Reflexions and insights from my holiday travels.

Things happened better than I could have imagined during the Holidays. I kept focusing on being a good feeling place. I kept practicing being grateful and being of service and just holding a space for everyone I was around. It was a relatively relaxing experience all around.

I can now clearly see the wisdom in letting go and allowing myself to FEEL my way to a better life. I can see this is the way.

I simply focus on me and my connection in each and every moment. That is all I have to do. This connection feeds me, calms me down and gives me faith and hope.

These practices have paid off well during these holidays and have shown me they deserve much closer attention and focus; hence, my decision to go on an “official” Vortex Diet of the Mind.

We will see how this goes in the coming weeks as I blog about it and see what happens. 90-days commencing on January 4, 2010.

The things I would like to see show up are:

1. A deepening and enrichment of my relationship with my partner.
2. Abundance – expected and unexpected.
3. Job opportunities and possibilities.
4. Improved relationships with family and friends.
5. Positive momentum on all of the above.

There, I said it. I put it in writing. We’ll see how things go as we progress...

New Project!

Last night I watched the movie "Julie & Julia" and was inspired by Amy Adams role of blogging about her experience cooking through Julia Child's cookbook. Why do you ask? I have touched on wanting to be on what I call the Vortex diet for 90 days in several entries prior to this one.

However, I really want test the philosophy and guidance of Jerry and Esther Hicks in their latest book for myself and my life, "The Vortex".

I am going to officially begin again and blog every day about what I am experiencing on my 90 day journey. I want to not only chronicle it, I want to pass what I am learning about my SELF onto others that might be interested. I love writing in this manner and I want to write NOW, not later.

So, please check back for more updates and my sharing regarding this new "project". I will officially commence my Vortex Diet on January 4, 2010.

Holidays and Holy Days.

Here I am in Southern California in my second week of Christmas vacation enjoying family, friends, love, joy, and growing. Yes, I said growing.

I have learned, once again, that nothing in the outside world can come to me without my consent. I know that nothing in the outside world can make me feel good. It is my job to feel good, to connect and to know that I am not this body, I am not these experiences. I am so much more.

Out of this work I see the fruition, the creation, the peace, the joy and the love is all there. I am grateful for this. It allows the connection, the togetherness and so much more.

Happy New Year and so it is...

90 Day Vortex Diet

I have been on a diet lately that I call the "Vortex Diet". I had been propelled to a place of frustration and resignation in my life. I had given up all hope of things getting better and actually enjoying life again. Why? It doesn't matter, what matters is that I was finally brought to my knees in surrender.

So, where did I go, what did I do?

I picked up a book. I picked up "The Vortex" by Esther and Jerry Hicks and started to read it ravenously.

So, I've come to the conclusion that my life has not worked for many years. I am quite tired of trying, coercing, manipulating, explaining, crying, fighting, talking, pushing and all that goes with creating through my EGO. I am exhausted and emotionally bankrupt.

I decided, in picking up this amazing book, to go on what I call a "Vortex Diet" for a minimum of 90 days. Why? To "test" the concepts in this book really intently and consciously.

What this means is looking to the positive and what I am creating at all times. This means praying and turning my cheek from what I don't want. This means focus on what I like about life and being grateful. This means finding a way to alter my focus when I find myself lamenting or trying to manipulate life. No really!

1. I will pick up the book and read a passage when I need to turn my focus around.
2. I will choose another subject if I cannot be in "alignment" in one particular area of life.
3. My Mala beads have also been instrumental in being grateful. I will do a round being grateful for something with each bead.
4. I can also take a deep breath and FEEL my connection with my non-physical self.
5. I can pray

These are just a few of this "new practices" I have been putting into place and the best result so far is that I feel better. I no longer feel resigned about life and I see how my joy is returning. Yay!

It's only been three weeks on my "diet". I've got a few more days to go, so...stay tuned for more...

Thoughts about the Holidays.

So many people to acknowledge, so little time. So many folks in my life that I want to buy "things" for.

Is this because I want to or is this the greedy capitalist machine driving me?

Quite honestly, I don't care! I love to give and be generous with my friends and family. I like them to know they are special to me during this time of year.

Now for the next question; why during this time of year? Why not all the time?

That is an awesome question and I believe that I do express myself to my friends and family quite honestly and openly most of the time. I LOVE to tell my friends and family I love and appreciate them. It only takes a moment and it usually impacts them in a positive way.

I do my best to live by this code as much as possible, however, being human has it's foibles and pitfalls. My ego has gotten in the way for so many years in so many ways. I KNOW now it is a moment by moment challenge to stay in an attitude of love, gratitude and appreciation.

In my personal work, I have made it a priority to be and feel my connection with my non-physical self. It is the single most important thing I can do for myself and those that I love.

Why? Well, I have noticed that the more I take care of my SELF and not look to others, the better the relationships and circumstances are that show up. It isn't a selfish thing, it is a highly spiritual thing because no one can help me with my connection with Source. They can point me in the direction, but I have to take the steps. I have to do the work.

So, this Holiday Season I am working on my connection with Source first. That is my gift to my SELF. This is also my gift to my family, friends and acquaintances. If I am in a great space, then everyone benefits.

Wow, can it really be that easy? Time and trial will tell...

Affirmation for the week

I feel great. I feel great. I FEEL GREAT!

I can see and feel my SELF now. It is my pleasure to create and live and experience Life in an amazing way. It is my role to give way to the Divine and allow It to express in and through me now.

I step out the way and allow this Life to be lived fully and with the amazing direction and guidance from Source. I am Source, I exist in Source, I express Source and I give of my Self to Source. This is all there is. This is all I need to remember. It is ALL Source and if it is all Source, then it is all me as I am Source as this life called me. Wow!

Today I get what I need to get done, done. Today I celebrate living and life and I enjoy this experience fully and with love and gratitude.

For this and so much more I am grateful. And so it is…

Channeled discourse on Peace

Peace: the peace that passes all understanding, the peace that is bestowed upon us by the dawning of our mind of a new reality.

Humans so often think that peace is a state of mind achieved when circumstances are such that they no longer annoy or bother the ego or mind. Actually, that is working from the outside in, focusing on external circumstances. We know from the law of cause and effect and the law of attraction that everything begins within the mind. Everything begins with individual consciousness or thought and feeling…everything, everything, everything, without exception begins in the mind of the individual soul.

So, peace and tranquility can only be found by an inner recognition. As Jesus called it, “the peace that passes all understanding.” What he meant was that to the human mind, to the ego, this peace makes no sense. It passes all understanding. Yes, there can be a peace when circumstances in the outside world appear tumultuous or challenging or even threatening. Peace, lasting peace, true tranquility, true calm can only be achieved by an inner knowing, an inner connection, an inner feeling of connection with Source.

By going within many of us think we are going to find something by meditating and praying. The mind is rampant even in the silence of your soul, in the silence of your meditations and in your spiritual work. The mind cannot be stilled. It is like a river going over rocks. It will always be there.

But if you go underneath those rapids to the very base or bottom of the river, down, down, deep, deep, deep within the river, down at the bottom you will notice a calm; a smooth path. So, truly it is only on the surface that we see and feel the challenges, bumps and hiccups of life. So if we go underneath, deep underneath to the feeling core that peace is there.

The clue is in the word “feel”. So I, as Stefen, FEEL my connection with source, I FEEL my energy body, IFEEL IT. I do not think IT. It is an experience. It is not a consciousness experience it is a FEELING experience. For being “in Spirit” (inspired) is being in rapture. Being in connection is being at peace because despite all that is going on in the outside world there is an understanding or FEELING in this connection that all is well regardless of appearances. There is a calm within that allows Stefen to express in the moment with a loving and compassionate consciousness.

It is not a difficult experience. It only takes a moment of recognition and connection. And yes, oh yes, OH YES, the experience of humanity is challenging. The experience of the mind is that it continues to bounce back and forth and back and forth and back and forth from this wonderful, centered peace into the human ego experience.

Most people want a “how to”, a step, a guide, a tool in order to achieve that which they are seeking or that which is being spoken about or taught. This is what I have to say to you, let go of the outside world, let go of your desires, let go of your wishes and needs. Let go, let go, let go. Yes they are important, but in the sanctity of your meditations you let them go. In the moments that you pray and meditate you let go of absolutely everything in the outside world and you sense and feel. Don’t think! Remember what I said, sense and feel your oneness with Source, with God, with Spirit. Whatever you choose to call it. Sense and feel the connection. Breathe into it and expand it.

All the distractions of the ego and the human mind will be there when you get back. However, by practicing this place of peace and connection you will deal with things in a much different fashion. If you don’t believe me, try it out. Try it! Why not? That’s how most great discoveries are made…by trying things out.

Why can’t the human mind try things out? It is different with each individual. Just as different as the fingerprints are for each human. So is the process of connecting with Spirit and finding our own path and your own expression as a spiritual being. These paths are just as unique.

So, although there are similar ways such as meditation each individual’s connection is different. So let go of what the mind tells you peace is. Let go of what the ego tells you peace is and find it within yourself.

Bring that sense of calm, that sense of peace, that sense of tranquility into everything that you do. It is that simple. It is a practice. It is NOT permanent. Practice, practice, practice, practice. In Yoga, you give yourself room to go off balance and to fall. We call it Yoga PRACTICE, not Yoga perfection. It’s all about testing, expanding, and consciously growing.

And so it is…