by Rachael Kable, January 4 2016

What's the point of an affirmation? A few years ago, I wasn't sure of the purpose and didn’t think affirmations could really change anything. After all, they’re just words, right?

Words, yes. But the meanings behind them are much more powerful than I realized. Our thoughts do shape our reality, and now I choose to create a more vibrant, positive, and loving one.

We can move into 2016 in fear of the unknown or nursing disappointment from times of the year that didn't live up to our expectations. Or we can choose to kick off the new year believing in ourselves and our dreams and appreciating the goodness in our lives.

Spend a few minutes on each affirmation below, imagining that the words and their meanings are raining down on you like a rain shower.

You might also want to write down your favorite affirmations and stick them on your mirror or your fridge, to let their positive effects build on each other over time.

1. I am moving closer to my dreams.
Every day takes us further along our paths toward our goals, dreams, and aspirations.

2. I love myself and the people around me.
It feels good to feel and share love. The more we acknowledge the love in our lives, the more we realize it's there.

3. The world needs my uniqueness.
There is no one in the world exactly like you! Own your uniqueness and know that everything about you is what makes you special.

4. I wake up each morning with intention and purpose.
By knowing our “whys” we connect to motivation, drive, and determination.

5. I am ready to create amazing memories.
I'm here and I'm excited to have new experiences this year, which will absolutely be worth remembering!

6. I am powerful in so many ways.
Honor your gifts, your talents, your efforts, your achievements. Your best efforts are powerful.

7. I create time for my hobbies and activities I enjoy.
Deliberately make time for the things that light you up and help you feel fulfilled.

8. Every day, I learn and continue to grow into the best version of myself.
We experience so much in just one day! When you are open to learning new things, you can choose to grow into the best version of yourself.

9. I am supported, safe, and free.
Bring your attention to the people who support you, the safety you have with a roof over your head and the freedom of being able to make so many decisions for yourself.

10. I am grateful for everything in my life.
We can choose to feel bitter for what we do not have or we can choose to appreciate what we do have. Even the tough times are learning experiences and allow us to be challenged and rise up.

11. I accept, love, and appreciate myself, exactly as I am.
We swooned when Mark Darcy told Bridget Jones he liked her, just the way she was. It's something we would love to hear, so why not say it to ourselves? After all, we do deserve to be accepted, loved, and appreciated, just as we are.

12. I listen to my needs and prioritize self-care.
To be the best version of yourself, you need to take the time to “fill your own cup.” Stop and ask yourself what you truly need, then do it!

13. I radiate love with smiles.
Lavish your smile on the people around you and feel the love.

14. I am open to abundance, joy, and pleasure.
When we are open to positive experiences, we are more likely to recognize them when they appear in our lives.

15. I'm excited for what's to come.
We can fear the future and the unknown or we can expect that the best will happen. The only thing that will be different is the way you get to feel right now.

16. Today is meaningful, important, and special.
Let's move into 2016 with purpose, knowing that every day is truly special. It's a leap year, so we have 366 days to choose who we want to be and what we want to do! Let's make them worth it.

The most fortunate are those who have a wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy."

Abraham Maslow

We can choose to calmly breathe through the storms - whether the storms are within our own being, our relationships, our environment or in our world.

That is the practice. In those times we get to choose love over fear & calm over chaos. That is the practice. That is life. What will you choose? Practice on.

Exerts taken from www.manduka.com

by Dr Roger Landry, 8 November 2015

When I was in medical school in the 1960s, the prevailing belief was that once we reached physical maturity, our brains ceased to make new brain tissue. Therefore, all of the conditions associated with aging gradually depleted the neurons in our brains, causing them to atrophy until we eventually succumbed to dementia … Depressing, right?

Fortunately, we were wrong. We’ve since learned that our brains are not the static organs we once thought they were. They are actually dynamic and have the incredible potential for growing, rewiring, and healing.

Neurogenesis, or the ability to make new neurons, and neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to reorganize and build new neural pathways, continue well into old age, which means that we are, in fact, "architects" of our own brains.

With that in mind, and in honor of November's National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, I'd like to share the two most important things we can all do to prevent brain decay:

1. Keep learning new skills (they're a virtual fountain of youth).

Think of the brain as 100,000 miles of interconnected roads, or neural pathways. Every time we learn something new, recall a fact, or recognize someone, messages travel like cars along these pathways at nearly 300 miles per hour to get us to our destination (i.e., enable us to perform a task).

For example, say you want to learn something new, like the list of presidents or how to play a song on the guitar. Think of that skill as a destination, like Boston. Once you’ve learned that skill, you’ve built a neural pathway to the city. Keep doing it, and you’ve soon created a better, faster freeway to get there.

But stop using that road, and eventually potholes develop and you won’t be able to get there as fast or at all.

Atrophy of the brain used to be viewed as a side effect of aging. Now, we know this may simply be a lack of use.

In other words: Use it or lose it! When we use the skills and knowledge we have, the many connections in the brain remain in the best shape they can be. Don’t use them, and they become more difficult to use through a process known as synaptic pruning, in which the brain atrophies in areas where these functions are rarely used.

So what do I recommend? Continue doing those Sudoku puzzles, playing the guitar, speaking a second language, and cooking new recipes. Neuroplasticity and effective neurogenesis can only occur when the brain is stimulated by environment or behavior.

And the added benefit of learning something new? When we are fully focused on a task, we become mindful and less stressed. Which leads me to my second point:

2. Use mindfulness to manage stress and protect your brain.

Stress, quite literally, rots us from within. The chronic stress that is accepted as part of our modern world is destructive to our cognitive function and raises our risk of dementia.

Within the hippocampus, the memory area of our brains, new cells appear. However, not all survive because stress and depression decrease neurogenesis. The hippocampus, in fact, is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease, bringing into question just how large a role depression and stress are in the development of the disease.

Sadly, we as humans are the only mammals (as far as we know) capable of self-inducing the stress-producing “fight-or-flight” mechanism with our thoughts.

In other words, we can get ourselves worked up over a missed deadline and trigger the same bodily responses as though we were suddenly trapped in a cage with an angry lion. And we can maintain that level of stress for days … weeks … months … even years after the threat is gone.

How can we combat this? Rather than let your thoughts become the driver of your emotions, observe your mind as it begins to get wound up with worry and negativity.

Simply practicing mindfulness and observing your thoughts puts you back in control so that your emotions don't trigger the stress response. Don’t judge your mind; just notice. Wow, look how my mind is getting itself all out of joint over this thing. This reminds you that you are not your mind — and that you can control what you think. This will result in lowering your stress.

The bottom line: By keeping your mind engaged and managing the self-induced stress response, you can help your brain continue to function at high levels for a lifetime.

Interesting stuff ... no harm in adding it to your daily routine, at the very least your body will love the nice deep breaths.

Plant your feet firmly into the floor, about hip distance apart (comfortable for you to squat), maintain natural spinal alignment, cross the left arm over the chest and take hold of the right earlobe, squeezing it between your thumb & forefinger, then right arm crossed over taking hold of the left ear lobe.  Take a deep inhalation going down into a squat and then exhale as you stand.  Repeat for 1-3 minutes.

The exercise needs to be done at least 5 days a week to be beneficial.

by Shannon Kaiser

When I was plagued by choronic anxiety, I woke up every day with a weight on my chest. I had trouble breathing, broke into cold sweats constantly, and would burst into tears with no warning. To make it through the day was truly a challenge.
Many people suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and, fortunately, the problem is slowly being destigmatized. Being open about our struggles is the best way to start healing them. If you have a loved one who’s dealing with anxiety, your support and acceptance can make a huge difference in their recovery.

That said, it can be easy to derail someone’s progress or alienate a friend if you aren’t aware of and sensitive to their struggles. With that in mind, here are seven common statements you might think are helpful, but really aren’t — plus what to say instead.

1. Don’t say: “You have a lot to be grateful for.”
Anxiety is attack on self — fear manifested into projected outcomes. Most people with anxiety have spent an enormous amount of time focusing on gratitude. When you say “you should be grateful,”the anxious person hears, “I am not doing enough to be happier. I’m not grateful for enough in my life.”

People who suffer from anxiety are already dealing with guilt and shame. This statement implies that you think they aren’t doing enough. If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that anyone suffering from chronic anxiety is trying with every fiber of their body to be happier.

Instead, try: “I appreciate you.”
When I was in the clutches of anxiety, my mother told me, “We are so happy you live close by, and we appreciate you.” Hearing those words reminded me that I was enough as I was, and that I was valued. Appreciation is stronger than gratitude, and everyone needs to know they are appreciated.

2. Don’t say, “You should meditate.”
This goes on the list of things that every anxiety sufferer has tried, and probably does regularly. Just because something works for you, don’t assume it will be a magic bullet for someone else.

Instead, ask: “What brings you peace?”
Meditation is one path to peace. It's not one-size-fits-all, and the goal is to find peace, however you can. Telling an anxious person what they should do is never going to make as much of a difference as much as helping them

3. Don’t say, “Everything will be okay.”
This is not helpful to someone who is suffering from anxiety, because anxiety projects illusions.

Instead, try: “I am here for you. I will support you.”
Anxiety is an incredibly isolating experience, so reaching out to say, “I am here to help you and be a friend” makes a world of difference for sufferers.

4. Don’t say, “Just be happy.”
This implies that the disease this person is dealing with is actually just a matter of willpower and personal focus. That’s disheartening and condescending.

Instead ask, “What can I do to help you feel happier?”
This gives the power back to the person feeling stuck, and communicates to them that you’re on their team. It’s incredibly reassuring to feel that someone is there for you, helping you move forward.

5. Don’t say, “It’s all in your head.”
Yes, it’s a mental issue, but this statement suggests that you just need to handle your irrational thoughts. It totally trivializes feelings that are crippling.

Instead, try: “Let’s go have some fun.”
The less you get stuck in your head, the easier it will be to feel more joy in the moment. Walk in a park, visit a bookstore together, or take a yoga class. Engaging in activities together helps keep your mind present, pushing anxiety out of the prime spot.

6. Don’t say, “What do you have to be anxious about?”
This is an incredibly common thing for anxious people to hear, but it’s also terribly condescending. It suggests that you think the person doesn’t deserve to feel anxious based on the limited information we have about their life.

Instead, try: “How can I help you feel less stressed?”
You have to assume you don’t know what’s really going on with someone. We almost never know the deepest struggles people are facing. Rather than operate based on the surface knowledge you have, offer to lend a hand. Show you’re there and willing to lighten their burden.

7. Don’t say, “There are people with much bigger problems.”
Anxious people generally know this, and already feel guilty about the anxiety they are suffering for that very reason. Being reminded of it actually makes them feel worse.

Instead, try: “I’m really sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk?”
Are you sensing a theme? What anxious people don’t need is prescriptive advice that most of us aren’t actually qualified to give. The most helpful thing anyone can do is be encouraging, offer support, and withhold judgment.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older — that’s 18% of the population.

If you or someone you know is suffering from chronic anxiety seek professional help and support from loved ones.

If you want to go deeper on this topic and heal anxious tendencies, check out my book Adventures for Your Soul.

The following exerts are taken from Dr Libby Weaver's new book "Exhausted to Energised" - a fascinating read.

"The nervous system makes countless decisions about so many things each day. And night. Fundamentally, we are hardwired for survival. However, in this day and age, the messages from our environment can easily signal to our nervous system that our life is in danger when it isn't. And that can have significant consequences for our energy.

The autonomic nervous system

The ANS "runs" our body behind the scenes and its not under our conscious control.

There are three parts to the ANS. They are the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), and the enteric nervous system (ENS).

In general, the SNS and the PNS have opposite functions. When we are under stress, the SNS raises out heart rate, increases our respiratory rate, releases stress hormones, and shunts blood away from the digestive tract to the muscles so that we can run away from or fight whatever is threatening us.

If organ systems in the body are unhealthy and therefore stressed themselves, or if we are mentally or emotionally stressed, that increases the sympathetic load as well.

The SNS by its very nature is catabolic, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue due to the increased amounts of secreted cortisol (a stress hormone). High-intensity exercise is also sympathetic in nature.

The PNS is able to do its wonderful work overnight, provided we go to bed early enough, because cortisol - a hormone linked to energy, body fat and inflammation, naturally starts to rise around 2am.

The SNS and the PNS are designed  to balance each other out. We are not supposed to be "stuck" in SNS dominance, yet far too many people today do live in SNS dominance, which is damaging their heath and energy.

Adrenalin - one of the hormones behind SNS dominance - is one of the major hormones that drives humans to feel anxious, and decreasing its production is key to shifting this.

What activates the SNS? Caffeine and our perception of pressure and urgency. What activates the PNS? Lengthening the exhalation of breath. And from PNS activation, energy is sustained, even, centred, focused and yet calm. Constant SNS dominance is draining and unsustainable because of the hormones involved.

Reducing the sympathetic load is essential for great energy if the SNS is dominant. Movement is important, but it is best approached from a gentle angle and with a nurturing attitude, rather than at a go-go-go speed. Far more effective exercise for SNS-dominant people is breath-focused and restorative, such as t'ai chi, qi gong, yoga, or any exercise this is done slowly and while being conscious of the breath.

Once the nervous system is better balanced, energy, sleep and mood quality will all improve, and you will most likely find that this concept is game-changing to the way you approach your body, your health and your energy."

"We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves." Andy Goldsworthy

Ideally, balanced tensile forces in our fascia & musculature structures work together to support our body with movement that is comfortable & efficient.

However, by adulthood, dysfunctional alignment & faulty breathing can become ingrained in our neuromuscular patterning, making this ideal hard to realise.

When these bad habits are adopted, people work themselves to exhaustion just moving through the day, because it takes double the effort to slouch that is takes to stand & move from the centre of their bodies.

Culture & lifestyle reinforce these weaknesses, because it has become commonplace to sit & exercise with misaligned, compressed spines.

Good posture is effortless, arising from deepening of the breathing process, the balance of tensile forces, & relaxation in the nervous system.

Above text exerts taken from Michaelle Edwards, YogAlign - Pain Free Yoga From Your Inner Core

by Robyn Srigley, July 26 2015

7 Hormone-Balancing Foods For Glowing Skin

Our skin is the protection we have against the elements. For those with glowing, smooth and clear skin, it's also a source of pride. For others, plagued with acne, eczema and other skin conditions, showing their skin can be a source of anxiety. This is especially true if you're a woman with a hormonal imbalance.

Be it teenage acne, PMS-related breakouts or dry skin from menopause and hypothyroidism, our hormones can wreak havoc on our skin.

No need to fret! Mother Nature provides us with everything we need to be glowing, inside and out. When combined with a healthy diet, exercise plan and a positive attitude toward stress, the following seven superfoods can help create the glowing skin and balanced hormones you’ve always wanted.

1. Berries

Berries of all types — blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. — are fantastic for glowing skin and balanced hormones. Since they contain high levels of antioxidants, they're packed with free radical-fighters that will fight aging on the skin and internally. Berries are also a low-sugar, high-fiber fruit, making them perfect for balancing blood sugar and therefore, our hormones and PMS-type symptoms.

2. Turmeric

This supreme superfood is getting a lot of positive attention recently, and rightly so. Not only does is reduce pain and fight cancer, this wonder spice is fantastic for our skin. Like berries, turmeric is very high in antioxidants. It also decreases inflammation, a leading cause of skin problems.

It's easy to use topically: just mix it with yogurt, milk, water or honey for a DIY mask. Of try it internally to combat oxidative stress that can lead to PMS and problem skin.

3. Walnuts
Walnuts are often thought of as a brain food, but their high omega-3 content also makes them a wonderful addition to any glowing skin diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to balance the depression, anxiety and mood swings associated with hormonal imbalances. These healthy fats also reduce inflammation and balance insulin, a leading cause of acne in women.

4. Liver

Don’t run away! Although many of us dislike (or downright hate) eating liver, there are still ways for you to get this powerful superfood. Liver is full of fat-soluble and skin-glowing Vitamins A and D, as well as minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Zinc is an essential nutrient for both hormones and skin with its immune modulating effects.

Try mixing ground liver into meat sauce or taking desiccated liver tablets if you don’t want to eat this organ meat.

5. Oats

High in fiber and full of silicon, oats are a no-brainer addition to the skin-brightening diet. Silicon is a trace mineral that promotes firmness and strength in body tissues, while also helping skin retain elasticity, slowing the signs of aging. Just make sure to choose a gluten-free source of oats — these grains are often contaminated with potentially inflammatory wheat and/or gluten, not a good thing for balancing hormones.

6. Avocado

Avocados are full of healthy fats that help stabilize blood sugar. Packed with skin-calming minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium, avocados are also a potent source of antioxidants that help your body squash free radicals. More good news for women with estrogen dominance or related conditions like PCOS, endometriosis and fibroids? This little powerhouse contains a plant sterol with anti-estrogen properties, making it an important part of a hormone-balancing diet.

7. Broccoli

Broccoli is a member of the delicious and extremely nutritious cruciferous vegetable family. It's full of blood sugar-balancing fiber plus anti-aging Vitamins C and A, and contains estrogen-balancing molecules sulforaphane and DIM. Both molecules have proved to be helpful balance hormones as well as diffusing hormone-related skin conditions like acne.

Honorable mentions

While this list is by no means exhaustive and almost any nutrient-dense food will help with skin woes, here are a few more worth mentioning:

Lemons
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut
Cacao
Green Tea
Kale and other leafy greens
Sardines
Water
The basis of any good diet, whether you're eating for the health of your skin or now, is whole, real foods and clean water. Regularly adding these foods to your diet will have a big impact on your skin and hormones over time!

by Dr. Eva Selhub - 15 July 2015

6 Powerful Spices That Can Boost Your Energy

Whether you’re looking to better your performance in the bedroom, boost your brain at work, or improve your stamina at the gym, adding powerful plant substances to your diet can help you get there.

While Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine have known this for thousands of years, Western science is now catching up to discover that many spices provide powerful anti-inflammatory and energy-boosting effects, even in small doses. Bonus: They also offer antioxidants that can help you become healthier.

From curry to cloves, here are six of my favorite herbs and spices to help boost energy. They’re even easier to remember: they all start with “C"!

Curry Powder

This flavorful mixture of spices contains turmeric, which gives it its notable yellow color, and fenugreek.

Turmeric is composed of curcumin, known as a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In fact, studies show that it may even have cancer-fighting benefits, can reduce pain, and can improve brain, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and lung functions.

Meanwhile, fenugreek also contains potent antioxidant properties and has been shown to increase both the male and female sex drives.

How to Use It: Add curry to soups and stews, or sprinkle some over vegetables with a dash of olive oil before roasting.

Cinnamon

This classic spice does more than help create a festive feel around the holidays.

Studies have shown that it can also help lower blood sugar levels and improve heart health. Plus, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and assists with anticancer and antimicrobial (anti-infection) activity.

Traditionally, this spice has been used to improve libido in both men and women, though that hasn’t yet been scientifically validated.

How to Use It: Take a teaspoon of cinnamon in your morning coffee or tea, or add it to apples and oatmeal.

Cumin

Though a main component in curry powders, cumin can also pack a punch when used on its own. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cumin has also been used to help with low sex drives.

How to Use It: I love throwing a tablespoon into soups or stews, and on my sweet potato mash.

Cayenne Pepper

This spice’s active ingredient is capsaicim, which is good for the heart, arteries, blood and digestive system. Not to mention that it’s also a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, has strong anti-cancer activity, and helps boost metabolism.

How to Use It: Add a teaspoon to spice up your breakfast eggs. Or, combine a tablespoon with a teaspoon of paprika to punch up tomato sauce.

Cloves

This aromatic spice was used by the ancients to improve libido and sex drive. Today, it’s also known as a powerful antioxidant, aiding in digestion, reducing inflammation and helping with wound healing.

How to Use It: Cloves can be a great addition to tea or hot cider.

Coriander

Coriander comes from the dried seed of cilantro. It acts as a detoxifier and can aid with digestion, hormone and mood balance. Plus, it also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and is a good source of minerals like magnesium, iron and manganese.

How to Use It: Add coriander to your soups, stews or meat dishes. In the form of cilantro, this herb can also be used in salsa, salads or as a way to spice up any dish.

Happy 80th Birthday, Dalai Lama!

17 Wise Quotes To Change The Way You Think

by Allie White, MBG Editorial Team, July 6 2015

A very happy 80th birthday to the Dalai Lama! The spiritual leader of his people and religion for 65 years (he assumed the role when he was 15), he's an author, philosopher, Nobel Peace prize winner and prolific speaker.

To honor his wisdom and years of knowledge, we've compiled 17 of his quotes that speak to love, compassion, peace, humanity, humility, violence and the environment. We hope they make your day a little brighter and bring new perspective to your life.

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."

"It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come."

"The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others."

The mind is like a parachute. It works best when it’s open.

"I feel that the essence of spiritual practice is your attitude toward others. When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have right attitude toward others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect. Practice brings the clear realisation of the oneness of all human beings and the importance of others benefiting by your actions."

"Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer."

"If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace. If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue"

"I call myself a feminist. Isn't that what you call someone who fights for women's rights?"

"Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength."

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."

"I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed."

"Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.”

"When I meet people in different parts of the world, I am always reminded that we are all basically alike: we are all human beings. Maybe we have different clothes, our skin is of a different colour, or we speak different languages. That is on the surface. But basically, we are the same human beings. That is what binds us to each other. That is what makes it possible for us to understand each other and to develop friendship and closeness."

"Because we all share this small planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity."

"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions."
"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

"If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not capable of developing compassion for others."

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Plant Pockets

Craft Collective  www.craftcollective.co.nz

When:

Tue 7 Jul 2015, 6:00pm–8:00pm
Thu 9 Jul 2015, 10:00am–12:00pm
Sun 12 Jul 2015, 10:00am–12:00pm

Where: Craft Collective, 85 Twelfth Avenue, Tauranga

Restrictions: R13
General Admission: $40.00

Oxygen making, toxin removing, all round good guys - Vertical Gardens are trending right now both indoors and out. We can teach you how to create Plant Pockets, which you can then connect to build this stunning feature.
Using felt and a sewing machine, your living wall will start to take shape in no time.
We also teach you how to maintain and install at home.
Bring the outdoors in and new life to your living space.
All our classes are 2 hours and $40pp including materials.
Grab a friend and make it a creative catch up!

June 15, 2015

How To Let Your Spirit (Not Your Ego) Be Your Guide

by Margaret Paul

Did you know you can connect with your spiritual guidance at will — any time you want?
In order to do this, you need to understand the concept of "frequency" — the level at which your energy vibrates. Our bodies vibrate at a low frequency so that we can actually see one another. If we vibrated at the rate of a hummingbird's wings for instance, we would not be able to see each other through the naked eye.
And while our bodies vibrate at a low frequency, we actually have the ability to raise the frequency of our energy. This is what is necessary to connect with our spiritual guidance. The spirit vibrates at a very high frequency, which is why most of us are unable to see spiritual beings.

Imagine how it feels to be in a room full of closed off, angry, judgmental people. This is a low frequency. Now, imagine the feeling in a room full of open, loving, and joyful people. This is a higher frequency.

So how can we begin to connect with Spirit?

The Key To Raising Your Frequency

Your intent is the driving force behind raising your energetic frequency. Your frequency is low when your intention is to control others, control outcomes and control your own feelings. When your intent is to control, you might resort to behaviors that lower your frequency, such as anger, judgment, withdrawal, compliance and resistance.

When your intent is to learn to love yourself and share your love with others, your frequency is high. Your spiritual guidance is here to lead you toward what is in your highest good, so when your intent is to learn to love yourself and others and support the highest good of all, you raise your frequency high enough to connect with your guidance.

Our intent is the most powerful choice we have in life. Given that we have free will, we get to choose our intent, moment-by-moment. But when our intent is to control, we close off our heart and are cut us from Spirit. Our intent to learn and love opens our heart and thus, opens us to Spirit.

And once you've connected to Spirit, then other choices can help raise your frequency even higher. Practices like meditation and prayer, being in nature, playing with animals, listening to beautiful music, movement and dance, creative endeavors and so on, can all help to raise your vibration.

What Gets In The Way?

The "wounded ego" part of our mind fears losing control and therefore, this part of us also fears opening to Spirit. To connect with Spirit, we have to be in a place where it is more important to us to evolve in our ability to love, rather than avoid pain with various forms of control.

Food can also get in the way, as it also has frequency. Clean, organic fruits and vegetables have the highest frequency. Keeping my frequency high has been a huge motivation for me to eat really well!

Processed and packaged products, sugar, and GMO foods have a very low frequency. These low frequency food-like products are very hard on the body, and make it hard to raise your energy high enough to connect with Spirit. I call these products "ego foods," since they lower our frequency and revert us back to our ego-wounded state of self.

Lack of sleep and a sedentary lifestyle can also make it hard to raise your frequency. So does stress.

Connecting with Spirit is simple, but not always easy. If you want at-will spiritual connection, then you need to stay open to learning about loving yourself and others, learn to lovingly manage your stress, get enough sleep and exercise, and eat clean non-processed organic foods.

It's when we connect with Spirit that we are more freely capable of manifesting our dreams. Can you think of anything more important than being guided by your loving Source? All aspects of your life will improve — physically, emotionally, financially, relationally — when you allow Spirit to guide you, rather than your ego.

Notes taken from - Meditation for the Modern Life

Learn to Meditate course Saturday 4 October 2014

Teacher, Kelsang Richog, Buddhist Nun

www.meditateintauranga.org

• First obstacle to meditation is our distractions. These obstacles are our enemies
• A mind that sees others as special – very beneficial
• Freedom from pain, freedom from problems
• Approach needs to change to achieve happiness. The obstruction is your mental attitude
• Cherish yourself. Change views and intentions
• Open ourselves up so we have the capacity to cherish others
• The more we are able to do this, the happier we are going to be
• When we recognize others kindness, we cherish them
• Think about benefits of considering others
• Contemplate the kindness of our Mother
• If we take away everything people have given us (directly or indirectly), we are left with nothing, not even our body
• To develop patience, we need an irritating person
• To develop love, we need some to love
• We need an object for our mind to develop these positive qualities
• To develop compassion, we need to develop love and we need to observe suffering
• We can use suffering to develop powerful minds to motivate us to do things and make changes 

Meditation:

Object: determination/intention

Focus: kindness of others, appreciate others

“The less we focus on ourselves, the less pain we have.”

Everyone has his or her own sufferings.

Namaste