en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/747948 Comments by CVircillo http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-power-of-full-engagement-jim-loehr-tony-schwartz/#IDComment63577134 THE POWER OF FULL ENGAGEMENT Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz Wow - I can't believe I am completing the challenge on time! Woohoo! As usual I am recapping my big takeaways and commenting as my own side notes. Interestingly enough 2 years ago I had an intent to get through many of these great books in an organized timely fashion. Honestly I thought that may be an impossibility. All of the books I read end up almost completely underlined and on a bookshelf. This challenge has gotten me to go through all of the big ideas and jot down my organized take aways on the notes which has been a huge way to organize. So I am jumping in to the last one! Managing energy, not time is the key to high performance and personal renewal. Wow even in the title things are clear. “Every one of our thoughts, emotions and behaviors has an energy consequence, for better or for worse. Performance Health and Happiness is grounded in the skillful management of energy. The 4 Principles of Full Engagement (Had to include this in a recap- really fascinating) Sprinter vs Long Distance Runner Phew - sort of glad we are talking about sprinting in one of these notes. I am definitely a sprinter - distance running goes against anything I find natural but I so respect anyone that has the discipline for the training. I will stay to the ebbs and flows with explosive energy. The Pulse of Life Line up with the rhythms of life. “The concept of maximizing performance by alternating periods of activity with periods of rest was first advanced by Flavius Philostratus. I think I tried this method in a Body for Life workout program - it was called muscle confusion. Ha! What is your pulse. The time between points - OSCILLATE In the sixteen to twenty seconds BETWEEN points, the best tennis players were able to lower their heart rates by as much as twenty beats per minute. The heart rates of their competitors who didn’t have the same dialed-in rest rituals often stayed at the same levels. To Be Fully Engaged Emotionally (Big IDEA) “To be fully engaged emotionally requires celebrating what the Stoic philosophers called anacoluthia—the mutual entailment of the virtues. By this notion, no virtue is a virtue by itself. Rather, all virtues are entailed. Honesty without compassion, for example, becomes cruelty.” To be fully emotionally engaged we’ve gotta be able to hold opposites and go full-spectrum with our emotions. In fact, being able to hold contradictory emotions is the sign of a healthy individual. How Am I That ‘Ask someone to give a description of the personality type which he finds most despicable, most unbearable and hateful, and most impossible to get along with,’ writes Edward Whitmont, ‘and he will produce a description of his own repressed characteristics…. Allow your shadow to exist - illuminate it and it may just be the GOLD! INTRINSIC (VS. EXTRINSIC) PURPOSE “Purpose also becomes a more powerful source of energy when it moves from being externally to internally motivated. Extrinsic motivation reflects the desire to get more of something that we don’t feel we have enough of: money, approval, social standing, power or even love. ‘Intrinsic’ motivation grows out of the desire to engage in an activity because we value it for the inherent satisfaction it provides. WOW - This is something I have always known to be true but it is still awesome to see. PRECISION AND SPECIFICITY “A broad and persuasive array of studies confirms that specificity of timing and precision of behavior dramatically increase the likelihood of success. (I am not sure why this struck a chord but it did) Positive Rituals The power of rituals is that they insure that we use as little conscious energy as possible where it is not absolutely necessary, leaving us free to strategically focus the energy available to us in creative, enriching ways.” HAVE TO WE-WRITE THIS The book is all about optimizing our energy and the authors provide a *very* compelling case that our will power is actually a) *much* weaker than we think; and, b) much more draining when employed than we think. Every time we have to consciously think about whether or not we’re gonna do something, we deplete energy. And, that adds up. Researchers say that 95 (!!!) % of our behavior is habitual. Only 5% is conscious. The challenge is systematically building RITUALS into our lives that allow us to put the energy enhancing behaviors on auto-pilot. (although I love the Pema - what is your cheese trigger for awareness but I also LOVE rituals!!!) WOW - I DID IT!!! Heart Felt Thank you to Brian and Vishen. I have so much new information that I have hopefully organized in my own notes. I have many more tools in my arsenal for navigating my life journey. I, through some grace God, have internalized so much of the wisdom bestowed and it is now a fabric of my being. xoxo to you both - what a great feeling to finish the challenge - every single one! Love, Christina Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:13:35 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-power-of-full-engagement-jim-loehr-tony-schwartz/#IDComment63577134 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/meditations-marcus-aurelius/#IDComment63565981 Meditations Marcus Aurelius Very excited to jump into this note - Stoic Philosophy - sweet! “Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. Soak it then in such trains of thoughts as, for example: Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible.” Stoicism The modern word “stoic” is derived from the calm demeanor of the stoic philosopher. “Stoicism became the religion of the educated classes. It furnished the principles of virtue, coloured the noblest literature of the time, and guided all the developments of moral enthusiasm.” A SURPLUS OF TIME “Take it that you have died today, and your life’s story is ended; and henceforward regard what future time may be given you as an uncovenanted surplus, and live it out in harmony with nature.” VISIONS OF A LIFETIME “Never confuse yourself by visions of an entire lifetime at once… remember that it is not the weight of the future or the past that is pressing upon you, but ever that of the present alone.” THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS “The approval of such men, who do not even stand well in their own eyes, has no value for him.” Retire within Yourself (Beautiful) Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul; above all, he possesses resources in himself, which he need only contemplate to secure immediate ease of mind - the ease that is but another word for a well-ordered spirit. Avail yourself often, then, of this retirement and so continually renew yourself.” Hold up Holi-hour!!! I love that. Now part of my practice - thanks Brian. Time is a River “Reflect often upon the rapidity with which all existing things, or things coming into existence, sweep past us and are carried away.” Flow with the change - it is the only constant THE EQUANIMITY GAME “When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self- control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it.” (LOVE THIS - I do this already and it's a lot of fun actually) EQUANIMITY balanced mind YOUR POWER NOTHING outside of ourselves has power over us. I SEEK THE TRUTH (ALREADY A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE) “I seek the truth… it is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance that does harm.” THE BOND THAT UNITES ALL “Think often of the bond that unites all things in the universe, and their dependence on one another.” Brian - you say it best. May we celebrate this bond as we discover our purpose, live with equanimity, soak our minds, and serve our world. FAVORITE TAKE AWAY A human being is part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe’; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison.” ~ Albert Einstein Really Fabulous Note - Can't wait to dive into more Marcus Aurelius Thank you, Christina Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:36:16 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/meditations-marcus-aurelius/#IDComment63565981 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-book-of-understanding-osho/#IDComment63495158 The Book of Understanding Osho I Like the middle way so I guess we will see how I interpret the rest of the note. I tend to be more of an inclusive-ist so perhaps the total way is incorporation of all. I do think we go beyond witness state as the witness is just another mind construct that we should not get stuck in. Zorba the Buddha Oshos concept of new human being - sensuous and spiritual east meets west - heaven and earth are united. How Much intensity can we muster If anything is worth doing - do it with all your heart. Go totally in your action for a glow in your being and a deep contentment. If you go halfway it will bring misery. Life is a tension between the opposites To be in the middle is a dynamic phenomenon - so true Balance is not a noun but a verb - True. Embrace all of life. Live life in all possible ways. I am not sure if I agree with what Osho is saying about some things but perhaps it is my interpretation Witness Witness Witness Practicing witnessing is a wonderful tool. See yourself in action - when you watch yourself you put space around it and pain dissolves. I do think once we master the witness we need to keep moving through and dive back in. Be brave enough to go back in. Allow ourselves to touch and be touched. If we live life from the standpoint of witness then everything that is said in the previous paragraph is null and void. Embrace the Ego then drop it Osho talks about Nietzsche’s three stages of evolution: the camel, the lion and the child. Beyond the yes of the camel and no of the lion. You can't drop what you have never had. True Discipline is Self Discipline “I am not against rules, but the rules should arise out of your understanding. They should not be imposed from the outside. I am not against discipline! but discipline should not be slavery. All true discipline is self-discipline. And self-discipline is never against freedom—in fact, it is the ladder to freedom. Only disciplined people become free, but their discipline is not obedience to others: their discipline is obedience to their own voice. And they are ready to risk anything for it.” (Great) Genius. Lao-tzu and Nietzsche come to mind here. Lao-tzu: “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” And “Don’t think you can attain total awareness and whole enlightenment without proper discipline and practice. This is egomania. Appropriate rituals channel your emotions and life energy toward the light. Without the discipline to practice them, you will tumble constantly backward into darkness.” Nietzsche: “He who cannot command himself should obey. And many can command themselves, but much is still lacking before they can obey themselves.” So, we NEED discipline. The question is: who’s rules are we following? Our own or society’s? Imitation is Crime “Each person is born with a unique individuality, and each person has a destiny of his or her own. Imitation is crime, it is criminal." Osho Envy is ignorance - Imitation is suicide - Emerson Nature did not create us to be a second rate version of any one else. Our Work Will Be Our Soul - THIS IS WONDERFUL “People will express their creativity. There will be musicians, there will be dancers, there will be painters, carpenters. There will be all sorts of creativity around the world. But nobody is competing with anybody else; he is simple doing his best. It is his joy. The joy is not in competing, the joy is not in coming first; the joy is in doing it. It is not outside the act, it is intrinsic in the act. That’s my image of the new humanity. We will work, but our work will be our life, our very soul. Whatever we do, it won’t matter.” CREATE NOT COMPETE! Express Yourself Without Fear There is nothing to fear, there is nobody who is going to punish or reward you. If you express your being in its truest form, in its natural flow, you will be rewarded immediately—not tomorrow but today, here and now… You are punished only when you go against your nature. But the punishment is a help, it is simply an indication that you have moved away from nature, that you have gone a little astray, off the road—come back. Punishment is not revenge, no. Punishment is only an effort to wake you up: RESPONSIBILITY, OSHO-STYLE Response-ability simply means spontaneous response. Joyously respond with your totality. The Potential Becoming the Actual Man is born as a process - he has to become because his being arises only through becoming. Evolution is his very soul - the explosion is the fulfillment - WHEN THE POTENTIAL BECOMES THE ACTUAL. Great Note. Thank you, Christina Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:56:26 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-book-of-understanding-osho/#IDComment63495158 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/pathways-to-bliss-joseph-campbell/#IDComment63467201 Pathways to Bliss Joseph Campbell You can take your instructions from others but you must find your own path. Bliss is the welling up of the transcendent wisdom with in you. Campbell initially arrived at his sense we should follow our bliss when studying the ancient Upanishads—the core texts of Hinduism. The classic Sanskrit scriptures tell us there are three jumping off points to enlightenment: sat (beingness), chit (consciousness), and ananda (bliss). LIFE AS COMPOSED BY A NOVELIST - This is fascinating. I picked up some old journals the other day and was amazed at what I found. LIFE IS CALLING “When the call isn’t answered, you experience a kind of drying up and a sense of life lost.” Answer the call from God. Say Yes Everything is Brahmin or God so when we say yes we say yes to Life. Bring the Boon Back This was really interesting to read. The Boon is our unrealized, unutilized potential in oursleves. The whole point of this journey is the reintroduction of this potential into the living world. We are to bring this treasure of understanding back and integrate it in a rational life. As Emerson says: “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” Where are you on the journey? Don't forget to return - the very important. The Simple Tasks of Life “But the simple tasks of our life, when you’re doing them because they’re a function or factor in the life that you love and have chosen and have given yourself, then they don’t weigh you down.” Everything can be part of the practice, part of the meditation part of the meditation. How are you engaging your everday tasks. Balancing Cosmic Power + Your Personality Story of the samurai. His overlord had been killed, and his vow was, of course, absolute loyalty to this lord. And it was his duty now to kill the killer. Well, after considerable difficulties, he finally backs this fellow in a corner, and he is about to slay him with his katana, his sword, which is the symbol of his honor. And the chap in the corner is angry and terrified, and he spits on the samurai, who sheathes his sword and walks away. Now why did he do that? He did that because this action made him angry, and it would have been a personal act to have killed that man in anger, and that would have destroyed the whole event. "balance yourself against that [cosmic power which is operating through you] and have a personality at the same time.” To reach the transpersonal, you have to go through the personal: you have to have both qualities there. The integral sage from one taste is amazing! Balance personality and your role as priest of cosmic power. Too much of your personality (without the plug into Source) or too *LITTLE* of your personality (in which case, it DOESN’T MATTER how plugged in you think you are because you’ve lost your power)? Do I dare? Again and again we are called to another journey or adventure - how do we answer the call. There is always the possibility of fulfillment or fiasco and of course bliss. Questing For it is not an ego trip “What is it we are questing for? It is the fulfillment of that which is potential in each of us. Questing for it is not an ego trip; it is an adventure to bring into fulfillment your gift to the world, which is yourself. There’s nothing you can do that’s more important than being fulfilled. You become a sign, you become a signal, transparent to transcendence; in this way, you will find, live, and become a realization of your own personal myth.” Jung - playing your role knowing it is not you. It is a persona or mask you are wearing for the game. Don't take life so seriously. Great note! Thank you, Christina Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:22:44 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/pathways-to-bliss-joseph-campbell/#IDComment63467201 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-seven-spiritual-laws-of-success-deepak-chopra/#IDComment63417995 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Deepak Chopra Truly truly a transforming book. The law of pure potentiality - you are the potential period. “When you experience the power of the Self, there is an absence of fear, there is no compulsion to control, and no struggle for approval or external power… Your true Self, which is your spirit, your soul, is completely free of those things. It is immune to criticism, it is unfearful of any challenge, and it feels beneath no one.” The Law of Giving Give what you want but give with detachment Be a giver - know that your good flows from within pay no mind to the takers The Law of Karma Be aware of our choices be aware of our actions be awareof ourselves to transcend the wheel of samsara. The Law of least effort 3 components Acceptance - Responsibility - Defenselessness The Law of Intention and Desire Hold the attention with detached awareness FLOW The Law of Detachment “The Law of Detachment says that in order to acquire anything in the physical universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it. This doesn’t mean that you give up the intention to create your desire. You don’t give up the intention, and you don’t give up the desire. You give up your attachment to the result.” (GREAT) The Law of Dharma - Life purpose “Everyone has a purpose in life… a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of goals.” This is just one of those amazing books that serves on so many levels. Once I read this book it was a game changer, which forced my hand. You knew something was true but then an alarm goes off and you internalize the truth and can't go back. Lovely lovely note. Thank you, Christina Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:21:07 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-seven-spiritual-laws-of-success-deepak-chopra/#IDComment63417995 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/money-and-the-law-of-attraction-esther-and-jerry-hicks/#IDComment63414734 Money and the Law of Attraction Esther and Jerry Hicks First off - I love the channeling of non- physical beings so I am always excited for an Esther and Jerry Hicks note! I have a feeling this will be one long underline of your note as I know this will be a favorite of mine. “If you are a student of Deliberate Creation, if you want to consciously create your own reality, if you desire control of your own life experience, if you want to fulfill your reason for being, then your understanding of these prevalent topics—money and the Law of Attraction—will serve you enormously well.” SHORTAGE OF CONNECTION “Shortage of time is not your problem. Shortage of money is not your problem. Shortage of Connection to the Energy that creates worlds is at the heart of all sensations of shortage that you are experiencing.” Okay all the following are big and important so (command c command v) “The Energy that creates worlds.” It’s the same force that beats your heart and grows your hair and digests your food (AND gives you flashes of inspiration of your ideal life!) that also continues to create stars and galaxies and who knows what else at the edges of our universe. Now, I personally don’t like to argue or fight with that force. It wins *every* time. :) So, the real issue at the heart of any fear/suffering/lack you may be experiencing has nothing to do with a bad economy or a bad childhood or a bad hair day. It has to do with you. And, specifically, with your connection to your Highest Self/Source/God/Whatever-You-Want-To- Call-It. Your Lifetime Career Welcome to earh - there is nothing you can not be or do or have. Your lifetime career is to seek joy! Follow your bliss Sat chit ananda Does your path have heart - ask yourself - the answer will be obvious. Most Valuable Skill “The most valuable skill that you could ever develop is the skill of directing your thoughts toward what you want—to be adept at quickly evaluating all situations and then quickly coming to the conclusion of what you most want—and then giving your undivided attention to that.” The ability to direct your thoughts toward what you want is THE most valuable skill you could ever develop. Allow the ideal of your experience to exist - do not squash it. The reality of Life Life in any moment is only a temporary indicator of how connected you are to source. Don't get upset with the gas gauge just fill up! Telling a New Story “You have to begin to tell the story of your life as you now want it to be and discontinue the tales of how it has been or of how it is.” Create your ideal life by telling your new story now - forget the old one. Process of Pivoting Whenever you recognize that you are feeling a negative emotion (it is really that you are feeling the lack of harmony with something that you want), the obvious thing for you to do is to stop and say, I’m feeling negative emotion, which means I am not in harmony with something that I want. What do I want?” (LOVE THIS - GREAT TOOL) Absolute exhiliration “Those moments in your life when you feel absolute exhilaration are moments of complete alignment with the Source within you.” Socialization Don't be coaxed away from your own guidance system by society Emotional Guidance system “You actually only have two choices in emotion: a better-feeling one or a worse-feeling one. So you could accurately say that there are really only two emotions, and you effectively utilize your Guidance System when you deliberately choose the better-feeling of those two options.” You can choose up or down. Do the things you love to do Do what you love to earn money. Forget it - this is a book I need to get - what can I say - powerful, wonderful, fabulous. Thank you for the note. Christina Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:47:13 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/money-and-the-law-of-attraction-esther-and-jerry-hicks/#IDComment63414734 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/your-erroneous-zones-wayne-dyer/#IDComment63333172 Your Erroneous Zones Dr. Wayne Dyer Take charge of yourself - get out of your Erroneous Zones “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” A VERITABLE RELIGION OF THE SELF “Using yourself as a guide and not needing the approval of an outside force is the most religious experience you can have. It is a veritable religion of the self in which an individual determines his own behavior based upon his own conscience and the laws of his culture that work for him, rather than because someone has directed how he should behave. A careful look at Jesus Christ will reveal an extremely self-actualized person, an individual who preached self-reliance, and was not afraid to incur disapproval. Yet many of his followers have twisted his teachings into a catechism of fear and self-hate.” Self reliance EMERSON “God will not have his work made manifest by cowards.” SELF-WORTH VS. OTHER-WORTH “Self-worth cannot be verified by others. You are worthy because you say it is so. If you depend on others for your value it is other-worth.” Seneca comes to mind here (see Notes on Letters from a Stoic). He says: “Away with the world’s opinion of you—it’s always unsettled and divided.” This is great Brian I’ve learned to see that someone’s criticism (or praise) is just a projection of what’s going on with them, so I’m less attached to other people’s opinions of me. Are you worrying or planning - is it immobilizing? You can spend the rest of your life, beginning right now, worrying about the future, and no amount of your worry will change a thing. Hysterical Dyer “If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system.” If you find yourself worrying - take action. Do something about that which you are worried about or if you can't, take a step back to see the big picture. Present moment is the time to live not to worry. Guilt is useless - because you are feeling immobilized by something that has already taken place - don't waste your energy. Instead have intelligent regret that decides to do things differently. If you believe you yourself fully you realize no activity is beyond your potential. This is great A DIFFERENT KIND OF SECURITY “… there is a different kind of security that is worth pursuing, and this is the internal security of trusting yourself to handle anything that may come down the pike. This is the only lasting security, the only real security. Dyer also says: “Only the insecure strive for security.” Build your inner strength. Live your highest truths. Know that you have wings! Give up your illusions about perfection - they are paralyzing and impossible to attain. Ha! Think Crappy - I love it. Just get to work. It's okay most first drafts are rough. Just Do it Tackle any problem with action Now! The only thing holding you back is you, and the neurotic choices you’ve made because you don’t believe you’re as strong as you really are. How simple… just do it!” Really Loved this note! Thank you, Christina Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:06:23 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/your-erroneous-zones-wayne-dyer/#IDComment63333172 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/thresholds-of-the-mind-bill-harris/#IDComment63330698 Thresholds of the Mind Bill Haris Neural plasticity - we can re-wire our brains. Brain Lateralization when the two hemispheres of the brain are unbalanced - “The greater the lateralization of the brain, the greater the feelings of separation—and the greater the feelings of separation, the greater the stress, anxiety, and isolation.” (Did not know this) Meditation synchronizes the two brain hemispheres because it focuses the brain bringing about synchronization. “As we slow the brain wave patterns from beta to alpha to theta to delta, there is a corresponding increase in balance between the two hemispheres of the brain. This more balanced brain state is called brain synchrony, or brain synchronization.” As your brain evolves to higher and higher thresholds of what it can handle, “Problems fall away, not because they are “solved” or understood, but rather because they become irrelevant.” Raise your threshold "You have a personal threshold for what you can handle from your environment, the level of which depends on how your personal Map of Reality is constructed. All dysfunctional feelings and behaviors are really attempts to cope with being over threshold.” RESISTANCE CREATES THE SUFFERING “It isn’t that change is painful; it’s our resistance to the process that creates the pain… End the resistance and the discomfort ends.” PREFERENCES VS. ATTACHMENTS “Not resisting what is does not mean that you cannot want to change what is, and the difference is one of attachment to the outcome. A person who is attached to the outcome suffers if he does not get the outcome he wants, whereas the happy, peaceful person prefers the outcome he wants but is not attached to it. If he gets a different outcome, he remains just as happy and peaceful as he was to begin with. His happiness comes from within, and does not depend on what goes on around him.” (So important) Develop resilience - be flexible. PAIN AND SUFFERING CAN BE OPTIONAL! “The implications of finding independence and being the artist of your own life are staggering. Here is one of them: because you create the world you inhabit, pain and suffering really can be optional. Only when you acknowledge your role in your life—and understand your own power—is there the possibility of improving your situation or creating a different story. If you see yourself as a passive character acted upon by (and then reacting to) external forces you neither understand nor control, you then become a helpless victim.” Assigning meaning "Whenever you feel unhappy or distressed, ask yourself what meaning you’ve placed on what seems to be causing your suffering. Consider what other meanings you could give this situation that would allow you to be happy… The meanings you give to things have consequences, so choose wisely." Pretty neat stuff - love the rewiring of the brain, rebalancing the hemispheres and raising our thresholds. The most potent for me is assigning meaning. I notice if I ever am in a state of suffering I can ultimately break down the feeling in my pain body, trace back the emotion to a thought and choose to see it a different way. Or I can just sit with it and feel it - either way if I observe it, it usually dissipates. Thank you for the very interesting and illuminating note! Chrisitna Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:41:38 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/thresholds-of-the-mind-bill-harris/#IDComment63330698 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-spontaneous-fulfillment-of-desire-deepak-chopra/#IDComment63327487 The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire Deepak Chopra Synchrodestiny It’s a state “in which it becomes possible to achieve the spontaneous fulfillment of every desire.” Learn to live from the levels of our souls - most of our hatred and anxiety stem from our own unfulfilled creative impulses. When we understand the true nature of reality we lose all sense of fear. Wattles “You can never become a great man or woman until you have overcome anxiety, worry, and fear. It is impossible for an anxious person, a worried one, or a fearful one to perceive truth; all things are distorted and thrown out of their proper relations by such mental states, and those who are in them cannot read the thoughts of God.” What would I do if I wasn't afraid is answered by our higher selves. Intention is the very basis of creation Upanishads, the ancient Vedic texts, declare: “You are what your deepest desire is. As is your desire, so is your intention. As is your intention, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.” Don't invest your soul in a compromise Manifest your greatest life by getting over ourselves and getting out of our own way. We manifest what we think about most of the time Contemplate the best for yourself Steer your mind in the direction of your dreams. “When the intention of the nonlocal mind is served by the local mind, it is more holistic, and therefore more effective… For every intention, we might well ask, ‘How could this serve me and how would it serve everybody I come into contact with?’” Deepak says “If we were able to live at the level of the soul all the time, there would be no need for hindsight to appreciate the great truths of life.” Fantastic -love this CONSPIRACY THEORIES “This is the ultimate truth of synchrodestiny—that the sum total of the universe is conspiring to create your personal destiny… We cannot even imagine the complex forces behind every event that occurs in our lives. There’s a conspiracy of coincidences that weave the web of karma or destiny and creates an individual’s personal life.” COINCIDENCES & DESTINIES “When a coincidence arises, don’t ignore it. Ask yourself, What is the message here? What is the significance of this?” “In synchrodestiny, we consciously participate in the creation of our lives by understanding the world that is beyond our senses, the world of the soul.” Why are we here? Life is the opportunity to share the special gift only you can bestow upon the world Synchrodestiny is simply amazing when you first notice it and makes you giddy as you see it in motion. Now I see it all the time as the norm and a guide in my life. Great note. Thank you, Christina Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:07:57 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-spontaneous-fulfillment-of-desire-deepak-chopra/#IDComment63327487 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-power-of-intention-dr-wayne-w-dyer/#IDComment63325113 The Power of Intention Dr. Wayne Dyer Overdosing on serotonin - Be kind Acts of Kindness release serotonin in your brain the others brain and anyone who witnessed the act. Act as If - This was mentioned in a previous note and made such an impact on me I put it into daily practice. Coming to oneself 4 steps of Intention Discipline Wisodm Love Surrender In the words of Aldous Huxley: “The spiritual journey does not consist in arriving at a new destination where a person gains what he did not have, or becomes what he is not. It consists in the dissipation of one’s own ignorance concerning one’s self and life, and the gradual growth of that understanding which begins the spiritual awakening. The finding of God is a coming to one’s self.” Namaste I bow to the divine within you - treat ever encounter as a holy one. Say Yes “One of the most effective means for transcending ordinary and moving into the realm of extraordinary is saying yes more frequently and eliminating no almost completely. Connect to Service When you’re giving to others, to your planet, and to your Source, you’re being purposeful. You must be what you are seeking. Make them match Faces of Intention Dyer - It grows my fingernails, it beats my heart, it digest my food, it writes my books, and it does this for everyone and everything in the universe. Seven Faces of Intention: Creativity, Kindness, Love, Beauty, Expansion, Unlimited Abundance, and Receptivity. (AMAZING) IN-SPIRITED If you’ve ever felt inspired by a purpose or calling, you know the feeling of Spirit working through you. Inspired is our word for in-spirited. Empowering People Choose to be in close proximity to people who are empowering, who appeal to your sense of connection to intention, who see the greatness in you, who feel connected to God, who live a life that gives evidence that Spirit has found celebration through them. True Nobility Evolve to continue to be the best you you can be. Delete What would I do if I wasn't afraid? (Loved reading these) Dyer “By banishing doubt and trusting your intuitive feelings, you clear a space for the power of intention to flow through.” Per Ramana Maharshi: “Doubts arise because of an absence of surrender.” Per Emerson “Always, always, always, always, always do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.” “Good morning, This is God. I will be handling all of your problems today. I will not need your help, so have a miraculous day.” The four steps of intention. I love that he framed the quote in his children's rooms. I am off to do the same. Beautiful Note! Thank you, Christina Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:45:49 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-power-of-intention-dr-wayne-w-dyer/#IDComment63325113 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-places-that-scare-you-pema-chodron/#IDComment63320326 The Places that scare you Pema Chodron Compassionate interrupt habits 3 steps Acknowledge we are all churned up Do something different to interrupt our ancient habit of indulging our emotions Remember this is not something we do just once but for a lifetime to awaken our heart. Mouse Traps and Suffering Avoid the short term pleasure of snatching the cheese in order to have long term pleasure of living. (LOVE THIS) Rejoice in our good fortune! Look for things to celebrate and have gratitude. INCLINE YOUR MINDS TO JOY plant seeds in what will be a beautiful garden Pour Cement on the Garden - Nurture our dissatisfaction Enemies - Near and Far FOUR LIMITLESS QUALITIES Limitless Qualities - Near Enemy - Far Enemy Wow, Wow, Wow. These were eye openers for me. I love this chart. Empowerment Dynamic From Persecutor and Rescuer to Challenger and Coacher The near enemy's of compassion were just what I needed to read. Practice discipline with flexibility - you become less moralistic and more tolerant. Such a wealth of wisdom in this note. Thank you, Christina Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:23:47 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-places-that-scare-you-pema-chodron/#IDComment63320326 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-monk-who-sold-his-ferrari-robin-sharma/#IDComment63253744 The Monk who sold his ferrari Robin Sharma 7 Timeless Virtues of Enlightened Living 1. “Master Your Mind 2. Follow Your Purpose 3. Practice Kaizen (constant and never-ending improvement) 4. Live with Discipline 5. Respect Your Time 6. Selflessly Serve Others 7. Embrace the Present” Invest in yourself. If you say you dont' have time it's like saying you cant stop driving to fill up on gas. Blueprinting - things are created twice. First in the mind then in your outer world. Secret of Happiness - find out what you truly love to do and then direct all of your energy towards doing it. Know thyslef! What do you truly love? Meditate on your true calling. Rise with the sun - know your purpose and you will most likely spring out of bed in the morning. YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ALL DAY LONG. Strengthen your mind - Buddha - an undisciplined mind is the worst enemy. Dr. Wayne Dyer - Never let a negative sentence complete itself in your head. Care for your thoughts as you would your most prized possessions. Either you control your mind or your mind controls you. Use your mantra for rewiring your mind. I have several "gateway mantras" I use as tools depending on what is needed at the time. We are all the manifestation of the divinity of God. Greatness is your birthright. Be brave and set no limitations on the workings of your imagination. Create your gorgeous blip! Great note - one that I will re-read, Christina Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:01:28 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-monk-who-sold-his-ferrari-robin-sharma/#IDComment63253744 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-first-30-days-ariane-de-bonvoisin/#IDComment63240441 The first 30 days Ariane De Bonvoisin Develop your change muscle The nine principals of change are simply amazing! 1. “People who successfully navigate change have positive beliefs. 2. People who successfully navigate change know that change always brings something positive into their lives. 3. People who successfully navigate change know they are resilient, strong, and capable of getting through anything. 4. People who successfully navigate change know that every challenging emotion they feel is not going to stop them and will guide them to positive emotions that help them feel better. 5. People who successfully navigate change know that the quicker they accept the change, the less pain and hardship they will feel. 6. People who successfully navigate change use empowering questions and words, think better thoughts, and express their feelings. 7. People who successfully navigate change know they are connected to something bigger than themselves. 8. People who successfully navigate change are not alone; they surround themselves with people who can help, who have the right beliefs and skills. And they create an environment that supports their change. 9. People who successfully navigate change take action. They have a plan and know how to take care of themselves.” Be a Change Optimist! Jot down your struggles and ideals. Top 3 stressors and top 3 lessons Every change always brings something positive. Change demons help us if we navigate off course and alert us if we are off course. (Fantastic) GPS - Know where you want to go. If we are feeling the demons we have unplugged from source. The demon is the temporary indicator that we are a little off. Learn to live and incorporate fear in your life. Take the 24 hour no blame challenge Shift from should to could from victim to creator. Action cures fear. This note was especially helpful for a life situation I am navigating with my sister. Thank you, Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:00:31 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-first-30-days-ariane-de-bonvoisin/#IDComment63240441 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-dark-side-of-the-light-chasers-debbie-ford/#IDComment63220621 Dark Side of Light Chasers Debbie Ford I have listened to this one 3 times and it really fascinates me. I love that the Gold is in the Dark. Shadow work is so powerful and I love it. I rather be whole than be good. Love is inclusive it leaves nothing out. Make a list of things you do not like within yourself and see the gifts in them. Seeing the gift in the pain - horse manure pony story really special. Freedom is the ability to chose who and what you want to be at any moment. The finger pointing is a strong exercise. We judge when we don't accept that quality within ourselves and if you admire greatness in a human being it is your own greatness you are seeing. Attend your own lectures - what are you lecturing on about that you should be paying more attention to. Dance with the shadow and shine brightly! Fabulous note! Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:24:38 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/the-dark-side-of-the-light-chasers-debbie-ford/#IDComment63220621 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/strength-for-life-shawn-phillips/#IDComment63212843 Strength for Life Shawn Phillips Your body is the the foundation of your life. Choose is it anchor limiting you or source of radiant energy. Bring mindfulness to your workouts Transformation vs change - is it significant and lasting? Strength is true wealth. The GAP - Is there a gap between what you’re CAPABLE of doing/being and what you’re ACTUALLY doing/ being? If so, watch out. That’s where regret/anxiety/disillusionment hang out. Close the gap and be your highest self. Ability to Focus is key FIT - Focused Intensity Training TRAIN don't Excercise Set up your Base camp Create RITUALS don't just have Habits LOVE - If we are strong strength will speak for itself. If we are weak words will be of no help. JFK Fabulous note - lots to take away from this one and put into practice. Thank you, Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:20:17 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/strength-for-life-shawn-phillips/#IDComment63212843 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/mastery-george-leonard/#IDComment63195486 Mastery George Leonard “We fail to realize that mastery is not about perfection. It’s about a process, a journey. The master is the one who stays on the path day after day, year after year. The master is the one who is willing to try, and fail, and try again, for as long as he or she lives.” Honor the practice - love the process. Homoestasis tips - great! Most of the worlds depression or discontent has to do with unused energy or untapped potential. Wow Mastery is practice and staying on the path -cultivate every moment. Consistency is the mark of the master. Great note, Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:43:14 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/mastery-george-leonard/#IDComment63195486 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/loving-what-is-byron-katie/#IDComment63192743 Loving What is Byron Katie Byron Katie is one of my favorites - I laugh hysterically every time I read one of her books. So great. Only 3 kinds of business Mine yours and Gods - much of our stress comes from mentally living out of our business. Stressful feeling is an alarm clock. No amount of scratching on the screen will remove the lint on the projectors lens. The work - judge your neighbor - write it down - ask the questions - turn it around. So liberating. Throw should in the trash - except reality and go from there. “If I had a prayer, it would be this: “God, spare me from the desire for love, approval, or appreciation. If I think that someone else is causing me my problem - I'm insane. Get to work on your mind. Invest in yourself. Do the dishes. “Nothing ever goes wrong in life.” Reminds me of Wayne Dyer’s wisdom: “In my world, nothing ever goes wrong.” I love that. Can you see that everything is either a blissful experience or a blissful opportunity to learn? As Katie says: “Everything happens for me, not to me.” And: “Until you can see everything in the world as your friend, your work is not done.” The pain shows you what is left to investigate. Great great note, Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:18:36 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/loving-what-is-byron-katie/#IDComment63192743 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/ken-wilber/#IDComment63190777 Ken Wilber This note cracked me up from the start because I too avoided the book and know the stare. Ready to jump in. AQAL aside. We are in the integral age - integrate as many truths as much as possible. Traditions cultures disciplines over time. HOLON - Everything is a whole thing and yet part of a whole. Life is not either or. Spiral dynamics defines different stages of development. Lets have healthful parts of each to transcend to the second tier without excluding. TRANSCEND AND INCLUDE. Learn to say YES - AND. No one is smart enough to be 100% wrong. I LOVE THIS. See the partial truth in all. Witness our perspectives. Subject object orientation. The Big Idea: Subject-Object orientations. How you see the world is your subjective perspective. What you look at through that subjective perspective is the object of that subjective perspective. So far so good? Now, here’s the trick: Can you make your current subjective perspective the OBJECT of a NEW perspective? Don't become your position. Recognize the truth in another's perspective. States and Stages Honor the states but build the structure for the next stage. You must do the work - dig a deep foundation - do the shadow work and the rest erecting each stage. Egoless does not mean minus personal it means personal plus! Plug the ego into something bigger. The integral sage, the nondual sage, is here to show us otherwise. Known generally as ‘Tantric,’ these sages insist on transcending life by living it. They insist on finding release by engagement, finding nirvana in the midst of samsara, finding total liberation by complete immersion.” Spirit is both the highest level of holarchy but also the paper in which the entire holarchy is written. Great Note- Thank you for the gateway note to Ken Wilber. Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:00:49 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/ken-wilber/#IDComment63190777 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/focal-point-brian-tracy/#IDComment63187241 Focal Point Brian Tracy "You can dramatically improve the overall quality of your life far faster than you might think possible. All you need is the desire to change, the decision to take action, the discipline to practice the new behaviors you have chosen, and the determination to persist until you get the results you want." Be responsible pro-active not reactive Be a creator not a victim Be Flexible - find the flow - stay open. Big IDEA - IDEALIZATION FASCINATING Successful people have tremendous clarity about who they are, what they want, and how they are going to get it. Unsuccessful people usually are unsure and confused about who they are, what they want, and where they are going. Maslow says the same thing about psychologically healthy/successful people having clarity. He says that whereas the average individuals “often have not the slightest idea of what they are, of what they want, of what their own opinions are,” self-actualizing individuals have “superior awareness of their own impulses, desires, opinions, and subjective reactions in general.” Successful people think about what they want and how to get it most of the time. As a result of this mental focus, they accomplish much more than the average person, even though they may have started with no particular advantages. Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, tend to think and talk about what they don’t want most of the time. They think and talk about who they are mad at and who is to blame for their problems most of the time. They don’t understand why their lives don’t improve even though they have been working as long as others. They slip into the habit of thinking and talking even more about their problems and who is to blame, thereby making the situation worse.” Know thyself - have vision - be disciplined - make it happen. This was an interesting note - Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:28:48 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/focal-point-brian-tracy/#IDComment63187241 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/everyday-enlightenment-dan-millman/#IDComment63185084 Everyday Enlightenment Dan Millman Bringing your spiritual quest down to earth. Great to see the 12 Gateways to Personal Growth. Interesting - the most sensitive, self reflective souls among us - those of us with the highest vision ideals and standards often have the lowest sense of self worth, because we constantly fail to meet our idealized standards. The ignorant are cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt Our sense of worth grows by doing what is worthy Live our truth. Make any positive habit as easy as possible and visa versa with negative ones. Carpe Punctum - Seize the moment Every moment is an opportunity to step forward into growth or backward into safety Close the gap between what we are capable of doing and actually doing. Whatever form fear takes, your willingness to face it squarely will determine your fate in the high country of human potential. Resistance creates suffering. Stress happens when your mind resists what is. It's all your perception and that you can change. Do what you need to do despite they way you are feeling - remain productive. Live a simple, functional, ordinary life without clinging, craving, or holding on. For the heart to awaken it can not exclude a single soul including yourself. Find a form of service that calls to you, suits your abilities, aptitudes, qualities, interests, that makes time fly, that draws forth your best, that tells you you've arrived home and found yourself. You are not here to contact your higher self you are here to become it. Great note. Really enjoyed this one. Christina Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:08:36 +0000 http://www.finerminds.com/personal-growth/everyday-enlightenment-dan-millman/#IDComment63185084