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

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

"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