How to Receive

Empaths, Online Classes, Quantum Empowerment, Uncategorized

This past week I’ve been preparing for my “11 Day Emotional Detox“ (which starts on Jan 1st) and came up against residual receiving blocks/old emotional wounds.

These particular past beliefs/programs had been healed but not cleared out of my auric field. Old thoughts/programs show up in weird ways, and rather than tackling them for another go around, it’s imperative to simply release — let them die — and to RECEIVE the upgraded conscious perspective.

To die is to be reborn, but old beliefs operate so efficiently to create and recreate the same story that we must be conscious about which beliefs we allow to take residence in our lives. Clearing an old program is simply to let it die, every time in comes up, until eventually, the neural pathway is undone.

Clearing out old beliefs only becomes hard if we have an emotional attachment to the storyline — the death requires us to trust that the new version of our story is actually better for us — because it is TRUE for us NOW.

Death of old perspectives is a crucial step to receive the fullness of our heart’s restoration (remember, we attract at the frequency we vibrate, and EMOTIONS attract faster and more accurately to our deepest beliefs than any practice or thought).

Sometimes we have to allow aspects of our thoughts/consciousness to die, so we can receive the “upgraded” parts of ourselves we’ve been praying for.

Receiving the upgrade is rapture. Here it all makes sense. Here we come from the heart. Here we forgive. Here we trust. Here we embody the greatest and most powerful form of Love: Self-Love. Here we remember we are all one.
It may sound simple, but if we don’t know how to receive (or confront our blocks to receiving) we can unwittingly sabotage our efforts in lining-up with our heart’s true passions/desires.

It gets wonky when we’re this close — really knowing how to use Universal Energies/Consciousness and feeling deeply into our emotional body — because everything is amplified. We have a tremendous amount of energy we’ve tapped into (Source itself) but if we don’t fully trust ourselves with it (or trust the Source from whence it came) we’re liable to get some serious backlash (namely, our own). Nothing we can’t clean up instantly, of course (it’s all about the NOW, after all), but hidden fears or repressed guilt/shame are the two biggest factors in blocking our progress (and they can be incredibly painful blocks too, because at this point, we’ve built up incredible, conscious momentum).

The heart is key. If we can’t trust love (our ability to receive and give love) we will never be the truly powerful creators/avatars we know to be.

Your kingdom is only as big as your auric field is allowed to grow.

Think of RECEIVING/TRUST as a prerequisite to embodiment of our heart’s true home.

Happy Thursday!

PS. This audio is from my “Empathic Communication” online class — thought it might be helpful.

Online Training for Empaths

Uncategorized

ONLINE TRAINING FOR EMPATHS

11 Day Emotional Detox (Jan. 1st- Jan 11th 2016) $11

For anyone who wants to go deep and learn how I regularly clear and detox my emotional body of excess emotional energy, stress, and overthinking. Only $11!

Empathic Communication $33

Explore what it means to be a master energy communicator, how empathic abilities can help in conscious manifestation, and how empaths are laying the ground work for telepathic communication

(geared toward empowered/skilled empaths)

How to Heal and Thrive as an Empath $33

Understand your empathic abilities, focus on healing past emotional wounds, utilize the power of Shadow Integration, and discover tools to help you thrive!

Empowering Empathic Abilities $22

Learn how to feel safe and empowered as an empath, heal the emotional body, create a healthy energetic hygiene practice, and allow your power to be perceived.

Creating with Emotions $33

Learn about the role of emotions in creating reality, how emotions fuel our point of attraction, the importance of self-trust/healing, the role of desire in creation, the power of NOW, and practices that help remove common blocks to manifesting.

Testimonials

“So far I’ve been a part of two of Amanda’s courses. Both have been extremely helpful in my journey and have opened up places of healing as well as places of growth in areas I didn’t even know I needed it. Her courses have shown me ways in which I can empower myself and in turn empower others as well. I’ve also connected with an awesome community through these as well! Her online classes feel extremely personal and connected. I would highly suggest taking any of her courses if you’re new to this field, have some experience, or are simply looking to connect. I don’t know a single person who couldn’t benefit from taking Amanda’s courses.” – Ryan Nolan, New York

“Amanda Flaker, I don’t think I’ve told you how much your work has helped me. Very specifically in the last week I was driving the 84 miles home from LA and I realized there was no trigger anymore when the image of the PEST (person exhibiting sociopath tendencies) came to mind.

The thing that is really significant for me (other than the obvious, that I am doing really well in my home town again) is how clear everything is around this person, compared with the other people who have been triggers for me in my life. Some people I am still working through – some have taken years. But this one, which was so extreme and almost life-ending, this one is clear. And I have no doubt this is due to the work you have shared so generously with all of us. Thank you.” Michaele S. – California

” [Empowering Empathic Abilities] is a fantastic course for empaths looking to understand their inner abilities, thus helping to understand oneself more. It is said that the discovery of self dwarfs the descent of Everest, and this class for me, helped in beginning my climb.” Tabitha Johnson, Colorado

“[How to Heal and Thrive as an Empath] is awesome – that’s all I can say. Amanda is a gift and such a beautiful soul. Her courses are invaluable on the subject of empaths. I have known her for a couple of years and her work has been hugely helpful to me.” Natalia Clark, England

“I’m loving the class, Amanda. I’m learning so much about myself and about current issues I’m encountering. I’m gaining a whole new perspective that I’m super grateful for. Thank you.” Cheryl W., BC

“Amanda is a beautiful soul with an amazing gift and I feel blessed to have connected with her. I have had three soul readings from her. The accuracy of the readings were phenomenal. She truly could read my soul. She picked up on all my vulnerabilities in a compassionate sensitive way. Each time I had a reading she was able to uncover and assist in healing a deeper layer of blockages. After every session I felt elated and had the complete confidence to know that I could use the tools she had given me to continue to work on myself. I can truly say that Amanda has helped to transform my life. I now feel empowered to move forward and also confident in the knowledge that whenever I do encounter life’s obstacles Amanda’s tools will assist me in overcoming them. I would highly recommended Amanda.” Ann Elizabeth, England

You Didn’t Fail, You Expanded

Empaths, Spirituality

There really is an art to surrender.

Fighting against every emotion, being “on top” on my vibration, trying to be intentional and conscious about every little thing I do — well — it can sometimes take the joy out of LIVING. Didn’t we come here to be HUMAN? Why would we leave our place of Oneness — our knowing of All Things, to come into a human experience and deny ourselves the experience/blessing of being a singular person with an ego and identity and flaws? We will never learn real love by having an attitude of intolerance towards our learning process.

Living on purpose and with awareness is important (of course) but I feel so many of us feel like if we know we create our reality and anything exists in our experience that does not feel like BLISS, we somehow failed as creators. But we would never be able to create anything at all if we didn’t first experience creating what we don’t want.

We came here to fail and succeed, because in this reality, you can’t have one without the other — it’s the nature (and brilliance) of a dualistic world. The trick is to not see anything you do as a failure, but simply as an experience that teaches us all more about ourselves, and helps us further our expansion. It is only our judgement/beliefs about any experience or situation that gives it a negative or positive feeling — not the experience itself. Drop the judgment.

I am beginning to understand that the key to happiness in this life is not being perfectly in alignment all of the time (or even 90% or 70% of the time), but to love and embrace every experience/emotion/creation along the way. LOVE THE PROCESS. LOVE THE JOURNEY. SURRENDER TO LIFE. Give yourself grace. Surrender to the experience (which means failing, messing up, trying too hard, feeling small and insignificant — all of it). You came here to give yourself the perspective of separation just as much as you wanted to understand more fully what Oneness is. We wanted to learn to appreciate all of what we are — not just the aspects that feel acceptable.

So if you are feeling like you failed, you’re too weak, or you just can’t get it right — let yourself off the hook. You are PERFECTLY where you are, and that is always enough. Accept and surrender, and the flow of life will take you to your next level of expansion.

Sending appreciation for all of you today! Thank you for being courageous enough to be HUMAN! What miracles we are!

PS. This interview with intuitive empath Sonia Choquette SO resonated with me because she offers a loving voice to the benefit of failure and points out how we often bypass our humanity (especially in the spiritual community) because we feel we must be perfect. So real and authentic!

5 Ways to Align with the Energies of Fall

Empaths, Spirituality

Check-out my latest article from Lotus Effect:

Fall is a perfect time to align our own energy with the earth’s changing season. Here are 5 ways to energetically harmonize with the essence of autumn:

*Count your blessings: Fall is a time of harvest, and a perfect time to count your blessings. Science has proven that the feeling of gratitude produces an incredibly high frequency in our bodies, and when our vibes are high, we attract more goodness into our lives. As the colder months come and the darkness closes in, having gratitude for the abundant harvest is an excellent way to line-up with our highest potential for the fall. Ring in the season with a gratitude journal and make a commitment to write down daily what you are thankful for.

*Balance your chakras in nature: Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year, and with all the lower chakra colors (red, orange, and yellow) in full bloom, it’s a perfect time to balance, clear, and activated your connection to earth and the physical body. Get out in nature and spend time with the vibrancy of the earth’s final blush before her winter slumber. It’s guaranteed to give your body the energy it needs to take on the longer days of darkness.

*Find a balanced routine: As the days get shorter and the access to direct sunlight depletes, it is important to spend our days in balance. Studies have shown that synching our routine with the sun can greatly increase our mental and emotional stability, as well as balance our circadian rhythms. Balancing our routine with the change in weather patterns and sun exposure will do wonders in helping us feel balanced and healthy for the coming of winter.

*Give: Fall is a time of harvest, a time of abundance – a time to reap what we have sown. Energetically, the time is ripe for giving. As we interact with the bright orange colors of fall, the sacral chakra is activated, and with it, our capacity to give and receive. Autumn is the perfect time to practice the art of giving, which gives our sacral chakra the opportunity to release some of its natural receiving energy which is activated in summer. Additionally, giving makes us feel good, which raises our vibration and puts us in a better energetic position to take on the colder months ahead.

*Embrace your shadows: Traditionally, the fall equinox is known as a time of descending into the underworld. Energetically this looks like going deep into our shadows and understanding the thoughts, intentions, and motivations that lurk in our subconscious mind. It’s a time of embracing all that we are and all that we could be. The earth’s energy during the fall season is the perfect time to do shadow integration.

If we use the energy of the season to balance and align our bodies with nature’s changing tides, we are bound to have a more enjoyable transition into the darkness.

Happy fall, everyone!

3 Important Tips to Raise Your Vibration

Aromatherapy, Body Work, Empaths, Features

More goodness from Lotus Effect. I’ve been actively/consciously making a lot of internal/external shifts in my life, and I have to say, it’s amazing how quickly our point of attraction changes when we tune into the frequencies that feel good, rather than carry around and listen to the same ol’ junk we’ve somehow believed is inescapable. I wrote this article to explain how making some simple changes can drastically change our lives. I’d love to hear your experience with this as well!

3 Important Tips to Raise Your Vibration

There’s been a lot of talk in the spiritual community about frequency. Frequency is the measurable rate of electrical energy flow constant between any two points. Energetically, it is impossible for two opposing frequencies to share the same space. In other words, in order to hear what is broadcasting on 94.9 FM one cannot be listening to 94.9 AM.

Everything in existence carries frequency, or what many in the esoteric world call an “energy signature.” Your own body/health/emotions, etc. emit frequencies (which are actually scientifically measurable). Emotions such as sadness, fear, grief, and loneliness, all vibrate at a low frequencies, while feelings of joy, love, and hope rank high on the frequency scale.

Why is this important to know? At any given time the frequency your very body emits will attract a matching frequency in the environment around you. It’s basic physics. So all this talk about the law of attraction does have a scientific basis. It’s measurable. And understanding how this works is key.

By now we’ve all come to recognize the value our emotions play in overall health. Daily prioritizing our emotions is crucial, but using our feelings and thoughts to attract more good things into our lives isn’t the only thing we can do to raise our vibration. Clearing things out of our environment that have a low energy signature can help facilitate a shift in our lives, as well as paying attention to the frequency of the things we put on and in our body.

Here are 3 important tips to help raise your vibration and overall energetic health:

Eat high vibe food: Organic, living food free from cruelty vibrates at a much higher frequency than the pesticide ridden, torture induced food most Americans consume. Remember, the frequency of the energy you eat attracts more of the same energy, so eating low energy foods makes your body more vulnerable to illness and depressing emotions. Eating high vibe food is crucial to overall mental and emotional health.

Clean and organize your surroundings: Have you considered what’s in the environment around you? Are your surroundings messy and chaotic? Do you have pictures on the wall or music playing that feel low vibe? Take a look around. Everything (even inanimate objects) project a frequency, and those frequencies are attracting like frequencies. If something in your environment feels negative, remove it. You don’t have to keep things around that drain your life force.

Pay attention to what you put on your body: What about what goes on your body? Are the shampoos, soaps, and clothes you put on your skin vibrating at a low or high frequency? Many people don’t pay attention to what they put on their skin because they labor under the false idea that things external from us are somehow separate. Not true.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is our immune system’s first defense. Quantumly speaking, the skin is just a frequency, not an actual solid barrier that separates us from the outside world. If what you put on your skin is high frequency in nature, it goes to follow it would naturally assist in attuning your body to higher frequencies within.

Apart from wearing environmentally friendly fabrics (hopefully not produced from slave labor), one of the best ways to raise the frequency on the surface of your body is with essential oils. “Clinical research shows essential oils have the highest frequency of any natural substance known to man, creating an environment in which disease, bacteria, virus, fungus, etc., cannot live.” (healingpress.com). Because the chemistry and frequency of essential oils can greatly affect the overall energetic signature of your body, they can be an important part of a daily routine to keep your vibes high.

What makes aromatherapy such a powerful health advocate is its connection to the central nervous system and the limbic portion of the brain associated with memory, mood, instinct, and emotion. When we inhale these powerful frequencies, olfactory receptors in our nostrils transmits the energy message to our limbic system and the response is triggered at a deeper cellular level. This is perhaps why smell has been called our most powerful connection to memory.

Scents our nose picks up can immediately put us in a high or low vibe state – the response is instantaneous. Essential oil mists are a great thing to keep with you at all times. Spray yourself (and your environment) with a dose of these high vibes any time you feel your energy getting low. Just make sure they are organic, pure essential oils (free from hazardous chemicals).

Healthy eating, emotional validation, clean products, positive environments, and aromatherapy are some of the most important things to consider when trying to maintain a high vibration. As we dive deeper into the nature of true health, we see it is much more holistic and connected than we’ve been led to believe. So what kind of frequency are you emitting today? What frequency are you tuning in to? The answer to these questions will shape and define your entire experience so you may want to pay close attention.

Have a high vibe day. Happy fine-tuning!

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How to Open and Clear the Chakras

Body Work, Chakra Centers, EmBody Bliss, Empaths, Features, Spirituality, The Crown Chakra, The Heart Chakra, The Root Chakra, The Sacral Chakra, The Solar Plexus Chakra, The Third Eye Chakra, The Throat Chakra, Websites

As many of my blog followers know, I also write content for the amazingly brilliant, conscious fashion company, Lotus Effect.

Today’s article is all about understanding, opening, and clearing the chakras, and since this is Chakra Center after all, I felt it would be an appropriate blog share for today!

Enjoy!

Believed to be the centers for spiritual energy, the 7 Chakras are a crucial system for understanding the flow of personal life force. Not only do these center points hold specific energy in the body, they also flow back and forth between each other and represent a vital aspect of our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Each individual chakra has a specific purpose in the body, and can be blocked by unhealed emotions and trauma. When one of these energy centers is blocked, it messes with the balance of our entire system. Blocked chakras can lead to illness, as well as spiritual and emotional unrest. Understanding how to clear and balance the chakras is crucial for our overall health.

Knowing where these energy center points are located in the body, as well as their emotional components, is an important step in learning how to be in-tune with the body’s life force.

Here is a basic overview:

Root Chakra – Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is where the body carries its survival energy. Issues of money, food, and stability are associated with this chakra. When opened and clear one feels grounded and at peace. The emotion that blocks this chakra is fear.

If you carry fear for your basic survival (this can include financial stress or eating disorders), it is important to work on healing your root chakra. The key to healing this chakra is surrendering to your fears and allowing them to flow through you (rather than resisting and suppressing them).

Color associated with the root chakra: Red

Sacral Chakra – Located about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in, is the sacral chakra. Related to the ability to give and receive, as well as sexual and creative energy, this chakra deals with pleasure, and is blocked by guilt. Because of social and religious programming, most people have blocks in their sacral chakra.

Feeling guilt related to receiving pleasure (of any form), creativity, or sexuality – or carrying emotional trauma related to sexuality, is an indication the sacral chakra needs to be healed and cleared.

Look at the things you feel guilty about in your life. Accept the reality of the events, and learn to forgive yourself. It is impossible for this chakra to be opened and balanced without self-forgiveness and acceptance.

Color associated with the sacral chakra: Orange

Solar Plexus Chakra – Located in the abdomen/stomach area, the solar plexus chakra deals with one’s sense of personal power and self-control, and is blocked by shame. Feelings of self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem are tied to this chakra.

In order to open and clear the solar plexus, it is essential to love and accept all aspects of yourself, including your mistakes.

Color associated with the solar plexus chakra: Yellow

Heart Chakra – Located in the center of the chest, just above the heart, the heart chakra deals with our joy, inner peace, and ability to love. This chakra is blocked by grief.

To clear and release the heart chakra, it is important to acknowledge, validate, and release all loss. Allow yourself to feel the pain of grief. Do not hold and suppress the sadness — let your emotions flow.

Color associated with the heart chakra: Green

Throat Chakra – Located in the throat, the throat chakra deals with the ability to communicate truth, and is blocked by lies – especially the lies we tell ourselves.

To heal and open the throat chakra, it is important to release all self-denial and lies – even when those lies are functioning as a coping mechanism. We cannot lie about our own nature. It is impossible to be able to communicate in a powerful way when one holds onto self-deluded lies.

Color associated with the throat chakra: Blue

Third Eye Chakra – Located on the forehead between the eyes, the third eye deals with the ability to focus on and see the big picture (as well as psychic vision and insight). This chakra is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation.

In order to heal and clear this chakra, it is crucial to release all illusion within ourselves and understand we are connected to all things. There is no separation. Things we think are separate and different, are actually one and the same.

Color associated with the thrid eye chakra: Indigo

Crown Chakra – Located at the very top of the head, this highest chakra represents the ability to be fully connected spiritually. It deals with pure, cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment.

Healing and opening the crown chakra requires us to let go of the things we hold on to most desperately, trusting the love and flow of the Universe/Source within us to be our ultimate fulfillment and bliss.

Opening the crown chakra is not about denying our desires or connection to the earth, it is simply about letting go of our grasp and surrendering to Universal cosmic energy (or God).

Color associated with the crown chakra: Violet

Opening and healing the chakras is about walking the spiritual path of self-awareness. It is not something that is done in one mediation, but rather a daily practice on the inward journey. By tuning into our emotional blockages and needs, we allow ourselves to expand, trust, and ultimately be set free.

Why Sex Should Be Treated As A Spiritual Practice

Body Work, Features, Spirituality

MindBodyGreen is a frequent feature here at Chakra Center. And the following article is a shinning example of why. The connection between sexuality and spirituality is one I have been exploring in depth, and quite frankly am astonished at how little information/conversation is going on about it. Because exploration like this is rare, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this blog as a guest post. I’d love to hear your thoughts/opinions below.

Why Sex Should Be Treated As A Spiritual Practice

by Robert Peng

Mention the word sex and eyes widen and ears perk up. The strong reaction the subject arouses reflects the spicy nature of sexual energy. We may be at the gym feeling tired and depleted, but if someone we find attractive starts working out next to us, our energy level is suddenly boosted. That energetic intensification represents the activation of our Lower Dantian (energy center below the navel), which holds our sexual energy in reserve.

Pure sexual energy is as unstable as dynamite and just as explosive. It can transport us to sublime states of bliss and delight, or cast us into the darkest pits of anguish, terror, and depravity. The volatile and wild nature of sexual energy convinced some religious traditions to view it as an impediment to spiritual development, and to some degree this belief still continues to perpetuate in the popular imagination because of the confusion, heartache, and pain that sexual intimacy can cause.

To demonstrate this, rank the following three words from the most to the least spiritual: wisdom, love, sex. If we took a poll, the top position might be a tossup between wisdom and love, but without a doubt sex would rank last on the list. No one questions the connection between spirituality and love or spirituality and wisdom. But the link between spirituality and sexuality is a harder sell.

From the Qigong perspective, however, the notion that sexuality and spirituality are antithetical is misguided, because sexual energy forms one of the cornerstones of happiness. If we ever hope to secure long-lasting happiness in a loving relationship, we must heal our socially conditioned distortions about sexuality. We must erase the invisible line we draw with our minds around our beltlines, above which lies the greater part of human nature and below which lies the lesser. In essence, we must spiritualize sex.

But how do we redeem sexuality and elevate it to the spiritual status it deserves? How do we reconcile the square of sex with the circle of spirit when sexual pleasure is often responsible for so much shame, trauma, and pain? One place to begin searching for an answer to these questions lies in identifying the fundamental, seemingly irreconcilable differences between male and female sexuality. Those differences swiftly become apparent in the bedroom.

Stereotypically, male sexual energy flares up and is exhausted quickly, like a match, while female sexual energy boils slowly and remains hot for a long time, like a pot of boiling water. These different tempos are a source of shame for men who climax too fast and frustration for women who may not climax at all. This problem is then compounded by the notorious fact that when male sexual energy is activated men often become emotionally unavailable, and the other notorious fact that the female sexual experience is often laden with sentimentalism that men normally can’t relate to.

Obviously, we can’t alter our sexual instincts. What we can do, however, is use spiritual practice to overcome the limitations imposed by nature on our sexuality. In fact, we can transform the inherent mismatch between male and female sexuality into an incredible opportunity for spiritual growth.

Let’s begin by considering the way Qigong can help a man harness his sexual energy. When male sexual energy is aroused, it intensifies locally around the genitals and quickly flows out of the body. That is the natural pattern of male sexual energy. But men can learn to reverse that flow and direct their sexual essence upward, toward the Middle Dantian (energy center at located at the heart level). By doing so, a man accomplishes two goals. First, he diminishes the urge to ejaculate, and second, as sexual energy rises to his heart, passion blends with love and tenderness. A man who masters this skill is able to prolong intercourse indefinitely and deepen his emotional connection during lovemaking.

When female sexual energy is aroused, it naturally flows inward and upward from the genitals toward the heart. Stimulation of the breasts further activates the Middle Dantian (energy center at located at the heart level) and reinforces an emotional response. Unlike men, women don’t need to practice Qigong to integrate their sexual vitality with their love. These qualities mingle naturally, and in this respect, female sexuality is inherently more integrated.

But through spiritual practice both women and men can learn to integrate their sexual energy to even higher levels. Sexual vitality can be directed upward from the heart to the top of the head, where it becomes infused with the blissful quality of sacredness. And from there, sexual vitality can be circulated through the Central Meridian Meridian (the energy channel that unifies the three main energy centers — the Dantians) into the sky, where it is experienced as heavenly ecstasy.

Sexuality that centers on the genitals and the Lower Dantian (energy center below the navel) corresponds to passionate sex. Sexuality that integrates the sexual vitality of the Lower Dantian with the heart-centered energy of the Middle Dantian corresponds to intense lovemaking. Sexuality that integrates all three dantians corresponds to blissful sacred love. And sexuality that integrates the all three dantians and the Central Meridian corresponds to cosmic ecstasy.

Cosmic ecstasy is vastly more intense, pleasurable, and meaningful than even the most passionate sex. Comparing the two is like contrasting a bathtub with the ocean.

There is no surer way to bring long-lasting happiness into an intimate relationship than to ground it in enduring bliss.

Decoding the Messages of the Universe

Spirituality

Have you ever turned on the radio and song that speaks directly to your current circumstances just happens to be playing? Do consecutive numbers seem to follow you everywhere you go? Do you ever flip on the TV just in time to hear an inspirational message? Have you ever considered this all might be the way the Universe communicates with you?

Yes! You’re important enough for the Universe to talk to. In fact, you’re so important that Source will move heaven and earth (literally) to get your attention.

Think about it. Spirit is everywhere. Its essence is non-physical but uses the physical world around us to speak. In reality, when Spirit speaks, life is created and propelled forward.

Spirit communicates to us moment by moment through synchronicity, music, numbers, signs, and our own intuition. Often when we don’t pay attention, the messages will get louder – we might get sick (our bodies telling us to slow down because we’ve somehow misses all the 100 ways prior to the illness it tried to tell us the same thing). We may get into a car accident, or have a close call with death. Have you ever considered the possibility that something or someone is trying to get you to look deeper?

You are not alone, and you never have been. Support is with you at all times, asking you to look within and pay attention to the life you have manifested around you. Listen to the message of the skies and trees – the message of numbers and colors.

If you stopped for a moment – just a moment – and listened closely, really looked at the subtle nudges and , what would you hear?

Today I challenge you to listen. Don’t wait for the message to hit your over the head. Spirit only takes drastic measures when you’re not paying attention. Learn to listen to the signs. Tune into your intuitive nudges. Pay attention to the signs and watch for synchronicity.

You’ll soon understand everything around you contains a sacred letter from the Universe. Everywhere you look is an invitation from the to see further into the mystery of what we’re co-creating with the Source of Life itself. If you observe the web of messages daily weaving around your world, you may just discover how enchanting life really is. And you’ll never feel alone.

Pure magic.

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Perseverance

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

Perseverance is the difference between a fleeting notion and the pursuit of an idea. Our ability to persevere is another self-made wonder of the wondrous world.

Perseverance is not simply having an idea, it is moving forward in making the intangible idea into a tangible thing. It is a part of the means to the ends.

Dictionary.com defines perseverance thus:

noun

1.steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Perseverance is the course of action, the purpose – for example, choosing your own way. Making your own decisions and choices in regards to pursuing the destiny you most want to find.

I do not want to sit back and let my life just happen…I want to make it happen. I do not want others choosing for me…I want to make the choices. I do not want my emotions to be a result of the influences of the world around me…I want to choose how I will feel. I want, ultimately, to be content with my life, and happy with the choices I am making for it.

Yes, there will be bad days. You get doubtful, and frustrated when progress is not what you might desire it to be. But this is just a part of human nature. Even the happiest, most satisfied people in the world are not in that state absolutely all the time.

That is why you persevere. That is why you make the efforts you make, you strive for the journey and the ultimate goal. Ultimately, you want to be happy and satisfied, and that is worth striving for.

I look at the world in the way I have always wanted to. It is not a nightmare place filled with terrible people, tragedies and horrors…it is a world of endless possibilities, of good people, of possibilities and beauty and wonders. Yes, it is imperfect, yes there ARE all the bad things out there as well as the good, but I can see the world for all its positives more than its negatives.

Turning a blind eye to the adversities of the world? Wearing rose-colored glasses? NO. I see that there are horrid people and awful things in the world perfectly clearly. But I am not giving them my focus, not giving them my energies, not giving them my attentions and intentions. I am persevering instead to look at the good people and wonderful things in the world. And frankly, without those negatives, we would be incapable of seeing the positives.

I am persevering still. Are you?

(Note to the reader: If you also visit my blog, you will see that this week’s Pathwalking is a variation of this same post. I believe the topic of the self is so important, I wanted to spread it to a wider audience.)

I am MJ Blehart, “Wednesday’s Wondrous World” author and photographer (these shots are the progression of the hike up Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona). Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Living in the Now

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

Life is meant to be lived in the here and now.

One of the great wonders of our wondrous world is our ability to know past, present, and future. But it is the ability to live in the now that I want to explore today.

How do you live in the here and now?

If you cannot live in the past, or live for the future, but need to live in the here and now – and most people seem to not be capable of doing this – how is it done? Well, from my own experience, these are the things I have done/am doing/am working to do more regularly that let me live in the present.

Ask yourself questions. We ask a lot of questions daily, but how often do we ask ourselves important questions? Sure, we are constantly saying “How are you” and “What are you thinking” and “Are you feeling ok”, but how often do we ask that of ourselves? How am I? What am I thinking? Am I feeling ok? It is amazing how asking these simple questions we frequently pose to others can immediately bring us to the present moment.

We have become so concerned with appearing selfish, that we take selfless to the extreme, and truly become less of the self. This point is why, frankly, I drive at the incredible need to live more in the here-and-now than either past or future. There is no reason NOT to ask questions of ourselves, in order to be in the moment, in the here and now.

This can be a silent question – but I often find that if I ask it out loud, I am utterly drawn to the moment, to the present, in order to know the answer. The simplest questions of the self, in the moment, can help us live in the here and now.

Be aware of distractions. I find that I get distracted by outside influences and shiny things and my environment, which I know that everyone does from time to time. But if I am aware of them, I can take my focus AWAY from them, and return to the here-and-now, to be where I want to be and do what I intend to do.

Yes, sometimes we NEED distractions. I am not advocating avoiding distractions, nor ignoring them entirely – I am suggesting awareness of them.

Savor food and drink. No, really, this is VERY hard to do, in especial when you are on the internet or reading a book or even interacting with people while eating. This is a reason why many of us overeat or never feel fully satisfied by our sustenance. But really paying attention to what you are eating, and enjoying the texture and flavor puts you very much in the present. Also, really, you will be amazed how much better everything tastes.

It very much ties into being aware of distractions, but is still a separate idea.

Be more observant. How many times while you travel between points ‘a’ and ‘b’, whether you are driving or riding in a vehicle or walking, does everything between the points simply blur? How frequently can you visit a room and not notice the sounds within? How many times can you see a person, and have no means to describe their facial features, the color of their eyes, and so on? That is a lack of observation, and in our high-speed, disconnected society, we become less and less observant of things around us.

Sherlock Holmes may be been a fictional character, but the lesson one may take away from him was that he was the master of observation. He saw the most minute details of every person he encountered, and always astounded the uninitiated with what he could tell you about them. This was no super power, or other inexplicable capacity – it was extreme, detailed observation.

It doesn’t take that much to do this, really. If you start small, you will find that it gets easier to change your focus. For example, when you are driving somewhere, don’t just pay attention to the road and the speedometer and other cars on the road – see the sky, look at the trees and buildings lining the road. NOT, obviously, to the point of being distracted from driving – but so that you experience more from it.

Walking between places? Note the atmosphere around you. Listen to sounds, look at your surroundings, smell the air, feel breezes and changes in temperature on your skin, and so forth. Don’t let where you came from or where you are going to be your focus, be where you are NOW.

Asking yourself questions, awareness of distractions, enjoying sustenance and being more observant are just a few examples of ways to better place yourself in the present. There are other ways and means to do this, but these are, I think, relatively simple, and can be done by anyone, anytime, unassisted. And this ability is a real wonder of our wondrous world.

Did you ask of yourself today “How am I?”

(Note to the reader: If you also visit my blog, you will see that a previous Pathwalking is a variation of this same post. I believe the topic is so important, I wanted to spread it to a wider audience.)

I am MJ Blehart, philosopher and author of “Wednesday’s Wondrous World”. Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Time

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

It never ceases to amaze me how much we take for granted time.

We measure our entire world in time, be it short like seconds, minutes, and hours or long like years, decades, centuries and so forth.

Our perception of time, though, is quite the wonder of our wondrous world. Because how we perceive time versus the actuality of time can vary so wildly, and so incredibly.

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” – Albert Einstein

Time is often not simply the passing minutes and days, but things that seem to take forever or happen almost instantaneously. Like boiling water or driving from this place to that or waiting for an interview and such. Isn’t it incredible how no matter how long these things actually take, our perception of them can be so variable?
We relate our world to so many aspects of time. We measure our age, the hours of the day, whether we are early, late, or on time, and the passages of nearly every aspect of life almost obsessively. We are constantly checking clocks, checking watches, even the passage of the sun during the day to make sure we don’t “waste” time or “abuse” time.

“Time is the reef upon which all our frail mystic ships are wrecked.” – Noel Coward

I am frequently amazed by just how I find myself “running out of time” every week in relation to this column. I don’t leave enough “time” in my day, or my week, in order to focus on and give these posts the attention they deserve. In fact, this whole wondrous world topic was inspired by my thoughts about taking some time to put more focus on a post here.

But how do I use my time? How obsessed over the minutes, hours, days and further am I, and do these distract me from appreciating the world around me? That is something to not be neglected when it comes to time – how over-reliant on it am I?

How do other animals perceive time? They don’t have chronographic devices accurate to milliseconds on their wrists or as part of their communication devices – and yet they seem to get along just fine in this world. How come we have developed this unique and compartmentalized sense of time?

“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin

Measuring time in the way we do is both a blessing and a curse. Like pretty much everything we experience in life, it is truly moderation we need to practice in order to appreciate time and its benefits. In particular when balanced against its negatives.

For good or ill, time and how we perceive it is an undeniable wonder of our wondrous world.

“Time is an illusion. Lunch time doubly so.” – Douglas Adams

I am MJ Blehart, “Wednesday’s Wondrous World” writer/photographer. Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Fountains

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

Water is essential to our lives.

We are composed mostly of water. Our hydration is important to our wellbeing.

Previously I have gotten into the topic of water in some of its most natural occurrences. Rivers, rain, snow. But today I want to look at a manmade wonder. Fountains.

I am not talking about drinking fountains, I am looking at ornate, impressive displays or water and our power as a species to manipulate it.

Whether a simple, elegant display or an immense, impressive work, fountains can be artistic, calming, inspiring, and simply beautiful.

Fountains have been showpieces of impressive art. They get lit up at night and dance to the whims of their creators.

Water can be trickled down across various steps and blocks, or it can be shot hundreds of feet into the sky. Fountains are the ultimate show of our ability to move water however we desire.

I am always impressed by the art people create. Subjective or otherwise, fountains certainly fall into this category.

Another simple but elegant and beautiful wonder of our wondrous world.

I am MJ Blehart, electric, “Wednesday’s Wondrous World” writer/photographer. Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Hope

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

Hope is a central tenet of life. It drives us, binds us, gives us purpose.

Dictionary.com defines hope thus:

noun

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.

2. a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.

3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.

4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered: The medicine was her last hope.

5. something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constant hope.

verb (used with object)

6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.

7. to believe, desire, or trust: I hope that my work will be satisfactory.

verb (used without object)

8. to feel that something desired may happen: We hope for an early spring.

9. Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually followed by in ).

No other creature on this planet, to our knowledge, has the ability to feel hope. This uniquely human expression is an incredible wonder of the wondrous world.

Hope is multiple parts of speech, and hard to define. But it is often hope that drives us. It is hope the keeps us from despairing when odds are not in our favor, when times are hard, or when we cannot see the light in the darkness.

Hope is often that spark that keeps the flame from dying out. It is in the emotion of hope that we hold on that our desire will manifest; it is in hope that we hold against the storm, that we weather the bad times for the good.

Some people take no action, and hope for hope alone. They want some other, or the universe, or the unseen powers-that-be to take care of them, to bring about what they want and desire, to make their way. But hope, while it can stand alone, often needs to have something more substantive to move from nothing but an ideal to a possibility.

Many of the greatest minds in history have remarked on the importance of hope. Albert Einstein said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “To live without Hope is to Cease to live.” And I think Aristotle sums it up best with his, “Hope is the dream of a waking man.”

Songs and stories of hope abound. We are warned that to hope, but to do so without effort, without a tangible desire, does not serve us or a greater good. Hope needs action, needs presence behind it. But hope for the most part is a grand and glorious thing.

Hope. A true wonder of our wondrous world.

What do you hope for?

I am MJ Blehart, writer and photographer of “Wednesday’s Wondrous World”. Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!

Wednesday’s Wondrous World: Cars

Columns, Wednesday’s Wondrous World

Stories and songs have been written about this wonder. Endless advertisements on television and in newspapers abound. Gaining the ability to operate one is considered a rite-of-passage in the first world.

Status symbol. Conveyance. Workhorse. Clunker, junker, lemon or scrapyard candidate – it is hard to deny the wonder that is the automobile.

Cars can be found in an amazing myriad of sizes, shapes, colors and classifications. The abundant four-door sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, liftbacks, station wagons, sports cars, saloon cars, luxury, inexpensive, simple and complex – cars can be found pretty much everywhere around the world in every possible configuration you can imagine.

Mass produced models from ginormous automakers spanning the globe to home-built kit cars. The scope of the automobile is impressive, and frankly pretty amazing.

Whether you are a gearhead, petrolhead, motorhead or just your average person using their car to get to work and play and back again, denying the wonder of the automobile is impossible.

The car has evolved quite a lot in the more than a century since its invention and mass production, but the basics remain the same. Four wheels, internal combustion engine, and doors are pretty much universal. (Yes, there are cars lacking in elements of the above – three-wheelers, for example). But the car has changed how we view distances, how we travel on a day to day basis from point a to point b, and how we live overall.

Some people simply use cars when they need to go to work, or to visit friends, as a convenience. But for some, cars are a way of life. They are a reflection of the self, a status symbol, an extension even of the spirit.

Atlanta, Georgia

There are iconic cars of songs, stories, television, movies and more. Most people are familiar with Christine from Stephen King’s book, or The Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo, or the Batmobile, or KITT, or the focus of every episode of Top Gear, or all the cars that are the focus of the Fast and Furious movie series.

People love their cars. Whole societies exist around MGs, Corvettes, Porsche 911’s, and various other classics. Some people will spend hours lovingly cleaning, polishing, waxing and maintaining their cars. People will go to great lengths to acquire the car of their greatest desire.

For teenagers, the car is the ultimate rite-of-passage. Get your driver’s license, get your car, get your freedom. No longer must you rely on mom or dad or your older siblings or older friends or relatives, YOU now have the power to go. In some respects, the ability to drive a car is one of the largest steps into adulthood.

Old cars, new cars, black cars, blue cars – we have clogged cities and highways across the continents with our autos. As third world nations industrialize and gain more wealth and abundance, the car is often one of the first acquisitions of the people, as evidenced by increased fuel consumption and pollution.

For good or ill, the car is an easily overlooked but still unique wonder of our wondrous world.

What do you drive?

I am MJ Blehart, “Wednesday’s Wondrous World” author. Every week I share a magical wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!