Super Soul Sunday: Marianne Williamson on “A Return to Love”

Posted on by Tammy

It was 20 years ago that best-selling author Marianne Williamson appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show with her book “A Return to Love,” based on the principles in “A Course in Miracles.” Since then, it has sold more than a million and a half copies, been published in 23 languages, and spent 39 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

And today, the book remains “as timely now as ever,” said Oprah on a recent Super Soul Sunday discussion with the author.

“In a Course in Miracles it says the thought system of the human race is dominated by fear, and it has been for ages and so enlightenment is an unlearning of the thought system based on fear, and instead the acceptance of a thought system based on love,” Williamson explained. “Love is about letting go of the fears that stand in front of our hearts and letting in the love, and then acting from that.”

Reading from book Oprah said: “The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic spotlight isn’t pointed at you, it radiates from within you,” which sparked a discussion about the law of attraction and obtaining what we want in life. Williamson had an answer for her.

“A lot of this talk of ‘if you think it you can get it’ … the difference between magic and miracles is that magic is when you use your mind to tell the universe what you want. Miracles are when you ask the universe what it wants and how you can serve it,” she said, explaining every one of us has an individualized curriculum for their lives, and we are constantly learning – even when we are waiting for the next thing that we believe will make us happy.

“A lot of times people think, ‘I want another relationship or another experience or another job,’ in order for ‘it’ to be happening, but ‘it’ is our being the people that we are capable of being, and the perfect lesson for us to practice being who we are capable of being is whatever is happening now … people think some day my path will start, but whatever is happening in this moment is the path,” she told Oprah.

The Course says a miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love, but when our hearts are closed off, we are “deflecting the miracle which would otherwise be happening,” said Williamson.

A practice she shared with Oprah is for us to open our hearts is to ask, “Who do I need to forgive? Where am I holding a grudge? Where am I not giving? Because only what I’m not giving can be lacking in any situation. Where am I showing up with attitude? Where am I showing up with unkindness?”

In her workshops, she often sends people home with the homework of praying for whomever they consider an enemy or someone who betrayed them or hurt them. She asks they do this for 30 days, every morning for at least 5 minutes if they can.

“The course says your greatest power to change the world is your power to change your mind about the world,” she explained. “Our minds are joined. There really is no place where you stop and I start, so if I pray for you, if I pray for your happiness, either you will behave differently or I won’t care.”

She also explained what she called “Divine Compensation,” (she has a new book based on this coming out in November) where if anyone does something to harm us, the universe jumps right on it because it is “self-organizing and self-correcting.” This means the universe will make sure that if something is taken from us from another person in the material world, it will be given back us. But if our hearts remained closed, we won’t be open to receive it.

“Just like the embryo turns into a baby and the bud blossoms, your life is already programmed in the mind of God to its highest creative possibility,” she said. “Everything fabulous that could happen is already programmed in the ethers of the universe. The blueprint is already there.”

Oprah asked, “So does it matter then what I do?” and Williamson said it matters that your heart is open and that you are coming from a place of love and not fear.

“It’s like a file in a computer. If my heart’s not open, I don’t download the possibility on earth as it is in heaven. It’s a file – an undeletable file – but if I don’t bring it down to the screen, if I stay in bitterness, what I’ll get on the screen is bitter. That doesn’t mean it’s not on the computer. And the title of this file is “God’s will.”

It’s not the circumstances in life that make us unhappy, it’s that we are looking at them through the filter of fear, Williamson told Oprah. The prayer she uses from the Course is “Dear God, I am willing to see this differently.”

Another practice she recommended is to “blast them with love.” This means, before we go into a meeting, on a job interview, or anything else in life, we send love in our minds to the people and the situation. We can say, “the only thing going on here is, I am going to bless that person, they are going to bless me. I don’t know if I’m supposed to get that job. My only agenda is that God’s will be done – the downloading of the file,” she said.

For more on Marianne Williamson, see our coverage of her live workshop in Los Angeles called “Enchanted Love,” looking at “A Course in Miracles” view of intimate relationships, which is the cover story of our June 2012 issue.

Editor’s Advice: Establishing a Morning Routine

Posted on by Tammy

How we start the day sets the tone for the rest of it. If we jump out of bed after hitting the snooze button three times on the alarm clock, rush around trying to get dressed, and then fly out the door to make it on time to the office, we often feel frustration, panic and worry. And it doesn’t even have to be that dramatic.

Maybe you wake up and immediately start worrying about all the problems from yesterday and what you will face today. The negative thoughts start to flow, and you sabotage yourself before you even get out of the house!

I’m familiar with these scenarios because I have lived them in the past. I have been there, done that. But this year I established a routine that makes a big difference in my day. In fact, I’ve noticed that spending a little extra time in the morning actually equals more productivity for the rest of the day – whether its work, cleaning the house or spending time with friends.

Best-selling author Louise Hay starts her day by snuggling into her bed and thanking it for a good nights rest. She practices gratitude from the moment she wakes up! Both Dr. Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra have shared that meditation is the way they start each day because that is when the mind is most quiet and open. And on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday recently, Marianne Williamson said “The Course in Miracles says if you spend five minutes with the spirit of love, the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, whatever the words are, five minutes in the morning will guarantee that he will be in charge of your thought forms throughout the day.”

I want to share my routine with you, which combines meditation, gratitude, self-care and more! Feel free to take what resonates with you to create your own routine. I promise it will be worth it, and you will see the difference from the very first day you start!

MY MORNING ROUTINE

1. I hit the kitchen and squeeze one half of a lemon into warm water and drink it down. Not only does it cleanse the system, but also offers alkalizing benefits. (For more on drinking lemon water, read our contributing editor Cathi Stack’s article, “How and Why to Add Lemon Water to Your Daily Routine.”)

2. I meditate anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, practicing Primordial Sound Meditation, which is a mantra-based method I learned from attending a program at The Chopra Center in 2007. (For more on this and other meditation techniques see our free article “Finding the Right Meditation for You.”)

3. Upon ending my meditation, I say a prayer asking my guides, angels and all those in what my friend and author Dr. Laurie Ann Levin calls my “soul community” for protection and guidance, and I thank them. My prayer varies each day, but it is usually something like this:

“Dear God, I call on my angels, spirit guides, loved ones who have passed on, and all those in my soul community – only those of the highest vibration – to be with me today. I ask that you please open my mind, eyes, ears and heart to what I need to know and be aware of today, including any signs and synchronicities sent my way to direct me where I need to go, and please keep me in a place of love.

Archangel Michael, I ask that you surround me with light and protect me from any negativity from outside of me or within. May I not absorb the negativity of others, or take on emotions that are not mine today. Archangel Raphael, I ask that you continue to heal my body so it returns to a perfect state of health, and send me to those who can help me accomplish this.

[Here is where I enter in specific requests that I might need help with, and call in certain angels who might be able to help.]

In gratitude for all that you have done and helped with in the past, all that you will do and help with today, and all that you will do and help with in the future, thank you, thank you, thank you. Namaste.”

4. Lately, I’ve added the practice of listing 10 things I am grateful for in my life. It’s a little experiment I am trying, and will share more with you soon!

5. I head back to the kitchen and to my juicer where I make myself a morning glass of fresh green juice. (For more on this, see my editor’s advice entry, “Embarking on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet.”)

Then I’m ready to get dressed and start my day! It may seem like a lot, but honestly it doesn’t take more than an hour or so, start to finish (including juicing and cleaning up the juicer!)

Again, take what resonates with you and start your own morning routine! And please share your ideas below in the comment section below! I love to hear from you all!

Blessings and love,

Tammy Mastroberte
Founder, Publisher & Editorial Director
Elevated Existence Magazine
www.elevatedexistence.com

Spiritual Dating: The New Sexual Revolution

Posted on by Tammy

Many people believed it was a desirable thing to go out and assert their power and independence by having whatever sexual experiences they wanted. But things have changed and many of these people have taken up yoga or meditation. They’ve gone green, and have chosen to live a more conscious and spiritual life. And for those who are not married or in long-term, committed relationships, that old way of dating and mating doesn’t feel right anymore.

A quiet sexual revolution is happening and it is called “Spiritual Dating.” You may be already doing it and not even know it, or you may be seeking a new, more conscious way to experience your love life and this may be your answer.

Spiritual Dating means dating as if all people are sacred. Imagine that. What would that be like? In this case, sacred means special, a treasure, and worthy of respect and kindness.

The tenets of Spiritual Dating apply in the following three ways:

You – You are sacred. Picture dating as if you are sacred. What would that be like? You would be recognizing your specialness and feeling confident in it. You would accept only dates that resonated for you, and not put yourself in situations that didn’t feel right. You would honor and respect the specialness of your body, and it would transform your sex life and encourage major discernment as far as partners go. In short, you would be on your way to creating emotional safety for yourself.

Your Dates – Your dates are sacred. Each potential date you meet is a sacred being, even if he or she may not be the right person for you. In the case of your exes, he or she may not have been a good person for you to for you to date, but they are all sacred. Your behavior in this case would change because if someone asked you on a date, you would see them as sacred, and treat them with kindness – even if you said no to the date. And if after a few dates you weren’t feeling it, you’d be kind but honest and straight with them, letting them know so they could move on. You’d behave with an extra high standard of integrity, therefore, you would also be more likely to magnetically attract dates with that same high standard for their own behavior.

Being Seen – People you date must see you and themselves as sacred. That means they are doing the above too! For your sex life, this is the revolution! You and your potential partner see each other as worthy of respect and kindness, and as special, sacred people. That is the only way you choose to share intimacy. This one change can transform your entire love life. Really give some thought to how that could apply in your life. It may not be easy, but it is far more satisfying, and creates an internal environment of self-trust and self-love. Your actions will even be demonstrating to your body how sacred you are! That conscious choice can actually resolve health issues in the reproductive and whole body arenas.

Spiritual dating and sacred sexuality are a sexual and spiritual evolution. Have you already started down this path? Share your stories and ask your questions here in the comments section.

Amy Leigh Mercree is the author of “The Spiritual Girl’s Guide to Dating: Your Enlightened Path to Love, Sex, & Soul Mates,” a Spiritual Dating & Relationship Coach, and a Medical Intuitive. For more fun articles and her dating advice column visit her blog and website:www.spiritualgirlsguide.com.

Dream Town Realty Offers Complimentary Meditation & Yoga to Employees

Posted on by Tammy

Chicago real estate company, Dream Town, dedicated to first-time home buyers and doing business mostly online, is offering its brokers and full-time employees a meditation course focused on stress management, meditation and learning how to react mindfully in day to day life. Led by Dr. Chris Chroniak and The Insight Center, so far 50 of the company’s real estate brokers completed the course.

In conjunction with its traditional employee benefits, Dream Town has placed heavy emphasis on providing services and resources that promote wellness and help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.

“Real estate is a demanding business with a frenetic pace at work,” said Yuval Degani, Dream Town founder and president. “When we offer our people opportunities like this mediation class, it’s an all around benefit. This is a real impact on their personal life and they reap the fruits of that in their real estate career. There is a perfect correlation.”

Additionally, another group of Dream Town employees will be attending The Insight Center’s July/August meditation course and will be going on a scholarship, as the course usually cost $495. Participants will attend a weekly group class for eight weeks and will receive instruction on how to maintain their daily practice and meditation at home. The aim of the course is to promote both internal relaxation and empowerment, according to the company.

In addition to meditation courses, Degani also provides onsite yoga classes, organic produce delivery and free massages.

Natural Treatments for Migraine Sufferers

Posted on by Tammy

In a recent Fox News report, Chris Kilham, a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, wrote about natural remedies for migraines, including feverfew, which was also promoted by Dr. Oz.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is derived from leaves of the plant feverfew, and in clinical trials, “a feverfew extract reduced the frequency of migraine attacks and a feverfew/ginger formulation prevented mild headache before the onset of moderate to severe headache in patients with migraine,” the author wrote.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub historically used for a variety of health issues including pain, headache, anxiety, cough, fever, gastrointestinal and urinary tract conditions, as well as wound healing when used topically. Today, it is also used for nasal allergies, allergic skin reactions, asthma, and migraine headache.

“Using an extract from butterbur root over 16 weeks can reduce the number and severity of migraine headaches by almost half,” the author wrote. “Doses of at least 75 mg twice daily seem to be necessary for best results.”

Petadolex, a brand of butterbur, has demonstrated effectiveness in relieving migraines.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is when a person breathes in pure oxygen in a pressurized room that results in increased stem cell production. This effects healing throughout the entire body. Three studies showed patients had significant relief from migraines within 40 to 45 minutes of treatment compared to a placebo, the author reported.

Acupuncture studies show improvements in how often headaches occur, and when medication is needed. Specifically a study in the British Medical Journal, showed adults aged 18 to 65 year olds with chronic headaches (at least two a month) received up to 12 acupuncture sessions over a three-month period, the author reported.

A year later, researchers found that those who received acupuncture experienced 22 fewer days with headaches; used 15 percent less medication; made 25 percent fewer visits to their doctor; and took 15 percent fewer days off sick from work than the control group.

How to be a Present Parent

Posted on by Tammy

By Marthé Teixeira

As adolescents mature, they do experience a desire for privacy, and spend more time with their peers trying different identities and learning to deal with physical change. While this occurs parents feel as though they are losing control and even connection with their teen. I am sure most of you have experienced the scenario of your child swinging open the front door, throwing their backpack over the chair and rushing to their room, slamming the door behind them and shutting you out.

Being a teen life coach, I interact with teens on a daily basis. What I hear most from teens, which might surprise parents, is that they really need someone to talk to and want their parents to be more present. Everyone has the calendar hanging on the wall of the kitchen filled with things to do. Sporting events, dentist appointments, birthdays, doctor appointments, field trips, days off, and this goes on for months. It hard to be present parents with daily distractions of life, work and even with technology. There is even a new term called “texting while parenting,” for parents who are constantly on their phones or computers.

The other day I was driving home and I saw a car parked with the trunk open. A teen girl and her mom were sitting next to each other both on their phones, and I thought, we are so distracted with social media we never get to focus on right now.

Here is a list of how to be present, in the moment, and joyful with your teens:

Make time for family meals. How great it is to sit together after a long day and share stories. Perfect way to connect and be present with one another

Turn off technology when with your kids and ask them to do the same. I notice even if I put mine on vibrate, I find myself checking it. When you are completely powered down, you know what is in front of you is most important

Say “thank you” to your kids. Let them know how much you are grateful for the amazing child they are – especially your teens. They really need to hear it, as going through adolescence is not easy!
Simplify – you don’t need to do it all every day! Doesn’t that sound great to hear? Put aside your “to do list” for a day or even an hour.

Gratitude Journal – I write in mine every night before I go to bed. I write a few sentences of what I am grateful for that occurred during the day. It is great for parents to keep a journal and list things that they are grateful for that happened that day with their kids.

Marthe Teixeira is the founder/CEO of Stixs and Stones and a life coach for teen girls. She works with local schools, colleges and organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club and Strong Women Strong Girls, and she coaches one-on one with clients. She currently has a weekly advice column to help parents of teenagers navigate the pitfalls and perils of teen life. Marthe is eager to affect positive change in the lives of teen girls, as she has personally experienced struggles and challenges as an adolescent girl.