Here’s my video for the week: Love Yourself into Your Greatness!
PS: Are you interested in the subject of “Life after Life”? I did an interview with BlogTalkRadio program, Explore the Afterlife, the other day. Check out the recording here!
EXPLORATION: Are You Expecting?
March 13, 2013 — RosemaryAre you ‘pregnant with possibilities’?
The Universe is filled with the potential of answering every dream you can dream for yourself. But what are you expecting?
The energies of attraction are not focused like a laser when they are generated from the emotion of fear. You can’t be worried and manifesting your dreams at the same time, for the laser that you send out like a beacon, attracting like energy into your field, is a laser tuned to that upon which you focus your worry energy, not the energy of your dream.
You do have the power to attract a nightmare but why would you?
When people start studying prosperity and the law of attraction they often do exercises to change their expectations. Recently our daughter started expecting the Universe to give her money. She found a dollar on a store parking lot and sat waiting for the person who had dropped it to return but no one did. She found several dollars in the dryer when she did the laundry. Magic? No. She EXPECTED the Universe to find a way to be generous with her and then she ALLOWED the Universe to choose how to do that.
I often teach that prosperity can come into your field in surprising ways when you are open to it. One way that the Universe gives me money is to have a sale on something that I have to buy. I was going to buy it anyway but I can save money that I would have spent. This just happened for the Color Class that I am teaching. We had selected the binder we wanted to give participants and had found one that came in lots of colors [this IS for a Color Class!]. We developed the prototype workbook with one binder then went back to purchase a larger quantity when we had the final numbers for the class. The binders were on sale and they had all the colors in stock!
This doesn’t represent a lot of money saved but it was going to have to be spent anyway. We expect the Universe to give to us in surprising ways.
What do you expect from your business? Your boss? Your significant other? Your children? Are you expecting challenges, threats, anger, disrespect? And are you getting that?
How adaptable are you to change? Are you willing to ‘go with the flow’?
Sometimes we get so stuck in our expectations that we forget to adapt to changing circumstances or energies. Have you ever thought about changing your expectations? Are you willing to change?
I knew someone who had a business and lost her business partner so was faced with only being able to pay half the rent. It was time to renegotiate the lease and she thought she might have to move. Instead, she focused on staying in the same space and paying half the rent. She focused and prayed and concentrated and expected this. She came out of the meeting with the landlord with a lease at half the rent for the next year! It CAN happen!
Are you, at this point, telling yourself that this only happens for other people, that it doesn’t work that way for you? As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.”
Trying being ‘pregnant with possibilities.’ Think that you CAN manifest your dreams. EXPECT the Universe to support you in that manifestation. Then go with the flow and allow the Universe to figure out the ‘how’ of making things happen.
Let this week be your ‘due date’ – expect great things!
PS: I did an interview with BlogTalkRadio program, Explore the Afterlife, the other day. You can listen to the recording here!
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Examine Your Expectations
March 12, 2013 — RosemaryMy video for the week: Examine Your Expectations
PS: I did an interview with BlogTalkRadio program, Explore the Afterlife, the other day. You can listen to the recording here!
Are You the Rose or the Thorn? – Richard’s Commentary
March 7, 2013 — RichardI write this on a nasty, stormy day here in the East – blame storm “Saturn” for it. In Annapolis we were fortunate enough to get nothing but rain and a little wind, nothing too damaging. Oh, there was an overturned semi-tractor-trailer on the Bay Bridge which shut down both spans in both directions. This is a major headache for traffic in this area and it ties up roadways for miles and hours. I’m sure a few thorns came out for people today!
I felt a bit prickly myself. It is a very busy week for me working to get class material finalized and assembled for Rosemary, helping to set up presentations and making sure I am ready to video record the whole class, working on my own practices including preparation for Qigong Instructor Certification this Saturday, and keeping up with the normal routine.
And with the storm shutting down schools and work for the anticipated snow the house was full of people today with many pulls on attention and energy. The energy, in fact, swirled at times beyond the normal boundaries and out of control. My Qi was disturbed.
I am working hard to keep my calm, to smooth out my Qi, to remain in flow and let go of all the little things that can too often ruffle my feathers. And yet my thorns came out! In some sense these thorns were for protection, not necessarily of my beautiful inner rose, but of my time, my priorities, my space, my practice, my, my, my…
But is this why the rose has thorns, to hide her flower. I don’t think so. The rose displays her beauty for all to see. Her light shines on everyone. She opens her softness to reveal that light and inner beauty. All she asks in return is a small amount of space. Her thorns protect that space. Yes, they are sharp but they only stick in a little bit, only as a warning not to come any closer.
Too often my thorns stab too deep. I only need a little space and too often create cold distance. I need time to breathe but don’t want to breathe alone. I struggle with balance here between protection and open sharing of my light.
The advice I hear is to “be the Rose that you are and shed the thorns.” I am working on this, working on the openness. Is it always safe to do this?
Wednesday evening Rosemary and I were part of a Spiritual Exploration Group. It is a group that comes together by invitation to share deeply. It is a safe place; and many of us share very deeply about personal experiences. Everything shared stays in the room. It is easy to shed my thorns in this group. I have no fear of my space there. Can I take this feeling of safety into the outer world and share my light? Can I shed all my defenses and open my lamp-shade to let out the light?
It is time. We have moved beyond 2012 and well into the 21st Century. It is time for all of us to come into our true selves, to shine our light and to be open to the flow of the Universe. It begins inside, where the light originates. We first let go of the thorns that prick us from the inside; some call them our “demons.” Egos have thorns that keep us in line! These are good for survival, just as the rose uses her thorns to protect her space for survival. But maybe we need to move beyond basic survival needs and into the light.
We cannot transform the world with thorns. We can work toward a better world through open acceptance of our light and to shine that light through fulfilling our purpose, what Rosemary calls our “soul commitment.”
Maybe that commitment needs to be stronger than our need for protection!
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Vibrational Frequencies & You
March 5, 2013 — RosemaryMy video for the week: Vibrational Frequencies & You
PS: The Rainbow Balance Color Therapy class begins this Thursday; and there is still space available if you are in the Annapolis area! The class is scheduled on four successive Thursday evenings in March, the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. And if you are not in the area you’ll be able to take the class online soon. Stay tuned for the details.
If you can make it Click Here for Details
It’s a Sign!!! – Richard’s Commentary
February 28, 2013 — RichardInside-outside; optimism-pessimism; half-full-half-empty. There’s a spiral of thoughts here in Rosemary’s Exploration to digest. And somehow the article this week points directly at me!
I’ve been an optimist all my life. And I live a reasonably healthy internal life and do look for confirming signs all around me. And then I went to the doctor last week.
It’s funny Rosemary should use the example: “You might have been given a medical diagnosis that you don’t like.” My doctor visit, the first in several years, was just routine; I thought I should get a new base-line of all the numbers western medicine is so fond of analyzing. I feel in excellent health, eating well on a pretty strict regimen of raw nut, seed, fruit and vegetable smoothies for breakfast and lunch, exercising with yoga and qigong, meditating, working for myself and a pretty gentle boss (Rosemary); all good things right? So, the nurse took my blood pressure and seemed pretty alarmed; “all the celery in your smoothies doesn’t seem to be working” she remarked.
OK, I’ve had an issue with high blood pressure before; it’s a genetic condition. I have taken medication in the past but then controlled it reasonably well with Chinese herbs, acupuncture, etc. I thought I was good to go for life! Not so! The external sign here is a warning that things need to change even more.
And I am resisting this change; my resistance is not improving my blood pressure a bit! I am ignoring the external signs, but struggling to change the internal perspective in order to see the external signs change. While I remain an optimist my glass seems to be closer to empty than full! Am I fooling myself?
Since my experience at Qi Revolution with Jeff Primack I have been practicing his Level 1 Qigong Form every day. I am getting prepared for Level 1 training this Saturday. And I am planning to go for certification to teach Level 1 a week later on March 9th. I am optimistic that I can achieve this goal. I am changing my diet to include many of Jeff’s recommendations in his Conquering Any Disease book, following many of his suggestions for reducing high blood pressure (yep, more celery!) and curing heart disease. More internal changes.
Now, I realize this is a life-change and not an over-night change that I’m working on here. It’s only been a week since that doctor visit. But the optimist in me is looking for the external signs to support my internal changes. And my blood pressure remains high; that half-full glass is looking even more empty!
And the spiral continues, but in a downward spin. What is this about? All signs, whether they are inward or outward, point to lessons. There’s something karmic here; something much deeper than qigong practice and meditation. And I need to dig down where that spiral is drilling to wedge out this darkness that is shadowing my optimism. And no matter how deeply we dig for the lead or the gold, there is always another layer to dredge up, examine and alchemically transform. The signs point the way; they are critical signs to follow.
I am reading those signs carefully; I am taking my blood pressure multiple times a day. I am asking many questions and looking deeply in the dark mirror, working to clear it of dust. I am watching but not expecting new external signs any time soon. And that’s OK; I have time.
And I’m taking a newly prescribed drug (two, actually, in one pill). Yes, I have at least temporarily resorted to western medicine’s approach to my condition. I am hopeful this will improve my pressure and give me more time for the natural approach to kick in.
Yes, I read the sign, and while I didn’t like the direction it pointed, I realize there are many more lessons for this western man to learn, many more internal adjustments to make and many more years to practice!
EXPLORATION: It’s a Sign!!!
February 27, 2013 — RosemarySpring is busting out all over!
Ha! Ha! Fooled you! It’s still winter here and we experienced a wintery mix just yesterday.
BUT I did see some flowers popping up through the frozen ground this week. That gives me hope.
If you look for signs, you will find them. If you keep your eyes focused on the little bits of snow or the frozen, leafless trees or bushes, that is what you will see. What are you looking for?
In life we are given many opportunities to declare ourselves optimists or pessimists. The glass is half-full or half-empty. The fact is that the 8 ounce glass has 4 ounces in it, but the way we perceive that fact colors how we think about it, talk about it, feel about it.
How are you feeling about yourself, your life, your relationsips, your work right now? Could that feeling be based on how you talk about something, which is based on what you think about it and how you perceive something that can be reduced to a fact, like the glass holding 4 ounces of liquid?
What signs are you looking for, or are you waiting for something to happen (externally) to change how you feel (internally)? This, I think, is the crux of the ‘feeling stuck syndrome.’ We keep ourselves focused on that ‘something’ that we expect to change and then we wait for the external to shift so we can shift how we feel internally. This is bass-ackwards!
Shift inside FIRST and watch the external situation change! Reach inside yourself for the truth and act upon that, not your perceptions of the so-called reality you see outside yourself. Where does your hope come from? Are there signs that you are ignoring because you are looking for something to back up how you are feeling instead of shifting your interior state so that you can see the signs that help you to move forward with great hope?
This game of ‘inside-outside’ can trap us in every area of our lives. We dislike a person, often projecting unconsciously our own insecurities and faults onto them, then they react to that negative energy. We are so sure something isn’t going to work out that we talk about that expectation, reinforcing that thought, speaking it over and over again, and then we are so cocky when we say, ‘See! I told you it wouldn’t work out!’ Often we never even looked for a way to make it work out because we were so sure that it wouldn’t.
And that is what happens to us – we don’t even seek solutions or improvements because we’re so convinced that there are none.
Reach out beyond what you can see to the possibilities that are there. Keep your mind open to optimism. Maybe things aren’t as bleak as they seem. Maybe the glass really is half-full and not half-empty. Take charge of how you think, speak, feel about something and it just might change around you.
You have the ability to shift your thinking, speaking and feeling. Sure, there might be some circumstances that aren’t exactly the way you’d like them to be. You might have been given a medical diagnosis that you don’t like. You might be in a complicated relationship. You might have financial issues, or a job you don’t like. There are lots of things that could be happening around you.
BUT, and this is huge, you have the power to change how you interact with circumstances. You can get angry, at yourself or someone else. You can get depressed and close yourself off from others. You can choose to do something about your situation, such as see a counselor or coach, change your eating program, get another job, move on to a different relationship. And you can always choose to examine your own thoughts and feelings to decide if this is the level at which you wish to change.
Watch for signs that bring you hope. If you see something that reinforces a thought that seems pessimistic, take the time to look around for what an optimist would see. Play the game for yourself, by yourself.
After all, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow on Groundhog Day so we’re sure to have an early Spring, whether you see the flowers yet or not! It’s a sign!!!
PS: If you are in the Annapolis, MD area check out my Rainbow Balance Color Therapy class coming on four successive Thursday evenings in March, the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. Special pricing for this class expires March 1. If you are not in the area you’ll be able to take the class online soon. Stay tuned for the details.
If you can make it Click Here for Details
INSPIRATION: Decide on the Signs to See
February 26, 2013 — RosemaryMy video for the week: Decide on the Signs to See
PS: If you are in the Annapolis, MD area you are in for a treat! I am offering my Rainbow Balance Color Therapy class on four successive Thursday evenings in March, the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. Special pricing for this class expires March 1. If you are not in the area you’ll be able to take the class online soon. Stay tuned for the details.
If you can make it Click Here for Details
Where Are You Headed? – Richard’s Commentary
February 21, 2013 — RichardPermission, Dreams, Plans. Yes, these are the steps to answer the question of heading.
Permission is a big first step! Many of us find ourselves in situations that are stressful, unfulfilling, and far from the dreams we may have had as kids or younger adults. And nearly as many find themselves with the sense they are locked in to a life “not of their choosing.” Well, I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but humans are all about “choice.” We do choose everything that leads to every moment whether we want to believe this or not.
Staying in a situation that is stressful, unfulfilling and far from our dreams is a choice. We may feel like we can’t make a change. But we must give ourselves permission to make the changes that will lead to more satisfying lives. This is the time, right now, when we must begin to live into our purpose. And there is no external authority to give us this permission, this choice. This can only come from within. Yes, sometimes it takes courage to give ourselves this permission, to choose to change. But there is little chance of improvement without change.
Dreams are the second step in determining your heading. I am not suggesting a change in heading without careful examination of what you want in life. Perhaps security is more important to you than living the life of your dreams. In this case remaining in a secure but stressful environment may be the better choice. Do a gut check. Do a values check. What is most important? If your answer is greater fulfillment then go back to your dreams. Imagine the life you want. Fill in the details, begin to feel that life, breathe it, taste it, hear it, see the way it unfolds. This is creating the detailed vision of that dream. Dare to dream big. Let your imagination soar. This is the creative and fun part of this process.
Plans are the details of the dreams. Without plans dreams will remain idle, the hazy, cloud-like sketches of fantasy. Plans are an extension to the details of the vision, another layer to continue to build the dreams toward reality, the blueprints for the transformation. Plans generate the actions you need to take to make the changes. They identify the resources you need and outline the schedule and sequence of those actions.
And plans require attention too. Measure and assess the work toward the desired changes to track progress and to adjust the process as you gain additional information. As you implement your plans you will get continuous feedback; use this to make any needed adjustments. One of Rosemary’s mentor’s, James Roché refers to this process as kaizen: making small adjustments to improve a process based on continuous feedback and assessment. Even after your dream comes true kaizen can be applied to make the dream even better!
I just finished a four-day workshop with Jeff Primack, his Qi Revolution program. And it was awesome. I’ve been doing qigong for about a year now and have embraced the concepts, worked through a couple of forms and have incorporated it into both my health regimen. I also plan to blend some qigong concepts into a workshop of my own I am planning for this summer. Qi Revolution changed this vision I have, not only for my workshop but for my entire life! This is an excellent example of kaizen. I am making adjustments to my workshop plan and my vision for my future based on the feedback, in this case from the Universe, which brought me to Jeff’s workshop. It’s not a total change in direction, but a significant refinement in heading, a course correction that will get me to my dream more effectively and maybe even more rapidly.
Have you given yourself permission to dream big, beyond your current situation? It’s a big step! Dare to dream!
Mystic Messages 
Are You Expecting? –Richard’s Commentary
March 14, 2013 — RichardThe possibilities are endless! And this is exactly what I was hoping for. So, yes, I’m expecting some wonderful possibility to emerge this Spring! What about you?
This past Saturday I passed my Level 1 Qigong evaluation and am now certified to teach Jeff Primack’s base level of his Qi Revolution. Jeff’s goal is to expand the number of teachers of Qigong in the US; he is a true believer in this ancient form of exercise. And it has been pretty clearly documented as a superior approach to health and longevity. Here’s just one citation:
“In the early 1980’s, scientists in China began to study the medical benefits claimed for qigong. Since then, research on hundreds of medical applications of qigong have been reported in the Chinese literature. Of special interest … are clinical reports of the medical benefits of qigong that claim to retard or reverse some diseases associated with aging.”
–Kenneth Sancier Ph. D.
And here is an excellent definition of Qigong by Dr. Kathleen Hall:
“Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that creates health by balancing the chi, or vital energy, in your body. Qigong is about discovering one’s true balance.
“Kaiser Permanente, the largest health maintenance organization (HMO) in the country, offers Qigong to their patients. They report they began Qigong with their chronic pain patients and had such great results they are now providing these classes for all health care plan members.”
With teachers and practitioners like Jeff Primack beginning to spread the word I think we will soon be seeing Qigong everywhere.
I’ve been practicing two forms of Qigong for about a year now. And I can honestly say I feel great, I have lost weight, I am sleeping well, and I feel much less stressful about life than I did a year ago.
And now the challenge begins. I am motivated to get started and only need to set up a class, gather some interested students and get going, right? Well, maybe it’s not that simple; but I do have a plan and “I am expecting” to step out in confidence and begin to bring this ancient longevity technology to as many people as I can reach.
This is part of my Spring break-out. Do you have a plan? It’s a great time of the year to review, revise and refresh your activities and assess your direction. Do an internal check on your health;
Rosemary and I suggest doing a scan of all of your bodies, the physical, of course, and your emotional, mental and spiritual bodies as well. Remember this diagram we published a few months ago?
Do you feel blockage anywhere? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) “When your chi is blocked or stagnant you get sluggish, slow and can experience illness.” (Dr. Hall) And since Qi is vital energy it can block more than just the physical body. Qigong can release these blocks to relieve the sluggish “hang-over” from winter and provide just the spring-tonic needed to revitalize and nourish.
I have found that Qigong supports all four levels of the body. The movement and breath work are physically beneficial, the meditative aspects of Qigong support both the emotional and mental bodies, and throughout the practice there is a flow and connection to the divine that is deeply spiritual and truly inspiring.
This spring, try something new. Look for Qigong in your area. Give it a go; I think you’ll appreciate it!
And all the best with that!