Living Energy Blog

“True personal growth is about transcending the part of you that is not okay and needs protection.”
Michael Singer

Transcendence requires a  process of growing, learning and being willing to change or transform. It is not a matter of denying or bypassing our pains and dark places, but of learning to pass through the difficult spaces and to ultimately embrace the truth of our essential/greater selves.

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• Personal Growth – It’s Never Too Late (wordkonnect.com)

I (Peg) am fascinated with the energetic aspects of money and what is does to us, what it does to society. For some time I have been thinking about the value of work and goods and services. Why do people work at jobs they don’t like? What factors go into deciding that an hour of time from one person is worth more or less than an hour of time from another? How did we get to the point where so many people are not earning a living wage while others have more than they will ever need or use? There are many reasons for all of this, on multiple levels.

What is interesting about our current times is that these topics have reached the mainstream and we are beginning to have intelligent conversations about them in many spheres of influence. Last week I started reading Debt: The First 5,000 Years, by David Graeber. Within a few days, a friend told me about Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in the Age of Transition by Charles Eisenstein. Interestingly enough, they were published on the same day: July 12, 2011, just ahead of the Occupy Wall St. movement. As I was scanning my email today, a third link came in. The Daily Good posted a story called: “When Generosity Meets Venture Capital.” When I delve deep into a topic, things often come to me in groups of three.

A public conversation about money, debt and humanity is emerging. It’s a growing movement and it’s exciting. During Biblical times, Jubilee years were held periodically where all consumer debt was cancelled. Just imagine how things would shift if we did this today! The time is right to envision a world where we all live in peace, health and happiness … and we can all contribute in one way or another.

Related articles

• Debt: The First 5,000 Years, by David Graeber (theglobeandmail.com)

Galaxy in Universe courtesy of thanucorn

Mark Borax’s Cosmic Weather Report for November is worth reading if you would like to gain a deeper understanding of our unprecedented times.

He articulates how the patterns and cycles of the past 40 years have moved into mainstream consciousness, with 57% of the USA supporting change.

He tells us why the time is right to step into our authentic selves, breaking free of past patterns that have kept us locked in place.

At minimum you may begin to understand your deeper self a little better and know that at times we have all been feeling a bit confused. It is part of the pattern.

Mark tells us that the next significant date of revolutionary social change is June 24, 2012. Hold on tight and ride the wave. You may find that moving forward is about going with the flow rather than fighting against it.

Flexibility and adaptability are definitely a sign of our times.

One of the latest challenges was the October Nor’easter that swept through New England last weekend. I (Peg) happened to be in NYC and was caught off-guard. Following a gorgeous late October Friday, the wet and heavy snow felt a bit surreal as we were suddenly plunged into winter. Sloshing through city streets with umbrellas blowing and wearing shoes instead of boots was not fun. The next day was gorgeous again: a clear blue and sun glistening through foliage. As we traveled north, however, a different picture emerged. Abandoned cars on snowy roadways and fallen trees soon gave way to long gas lines that reminded me of the 1970’s energy crisis. We knew something more had happened. Power was out throughout parts of NY, CT, MA and NH. Luckily we were able to fill the gas tank just when we needed it.

We arrived home to no power and an hour’s light left. Since our town felt like a war zone with extensive damage to trees and power lines, we decided to pack our bags for a Tuesday trip to CA and head further north where things were operating fine. I spent Monday with a client near the NH seacoast. By mid-day the snow had melted and everyone was preparing for Halloween. Simultaneously, Halloween was quickly being rescheduled in areas hard hit by the storm. Very early Tuesday morning we traveled back home and emptied our refrigerator by flashlight. Three days without power were beginning to take its toll on the refrigerator. Later in the day we arrived in San Diego, a world apart from the one we left behind, where five days later the power remains out in many areas. Along the way, our connecting flight was cancelled due to a maintenance issue. The two-hour delay gave us time to slow down, enjoy a meal and people-watch in Phoenix.

It’s been a whirlwind week with many experiences of energy extremes: calm vs. stormy weather, cool vs. warm temperatures, East vs. West coast, city energy vs. country vs. seacoast, the generosity of friends and neighbors, and more. I used much of the time to observe and study energy …energy of the environment, the weather, people, and people’s reactions to events, as well as my own feelings and reactions to the circumstances and events around me. I consciously pulled my energy in while riding the NYC subway and allowed it to expand and soak up the energy of the NH seacoast as well as the coastline of southern CA. I was grateful to one neighbor for clearing our driveway of fallen tree branches before we returned home on Sunday and for another driving us to the airport Tuesday morning. I was also grateful that we found gas exactly when we needed it on our return trip from NYC and to the airline customer service rep for rescheduling us on the next flight to San Diego after the cancelled flight. We were delighted to find our luggage waiting for us when we arrived and now look forward to visiting our West Coast family and friends.

We are clearly living through changing times. An effective response is to be flexible and adaptable. Know that plans may change at any time. Be open to the unexpected and maintain a sense of curiosity about what it may bring. Notice your reactions and feelings. If you find yourself getting tense or feeling stressed, breathe. Take a step back, reflect about what is going on and more importantly, notice your reaction to what is occurring. You may not be able to change what is happening, but you are in charge of your reaction to it. Use these changing times to practice going with the flow. Be flexible, kind, compassionate, and patient. Adapt to each situation at hand based on what is happening in the moment. You may find it’s an easier way to live.

I have heard many times that emotional imbalances are the root of all illness. It follows that when we dissolve or heal the emotional trigger, we heal ourselves. It sounds easy. In my opinion, however, it is a life-long process. Learning to heal our emotional wounds is what our lives are all about. Every event, interaction and relationship provides ample opportunity for practice.

One of the dilemmas is that the root causes of the triggers are often held in our subconscious, out of our awareness. So how can we deal with something that we aren’t even aware of? This is the Catch 22, the ago-old dilemma. After all, if we were aware of what needed to change, we could choose to change it. Correct? We could also save ourselves a lot of anguish, money, time and energy along the way.

Perhaps one of the problems is that we are using the wrong approach and incorrect tools. Rather than try to continually “do” something or “fix” yourself, maybe the solution is really to simply “be” who you really are. Being who you really are begins with accepting wherever you’re at right now. Accept and acknowledge how you are truly feeling. Once you accept things as they are, resistance falls away and a shift toward wholeness begins.

Accepting things as they are requires accepting personal responsibility for your role in it. This includes your perception of what is happening as well as your reaction to the world around you, particularly judgment of others. Play with the concept that others around you mirror what is happening and provide clues about what you need to accept, acknowledge, shift or change. Play with the concept that no one does anything to you. Those around you are merely a catalyst for things you are doing to yourself or aspects of yourself that you have hidden away. Acceptance and forgiveness provide the way out.

Play with the concept of softening your heart; practice being aware of your experiences and your feelings. Your feelings provide the clues. Any negative, low, tense or dense feelings indicate opportunities for change. Lighter, higher, and happier feelings move you up the scale towards unconditional love.

Healing our hearts in not about always being happy though. We are human. We will have ups and downs throughout our lives. If you can genuinely experience three times as many ups as downs, though, you will be well on your way to healing your heart.

Related articles

• The Difference Between Healing and Curing (pdresources.wordpress.com)

I have been watching the Occupy Wall St. protests with much interest. Although I empathize with the participants and understand their plight, approaching change from a position of disempowerment is simply not effective. It may strengthen the very cause they rally against. Blaming others is low energy that moves in the opposite direction of where the group wants to be. In addition, it is likely to bring a higher level of discontent rather than the change they seek.

Personal empowerment is an inside job. It is something that each one of us must create for ourselves. That said, a group of empowered people moving in unison with common goals can be an amazing catalyst for positive change. Wall St. is about money and profits. Large groups of people have “the power of the purse.” One effective approach would be to identify exactly what they want changed and then begin to make it happen.

If the Occupy Wall St. participants don’t like big banks, then perhaps consciously using debit and credit cards less often will make an impact. Bringing business to small, local banks or local credit unions could be an acceptable alternative. Cash or alternative systems such as bartering could be another answer.

If supporting big business is unsavory, then buy local. Buying local returns money to the community many times over. Buying local could help revitalize Main St. in many communities and help friends and neighbors return to work. Buying local could also help support the growth of healthy and sustainable food supplies that use no pesticides and consume less petroleum.

If overseas jobs are the problem, consciously buy American made goods. ABC News is doing a fabulous job highlighting products made in the USA with their series “Made in the USA.” As a result, many American companies have emerged and put their products on the map, often at very competitive prices to imports. More business enables them to hire more employees and purchase more supplies from American suppliers, expanding the circle of giving and receiving.

Self empowerment can bring prosperity, along with inner peace, health and wellness, life balance, job satisfaction, meaningful relationships, and more. Everything that happens in your life is in relationship to the subtle energy of your heart, the energy that you hold subconsciously, below the surface. As you heal the wounds in your heart (including feelings of shame, blame, humiliation, despair, regret, guilt, anxiety, apathy, grief, fear, anger, hate, scorn, jealously, etc.) your frequency strengthens and things begin to fall into place more easily.  All of this is an inside job and no one can do it for us. It is also a life-long process.

It doesn’t matter where you begin. What’s important is that you DO begin. Different methods work for different people. Some people like to work alone and others prefer to work in groups (such as those participating in Occupy Wall St.). Practice taking positive action and making each day better or a little lighter for yourself than the previous one. What one thing can you do today to lighten up? How about simply breathing, slowly … in and out … for one to two minutes minimum? You can do this anywhere. This practice will slow your heart rate and help ground your energy. It will help bring inner peace, clarity and focus.

Change comes from the inside, from our hearts. One of the benefits of positive change is personal empowerment.

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• (Quick-hit Reblog) Remaining Human: A Buddhist Perspective on Occupy Wall St.reet (andallmannerofthings.wordpress.com)

It is time to lighten up. The unprecedented changes that are affecting every level of society are also being felt by each one of us at the individual level. One way this is manifesting is through a deep need to let go of what we may have once loved in order to make room for new opportunities, possibilities and circumstances.

In recent months, many people, myself included, have experienced accelerated shifts. Some have done this proactively and consciously, others taken action in response to feeling too much pressure, and some were forced to change due to unanticipated or unexpected have events.

One of the keys to shifting for the better or attracting new opportunities to you is to lighten up. There are many ways to do this. Recently a friend of mine mentioned how much lighter she feels since closing her business.  In addition to her spirit being lighter and brighter, she is feeling healthier, more motivated and excited about her future. Her family relationships are much stronger and happier. Although her business was a life dream, within a year it became a huge drain on her finances as well as her physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. She knew something had to shift. She took a huge leap and shut it down entirely. Rather than just walking away she took tremendous care to honor her creditors and maintain trust in all of her relationships. As a result, amazing things are happening for her. Now that her burden is lifted, new opportunities are coming her way. What a life lesson!

Change is inevitable. What can you lighten up or release in your life to help align your energy with the times we are in?

Cover via Amazon

“My message is always the same: to cultivate and practice love, kindness, compassion and tolerance.” Dalai Lama

This timely quote from the Dalai Lama came to me this morning through HeartMath.

Have you heard the phrase “thoughts create things?” I am a firm believer that words create things too. Tune into the words all around you … your words, others’ words, the words you see and hear.  Notice the messages being conveyed. More importantly, observe how the words both reflect and amplify what is happening. Do the words give power to what we want or are they strengthening the circumstances we wish to change?

Expressing oneself authentically can be a tricky process. How do we consciously choose words that reflect good feelings when our experience is so different?  This is where the cultivation and practice of love, kindness, compassion and tolerance can make a difference. And it begins deep within oneself. One way to begin is to omit the “no’s.” One friend recently lamented: “No job, no prospects, no income.” Well this will probably continue to be the case until this person consciously shifts her energy. A way to express this with more self compassion might be: I’m ready for a job, job prospects and income! Instead of saying “I’m not …,” began to say “I AM …”

Like anything new, there’s a learning curve. Observe everyone and imitate people who communicate effectively in a loving and compassionate manner. Each day provides ample opportunities to learn from others … your family and friends, your workplace, the supermarket and retail centers, public events, community gatherings, the media. Listen with open ears and an open heart. What feels genuine? How can you empathize with others without joining them in a spiral-down conversation? What new ways can you communicate without complaining? There are lots of ways to go about this and there are some wonderful role models. Look for them and I guarantee you will find them. Learn some new approaches and become a role model for others. Two people I admire are Oprah Winfrey and Diane Sawyer. Both have a way of being truly present with people, feeling their pain and conveying their experience with kindness, love and compassion.

Like everything, words carry energy and are quite powerful. Choose your words consciously to cultivate and practice love, kindness, compassion and tolerance. Each day brings an opportunity to develop your skill and get a little better at it. Before long it will be a habit. As your habit strengthens it will become a belief. Once it is a belief, it will become imprinted in your cells and be automatically reflected in your words and actions.

Language is an amazing tool that can change the world and we can all participate. BE the change you wish to see in the world and eventually it will be reflected in your life.

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Everything that I have been studying and reading lately reinforces how change must come from the heart. Inner peace, health and wellness, life balance, job satisfaction, meaningful relationships, prosperity and much more … everything really … is in relationship to the subtle energy of your heart, the energy that you hold subconsciously, below the surface. As you heal your heart, your frequency shifts and things begin to fall into place more easily.  All of this is an inside job and no one can do it for us. It is a life-long process. The Healing Code by Alex Loyd and Ben Johnson brought much of this together for me. It’s another method to release our blocks and improve our lives. Check it out, along with some of our Living Energy programs. It doesn’t matter where you begin. Different methods work for different people. What is important is that you make each day better or a little lighter for yourself than the previous one, regardless of what is transpiring on the outside. What can you do today to lighten up? One step forward is enough.

In the same way that we use a principle of Feng Shui to de-clutter our homes, it is also important to de-clutter our minds! As the previous post stated, we sabotage ourselves daily. We do not mean to pull the rug out from under our selves, but it can happen even with our best conscious intentions. What trips us up on the road to our dreams is not what is in conscious awareness. What blocks our way is the ‘stuff’ of our mind that is like junk in the basement that has been packed away in boxes for so long that we have forgotten it was there. And then there is the ‘stuff’ that we told others they could store there or the ‘stuff’ that came from the ancestors that accumulated quietly in the corners! No one intends for this to occur, it is just part of the experience of being human.

 By becoming aware of what is rocking around in the basement of our mind (subconscious) and eliminating it we can free up energy to direct toward what we truly desire in our lives.

We all have developed some ‘mistaken beliefs’ about ourselves, others or the world. The best and easiest place to start cleaning house is to look at these with an eye to eliminating what we can and making the rest more functional.

 What follows is a list of some of the most common troubling beliefs that people carry deep within. Take your time to read through the list and notice which ones cause you to react. You may experience strong emotions or perhaps only a slight discomfort. OR, you may have an adverse reaction such as: “Well that’s foolish, who would ever think that!” Sometimes strong denial is our biggest clue that there is something going on in the deeper realms! So read the list slowly, giving yourself the gift of an honest appraisal.

 Faulty Beliefs

I’m not good enough 

I’m not acceptable 

I’m not loveable

 I don’t deserve to be loved

I’m not wanted 

I don’t belong/ can’t find my place in this world

Nothing ever works for me

 Life is a struggle

 I can’t express myself well/at all

 Nobody understands me 

It’s not safe to trust 

I am betrayed by life

 I am insignificant 

I am not capable 

There’s no hope for me

I don’t deserve to love/ be loved 

I am stupid

 I cannot be myself/have no real sense of who I am

 I am weak and have no defenses 

I am always/will be/deserve to be deprived and abandoned

Becoming aware of these beliefs may even be painful at the start. However if you commit to rooting them out, the rewards you gain will far outweigh any discomfort you experienced. Identifying them is the first step. Taking steps to erase them from your inner programming is the second. There are many tools for doing this and many are included in our recorded programs. Some people prefer to work individually with a practitioner to ferret out and release these beliefs. The important thing is that you DO something, they will not simply melt away because you want them to!

Here are some tips to help you along the way–

1)  De-clutter your space.  You can begin with a small area such as your kitchen table or even a counter-top.  Remove all trash.

2)  Write 1-3 intentions about what you wish to happen in your life.  Write these very clearly.  Be specific.  Write them in the present tense, just as if they are happening today.

3)  Get ready to receive what you wish to happen.  Get out of your own way and believe it can really happen.  It you doubt it, it won’t happen. It’s that simple.

 4)  De-clutter your mind through examining and eliminating unconscious beliefs

 5)   Use the power of your mind via imagery, visualization and relaxation to help you  release problem beliefs as well as to install new programs for success.

 6)    Notice the small successes.  The best growth is through the ‘feel good’ not the ‘feel bad’.