Radiant Transformation

Building Self Confidence

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:43:42 -0700

For over 1 year, I have been working as an Internet Coach and have gotten to know many people on a personal basis. The people I have worked with are at many different levels. There are some who can be guided along and shown the steps to success and there are others who need to be pulled along. However, as I get to know people, I have gained certain insights as to the factors that stop success and one of those things has to do with a lack of Self-Confidence.

Building Self Confidence is something that doesn't happen overnight, but it is often something that is overlooked in the context of improving one's life. I would like to discuss this topic a bit and give some pointers as to how someone with low or no self confidence can start increasing it in order to experience more of what they desire.

First off, we need to understand that Self Confidence has to do with YOUR perception of yourself. Have you ever known someone who is overly critical of themselves, but if you were to ask 10 other people who know the person, you would get 10 different perceptions and most of them would not be as critical as the perception of that same person? How is it possible to have many different variations of perceptions when there is only one truth? This tells us that Perception Does NOT equal Reality. And when we start to feel negative about ourselves, perhaps a good question to ask would be if God would have the same perception. This helps to get us out of the inner drama that we have created and look at the situation from a higher perspective.

People who have a lack of self confidence are people who look at their limitations and translate those into negative emotions. Those negative emotions then affect many other areas of their lives because they feel "inferior" or "incapable" in some way. People who have self confidence know about their limitations, but they don't allow their limitations to translate into negative emotions that affect their further growth. The fact is that everyone has limitations. Here are 2 examples of how a limitation can affect someone's progress in 2 different ways:

I look too young, therefore, others will view me as not capable of holding any managerial or leadership positions.

or

I look young and youthful, therefore, others will have more respect for me because of my youthfulness and health.

The reason I use this example is because the former is a negative belief system that I experienced previously in my life. This negative belief system affected my self confidence. You can do this exercise for any limitation that you are experiencing. First, state the limitation, then add the remaining part of the sentence that describes how it affects you. In other words, I have this _______, therefore ________________________. After you have done that, then take the same limitation and find a positive statement that cancels out the negative. Notice that you are not removing your limitation, you are simply replacing your perception of the limitation to one of a more positive nature.

The other important aspect of Self Confidence involves Love of Self. I don't mean this in an egotistical way that makes you want to have more and be more than others. Self Love does not involve comparisons. Stop comparing yourself to other people. If you get sucked into that, you will find that there are always people who are better off than you and there are always people who are worse off than you. You simply need to love yourself because you are YOU. You are the only YOU (and that is something special). God loves you unconditionally and you need to love yourself unconditionally as well. It doesn't mean that you have to accept how things are, but that you need to not make your love of yourself dependent upon your success. Think about a newborn baby. That baby has done nothing of major significance, but yet the love you have for a newborn baby is so wonderful. That is unconditional love.

The next step in this process involves Gratitude. If you take every unpleasant situation and change your perception of it to something positive, then you will have self confidence. There is a silver lining in everything, even if it is simply to make us stronger or to teach us something, we can always find something positive. So start today to consciously make the change to think in a different way... in a way that truly brings you closer to God. By doing so, you will find greater self confidence and help you to experience more of what you truly desire.

Characteristic of Zodiac Sign

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:17:51 -0700

In Astrology, the Zodiac represents a Zone in the heavens that contains the paths of the Sun, Moon, and planets. Within this pathway, this zone is divided into 12 signs, namely Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Each of the 12 Signs represents a period of time during the year. Because of the relationship between our universe and our own lives, there are certain characteristics that can be attributed to you, in general, based on your own date of birth.

The Characteristic of Zodiac Sign can give us great insights into our day to day living as well as the many talents, characteristics and weaknesses we possess. You can discover much relevant information about yourself by learning about your Zodiac sign.

For centuries, humans have looked to the heavens for guidance. Astrology is, put simply, the study of the correlation between the astronomical positions of the planets and events on earth. Astrologers believe that the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the time of a person's birth have a direct influence on that person's character. These positions are thought to affect a person's destiny, although many Astrologers feel that free will plays a large role in any individual's life.

We, can be used as a powerful and fun tool for understanding ourselves, others, and the world around us. We use many different tools, or languages, to define and understand our world. For example, we can use psychological tools and terminology to explore human behavior. Similarly, Astrology gives us rich tools for understanding human character, and offers us a language for communicating our observations with others.

While we can use the natal chart (also called a birth chart or horoscope) as a "window" into any individual or event, we should never use it to pass judgment or to label people. Neither should we use it as an excuse for our behavior! We can never purport to know absolutely everything about someone just because we have their natal chart before us. It is a good idea to approach Astrology as an imperfect language. Even if it were perfect, we are not, so our interpretations can never be considered anywhere close to perfect. It follows to be wary of anyone claiming to be an Astrologer who also alleges to "know all", or makes dire predictions. This kind of practice is not only irresponsible and misleading, it can affect the lives of those who believe them in adverse ways.

Maintaining Balance in an Unbalanced World

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:49:24 -0700

In ancient Greece, there are 2 sayings that were inscribed on the temple of Apollo in Delphi. One of which is "Know Thyself" and the other is "Nothing to Excess." The phrase "Nothing to Excess can also be compared to the phrase "Moderation in All Things". We all know from personal experience just how easy it is to get caught up in something at the exclusion of other important areas of our life. I would assume that practically everyone on the Earth today has felt like their life is (or was) out of balance at some time. The better question may be what things are "In Excess" and what needs to happen to "Bring your Life into More Balance."

Achieving and Maintaining Balance is, actually, one of the biggest challenges facing people today. How many people do you know who claim to be "too busy"? Well, I don't know about you, but EVERYONE I know seems TOO BUSY. There is the job, family concerns, errands to run, food to buy, people to talk to, repairs, play time, etc. When you add it all up, there is never enough time in a day to get everything done. Sometimes your job can be the culprit. Do you know anyone who works 10 hours or more a day? How much time does this person have for relaxation and attending to all of the various activities? Sometimes, everyday worries and concerns can tempt us to get out of balance. We worry for this or worry for that and we find ourselves unbalanced mentally because all we're doing is worrying. Or how about the person who spends all their time at the gym and they've got a great body to show for it, but they've neglected their family? On the opposite side, how about the person who never gets any physical activity? Or how about the person who spends hours upon hours everyday in front of the TV? Even certain kinds of foods taken to an extreme can cause imbalance in your body.

Balance is maintaining a consistent, healthy lifestyle on a daily basis in mind, body and spirit, regardless of your circumstances and situations. In other words, there is equal focus and attention given to each of the main areas of our life. Here are some tips for achieving balance in these different aspects of our lives:

Balancing Your Mind

A balanced mind means that we are aware of where our thoughts are throughout the day. We consciously focus on the here and now. We are observant to the happenings around us, yet we are actively directing our thoughts to our task at hand. Many people allow their mind to wander throughout the day. The wandering thoughts generally go to the past to mull over experiences or situations that made an impact in some way or another or they go to the future to events that represent hopes, dreams or fears of future scenarios. In the movie Napoleon Dynamite, I think the perfect example of someone who continually dwelt in the past is Uncle Rico, who constantly daydreamed about his days on the high school football team.

Yesterday is gone. There is nothing we can do to go back and change what has happened in the past. We can learn from our mistakes, though, or remember happy or satisfying experiences. These thoughts of our past can also trigger depressive or sad feelings such as regret or guilt. Sometimes these feelings hold us back and stop us from letting go of the unresolved negative feelings. In this way, our yesterdays will impact our today's in negative ways and we will remain anchored to the past.

Another way that we become unbalanced mentally is when we allow our thoughts to wander into the future. These thoughts will cause feelings of anxiety, fear of the unknown and unnecessary pressure. While it is important to maintain the belief and expectation that our goals will be realized, there is a proper way of doing this. For example, we can not act in the future. We can only act in the here and now. And sometimes the daydreaming of our future can steal the joy of the moment if we are worried about the future. The reality is that we can only take steps toward our goals one day at a time. Each day is a gift, which is why they call it the present, an old saying that makes a lot of sense! To attain and maintain balance in your mind, keep your thoughts focused on the present. Trying to focus on everything that could potentially happen is a lot of stress to be carrying around. Find joy in the moment.

Balancing Your Body

Balancing your body involves exercising regularly, eating the proper foods in the proper amounts, as well as getting the proper amount of sleep along with other activities that contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise each day is an amount recommended by many doctors and nutritionists as an optimal time period. At times, when people get too busy with work or other activities, sometimes they don't get the exercise they need. But not only are there many physical benefits, exercise also helps to balance the mind and spirit also. Exercise releases natural endorphins that help your body to relax and feel good. Walking continues to be one of the healthiest forms of exercise, although there are many others that are also beneficial. I enjoy swimming.

Monitoring food intake and becoming aware of the types of food that your body needs and best responds to also helps you attain and maintain balance. Vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, nuts are all important parts of a healthy diet. A Nutritionist that I highly respect once defined "food" as the following: something that can be digested, assimilated and eliminated. Not everything we eat fits that criteria. Do you know how many types of chemicals have been added to our "food" supply since the early 1900's? I'll give you a hint... Its in the thousands and maybe tens of thousands. No wonder so many people are sick nowadays. For a good online source of quality health food products, check out True Foods Market or Manna Harvest.

Another important element in maintaining body balance is getting the proper amount of sleep each night. Most people suggest 8 hours, although this may be varied based on the needs of the person. I've known people who simply don't need that much sleep and others who need more. Sleep is also a part of balancing your thoughts. I have noticed that when I try to push myself too much and stay up too late, my days don't go as well till I get enough sleep. In fact, most people do not get enough sleep and therefore are unable to have daily balance or be as productive or effective to their full potential.

In terms of other items that affect balance in this area, we can include drinking plenty of water, limiting/eliminating the intake of alcohol, smoking, drugs and minimizing exposure to toxins or other chemicals both externally as well as internally.

Balancing Your Spirit

Balancing your spirit will increase your peace and joy each day. Everyone needs some "Alone" time where you can stop and listen to the insights that come through you. Spending time in meditation every day helps with. A spiritual connection will also decrease confusion and increase clarity when things just do not make sense in the world and no one person seems to have an answer. Many religions advocate prayer and I strongly believe that not only is there a God, but our God (or our Heavenly Father) loves us and wants to hear from us. We do not always get the answers we want, but we do get the answers we need, when we ask in faith.

Many people confuse spirituality with religion. While they are intertwined, they are still separate. Religion can be a part of an individual's spirituality, however it is not the same thing. A person can be spiritual, but not participate in an organized religion. Spirituality is a belief in a higher power and a desire to follow the will of that Higher Power. Most people refer to God, in this way. Religion is usually an organized group of people with the same set of beliefs. I have my religion, which I believe, but just because someone is a member of a religion does not mean that they are spiritual. Nor does regular attendance to a particular meeting (even though the meetings can help you learn to be more spiritual). The real test to your spirituality comes from who you become and how your relationship with God develops and improves over time. Reading Scriptures, such as the Bible, can help bring into our lives a closeness with our Creator and will help us to be more at peace, free of anxiety, worries or fear.

Taking on too much, wanting to be "in control," or feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders are signs of being out of balance spiritually. This will also impact your thinking and your emotional well-being, as well as body balance.

Start now to assess your balance and experience life more fully!

The Adoption of Jose

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:14:06 -0700

I have had many amazing dreams in my life, but one that kind of stands out is one I had back in 2003 where my wife and I had adopted a little Hispanic boy, named Jose, who was 2 or 3 years old at the time of adoption. That was pretty much all of the details I remembered from the dream. It was actually kind of strange because not once had we ever considered adoption, nor talked about it. We didn't need to. Our kids seemed to come pretty regularly. First Rachel, then Jane, then Allison and then Wendy. But it was one of those kinds of dreams that left a strong impression, however, at the time, there was no way we could have considered it, so we dismissed the thought from our minds.

A year later, our situation had changed and I was working for another company and I heard that the company had an adoption program. When I found out, I remembered the dream and started thinking more about it. I told my sister and she said that I should check out Adoption.com. So, I did a search at this website looking for a "Jose" who was 2 or 3 years old. Surprisingly enough, there was one. I looked at the picture and showed my wife and asked her what she thought and if adopting this little boy was something that she would even consider. Well, she was open to the idea, so we started moving forward in that direction and figuring out what needed to be done. We found out that Jose was located in Guatemala and that the average cost would be around $24,000. We didn't have that amount of money in the bank, so in reality, we just started down the path of adoption without really knowing how we were going to do it.

We had to get an assessment from a family counselor to show that we would be good parents for an adoptive child. Then, there were numerous forms and tests that needed to be done, which had to be submitted to the U.S. government. We had to have 3 different types of background checks, including ones on a local, state and federal levels. After we finally received the approval from the U.S. side, then we had to do more things to get the approval from the Guatemalan side. I think the total time was approximately 18 months, from start to finish, although we probably could have done things quicker.

In the beginning, I thought I would try and go directly to the orphanage. I figured I'd probably be able to shave off several thousand that way. The crazy thing is that I did manage to find the exact orphanage in Guatemala where Jose was at and the director was willing to deal directly with me. The problem, though, was that he wasn't willing to assign the boy to us, until we had the approval from the U.S., which we were still working on. So, that "Jose" was reassigned to another family. We were really disappointed, but we proceeded forward and found out that there was another Jose in that same orphanage. It turns out, he was also 2 at the time. My wife and I looked at the picture and felt like we could adopt this other Jose. Well, time ticked on and we still didn't have the U.S. approval. We did eventually get it, but, unfortunately, the other Jose had been reassigned as well. We didn't know what to do. We asked about other children at the orphanage, but all of them were pretty much less than 1 year old. We wanted one that was a little older because we were expecting a baby (Wendy) at the time and we didn't want 2 babies at the same time. So, we told the orphanage director that we would go with a one-year old named Edgar. We figured that maybe the "dream" was just to get us to adopt and perhaps the name and age didn't really matter. We also figured that if this wasn't the right boy, then something would happen to prevent that. Well, the next morning, we received an email from the director stating that "Edgar" was no longer available. He had some heart conditions and was going to need surgery.

At this point, we were dumbfounded and didn't know what to do. However, the following morning, I received an email from a lady in Florida that I had contacted previously. She recommended that I check out a different website that had pictures of lots of Guatemalan children. I had not seen that website before, so I checked it out and immediately found 3 different boys that I felt like could be possibilities. The problem was that they were all with an adoption agency, Commonwealth Adoptions. The reason it was a problem was because it was going to cost $7000 more than going directly to the orphanage. But after getting the runaround with the orphanage director in Guatemala and also due to making a decision on one of the boys (whose name was Jose and was 2 1/2, we finally decided that we should do it anyway).

Going with the Adoption Agency was a smart move. They showed us everything we needed to do in the order it needed to be done. I couldn't have asked for a better agency and Susana, the lady who helped us, was simply a pleasure to work with.

We know we were led to this particular boy. When his foster mother brought him to the hotel in Guatemala City, he came right to me and gave me a big hug. It was such a special moment. That night, in the hotel, I let him sleep in bed with me and he was so happy and kept giving me hugs. Tears streamed as I realized that God was using me to bless this little boy's life with something that he didn't have, a family. Every child deserves a family and the feeling I experienced in that moment was simply wonderful.

On Thanksgiving Day of 2005, I flew home with my newly adopted Jose. It seemed kind of symbolic that it was at Thanksgiving time. Jose was such a hug giver. He would literally hug every person he saw who was within reaching distance. So, everyone at the restaurants and airport all got hugs... It was pretty cute, but at the same time, it was kind of sad. He didn't know who he belonged to. His birth mother had dropped him off at an orphanage at 9 months, then he was in at least 3 different sets of foster homes, including one where he really got very little to eat, mostly just formula. His teeth were in bad shape and we ended up having 6 of them pulled. We were waiting outside at the airport as my wife pulled up and Jose reached up for her while she was still driving. My 4 little girls were all very interested in their new little brother and were practicing "hola" over and over. Within 1/2 hour of Jose arriving at home, my girls had him all dressed up with purses, bracelets and necklaces. I had to explain that boys were a little different, but Jose didn't seem to mind, he loved the attention.

Learning to Surrender

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:22:10 -0700

In terms of Spiritual Growth, surrendering our will to God can be challenging at times. As imperfect beings, not all of our desires are in alignment with God's plan. Sometimes we wish for things that are not in the Highest Good for ourselves nor others who may be affected by our desire. Even Jesus Christ, himself, once asked the Father, "If it be thy Will, please let this cup pass from me." But yet, He gave up his will, for something that was better for all involved. Abraham, also, was willing to sacrifice his son, the love and joy of his life, to follow God's will.

How many times do we have situations where we want something so much and something different happens. We have certain expectations and when those expectations are not fulfilled, we feel let down, discouraged, unhappy, angry, frustrated, etc. But then time passes and somehow we get through the situation and as we look back at it months or even years down the road, it becomes very clear that the things that DID happen were part of the plan that you were meant to go through. For example, you realize that the "other" job you took rather than the one you really wanted was, in fact, the best way for you to go. Or you realize that the suffering you experienced from the death of a loved one really taught you things you couldn't have learned any other way. Or perhaps, the person that offended you and hurt you so badly was really the catalyst for you to develop more forgiveness in your life.

In each of these challenges, God provides a way for something better to come of it as long as we turn to Him. But how many times do we allow ourselves to wallow in the mire of self-pity and despair? We blame God or even deny His existence as we say, "Surely, if there was a God, He wouldn't have allowed for this thing to happen". Well, that's frankly not true because God has given each of us the gift of free agency, the freedom to make choices and sometimes the bad choices we make have negative consequences. The other important point here is that not all bad things that happen are a result of making bad choices. There are many innocent people who are affected by circumstances beyond their earthly control. For example, the child who was born with a disability, people who die from famines or earthly catastrophes. When we came to this life, there was a plan in place for us to go through certain experiences. I personally believe that we actually took part in creating our own unique plan for this life that is based on the kinds of things we wanted to experience. And perhaps you are thinking "Well, yes, but I never would have wanted to experience that." What we need to understand is that our perspective often changes and perhaps we did realize it would be difficult, but we saw the greater good that would come out of it. For example, in order to appreciate happiness, we must experience unhappiness. In order to fully appreciate the light, we must experience the darkness and so it goes, "There must needs be opposition in all things". Another example are the times we struggle and struggle for the things we desire and then finally, we accomplish it. If you were to compare your feelings of how you felt after the intense struggle with having that thing given to you with no effort on your part, in which situation would you feel greater bliss and happiness? Obviously, the one where you had previously experienced the struggle. God knows this and as we helped to plan our Earth lives, I believe that we understood this as well.

Once we understand that everything happens for a reason, that there are no coincidences in life and that there is always a silver lining in all experiences IF we turn back to God, then we can handle the challenging experiences a lot easier because we see things from a Higher perspective. Surrendering our will to God doesn't mean we give up our goals and desires. In contrast, we need to have a clear picture of what we truly want. That's how we are guided in our life. We follow our true desires and what resonates with us deep down. But how do we know when to go for it and when we need to surrender? Thats a question I have often pondered. For me, I think about in this way. We are the creators of our reality. We decide the ultimate goal of what we want and then we take that and give it to God. We say, "This is our desire" and then we let God handle "the how". Sometimes we have expectations as to how it is supposed to happen. But when we understand that is our job to form the vision and it is God's job to figure out the details so to speak. Sometimes we get so caught up in "how" it is supposed to happen that we end up worrying and then we are defeating the purpose of even having the goal. We need to completely release the expectations of "how" and realize that God knows the best way to handle it in a way that is for the Highest Good of all involved.

The idea of surrender also applies to the ultimate goal or vision that we have because there are many times that we don't get that ultimate goal even though we have done everything we can think of. But again, we must remember that God's perspective is different. For example, perhaps we desire a particular job because we think that job will give us a feeling of empowerment and bring greater happiness. But God sees it a bit differently. He sees that we desire a feeling of greater empowerment and happiness in our work and He knows that that the specific job we think we want actually would not provide the deeper feeling that we desire. So, something completely different and unexpected happens. Perhaps you get laid off or you have to move suddenly. Then, something else comes up that is so much better for you in the long run. And then we realize that God really did know what He was doing.

The key here is how we approach these challenging situations. Instead of asking the question, "Why Me?", perhaps we can ask a better question, such as "What would Thou have me learn from this experience?" or What is the best thing for me to do about this?" The latter will always lead to greater growth whereas the former will only attract more of the same negative experiences.

Realizing Our Full Potential

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:07:43 -0700

Becoming all that we can be is a subject I have thought a lot about throughout my life. How many times do we limit ourselves by telling ourselves that we can't do something because we don't have the talent, money, time or whatever? Yet, deep inside us, there is this feeling that we can't let go of. It tugs at our heart strings saying, "You know you want it... wouldn't it be nice to experience that? It could be a major undertaking such as trying out for the Olympics or it could be something as simple as learning a new skill. Why do people limit themselves and tell themselves that they can't do something? I've heard the quote, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right"... It's like we have the little devil and the little angel on each of our shoulders battling it out and we have to choose which one we are going to follow.

Our society is very left brained (or logically) oriented. The left brain is important, however, it can be detrimental if we only rely on that part of us to make decisions. Decisions need to also include our heart... or gut feeling... and perhaps to your logical mind, it doesn't make sense. Perhaps you don't have the money right now to do that thing. Perhaps there is no possible way (to your logical mind), but you know... there is always a way, if your desire is strong enough and you believe. Yes, it is true that you might have to take a few steps in the dark, but that is what faith is all about. How can we really grow unless we have those experiences and opportunities that teach us how to trust completely in God that he will show us the way.

I have had one of those feelings for a long time to sing with an A Cappella Group. But I kept putting it off year after year because I was too busy with work and everything else going on in my life. Then finally in Feb 2006, I had enough and I told that little devil where to go :) ... and I started my own group. Its been a lot of work and there have been a lot of changes, but I'm still doing the group today and it has brought me so much joy in my life. This picture was taken of me right at the BYU A Cappella Jam in April.

If Jesus Came to Your Home

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:51:13 -0700

I love this poem. The author is unknown, but it has a wonderful message. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be the kind of person at all times that we would be if Jesus was with us?

If Jesus came to your home
to spend a day or two --
If He came unexpectedly,
I wonder what you'd do.

Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room
to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you'd serve Him
would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him
you're glad to have Him there --
That serving Him in your home
is joy beyond compare.

But when you see Him coming
would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
to your Heavenly Visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes
before you let Him in,
Or hide some magazines,
and put the Bible where they'd been?

Would you turn off the radio
and hope He hadn't heard,
And wish you hadn't uttered
that last, loud, hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in,
or would you rush about?

And I wonder -- if the Savior
spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing
the things you always do?

Would you go right on saying
the things you always say?
Would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?

Would your family conversation
keep its usual pace,
And would you find it hard each meal
to say table grace?

Would you sing the songs you always sing,
and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things
on which your mind and spirit feed?

Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you planned to go,
Or would you, maybe, change your plans
for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him
meet your very closest friends,
Or would you hope they stay away
until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on,
Or would you sigh with great relief
when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know the things
that you would do,
If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.

~Author Unknown~

A Visit From My Mother & Father

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:38:24 -0700

During the evening of August 27, I had a very special dream. Both of my parents had passed away previously within the past couple years. My dad passed away in August of '05. He had Alzheimers and was in a rest home for about 5 years prior to that. His death was hard on my mom and about 6 months later, my mom got pneumonia, then got better, then got a stomach infection and passed away as well.

While I was sleeping my parents came to me in my dream. I need to clarify here that it was not a dream about my parents, it was a dream with my parents. For me, it was so real and first my dad appeared and if you were to know my dad, you'd know that he liked to joke around a lot. I had heard at one time that when people die, their hair and nails continue to grow. I don't know how true this is, I had just heard it. Anyway, when I saw my Dad, he had really long hair, probably down to his waist. This was the craziest thing I had seen, especially since he was still mostly bald on top. He looked like he had just stepped off the set of Pirates of the Caribbean... so the first words out of my mouth were "Dad, you need to get a haircut"... I still don't know for sure whether it was just my imagination or whether my Dad thought he'd play a joke on me... I kind of suspect the latter.

So, I was able to visit with him and then my mother came and I visited with both of them together. We just talked. We hugged and although I don't remember all that was said, I do specifically remember them telling me how much they loved me and how proud they were of me. They commented on aspects of my life and how I had been progressing. But more than anything they said to me, was the love that I felt when I was them in that dream. I woke up crying. I knew that they had been watching over me and I know that they still are... The feelings that I had were so real that it wouldn't have been any more real if they had been there in person. I was emotional that whole day. It was simply amazing because afterwards, I kept telling myself "I didn't know that Love could feel so wonderful" Of course I knew I loved my parents, but the feeling I felt was so overwhelmingly powerful that it made me wonder if this is how it feels when we return home to our Heavenly Father. I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father that I was given this gift and it will always be something special I remember the rest of my life. I feel like it helped me to understand what love is all about.... and I know it was real. I know my parents visited me that night!

The Meaning of Dreams

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:18:33 -0700

While everyone dreams at night, some dreams are definitely more meaningful than others. I have had a number of dreams that were significant in some way, whether as dreams of comfort or even glimpses into future events. While everyone's dreams are different, I do believe that they are real in a way that perhaps we do not understand in our current reality. Sometimes dreams represent potential possibilities and sometimes they represent our fears and desires. Dreams are wonderful. They can reveal things about ourselves that perhaps we do not know. I'll be sharing some dreams here in this blog and feel free to post your comments about what you think!

Overcoming Fear (Part 2 - The Ants)

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:16:25 -0700

As I mentioned before, I believe that fear limits our spiritual progress. In the early part of July, I had gone to Mt. Shasta (in Northern California) for a conference that was being held there. I'll post more info about Mt. Shasta later, but let me just say that it is a very special place. Many people believe that this is one of the most sacred mountains of the world. There are people that visit this place from all over and there are many people who have had encounters there with people from other dimensions and places from within the earth. There is a city, called Telos, which exists about a mile below the mountain and this city is inhabited by people who originally came from the continent of Lemuria (thousands of years ago), which existed in the Pacific ocean before it sank. According to the stories, there were about 25,000 at the time who were able to escape and many of them were able to relocate to below Mt Shasta and establish the city, known as Telos. (Ok, I guess I'm getting off topic a bit, but it's really fascinating stuff).

Anyway, I was with a group of people (perhaps 50-60) and we were doing a group meditation off one of the trails (Bunny Flats, I think) and during that meditation, we were told to go within and connect with our heart, etc. One of the other things that is important to learn is to listen to the promptings, intuition, feelings, etc that come to us from within. Too many times, we think that our answers have to come from external sources (and many times they do), but we should also confirm those with what we feel inside.

So, after the group meditation, everyone was told that the next experience was a more personal one. Everyone was to separate and go to wherever they were told to go. So, it was quite interesting to see 50+ people just spread out going off the paths to wherever they were told to go. Many people had some neat experiences and I was one of those who did, although I was not anticipating the kind of experience I was to have. I really wanted to have a special experience there and I kept asking, "Where should I go now?" and I would get answers to go this rock, or to that tree or over that hill. I finally came to a place where I felt I should stop and meditate and pray.

As I was sitting there praying, I noticed that there were some large black ants crawling on me, and it was kind of bugging me because they were interrupting my train of thought. It was at that moment that the thought came to me, "Let the ants crawl on you"... I was shocked to get an impression like that. Never, in my wildest dreams would I just let ants crawl on me, if I could help it. But, I thought I should go with that and follow that prompting. So, I just sat there and the ants started to crawl on my legs, arms and hands. I thought that I would get bit for sure, but they weren't biting me. It was still hard to just let them crawl on me. I had some ants crawl into my shirt sleeve and each new area of unexplored territory they found seemed to get my heart racing a little more. Then, I would relax and as the minutes passed, I became more used to it. I'm not saying that I enjoyed it, just that the fear would subside for a while and the fear would be replaced with peace. For about 20-30 minutes, I allowed these ants to crawl all over my body, simply trusting in God that I would not get bit. My fear turned to peace and tears started to flow from my eyes as I gained a greater appreciation and love for these little creatures. There were probably 25 of them crawling all over my skin for that time period, and yet, I did not get bit once. It is hard to describe, but the experience was a transforming one for me and perhaps in some small way, reduced my dependency on fear, replacing it with love.

Overcoming Fear

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:15:10 -0700

I recently read about an initiation ceremony that was used anciently in Egypt to help people reduce/eliminate fear. These Egyptians understood that Fear was a barrier that prevented people from ascending into a higher consciousness. So they spent many years training their students until finally they came to one particular challenge to assess where there students were at. This is what they did:

There was a small hole, just large enough to fit one person. Within that hole was water and it was pitch black. The student was instructed to swim down into the hole that was filled with water and find another way out. That was all they were told. As the student swam straight down, there were ledges that jutted into the column of water, so the student had to carefully navigate himself/herself downwards. At about 20 feet, the wall on one side opened up and the student was able to swim underneath it to a section that was lighted. So, as the student enters this area, he/she starts to swim upward and that is when it becomes apparent that there are many alligators within the pool of water. However, because the student is about to run out of air at this point, he/she has to go up in between the alligators in order to get air. What the student doesn't know is that all of the alligators were already fed, so it is unlikely that the alligators would attack the student. Regardless, it would be quite the "Fear Factor" adventure. Then to top it off, the student is told that he/she failed because there was a different exit point than the one they used. So, after more training, the student enters the dark abyss again (knowing that there are alligators) and find the opening at the bottom of the wall on the other side, which is also pitch black and go up through that.

Although I doubt I'll ever go through that kind of "overcoming fear" adventure, I think the topic of overcoming fear is interesting and important in our spiritual development. There are so many fears that we have that can stifle our growth. They say the #1 fear of all people is speaking in public, followed by death. But there are so many other fears, such as fear of germs/diseases, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of opening yourself up to someone and communicating your true feelings, etc.

But rather than list all of the various kinds of fear, I would like to point out an example that I like to think about. Remember when Christ walked on the water? He wasn't the only one who did. Peter also walked on the water (at least for a little while) and then he sunk in the water. And then Jesus asked Peter the question, "Why do you fear?".... So, it is apparent that it was the fear within Peter that caused an abrupt halt to Peter's miraculous feat. Although we would expect Jesus, to be able to perform a miracles such as that, the fact that Peter was able to do it is amazing because it helps me to understand that I, too, have the capacity to perform miracles and fear is the number one enemy that gets in the way of our spiritual advancement. The Egyptians understood this and that is why I believe they were so focused on helping people face their fears and then overcome them. Christ was not fearful, even in the face of death... and if we can even come a little closer to overcoming more of our own fears, we will become more like Christ and only accelerate our spiritual growth. In the next blog post, I'm going to share an experience I had that deal with facing my own fears.

Knowing Truth

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:09:52 -0700

I often wonder about how people come to a knowledge as to what is true and what isn't. It seems like much of what is considered true is simply based on the general (or perceived) consensus as to what is true. For example, if the majority of any group of people believe a certain way, it becomes an accepted belief held by the majority of people. But, history has proven, time and time again, that an accepted belief system held by the majority of people does not guarantee truth. In Christopher Columbus' time, the accepted theory was that the Earth was flat. We look back and think, "yeah, that obviously wasn't true", but the fact was at the time, the majority of the people did believe that. So, here you have someone who comes and challenges an accepted belief, and says, "No, the Earth really is round"... and to me I am in awe of people who seek and find truth, despite the fact that the majority are holding onto a different (and incorrect) belief system.

It takes guts to stand up for truth when you are in the minority. Oftentimes, that one person is ridiculed as a fanatic, whacko, conspiracy theorist, nut job, etc. There are many names given to people who question the accepted belief systems of society. But it seems to me that you would also have to apply those names to any inventor, any person who instituted positive change, in other words, people who have made a real difference in this world. Are they all lunatics too because they didn't "jump on the bandwagon"? These kinds of people say... "Hey, there is a better way to how things are being done, and I am going to find the way"... Then they search and with their searching, they discover a better way than how things were being done before. These are true seekers of truth.

But the question that I find myself asking is whether people are accepting a certain belief system based on what the majority of people believe to be true or do they accept truth based on what they know to be true from within. I believe that we can all know the truth, if we ask and we have a strong desire to find out. However, I think it is important to not let our ability to "know truth" be dictated by the likes of mainstream media or other people who may not be inspired. In the Bible, it says, "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you". Is that really true? Do you really believe that you can know truth simply by asking a question.

Perhaps you are a hard core "left brain" person who has to have proof in order to believe. What I have found is that many times the proof that you think you are seeking is actually a barrier to being able to accept a truth that is not supported by the majority of the people. The issue isn't the proof because you can always find something that seems to support the incorrect belief that you are holding on to. The issue is the openness of your heart because if you open your heart to God, then you allow truth to flow to you from within... You get to a point where you just know. And that is the greatest proof you can have.

Try letting go of your left brain focus and allow your heart to open up to what is really true. I believe that within the last 10-15 years, people all over the world are "waking up" to the truth around them. The lies that have been told to us for decades & even centuries are starting to become unraveled. Truth is shining forth in a major way. Accept and believe it because you have asked and you have that "knowingness" from within.

Being vs. Doing

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:04:33 -0700

Perhaps its just me, but it seems like modern society places an emphasis on doing too many things ..... and by doing all these things, we are somehow better because we were able to accomplish more. We are bombarded with things we need to do. But no matter how much stuff we do, we always have some stuff that doesn't get done. So, we give ourselves a guilt treatment and then we start the next day, doing the same things over and over again. Some days we get a lot done, so we give ourselves a pat on the back. But despite having all the latest gadgets, such as palmpilots, Franklin planners, Priority lists, etc., we somehow end up feeling stressed, overwhelmed, overworked and unhappy. Is that what our life has become? I, for one, believe that the emphasis on doing so many things is overrated. We've got to have balance in our lives and we can't get caught up in the misconception that "doing" a large number of tasks is equal to success or happiness. What I would like to propose is that in all of our doing that we consider what we are becoming... Of course, I am not suggesting that we stop doing things. We have to do things, but based on my experience, I have found myself many times trying to do "too many" things and thereby creating imbalance in my life. There is a time and place for everything... But one thing that helped me to realize this is what is commonly referred to as the "BeAttitudes" in the Bible.... Notice here that they are not referred to as the "DoAttitudes"... The "Be" is there for a reason. I will say it again, "In all of our doing, we must consider what we are becoming"... Is it possible to do good things but not become a better person from it?... Of course, it is.... for example, how many times do we go help someone, but we do it out of obligation and inside our heads, we are really wishing we weren't there... as opposed to having a sincere desire to help that person.

If our focus is on becoming a person who would help someone out of pure Christ-like love, then the "doing" is automatic... and how much you "got done" is irrelevant because your actions stemmed from the Christ-like person you have become... So, when Christ talks about "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, blessed are the meek, blessed are the merciful," He is talking about the type of people we can become, if we choose. Perhaps this can help to ease our minds as we go through the struggles of trying to get our long list of tasks completed.