Category Archives for "Conscious Living"
Meaning of Conscious Living
Meaning of Conscious Living
It was meant to be a time of connecting with old friends during Chinese New Year but nothing quite prepare me yesterday for the sight of a friend whom I have not seen in about two years. Kay was actually an ex-colleague of my husband. Previously in remission, his cancer is now in full force again.
He looked gaunt and did not bother to get up from the bed in his bedroom. Definitely not the person I remembered him to be – a pretty big guy with a slight tummy. He spotted a bald top yesterday; his hair must have fallen with all the chemotherapy that he was going through.
I have not known him well and was admittedly at a loss of words, because I had not expected to see him in this state. We were visiting a relative who stays in his neighbourhood and although it was not planned, we had decided to drop by Kay’s home.
Kay was finding the pain on his nerves unbearable and had to take morphine every 4 hours. I could see that he was in mental torture as the pain was intense moment to moment while we were there.
My husband tried to distract him from his pain with stories from work. (We have learnt previously that when we visit someone who is sick, it is far better to tell jokes or entertaining stories. The last you want is for your sick friend or relative to be focusing on his suffering when you ask him one too many question about how he is feeling. In answering you, it is likely he will be talking about his depression or how sick he is. But what you want for him is not to be thinking negative thoughts or to exude negative vibrations. )
Although I have hardly spoken to Kay previously, as he was more like an acquaintance, I decided to help him from afar. There was no opportunity to tell him yesterday about self healing as he was in too much pain to be interested in anything new.
So before I went to bed last night, I recalled what I knew about healing using the Silva Method. One of the techniques taught was how to perform healing for anyone in pain, whether physically or mentally. The technique involved a mental screen procedure.
In the alpha meditative state, I brought an image of Kay into my mind. I acknowledged that he was in great pain and proceeded to send him an energy of love throughout his body. For his pain, I “massaged” his lower back and spine. I did this for a long time. In the final screen, I visualized Kay as his old self, with his tummy back, smiling and free from pain. The organs in his body are whole and perfect.
Whether healing can happen or not will also depend on Kay’s desire and determination to fight his cancer. Nevertheless , I will do what I can by continuing to send him positive energy everyday. Hopefully, he can be free of his pain and suffering soon.
My guess is that all his previously well thought-out plans for his career are no longer as important to him as the battle that he has now. I’ve been thoughtful ever since visiting him yesterday. To be in good health is also to be in abundance. Let’s not forget that by taking it for granted!
Are you a habitual waiter? Eckhart Tolle poses this question to you in his book, The Power of Now. How much of your life do you spend waiting? Tolle makes a distinction between “small scale waiting” and “large scale waiting”. “Small scale waiting” is waiting in line, in the post office, in a traffic jam, etc. On the other hand, “large scale waiting” is waiting for a better job, to make money, to become enlightened.
I can certainly identify with”large scale waiting”. I have spent quite a number of years waiting to start living that I pretty much qualify as the mother of all “waiters”. Top off my list is that I have decided that I will not be at peace until I know I have accumulated enough to afford an overseas education for my kids. Another one of my favorite was also to live for the next holiday vacation. My mind is always on the future. Very often, it is always on what’s next. Occasionally, it dwells on the past too. But seldom in the present.
My husband was “guilty” of the same thing. He wanted to push for financial freedom. He felt that he would be happy only when he can reach his goals. He chided me for not living in the present but failed to see that he was in the same mind trap.
The Power Of Now is a book that suggests that you can be far happier when you focus on the Now. Tolle says that “Waiting is a state of the mind.” When your attention is on the Now, you feel peace and stillness. You no longer depend on the future for fufilment and satisfaction. You no longer look to the future for salvation. Neither do you become attached to the results. Failure and success has no power over you henceforth.
What I like about this book, is that answers are laid out to the practical questions that are typically asked by the layperson. For instance, one important question is whether there is a still need to pursue external goals, if focusing on the now is the most important. The answer? It is. There is still a need to pursue external goals.
But here is what is key: when you focus on the Now, you no longer have the illusions that anything or anybody in the future will save you or make you happy. You experience gain or loss in the physical world. Yet at the deeper level, you are already complete because the Now is already joyous.
Being free from the reins of the future, there is no longer a need to pursue goals driven by fear, anger, discontent or the need to become someone. You do not seek permanancy in the physical world either, because there is none. You do not demand that external events make you happy and then suffer needlessly when they do not go according to your expectations.
Tolle also talks about having an outer purpose and inner purpose in one’s life journey. The outer purpose is to arrive at your goal. It refers to the horizontal dimension of time and space. On the other hand, the inner purpose has nothing to do with the direction of your goals. It is about the quality of your consciousness at this moment. It is a deepening of your inner self in the vertical dimension of Now.
What usually happens is when your attention is so much on the future that you miss out on the importance of the one step you are in Now. When you become deeply aware of this one step, you realize that it already contains all the other steps as well as the destination. This one step therefore is all the meaning and purpose that you need to find – the journey of deep self discovery.
So how have I been applying this concept? Well, here are some real life examples of how I’ve been living in the Now recently…
– I linger just awhile more in the midst of lush greenery in the park downstairs.
– I take the time to examine the delicate petals of the flowers in the park.
– I take two mouthfuls of fresh air rather than one made in a hurry.
– I am fully present when I am with my kids.
– I listen more attentively to my husband.
– I dared myself to let go of past habits.
– I also dared myself to let go of my attachment to the future.
Yes, I still have my doubts or worries about the future every now and then. But I remind myself that I need to delve deep into the inner recesses of my mind – to examine its flawed thinking and to retrain it for greater stillness.
I have certainly discovered a life far more joyous than the one that I used to live in. And it gets better day by day! I highly recommend The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
Inspirational quotes can help give us the uplift that we need when we feel challenged, facing some difficulties or simply to feel good.
Here is a video of inspirational quotes that is guaranteed to give you more positive energy today…
Watch this video by Jose Silva, the founder, on the basis of his research in developing The Silva Method.
The video is pretty short and I feel that more can be elaborated. Unfortunately, it is perhaps one of the rare footage of Jose, since he has already passed away.
Here is a summary of what he said in his video…
The mind is a faculty of human intelligence. Human intelligence is what others call soul (the form and shape of science) or spirit (energy of the matter).
We cannot seperate mind and human intelligence, as they form a unit. Mind focuses or tunes itself through the brain. Whenever the mind focuses or tunes itself, brain develops a frequency, vibration, which can be measured in EEG. Hence, we know at what frequency the mind is operating from.
We go through different levels from awake to sleep state. Brain is the biological computer, which can be programmed with our thoughts. Programming can alter state or condition in matter. You can, and it is very possible to, program your brain to act towards your desires.
Worry is a stream of negative thinking I know very well because I had lived with it all my life. Until recently, I did not realize that the presence of worry is not helpful for the Law of Attraction to work positively. After becoming more aware about my mental suffering from excessive worry, I observed that many of my friends suffering from the same. Worry can be over anything from health to money and at every stage of our lives.
I had worried about almost every little thing previously. I worried about how I would fare in my exams, when I was in school. Then, I worried about my career prospects, when I started working. I worried about not being able to find the person with whom I could share my life with, when I was single. When I got married and had kids, I started worrying about and for them. I also worried whether I would have enough funds to send my kids abroad for studies. I worried about not having enough money to retire.
My mind had chosen to ignore the fact I was already blessed in many ways but was constantly focused on what I did not have. The central theme running through most of my thoughts was worry about not going to have enough. I was undeniably miserable with having negative thoughts. My constant worries easily caused me plenty of sleepless nights many times before.
Does my life story sound familiar to yours?
Although you may argue that it is human nature to worry, you do not have to live in this state either. A good news to share is that you can do something about it.
An untrained mind tends to be preoccupied with thoughts of worry and it is important to realize that you can train it for more positivity. If you want the Law of Attraction to work in your favor, then you have to control what is going on inside your mind.
When you dwell too much on worry, you are in fact not confident that The Universe will give you what you want. You suspect that you may not get all that you seek. Worry is a negative thought. The Universe “hears” what you are saying. You put yourself in the position of attracting negative energy. This is the Law Of Attraction. You have to be aware that your thoughts can be brought into physical reality and come to past.
Hence, spend time training your mind to focus on the positive. Better yet, when it is focused on being in the present, it will invariably be blissful.
The secret of happy and successful living lies in doing what can be done now. You cannot go back into the past to undo the things you have done; neither can you anticipate everything that may happen as conditions are always in a flux and ever changing. This reminds me of a saying that I came to know when I started work at Citibank some years ago “Change is always constant”.
Kalidasa, a great Indian poet and playwright, wrote the following lines in Sanskrit on the truth of living in the present…
For yesterday is but a dream;
And tomorrow only a vision;
But today, well-lived, makes every yesterday
A dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow
A vision of hope and joy.
Look well then to this day.
You only have control over the time that is “in the present”. You have the power to build something today, as yesterday is past and tomorrow is dependent on what you do now. The ability to change your future lies in “what is” and can be exercised this current moment.
Additionally, when your mind is fully in the present, can you make clear decisions that will impact tomorrow. Beyond the shadow of doubt, a mind which is present is at peace.
At peace, the mind has no space for worry.
First, I would like to wish all the readers to this site a Happy New Year.
I would like to start off this New Year with more discussions on Goal Setting. For goal setting, you need to have a good understanding about yourself, where you are and what direction you would like to head towards.
In your reflection, if you have wondered about the lack of success in your life so far, perhaps you should ask yourself if you suffer from the fundamental problem of low self esteem. Ask yourself if thoughts like these sound familiar?
1. I can’t do anything.
2. No one believes I can do this.
3. I am no good at my work.
4. I will never be as good as somebody else.
5. Others are brighter than me.
6. I will never be good at it anyway; no matter how hard I try.
7. I am born unlucky.
8. I am stupid.
If you do, you are probably having low self esteem. With the start of a brand new year, you should strongly consider setting one of your goals towards developing self confidence. When you feel good about yourself, you are more confident in your own abilities to achieve whatever you want. How you feel about yourself is based on the person you think you are. The better your self esteem is, the greater the value that you attach to your own abilities, and the more successful in life you are likely to be.
You can have positive beliefs that strengthens you or negative beliefs that tear you down. A low self esteem can result in a poor attitude, difficulty in assertiveness and an inability to cope well under stress.
For goal setting, you need to be able to visualize that you are able to achieve your goals. However, if you have a low self esteem, you will not be able to imagine this possibility. Even if you do try to be positive, a subconscious belief that you can’t will sabotage your efforts for visualization.
With a low self esteem, you will find that you tend to give up easily, while trying to achieve your goals. You give up when you hit upon challenges along the way. Invariably, you will start to question your abilities.
Hence if you have low self esteem, you should really be looking into this part about yourself first. If you make the effort to address your low self esteem, then achieving your other goals will be much easier.
Good self esteem can be nurtured in a child and encouraged by parents and caregivers. When children feel good about who they are and what they can achieve; they grow up to be confident, happy adults who believe in what they can do to improve themselves.
However, it is never too late to work on building good self-esteem. It is better to start now than never. Remind yourself that you have to give yourself credit for every little achievement or success that you make in this new year. Celebrate your wins! Take time off to pamper yourself and know that you are worth it.
Set a goal to boost your self esteem. One effective technique to help you achieve it is with EFT tapping exercises. Here is how you can start: write down a list of things that you do not feel good about yourself (like the list at the top of this article). Then, tap your emotions away.
Also, do not expect yourself that you will no longer have pangs of anxiety about your self worth every now and then. During these moments, use EFT tapping to counter the negative thoughts that you have. This has been my experience: The more times you tap away your negative emotions, the more you will invoke a positive shift in thinking. The shift in thinking takes root and stays for good.
I have been receiving a couple of emails from subscriptions to various newsletters about goal setting. All of them talked about the importance of goal setting, something which I feel is also key before the start of a new year. However, in my opinion, goal setting should not be just an exercise activity to get some direction but should also be done in consideration with The Law Of Detachment.
The Law of Detachment says that for us to acquire anything in the physical universe, we need to relinquish our attachment to it. This however does not mean that we give up our intention to create desires. We do not give up our intent, nor do we give up desire. We just give up attachment to the outcome.
As soon as we give up this attachment, our intent, together with concentrated focus, can be brought into physical reality; that is, come to past. When we are attached, we become fearful and insecure. This usually happens when we have no or little understanding about our Self. Our Self is the source of wealth. It knows how to fulfill every need. Our Self is all knowing; having the power to create whatever we want.
Yet, many of us hanker for great financial abundance. When we manifest, we attached a monetary value to our desires. We think we will be happy when we have reached a million dollars or a 5-figure income. And hence, we make a goal to achieve “X” amount of dollars. However, money, designer clothes, big house, fast cars are all symbols. When we hanker for these, we are desiring the symbols but truly, we have exchanged our Self for them.
You become disenchanted when you have put in the effort and still, your material goals do not materialize. You get anxious and become attached to the outcome. You wonder if your dreams are ever going to come true. You start to give ourselves excuses about why you are not hitting our goals. These thoughts are negative energy vibrations. The Law Of Attraction kicks in here. The Universe obeys and reciprocates with negative vibrations, making them true for you: you never get to attain your goals.
Attachment is poverty consciousness. You focus on the lack. We place value to symbols. On the other hand, detachment is wealth consciousness. You have the freedom and creativity to create. At the same time, you still know that The Universe will give you what you want. So there is no need for anxiety.
To give up security, is also to live in uncertainty. You allow yourself the opportunity to experience adventure, excitement and mystery. You no longer walk on the path of the tried and tested. But you demonstrate a willingness to go out of your comfort zone. Think about all the various success stories and you will find that most successful millionaires have stuck to their vision, despite having to live through periods of uncertainty.
Obeying The Law Of Detachment does not mean that you do not do goal setting. You still set goals because you have a clear intent of your direction. But how you get from point A to point B is open to huge possibilities. You do not restrict what can happen in order for you to reach your destination. You also do not force solutions to problems. This helps you to keep your ears and eyes open to opportunities that may just come and go in an instant.
So this is where I am right now. On the threshhold of uncertainty.
Flashback…I have worked very hard in the last few years, striving for the goal of an online income. The web is awashed with make money quick opportunities. I do not deny having been attracted to the many bright shiny objects that flickered but for a second. Goal setting to me usually involved a financial target. I would be elated if I hit my goals but my emotions will come crashing if I don’t. In short, I became attached to the outcome of my goals. Hardly a fun way to live life!
I have decided to do it differently this time. Year 2008 is about to begin and it is time for some new goal setting. I acknowledge that I find it hard to give up old habits of holding on tightly to my dreams and goals. I will still write out my list of intents but I will choose not to be dictated by a strict path. With these new thoughts, I do not deny that I have been feeling pretty uncomfortable with the lack of certainty. But hopefully, I will grow accustomed to this unsettled feeling and hence allowing the richness of life and infinite possibilities unfold before me.
“Each one of us requires the spur of insecurity to force us to do our best.” — Harold W. Dodds
First, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Christmas is a time for joy and giving. What better way than to spend Christmas reading a book that reinforces on the true human spirit for living?
I have just finished reading Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success – A Practical Guide To The Fulfilment Of Your Dreams – and would like to rate it an excellent read. This book essentially shatters the myth that success comes about because of hard work, driving ambition and detailed planning.
It tells us that we should obey the laws that exist in nature. Once we can understand our true self and live in harmony with the laws, success will flow to us effortlessly. Success can be anything from fulfiling relationships, material abundance, a great career or good health.
Here are the 7 laws laid out in the book:
1. The Law Of Pure Potentiality. This law is based on the fact that you are pure consciousness and have pure potentially. You need to discover your essential nature and who you are. When you do, you have the ability to fulfil any dreams that you have and to achieve full potentially. Experiencing the Self is from your internal reference and not from an object-referral. Self-referral means that you do not need to seek the approval of others or need to derive external power over things. There is the absence of fear, in self referral. Your power is eminent because of the knowledge of your Self.
To apply this law, to access the field of possibilities or to access the creativity that is inherent in your Self, you need to set aside time for silence, meditation and non-judgement on a daily basis.
2. The Law Of Giving. The universe is in a constant state of dynamic exchange. Giving and receiving are flows of energy that exist. So if we are willing to give what we seek, then we will be able to keep the abundance of circulation in our lives. Hence, if you would like to have more money, holding on too tightly is counter productive because money is life energy and you are interrupting its flow circulating back into your life. In essence, the more you give, the more you will receive. However, your intent behind the giving and receiving should be based on creating happiness, rather than a self serving purpose.
3. The Law Of “Karma” or Cause and Effect. What we sow is what we reap. Hence if we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, we benefit through “karma” – receiving what we have given to others in the first place.
4. The Law Of Least Effort. For this law, three components are required: acceptance, responsibility and defenceless. You make a commitment towards accepting things as they are, not blaming others and relinquishing hte need to convince or persuade others of your point of view. You gain enormous amounts of energy when you expend little or no effort in pursuing things that do not matter. There is no struggle or any conflicts, when you simply embrace the present moment. When you remain open to all points of view, your dreams and desires will flow to you.
5. The Law Of Intention and Desire. Intention and desire in the field of pure potentiality have infinite organizing power. You can consciously change the energy and informational content of your own quantum body and therefore, influence the energy and informational content of the environment; and cause things to manifest. However, while you have an intent for the future, your attention is on the present moment. Focus your attention on “what is” and your intent for the future will manifest.
6. The Law Of Detachment. The fifth spiritual law has to be read together with the sixth law (Law of Detachment) in particular together. While you have certain intents, you have to let go of your attachment to your desired outcome. Attachment comes from poverty consciousness, because when you are attached, you are really attracted to the symbols (be it money, cars, clothes, airplanes, toys, etc.). Detachment is synonymous with wealth consciousness. When you are detached to the outcome, you experience joy and laugther. Applying this law also means that you need to thrive in uncertainty. For only in uncertainty, can you have the freedom and creativity to create anything you want.
7. The Law of “Dharma” or Purpose in Life. The Law of Dharma says that we have taken manifestation in physical form to fulfill a purpose. It is inherent in you that you have a unique talent and you use this talent better than others. When you match your needs to the creative expression of your talent, you are in the positon that creates wealth wealth and abundance. Hence, you really need to discover your true Self, your unique talents and your service to humanity – how can you help others. It is not a question of “what’s in it for me” but a true willingness to serve your fellow human beings with love and compassion.
It is not easy to digest this book. I have to re-read it several parts to gain an understanding of what the author is saying. I even spent two days discussing with my husband the true essence of what is being taught.
Clearly, what is valuable to us from reading this book, is the clear distinction between “intent” and “desire”. Intent is needed for things to manifest. Intent is desire without attachment to the outcome. Attachment will bring about suffering. Yet the application of the laws is that the attention is not about the future but in the present.
Understanding the laws is important for us to understand because while we have a long list of goals, we do not want to become attached to the results, which are often material. Our intent is best kept in the purest form, eg. “I want to help others find solutions to their problems”, rather than “I want to have that sports car so that I can show off to my neighbours”. The intent must never to harm others but to assist in the growth of the Self and/or to serve others.
Inward looking on the Self, via quiet meditation, is needed. Be comfortable in the present moment. There is no judgement while in this awareness. One is happy “as is”. Doing kind deeds is needed for the process of circulation of life energy to continue.
It is only when we truly know ourselves, and live a life that matches our purpose here on this earth, can we experience true wealth and abundance. The Seven Spiritual Laws are not just laws for success but are laws for living at the highest and most integrated level.
Many do some form of goal setting during this period. It is a time of reflection of developments that have taken place this year and having some thoughts of what we would like next year to be. However, goal setting should not merely be a one-year target. Goals should be powered by a vision of what you want to achieve out of life. Having a vision for the future can help you set the direction, so that things fall in place, year after year. When you have a vision, you will feel motivated to make your dreams a reality.
Having a vision for the future provides you with a clear idea on how to make your decisions. You need to know where you are, your current resources, current obstacles, and where you want to go – the vision for the future. You make decisions so that you make strides in the direction of your dreams.
I used to make one-year goal setting targets. Although I had a general idea of where I want to go, I did not put much thought into a vision. So year after year, I find myself getting side tracked, losing interest along the way and changing my goals often.
Frustrated with my poor progress, I set about finding out more about goal setting. Here is what I found out.
Goal setting is merely a “What” statement; that is, what to do. However, if you have a vision, it is the “Why”, the purpose that determines the “What”. You can then break down your goals, “Whats”, into action-oriented daily, monthly or yearly tasks. You can have several hundred goals but you may only have a single purpose that you spend your life working for.
So here is an idea of what a vision statement ought to include:
1. Clarity and lack of ambiguity.
2. Painting a vivid and clear picture.
3. Describing a bright future.
4· Memorable and engaging.
Here are some examples of vision. Disney’s vision is “To make people happy.” For some, their purpose is simply “To serve”. I have a vision too. My vision is to “educate and empower in the area of self healing and self fulfilment”.
When you have a clear vision, it is amazing what you can achieve and having the determination to make it a reality. Write down your vision and stick it in front of your PC, so that you can see it every day. Then, you can set about having daily, monthly or yearly goals in order to achieve this vision.
At times, going about your plan will be a slow process, but you need to march on, getting over every obstacle in your path. Your chosen path may be difficult, but if others can succeed, so can you.
It does not matter if you think that you are unable to see how to make your vision a reality at this point in time. Heard of the saying “Don’t catch the paralysis of perfection?” Just know that ways will appear when you make a commitment to walk a certain path. You do not need all the answers when you start. It is more important to take one step at a time, and having trust that everything will work out. Start expanding the possibilities of what may be possible. “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe” — Anatole Franc.
Make a plan to inspire like-minded people to get involved. Also, make it a point to get to know like-minded friends who are on the same journey as you. Just think about the joy when you finally realise your vision and being able to share with everyone with the same vision.
It is better to create a future you love that to endure one you don’t. Hence, set aside some time to think about your vision. You may not be able to come up with one all in an instant. It requires careful thought, personal insights, and most likely, engaging your subconscious mind. Then, when you have decided, go for it with your heart and soul. As you start your journey with belief, opportunities will open up to make your dreams a reality.
It is true that most of us enjoy a higher standard of living as compared to the time of our grandparents. We have better homes, bigger cars, nicer holidays, appliances that make things convenient for us and more money.
Yet, are you happier than say your parents or grandparents? Many younger and younger folks these days are suffering from chronic depression. It appears that even with economic prosperity, not everyone is happy.
I used to think that many of my problems will be solved by having money. But I soon realised that it has been a never ending goal – to make more and more money. And I’ve not been necessarily happier than before when I had less.
Money definitely cannot buy happiness. It is merely a medium of exchange. I know realise that money in itself is not what I’m after but it is the freedom that I truly want. The ability to have options. The ability to choose how I want to live my life.
Here are some of the options that money can buy for me:
* The option to work from home.
* The option of going overseas so that my kids can see the world and help broaden their perspectives.
* The option to explore parts of the world that can open my mind further.
* The option to continually upgrade myself through self help tools, books and retreats.
* The option of having a house in a serene and peaceful environment.
* The option to use the money wisely, to help in humanity and all mankind.
So money is the enabler that will put me in the position of having more choices in life. Money if put to good use can bring about happiness. Think about the impact you can make if you have a million dollars to contribute to charity versus ten dollars. And that’s what we want ultimately, isn’t it? Happiness.
Hence, when you want more wealth, don’t just have an aim to make X amount of dollars. Give your goals some meaning by asking yourself what are you really after. Ask yourself if it is the sports car, the designer wear or the luxury home – all materalistic items – that is truly important to you? Of course, if you have lots of money, you can have the option of buying all these. But when you put a meaningful purpose behind it, you will find that life’s journey is more satisfying.