Browse Self Realization

There are many benefits of feeling connected with the Divine. These benefits include--and are certainly not limited to--increased abundance, well-being, peace of mind, optimism, and/or faith. You do not need to “set time aside” in your life to connect with God, although it’s great if you can.

<img src="http://www.transformationmadeeasy.com/matchmadeinheaven/images/mmih.jpg" align="right" height="250">In most relationships, an ongoing fight simmers just below the surface. Sometimes the conflict appears subtle but at other times it is outright war. People have grown up in a sea of discord and have been socialized to expect it and accept it. In other words, fighting is "normal."

We recently received a phone call from one of our clients. She was frantic. She couldn't get it all done. There were so many deadlines. There was so much to produce, and there was so little time. We had a conversation with her and within 10 minutes, she gave up feeling overwhelmed, had gotten back to work and by the end of the day informed us that all of the things that she thought were impossible to get done in time for the deadlines had been completed impeccably and in fact, she had even accomplished more than she dreamt was possible.

It was a cold sunny day in New Jersey and the first thin layers of ice were forming on our pond. We were scheduled to go to Pilates that day, our private exercise class with a trainer, but we liked doing some cardio workout first. Usually, weather permitting, we would take a walk through town before our class. Even with the sun out the cold was not appealing, so we opted for a more rigorous half-hour of exercise on our treadmill and elliptical machines. Here is what happened:

December 1, 1974, I was 22 years old and about to give birth to my first child, a little girl already named Maegan. After many hours of hard labor and asking for pain relief I was given a spinal block for anesthesia at the very end of the birth process. The OB/GYN administered it himself instead of following protocol and paging the on call anesthesiologist. He gave it to me too high in the spine and it anesthetized my heart and lungs which shut them down. My then husband was asked to leave and he passed out right outside the labor room door.

In this world where technology has eclipsed our humanity, many of us are looking for a way to operate in our lives that fulfills our spiritual nature. People have tried different religions or disciplines with varying degrees of success or failure. They have taken motivational workshops to try to discover some meaning to apply to their lives and many have come away wondering, "Is this all there is?" This vague sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction, can permeate our lives, even when we accomplish the goals we set for ourselves.

Are you proud of yourself that you no longer lose your temper, bite your finge ails, or have a messy desk? Perhaps you feel as if you have finally arrived since you no longer wait until the last minute to "do your homework". But have you ever thought that you were finished with a pesky old habit and then unexpectedly find that it is there all over again? You know: You thought you kicked a habit once and for all and suddenly, for no apparent reason, you are nibbling those nails, or procrastinating once again? Bummed when it happens? Don't worry – Think Peppermint!

At age 14 I was a willowy little thing with long blonde hair and braces. Not yet old enough to drive, I was grown-up enough to ride the bus from our town of Gresham, Oregon to downtow Portland for my orthodontist appointments. I liked going to Portland - it made me feel worldly and mature. On the way home I frequently stopped at the street corner flower vendors for a bunch of bright mini carnations to bring back for a teacher or the school librarian – just a little gift to give something back to those who were investing in me.

Several years ago my husband and I went to Hawaii to visit our daughter who lived there with her husband and their little daughter. My son-in-law is in the Navy and they were stationed there. They loved Hawaii and even though they were to be transferred to Jacksonville, FL for three years, I knew they would want to return to Hawaii as soon as they could choose their next duty station. On the way home from Hawaii my husband and I discussed how we could support them in buying a home in Hawaii.

If you want to create a working, supportive relationship with another, it is imperative that you be willing to be complete in the relationship you have with your parents. The dictionary defines complete as "lacking no component part; full; whole; entire." But what does being incomplete with your ...If you want to create a working, supportive relationship with another, it is imperative that you be willing to be complete in the relationship you have with your parents.

Featured in the September / October 2009 issue of Kindred Spirit Magazine, the UK's leading mind, body and spirit publication.

Did anyone ever say something to you that you found offensive? What did you do: walk away in a huff ... talk back to him or her ... "stand up" for yourself and then feel lousy later? Take the "high road" and feel crummy later? How about lying awake at night, rehearsing all of the better things you could have said ... smarter things you should have said ... or plotting the really good comebacks that you will lay on the offensive party next time you get the chance?

Serenity, well-being, feeling OK being you, feeling good in your own skin, not having to second guess your choices, trusting that you will do the right thing, these are but a few of the things we have found while working with people that most folks are striving for. People say they want inner peace but are afraid that what they might have to change about themselves will threaten what they hold to be true. So even though they say they want inner peace, they are afraid to relax into the moment and discover what else is possible.

If you're not relating with God at the level you'd like, or if you're just plain "stuck" when it comes to praying, below are some suggestions you may want to consider. If you wish, you can incorporate one of these suggestions into your current prayer practice, or you can use one or more of the suggestions to help you begin talking with God if you haven't already done so.nnHere are a few suggestions to help you talk with God and deepen your relationship.nn* Begin with gratitud

What you already "know" is keeping you from discovering what is possible. There is a story about a college professor who is interested in learning about Zen that demonstrates this idea:

Start with the idea that how you do anything is how you do everything and it will empower you to investigate how you relate, not just in a love relationship, but also with yourself and all others. This defuses the mindset of looking to fix what is ‘broken' and sets you on the path to ...Start with the idea that how you do anything is how you do everything and it will empower you to investigate how you relate, not just in a love relationship, but also with yourself and all others.

You may have heard the word kundalini but never experienced or even knew what it was. Kundalini normally lies dormant in most people but for those trained, it often awakens with a vengeance. The word kundalini means coil in Sanskrit. It describes the coil of 3 circles in every individual. It is an energy source that cleanses the charkas and develops them into full-blooming lotus forms. The awakening of your energy source to cleanse these until it reaches the crown chakra located at the top of your head.

Happiness is a very popular theme these days and we guess it always has been. From the time we were children, we have been taught that it is better to be happy. Everyone knows it is better to be happy or joyous than sad or angry or upset or unsure of what to do with one's life. So people try, ...Happiness is a very popular theme these days and we guess it always has been. From the time we were children, we have been taught that it is better to be happy. Everyone knows it is better to be happy or joyous than sad or angry or upset or unsure of what to do with one's life.

Where did you learn what is beautiful? Where did you learn what is ugly? Where did you learn what a perfect body looks like?... And how old were you when you came to these conclusions? A few years ago when walking down the street in Paris we found ourselves taken by the body image represented ...Where did you learn what is beautiful? Where did you learn what is ugly? Where did you learn what a perfect body looks like?... And how old were you when you came to these conclusions?

This month is the 10th anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11, 2001. Below is the transcript of an interaction we had with a participant at a Monday Night Alive! shortly after those devastating events. As we read it, we felt that that interaction is still appropriate and applicable to the lives of people today. So we are sharing this article with you to read with fresh eyes.

Below is an article investigating a driving force in people's lives, their agendas. There are agendas that people are aware of and then there are those of which they are unaware. It is the latter that causes the mischief that shows up in our daily lives. In this column, we are going to identify some of the typical types of agendas the two of us have seen during the course of working with people over the past 12 years. It has been our experience that when people see what they have been doing mechanically and don't judge what they see, they then have a choice to continue their actions or not.

An Excerpt from "Being Here, Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment." Our assistant, Christina, came to work in the office one Saturday and we noticed that she seemed a bit subdued. She didn't look like her beautiful, lively self and so we sat down with her over a cup of coffee and asked if ...

An excerpt from "Being Here, Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment." In early September 2004, our first day offshore in Venezuela, Shya caught and released his very first white marlin using a fly rod. Photo ops abounded at this exciting acrobatic, dancing, leaping event. Earlier that day, the ...An excerpt from "Being Here, Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment." In early September 2004, our first day offshore in Venezuela, Shya caught and released his very first white marlin using a fly rod. Photo ops abounded at this exciting acrobatic, dancing, leaping event.

1. Don't panic, breathe. You are equipped to deal with whatever comes up in your life in each moment. You are not equipped to deal with hypothetical futures, which is what worrying is all about. Breathing automatically brings you back into the moment, calms and centers you. 2. Don't ... 1. Don't panic, breathe. You are equipped to deal with whatever comes up in your life in each moment. You are not equipped to deal with hypothetical futures, which is what worrying is all about. Breathing automatically brings you back into the moment, calms and centers you.

Have you been experiencing that lately that people are always late to always late for meetings? That's the law of attraction in action; somehow you haven't been true to your own values. It's never about the other people really; it's about us being firm and clear about what we want and staying true to ourselves. And we are the ones who teach others how to treat us, it's we that need to set up some boundaries and let others know about them. We don't need to tell them about our preferences or anything, but we do need to act accordingly to what is true to us.

Have you ever found yourself in one of those moods where no matter what your partner says or does, it is all fodder for the fight? Where you are angry, disturbed and nothing he or she says or does is right or good enough to relieve your sense of aggravation? We recently met a couple involved in ...Have you ever found yourself in one of those moods where no matter what your partner says or does, it is all fodder for the fight? Where you are angry, disturbed and nothing he or she says or does is right or good enough to relieve your sense of aggravation?

We were at an appointment at a local business and the owner, Carol, blurted out, "Do you lock your car while you are here?" We replied, "Yes, always." Carol then continued with what was so obviously on her mind.

Start with the idea that how you do anything is how you do everything and it will empower you to investigate how you relate, not just in a love relationship, but also with yourself and all others. This defuses the mindset of looking to fix what is ‘broken’ and sets you on the path to having ...

One fall, my husband, Shya and I held one of our business courses called "Transformation in the Workplace," in New York City. Folks from all different fields were there to discover what it takes to experience wellbeing on the job, and how to effectively communicate. As the weekend progressed, we ...One fall, my husband, Shya and I held one of our business courses called "Transformation in the Workplace," in New York City. Folks from all different fields were there to discover what it takes to experience wellbeing on the job, and how to effectively communicate.

We recently received a phone call from one of our clients. She was frantic. She couldn't get it all done. There were so many deadlines. There was so much to produce, and there was so little time. We had a conversation with her and within 10 minutes, she gave up feeling overwhelmed, had gotten ... We recently received a phone call from one of our clients. She was frantic. She couldn't get it all done. There were so many deadlines. There was so much to produce, and there was so little time.

Do you remember when you learned to walk? Of course not. But whether you remember it or not, you had a great teacher: gravity. Gravity is the greatest teacher. It is never angry. It is never frustrated with you when you fall off balance. It is implacable, impartial, relentless, and uncompromising. You cannot pacify gravity by being on good behavior. Gravity is never sentimental.

If you want to be happy and satisfied, it is important that you investigate how it is that you relate to your world, your workplace and to yourself. The Workplace as a Gateway to the Moment Let's look at the workplace to access how you relate to your life. By and large, most people spend the ...If you want to be happy and satisfied, it is important that you investigate how it is that you relate to your world, your workplace and to yourself. The Workplace as a Gateway to the Moment

Recently, a fellow came to see us who considers himself an adult. According to the story of his life, he has survived his painful childhood. But his interpretation of the childhood which he survived comes from the distortions and misrepresentations of a child’s mind. Let’s be specific. “David” has spent many years seeing different therapists and psychiatrists, examining his childhood as a way of explaining his adult failings, depressions, and sense of insufficiency, inadequacy, and insecurity.

What if you are doing your life perfectly? What if the things that you think are failings on your part are not really failings at all? Has it ever occurred to you that as a child you perfectly absorbed information from your environment, learning wholeheartedly when your brain was not yet able to disce truth from fiction nor to apply reason and thought? Our friends Amy and Andy have a beautiful little boy, Alex. We were privileged to be at the hospital when he was born and have watched him on his journey from infancy to early childhood.

It was still cool at 6:30 in the morning as we strolled barefoot with Susan dow Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio beach. We were in the midst of one of our Costa Rican Self Discovery Adventures that we hold each winter. People come from all over the world to join us and use it as a time to get away from the normal routine of one's life and relax. It is opportunity to look at the mechanics of your life in a gentle, lush environment without judging what you discover; a time to play and let your life unfold.

Oh, the pressure! Men and women are trying to find “The One.” When looking for a potential mate, the urge to get in there and make it work is a driving force. People are so busy looking for someone who is relationship material and finding Mr. or Ms. Right that they forget to have ... Oh, the pressure! Men and women are trying to find “The One.” When looking for a potential mate, the urge to get in there and make it work is a driving force. People are so busy looking for someone who is relationship material and finding Mr. or Ms. Right that they forget to have fun.

This game changes your universe. It’s portable, simple to use in your daily life plus it’s empowering. Play it and you can liberate joy from within. It gets to the heart of problems you have with others so long standing issues can be cleared. “Perception is projection,” means that whatever you perceive to be outside yourself is ---on some level--- part of you. Jung summarised this when he said, “you marry your unconscious mind and then spend the rest of your life projecting out onto it”.

This statement…”Life is never what you think it is” is the perfect statement you can say when life doesn’t turn out to be what you thought it was going to be? Do you ever know what life is going to be? Yes and No!

Robert Lewis Stevenson wrote “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" in 1886. The central theme of the story is of two very different men who inhabit the same body. His characterization of the respectable Dr Jekyll, who turns into the ugly and deformed Mr Hyde has so griped the collective imagination that this story of duality is well known by virtually everyone. The story is about the ego and it’s shadow, that dark feared part of our self that follows us wherever we go and “can look even the more sinister the more we try to stand in the light.”

Many people want to know how to awaken the Kundalini. And as there are techniques for Kundalini Awakening, most of the techniques are kept secret by masters until the student is ready to receive them. Here is a very powerful technique for Kundalini Awakening based on a Kriya Yoga technique. This technique will not only awaken the Kundalini energy, moving you towards spiritual enlightenment, it also can improve your health and remove all stress and unhappiness in your life.

I first learned about saying affirmations many years ago after reading Louise Hay's books. She is an expert on them, and they were a huge part of her recovery from cancer. They can be both powerful and life changing. If you haven't said affirmations before, it might feel a bit strange at first. Especially when what you are saying doesn't feel real yet. For example, say your affirmation is, "I live a calm, balanced life." You created this affirmation because this is what you want for yourself - this is how your ideal life looks.

For years I have considered the notion of living a balanced life as very important however in practice, it seemed elusive. I wasn’t entirely certain what balanced meant. How far do I need to move the needle on the gauge in one area of my life to get things on course without another area coming off course in the process of diverting my attention? After having read Stephen Covey's "The 8th Habit - From Effectiveness to Greatness" a few years back, I was able to see things fro

"Just stay positive" is what we hear as we grow from children into adults from teachers, parents and peers; however, why are some unable to grasp this concept, while others potentially take it for a great leap of faith?

Lucid dreaming may occur intentionally or quite by accident. Many often have a lucid dream by accident and realize they can control the destiny of their dreams. A lucid dream occurs when the dreamer realizes he's asleep and dreaming and takes control of the dream. It may be to solve a problem in waking life, control a problem within the dream or simply direct the dream to an enjoyable experience. Athletes, actors and dancers often practice their avocation during a lucid dream. Everyone has had a lucid dream at least once in a lifetime.

What is multiple identity disorder? The non-clinical version is when you show up with a different personality or set of values depending on who you’re with. You can know for sure if this applies to you by asking yourself this, “would people describe me differently depending on who I asked?”

The most important decision you ever make is whether you live in a friendly universe or a hostile universe, according to Einstein’s great genius. So, either you see the world as a positive or a negative environment, you are right. After a lifetime of struggling with depression and a constant feeling that I’m not supposed to be in this world, not long ago, I found myself facing a life-changing choice: would I be defeated by my pain and misfortune or would I completely chan

Quote: “To walk your path, you must walk it alone. It is the home you own and where you belong." We travel on this journey called life with high hopes of making good choices. We must be willing to change the course of our paths at any time to find our true life’s purpose. Do not take your life for granted. You were born for a reason. Follow your heart and there you will find the key to your destiny. No more blame games or lame excuses why we cannot accomplish our goals. N

It feels so good to know that we are appreciated. It is a wonderful feeling to learn that our actions have inspired someone. And while we all are constantly inspired by others and admire the amazing work that our mentors are doing, how often do we stop and let them know how much they mean to us? How often do we thank them for making our world so much brighter with their actions, words, art, and love? How often do we tell them how much their inspiration has impacted our own lives in such a positive way?

Life doesn’t control you. What you believe about it, does. – Alan Cohen Have you ever noticed how babies are fully engaged in whatever is happening around them? They’re like this fluid energy that is connected and interrelating with everything. They are experiencing life. This is what it means to be in your heart, fully engaged with how you feel, in oneness with all that is. They haven’t learnt to separate themselves from their experience by viewing life through the lens of a self-made belief structure. Experiences happen and pass through their awareness.

"You grow in awareness by becoming conscious of what is unconscious in mindfulness meditation. You have been meditating for years thinking your mind is still in meditation, and then suddenly you see you have been lost in your thinking the whole time without even knowing it. Because of our conditioning, the tendency is to feel down about yourself, to feel like this realization that you have been unconscious for so long means you have failed.