Lighten Up Meditation

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Psychic abilities are not about power.

Psychic abilities are not about power.

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Someone initially exploring an interest in meditation may hear about phenomenon that can arise with a spiritual practice. You’ve probably heard that Christ turned water into wine, and healed the sick, and raised the dead. You’re probably not expecting to accrue talents of that magnitude but you may have also heard about people with gifts of clairvoyance or telepathy that came about through meditation. And those can sound super cool!

The trap of course is being interested in such things from an ego-based perspective. It can be very tempting to pursue powers if you’re in a damaged state and are looking to seek control over others. That’s a big “no!” if you are truly focusing on evolution.

The value of gifts and skills comes from how they make it easier to pursue your practice.

For example, if you are actively working towards a goal in your life (which hopefully you are!!) and pouring your time and energy into a project that makes you happy and brings light into this world, then your meditation practice will be wholly complimentary to that. Or should I say “holy complimentary”?? 🙂 All of your efforts in all facets of your life will begin to work together. You’ll be more in tune with non-physical information that comes to you through the ether, for lack of a better term for it. You’ll wake up knowing what you need to work on that day, or you’ll have a sudden recollection about something you forgot to do or a flash of insight on a mistake you hadn’t even realized you made. You’ll be able to go to work today armed with efficiencies.

Say you’re putting together a proposal for an important client. You put the finishing touches on the document and you are ready to send it out. But then something comes up that requires your immediate attention, and you switch gears to focus on that task instead. And by the time you are done, you have to leave for a meeting, so you don’t manage to send the proposal out at all.

And then the next morning, you wake up with a thought in your head: “Did I do the math wrong on page 5?”

You get to work and open the file, and sure enough, there was a mistake in the calculations. You breathe a massive sigh of relief that you were able to catch it and fix it. (You even take the time to go back through all the formulas again, to make sure they’re all perfect with no other sneaky errors like that.)

You can easily write this experience off as just being lucky. But the thing is, the more that you meditate, and dedicate yourself to your spiritual practice, which is really another way of saying you’re committed to your own evolution, then you’ll discover that your luck increases in confounding and beautiful ways. You’ll have moments like this on an increasing frequency, and each time you’ll be amazed when it happens.

Another word for the type of luck I’ve just described is being psychic.

That term has some woo-woo baggage, and many people are dismissive of it, thinking of the caricature of a circus performer who’s claiming she’s reading your destiny when she’s really only interested in fleecing your wallet. In our science-based culture, if it cannot be proven through 3-dimensional evidence in the physical world, it’s often discarded as nonsense.

But when you start having your own personal experiences like this — over and over and over again — then you’ll come to see how this term applies.

Being psychic — or really, being sensitive and nurturing your awareness — makes you more efficient.

Being focused on the development of powers or abilities to control others is adharmic — meaning, it’s against the dharma, and is damaging.

Accepting the gifts that come with a dedication to the universal, and leveraging them to make your own life more exquisitely beautiful, is what I call intelligent.

It’s not necessary to seek these gifts. They will come. As long as you use them solely to advance your own commitment to Light and Enlightenment, then you will have a lovely unfolding of personal miracles that you will continually enjoy.

image credit: Anika Huizinga Image retrieved from @iam_anih on Unsplash 5/27/18
Happy Summer Solstice!

Happy Summer Solstice!

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Certain times of the year are packed with power, based on transits and cycles that we all go through. The solstices and the equinoxes in particular are days like these – and they are excellent opportunities for change. The summer solstice – today!* – represents a peak: It’s the longest day of the year, and it’s when we shift into the second half. (Can you believe that 2012 is half over already?!?) This peak energy is perfect for bringing projects to fruition and taking life to the next level. The winter solstice is even stronger, based on some other factors at play at that time of year. Equinoxes have their own power, representing a special balance of forces.

What does all this mean?

During a transit, it’s easier to make a jump. You can break free of old patterns and accelerate your evolution — provided, of course, that you’re putting in the work! If you’ve got a regular practice of meditation, then you’re already doing a lot to embrace the possibilities for change. Around the time of a big transit like the summer solstice, you can meditate a little longer, or maybe add an evening meditation to your standard morning routine, to maximize the opportunities. Every time you meditate, you become more fluid, and the more fluid you are, the easier it is for the Universe to reconfigure you into a higher, brighter, happier formation.

Spend the solstice working on happy tasks and assignments that bring you joy. Make it a good-for-you day — go to the gym, eat healthier, maybe try to catch the sunset or spend some time in nature. Use it as a template for how you want all your days to be, and it’ll be easier to incorporate those habits of strength into your everyday life.

So have fun with it, and Happy Solstice!

 

* Today is June 21st.  Each solstice (and equinox) technically falls on a different day/time each year, as they are astrological/astronomical events. However we always default to the 21st of the respective month for our main celebration – June, September, December, March – just because it’s in the zone. The solstice energy is not a pinprick event, it’s a phase, and you can take advantage of the transit over weeks, not just a single day.

This is what focus looks like.

This is what focus looks like.

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Yesterday legendary Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter announced that he’s retiring at the end of the upcoming season.

Here’s the note that he posted on Facebook:
jeternote1


Here’s a video about him:

There’s so much I could comment on. Let’s start with this:

“From the time I was a kid, my dream was very vivid and it never changed: I was going to be the shortstop for the NY Yankees.”

Some might think that it’s easy to write such a sentence retroactively, after the dream has been realized. But it takes that type of reality – that the “dream” is vivid and unchanging – to make the biggest goals possible. It’s not that it was Derek Jeter’s fate to become the Yankees shortstop; it was his single-minded determination and his BELIEF that he would do so, that created that reality. You can feel the force of his intent coming through in that sentence.

Here’s an example of that focus in action:

And again:

Did you see him running for it? Compared to Brosius (Yankees #18) who seemed barely engaged by comparison. Jeter just gave it everything.

Next, from the first video, we get Reggie Jackson saying this:

“Derek really hasn’t made very many mistakes with the media. I don’t know of any. He’s been honest, he’s been forthright, he’s basically done it a lot better than I have. He’s been very consistent in how he’s handled himself.”

He put the team first. Anyone who does that wouldn’t make silly (selfish) mistakes like running his mouth off at the media. He clearly felt that it was a privilege to wear that uniform, and he would do nothing to jeopardize it.

And finally, just this: Humility.

I want to start by saying thank you.

And he ends with,

Once again, thank you.

This man has my respect. He put in the work. He helped others be better than they could be on their own. He became great at what he does. And he did it all with integrity.

Any one of us can do the same, regardless of our circumstances, or what our lives are like, or the nature of our work. You have an opportunity to be great. Be that. It’s what makes life worth living.

Women have their own power.

Women have their own power.

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But we often give it away.

And society doesn’t exactly sanction it. A woman being assertive in the business world is often seen as pushy; a man doing the same thing is seen as confident.

Women have a certain advantage on the spiritual path, based on our ability to be more fluid, to surrender. It’s innate. We’re finally in a day and age and culture where women are able to actively, openly pursue a spiritual life.

The problem is that many see it as a trade-off.

Women are frequently motivated to try meditation and begin the work of self discovery when they’re at a low period – which is often triggered by a breakup or a depression cycle around relationships. They’re logged on and committed to their practice… until a new boy (or girl) friend materializes. Once they get another person in the picture, they slack off.

Happens all the time.

Women give away their power.

In an effort to trap and hook this new potential partner, they pour all their energy into him … and have nothing left over for themselves.

To progress on the spiritual path is about accruing and preserving energy. Energy is what takes you higher in each meditation. And energy makes you happy.

When you’re giving all your energy away, you won’t have enough left to get to the next level in your practice.

It’s a voluntary form of enslavement. We hook ourselves to other people willingly, in an attempt to keep them in our lives… in an attempt to stave off the abandonment.

Don’t do that. You can be a giver and do so in a way that’s self-nurturing. Giving as part of a practice of an intentional life can be awesome and beautiful. We can always give more. But don’t do it as a sacrifice of the self. Don’t do it as a means to trap someone – lest you be trapped. Don’t do it without also giving to yourself – which means, meditating every day. Every. Day. Taking the time for yourself. You must recharge the batteries if you’ll have enough to give – and in fact, then the supplies will be plentiful. Neverending.

When you meet someone, and fall in love, don’t forget that the love is coming from inside of you. This other person is merely a trigger, an access point. Give all of yourself to them – but only after you have given yourself to Eternity first. Surrender to the divine inside. Honor it. Dedicate yourself to your spiritual practices. Put those before all and you’ll have all before you.

Do you really know what’s best for you?

Do you really know what’s best for you?

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With the proliferation of pop-culture spirituality (I won’t name names) there’s a common question that comes up in my beginning meditation classes about how to manifest stuff.

It’s not usually expressed that way, of course – usually there’s a wistful look in the person’s eye, or maybe an eager expression on the face, and they ask a question that essentially boils down to, “How do I make the world give me what I want?”

It might be something to do with a job situation. Or the ideal apartment. More often than not, it has to do with finding a boyfriend.

(Guys don’t typically ask this question.)

The problem with manifesting anything – job, home, date – is that you’re coming to the equation with limited knowledge.

You think you know what you want… but do you really?

Most of us are not Enlightened. That means, by definition, we’re operating with bad data. The ego is standing in the way, clouding the vision. We don’t have access to the Big Picture.

Techniques for manifesting are absolutely powerful – you can definitely use them to get what you want. The problem is, for many people, once they get it, they realize… “Oh.”

It wasn’t what they were thinking.

Maybe they had an inexact definition in mind for what Mr. Right was supposed to be like. Maybe they focused on ABC qualities, and when they got them, didn’t realize that they would also come with the less-desirable XYZ traits as well.

A much more powerful practice is to live your life working towards your greater best self – meditating, being grateful, helping when you can – taking care of your mind, and your body, and learning to be conservative with your energy. Then, you will be poised and ready when the opportunity presents itself.

Don Juan talked about the “cubic centimeter of chance” – that the warrior is always on the alert, watching for it. When your power is up, then you’re more likely to see it, and have the momentum available to grasp it.

Then, you can be surprised by what Eternity has in store for you – instead of boxing yourself in with only the ideas you came up with.

When we let go of the preconceived notions for what life should be and how it should look, and work hard doing our part to fulfill those duties of being human, then it can be utterly amazing what unfolds for us.

How can your job be spiritual?

How can your job be spiritual?

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Actually, how can it not be?

I don’t mean that you need to go into massage therapy or some other such stereotypical “spiritual” career in order to live a spiritual life.

What I mean is that your spiritual self cannot be separated from your “regular” self. You are who you are, whether you’re sitting at your desk or on your meditation mat. Why not make your job be part of your quest for evolution?

When we meditate with focused concentration, we generate a tremendous amount of energy into our lives. The best way to use this energy is to funnel it back into the projects you’re working on during the day. By bringing the power of your practice into your day job, you can better serve others and make a contribution to the world, however small you may feel it is. It still counts. When you bring a certain aesthetic of service into your approach to work, then it can become more enjoyable. It can take the misery that many people experience around their jobs out of the equation. It doesn’t matter what your work is, whether it seems trivial or significant. You could be a CEO of a major corporation or a barista at Starbucks or anything else. You are providing value to others. It’s important.

When you take a new approach to your work and look for ways to bring the light of your meditation practice to others, your job can take on a whole new meaning.

Now, I don’t mean that you should be proselytizing or preaching to others – your meditation practice is personal, I recommend keeping it to yourself. But you have more energy coursing through your being as a result of your active practice. This means you’re in a stronger position to do more.

With great power comes great responsibility, right? Just being in a position to have a life that allows us to explore the spirit, to live in America in relative peace and prosperity, these are things to be grateful for. When you add the power of meditation to that equation, it gives you opportunities and increases the privileges even further – and when you take advantage of that by diving into what life presents, it can unfold ever greater joys and take you to amazing new heights, both during meditation and every other minute as well.

 

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Want to learn more? We’re exploring this and similar themes of meditation and career success in How to Get the Perfect Job. Send an email to info at lightenupmeditation dot com if you have questions, it would be great to have you join!

 

Why resolutions don’t work.

Why resolutions don’t work.

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We’re headed into the third week of January… about the time when the gym starts to empty out again and all the self-help and weight-loss books bought in the frenzy of the first of the year have a thin layer of dust collecting on their covers.

You had the best of intentions, but where are the results? Why haven’t you been able to stick with the plan that you set out for yourself on New Year’s Day?

The reason is that resolutions are wicked.

OK not wicked… but not conducive to real, lasting change. You had good intentions at the first of the year, but it’s quite possible that you didn’t do enough with INTENT.

There’s a pretty big difference between the two.

Intent is about personal power. It’s not so much about willpower – that’s something that will grow stronger as you use it. Instead, it’s about making a decision.

We’ll be continuing this theme over the next few weeks (click here for the next article). It’s not too late to set your intent! You may be surprised at how easy it can be to make those “resolutions” actually happen this time!