Explore
Gaia Soulmates
 Advertising keeps Gaia free! Interested in sponsoring us?

Is it in You?

Posted on Apr 13th, 2009 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
Lightbeam_sunset2
     Nowadays it seems that a lot of people are uncertain about their future. If you watch the news, these concerns appear to be within good reason. But instead of focusing on the negative; the ‘global crisis’ point of view, what if we just decided that no matter what happens as a result of everything that is going on - that the outcome would be perfect in each and every way?

     Tall order? Could be, but it does not have to be. If you are a person who believes in a Higher Power; The Source from which all things originate (God), then you already know that everything is under control - no matter what appearances tell us. We may not always have the 'happy ending' of the fairy tales, but at least we know that things are not happening ‘just because’. Perhaps the solution to the world’s problems could lie in such a simple concept: God Has got us covered.

     Do you suppose that if people truly believed that everything happened according to Divine Design (Universal Law, etc.), that they would be less likely to worry about the outcomes of everyday events? Do you think that people would stress less if they only remembered there was a God that had control over everything, even those that appear to be world-ending events?

     If I had to solve the economic crisis by myself just so that I can afford to buy groceries for my family, I would be in trouble. But I can tighten my budget and find money-saving ways to keep my family fed in the meantime. If I had to find a way to stabilize the global warming crisis by myself, we’d all be in trouble. I wouldn’t know where to begin! However, I can make sure that I conserve energy whenever and wherever I can; practice the 3 “R”s (reduce, reuse, recycle); be mindful of the ingredients that are in the products I buy, and educate myself on how my family’s lifestyle affects Mother Earth. If everyone does their part, the solutions are soon to follow.

     One reason a lot of people may forget that God Is in control is because people tend to forget that God Is within each and every one of us. She Is not just sitting on a cloud somewhere in the sky; observing from an outsider’s point of view. She Is everywhere - all at once. God Is what causes our hearts to beat, our blood to flow, our minds to function and our bodies to move. God Gave us Free Will so that He may experience Himself in His many magnificent forms. Our very existence glorifies Him.

     So what does that have to do with the economy? Or foreclosure? Repossessions? Layoffs? Casualties of war? Hunger? Disease?

     EVERYTHING.

     Believe it or not; accept it or not - everything is connected in the Universe, just as it is within the human body. Your left arm may not know what your right foot is doing, but are they not a part of the same body? There are so many different functions, systems, cells, solids, liquids, gases, energy, matter... all working in their own way; completely dependent upon one another to make up the wonderful Being that is you. Every one of us is a unique Universe within ourselves.

     Now, if you focus on your right hand, do you not become more aware of what it is doing? I find it difficult to merely raise my hand to look at it, then look away without studying it further. Sometimes I check my fingernails, look at my jewelry, or turn it my hand over and look at my palm. I scrutinize my skin to see if it needs to be moisturized. Sometimes I even wiggle my fingers - just to check them one by one. Sound crazy? Try it: Look at your hand and see if you do not get the urge to examine it further. Most likely you will want to move it, but you will probably try no to - because it is now part of of your focus!

     The point of this is to acknowledge the fact that wherever you direct your focus - whatever you give your energy to - you are empowering whatever is in that direction. The other point is: Without God working through you, neither you nor your hand would move at all.

     Mother Theresa said, "I will never attend an anti-war rally. When you have a peace rally, invite me."

     Remember earlier we referred to ‘The Source from which all things originate’. We can now see that The Source also resides within us. We have the power to redirect our focus; to channel our energy; to change the world. We always have.

     We do not have to be masters, magi, or monks to bring about this change. We need only be willing. Consider the following quote from Conversations With God, by Neale Donald Walsch:

     "Be The Source of that which you wish to experience. Whatever you wish to experience in your life, you can Be The Source of it in the life of another. Seek not to be the recipient of anything but to be the source. That which you wish to have, cause another to have. That which you would seek to experience, cause another to experience. In so doing, you will remember that you have had these things in your possession all along."

     Your Peace, your Love, your happiness - all lie within you. Use your power to become the person you have always wanted to become, and to create the life you have always dreamed of having.

Namaste’,

Kozmyq 1
Access_public Access: Public What do you think? Print views (107)  

I am Grateful....I think

Posted on Nov 29th, 2008 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
Cup_and_rose
    I’ve often heard people say that you should be grateful for whatever shows up in your life. Some even say that the first step to changing a negative experience into a positive one is to adopt an ‘attitude of gratitude’. I’ll admit that when I am having a bad day, moving into my “Happy Place” is not the easiest thing for me to do. But the idea of being able to change the ‘outside’ by changing the ‘inside’ does appeal to me. That is what gratitude is all about.

    What is “gratitude,” anyway? One definition is: “the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful.”* It is a state of being – which is a very important thing to understand. “Gratitude” is not about doing or having – but simply being. Once you learn to pay attention to what you are being, everything else will come into focus.

   To put it another way: Imagine you are in a room and on the other side of the room, a television is on. There is a wonderful, positive show on with a special message just for you on the screen. You are aware the television is on, but you’re not watching it. You’re not paying attention to what is on the screen, nor are you listening to what is being said. Kind of defeats the purpose of having it on, huh?

   Gratitude works in a similar way. When you focus on it, you begin to see the beautiful ‘show’ that is your life. You realize that in it, you are the star, and you begin to open yourself up to bigger and better possibilities. However, if you don’t focus on being grateful, it means no more to you than the television that is on for the sake of being on. So the thought of watching gratitude happening – like the television you have no intention of watching – seems to serve no purpose.

   Why watch? This may sound weird, but ideas behind watching both the television and gratitude come with the same motivation: We are looking for something good in our lives. And because we have been conditioned to believe that we must ‘do’ something in order to ‘be’ something, we've got to have a process by which we achieve our end result. Let your focus on gratitude serve as the ‘doing’ to move you into the state of ‘being’ –being grateful.

   Maintaining an ‘attitude of gratitude’ may not be easy, but there are a few incentives that make it worth a try:

   1. Being grateful reminds you to count your Blessings. You are more likely to establish a deeper connection with God because you are becoming increasingly aware of how many ways He is Blessing you.

   2. Being grateful invokes a ‘feel good’ sensation. What can be bad about feeling good from thinking positive thoughts?

   3. Positive attitudes are contagious: Spread good vibes! Share with others what you are grateful for. By helping others you are helping yourself, and vice-versa.

   Meditation, prayer, daily affirmations, mantras, and the like are all great ways to help you maintain a sense of gratitude. But just like with anything else, the lesson is only as good as the extent to which you put it into practice. Find a method in which you feel most comfortable learning and stick to it. You’ll be ‘grateful’ you did! :-)

Namaste',
Kozmyq 1

*Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Access_public Access: Public What do you think? Print views (109)  

What’s Your AQ®?

Posted on Sep 23rd, 2008 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
Sept
   That’s not a typo - for those of you who are not familiar. Your AQ®- or Adversity Quotient® - has to do with how you deal with challenges and overcome obstacles in your life. Study of the Adversity Quotient was originated by Dr. Paul Stoltz, CEO of PEAK Learning®*. According to their website, AQ is defined as “...the most proven method of understanding, assessing, and strengthening the way people perform under demanding circumstances.” Although the website seems to target companies more than individuals, there is a lot of useful information to be found there.

   Many people are not aware there is a direct correlation between your AQ and our success. For one, dealing inefficiently with obstacles can take many different forms; details are missed, tasks are not completed, or experiences that are essential to our growth and success are avoided altogether. Much of this is because of fears we create ourselves for situations that don’t even exist!

   A lot of times we may even have the tendency to play the ‘blame game’, for which there is never a winner. Or some of us will throw ourselves a ‘pity party’ and invite people to it. There we stay for weeks or months at a time, enjoying each other’s company so much that neither of us thinks to say, “It’s time to go.”

   As we are creatures of habit, having a low AQ can be a conscious or subconscious decision, and yes - it is a choice. While it is arguable whether we create the ‘necessary evils’ that show up along the way, we absolutely can choose how we perceive the situations we encounter in our lives.

   Let’s look at an example: You get up late; running late for work, and soon as you get in the midst of the morning rush hour traffic, you discover a flat tire...

   Note the feeling of dread you feel when reading that sentence. The ‘sour’ feeling in your stomach? Your body responding to the chemical signals coming from the brain that say, “This is not good.” Ever have something make you ‘sick to your stomach’? (And the mind controls the body - Aha!)

   Most people would agree that having a flat tire on the way to work is not and ideal situation to be in. But this is where we begin to separate mice from men. Most people are going to fuss and cuss and yell about something they have no control over. While they are doing so, two separate events are occurring: One is that they are sending their bodies a surge of chemicals; a surplus of negative energy; creating the ideal environment for a stress-filled day and a disease-filled life. Two is that they are taking time away from being able to do something about the things they do have control over. The mind may wander, and the imagination may run wild. But it’s not a lost cause; most of us end up alright after a flat tire. The world is not going to end because of it.

   So that’s just one situation. It happens every day, but it doesn’t happen to each of us every day - thank goodness! Still - how do you deal with all the other ‘flat tires’ in your day? Broke your cell phone; lost your report; call from your child’s teacher; burn the dinner...

   I used to wonder about how multi-millionaire Donald Trump felt when his ex-wife Ivana was awarded $20 Million in a divorce settlement in 1994. I’ve never seen that much money in my life, and he lost it at the bang of a gavel! It was impressive to me how quickly he recovered; how his empire recovered, then continued to grow - as if he didn’t skip a beat.

   What would you do right now - today - if you suddenly lost a huge chunk of everything you own? How would you handle it? Or more importantly - how long would you dwell on it? What do we need to learn now that Donald Trump knew then? What went through his mind that allowed him to go on building more buildings instead of jumping off of one?

   No ‘pity parties’ here - that’s for sure. So how do the rest of us learn to shake things off and keep pressing on? Perhaps learning how to increase our AQ may give us just the boost we need to move forward. You can find out more by visiting PEAK Learning’s website at www.peaklearning.com.

[Note: AQ®, Adversity Quotient®, and PEAK Learning® are all registered trademarks of PEAK Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The author is not affiliated with this company in any way.]
Access_public Access: Public What do you think? Print views (83)  

Dependence Day

Posted on Jul 3rd, 2008 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
4th-july
  

     For many people across the United States of America, July 4th has been celebrated with family gatherings, barbecues, and fireworks. I've always especially liked the fireworks. I wonder just how much we boost the economy in the Eastern countries where these fireworks are manufactured. Chicago alone purchases tons of these colorful explosives every year for the annual "Taste of Chicago," and believe me - they do not disappoint.


    Still, that is just one city; just one product. The more I thought about it, I couldn't help but wonder how much we as a nation have digressed; if we can still claim ‘independent' status. Many of the goods and services we purchase on a daily basis are not even made in America. Our once-strong industrial sector is crumbling fast; layoffs are reaching record numbers. Even parts of Hollywood have gone Canadian, choosing to film television series across the border!


    When I have a problem with my computer, I have to call to get technical assistance from someone who barely speaks English. In America there used to be industries that would have applicants take some sort of proficiency exam for language and communication skills. Guess that doesn't matter if you're answering my call from Asia.


    America - once a great superpower - has outsourced itself right out of having a middle class. While I am not against fair trade by any means, I think it is important to acknowledge that somewhere we failed to set limitations on just how much outsourcing would be beneficial. Or maybe we just didn't care. Maybe increased profits were better for some; while factories, plants, and warehouses across the country sent people home to their families with pink slips.


    Now our favorite subject: Oil. Finally more popular than whatever the heck Britney Spears or "Brangelina" are doing. Have we realized yet that we are one of the most wasteful countries on the planet? Sadly though, we are so dependent on foreign nations in order to function daily, the situation has us scrambling to dig in our own backyards for crude. Some are fortunate. Overnight millionaires are sitting on ‘black gold'. Others cause ethical, moral, or environmental conflict, like the offshore drilling debates or ethanol - which is a corn-based fuel.


    That seems to be typical American behavior for handling things. If the barn was on fire, we would argue over whether a bucket of water or a hose would be a better way to put it out. Meanwhile the barn burns to the ground while we debate and argue.


    Is this ‘Independence Day' the same as the rest? Do we don our clothing from Korea; set up the outdoor furniture from Mexico; sip on beer from Germany, while watching the fireworks from China? Or do we recycle our beverage bottles and the foil used to wrap our grilled, locally- grown vegetables to perfection? Will we offer to share some of the feast - that sits on our sustainable wood tables - with others?


    I always thought the next step up from ‘independence' would be ‘interdependence'. You know - where you rely upon each other equally. Or at the very least, recognize one another's value. In light of the crises now facing us locally and globally, maybe it would help if we came up with ways to become interdependent with our fellow man, nature, and the environment.


    Sounds far-reaching? Maybe. But this much I do know: Things change for one of two reasons. You either do it because you want to, or because you HAVE to. But I'm optimistic. So allow me to be the first to tell you this:


Have a Happy Interdependence Day.


Access_public Access: Public 1 Comment Print views (127)  

Last Days?

Posted on May 19th, 2008 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
The_future
 

     Myanmar. China. Tibet. South Africa. Darfur. Iraq. 911. Hurricane Katrina. The list goes on, and it is intensifying as time progresses. Each one of the above mentioned has the ability to cause us to recall a catastrophic experience related to it. For one decade, that is a lot for any planet to go through. But how many of these ‘occurrences' - these natural disasters that people keep trying to say have nothing to do with Global Warming - how many have occurred within the past year? I could see if you were reading a science book in a grade school that used events throughout history to illustrate scientific, geological, or meteorological terms. Then it would be easier to take it all in. But let's see: Typhoons, cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes erupting....


     All before you can finish your "grandehalfcaflatte". Wow.


     So then, mankind adds to that with wars, genocide, pollutants, and one of the worst of all culprits: ignorance.


     It seems to me that the Mother Earth is ill. Very ill. To the point where she has been forced to regurgitate the impurities that have been attacking her for eons. She has a fever; ice caps melt. Indigestion? Volcanoes. Nausea? Hurricanes. Or something like that. Humans, plants and animals can get sick. Why wouldn't the earth? Aren't we all made up of the same substances? There is a purging going on, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.


     It is unbelievable to think of the extent to which we have gone to damage an entire planet! And in such a brief amount of time! Literally - the blink of an eye! The magnitude of the repercussions we have yet to suffer frighten me; yet at the same time they bring about some very interesting thoughts:


  • Is man really originally from this planet? [Yes - I went there.] It just doesn't make sense that everything else on the planet can follow the natural order of things; some can coexist from day one; what is taken from the Earth is given back. But Man? We are the ‘babies' of the planet, and it shows. It definitely shows. The question is: who's going to clean up this mess? Are we ‘grown up' enough - evolved enough - to do it? I honestly have to say ‘no'. We still use colored lights to tell us when to operate our ‘sophisticated machinery' on the road, and dotted lines to show us how to stay in a line. All of the technology we use to claim we are the ‘superior beings' have done the most damage! We're doomed!

  • Is it possible that the books and prophesy of old are ‘forecasts'? I mean that in an "if you play with fire, you'll get burned" sort of way. Is it possible that generations of old were just smarter; wiser; more in tune with their surroundings? I don't believe that idea is so far-fetched. Honestly, most of us today would get lost in a forest and not even know how to look for clues to find our direction (try learning about moss or take a crash course in constellations, for starters). We had to know we were going to run out of fossil fuels eventually. It took millions of years to make; yet we used it all in how long???

  • Is the damage irreparable? The Earth - just like our own bodies - has a system in place for repairing itself. Or at least it used to. We call it the ‘Ecosystem'. And just like our bodies, there are many other processes in place that contribute to one main idea: to preserve and sustain life. Is man's intention to preserve life? Do we have enough people with the conscience to want to make a difference, and just as many to actually DO SOMETHING to make a difference?

     Sadly, if man stays true to form, we will find a way to be at odds about what ‘way' is the ‘best way'. Here's a thought: Maybe there are MANY DIFFERENT ways! Maybe it's not just prayer alone; collective conscience alone; solar panels alone; fair trade alone - but a culmination of these things that will be required to bring about change. Does that sound so far-fetched?


     It is a shame to think that lives weigh in the balance while people are trying to decide who's right about how to save them. And while you may read that statement, trying to rationalize it and believe that methods should be tested before put to use - you know deep down that's not the real issue. The REAL issue is about who gets to be ‘right'.


     I am making a plea - on behalf of Mother Earth, our families, our children, and generations of life to come: While the ‘powers that be' are still trying to figure it all out; still trying to be ‘right', or the ‘winner' or the ‘superior one', do what you know is ‘right'. Pray. Learn. Educate. Organize. Work. Conserve. Celebrate. Love. Pick one or choose to do them all. But for Earth's sake - do something!

Access_public Access: Public 1 Comment Print views (102)  

Just in Case: Reviewing Our Habits

Posted on Dec 29th, 2007 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
Elements
Now we have come upon the time of year where many people began to set their ‘New Year's Resolutions.' You know - that wonderful list of things we have decided we need to accomplish, experience, or improve upon. But sadly, only about 10% of people who make these resolutions actually see them to fruition. So what happens to the rest of us? We get sidetracked. Discouraged. Lose interest. And at some point throughout the year we end up right back where we started, or with very little improvement.

Normally I do not make New Year's Resolutions. I would say that I ‘resolved' not to make any. I just didn't want to be a part of the temporary enthusiasm: In January everybody's motivated, but by June (sometimes much earlier), the success rate dwindles. Why is that?


The point I am about to make looks very simple when you read it, but I meditated upon it for quite some time to realize the impact it has had on my life:

Failure is a habit. 


See? Four words; not too complicated, but read them together a few more times, then think about whether or not  they apply to you. Although I can do much more now than I could five years ago, I still possess a cutoff point. I still get frustrated, or lose my patience and ‘cut my losses' - so to speak. So am I setting goals and guidelines, or am I playing out an old habit?


In "The Master Key System", Charles F. Haanel reminds us that:


"...when we start something and do not complete it, or make a resolution and do not keep it, we are forming the habit of failure; absolute, ignominious failure."


I've read the books about successful people, minds of millionaires, and roads to prosperity. There are some really good ones out there. And they all carry a similar message: Success is a habit. Successful people do certain things in certain ways to achieve certain results. Sound familiar? Now consider this: Most people are doing what is insane - doing the same things, day after day, in the same way, hoping to get different results!


You can't hope to get healthier by having a cigarette after you finish your workout. You can't hope to get rich by shopping your way into happiness! You're not going to find a better life if you're looking for it within your daily television lineup or in your favorite video game! You've got to TAKE ACTION to make it happen!


So how do we do it? How do we make this year different? Let go. Get rid of bad habits and replace them with good ones. You see, a ‘habit' in itself is neither good nor bad. It is in the carrying it out that determines its worth. Do your habits move you closer to the life you wish to have? Congratulations! For everyone else, learn to let go. 


There is a book I recommend, titled "Letting Go of Stuff" by Darren L. Johnson. It isn't expensive; it isn't complicated; it isn't a thousand pages long. The title is self-explanatory. It is a wonderful journey of self-realization, and a lesson in revealing the happiness that lies within you. If you need more info, visit the website by the same name (http://www.lettinggoofstuff.com/).


For motivation, I leave you with a poem that my 4th grade teacher taught me, that I've never forgotten (thank you, Linda Rathey):


"If a task is once begun,

Never leave it ‘til it's done.

Be the task, big or small,

Do it well, or not at all."

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Access_public Access: Public 1 Comment Print views (126)  

Believing or Knowing?

Posted on Dec 13th, 2007 by Kozmyq 1 : The Reminder Kozmyq 1
Blubfly2
A long time ago, a stranger approached me and asked me one of the most profound questions I had ever heard, at that time in my life. The question was quite simple in statement; that's what made it so profound to me. He asked me:

"Do you believe in God?"


I promptly and obediently declared, "Yes - I believe in God!" My posture displayed a defensive ‘there - I showed him' demeanor. Then to my surprise the stranger countered with another question, to which I had no snappy reply:

"Do you believe there in God, or do you know there's a God?"


Thus began many years of quiet (and not so quiet) contemplation over believing vs. knowing for me. At one point in my life I was led to believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. I had even purchased lottery tickets, believing I was going to win. Believing just didn't seem to serve me during those times.

For years I would cringe whenever I would hear someone say something like, "All you have to do is believe," or, "believe in yourself," etc. Because of that one day a stranger asked me that question, it made me realize that merely believing was not going to be enough for what I had to accomplish in this lifetime. I never understood why until recently, and I had no idea of where to begin to look for the answer.

Best-selling author and advocate for Peace, James Twyman makes this observation:

"When you believe something, you are using the faculties of your mind. It is the action of thought, not spirit. When you know something to be true, you are employing action of your soul. Guess which is more powerful? Your soul is eternal and still possesses all the spiritual knowledge you have ever achieved. More than that, it has access to all the knowledge in the Universe. Your mind and the power it is able to generate, is considerable, but limited."

Oh - how relieved my heart was to receive that gift! Having this information has allowed me to break down many self-imposed barriers to my spiritual truths. What James said resonated with me. So I'd like to try my own observation:

"Believing - being designed for an intended purpose - falls within the spaces of Relativity. It can be good or bad; positive or negative; emotional or rational, or a mixture of relative poles. Knowing, however, is an ‘absolute'. Because it extends from the soul, knowing does not fall within the confines of a relative world. To say, "I know," is also a declaration of Being. It conveys the idea that we are in a state of Knowingness, thus leading us to experience a feeling of Certainty."


Personally, this is most exciting to me in my spiritual journey, because it further demonstrates my role in the creation of my experience here on Earth. As we learn more, our perspectives may change, as well as our points of relativity, or our beliefs. But I am quite certain - that as long as we continue to search for our truths, we will find the answers.

Access_public Access: Public What do you think? Print views (118)