rick archer and steve m. taylor

20130623-215456.jpg

I watched an interview with Rick Archer interviewing Steve Taylor who wrote Back To Sanity: Healing the Madness of Our Minds. Have you read it? I would describe it by using two words taken from Emmet Fox’s writings. Back To Sanity was for me “thrillingly interesting.”

Some questions seem to not have satisfactory answers, and that certainly includes the ones about spirituality. Well, if you’re ready to hear a meaningful dialogue about the state of our world, awakening, the ego, and some other rather important and interesting subjects having to do with the human race, you’ve nothing to lose and much to gain by sitting quietly and watching and listening attentively to the Buddha at the Gas Pump interview. www.batgap.com

A short meditation at the end by Steve Taylor, and a reading by him of two of his poems guides the listener, along with the rest of the interview, to a new kind of knowing. About what? you ask. I have a feeling that if you’re reading this, you already know. www.stevenmtaylor.co.uk

The interview is long (shorter than a movie though) but if I didn’t think it well-worth our attention, mum would have been the word.

On Rick Archer’s website are many other interviews, and if they’re as good as the one I just heard, we’re in for some exceptional listening.

I hope your weekend was as lovely as mine was. Tomorrow is Monday. Let’s say Hooray! to that.

Sweet dreams.

shin-ichiro terayama

20130419-215547.jpg

The following is part of a story I read in Alan Cohen’s entertaining book, Enough Already. www.alancohen.com In his gentle, authentic, and persuasive writing he tells us stories of his personal and professional life, and those of his friends, and people in his seminars in order to help us transform our lives. I love stories with happy endings, and this one story about his friend, Shin-ichiro Terayama has a great ending. Shin was a physicist when he was diagnosed with cancer 25 years ago, and his doctor gave him a much shorter life expectancy than he wanted. I’m not sure what I would have done 25 years ago if those words had been addressed to me. But Shin-ichiro Terayama went to a Japanese garden “to meditate on the purpose of his life. There he decided to dedicate his life to appreciation and celebration. . . .”

And this is the ending of Alan Cohen’s story:
“. . . He began to say “thank you” for everything, including his cancer as a wake-up call. A few months later Shin was pronounced cancer free. That was 25 years ago. Now Shin teaches the power of appreciation. He is like a light bulb, always smiling and shining, teaching by radiance more than word.”

Of course this kind of healing doesn’t just apply to cancer. It’s written that whatever disturbs – whether it be feelings of limitation, finances, lack of love, anger, negativity of any kind – you name it, unconditional love and gratitude can turn it around and banish it.

I wanted to see the radiant face Alan Cohen wrote about, so I googled the name Shin-ichiro Terayama, and it’s true, he’s glowing in all the pictures taken of him.

Now, that’s a good story, right?

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.”
– Nikola Tesla

“Love is the Master Key that opens the gates of happiness.” – Oliver Wendall Holmes,
19th Century Dean of Harvard Medical School

“Meditation is the closest process to quantum leaping that we know.” – Esther Hicks

narcissus quagliata and michel domit

Lilou Mace has given us another exceptional interview with famous glass artist Narcissus Quagliata, and the creator of El Santuario at Valle de Bravo (two miles outside of Mexico City), Michel Domit.

20120514-222925.jpg
www.juicylivingtour.com
www.elsantuario.com

These two creators, with Lilou Mace, treat us to a remarkable interview which, if we carefully and deeply listen, will change us. I want to entice you to watch it on juicy living tour by writing about a few things that were discussed, and, when you’re ready, to search for the video titled “The Importance of Stopping the Mind! Mexico.” I’ll try to piece a little of it together for you to whet your appetite, although it won’t sing to your heart in the way watching and listening will. Something begins to stir in the listener when hearing about the creation of the beautiful light from the dome reflecting everywhere, and the amazing before and after story of El Santuario and the dome, hearing the words: heart, love, consciousness, creating, quieting the mind, the holy quartz mountain that has a spirit, quieting the mind, atoms, stars, the Tibetan monks, revelation, transformation, quieting the mind. . . .

Dialogue taken from the juicy living tour video:

We have two imaginations – one the perceptive, the other the creative – though no one talks about it, Silva Mind Control founded by Jose Silva does, and Michel Domit taught it for twenty years.
www.silvamindcontrol.com

Narcissus Quagliata created a beautiful dome for El Santuario. Before doing this, though, he took absolute quiet on the mountain for three months. He said that people have to learn how to quiet the mind and create a vacuum. And if you stop internal dialogue you become enlightened. He said that he created the dome by pushing away everything that was unnecessary. He said the most frequent question asked is: How did you invent the imagery? How did you invent it? The answer is simple, he said. I invented it by pushing away everything that is unnecessary. I create an empty space and then the images find me. I don’t go find them – absolute quiet and then I just stood still and within days my place was crowded with images. By quieting the mind you become a vacuum. That’s how Siddhartha became the Buddha.

Michel Domit said that his teacher Carlos Castenada insisted so much on stopping the internal dialogue – it is not us. The mind we are using is wonderful, but if we don’t know where the turnoff button is, it’s terrible. It can actually drive you crazy.
www.castaneda.com

He devoted eight hours every day for five months to meditation before beginning his El Santuario project. And he said that the spirit of the mountain guided him in the creation of El Santuario . . . listen to the video to find out how the spirit of the mountain communicates.

And so, the above is just a skeleton of a most interesting and enlightening interview; it’s much more exciting to watch and listen to it because time and again what’s stressed is that there’s so much more to life, and to us, than what we now believe. And the possibility of things being a lot different for us were we to deeply listen to the dialogue between Narcissus Quagliata, Michel Domit, and Lilou Mace on the video “The Importance of Stopping the Mind! Mexico” is very real.

*********************
“In the universe there is an unmeasurable force which shamans call intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is attached to intent by a connecting link.”
– Carlos Castaneda

detoxing {:-)

20120416-205135.jpg

You’re not bored with reading about detoxing, are you? I’m posting about this subject again because it’s important to share this particular treasure box. Have you experienced detoxing yet? There’s a marvelous list of things that happen to mind body emotions spirit when we commit to detoxing and to breaking old habits of dependency on foods that don’t serve us well. The detox journey, written about in the book CLEAN by Alejandro Junger, is a perfect guide for 21-days of cleansing. And the CLEAN website allows for connection to a community of like-minded people, and, additionally, a professional and friendly support team is ready to answer any and all questions needing answers.
wwww.cleanprogram.com

A list of foods need to be eliminated when beginning the Pre-Cleanse, and the reasons why are thoroughly explained in the book. On the Pre-Cleanse, meals are chosen from the menu section of the book, and three full meals a day are eaten for three days. It’s a nice head start before starting the Cleanse which consists of two liquid meals and one full meal a day. I’m enjoying shopping for, buying, and bringing into my kitchen a delightful array of foods not tried before, and embarking on an unfamiliar way of eating. When first looking at the food selections in the book, I didn’t realize how much fun it would be to completely change a way of eating. Change is good!

Before beginning the program, the thought occurred to me to skip the three-days of Pre-Cleanse, but daughter Sumi said, “I think you should do it.” I’m glad I did; Sometimes it’s good to heed advice. Truthfully, as far as the Pre-Cleanse was concerned, I was ready for ghastly headaches occurring from being deprived of coffee and caffeinated teas. The only thing that happened was being in a state that hovered between foggy head and stupor. It was only for three days though. Of course, everyone will have different experiences.

Today is my third day on the Cleanse (Hallelujai!), and I’m thinking that more of an understanding of body mind emotions spirit is coming into play, and I’m beginning to feel that following the Cleanse to the letter, brings an experience unlike any other.

I think it’s vital to read the book with a fine tooth comb, so to speak, because therein lies the powerful motivation for wanting to do the Cleanse. Once the book is read (and reread throughout the Cleanse), and an understanding of how toxins, sickness, healing, health happen, a whole new world opens up. And that is nothing less than empowering.

I hope your day was all you wanted it to be.

Sweet dreams.

clean by alejandro junger

20130415-154404.jpg

I’m preparing for the clean program. You, too? I’m so excited! I’m thinking that compared to the starkness* of the lemonade diet, this will be quite doable. After reading the book and understanding more about the body and sickness, nothing can keep me from experiencing the benefits of getting rid of all the toxins in my body, some caused by me, and some caused by our environment. Dr. Junger has written in detail and what he says is easily understood – integrating body mind emotions spirit – he’s left no stone unturned – and the workings of it has become extremely clear. Dr Alejandro Junger is at 470 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013, and he has a retreat center in Costa Rica.

Of course, coffee has to go. And I have to ask myself why I purchased Trader Joe’s Costa Rican Tarrazu last week when I was considering the Clean Program. What a contradiction; ah, well, some habits are deeply embedded. BUT, that’s okay, my chant for the day is yerba mate.
www.traderjoes.com

It’s another beautiful day where I am, and I hope it’s the same for you.

Let’s all have an outstanding Saturday.

*starkness” because . . . I stayed on for 21-days, and that was not good judgment on my part – there were signs that said stop. Silly me!

clean by alejandro junger


What can we do for body mind spirit this year that will have a permanent positive impact on our lives, and on Planet Earth?

Perhaps we can start with detoxing. Have you heard of the book CLEAN by Dr. Alejandro Junger? It’s an exquisitely-written book having all that’s needed in the way of information, including recipes. Yes, imagine that, recipes, which means we get to eat while reaping all the benefits of detoxing. in addition, the writer keeps us motivated, there’s plenty of support, and, to boot, he inspires us. What more do we need? Nothing, except commitment on our part. Detoxing is a priceless gift we give ourselves, and I’ve not read a book on this subject quite as interesting and exciting as CLEAN. Alejandro Junger, M.D. is a cardiologist who early in his career went from being a specimen of health to being stressed, bloated, tired, having headaches, and being depressed. He had many good reasons for temporarily chucking everything in search of the cause. And that’s exactly what he did, eventually regaining complete health. He tells us his story so that we can benefit, and learn all the reasons for detoxing (liver, kidneys, gall bladder, colon, etc.). CLEAN, I think, is a labor of love.

It’s been over a year since my daughter Sumi forwarded an email to me with information about Dr. Alejandro Junger, saying that Gwyneth Paltrow had talked about him on her blog, www.goop.com Then this past December, I was on a train heading for Penn Station when my daughter-in-law Alicia called clearly excited about a book called CLEAN, which she had borrowed from a Hot Yoga friend.

And so, it seems like the perfect way to begin implementing a permanent positive impact on ourselves, and then Planet Earth, because when we’re in top shape things become clearer, and that’s putting it mildly.

Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself

studies show. . .

It’s been said that when we practice, practice, practice for some 10,000 hours we will have mastered whatever it is we want to master. Recent research also shows that our brain is 50% plastic and that we absolutely can change, change, change – radically. We, who have been telling ourselves for a very long time that this is how I was born; this is my genetic makeup, will have to find a different excuse, and good luck with that, -more and more studies are indicating that we are capable of much more than we realize.

In the extraordinary book The Compassionate Life – WALKING the PATH of KINDNESS author Marc Ian Barasch wrote this: “. . . while our project may be to see through thought itself, thus earning our full name Homo sapiens sapiens, the creature that is aware of being aware.” I had to read that a few times . . . “thus earning our full name. . .” it felt right.

French born Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, who, with his father Jean-Francois Revel, wrote the book THE MONK and the PHILOSOPHER A FATHER AND SON DISCUSS THE MEANING OF LIFE has been studied at leading institutes to discover how exactly has his brain changed after years of meditating. When the writer talked with the monk he mentioned that “ten thousand hours sound a bit much”; the monk replied that there are more recent studies of groups of people being taught compassion, and his rough prediction is that “you’ll see a sharp upward cuvre, maybe the most dramatic change, in the first six months.” Though about meditation he said it’s more like seven years, that “it’s not the seven-day cure for self-centeredness.” As I read the book I thought, so good to know, so good to know, so good to know.

Arianna Huffington praised the book with these words: “Refreshingly real, beyond right or left, just straight to the center of the human heart. If you want to help save the world today, then give someone-anyone-this startling, truthful, and passionate book.” And from William Ury, PhD, coauthor of Getting to Yes, “If I had to pick one skill that was most important for a negotiator – meaning everyone, every day – it would be the ability to put yourself in the other side’s shoes. In this extraordinary book, Marc Barasch helps us understand why and how.”

Put a dry book in my hand and I’ll end up reading the same sentence over and over. The Compassionate Life is not that. Along with excellent research, it’s personal and humorous and was written by “an award-winning writer, editor, and television producer.” He’s also the founder of the Green World Campaign: www.greenworld.org

Why am I telling you this? Well, I’m thinking that there are a lot of reasons to read this book, especially since many of us are realizing that the world in which we live is not what it could/should be.

Ode Magazine wrote an article on The Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard titled the world’s happiest man. Should you want, check it out at: www.odemagazine.com

Have a lovely weekend – rain or shine.

about us


In her book, The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist wrote: “Mother Teresa once noted what she called ‘the deep poverty of the soul’ that afflicts the wealthy, and had said that the poverty of the soul in America was deeper than any poverty she had seen anywhere on earth.'”
www.soulofmoney.org

On her blog, 3 Keys to Living the Life You Want, Jean Houston wrote, “. . . But now there is an open moment in history where you have the chance to tap into the soul of your purpose. . . .” and she wrote, “Most people hold on to old, limiting beliefs of themselves and our human story. . . .” and, “The third key gives you the means to break free from unconscious, habitual ways of reacting to life that were born thousands of years ago, and embrace higher ways of being for a new era. You will discover ways to move through life with ebullience in your bones and an appetite for celebration –seeing everything as an expression of the creator. You will move through life, motivated not by guilt or obligation, but by gratitude and an abiding zest for doing the things that are called forth by living out of your higher purpose.”
www.DestinyandYou.com

In the book, The Healing Power of Mind, Tulku Thondup wrote, “If we habitually dwell on and struggle with the negative side of our situation, our whole mentality, perception, and experience will inexorably become negative and filled with suffering. Seeing a problem as negative, constantly thinking and talking about how awful or painful it is, makes even minor problems insurmountably big and solid like a mountain, sharp like a knife, and dark as night. . . .”
www.tulkuthondup.com

In the book, Your Life Is Your Message, Eknath Easwaran wrote, “. . ., in order to live in inner freedom, you have to learn how to slow down your mind, bring it to a restorative stillness, and park it anywhere you like – in patience, say, or compassion, or love.”
www.eknatheaswaran.org

In the movie, The Burmese Harp directed by Kon Ichikawa, are these words, “. . . Why must the world suffer such misery? Why must there be such inexplicable pain? As the days passed, I came to understand. I realized that, in the end, the answers were not for human beings to know, that our work is simply to ease the great suffering of the world, To have the courage to face suffering, senselessness and irrationality without fear, to find the strength to create peace by one’s own example. I will undergo whatever training is necessary for this to become my unshakable conviction. . . .”

In the CD, The Flowering of Human Consciousness, Eckhart Tolle said, “Humanity has come to the end of suffering. As a species we have suffered enough. To be free, no other suffering is necessary.”
www.eckharttolle.com

In the DVD, How to Know God, Deepak Chopra said, “When we are attuned to our soul, which is the same as deeply going inward, we are able to listen in the silence to the subtle messages of wisdom and guidance. When our minds merge with God’s mind, we become aware that God is in all things – that we are eternal.”
www.deepakchopra.com

In the book, Everyday Karma, Carmen Harra wrote, “Once you bring a problem to the surface, and face it, healing can begin. I also think that healing takes place when a person begins to put order in his life, when he restores balance. One of the most effective ways to restore balance and maintain a sense of wholeness is by resolving your karma in your daily life. You will find that restoring your karma will make you feel better and prevent many types of illnesses and physical complaints. Resolving your karma strengthens your immune system! When people get enmeshed in emotional drama, their energy field becomes vulnerable and that is when they can get sick.”
www.carmenharra.com

In the book, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen wrote, “Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot, it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstnace.”

In the book, The Advent of the Cosmic Viewpoint, Bryant Reeve wrote, “. . . But as we rise to higher levels of consciousness – as we attain higher viewpoints of life then the very laws of nature tend to change. Also, the electrical phenomena of life change, the energies of life are different, the norm of living changes. The actual realities of life are different. The limitations become fewer. The very “facts of life” change as we rise in consciousness! This is why miracles are possible. They are manifestations of higher laws which become available to higher levels of consciousness.”

In the book, Divine Transformation, part of the Soul Power Series, written by #1 New York Times Bestseller Author Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha – trained as a conventional medical doctor and a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Grandmaster of many ancient disciplines, including tai chi, qi gong, kung fun, I Ching, and feng shui and an expert in the most advanced cellular healing science now occurring in China – wrote, “. . . In all seven books, the Divine has continued to offer divine treasures to every reader. Why is the Divine doing this? We are in Mother Earth’s transition period. Mother Earth’s transition is the purification process of Mother Earth. The root cause of Mother Earth’s transition is the bad karma of humanity and Mother Earth. . . . The one-sentence secret of karma is: Karma is the root cause of success and failure in every aspect of life.”
www.drsha.com

I hope your day is as wonderful as you want it to be.

A Philosophers Notes – A great new site for spiritual expansion

I happened to come across a new site that I think is really worth taking a look at www.philosophersnotes.com

The “Chief Philosopher” of the site, the very well-spoken and positive professional, Brian Johnson, has put together a website with pdf synopsis’/mp3 audio clips and a plethora of other sections geared to providing information gleaned from 100 personal growth books. Johnson picked the 100 books mentioned, which date from history to present day, that he had found to be most influential. Many of the titles such as “The Four Agreements” and “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” are very recognizable, and Johnson’s clean breakdowns act as effective guides in highlighting key points. The nice thing about the breakdowns, is that they don’t act as replacements for the books, in fact, Johnson usually begins by saying something similar to “You must read this book,” or “Only read this book if you want to change your life.”
Think of it as sort of a book club/school for personal growth.

In addition to the book sections, Johnson provides individual segments on energy, courage, and more. The goal being to create a strong personal core for success in all parts of your life. There are also “Blissations,” subliminal messages you can have personally made for you. When it’s bedtime, check out the meditating sleep noise, such as ocean sounds (I am a fan). I’m glad to have come across this website. I think it’s a great boost during the day and a good way to see a glimpse at a number of powerful books, we may not have discovered on our own.

Have you used the site? We’d be interested in hearing your feedback, too!

imagine

July 9, Saturday, was a perfect day to go to Strawberry FIelds. A steady stream of people, mostly tourists from many countries, strolled past and took pictures or sat quietly. A guitar player sitting on a bench steadily played the Beatles music. And I was surprised to see so many people staying to enjoy the stillness and the music. So, I sat and watched and stayed for a long time. A man in his thirties got up from time to time to rearrange the roses and remove any little leaf or paper that fell. I wondered whether he appointed himself caretaker of the area. I stayed because I didn’t feel like leaving that pocket of quietness. Pictures continued to be taken and when the guitarist played “Imagine All The People Living Life In Peace” we sang, we hummed, we reflected. I was so glad to be in this place at this time. It was a fine place to reflect on peace for our world.

A second guitarist arrived to play, and the one who’d been playing placed his guitar on the ground. I didn’t want to leave, but it was time. It was a lovely peaceful Saturday afternoon in Manhattan. And the peace was felt by all those who were there. And that’s very good.