“Evolution is speeding up, not time. Consciousness is evolving, becoming aware of itself as creation's mentor. Children are evolution's front edge. They push at boundaries... challenge the status quo...irritate convention. That is their job...to set free all that sullies the human heart and blinds the mind to the relationship between the Creator and the Created." ~ P.M.H. Atwater~
MY WORK ... MY PASSION
• Certified Transpersonal Hypnotherapist ; Past experiences: Dream Analysis /10 Years Experience •Psychotherapist / Use of Gestalt, Jungian, Zen, Reality and Energy Therapies /10 Years Experience •EMDR • Men and Their Journey: the neuroscience of the male brain, and the implications in sexuality, education and relationship • Women: Their Transformation and Empowerment • ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs) / 21 years experience •Ordained Interfaith Minister & Official Celebrant • Social Justice Advocate • Child and Human Rights Advocate • Spiritual Guide and Intuitive • Certified Reiki Practitioner • Mediation / Conflict Resolution • “Intentional Love” Parenting Strategy Groups • Parenting Workshops • Coaching for parents of Indigo, Crystal, and Rainbow Children • International Training: Israel & England • Critical Incident Stress Debriefing • Post-911 and Post-Katrina volunteer
MSW - UNC Chapel Hill
BSW - UNC Greensboro
With immense love I wish Happy Birthday to my three grandchildren!
May 22: Brannock
May 30: Brinkley
June 12: Brogan
All three have birthdays in the same 22 days of the year ....what a busy time for the family!
"An Unending Love"
This blog and video is devoted and dedicated to my precious daughter Jennifer, my grand daughters Brogan and Brinkley, and my grand son Brannock. They are hearts of my heart. Our connection through many lives..... is utterly infinite.
The Definition of Genius
"THRIVE"
"ONLY LOVE PREVAILS" ...."I've loved you for a thousand years; I'll love you for a thousand more....."
Don't it just look so pretty
This disappearing world
We're threading hope like fire
Down through the desperate blood
Night falling on the city
Quite something to behold
Don't it just look so pretty
This disappearing world
This disappearing world
I'll be by your side
Hit 'em 'tween the eyes
Through the smoke and rising water
Cross the great divide
Baby till it all feels right
This disappearing world
This disappearing world
"The degree of our enlightenment is the degree of passion that we will have for the whole world." ~The Greystone Mandala
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." ~ Winston Churchill
Kant: "We are not rich by what we possess, but what we can do without."
"A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires." ~ Paulo Coelho
“It is not the critic who counts,not the man who who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”Theodore Roosevelt
TECHNOLOGY..........
In “Conversations with God”, by Neale Donald Walsch, there is a warning I think of. I refer to it as the Atlantis passage, and I've quoted it a few times before." As I have said, this isn't the first time your civilization has been at this brink,"
God tells Walsch. "I want to repeat this, because it is vital that you hear this. Once before on your planet, the technology you developed was far greater than your ability to use it responsibly. You are approaching the same point in human history again. It is vitally important that you understand this. Your present technology is threatening to outstrip your ability to use it wisely. Your society is on the verge of becoming a product of your technology rather than your technology being a product of your society. When a society becomes a product of its own technology, it destroys itself."
Friday, December 23, 2011
It's My Fault Because I Had a Drink? How Being Sexually Assaulted Introduced Me to Victim-Blaming Culture
Thursday, December 22, 2011
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
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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)
Excellent Documentary On The Facts And Truth Of The Cults of Psychiatry And Psychology
"As I Began to Love Myself..."
"SCARCITY AT HOLIDAY TIME" Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.
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.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Monday, December 19, 2011
DIAGNOSTIC: Gingrich: I’ll ‘ignore’ any Supreme Court ruling I disagree with | The Raw Story
Sunday, December 18, 2011
"100 Ways to Become More Conscious: How to Raise Your Consciousness"
Saturday, December 17, 2011
"Send In the Clueless" by Paul Krugman
CLICK TO READ KRUGMAN'S ARTICLE.....
Friday, December 16, 2011
One People One Planet – We Are the 100%
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Bradley Manning Deserves a Medal
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
CLICK HERE: Embrace Your Self-Destructive Impulses? How People Can Connect with Dark Parts of Their Psyche for Personal Change | Personal Health | AlterNet
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
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
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Women, Sex and Death — From Vampires to Psychoanalysis-Alternet
Thursday, December 8, 2011
"How I Became A Refuser" from the Canary Party
News Stories from "Who Wants to Know?"...read FACTS, not speculation!
"Mind-Mapping": How We Manipulate the People We Love
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Seven Diseases Big Pharma Hopes You Get in 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
Eliot Spitzer: 5 Ways to Make Banks Pay for Their Secret $7 Trillion Free Ride
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Deepak Chopra : Occupy Together is Unstoppable. We Are the 100%
Monday, November 28, 2011
Privatization Nightmare: 5 Public Services That Should Never Be Handed Over to Greedy Corporations
Privatization Nightmare: 5 Public Services That Should Never Be Handed Over to Greedy Corporations | Economy | AlterNet
Sunday, November 27, 2011
PsychiatryOnline | Psychiatric News |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.
CLICK HERE to read......
Friday, November 25, 2011
Discovering the magic of paper
Thankful for the Memories: This Year's Top Five Moments of Conservative Crazy
Thursday, November 24, 2011
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.
Gratitudes
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
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
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
How OWS woke up our civil society
Pay Attention: How Big Pharma Contrived the Great American Adderall Drought
CLICK HERE: Pay Attention: How Big Pharma Contrived the Great American Adderall Drought | Drugs | AlterNet