I love you, I am sorry, I forgive you, thank you........

It seems more and more that the holidays are becoming mercenary, and sanitized of human compassion and love. People attack each other in stores, for a gift for themselves .. and other head-shaking tales become a norm, rather than a bizarre incident. 
   As a mom, who loved the entire season and celebrated the last quarter of the year, I have found it curious that many parents I observe in public are so focused with 'eyes on the prize'... the material prize.  As they walk, they appear to be oblivious to the holiday's joys through the eyes of the smallest members of their family. Their toddler's cries which are so obviously ones of exhaustion and sensory stimulation, yet go unheeded (at best) or greeted with a Merry Christmas smack on the butt.  Antithetical. Simply antithetical.  
   I just read an article about a Vet who came home, and sold one of his two Purple Hearts to be able to afford some food and gifts for his young family. I admit that took my breath away.  Antithetical. Simply antithetical.
   The holidays, at the very least, are a reminder (allegedly) of the higher sides of us ... some days to reflect on who we are.....even if that reflection takes place cooking a turkey, or wrapping of gifts. What have our minds become that we cannot 'take custody' of them, if you will ....in such a manner?
   This post, one of Ho'Oponopono, is one I post at least twice a year.  It seems timely to do so again. 


 
     Both as a therapist and a human being, it is an interesting clue to me when folks are uncomfortable with regular use of, "I'm sorry" or "Thank you".  However this blog is not for the psychological hints of character.  It is about a celebration for those who can do that, or who actively aspire to and work towards that.
     A couple of years ago, a good friend introduced me to Ho'Oponopono.  I had never heard of the Hawaiian practice until then, but I discovered it to be immensely healing and with a strong code of personal accountability all at the same time. It is used, among other things, as a form of therapy.  Frankly....to me it certainly is.  Some (me included) initially discovered a little resistance to saying (even in private) "I'm sorry" or "I thank you" or "I forgive you" or "I love you"  ......to someone who might have egregiously hurt us.  Therein lies a real point of exploration and personal truth ... and squaring with the Universe!    While I believe some faith in a higher power is likely necessary to truly feel the impact of the process, I think the exercise is immensely humbling, empowering, loving, compassionate ... all at once. Sometimes Ho'Oponopono can seem simple and esoteric at the same time. When we have accountability for our human actions is loving and freeing all at once.


     I am including the video in this blog (above). I shared it with my adolescent male group therapy, actually wondering what the reaction would be.  I was surely surprised with the comments they made to me, one by one, after the group.  As I would hear what they had to say about their experiences, I was joyful.


     I made a practice to play it most evenings as I would fall asleep ... it simply seemed to provide great clarity and comfort to me.  The practice really makes life simple in its own way.  The above meditation also has some directions for EFT, so if you have not experienced that,  just focus on the actual meditation.


     Here is a paste from one of the sites which "breaks it down" into simplicity.  Exploring other sites is also immensely uplifting and :

HO'OPONOPONO - HO OPONOPONO - HOOPONOPONO

A WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS

Ho'oponopono (Ho oponopono, Hooponopono) is a process for solving problems. But ho'oponopono does more than just solve problems - it's a means for getting aligned with existence. This might sound complicated or "out there" and maybe it is, but ho'oponopono isn't necessarily easy to put into a neat little package. The truth is, ho'oponopono is both simple and complex. Most important of all, ho'oponopono (ho oponopono, hooponopono) is a big help.

IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU

If you were looking for the key aspect of ho'oponopono, it's probably this: everything comes from you. Within ho'oponopono this is often referred to as 100% responsibility, and it means that every problem you experience is happening because of you. It's a safe bet that ho'oponopono wasn't intended to win popularity contests, because telling someone they are responsible for every problem that's experienced is a sure way to meet up with some strong resistance and also rejection.

Though it is often held up as a virtue, individual responsibility is almost never meant to convey absoluteindividual responsibility. In fact, some people who are heavily into the idea of responsibility will place blame on others very quickly. This may seem completely reasonable to these people and to many others too; but placing blame like this is in opposition to the ho'oponopono (ho oponopono, hooponopono) belief system. In ho'oponopono the problem is never with someone else - it's in you.

RESPONSIBILITY OF HO'OPONOPONO

Can a person not accept 100% responsibility and still practice the ho'oponopono method? Yes. But the belief here is that seeing circumstances as being caused by external events, while at the same trying to use ho'oponopono, is neutralizing the method's effects. You simply can't apply ho'oponopono in full, and probably not even close to full, if you're looking external for causes. Responsibility is too key to how ho'oponopono works.

For those who might reject ho'oponopono 100% responsibility, it may help to know that 100% responsibility in ho'oponopono (ho oponopono, hooponopono) is not the same as blame. You don't need to blame yourself for problems - just know that problems you experience are there for you to resolve.

GETTING TO THE ISSUE

Putting ho'oponopono into practice is not difficult, though it can take discipline. Problems are going to come up, and maybe even come up a lot. The way to resolve problems with ho'oponopono is to use ho'oponopono and to keep using it. This might feel burdensome to some people, but sticking to it ultimately brings about problem resolution and an enhanced life experience overall. The results from using ho'oponopono on a consistent basis can be quite incredible. So how to use ho'oponopono?

Ho'oponopono can be applied through different processes. Mentally saying 'I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you' is a ho'oponopono process. Drinking what's referred to as blue solar water -- tap water poured into a blue glass bottle and set in the sun or under a non fluorescent light for an hour or more -- is considered to be a ho'oponopono (ho oponopono, hooponopono) process. The key to these and any other ho'oponopono process is consistent application. The more you put ho'oponopono to use, the more you can experience life changing results.

The Bradley Manning treatment

Supporters of Manning as well as outside observers of the case say the extraordinary conditions of his confinement as well as the length of time that Manning has been held without being convicted of anything could weigh heavily on any person mulling a conscience-driven leak.

CLICK HERE TO READ: The Bradley Manning treatment

Study: Why Teen Pot Smoking Could be a Good Thing (And What We Can Learn From Teens Who Choose Weed Over Beer)

Teens are smoking more weed, while cutting down on alcohol and cigarrettes cigarrettes, because they do not perceive marijuana to be as harmful as did generations past.

CLICK TO READ ABOUT: Study: Why Teen Pot Smoking Could be a Good Thing (And What We Can Learn From Teens Who Choose Weed Over Beer) | | AlterNet

Excellent Documentary On The Facts And Truth Of The Cults of Psychiatry And Psychology

Containing more than 175 interviews with lawyers, mental health experts, the families of victims and the survivors themselves, this riveting documentary rips the mask off psychotropic drugging and exposes a brutal but well-entrenched money-making machine.

It's the story of big money - drugs that fuel a $330 billion psychiatric industry, without a single cure.

These drugs now kill an estimated 42,000 people every year.

"As I Began to Love Myself..."

As I Began to Love Myself

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.

Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY“.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody as I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me.

Today I call it “RESPECT“.

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.

Today I call it “MATURITY“.

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment, so I could be calm.

Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE“.

As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm.Today I call it “SIMPLICITY“.

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism.

Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF“.

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time.

Today I discovered that is “MODESTY“.

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening.

 Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it“FULFILLMENT“.

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally.

Today I call this connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART“.

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born.

Today I know THAT IS “LIFE“!

(However, after 1 year since this article was created, there are doubts that this beautiful and wise declaration above does belong to Charlie Chaplin after all  as much was we’d love to believe it – we are on a quest to find once for all  )

"SCARCITY AT HOLIDAY TIME" Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist.  He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Life Coaching" (formerly "Practical
Psychology").  Initial coaching sessions are free.  Contact him: (970)
568-0173 or E-mail: DrLloyd@CreatingLeaders.com or LJTDAT@aol.com.

SCARCITY AT HOLIDAY TIME

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

       During these holidays, people give gifts to one another for a
variety of reasons.  Some give out of a sense of obligation.  Some
give in order to receive.  Some give to make themselves feel superior
to the receiver.  Some give as a means of receiving appreciation.  And
some give because of the joy it brings to both giver and receiver.

       During this "season of giving," I wonder about those people who feel
they have nothing to give away.  For them, the world is one of
scarcity.  Kahil Gibran writes: "to be thirsty when your well is full,
is a thirst, which is unquenchable."  Many of us grow up believing in
scarcity.  If we didn't get enough of what we needed; if we had
competitive brothers and sisters; if we were poor, needy or frightened
of not having our needs adequately met; then we probably developed a
"scarcity" orientation or belief system...a scarcity mentality.

       A scarcity mentality is demonstrated in one's attitudes.  If you
believe there is "not enough to go around," you are likely to become
protective of what you have and/or competitive for more than what you
already have.  No matter what the quantity, characteristic, object or
need, if it is believed to be scarce, it will be valued, kept, sought,
hoarded and consumed.  If you  believe there is not enough food, you
will hoard what you have, hide it, seek out more, and consume more
than you need.  If you believe there is not enough of another's
personal attention to go around, you will become envious, demanding,
clinging and possessive.  You may even give up seeking altogether what
you desire, if you believe it to be too scarce.  Or you may steal it
from someone who has it...whatever "it" is.  When you have a scarcity
mentality, the thought of giving rarely enters your mind.

       The supposition of scarcity results in behavior which often
determines the very scarcity one seeks to avoid.  If you believe
something to be scarce, even if you have it in abundance, you will
believe it to be in your best interest to limit your consumption.
Limiting your consumption reinforces your belief in scarcity, and
reduces your satisfaction.

       When you have a scarcity mentality, no matter how much you have, it
is never enough. You remain continuously unsatisfied and frightened.

       To reverse the psychologically damaging effects of a scarcity belief
system, one must engage in some rather paradoxical behavior. Examples
of such paradoxes include: If you are "just a little short" of
whatever, give whatever away; if you are lonely, become good company
to someone else; if you are needing love and acceptance, splash it all
around lavishly.

       All the great spiritual teachers of history have essentially
prescribed paradoxical cures for scarcity:

"In order to live, you merely have to die;"

"He who seeks his life shall lose it;"

"If you wish to attain enlightenment, you must destroy the ego;"

"If you seek abundant living, sell all that you have;"

"He who loses his life shall find it."

       Statements such as these seem meaningless or crazy, unless you
understand that the idea of scarcity is an abstract mental concept.
It does not exist in the external world.  Its cure is to behave as if
whatever you believe is scarce, is in fact abundant.  The truth is
that if you are alive, you always have something to give... your time,
your listening, your compassion, your service to others, your ideas,
your feelings, your beneficial behavior.  Giving of yourself is a
powerful antidote for an attitude of scarcity.

       When I was in graduate school, I failed "statistics".  My teacher
demanded I teach statistics to undergraduates.  If you don't know
something and desire to learn it... teach it to others.  Live as if
life was fully abundant and you quench the "thirst that is
unquenchable."

       If you don't understand any of today's column, simply explain it to
somebody else.  I wish for you abundant and happy holidays.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DIAGNOSTIC: Gingrich: I’ll ‘ignore’ any Supreme Court ruling I disagree with | The Raw Story

CLICK HERE FOR THIS "BLESS HIS LITTLE HEART MOMENT": Gingrich: I’ll ‘ignore’ any Supreme Court ruling I disagree with | The Raw Story

"100 Ways to Become More Conscious: How to Raise Your Consciousness"

CLICK HERE TO READ: 100 Ways to Become More Conscious: How to Raise Your Consciousness

"Send In the Clueless" by Paul Krugman

Send in the Clueless

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: December 4, 2011

The Republican Party is getting the candidates it deserves.............

CLICK TO READ KRUGMAN'S ARTICLE.....

One People One Planet – We Are the 100%

Uplifting, clever, positive for all!

CLICK FOR: One People One Planet – We Are the 100%

Bradley Manning Deserves a Medal

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/14/bradley-manning-deserves-a-medal

After 17 months of pre-trial imprisonment, Bradley Manning, the 23-year-old US army private and accused WikiLeaks source, is finally going to see the inside of a courtroom. This Friday, on an army base in Maryland, the preliminary stage of his military trial will start.

He is accused of leaking to the whistleblowing site hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables, war reports, and the now infamous 2007 video showing a US Apache helicopter in Baghdad gunning down civilians and a Reuters journalist. Though it is Manning who is nominally on trial, these proceedings reveal the US government’s fixation with extreme secrecy, covering up its own crimes, and intimidating future whistleblowers....

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE: Bradley Manning Deserves a Medal

My 37 hours with the NYPD

Why it is important for occupiers to see the inside of the prison-industrial complex......a recounting from  John Knefel, a comedian, and co-host of Radio Dispatch. Follow him @johnknefel.

CLICK TO READ: My 37 hours with the NYPD

Embrace Your Self-Destructive Impulses? How People Can Connect with Dark Parts of Their Psyche for Personal Change | Personal Health | AlterNet

As people relate to their disturbing inner experiences, they can become more accepting of the aspects of themselves with which they’ve been struggling.....
CLICK HERE: Embrace Your Self-Destructive Impulses? How People Can Connect with Dark Parts of Their Psyche for Personal Change | Personal Health | AlterNet

Must-Watch Maddow Segment on New GOP Voting Restrictions Barring Elderly Women From the Polls | AlterNet

Yes, a must watch! Unconscionable ripple effects!!! Those "in the dark" have their fingerprints all over this!  (Not mentioning any names, of course!!!) The blatant, self-serving, and dishonorable intentions of those behind this movement...WILL be stopped!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH: Must-Watch Maddow Segment on New GOP Voting Restrictions Barring Elderly Women From the Polls | AlterNet

INFORMATIVE AND CLEAR! Rich People DON'T Create Jobs: 6 Myths That Have to Be Killed for Our Economy to Live | Economy | AlterNet

These zombie talking points aren't just wrong; they're dangerous. If we're ever going to revive the economy, we've got to tackle them head on.

CLICK HERE TO READ!! Rich People DON'T Create Jobs: 6 Myths That Have to Be Killed for Our Economy to Live | Economy | AlterNet

Women, Sex and Death — From Vampires to Psychoanalysis-Alternet

"Melancholia," Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," and "A Dangerous Method" explore dark passions, along with remembrances of death, violence, and dangerous female sexuality.....

Women, Sex and Death — From Vampires to Psychoanalysis | Culture | AlterNet

"How I Became A Refuser" from the Canary Party

I come from the world of financial markets, having previously worked on Wall Street in proprietary trading at Salomon Brothers and I currently advise hedge funds and institutional portfolio managers regarding asset allocation. Vaccines are big business, with current US revenues of about $25 billion a year. Vaccine manufacturers have surreptitiously captured the regulatory process all the way from FDA vaccine licensure down to public school admission mandates. I have attended many meetings from point A to point B and I am absolutely appalled at how US vaccination policy is conducted......

READ THIS ARTICLE: How I Became A Refuser

Bilderberg Group

  CLICK HERE TO READ: Bilderberg Group

News Stories from "Who Wants to Know?"...read FACTS, not speculation!

CLICK HERE FOR "WHO WANTS TO KNOW?"

"Mind-Mapping": How We Manipulate the People We Love

All too often, people do hurtful things with impunity and entitlement in relationships simply to gratify their own needs.

CLICK TO CONTINUE READING: "Mind-Mapping": How We Manipulate the People We Love | Personal Health | AlterNet

Seven Diseases Big Pharma Hopes You Get in 2012

Supply-driven marketing not only turns the nation into pill-popping hypochondriacs, it distracts from Pharma's drought of real drugs for real medical problems.

CLICK TO READ: Seven Diseases Big Pharma Hopes You Get in 2012 | | AlterNet

Eliot Spitzer: 5 Ways to Make Banks Pay for Their Secret $7 Trillion Free Ride

The CEOs of major banks maintained they were in good financial shape. Meanwhile, they secretly borrowed massive amounts from the government to stay afloat.....

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE: Eliot Spitzer: 5 Ways to Make Banks Pay for Their Secret $7 Trillion Free Ride | Economy | AlterNet

Deepak Chopra : Occupy Together is Unstoppable. We Are the 100%

CLICK HERE TO READ: Deepak Chopra : Occupy Together is Unstoppable. We Are the 100%

Privatization Nightmare: 5 Public Services That Should Never Be Handed Over to Greedy Corporations

CLICK HERE TO READ REVEALING ARTICLE: 


Privatization Nightmare: 5 Public Services That Should Never Be Handed Over to Greedy Corporations | Economy | AlterNet

PsychiatryOnline | Psychiatric News |Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S.

Written by Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S.


I was reminded of the ever-changing nature of psychiatric practice after reading a recent e-mail exchange between an APA member and a fellow Board of Trustees member. The e-mail touched on recent developments that affect our practice and our patients. Specifically at issue are the trends toward the increasing managed care—like management of pharmacy benefits and the increased assault on inpatient psychiatric care.

It is not necessary to elaborate on the utility of medications in contemporary treatment. Yet, it is undeniable that costs for medications have increased at a......

CLICK HERE to read......

Discovering the magic of paper

Exquisite craft!

CLICK HERE TO READ: Discovering the magic of paper

Thankful for the Memories: This Year's Top Five Moments of Conservative Crazy

What am I thankful for this year? I am thankful the conservative movement has stopped trying to pretend to be something that they are not.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING: Thankful for the Memories: This Year's Top Five Moments of Conservative Crazy | AlterNet

A Day of Gratitude from the view of Jeff Brown.....

It is no secret that Jeff Brown, and his beliefs and writings which 

emerge from a rich tapestry of life, are in my top go-to's in these 

times.  In these challenging times, I strongly believe that daily, if not, 

minute-by-minute whispers of gratitude for even the simplest events 

in our lives ..... creates the most momentous transformation in each 

of us.

I read Jeff's link on his site about his own gratitudes.  Deeply moved by content? Sure! But what really entered my soul was his "framework" (how's that for a sanitized word?!) for his gratitude.  Likely none who read this would know the names he lists.  However, he is very clear about the relationships those names have to his life.  It was almost impossible not to have a lump in my throat as he included events which he might have interpreted as negative.  Now THAT is a true, ripped from the soul, gratitude list.  I offer it to you on this national day of thanks, because the only way we transform is to scrap the "national day, per se....and make this, at the very least, a daily occurrence.

As much as I exercise and whisper gratitude, Jeff has certainly provided me with a wonderful nudge towards increased consciousness and joy in fashioning my own list!

Gratitudes

Honoring and actualizing our divine purpose is both an individual and a relational process.To be sure, so much of the work happens in the interior of an individual where the decision is made, time and time again, to do the painstaking work to identify and embody the paths we are here to walk. We call that ‘Divine Perspiration’ in the Soulshaping soulpod. At the same time, this dance of sacred expansion is also a relational one, where we learn together and where we are supported on our journeys by the efforts of others, seen and so often unseen. When I was young, I imagined myself a lone wolf warrior, doing my souls bidding all alone in the barren wilderness. As I grew older and my lens clarified, it became clear that I had been supported throughout my journey. The Divine Mother was with me every step of the journey, as were so many wonderful others. The following are just some of those gratitudes, taken from the gratitudes section in Soulshaping, and beyond…

Gratitude to those who encouraged me before I could encourage myself—my parents, Valentia Lee, Miriam Blumstock, Graham Northcott, David L. Mandel, Sharon E. Lavine, Rocketdog, Wendy Yamamoto, Judith (Leslie) Greenbaum, Nella Starai, Janice Nishimoto, Nicholas Brinckman, Sue Bennett, Arthur and Carol Back, Gloria Robbins, Ova Back (and her warm chocolate pudding), Joelle Glasroth, RJB, Dr. Ralph Kilmann, Esther Climans, Eileen Greene, Randy Richmond, Amy Baumal, Little Missy, Gary Schilling, Jackie and Shani Feldman, Dawn Stephenson, Lisbie Rae, Jill Goldblatt, Tony Melaragni, Fatima Lobo, Naomi Goldsmith, Louise Frechette, David (Skinny) Sniderman, Marta Cuellar, Janet L. Bomza, Amy Burke, Michele Spicer, Edmond Timmerman, Dr. Leo Shack, (Auntie) Judy Haid, Bibbles Ganoush, Dr. Tom Greening, John Pothiah, Avi Zimmerman, Abigail McClure, (Auntie) Mitzi O’keefe, Auntie Tilly, Martin and Stanley Resnick, and Uncles Ricky and Teddy Perlove. Thank you all from the bottom of my soul.

Gratitude to those lite-dimmers, double-crossers, space invaders, and plain old nasties who attempted, in word or deed, to force my light under a bushel. Your hurtfulness was grist for the soul mill, gifting me with the painful lessons I needed to learn. Without you to push against, I might never have found my way home. Glory to the school of heart knocks. 

Gratitude to those bodysoul workers and healing places that supported my healing and expansion: Sandra Finkelman, Marika Pollak, Marilyn Morinis, Jim Bean and Beverly Yates, Dr. Christopher Hassel, Janice Greene, Rainah, Cora, Kathleen Mckay, Barb Towns (and her band of renown), Ruth Whalen, Laurie Ward, Lindsey Syred, Meenakshi, Esther Myers, Blake Carter, Katharine Beet (Yoga Space, Toronto), Angie Toccalino, Sarah Tomlinson, BarnCat, Downward Dog Yoga (Toronto), Jivamukti Yoga (Toronto), Rosa Laborde, Ramona Ng, the Kid, Redpaw Data Services, Yellow Brick Road, Deanna Villa, Diane Gordon, Clinic I Need, Barb Dewar, Suzuki Shiatsu, Anne Harris, Odette Schywiola, Jennifer and Chris Italiano and everyone at Live Health Cafe (Toronto), Christine Matheson, Fresh Restaurants (Toronto), Omega Institute (Rhinebeck, NY), Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts, Harbin Hot Springs, Samasati Nature Retreat, Saybrook Graduate School.

Gratitude to those soul blazers and champions who have touched and elevated my journey, reminding me of what I inherently knew all along: Rumi, Ram Dass, Alexander Lowen, Seane Corn, Coleman Barks, Robert Augustus Masters, Eddie Greenspan, Oprah Winfrey, Jean Houston, Jeanne Achterberg, Bhagavan Das, Anodea Judith, Sean and Robin Wright Penn, JFK, Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack (for Serendipity), David Wolfe, George Kaufman, Deva Premal and Miten, Amma, John Wayne, Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz, Mary Oliver, John Pierrakos, Stan Lee, Wah, Nelson Mandela, Ron Kurtz, Krishna Das, Rocky Balboa, Drew Barrymore, Chantal Kreviazuk, James Hillman, Thomas Moore, Van Morrison, Abraham Maslow, Seabiscuit, Christopher Cross, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammad Ali, Terry Hunt, Forest Whitaker, Jessica Lange, Jack Kornfield, Stanislav Grof, Steve Carter, Captain America, James Taylor, Yvan Cournoyer, Guy Lafleur, Neem Karoli Baba, Cinderella Man.

Gratitude to dear friends and seeming strangers that helped to keep this book-writing expedition afloat by word or deed: Granny Franny, Elizabeth Lesser, General Scribbles, Michael Payer, Kathryn Graham Wilson, Spicy, Jeffrey Abrams, (Auntie) Corrine Wilks, Kathryn Bint, Glen Newbury, The Open Heart Gang, Maggie Zellner, Edna Khubyar, editors RonniLyn Pustil, Catherine Dees, Diane Darling and the brilliant David Ord, Jean Christian, Sharon Sephton, Nancy Loucks-McSloy, Oliver Kinghorn, Alexander K. Rai, Tena Moore, Ken Preston, Tony Everest, Uncle Joe Perlove, Sophie Brown, the customers of Academic Glass Ltd., Kay Wong, Gilligan, Roberto Diamanti, Rachel Larabee, Faith Davis, Jongrok Choi, Jessica Weiser, Warren Sheffer, T. Wally, John and Jack A. Armstrong, M.J. Bogatin, Ethan Dann, Coach House Press, Monte Gagne, cousin Rocky Polson, Naomi Lir, Angela Spagnuolo, Yumee Chung, Sharon and Gordon Resnick, Swaha, Jennifer Berezan, Wade Imrie Morissette, Wah, Lama Gyurme, Aeoliah, Snatam Kaur Khalsa, Zoey Shamai, Larry Back, Carmella Hatter, Joey Rappaport, that homeless woman on St. Clair Avenue who told me I had it in me when I looked downtrodden, Auntie Annie and Uncle Manny Perlove, Jerry Gladman, you.

Many thanks to Peter Beren and Mark Ouimet for supporting my work and landing me in the right hands. And profound gratitude to the lovely people at North Atlantic Books (Richard, Emily, Jon, Kathy, Susan, Sarah et al.) and Random House, for giving Soulshaping a larger set of wings and a better chance to fly.

Profound gratitude to my niece, Naomi Lir. So grateful that your warrior spirit overcame the obstacles and that you found your way back into my life. I honor your brilliance and your faith in this challenging but ultimately delicious human dance.

Hugs of gratitude to my spirit kid, Vanessa (Hot Tamale) Lees, for always reminding me that I am needed for what I bring. Your courageous insistence on living from your heart always brings me back to my own. May you love yourself, as Ragus loves you. Rave on, Tamale, rave on.…

Profound gratitude to Tarini Bresgi, master of the subtle realms, courageous path-traveler. Despite the challenges we have faced, we continue to do God’s work, in one form or another. Your contribution to Soulshaping has impacted on so many lives already. I bow to your determination and courageous willingness to seek the needle of truth in an often confusing karmic haystack.

Boundless gratitude to Zeydl Hemrend, the greatest friend this soul could ever hope for, whose unwavering love and patience keeps my sails aloft on this often-hazardous ocean of meaning. Without your divine wisdom and support, Soulshaping might well have sunk to the bottom of that ocean, perhaps never to be seen again. Let’s keep moving, Bauble. Let’s keep shaping our souls.

Eternal gratitude to my grandparents, Bubbi and Beela Perlove. Bringers of the light, you stood beside me, in front of me, and within me every step of the way. I continue to inhale all the love you left behind. When I lose my way, I take a big breath of you, and the path becomes clear. You are forever woven into the seams of my soul. I felt you the other day, when that truck almost hit me, and suddenly diverted. You have been busy these last years, holding me safe.

A former criminal lawyer and psychotherapist, Jeff Brown is the author of "Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation," recently published by North Atlantic Books. Endorsed by authors Elizabeth Lesser and Ram Dass, "Soulshaping" is Brown's autobiography -- an inner travelogue of his journey from archetypal male warrior to a more surrendered path. You can connect with his work at www.soulshaping.com

HUMANIFESTO by Jeff Brown

Jeff Brown is a multi-faceted gemstone....during 

these challenging times, he helps us to focus on 

what is REALLY important.  I say, 

"He helps...", because the impulse must begin 

with us.  I believe that if you examine his site, you 

will be captivated by his depth and perspectives.

At the heart of the SOULSHAPING philosophy is the belief that every individual came into this life with divine purpose, however humble it may outwardly appear.We are not random concentrations of stardust, nor are we accidental tourists. We are divinely inspired, purposeful, and essential to the dance of sacred imagination that is this life. Satisfying our purpose is entirely dependent on our ability to recognize and honor our soul-scriptures for this lifetime. Our soul-scriptures are the unique combination of experiences, callings and archetypal pathways that live at the heart of our transformation. They are the lessons we came here to learn, the soulshape we are here to grow into. When we embody our scriptures, we expand our soul one step closer to wholeness.

We made it through because we are needed here. We are each here to participate in this sacred dance, stepping on each other’s toes and turning each other toward God one clumsy step after another. Although the ultimate romance is with your own soul, it is our experiences together that give birth to the essential lessons. Every soul-scripture is a buried treasure, essential to the advancement of the collective soul. If we get off the dance floor, we postpone others’ lessons too.

Through this lens, we endeavour to make the presumption of essence in those we encounter. We look beyond the disguises and defenses, and honor the precious being living at the core. Rather than judging our seeming differences, we celebrate them as archetypal way-stations, unique and essential learning posts on the path to wholeness. There is a place for everyone on the trailways of transformation, in every soulshape, at every stage of karmic expansion.

Standing in our way are many factors that blind us to who we really are. They include our adaptations and disguises, unresolved emotions, misguided self-concepts, patterns of self-distraction. They also include external influences: an over-stimulating culture, economic reality, others’ opinions, the weight of the world. There can be a lot in the way. We have to be realistic about this, otherwise our spirituality will be ungrounded and our moments of ascension soon followed by a harsh thud on Mother Earth. We need to ascend with both feet on the ground, with one eye on the sky and another on the earth. From sole to soul.

It is my mission to help others identify and clear the obstructions in their way. It is my mission to remind others of their inherent magnificence and encourage them in the direction of their true-path. It is my mission to invite others to trust their truth-aches, excavate their soul-scriptures, answer the soulular phone whenever it rings. It is my mission to use my gifts as fodder for the mill of human expansion, to provide karmic nourishment to those who have momentarily forgotten their significance.

If my time at the School of Heart Knocks (the school of life) has taught me one thing, it is that we are so much more than we know. How small we sometimes imagine ourselves, how quickly we hide our light under a bushel of shame. Yet beyond the echo of our egoic distortions lives a bounty of wonder. We are each so brilliant, so gifted, libraries of unlimited possibility, soul-scriptures waiting for us on every inner shelf. Our divine purpose may be hidden from view, it may be covered in dust, but its’ still in there, sparkling with infinite possibility. We may have to work hard to bring it to light (divine perspiration!), but we must never lose faith in our brilliance, no matter what the world sends our way. When you are ready, look inside and your magnificence will rise to the surface on the wings of the inner dove. I tell you, it’s that close…

After years spent traveling on the pathways of self-avoidance, I am delighted to be embodying and humanifesting my divine purpose. If my work can help to remind you of your own, then I have lived well. I am grateful for the opportunity.

A former criminal lawyer and psychotherapist, Jeff Brown is the author of "Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation," recently published by North Atlantic Books. Endorsed by authors Elizabeth Lesser and Ram Dass, "Soulshaping" is Brown's autobiography -- an inner travelogue of his journey from archetypal male warrior to a more surrendered path. You can connect with his work at www.soulshaping.com

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CLICK HERE: Pay Attention: How Big Pharma Contrived the Great American Adderall Drought | Drugs | AlterNet

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CLICK HERE TO READ: Penn State and the Culture of Rape

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By Peggy Drexler

WeNews guest author
from:

Sunday, June 19, 2011

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH: Shocking Video of Second Iraq War Vet Wounded by Oakland Police | AlterNet

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