Re-conditioning
What if everything that is currently in your life is there because you created it that way? Would you argue that it was because of this event or that person? Would you look outside yourself for the circumstances that led you to where you are? Or would you look inside of yourself to determine when and how you made the choices that led you to where you are now?
Sobering thought, isn’t it? Why would you ever create your life to be less than satisfactory? And yet, we all do it.
From the moment we are born, the conditioning begins. We enter the world, and before we are even over the shock of leaving the warm coziness of our mother’s womb and squeezing through the birth canal, our first contact is one of pain as the birth attendant spanks us to get the oxygen and blood flowing. In some unconscious corner of our mind, we remember that life is about pain and suffering.
Even in womb, we are subject to the emotions and moods of our mother. We share her blood. We are part of her body. All of the chemicals and enzymes that she releases are pumped through our system too.
For example, when I was waiting to be born, my parents lived with my maternal grandmother, primarily due to tight finances. Before I was even born, I was conditioned to the idea that lack of finances causes stress. This was reinforced as I was growing up, and it was a situation I created again and again in my adult life. It was familiar to me. It was not only familiar, it was one of the foundational points of my life. It just WAS, like the air that I breathe. In my unformed mind, I made a decision that lack of money equals stress.
Ironically, I found that my resourcefulness would come most to the fore during my most challenging financial struggles. This, too, was a learned behavior as I got to watch my parents come up with solutions to the challenges that confronted them, usually after emotional outbursts and much stress. Is it no wonder that my most resourceful solutions used to come from pressure?
What areas in your life are on automatic? These will be the most difficult to uncover as they are so ingrained that you don’t even realize that it is your unique perspective. You believe it’s the way things are.
As you become more and more aware of the unconscious conditioning, you will be more able to direct your attention towards your goals until it becomes a habit.
Happy Birthday, Grammie
Today would have been my paternal grandmother’s 113th birthday. She passed on in 1971. Let me tell you about my relationship with Grammie.
When I was a very young girl – probably about 5 or 6 years old, my grandmother gave my brother a dollar, but she refused to give one to me, because she said that I would just spend it and my brother would put it in the bank. “To the bank, to the bank, to the bank, bank, bank,” she chanted to me.
Well, truth is, she was right. I AM a spender. I love what money can buy me. 
My life is rich and full, at least in part due to the experiences that I have had, most of which weren’t free. My brother, on the other hand, is a saver. He works hard and puts all of his money in the bank. I can’t even imagine how much he has amassed over the years. But he seldom spends it on anything.
If given a choice, which of course, I am, I would still choose to spend rather than save my money. However, the years have taught me that it is more wise to MANAGE money appropriately so that I have money to spend on any frivolous activity I please, as well as enough to meet my obligations. I have adopted the following system to manage my funds:
10% to my Financial Freedom Account – this account is money that is invested in passive income activities, so that I can grow my net worth at all times. Money NEVER comes out of this account.
10% to my Long Term Savings for Spending account(s) – This money is for long term goals – perhaps a vacation house, perhaps a trip to the British Isles, perhaps a new car. Whatever it is that I may want and can’t have yet, I set up an account for it.
10% to my Education fund – This is probably one of my favorite accounts. This is the money I use to attend personal development seminars, buy books, pay for coaching, anything that helps me to grow as an individual, because the more we grow, the more we can do and be in this world.
50% to my Necessities account. In the past, ALL of my money ALWAYS went to the necessities account, and I never had money to spend on those other things, so I would mindlessly splurge whenever I had some extra money, rather than taking the time to consider options. We tend to live within our “means,” and so if I made more money, I would take on more household expenses, etc. This step allows me to live well AND to live within these means.
10% to my Play account. This is the one I use to pamper myself – go out to really nice restaurants, spend a weekend in a luxurious hotel, get a manicure or go to the spa. The one rule with this one is that all of the money must be used up within the month. Woo hoo!
10% to my Giving Account. This is the account I use to help fund the causes I believe in. Primarily, being clergy, I donate to religious organizations of my choice or any work regarding sustainable living and/or environmental concerns.
Grammie and I had a rocky relationship. We were both very strong-willed and persistent – two good traits to have, for sure, but we didn’t always agree. We were both born under the sun sign of Taurus the Bull, and we locked horns many a time! And when I couldn’t get her to see my point of view, I would rebel.
For years, I rebelled against that one little litany: “To the bank, to the bank, to the bank, bank, bank!” And now I see that she was only trying to teach me, in the best way she knew how.
So, Grammie, Happy Birthday! And thank you so much for loving me in a way that pushed me to grow. It may have taken awhile for this stubborn mind to get it, but I now happily sing your song: To the bank, to the bank, to the bank, bank, bank!
Call to Action
Do you have anything that you have been putting off? Is your desk clean? Have you gone through your closet lately and purged that which you haven’t worn for over a year? How about your sock drawer? Sometimes if we just take care of the little things we have been putting off, we will free up psychic space to take care of other, bigger things.
On Sunday night, I reorganized my underwear drawer, and feeling so satisfied with that, I moved on to my sock drawer. Then I went through half my closet and got a box full of clothes to donate to the new Goodwill down the street from my house. That felt great!
On Tuesday, I took my car in to be serviced, only to find that my timing belt was about to go, so I got that taken care of before it escalated into a more serious problem. I’ve had the experience of a timing belt going while on the highway. I am certainly happy to have prevented that!
On Wednesday, I went to the dentist for a much-needed check up, and we had one of our best sales days at Comic Zone.
On Thursday, I was asked to participate on a leadership team in Nouveau Riche.
I truly believe these events are all related.
Do you want more success in your life? Make a decision. Take some action. Complete it successfully, no matter how small. It’s great practice for the bigger things and will get you there sooner.
Earth Day 2009
Today is Earth Day.
As a Neo-Pagan, Earth Day is rather a big deal for me. But, more importantly, what Earth Day symbolizes is much more significant. To me, Earth Day is a reminder to honor this planet on which we live and move and have our beings. Earth Day is a reminder to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Earth Day is a reminder that we have a responsibility to be stewards of this planet.
Kancamagus Hwy, NH
In our day and age, it is essential that we are sovereign within our own lives, that we take personal responsibility for our own kingdoms, that we act with honor and integrity, with fairness and generosity, and that we consider the consequences of our choices. This includes how we relate to the land and we must start with ourselves.
In my own home, I am very earth-conscious. I watch my energy usage, employing a programmable thermostat to regulate heating and air conditioning. I have a solar hot water system in my home. I have changed all of the lightbulbs in my house to the more energy-efficient kinds. I shade the south side of my house in the summer and open the shades in the winter to let in more natural heat. I am also in the process of planning a greenhouse on the south side of my home so that I can further control temperatures in my home, as well as grow edibles year round in my own yard. I already do grow some edibles – mostly herbs and plants that I use for cooking and medicinal use.
I also have plans to use some of the principles of rainwater harvesting, something that is very beneficial to this dry desert climate. I’ll start with installing an outdoor shower, something simple, yet valuable.
On a grander scale, if we don’t start changing our ways, we will continue to poison our air and our waters, which in turn, does no good for our own bodies. And I won’t even get into consequences of global warming and other catastrophes we have set in motion.
I love this planet. I am ever astounded by the beauty it freely offers all of the time. I experience intense joy at the song of a bird, or the colors of the sky at sunset. I literally worship the changing of the seasons and the gifts that each one brings. And most of all, I am ever appreciative of the abundant generosity that is ever extended to all of us on this planet – all of the food that grows from the soil, or that feeds on that which grows from the soil.
All that nourishes me on all levels is a freely given gift. In the spirit of hospitality, how can I do less than to give back to this wonderful planet by doing my part in whatever way I can to make a difference, to keep Earth beautiful and flourishing for lifetimes to come.
What is your Bucket List
Last night I watched the movie, The Bucket List, with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Morgan played Carter Chambers, a scholarly mechanic with a loving wife and family. Jack was an irascible millionaire named Edward Cole with no personal relationships beyond the long term employment with his personal valet/assistant. The two unlikely friends met in the hospital where they had been paired as roommates, after both being admitted for treatment of cancer.
But this isn’t a review of the movie. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it, and won’t give away any more than that. Rather, I want to discuss the prosperity in each of those men’s lives.
On one hand, we have Edward, self-made millionaire who claims he started making money at the age of 16. His life is one of fast cars, lots of lovers, gourmet foods, gorgeous house, trips all over the world; in other words, the best that money has to offer. On the other hand we have Carter, a family man who gave up his dream to be a history teacher when, while in college, he found out his wife was pregnant, and instead became a mechanic so he could raise his lovely family.
Which is the most prosperous?
Edward has all of the money he could ever want, more than he could ever use, a jet-set life, and experiences galore. How many of us long for such a life?
Carter, however, has worked hard for every penny he has earned, and has a loving family surrounding him. His life is full of love and meaning. He has a strong spiritual faith and a solid, down-to-earth acceptance of life as it is. How many of us wish we had such an idyllic life?
Who is the richer?
Wholistic Prosperity is about having BOTH… about taking the values that mean the most to you and ensuring that they are solid in your life, AND about having enough money, not only to take care of what’s important in your life, but also to have more of the finer things that life has to offer. There is no reason why it needs to be one or the other. And yet, so often I have seen people striving for money to the detriment of their family life, or giving up on one’s dreams just to earn a buck to feed one’s family.
How often do people marry their passions to their money-making? How many people find a way to have it all? That is my challenge to you. Create your bucket list – the list of things you want to accomplish in this life, and find a way to do them AND make money at the same time. It IS possible, and you may find that your bucket is really a pot of gold.
Harmonic Wealth
Recently I had the privilege of going to see James Arthur Ray speak on the Secret of Attracting the Life You Want. This was an event I wouldn’t have missed for anything! I am totally impressed that it was FREE, and even when he was obviously selling for his upcoming Harmonic Wealth weekend, I didn’t care, because the price for that weekend was SO reasonable. Talk about giving more value! He is a great example.
Since the moment I heard of James Ray, I have been impressed. I suppose it is in part because he is currently teaching about Harmonic Wealth, which sounds an awful lot like Wholistic Prosperity to me! Honestly, I hadn’t heard about him when I came up with the name. In fact, I came up with the name because I realized that not everyone wants to be a millionaire, and that prosperity cannot really be measured by the size of someone’s bank account, and that it has much more to do with how one interacts with life from ALL aspects of oneself.
In any case, one of the ways he impressed me that night was to demonstrate his way of working with people – challenging them right there, on the spot, in front of 450 other people – in ways that got his message across to everyone else witnessing it. Another way he impressed me was by offering all of his teachings with a money-back guarantee. He is so sure that his system works that he is willing to put it on the line. Wow. And finally, I loved the way that he challenged people’s beliefs even as he put into action a technique that would obviously benefit him. I really needed to see that!
I saw clearly that we can all benefit from every situation if we but let ourselves be aware of the benefits inherent within it. I saw that he was giving us a concrete demonstration of how our own perspective often gets in the way of taking action. At the same time, he had us considering a decision about our next step even before we had heard about it. I call that shrewd, and quite admirable. His resourcefulness is a great example of how to think and act in order to achieve our worthiest goals.
In any case, for two hours I was wowed, and I have no regrets.
The feminine physique/mystique
Recently, I discovered a new product that is making such a difference in my life that I want others to know about it. It’s an organic product known as an herbal wrap, and not only does it detoxify, but it helps people to lose inches. I had my first application at the end of March, and I have already lost 9 inches! This is with no noticeable change in diet or exercise regimes, both which continue as normal (namely low fat high protein diet and daily exercise). For me, this is revolutionary, as, in the past, I was the sort that tended towards gaining weight just by looking at food.
To be honest, I rather like a more rotund body shape. I like the softness of a full, rubenesque figure, and sometimes I feel as though I was born in the wrong century, as folks in this century, at least in America, seem to favor a thinner physique. Luckily, there are those who feel as I do, and who like the rest of me too. I could talk about how advertising influences our tastes and attitudes more often than not, but I will save that for another post.
Speaking of womanly shapes, lately I have been very aware of my womanhood. I recently participated in a workshop entitled, “The Many Seasons of a Woman’s Life: The Art of Reinventing Ourselves at Any Age.” In my forays into wealth-building, I usually find myself surrounded by high powered men, but in this workshop, I found myself comfortably surrounded by twenty or more women. What a treat! It didn’t even matter what the content was. It was just wonderful to be in the presence of so much estrogen. We understand each other in a different way. I don’t have to prove myself or push myself or compete. I don’t have to be at the top of my game, so to speak, and yet, I can be at the top of my BEING in such a setting, gracefully connecting with others.
I realize that there is a real need in our world for the qualities of the feminine, especially in the business/wealth building world. I am beginning to see the glimpse of a future endeavor for myself.
In the meantime, although I have both men and women customers for the body wraps, I find that more women are interested than men. Curious, eh? If you want to know more about these fabulous creations, please visit: http://www.itworks.net/wholisticprosperity, and feel free to comment with any questions you might have.
You are the One
Several times today, through various books, CDs, and other sources, I was reminded that as we learn to control our thoughts, so can we learn to create our lives to be more in accord with our values. So many of us just go along with the predominant societal thought of the day, and feel ourselves buffeted on a sea, seemingly out of our control.
waves rippling out into the world
I suggest that what is really out of control is how we think about our world and about the events in our lives. If we are not happy with the way things are going, then we need to tell ourselves a new story about our lives.
Today I was reminded that we all affect everyone else. Every thought that we send out is added to that in the collective consciousness. Every action sets off a chain of events that affects the world in ways we may not even realize. We each need to be responsible for our thoughts and our actions.
I know that I have done my fair share of polluting the psychic collective with some of my own negativity, but I am learning that I can let go of that past, see it from a different, more positive perspective, and let that new perspective lead me into my future.
So, how do we go about doing this?
Let me give you an example.
I could talk about my past as a study in poverty and lack. I could emphasize how no matter how successful I have been, I have always ended up struggling financially.
OR
I could talk about how many times I have found myself in success after success, how no matter how I slip, I always find the strength and capability to rise to greater heights than before. If I look back over my career successes, they are quite numerous, ranging from unheard–of promotions in the Master Trust Department of State Street Bank to now owning or partnering in four separate companies.
Do you see? In the first story, the glass is half empty. In the second story, the glass is half full.
And as soon as I come from the point of view that I am a business person successfully running four companies, I realize how very far I have come and how very much I can accomplish. This sets the stage for future accomplishments.
If you want to impact your life in a new way, you need to tell a new story – to yourself and to the world. Be honest, be authentic; just see it all from your new perspective and watch your life change.
You are the one who makes it happen. You are the one who creates it all. You are the one who can make a difference. You are the one that you have been waiting for. You are the One.
2,4,6,8. What do we appreciate?
Yesterday was one of those days when my thoughts appeared to be possessed by some low-vibration entity, and I could find only negative. Ever have days like that? It was quite unpleasant!
After emoting all over people that didn’t deserve to be privy to my negative thoughts, I was fortunate enough to talk to a friend who reminded me that I could look at my past and change my perception of it. She reminded me how important it is to appreciate all that has happened in my life, which has brought me to where I am now, and in turn, where I am headed.
Reaching for the sun
What a tremendous gift she gave me, as I shifted out of my bad mood into a realization of how very fortunate I am for the life I am living.
I woke up this morning with a strong realization of the source of a sense of unhappiness and discontent that I have carried for as long as I can remember. I realized that it started when my family moved from my grandmother’s house into our own little house not too far away. I was the first-born and my mother was pregnant with my brother. I was only two years old.
Well, it was a traumatic year for me. We had moved away from the only home I had known, and from my maternal grandmother, my Nana, who was the world to me. Mom was thinking of many other things besides me, and at one point, she even failed to see me, and tripped over me, spraining her ankle and having to be on crutches as she carried my soon-to-be-born brother in her womb. I was in the way.
In some subconscious place inside of me, I felt totally bereft. I had lost my Nana. My mother was too busy to be bothered with me, and then my brother was born, and I was further left to cope on my own. My father was always either working or worrying about money, and I felt alone and deserted.
All of these years, I did not remember all of this. Only yesterday, my friend reminded me that I could reframe my experiences, and this was the one I recalled. I thought about all of the many times in my life that I had relived this experience; all of the times when I felt I had been deserted and left on my own to cope, all of the times I was in the way, all of the times when I didn’t matter.
Suddenly, I realized that these experiences had given me the gift of myself. From a very young age, I learned that I couldn’t always count on others. From a very young age, I learned to be self-reliant. From a very young age, I learned to look to myself for strength in the face of adversity.
In that moment, I appreciated the experiences that have brought me to who I am today, and I felt a chain reaction as I forgave all of those who appeared to have abandoned me over the years.
Today, I am appreciative of the journey of my life, and I know that I wouldn’t trade a single experience for the gift of who I am in this moment. I know that my journey is far from over, and I have many wonderful adventures ahead of me.
But most of all, I know that in appreciating all that has been, and that which is in my life now, I will create a better future for myself.
I am grateful that I am so blessed.
WHOLISTIC PROSPERITY 