creative friends that share their thoughts daily about life. Others share their gorgeous art and photography and beautiful music. It's never a dull or negative moment for me on these various social sites.

I have also made it a point that I will work on my art every single day no matter what. Even if it's 11:30pm and all I have time to do is add a touch of color to a piece, I will do it. Creating is at the top of my list of things that make me extremely, extremely happy so why would I not strive to create every day? How can I expect to manifest a life filled with art if I don't give it some attention? Nothing makes me happier than when I'm working therefore, not a day goes by that at least a moment is devoted to this joy-giving activity.

My point in sharing all these different ways I keep connected to a positive stream is that it takes a bit of effort and imagination to maintain that connection. But, it is so worth it! Once you get started, it becomes easier and easier the more you do it. We know that what we focus on expands. Why not focus on being happy? Why not make it a point to fill your day with as much happiness as you can? Again, the more you do it, the more reasons you will find to continue being happy!

If you make it your daily intention to have an amazing day filled with joy, the Universe will make sure to bring experiences your way that will bring you that joy! Instead of a "same shit, different day" mentality, understand that this simply isn't so. You have not lived this day and everything that you are experiencing on a moment by moment basis is completely new. It's happening NOW and in the NOW, everything is new and fresh and you have the choice to make it the best moment you've ever had.

A simple shift in focus will have a tremendous effect on your attitude. It has for me. I haven't had a bad day in a very long time. Have there been things going on that might be considered not so great? Sure. But especially on those days, my intention to keep reaching for a better feeling thought and exposing myself to positive and joy-filled energy was even stronger. Before I knew it, the rough patch was over and I came out of it with hardly an emotional scratch. It just took concentrating on the good. There is always something good to focus on.

It's my intention to always be happy. No matter what, I know I have the power to choose a thought that will make me feel good. Beauty and love is all around me. It's in the sky above and in the faces of loved ones that are always there for me. A simple smile given to a total stranger will get you one back . . . most of the time. Ending my day filled with gratitude for the day's events only paves the way to more things to be grateful on the following day. Just a little effort gives amazing results. Try it. You'll have fun shocking people the next time you're asked how you are and you can genuinely answer back, "I'M GREAT!"

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Finish each day and be done with it . . .

2009-07-22T00:26:00.000-04:00

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote from Emerson is one of the magnets that adorn our refrigerator. As it happens, we get accustomed to the things that surround us and we forget. So, it wasn't until last week that I stood in front of the fridge and read this quote and was struck by it. What a wonderful message of truly staying in the NOW. If we follow Emerson's advice, we'd have no choice but to live in the NOW. And how amazing to start each day anew without any feelings of regret or "shoulds" and "shouldn't haves".

I do my best to start each day this way but ever since re-reading that quote and consequently posting it on my Facebook page, I have had the words in my mind as a mantra running quietly in the background . To live my life without regrets is something I've been striving for. Regrets are truly a waste of time and energy. That energy can be directed to the NOW, to something that has the potential to lift you out of whatever your current state might be, get you moving forward in life, not looking back. So, I've got to say I've done my share of work on regrets and have arrived at a point where I understand and take full responsibility for the part I've played in my life and how each decision was made to the best of my ability at the time. "When you know better you do better."

What I'm really taken with in Emerson's quote is his advice to forget any blunders or absurdities that are committed during your day. That ability to not beat yourself up for something that you should have done or shouldn't have done. For example, there was a small part of me that felt that this blog posting should have been done earlier today instead of after Midnight. Well, obviously that is not correct. How do I know that? Because it's after Midnight and now is when I'm inspired enough to write it. It's the right time. I can't go against reality. It doesn't matter if I think I "should" have done it earlier because the truth is I didn't.

'Should' is one of those words that can get you in trouble whenever you use it. Louise Hay would like to have it removed from our vocabulary and I have to agree with her. She goes on to say that whenever you use the word 'should', you're either wrong, going to be wrong or were wrong about something. Isn't that the truth! Most of the time when the "S" word is used, it carries with it a lot of judgment and limitations. Emerson would certainly not be down with that! So that's one thing to try and start doing. Get rid of the "shoulds" that don't bring anything positive into your life. That can get you one step closer to the Emerson ideal of being done with your day and going easy on yourself.

Abraham likes to always say "Be easy about it", meaning to just take it easy. Learn to forgive yourself for anything you see as a shortcoming or for the things you think you should have done differently, or better or not at all. Let's start treating ourselves with kindness. We are constantly doing our best. At the end of the day, let's be grateful for every single breath we've taken, and for every single experience we've brought into our lives. As we close our eyes for sleep, let the promise of a bright new tomorrow light the spark of possibilities once more.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

I intend to only give my best . . .

2009-07-16T08:55:00.000-04:00

The best you can do for anyone is to thrive fully and be willing to explain to anyone who asks how it is that you are thriving, and what it is that you've discovered—and then, just relax and trust that all truly is well. ~ Abraham

I finished my first IntenSati 4-week workshop last night. Like I wrote in my first IntenSati entry, I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into when I took the first class or really, even when when I signed up for the entire 4-week workshop. I trusted my instinct that told me "You're gonna fucking love it! Just do it!". So, I signed up and you know from my first post that I did indeed love every second of the classes.

(Erin Stutland photo courtesy of www.erinstutland.com)

For those of you that might not know what IntenSati is about, please go here: ErinStutland and here: Sati Life And you can also visit this NY Pix Morning News blog to see Erin in action: IntenSati

Great! So now you know that the class also involves spoken affirmations that you say sometimes OUTLOUD, at times in a whisper and other times to yourself. Speaking the affirmations throughout the workout is a great gage on how well you are doing with the physical part. As a certified Urban Rebounding & Spinning instructor, I'm a firm believer in the fact that you should always be able to carry out a conversation while doing aerobic work. Maybe not a full out debate about Gay Marriage but at least a few coherent sentences that lets you know you're still alive! :-) So, that's one great thing about the spoken affirmations and of course, the other is the intentions behind each affirmation as it ties in to the work you are doing, both physically and spiritually.

How the class works is you start with one affirmation that corresponds with specific movements and then you continue to add until it becomes a full cycle of affirmations and movements. It's quite a journey. Towards the end of the journey, during lower body work, my favorite affirmation is spoken:

I intend
To only give my best
My best gets better
I'm leaving all the rest

Those words are the ones that stay with me every time I leave class and for the next few days, they become my mantra. How wonderful that is! I keep being reminded that in all situations, my intention is to only give my best. As I do this, my best gets better, meaning I do better, I feel better and in turn whatever it is I'm dealing with gets better. While focusing on doing better, I then leave all the rest. Everything else just falls behind me and I'm able to let go of it. I'm able to let go of the negativity that can try to seep into my every day. I let go of self-doubt. I left go of habitual thinking that has only kept me trapped doing things I don't enjoy. I let go . . .

When I started the IntenSati practice, I was asked by Erin, our fabulous teacher, to pick three or four intentions for the month. Things I wanted to work on. This being my first workshop, I decided to work on a few things that were important to me but not anything too major. This was a testing of the waters in a sense. I intended to have FUN every single day of the month. I also intended to do my Ah Meditation every day. And, I intended to get my Whirling Art products to a new level. I have to say I did pretty well on each of my intentions. I did have fun every single day this past month. I did do my Ah Meditation almost every single morning. That's alright though. I loved every time that I got to do it and it showed me that it is something I enjoy so much, so of course I'm going to make time for it. I was able to create beautiful clothing with the help of Zazzle and my clothing line, along with a few other more personal items, will be ready for a full out launch very, very soon . . . hmmm this weekend perhaps!

Therefore, IntenSati was a success for me in the sense that I was able to follow through with the intentions I set out for myself at the beginning of the course. And for that I am grateful. But, I'm even more grateful for the way the practice spilled over onto other areas of my life that I had not included in my intentions for the month! That's where the real excitement for me has come from. As those words above kept repeating in my mind, I noticed the areas in my life where I wasn't doing my best because I wasn't giving it my best. This way of thinking then leads you to a myriad of questions that can unearth some pretty startling revelations about why exactly you're not giving your best! For me it all boiled down to a few fears that I've had to come face to face with. I'm still in the process of working through them but I'm so glad to have gotten here.

I'm definitely continuing with IntenSati. The next set of intentions that I'm going to work with and focus on for the next 6 weeks are huge for me! I can't say that I'm not scared but I'm not as scared as I think I would have been before starting the practice. I now know that I've got a great group of people that have my back. Being open to the flow of positive energy and a strong connection with Source will only make the work easier to handle.

Through it all I intend to give my best and that's all you can do really. Always give your best in every situation. Lean into the things that you need to work on. Nice and easy does it. Always giving your best. As you give your best, things will get better. As you focus on your intentions, all other things that aren't serving the higher purpose of these intentions, will fade away. The path will open up for all the goodness in life to come through for you.

Just remember to always . . . give . . . your best.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Namaste,

Gene-Manuel

In CHANGE there is POWER . . .

2009-07-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." ~ Alan Cohen

I recently received a phone call from a good friend of mine, Erica, and since I was rather busy at the time of the call, I let it go to voicemail. Erica left me a very nice message, asking me how I was and hoping that all was well with us. Since Erica is quite funny, I love receiving her messages because the message will undoubtedly make me laugh. At the end of this particular message, Erica wished me what ended up being, much bliss. Erica had a hard time finding the right words since this was sort of new to her. You see, Erica was trying to speak "that crazy, wacko talk" I now have. Those were her words. Meaning, my new-found spirituality and positivity.

Now, I don't want you to think that Erica was trying to be mean or disparaging. There was a lot of love in the message and in her own way, she was trying to acknowledge my new state of "blissfulness" and let me know, she had been paying attention. This was just Erica being Erica and I loved her for that very much. But, I must say that I found the comment interesting. I immediately knew I'd be writing about it and that's always exciting news. With all of the other projects I'm involved with, being inspired to write and making the time to write is sometimes not so easy.

Erica's comment about my "crazy, wacko talk" made me realize how over the last year or so, I have indeed changed from the old me, to this new wacko talking me. How the person that I was several years ago, no longer really exists, but only a minor glimpse of him can be found every now and again when there's a slight glitch in my connection. Like a ghost. It also made me truly see how much happier I am with the me that I've finally let shine through.

This transformation, if you want to call it that, has been a long time coming. I've been attracting all kinds of teachers along the way since my early 20s when a friend and her girlfriend gave me Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love. I read it then and although some of it made sense, I wasn't ready for it. At the time I had issues with the word God and anyone that spoke to much about God, just wasn't for me. I had just escaped from my religious background and I could not get past the G word.

Then a couple of years later, I was introduced to The Magic of Believing in an interview with comedic genius Phyllis Diller. Phyllis was asked about her start in comedy when she was already in her 40s, with five children. She said that she had read a book that had changed her life. That book was The Magic of Believing by Claude M. Bristol. I immediately ran out to get this book which at the time was basically almost out of print. I found a copy and devoured it. Loved it to so much that I photocopied the entire book and gave it to my friends for X-Mas that year. I don't think any of them cared for it but for a brief time, this book had made perfect sense to me. In fact, in hindsight, I've used the principles in that book ever since I read it. Most of the time, I wasn't really aware of it but I know I did. I don't think I was completely ready for what I was learning but what is obvious is that these kinds of teachings have always been around me. I've always been attracted to them and they've always been presented to me in one way or another.

It just took a while for me to really make a connection with it all. For years I think I was afraid to truly believe in anything. I didn't want to be thought of as crazy. I also didn't know who I would become if I stopped being this bitter, sarcastic, people-hating, rage-filled Gene-Manuel. Who would I be? That had been my identity for so long! That's the person I had been hiding behind because it was much easier to complain about life and how much I hated it, than to do something about it and get out of my fucking way. I had also surrounded myself with beautiful people that accepted me as that bitter wise-cracking individual, warts and all. Who would I be in front of my friends? Would they all think I was nuts or even believe me? Would we have anything in common anymore? For a long time I had a fear of letting go of the familiar, of being miserable, for what I thought was only fantasy. There is great comfort in accepting what you think is your toll in life without venturing out and really living.

Once I became aware that I had to change in order to save my life, in order to start enjoying my life, all other concerns paled in comparison. Being stuck in an endless cycle of depression and anger was definitely not a way to live. All of these new ways of thinking that I was attracting, such as The Secret, Abraham-Hicks and Eckhart Tolle, were breaking through that exterior I had created to protect me. Eckart Tolle's writing made me aware of my ego and the part it played in the things I did or did not do. Once you're able to understand how ego can take over your life, then what others think of you becomes less of a concern. People will either accept you or they won't but you can't ever live your life worried about that. And once I became comfortable with who I was becoming, and believe me, I was as surprised at first as anybody, the Universe took care of bringing the right teachers and people into my life that I could connect with. The right books and movies came into my hands. I was more open to the messages. I became more understanding of what I was meant to be doing with my life. I slowly said goodbye to the old Gene-Manuel.

I had a rather interesting dream that was a sort of farewell to him. Luckily, Louise Hay was there to help me do it. In her calm and gentle way, she basically told me that the old me was no longer. He had served a purpose but it was time for me to say Goodbye. I no longer needed to hide behind that facade. It was a beautiful dream that I can still remember vividly. When I awoke, I felt a sense of loss for that old me but a renewed sense of self as well. So many things made sense, not only in regards to my actions in the past but of what I was doing in the now and things to come.

So it's ok if people think I'm talking crazy with all my positive posts, Day-Dreaming Tuesdays, Thank You Universe Rampages and Louise Hay quotes. That is just wonderful! I'll keep doing things this way as long as I feel the connection and keep floating downstream. I thank all of you that have joined me on this journey. All of your encouragement and kind words about what I'm doing now really keeps me in the flow and I am so grateful. Let's continue our wacko talk together! What amazing things we'll be able to create!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Finding a better-feeling thought . . .on the way to feeling GOOD

2009-07-07T21:41:00.000-04:00

"There is always an even-happier thought than the happy thought you're thinking now. There is always even a better feeling--your capacity to achieve a better feeling is unlimited." ~ Abraham

So today I spent most of my day really reaching for a better-feeling thought. This was the day that I put these words to the test. And I mean, I started doing it this morning, from the minute I woke up until right about now as I type these words. I usually wake up and say an internal "Thank You" to the Universe as I take a peek at my vision board and pick out a word or phrase for my day. This morning's word was OM (the Universal symbol of Creation). Right when I looked at the word and proceeded to step off the bed, (our bed is quite high and I'm short so I sort of jump off of it every morning), I had a small pang of "not-quite-rightness" which I immediately followed with another big "Thank YOU" to the Universe for another day.

I wasn't looking forward to dealing with the IRS. Yes, I truly believe that we live in an abundant world and I know that I am alright and on the right path, but when you have to deal with the IRS, some times it can become overwhelming. Without going into details, being a freelancer has put me in a position where I owe back taxes. It's all being taken care of but it can be a little stressful. Ha! So, I knew that today was the day I had to take care of the matter and I was determined to continue loving what is no matter what.

Luckily, it was Day-Dreaming Tuesday and I made it my intention to really concentrate on my dreams and focus as much of my attention as possible on the dreams I want to make reality. This helped immensely. Although I knew I had to make the phone call, being involved in a wonderful and magical daydream of things to come was just what I needed. This kept me reaching for a better-feeling thought every step of the way up to the dreaded phone call. Right before I picked up the phone to dial, I made it my intention to have a pleasant conversation and a solution to the matter. I was determined to feel good about the whole thing.

Well, I have to admit that even though the conversation went quite well, after I hung up the phone, I did have a good cry. I allowed myself to cry over the events and decisions in the past that landed me in this situation. But, surprisingly enough, the cry only lasted about two minutes or so. It was abundant but short. I immediately reached for a better-feeling thought to pull me from any kind of "woe is me" mentality. I brought my attention to the present moment and all of the things I have to be grateful for. I also broke the IRS issue down into smaller pieces. When you break down a "problem" or challenge into smaller pieces, it is much easier to handle. For example, if you have 100 lbs to lose, thinking of the 100 lbs can be quite overwhelming. But, if you break it down to losing one pound or five pounds at a time, that's much easier to comprehend and not as insurmountable. That's what I did with my problem. I can only do what I can do at this very moment. One step at a time.

I spent most of my day doing things that made me feel good. I listened to music that I love. I worked on my art and designed some products. On my walk home I created a game to occupy my time and keep me in a constant state of appreciation and yes, feeling good. I'm not saying there aren't times when I break down and feel low. It happens to us all. But, nothing productive can come from that low point. At least, it's never helped me. The answer to our problems or challenges is not found at the deepest levels of despair. But, if we can move one level up from depression or that feeling of despair to maybe anger, we'll be moving in the right direction. There's energy in anger and if we continue to move up, slowly, we can get to those better-feeling thoughts all the way to optimism and hope and ultimately JOY!

I never made it all the way down to depression today and for that I am so grateful. In fact, I can honestly say that I wasn't too far from joy for any long period of time. I took each moment as it came my way and always made the decision to feel good. Everything I did today had the intention of making me feel good. Come to think of it, even making the phone call was an act of reaching for a better feeling. With the phone call out of the way, I didn't have to think about it anymore, and once you get something unpleasant out of the way, you always . . . feel GOOD.

I'll be writing more about how we are all hereon Earth to basically feel our best all the time. Every single decision we make is usually with the intention to, you know it: feel good. For now, I'm going back to my new whirling dervish piece since spending time doing what I love is always the quickest way to BLISS. Aaaahhhhh

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

I am In Ten Satis Fied . . .

2009-06-30T23:32:00.000-04:00

IntenSati ~ A practice for your body, heart and mind.
"Inten" derives from "intention," and "Sati" is a Pali word which means mindfulness.

My insanely talented friend Erin Stutland (pictured), actress, dancer, writer and most importantly, a beautiful human being, had been after me to take this class she was teaching called IntenSati. She had been following my posts on Facebook and knew that I was a fan of Abraham-Hicks and Louise L. Hay and all of the wonderful teachers that have been placed in my path. Therefore, she just knew that I would love this class. So, she kept inviting me to her workshops and for one thing or another, I kept not being able to do it. I also didn't quite understand what Louise Hay had to do with an exercise class. It made no sense to me.

Erin tried once more and this time it worked. I asked my friend Nikki Walker to come take the class with me and she agreed. In all honesty, I had read some of the information on Erin's website but it had been a quick scan and not much had sunk in. When I invited Nikki I didn't really give her much information other than that Erin was teaching and that it sounded like a good time. On our way there, Nikki asked me if I knew anything about what we were about to do. I said, "well, I think we're doing some kind of yoga class while saying some "You Can Heal Your Life" affirmations mixed in with a little aerobic work. . . . I think . . ." I had no idea what was about to happen to us!

We got to Chelsea Studios and waited for Erin to arrive. It was a lovely reunion of old friends (Nikki and I had done a show with Erin years ago that made everyone in the cast become like family). Class began and Erin explained a bit about what IntenSati was about. This was a one-off class, therefore, it was not the beginning of a workshop, but just a teaser. She warned that it was going to be a little harder than usual.

Nothing that I had read on Erin's site or anywhere else could have prepared me for this class. It was one of those life-changing experiences that makes you ask yourself, "why haven't I been doing this FOREVER?!" The combination of high intensity aerobics, with yoga moves, dance and martial arts plus spoken affirmations made perfect sense to me! There was this immediate connection with every single person in that room. We were all there as one united force to be reckoned with! But, this wasn't just another exercise class this was an intensely spiritual experience, at least for me. Many times during class, my eyes teared up from a sense of belonging and serenity of mind and spirit. Underneath the music and the sweat, and believe there was sweat, there was this incredible feeling of empowerment. There is a reason why IntenSati is considered a "practice."

After class was over, I knew right then that I would be taking part in Erin's upcoming 4-week workshop. I was also so very proud of my friend for it was so obvious how much she loved what she was doing. Erin was pure loving energy. She radiated her brilliant and beautiful light and guided us every step of the way on our own personal journey. Her teaching went beyond the physicality of the class, but much deeper into the soul of each student. What a privilege to be led through yet another glorious path in life by such an accomplished and loving teacher.

I'm up to the third week of the workshop and I've already seen changes in many areas of my life, not to mention the way my body feels. I'll be writing more about the whole experience once I'm finished with the last week of the workshop. I cannot recommend IntenSati enough to anyone that is looking for a practice that has the potential to change EVERYTHING!

Namaste.

Gene-Manuel

For additional information on IntenSati, please click here: SatiLife

Dreams have No Expiration Date . . .

2009-06-30T15:10:00.000-04:00

"People like you and I, though mortal of course like everyone else, do not grow old no matter how long we live . . . [We] never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born." ~ Albert Einstein (letter to Otto Juliusburger)

Photo: Upward by Llima Orosa (courtesy of the artist)

I can relate to this quote from Albert Einstein. I find myself in love with life and the beauty of nature and people around me at all times. I look at the sky and I am constantly amazed by what I see. Cloud formations that bring to mind magical cities full of wonder. On my daily walk to catch the bus I spend the 8 or 10 minutes it takes to get to the bus stop in pure bliss, just staring at the sky, amazed if I see an airplane flying above and cutting through a big cloud. What a miracle!

I've never been one to think too much about age. I think the last time a birthday made any sort of bleep in my radar was my 25th. That was the only time I thought about it and only because someone asked me how it felt to be a quarter of a century. I had never thought of it that way. But, that was it really. I went through my twenties not really paying much attention. Well, I was hardly paying attention to my life let alone what age I was. Thirty made no impression or thirty five. Most of those years I sort of coasted along, not really putting too much emphasis on where my life was headed or what I was doing here.

This all changed a couple of years ago when I started to question my purpose here on Earth. One thing led to another and the more involved I became in taking control over my reality, being a participating co-creator in my life, the more enchanted I became with the world around me. Then, when I was chosen by my art to bring it to life on paper, nothing's ever been the same.

This new-found sense of wonder and excitement has just grown stronger ever since I started daydreaming on a regular basis. I've written before about how we come into this physical realm with the ability and knowledge to be able to do anything we set our minds to. There was never any doubt that what I wanted to happen, would indeed happen. It was a given. Nothing was going to stop me from doing what I wanted to do.

OK, so I lost the connection for a while but exercising my imagination with guided daydreams and visualizations has once again connected me to this brilliant energy. The energy that I felt when I was a child. I do believe that anything is possible and that we have the ability to use our magical powers to create our lives. We have the ability to make the impossible, POSSIBLE.

And age? What's age? We are ageless beings. As Dr. Wayne Dyer writes in his new book, Excuses Begone!, "Part of you has an ageless mind and is quite oblivious to the physical aging process - and it's available to you if you'll just encourage it with conscious invitations to participate in your life." Our ability to dream and to act on those dreams and make them a reality is also ageless. The thoughts that shoot rockets of desire off into the ever-abundant and wish-granting Universe have no concept of age. They have no idea how long my physical being has been here on this planet. Those thoughts are absolutely pure, without an expiration date, and have every right to have me work towards their manifestation.

I encourage you to once again take the time and nurture your dreams. Take them out for a test-drive and play with them a little. Slowly, bring back that little kid that believed in magic, in fairy tales and in the impossible. He or she is still quite capable of teaching you all you really need to know about why you are here and what amazing things you can do, what beautiful things you can have, and what a brilliant person you can be. Take a lesson from the child in you about what an incredible world we live in. Bring back that sense of wonder and every single day, you'll be able to give thanks for being here and find new things to be grateful for. Defy aging and join Einstein in becoming one of the "curious children", always amazed by life!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Repairing our connection . . .by "checking in."

2009-06-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

“Learn to let your intuition—gut instinct—tell you when the food, the relationship, the job isn’t good for you (and conversely, when what you’re doing is just right).” ~ Oprah

Every time I've gone against my gut instinct, I've paid the price. And I do mean, every single time, without exception. I have recently been more attuned to it and have made a conscious effort to truly listen and pay attention to my gut at all times. It's how I've come to create my art. The fact that I now work on something that brings me so much joy and feels so good is all due to following my gut instinct and listening to Inspired Action.

This hasn't always been the case. I have plenty of experiences where I decided to either listen to other people, or I've let my ego get in the way. When I've done this, I've completely turned my back on my inner voice, my intuition, and the results have always been disastrous! That is because we come into this physical world reality with this miraculous built-in connection to Source Energy. I mean, we are born with this otherworldly GPS device already programmed with all that we'll ever need to guide us in this world. From the start it is giving us information to help us along. As babies we cry when we're hungry or sleepy or need changing. Nobody told us to do this! This was all instinctual. We came here knowing this was how things had to be until we learned to communicate with these beings that were our parents and started using words.

As we get older and get exposed to outside influences, we tend to start listening to other people, maybe a little too much. We also start dealing with our friend, ego. And our ego, if we let him or her, will take over our lives. Dr. Wayne Dyer likes to say that the word ego stands for Edge God Out. I think he's totally right. That's one of the things our ego loves to do. It gets in the way of our gut instinct and tries to shut it down. Ego believes it has what's best for us in mind when in reality, it's only thinking about what's best for ego to survive. The more it can get in the way of our connection to our Source Energy, the better its chances of sticking around telling you what to do.

So, as the years go by and our ego gets stronger and we start listening to other people, we tend to rely less and less on our gut instincts. We pay less attention to that built-in GPS system. Especially if what our guide is telling us to do goes against what everyone else thinks we should do.

We all have stories of times when we went against our instincts and things went horribly wrong. What we have to do is remember these instances when a similar event happens and we're about to do something we feel deep down that we're not supposed to do. It's important to exercise our instinctual powers. Really get in touch with our inner voice and get that connection to Source Energy or God back in fine working order. One of the best ways to do this of course is by spending some time actively seeking to repair the connection.

In the mornings I like to do Ah Meditation sessions for about 10 minutes or so. But, I've started to extend this time a little at the end and do what I like to call a "checking in" exercise. I check in with my core and make sure that all is well. How do I feel about the state of my life at this very moment? Are there areas that feel wrong, that don't fit with me? Are there things I'm doing that I know I shouldn't be doing? Am I happy with my life?

When I first started "checking in", I found that ego liked to come in and answer the questions for me. It liked to come up with excuses for any of the questions that I instinctively knew the answer to. But, the more I calmed my mind and quieted ego, the easier it got to repair that connection to Source, that invisible line going straight from my core, my center, to Source Energy. Now in my periods of checking in, the answers come immediately. I can't even say they come in the form of words but more as immediate feelings. My gut remains calm and peaceful whenever a question is asked and I'm living in its truth. If I ask myself a question and I'm not in a good space with that question, my gut lets me know in the form of a small yet palpable twisting feeling. Whenever I get that response, that lets me know that I'm dealing with an area that needs further investigation. It doesn't mean that I now have to berate myself and that I've done something wrong. This just means that it's time to look inward and seek for the answer, which is already there, at a deeper level.

To start repairing this connection to Source, or make the connection you already have even stronger, I do recommend doing the "checking in" exercise a couple of times a week. As always, I like to make things easy, because you know what I believe . . . if something is easy to do, the more likely you are to DO IT consistently. So, depending on how good your connection is, then that can determine the amount of time spent checking in. At first, like I said, ego might like to get in there and mess with you, so it could possibly take a little longer to get through the questions.

The questions are simple ones. You can come up with your own set but I usually start with these:

How are you?
How is your life?
Are you happy?
Is there anything troubling you?
What is going right for you?
Is there anything you'd like to see change?

These are just a few examples. It really helps to customize your questions to whatever is going on in your life at the moment. I like to do the checking in exercise before I undertake any new project, no matter how exciting or lucrative it might seem. Checking in with specific questions relating to the issue at hand really helps to clear my thoughts and get in touch with my gut instincts. If all my questions come back with a positive response and my core remains calm and relaxed and at peace, you better believe it, I'm going ahead with that project. It's that simple.

Spend some time checking in and see how your connection to Source will help to guide you in the right direction. The stronger the connection the easier it will be to immediately trust your inner voice. It is right. Every. Single. Time.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Watch your words with care . . .

2009-06-16T16:01:00.000-04:00

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

~ BUDDHA

After a daydreaming session, it's so important to keep that dreamy, positive energy going. I can't stress this enough. Make sure you follow a daydream with some words affirming those dreams. This is important, because the last thing you want to do is negate what you've done with negative thoughts or words.

For example, let's say you've taken a five-minute break to do a little dreaming. All is beautiful. All is just perfect in your daydream. The time is up and you follow your dreams with "Well, that was nice. . . But, it'll never happen." BLOCK! With just those few words you've completely blocked the manifesting energy of your dream. With a simple thought of "that was a complete waste of time," you're on your way to proving yourself right. It was a complete waste of your time if you just didn't let yourself believe.

This is a feeling Universe and as I've written before, when we let ourselves dream as vividly as we can, we come close to "living as if!" We let ourselves experience those feelings of living the life we truly want. In turn, powerful manifesting powers are activated. But, with a simple sentence of doubt or disbelief, you can block that flow. There is, as the famous book states, MAGIC in believing. Let yourself experience this magic if only for those five minutes a day. But make sure to keep the magic going. Once you're finished with your daydream, follow it with a few positive closing words. Try "As we think, so we'll become." "Let all these things or something greater manifest for me." Or, as Meister Eckhart said, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." Just say a simple "Thank You" after your daydreaming session and that will be enough to keep you in the flow.

I try to stay in that creative dream flow for as long as I can after a daydream session or after my meditation. With a simple "Thank You" I acknowledge what I've done. I give thanks for all of the possibilities and opportunities that will appear as I work towards those dreams. Oh yes! There's work involved when there are dreams to manifest. But, it all begins with the dream!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

"Thank you Universe for . . . "

2009-06-15T17:23:00.000-04:00

I've started to do what I call Thank You Universe rampages. It's my way of thanking the Universe for all the good in my life and showing appreciation for it all. I've taken the idea of the rampages from what Abraham-Hicks sometimes does where Abraham will go on what they call a rampage or a verbal rush of words on a specific topic. You can experience one of my favorite Abraham rampages here:

It's really quite simple to do and we all know that the simpler something is, the more likely it is for us to do it. A Thank You Universe rampage can be done at any time and since it doesn't necessarily have to be done out loud, you can do it anywhere. I usually like to do it out loud in the mornings but there are times when I do it in the crowded bus and turn my commute into a game.

The object of the rampage is to not only show gratitude and appreciation for all the things in your life, no matter how small, but it's also a way to recharge the energy around you. It's really an amazing tool to use when you're not particularly feeling very upbeat. I've done a rampage when I've been feeling just a bit low in energy and mood and the shift that occurs after I'm done, is absolutely amazing! The simple act of pointing out all of the things in your life, at the very moment you are doing the rampage, that you are grateful for, opens up an entire realm of positive energy you might not have been tapped into before doing the rampage.

I start by saying "Thank you Universe for. . . " and I mention the first thing that pops into my head. It can be as simple as the coffee pot that's brewing in front of me. Then I go from there. Feel free to start with "Thank you Universe for. . . " and then list the things you're appreciating one after the other. That is just fine. Personally, I like thank the Universe for each individual thing in a separate sentence. For me it gives each thing its proper acknowledgement. It's fascinating where the rampage can take you. Since I try to say one thing right after the other, I'm never really sure where the rampage will take me.

For example, if I start with the coffee pot, I might then be thankful for the coffee, then that takes me to the coffee bean, and the place where the coffee bean was ground, then the water, the heat in the pad to keep the coffee hot, etc., etc., etc. Sometimes, in the midst of a rampage, I'm made aware of how many steps there are and how many people are involved in doing something so that I can benefit from it. These are things and people I never would've even dreamed of thanking and being appreciative of if it wasn't for a rampage of appreciation! I mean really, how many times do we thank the person that delivered the eggs to the store so that I could go buy them and enjoy my Denver omelet?

While doing them on the bus, I turn the rampage into a game. As I pass by different parts of the city, I search for things to be grateful for. The sun, the rain, the pavement, the trees in the park, the fountain, the streetlights that do their best to keep us safe in traffic. The opportunities to be thankful are endless and my sometimes long and traffic-filled commutes become more of an opportunity to be grateful than a time being stuck in traffic.

The rampages don't have to last very long. There's no specific time limit for them. The goal is to feel good and get into that state of appreciation where then all things are possible. If you're being grateful and are fully appreciating everything that is happening in your life, then you have entered a state of allowing. There can be no resistance coming from you when you are so open to the Universe's abundance and wisdom.

I can't recommend these rampages enough. If you're alone in the house and can really let go, do it. Do as the definition for rampage states: rush wildly about. Let loose and really get that energy flowing. Radiate appreciation for the more you appreciate and are thankful for in this world, the more things you'll be given to be grateful for.

Peace and Light and Keep Dreaming!

Gene-Manuel

NO LIMITS . . .

2009-06-09T12:56:00.001-04:00

"A young and vital child knows NO LIMITS to his own will, and it is the only reality to him. It is not that he wants at the outset to fight other wills, but that they simply do not exist for him. Like the artist, he goes forth to the work of creation, gloriously alone." ~ Jane Harrison

I came across Jane Harrison's quote while researching the limitless power of our dreams. Last week, after an incredible IntenSati class, of which I will devote more time to later, I was walking with my dear friend Nikki, and we briefly spoke about the child's power to dream and believe in his dreams. In particular, I remembered how when I was very little, age 2 or 3, I knew, beyond any doubt, that I had powers over the things around me. It was a notion, deep within my little self, that knew that all things were possible. There were no limits to the things that I could do.

Whenever I was told that something was impossible, I kept asking "why"? "Why isn't it possible for this to happen?" "What is it this word you use: IMPOSSIBLE?" The 3-year old me knew deep, deep down that the grown up telling me something could not be done, had lost the ability to dream. They had lost a connection to something that I was still very much connected to. I remember being confused by this. I couldn't understand why such a simple understanding of the way things worked didn't occur to these adults.

I found it rather interesting that I kept hearing them (my parents) read from the bible about miracles, yet when I inquired about these miracles, they'd say that the "age of miracles is over." How sad for them! Wow! They read over and over again about a miracle happening here and another there and now, too bad for us, the miracles were over. No more. Sorry, we ran out a long, long time ago.

After a while, I decided it was best to keep these thoughts to myself and not share them with the people around me. This didn't mean that I stopped believing that all was possible, it just meant I kept quiet about it. As I've written here before, I always knew that we'd be able to leave the country and that I would come to live in the United States. As impossible as it seemed to everyone else, I kept on dreaming about it and was certain that it was just a matter of time before I'd be stepping on a plane, out of the island. I was absolutely right!

I believe that when we are little, we are as close to Source Energy, Universal Power, God, whatever you want to call that which is greater than we are, as we can get. It could be that since we've just entered into the physical, that connection to the non-physical is still very much alive, throwing sparks really. Of course everything is possible when we're mere babies! We know, on a cellular level, that we can do it all because we've just come from the realm where we've been doing it all! Although exactly what we did in that realm is not clear to us, we still carry with us those feelings of amazing wonders.

As Jane says in her quote, at that time, I knew no limits to what I could do. Unfortunately, as I grew older and started to deal with life issues, I strayed further and further away from my truth. Without any useful spiritual guidance, I let my belief in the impossible become a distant memory. It was just a childhood dream. I started to suffer from depression at a very young age and my connection to that Source Energy that allowed me to believe in my dreams with 100% certainty, was broken for a long number of years.

Until, interestingly enough, I was brought back, by Inspired Action, to art. . . to that act of creation . . . which little by little has become a miraculous link to my truth. I've written about how that came to pass. And every single piece of art that I've created since I started in July of 2008 has been a guiding light to the next phase of my liberation. My spiritual liberation like Michael Bernard Beckwith writes in his book of the same name. Alone with my paper and arts supplies, I have awakened to that connection that was broken for so long. In the Universe's loving wisdom and abundance, I have been led by these pieces, to where I need to be.

That child of 3 that believed in the impossible is alive and well and stronger than ever. I encourage his enthusiasm for the wonders of our Universe on a daily basis. I seek out miracles in the world around me, no matter where I am. A quick glance up at the sky is proof enough that we live in the times of miracles still. We are surrounded by things that were once just dreams. We are on the leading edge of creativity and we must take full advantage of our power. DREAM WITHOUT LIMITS!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING,

Gene-Manuel

Nothing happens unless first . . .

2009-06-02T03:00:00.000-04:00

"When I daydream, I go all the way to the end of the Earth, and comeback. It's a nice exercise." ~ Yoko Ono

I love the fact that Yoko Ono mentions daydreaming twice in her list of 25 Things Even My Best Friends Didn’t Know Until Now by Yoko Ono. This ties in to the message of my post today since it's all about how some people think that if you're spending most of your time daydreaming, you most likely aren't doing much of anything else. The fact that Yoko takes the time to daydream a little here and there, to some outstanding results I might add, is proof that daydreamers can accomplish quite alot. Yoko is now is 76 years young and busier than ever; with her music and exhibitions all over the world. Her daydreaming hasn't stopped her! I bet it's something she practices on a regular basis to keep her dreams alive.

Since I started daydreaming again, "full-time", I have gotten a few e-mails of concern from friends. They want to know if I've completely given up on the "real" world and just spend most of my time in a fantasy land? Am I like a zombie walking around in a daze? Just spending my time dreaming and not being really present or interested in anything that's happening around me. Some have hinted, although they haven't said it outright, that it's a complete waste of my time.

I have to say that I was busy before I started the practice of daydreaming, and now, I'm busier than ever! Like I've mentioned before, daydreaming can be used as a portal to the life you really want to be living. In my daydreams I spend most of my time creating my art and when I'm not doing that, I'm out being of service. When I'm not doing that, I'm enjoying a wonderful dinner while on vacation in Tenerife . When I'm not doing that, I'm recording a new CD. And the list of things I'm doing and accomplishing just keeps growing.

In turn, what has been happening is that the more I dream of spending time creating, the more time I spend working on my art. The more I dream of having the opportunities to be of service, the more those opportunities show up in my life. Just recently, I've started to get ideas for brand new songs for my second full-length CD. I haven't gotten to Tenerife just yet, but I know it's going to happen in the not-so-distant future.

In other words, my every-day has started to mirror my daydreams in small ways. Daydreaming helps me to live AS IF all these things are already happening. It helps to place me in vibrational alignment with the things I want. The Universe is a feeling Universe. It responds to how we feel and the vibrations we are sending out. In the midst of a daydream, I'm sending out waves of vibrations pertaining to how that dream is making me feel. I can only feel joy if I'm daydreaming of an entire day spent creating my art. That daydream is making me feel as if I'm living that way. That's where vibrational alignment comes in. The feeling Universe is receiving those vibrations my daydream is setting off in me. It's all a marvelous process!

Therefore, the more I daydream, the more I enjoy doing it. The more I enjoy doing it, the more I'm working towards making those dreams a reality. The more time spent making those dreams a reality, the more the Universe will conspire to realize those dreams. There's that incredible process at work again. It's like a whirling. . . a constant flow of energy and vibration. "Energy flows where attention goes."

But, I'm very much in the present, even while daydreaming. I know what's going on in the world around me. The struggles some are facing. The joys others are experiencing. Daydreaming is just a form of connecting with my truth believe it or not. The life that brings me joy, peace and harmony presents itself in my dreams. That's the truth I strive for.

To those that think of it as a waste of time, I ask that you consider the following. Some of our modern-day miracles were once daydreams. Leonardo da Vinci dreamt of flying, making the first real studies of flight in the 1480's. From some of his drawings we have today's helicopter. In his day, it was all a dream. Now, it's a reality. So many other inventions came from someone dreaming of the possibility, of what could be.

Carl Sandburg said "nothing happens unless first we dream," and I couldn't agree more.

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The Dream Symbol

2009-05-31T15:04:00.000-04:00

Symbols are an integral part of my art. Whenever I'm working on a piece, they somehow make their way in. Most of the time I am not really aware of what symbols will end up on a particular piece. It's really a moment by moment process unless the art is commissioned and I know what specific symbols I need to concentrate on.

Dealing so much with dreams and daydreaming lately, I decided to Google "dream symbols" or "symbols for dreams" and all I received were either books on dreams and what they mean or images that really had nothing to do with what I was looking for. I really wanted to find a symbol for just dreams or dreaming. As it turns out, there weren't any. So, I thought I'd give it a try and see if a symbol came to me. I wanted to start using it in my art and also as part of "Day-Dreaming Tuesdays."

I sat down at my drawing table and the symbol below came to me rather quickly.

As you can see, it's very simple. The flame in the center stands for many things. Sometimes I think of it as our imagination. The spark where all dreams reside waiting to explode into the physical world. The symbol also stands for always keeping your dreams alive. That's what that flame represents as well. It means to always keep that little light burning inside of you. Many times during my major bouts with depression in the past, one of the ways I got through them was just knowing that I was meant to do something with my life. I might not have known what that was, but I always felt some thing, some small piece of hope inside me that would always keep me going. I see that flame in the symbol as that small amount of hope that has always kept me going in times of deep sorrow or depression. Even when I wasn't aware of how the Universe works and the power of my thinking, I always had that inner knowing. That spark within me was always flickering and giving me, whether I was truly aware of it or not, strength to continue.

I've started using the Dream symbol in some of my art. It also stands for HOPE and BELIEVING in your dreams, your future, your LIFE! There's always a space for all those things in my work I think. Feel free to copy the image above and print it out. Place it on your Vision Board or anywhere that's visible to you. Make it a reminder to always believe in your dreams and no matter what your present situation might be, that spark within you will never die, it's always flickering away. We're here to enjoy life and make our dreams come true. We all have the power to do so. And, we all need a reminder every now and again.

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Visualizing your dreams

2009-05-26T03:00:00.000-04:00

Excerpted from the workshop in Boston, MA on Saturday, October 9th, 1999:

Act a little less and think a little more... We're not saying stop acting and do it all in mind. We're saying work your 8 hours or your 10 hours or your 16 hours.. Just spend at least 10 or 15 minutes -- in a day where you are working 8-10-16 hours of physical action in order to maintain the physical stuff that you've gathered around you -- trying to find pleasure from some vision.

Afford yourself that. And that 10 or 15 minutes that you are finding pleasure, will cause a focalization of Energy within you that the Universe will actualize around. You will begin to notice that you are more productive, because of 15 minutes of visualization, than you were from 16 hours of hard labor. --- Abraham

When I received that quote in my Inbox yesterday, I started to smile. Every single word made so much sense. It is exactly what I have been doing for the past several weeks. Not so long ago, I finally understood that fine balance between what is going on in the physical world; the job, the appointments, the family issues, the love issues, etc. etc. All those things that feel real to us because they are happening around us and we can feel and touch them. And, then the flip side. That other world, that for my purposes I like to call my Day-Dream World. It's what I believe Abraham is talking about in the quote above.

I start my mornings with an Ah Meditation session, where as I recite or chant the sound of "Ah", I clear my root chakra and visualize the things I'd like to manifest. This is the start of my day and it affords me a peek into that Dream World. The world where I am already doing what it is I am longing to do. Where I am already able to accomplish the many things that are on my agenda. I won't go into them here because these things are filled with magic and should not be shared too often. But, needless to say, as I do the Ah Meditation, I am able to see and most importantly, feel all of the things I want to manifest and do in this world.

This feeling, this peek into that other world stays with me throughout my day. I try to go to that space as much as I can during my day, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. And, especially on Day-Dreaming Tuesdays, I make sure to set aside times during the day to daydream and "live" in that space for at least 5 minutes.

It has been written that daydreams have the power to show us what our lives can be like. And, if you pay attention, they can guide you towards a better life simply by giving you something to compare your present state with this "dream state." In other words, if you daydream of an amazing vacation and you see yourself enjoying all this vacation has to offer. Maybe it's an entire week of lounging at the beach or by the pool and doing absolutely nothing. Or, you're backpacking through Europe letting yourself go wherever the wind blows, truly being adventurous. If you daydream these scenarios, you are more likely to try and make your next vacation match this dream vacation and the Universe will get on board and help you get just what you've been visualizing.

That' s also what I believe Abraham is saying when they mention that you'll find yourself being more productive in those 10 - 15 minutes of visualization or dreaming. I've experienced that myself lately. I've been concentrating on making a few dreams come true with my art just by spending time daily on the feeling of having already done the things I'd like to do. I can assure you that all of a sudden, I've turned around and seen the work multiply and I've produced more and more so effortlessly that it seems as if these things were done without me. It's amazing!

I can't encourage you enough to spend some time, 10 or 15 minutes, 5 minutes if it's all you can afford to spend, and just dream a little. Enjoy the process. Let it be a pleasurable experience and not a chore. You really have nothing to lose and so much to gain. If nothing else, you have given yourself a small break from the craziness around you. Your mind and body will feel the shift and the more you do it, the more you'll want to do it and for longer periods of time.

Peace and Light and Keep Dreaming!

Gene-Manuel

Making your own Sacred Space

2009-05-19T23:12:00.000-04:00

To me, a sacred space can be any where I choose or any thing I choose. In the mornings, my sacred space is the chair near my living room window where I do my Ah Meditation. When I'm working on my whirling art, the entire work area transforms itself into a beautiful and precious sacred space. The box where I keep my dream, written on a piece of paper from Bali and folded many times over, is also a sacred space.

I think it's important to create your own sacred space in this world. We live in a time where we willingly give up our privacy on a daily basis. I'm a self-admitted Facebook and now Twitter addict! I love the ways we are all able to share our joys, frustrations, happiness, rages, loves, dislikes, bodily movements, you name it! By typing in a few sentences on Facebook I can let all my friends know how I'm doing or how my family is. When my mom was in the hospital back in February, Facebook became a constant source of support for me. Every time I posted a status update letting everyone know that we were still in hospital and things weren't improving, I was comforted by the kind words of friends, some of whom I haven't seen in over 10 years. But, they were there for me, instantly. I also believe their prayers, chants, lighted candles, etc., helped mom recover enough to leave the hospital after 2 1/2 weeks.

So, I'm not knocking the ways we communicate and share ourselves with the world at large. But, in the midst of all these technological advances in communication, it's now more important than ever to create a space all our own. A space where we are able to be alone. . . still . . . quiet. A space where we can save our secret hopes and dreams or share a knowledge you'd like to keep private until the right moment to blast it into the Universe with a "tweet!"

These Sacred Spaces provide wonderful opportunities to dream or be grateful or simply make a connection to something greater. It all comes back to shutting down the noise that surrounds us on a daily basis and coming back to your center. I look forward to stepping into my sacred space each day because I know that it is time specifically devoted to me. All is indeed well when I've had at least a few minutes to step away from the whirlwind that surrounds me and just breathe or write in my journal or place another dream in its special hiding place.

After this becomes a habit, what you will see start to happen is you will get the ability to remain in a sacred space even while you're out in your every-day world. Your connection to your space, to that quiet place, will remain with you. A beautiful, joyous calm will always be with you no matter where you go.

I'll write further about Sacred Spaces in future postings but for now, I urge you to at least start thinking about creating your own space. Just putting that thought out into the Universe will be a great beginning.

Peace and Light and keep DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Inspired Action (2)

2009-05-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

When I paid attention and listened to that inner voice (Inspired Action) that told me to go to the arts supply store and buy markers and paper, I had no idea what was about to happen. I bought an 11" x 14" pad of paper and a small supply of markers. I didn't know what I was doing or buying, but it all felt right.

As soon as I had the markers and the paper in front of me, and I was alone, I suddenly got this flashing vision of a leaf that I knew I had to draw. The need to draw this leaf was so strong, that for the next two hours, that's all I did. I drew this big, red leaf, with small dots and little details. After stopping, I realized two hours had passed but it had felt to me like a few minutes. A few precious minutes of bliss. For those two hours I had not thought about anything else but the leaf that was appearing in front of me. For two hours I did not think about any of the usual problems that would creep into my head. For two beautiful hours, I felt as if I had entered the Silent Mind I had heard so much about.

That's when I knew that I wanted to do this drawing thing more often. From this day on, every single free moment I had, I spent drawing. After the red leaf was finished, a blue candle kept popping into view until I had it in front of me on paper. This drawing showed the beginning of my use of symbols. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I had about 8 pieces ranging from Native American symbols to Egyptian hieroglyphs. I could not stop. As if I were possessed, I would walk into my apartment and immediately go to my drawings and start working. I would be in the middle of a sentence and as if in a trance, I'd stop talking and start drawing.

One day, I was compelled to investigate whirling dervishes. I suddenly remembered Kate Bush using whirling dervishes in many of her videos, especially the one for "Love and Anger," which I immediately searched for on YouTube. Something in their whirling made me want to know more about them. I ran to Google and was treated to an instant course in the history and images of whirling dervishes. After some time, the image of a whirling dervish in the Sema came alive on the page before me. Again, I was struck by how natural this felt to me. How creating this image was something I knew I had to do. "The Whirling" was the first of many whirling dervishes that I have had the honor of creating.

I have let Inspired Action guide me through this new-found passion and it has not led me astray. I am on an incredible journey that has brought such peace and tranquility and JOY into my life that is hard to describe. I learn from every single piece of I art I create. Every image, whether it is a whirling dervish or Buddha, a Tree of Life or a lotus flower, brings with it a message. I am humbled and consider myself one of the happiest people on this beautiful planet Earth every single time I get to sit down and create something on paper.

Always listen to that voice inside that is telling you what to do. Call it Inspired Action, Divine Intervention, gut feeling, the Universal voice, God, whatever feels right to you. You know what I am talking about because we all have it. Listen to it because it will never guide you wrong. If I would've ignored that voice that told me to go and spend money I really didn't have on art supplies that I had never bought in my life, who knows if I would be doing the art that I'm doing now? Although I have a strong feeling that I would've somehow ended up doing this anyway, it might have taken alot longer. But, by listening and not second-guessing myself, and trusting, I now create art that brings a never-ending supply of joy not only to me but to many others. I finally got the answer to those questions, "What am I doing here?" "What is my purpose?"

The answers we sometimes look for outside of us and in "things" are, most of the time, right in front of us. We have those answers and if we only make the room in our lives for them to come forth, by meditating, spending a quiet moment or two during the day contemplating all of the wonderful possibilities in life, they will come through. Like Eckhart says, "Stillness Speaks."

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING,

Gene-Manuel

Inspired Action (1)

2009-05-12T12:58:00.001-04:00

One of my most important experiences with Inspired Action happened in the summer of 2008. I had been looking for a way to meditate and bring some peace into my life. Fresh from reading Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, I had started the practice of taking a few minutes every day or so to be as still as possible. I also started asking the Universe to help me find some answers. Mainly, I was asking for help. "What am I meant to do here on earth?" "Why am I here?" "What am I DOING HERE?"

Nothing much seemed to happen. Although, I did start to notice I was calmer and peaceful. But in terms of actual answers, I did not see or get any. Until, one afternoon in July, I clearly received a message, a small nudge. It was in the form of that inner voice that can be heard with such clarity once you learn to block all the noise from the outside world.

In letting in those moments of stillness, I had opened the way for Inspired Action to flow. What was the message? My inner voice told me to go to my nearest arts supply store and buy markers and paper. That was it.

This thought was so clear and made so much sense to me that I didn't question it. It was like "of course I have to go and get supplies! There is nothing strange about that at all? I have always needed to do this?"

As I walked to the nearest Utrecht, I had no idea what was about to happen to me. How Inspired Action and not questioning but "acting" on it, would change my life.

More to come.

The powerful combination of dreams and inspired action!

2009-05-11T10:49:00.000-04:00

If you don't believe that dreams really do come true, then let me tell you about Bernard Lachance. He was featured in last week's Oprah show called Harpo Hookups. The Oprah show hooked-up deserving people with tremendous opportunities. One young lady got to spend an entire week in New York with the cast of SNL and the entire country became eligible for a free meal at KFC, etc., etc.

Midway through the show, we were introduced to singer Bernard Lachance. On April 2, 2009, Bernard had posted a vide on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tohGOH20aGA) asking Oprah to come and claim the two tickets he had reserved for her and her best friend Gayle, to his show at the Chicago Theatre on June 6th.

Bernard rented the theatre for his performance, costing him a total of $18,000 for the night (his entire life savings). In order to promote the show and sell tickets, he stands in front of the theatre with a cd and headphones and stops people in the street. He asks them if they'd like to listen to his music and then gets them to buy tickets to his show. If they accept, they get to cross off their seats on the specially made t-shirt he wears with the theatre's seating chart.

This is what he was hoping would happen with Oprah. This was his dream. It turns out, his dream came true, not exactly as he thought but in many, many ways, the reality was even bigger and better! The Universe has a way of rewarding us with bigger dreams than we can come up with for ourselves.

The Oprah show producers found Bernard's YouTube video and sent Gayle to claim the tickets from Bernard himself. When Gayle steps out of the car and calls his name, there was this moment of confusion right before he realizes what is happening to him, that is priceless. After he calms down, Gayle tells him that unfortunately Oprah would be out of the country on June 6th and therefore unable to attend his concert. This where his dream becomes even bigger than he imagined.

Since Oprah wouldn't be able to attend his show, she was then extending a personal invitation for Bernard to join her on her show and make his American television debut!

A week later Bernard Lachance was on the Oprah stage singing an English/French version of "The Impossible Dream" in front of Oprah, the world and his parents who joined him via Skype!

Is that amazing or what? During his interview, he told Oprah that the night before Gayle showed up at the Chicago Theatre, he had broken down in his hotel room and had finally given up trying to get Oprah to come to his show. He had realized that he needed to concentrate on the actual show and had released and surrendered. And the next day, Gayle shows up!

I couldn't believe it! To see someone's dream come true like that is always empowering and inspiring. Although he said that he had finally given up the night before Gayle showed up, what he actually did was release any attachment he had to this dream. The energy was cleared and in turn, the dream had a way in. And it was instant. The next day in fact!

He had been working towards this moment for years. His dreaming with inspired action paid off. That is the lesson here. I strongly believe that by dreaming we are creating our reality, but, there has to be inspired action to support those dreams. Bernard is proof of that. His innovative way of promoting his shows and his music was the action behind his dreams. Constant dreaming and constant action gave him tremendous results!

What an incredible story. Bernard's performance was amazing on the show. The minute the orchestra began to play, he looked straight at the camera and you could just tell he was ready for it. What he'd been dreaming about and working for had finally happened. It was brilliant!

More information on Bernard Lachance can be found on his site officiel: Bernard Lachance . com

His cd While I Remember You is available on iTunes and it's pretty great. I'm not a music critic so I won't go into details but it's a great combination of pop/adult contemporary songs, including one of my favorite songs, Nessun Dorma. I strongly recommend it. Support a dreamer!!

Oh and his appearance on the show happened on Day-Dreaming Tuesday of course!

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Back to the gym

2009-05-08T17:59:00.000-04:00

So, finally, after about 8 months, I took the walk to my gym. The gym that I've been making monthly payments to just to help them out with their rent I guess, since I haven't set foot in it. When I first stopped waking up at 7am and doing my morning workout, I blamed it on my new-found love and obsession: my art. I was working until 2 or 3 in the morning every single night on all these wonderful pieces of art. I really could care less about getting to the gym in the morning, and after I come home from my various jobs, I'm too tired to go.

One thing led to another and one week turned into two, two weeks into a month and a month into 8 MONTHS. I'm of the belief that if I don't work out, and stop counting points (Weight Watchers) I will gain weight, therefore, I did. I've gained about 20lbs back out of the 35 I lost last year. Not a big deal to some, but I feel them right away. My jeans let me know something was up a couple of months ago actually. Looking good in jeans is one thing but I'm more interested in occupying the right amount of space in this world. What I mean by that is this: when I'm bigger than my "normal" size, I feel like I'm occupying more space than I need to. I'm heavier, not in just the physical sense, but in all ways. When I'm at the weight that is right for me, I feel so light and so just "right" that it's as if I'm able to float. It's also a mental weight that gets lifted as well.

So, anyway, I gained the 20lbs and with work and my mom being sick and facing that depression I wrote about, I just have not concentrated on working out at all. Today was the day though. I didn't plan on it. I woke up and just knew that I was going to go back to the gym. Now, I've been working on minding my own business, like Byron Katie says. And also, not letting my ego get in the way and making me afraid of doing things just because I fear judgment from others. For the most part, I can say I do pretty well with that. What other people say or think about me is not really my problem. You cannot live your life trying to please others because you will most likely always be disappointed or hurt. I totally get that.

Yet, there I was, walking to the gym and some of those thoughts, (in this case, little rocks not boulders), appeared on my way. "What are the people at the gym going to say? Here he is again . . . he gained weight . . . again. Why does he keep doing that?" Blah blah blah.

As I was walking and thinking these thoughts, I actually started laughing. It was a little surprising to me that I was thinking this. That there was a part of me that actually still worried about what others thought. Especially about my weight. I'm glad I started laughing and kept walking because there would have been a time years and years ago when I probably would have turned back and gone home. Can you imagine giving others that much power over your life?

Those thoughts, if not dealt with or at least investigated, could really be damaging. I think back at my high-school self and remember how those feelings kept me trapped for so long. I was afraid of doing anything because I was worried about what others were going to think of me. Now that is something I don't care to live through again.

The truth is that nobody really cares at my gym whether or not I've gained weight. First of all, that's why you go to a gym. Either to lose weight, or to maintain the weight you've got or to just be healthy. Also, I don't go to the gym to make others happy or to get complimented on my weight loss, etc. If I did, it would seem to me that I would be there every single day.

The ego really likes to take over doesn't it? It's really important to be aware of ego's presence and learn to ignore those damaging thought patterns. Those loops that we keep playing in our minds. Once you realize what they really are, just tapes that your ego likes to play over and over again, in order to gain some control, then you can push stop. We are all equipped with the ability to stop a loop that doesn't feel right. How do you know when the loop or tape or story you're playing is not the right one? Well, for me, the most telling sign is that it doesn't feel good. It makes me feel all the emotions that are opposite from FEELING GOOD.

Believe me, I'm not always so quick to press STOP and really just center myself. But, the more you do it, like today for me, the easier it gets. Also, the more you do it the quicker you get at recognizing when you've started playing one of those old, boring tapes again. In some cases, the thing is so old it's like an old 8-Track. Who needs that!?

I'm happy to report the gym experience was a great one. I was greeted very warmly by the owner. He asked how I was and what I had been up to. I got on some of the machines that I know so well and did very light weight training to just get my muscles warmed up a bit. Nobody laughed, nobody pointed and stared. Nobody really cared. I did my work out. Listened to Kylie. I visualized and felt my body changing. I daydreamed a little about what it feels like to occupy that "right space" and had a fantastic time.

Those 20 glorious pounds will come off in no time!

Peace and light and keep dreaming,
Gene-Manuel

A boulder in the road . . .

2009-05-06T21:57:00.000-04:00

In the wonderful DVD, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay speaks about our spiritual paths and how we never stop learning. How when we start out on our individual journey, at first, there are all these boulders in our path. As we continue the journey, we start getting the boulders out of our way, up to the point where the path is just gravel. She says, "gravel you can handle . . .you can do things. . . and then occasionally, there's an old boulder." And you think, "hmmm, I thought I had taken care of that one" or "I thought I had learned all the lessons this boulder had to teach", "I did this one already." Louise then asks, "Well, how do you know you've done it, (learned the lesson) unless it comes by once more and see how you react? Have you really learned it? Or are you going to go right back to the same old reaction?"

I was speaking to a dear friend today and this topic came up. The one about knowing better, or thinking that the lesson was learned way back in the day, and all of a sudden, you're back to what feels like your old behaviour. That boulder in the road, blocking your progress.

I was recently greeted with a boulder I know well: depression. I thought I had conquered it, done it, lived in, out and through it so many times in the past. I thought that finally, I really had come out the other side. But there it was. Faced with situations that made me feel uncomfortable, helpless and hopeless, I once again felt the grip of depression take hold. Even the things in my life that were bringing me so much joy, such as my art, seemed to lose their power to bring me joy and peace. In fact, a piece I had started prior to this depression bout, has taken me longer than any other piece I've ever done. My heart was just not in it.

But, this time, things were a little different. Although there was the day where all I did was sit in my recliner and play solitaire on my iPhone, I was able to at least for an hour or two, rise above the misery. Even though the next day I cried on and off for two hours before leaving the house, I was able to reach for a better feeling thought and spend a few hours in what I call mind-relief. I was able to focus on something else that wasn't my depressed emotional state. In the past, I would've marinated in the feelings of despair and would've come up with every single reason why I was justfied in feeling this way.

This time around, I was able to face the depression head-on and instead of it blocking my progress on my life journey, I only stayed put for a couple of weeks. And even while I was there, temporarily stuck in the road, I was still able to look around the boulder and see that the path was clear. Behind this boulder of depression, there was only gravel. And, yeah, gravel I can handle.

And you know what, I was also able to appreciate how much I loved and enjoyed my life prior to the depression kicking in. I realized that the only thing that had changed, was the way I was thinking about things. I missed that new me that had emerged from the years of self-inflicted pain, despair, anger and rage.

As it turns out, I guess I have been paying attention. All the wonderful teachers that I've attracted to me, and their words of wisdom and hope, had given me something I lacked before. Eckhart Tolle taught me to be as present as possible. Byron Katie's work allowed me to do The Work on the issues that were causing me such pain and rage and suffering. The messages and rampages of Abraham-Hicks were a blessing and a comfort. Every now and again I would hear Wayne Dyer's voice in my head, reminding me that by changing my thoughts, I could change my life.

I'm happy to say that I was able to slowly and carefully remove that boulder from my path. It has rolled to the side of road and although I hope I don't have to meet with it again, I feel pretty confident that I'll able able to handle it if I do. It just takes a constant awareness of what I'm feeling and what thoughts I'm focusing on. I can't always control the things around me, but I do have the power to control how I react to them. And, really, I feel it all boils down to trusting that the Universe is always looking out for me. If deep in my core I know that I'm being taken care of by an all-loving, peaceful and generous Universe, then I've got nothing to worry about.

Until next time.

Peace and Light and keep dreaming,

Gene-Manuel

My first Day-Dreaming Tuesday Experience . . . so far

2009-05-05T20:15:00.001-04:00

Wow! You know, when I came up with this idea of dedicating an entire day to daydreaming, I didn't know what to make of it. Actually, the idea came to me while I was doing a short 10 minute Ah Meditation session. I'm not sure if it was during the actual session or right after I came out of it but, the message was quite clear. It was as if I could see the words written in bold letters right in front of my eyes: DAY-DREAMING TUESDAYS

I've learned to not overthink things like these too much so, I got out of my own way and let one thing lead me to another. By the end of the day yesterday, this blog was started, and I was ready to participate in this experience.

So far, I've had one of the best days I've had in about a month and 1/2. I'll go into that later this week, but for today, for right now, I am having an amazing day.

I started with a beautiful daydreaming session while on a NJ Transit bus, stuck inside the Lincoln Tunnel. I envisioned all these amazing products related to my Whirling Art and beyond. I could see the shirts, feel their texture and even see that they were tagless. ha! My affirmation/dream boxes all lined up in a row creating a beautiful display. Before I knew it, we had come out of the tunnel!

Although I had to work all day, I took the time to daydream a few minutes at a time during the day. I even incorporated a daydream into whatever I was doing. There is nothing like spending someone else's money and pretending it's your own! Loved it!

The day flew by and I was out walking towards Port Authority with Kylie singing in my ear. It might have looked like I was just walking on Eighth Avenue to the rest of the people around me but little did they know I was in an outdoor lounge in Tenerife, Spain. (Make sure that when you're always aware of traffic and other people around you so that you're safe!)

Now I'm home and getting ready to have a great dinner. Before that though, I think a good 10 minute Ah Meditation with a few daydreams thrown in will make a great appetizer.

Lots of other great things happened today as well. I'll share some of them tomorrow. I've still got a lot of daydreaming to do before Midnight.

Peace and light,

Gene-Manuel

Day-Dreaming Tuesdays are here!

2009-05-05T03:17:00.000-04:00

I was lucky enough to have parents that either didn't know I was daydreaming all the time or didn't discourage me from doing it. Well, at least not until I was around 18. By then, they just wanted me to get a job and pay my own bills. But, up until then, I was free to daydream all I wanted. In fact, it was something I did constantly.

My first experiences with daydreams happened in Cuba, where I was born. I remember spending what felt like hours, dreaming of the day that I would get to leave the country and come to the United States. I used to picture everyone in the US ice-skating. I associated ice-skating with living in the US. With limited television access, most of what I thought the US looked like was an ice-skating rink. So, I would daydream of the day that I would land here, skates magically appearing on my feet, and skate away.

Well, the reality wasn't quite like that but the freedom I experienced in those daydreams is something I still have not forgotten. And, by the way, I tried ice-skating once and decided it just wasn't for me.

The main point here is that while I was daydreaming as a little boy in Cuba, I had no doubt, ZERO DOUBT, that I would one day get to leave that communist-ridden country. Every time I pictured myself here in the US, visiting with the family I had up until that point never met, I had this feeling deep in my core that let me know that dream was going to become a reality. Before I knew it, my family was allowed to leave the country and I was on my way. When the news came, it seemed to surprise my parents . . . I knew it all along. I had dreamt it into reality.

So, what happens to us and our daydreams as we get older ? Little by little they fall by the wayside. Most likely due to the fact that most people consider daydreaming a complete waste of time. We should be focused on the here and now. That's the only way to make your dreams a reality. And sooner or later, we stop "wasting our time" daydreaming and give in wholeheartedly to our present reality.

Now, let me just say that I'm also for living in the moment. Eckhart Tolle's wonderful books A New Earth and The Power of Now are filled with the wisdom of living in the NOW. And, Eckhart is quite right in telling us to focus our attention and energy in the present moment because that's all that really matters - today - tomorrow is always today. But, while we focus on the present moment, let's take some time, in the NOW, to visualize and daydream our future.

There is immense power in daydreams! Ann Albers wrote in "The Power of Daydreaming":

Daydreaming will determine the standard you want to uphold in your life. If you allow yourself to daydream of a wonderful relationship, you won't settle for lesser ones, because you know how the good one feels and you will recognize it when it comes. If you daydream of a life of ease and grace, you will begin to see where you choose or create unnecessary struggle. If you daydream of a meaningful career, you open up to receiving inspiration and new business ideas from the heavens as you release yourself from the censorship of old limitations. Daydreaming is visiting the future so you will know how to act in the present.

Isn't that a great statement? "Daydreaming is visiting the future so you will know how to act in the present."

DAY-DREAMING TUESDAYS

That's the point of Day-Dreaming Tuesdays! Take some time every Tuesday to visualize your future and live the dream. Throw any and all skepticism out the window and bring back that sense of wonder you used to have as a child!

Even if it's for just five minutes, spend some time dreaming of what could be. What would you love to be doing today? Is it taking that dream vacation? Is it performing on a stage? Is it something as simple as spending more time with your loved ones? What is it? Dust off those dreams and get them back in working mode!

I know we're all busy. Believe me, I have a full Tuesday ahead of me. But, I plan to take some time and dream . . . I can't wait!

From this Tuesday on and every Tuesday after, let's make it DAY-DREAMING TUESDAYS and get our dreams in gear. I will continue updating this blog with more information, not only on daydreaming but all sorts of interesting ways to get ourselves motivated and getting our dreams realized!

I want to hear from you. Let me know what you spent some of your time daydreaming about today. How did the experience feel? Comment here or e-mail me directly: Gene-Manuel

Remember to have fun with it. Nothing is worth doing if it isn't fun.

Peace and Light,

Gene-Manuel