Hope and Light for Haiti

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

Inviting HOPE . . .

"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?

"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?

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!

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

"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

The Dream Symbol

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