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Mother Earth, Sarah Palin is Not Your Friend

Friday, April 16th, 2010

In celebration of Earth Day, I thought the best thing I could do was use the power of the Word in support of Mother Earth. I hope you’ll Join me. I think if Zaslav is flooded with emails/letters/calls and the Discovery channel advertisers are flooded with emails/letters/calls we can make a difference.

When Henry David Thoreau was in jail for his protest against the Spanish-American War, his friends said, “Henry what are you doing in there?” and Henry answered, “what are you doing out there?”

My beloved brothers and sisters, we have a dark toxic vampire energy among us. It’s name is silence. Where you stand on silence is critical to the Earth now. Yes, you are that powerful.

Sarah Palin is a symptom. A symptom that continues to inflame the disease, spurring the disease on to a never ending low point. The disease is our narcissism. Our failure to abide by the sacred nature of our creation and have a reverence for all life. It hasn’t been that many years since humanity strayed from this sacred path. The Native American’s don’t have a word for ‘sacred’ because it is implied in everything that is of the earth. Imagine that.

If you have a group for folks to join regarding this issue, please feel free to post it in the comments. I offer the letter below as a humble attempt to ask you not to be silent. You can personalize the letter or send it as is–but please send it. We need to stop the symptoms from spreading and tackle the disease.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Karen Monroy <Karen@KarenMonroy.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:27:42 -0400
To: <David.Zaslav@discovery.com>
Subject: Boycotting Discovery Channel Advertisers and letting them know!

Mr. Zaslav

I’m writing to express my disappointment in your organization’s choice to contract with Sarah Palin to
host a documentary/reality series on Alaska.

To say this is incongruent with the quality of programming I have grown accustomed to on the
Discovery Channel is an understatement.

I don’t believe you could have chosen a bigger enemy of the planet than Ms. Palin. Her views
on threatened/endangered species, indiscriminate drilling for fossil fuels, and climate change are astounding.

Ms. Palin’s position on climate change is the epitome of anti-intellectualism. To be able to say with a straight face that because there was a blizzard on the East coast, it is proof that there is no such thing as global warming, is tantamount to saying we want to send astronauts to the sun but we don’t want them to burn up so we will send them at night.

When Ms. Palin brought God into the climate change argument by tweeting: “Copenhgen=arrogance of man2think
we can change nature’s ways.MUST b good stewards of God’s earth,but arrogant&naive2say man overpwers nature”
she effectively said that man cannot overcome nature’s power and we are full of ourselves if we think we can, apparently she was busy when the Exxon Valdez disaster hit Alaska. Ms. Palin’s lack of regard for the finite natural resources of our environment continues to amaze me.
To trivialize the environmental changes this country faces by reducing them to monosyllabic “bumper sticker”
slogans, Ms. Palin disregards the science that has proven time and again that mankind does have an impact on his
environment, and has always had an impact on his surroundings.

It appears this is about ratings for the Discovery Channel, and you are sure you will get additional viewers, but I assure you,
this is not the case. I am part of an effort to boycott your network AND any sponsors as I certainly
cannot patronize a company or sponsors that intentionally associates itself with deliberate ignorance.

Willful ignorance is nothing to be proud of,  yet that’s the message you communicate to your viewers by selecting
Ms. Palin. How your organization could reconcile anything associated with Ms. Palin with a program like Mythbusters
which is based completely on intellectual curiosity is beyond me.

I’ll close by saying that I hope your advertisers greet this development with skepticism and I have a
feeling this may hit them as a low point for your network.
Regards,

(your Name)

If you have a group for folks to join regarding this issue, please feel free to post it in the comments. I offer the letter below as a humble attempt to ask you not to be silent. You can personalize the letter or send it as it–but please send it. We need to stop the symptoms from spreading and tackle the disease.

AND PICK A BUTTON BELOW TO PASS IT ON! MOTHER EARTH THANKS YOU!

Posted in Changing the Energy, Personal/Spiritual Growth | 14 Comments »

Pot Smoking, Potato Chip Eating, Couch Camper: Victim

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

When you hear the word ‘victim’, what do you think? Really, take a minute and solidify your definition.

Here are common definitions based upon the archetype:

Innocent–-hurt in some way–powerless over circumstances–uninvited event/situation, which resulted in trauma.

The definition above averts the reality that “victim” as used today, is more often expressed in your life as something you do unaware, to your self. It’s a choice in mindset between aligning with your power or squandering your power. This kind of ‘victim’ is fake, an imposter of the archetype; having snuck in the back door of your mind, is now camping out on the energetic sofa, eating potato chips and smoking pot. Imposter victim is depleting your resources and wants more.

Okay, it might not be smoking pot-but it’s smoking’ something, cuz you don’t even know it’s on your sofa.

Ego minds individually and jointly, aided by our cultural conditioning embezzled the word ‘victim’ in a blatant attempt to obfuscate our authentic power. Not only is this act hindering the creation of the life we want, it invades every aspect of our life once we deploy the ‘victim’. Naturally we are talking about a pattern of behavior based in a belief “out there” exists a power to act upon us. It’s the belief in universal caprice, an unfair unkind universe that is designed to thwart you.

*It’s you saying you can’t go back to school because you don’t have the money, or your spouse won’t allow you to. AND believing it

*It’s saying it’s not nice to say the emperor has no clothes, when the emperor has no clothes. AND believing it.

*It’s blaming the banks and the government for your financial woes. AND believing it. +

*It’s saying you can’t spend money on self-growth because you don’t have money. AND believing it

*It’s saying you can’t get a job or make money. And believing it.

Now, I want to be clear-very clear-terrible things happen in life and there are times and places the archetypal meaning of victim applies. Even in these situations though, ultimately healing is about taking your power back.  It is also possible to have both kinds of ‘victim’ at work in your life.

Here are some of the common ways we voice the Imposter:

“He/She won’t let me.” “I can’t believe what they did!” “Yes, but….” “If only…” “I ‘m the kind of person who can’t deal with….” “I can’t because…” “ I only did that because you…(fill in the blank)” “It’s not fair” and anything co-dependent.

Here are some common emotional states that Victim transports us to:

Sadness                  Anger                  Frustration

Blame                    Anxiety                 Resentment

Whine                  Complain

The most powerful question you can ask yourself about the victim? “What do I have to learn from it?”

Victim is meant to teach us what power is, what owning and disowning power is like. Often the lesson is learned in the shadow: being nauseated at the feeling of powerlessness, we are compelled to notice the unnatural freakish nature of powerlessness. Powerless is not the real you-that is why it feels wrong.

You were not meant to be in service to the couch potato, or buy it it’s pot. You are Divine, and the plans for you are grand. So how do you get the couch potato off the sofa?

Be determined to catch the voice of the victim. Watch for the emotional states.

And say to your self “if I want to be Who I really am, manifest my passion I need to see this imposter at work in my life.”

And if you have been truly a victim at some point, your best healing is begun with knowing in the present moment, you do not need to add to your suffering by living in the past. Be kind and loving and compassionate with yourself, know that you deserve to heal, to overcome the trauma and not compound the trauma by inviting the experience to stick.

You are awesome, wonderful, beautiful, fantastic and powerful.  You are Divine Love in expression. Own it.

SHARE THE LOVE-PICK A BUTTON BELOW AND PASS IT ON!

+Footnote: I suspect some victims have really done a good job with the financial crisis, so here is the truth: While banks and government have violated the sacred trust of the people, you helped and continue to help with every dollar you invest and every dollar you spend.  Consciously or unconsciously you have co-created the mess. Even if your part in it is one tenth, of one percent: you have a part, and you have a choice to invest and spend ethically or continue down the same road.

Posted in Changing the Energy, Energy of Money, Monkey Mind AKA Ego, Personal/Spiritual Growth | 2 Comments »

More Happy and Less Crappy~Or~It Can Happen in a Minute

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Drat and double drat.

Monkey-mind is on its trampoline, to be precise: it seems to have several trampolines out and is multiplying like zygotes, jumping from one trampoline to the other. It’s 12 pm and I’m back in bed. Ego has even brought out its clubhouse. It has a sign on the door, “no enlightened thinking allowed!” I shudder. I haven’t seen this clubhouse in quite some time.

As I melt into my covers I offer the ethers the excuse that I am sick. Sick of being sick actually.

“I’m usually never sick” self-consolation is now flat. “You get to read,” Looking on the bright-side rationalization has transformed into, “you can’t fucking remember what you just read.”

I breathe. “Start with that,” I encourage myself.” It’s slippery, but I can feel some Force at work. I want to turn my face from it. I want to say, “no”.

Then I hear the gentle, beckoning, judgment-free Voice say, “You have a practice for a reason”. “Shut up ass hole,” ego snaps.

I gaze across my bed. Grab for a tissue. “Shit.” It’s empty. I watch myself pick up the box and smash it. Fur babies startle from their sleep. Nutmeg, the English chocolate lab is first to me. She puts her paw on me, sniffs the box. Beau the Black English lab is now sniffing the box. They look at me. Worried. Pensive. I can feel the question in their penetrating stare, “Who are you? And what did you do with Karen?” I’m totally shamed by the question. “You have a practice Karen,” critical ego chortles.

My ego voices aren’t all dressed up, with names and outer ware. They are probably like yours—an attribute of some kind. Judgment, critic, satisfaction, proud, –all variations on the ego distilled into a clear ‘I want” from a certain perspective.

But this gentle, beckoning, judgment-free, “You have a Practice for a reason,” Voice-it’s not any of those voices. It’s Energy, it’s Clarity, and it’s qualities I first got to know from previous almost dead experiences. That might sound dramatic, but heck, I think death brings out drama, it can’t be helped.

Death always brings clarity with it. In the middle of chaos, it’s clear what is important. Secrets fall, hearts soften, and what is True becomes self-evident. Almost dead has been a teacher. It gave me the space for the Voice.

Gag. One of the dogs has gas. Really. I’m sick and and can’t smell crap. but now I’m gagging on doggie farts.  I take that back, turns out that is all I can smell: crap. And now it’s clear. I have been praying for more happy and less crappy. The crappy has been breeding like roaches. The anger under the surface is now clear and palpable I am back to the Voice.

“Practice your Practice,” it says.

I’ve done this so many times.Why is it still so fucking hard? I notice ego-righteous indignation, stubborn and tell me why, are jumping sky high on the trampolines.

“Why?” I pray. “The suffering prayer,” Buddha says. “Oh great, another freekn’ voice” ego comments and continues: “Voices that do not get on the trampoline are not useful,” and ego slams the “no enlightened thinking” clubhouse door, as it retreats inside.

The Voice doesn’t argue. I notice this about the Voice; it NEVER tethers itself to something by resisting it. It’s like it’s all there is and there is nothing else.

“Much better,” the Voice says.  I pray as sincerely as I can muster in my pissed off illusion: “Dear Jesus: you know I have gotten quite good at not invoking your name in vain and I’m hoping you’ve noticed. Here I am, Divine Elderly Brother please put your hand in mine, pleeeeeese.”

Nothing.  I feel nothing.  No presence, no power. Ego thinks, “fuck you Jesus.” But I am not hooked. There was no sting in the fuck you.  My energy isn’t rallying against Jesus. It’s shifting. “Shifting the shit,” I observe. I smile at my joke. Ego’s voices are peeking out the clubhouse door.

Peace.  Ahhhha, Divine Peace. “It’s so good to see you again Jesus, it’s been a long time”.

“Prince of Peace” the Voice says. I smack my forehead. “Oh yea! I remember that part of Sunday school,” I think. Sunday School –not a total loss–that’s quite a thought for a recovering Catholic: I smile.

“Oh thank you God for your Grace,” Is in my exhale. Nothing on the outside has changed, but the shift inside it’s as real as the ground beneath my feet.

“More real.” The Voice corrects. “Gottcha,” I acknowledge. I notice ego is out of the club house and back on the trampoline, standing, waiting.

The Space inside, the Presence that is there all along~for me, for you, for any Being ~it breathes my Spirit into it. It expands to hold all, all the Love and all of my garbage.

Tenderly, Lovingly it welcomes all the crap I’ve been storing up. I’m amazed as I observe this. Most days I’d never guess this was possible, despite the number of times I am blessed with the Divine Alchemy of a Merciful God and this experience.

“The Doctor,” The Voice says. It takes me back, back to last year and the emergency room doctor I met. Totally forgotten. But that is what the ego is: one big persistent sleeping pill. Ego is beginning to bounce on the trampoline~again. But I’m unhooked. Detached. Observing.

The Doctor shared his ER experience: when someone came in who was not going to make it, he would see light. He’d work on them longer than the others just to be sure, because that is what his ego would have him do. He’s observing himself work on the dying person and all the while the light was streaming down to them. He’d witness them rising into the light-their essence-their light leaving their body and merging with the light.

“A body can’t live with-out its Spirit, “ the Voice says

I breathe deeply; I am aware I am back in my body, commanding it to breath. Slowly, one breath in and slowly one breath out I realize all the crap I left in the space is still waiting for me. My Spirit has been pick-pocketed.  One little aggravation, one grievance, one judgment at a time~bit-by-bit leaking my energy, my Spirit.

“You can say yes to when you do the lesson, but never no to the lesson,” the Voice says.

Ego stops jumpn’ on the trampoline. Transfixed and frozen ego is terrified-I can see that now. Ego is afraid of Spirit’s, “yes.”

Well it makes sense now. More happy and less crappy is not about changing anything. My secret list of what I want to be different I hand to Jesus.

“I have to know Jesus,” I plead,  “when most of me understands, truly sees that it’s all good~and dear God I have SO SO SO much good~why does this happen? Why do I let my ego take over, again and again?”

I see my list transform into a dove. A feeling consumes me, this must be rapture I think.  The Dove makes the most elegant flap of it’s wings: powerful and silent and yet the waves of Energy are unmistakable and the waves imprint:

The Voice. Jesus. Buddha. God. Dove. Me. The list. We are all One. Together, we are going to go through the crap.

I take a breath. “Oh Lord! I can really breathe!” I’m observing how well my body feels, amazed. I understand:  one more choice point on the Sacred Spiral traversed. Deeper and deeper into life, it’s layers and purpose: to learn.

Ego is looking very sad. Clubhouse in Tatters. Trampoline turned over. I feel bad for ego. Decide to give it a blessing, let it know it’s okay~ego doesn’t get what it wants (for now).

I decide to get up, rescue the day. I look at the clock and it’s 12:01.

HEY! I’d be much obliged if you shared this-pick a button below! Love your comments and feedback too :-)

Posted in Changing the Energy, Monkey Mind AKA Ego, Personal/Spiritual Growth | 2 Comments »

Conditioning: The Octopi of Life

Thursday, April 8th, 2010


Conditioning. We all have it. (BTW: you can ‘plug and play’ other terms like habit, belief, thought for conditioning) Most of us don’t experience the limits our conditioning imposes. We miss the experience of our experience and pass the conditioning (or memes if your prefer) from person to person, generation to generation, like a virus of the mind.

The tentacles of conditioning are in every part of our life.

In a relationship, you know if you say X, she’ll say, Y and off you go with the square dance to hell.

In creativity, we struggle for flow paddling against the current instead of allowing and going with the current.

In work, we ‘should’ each other. Each perceiver thinks they are the alpha and omega of ‘what is’. Someone is right and someone is wrong.

These Giant Octopi of Conditioning seem to have endless tentacles, and the more we see the tentacles’ suction cups upon us, the more discouraged we become, focusing on what is wrong, why ‘it’ won’t work and why ‘it’ can’t happen.

I was reminded by @TyBennett during our rockn’ call  (you can listen here: http://tobtr.com/s/976471) we can get clarity by experimenting with the unthinkable. Calling into question what we can and can’t do.

You think things need to be perfect? Take two days and let them just be. Be on the floor, on the desk; let it all go to pot.

It isn’t possible to intellectualize this. You must actually ‘do it’ to reap the rewards of the teaching: the change in perception that can pull you back from the hamster wheel of hell.

In my book /workbook/journal I have the reader burn a $20.00 dollar bill in conjunction with key observations about objects in their familiar surroundings. Just sit, watch it burn and take notes as the observer. You think you can intellectually grasp this—but then you ‘do it’ and the switch is flipped –you ‘get it’ in a way you can’t intellectually.

We loosen the suction cups and get rid of the tentacles of conditioning, by being present with Life. By having an experience of life. By re-framing our story to see the deeper truth.

To be human is to be conditioned. It’s your purpose to learn, release the tentacles of conditioning, and be free of the conditioning, to be a little bit better each day, every day.

PSSST! See those buttons below? Share the Love-I’d be very grateful!

Posted in Changing the Energy, Energy of Money, Monkey Mind AKA Ego, Personal/Spiritual Growth | 2 Comments »

Real Nice

Monday, March 29th, 2010

I pray before my feet hit the floor each morning and in all my praying, I’ve never prayed to be an asshole. How about you? I used to pray for help being nice. It’s a bad habit I gave up when I realized the response from the universe was a consistent stream of assholes-different names and faces, but assholes. I also realized I was very confused about nice.

The minute we begin to deal with terms like ‘nice’ we jump into the polarity of ‘nice’ and ‘not nice’. We have the surface conversation about nice behavior. Disagreeing without being disagreeable. Minding your manners.

And then there is the more authentic, deeper conversation about nice. Have you ever realized you do Nice for you?

Yes, we tell our-self we do it for other people, but that is one of those pernicious lies we never investigate.

We do nice to avoid confrontation because we don’t want to be embarrassed or uncomfortable.

We do nice to get something-a response, help, favor and even sex.

So nice helps. It greases the wheels of life. But I think you and I can do better than narcissistic nice.

By now you have come up with a list of evidence that you do another kind of nice as well: a random act of kindness, the hug, the ‘atta-boy, the larger than normal tip. I’m not saying this kind of nice is meaningless. I am saying you are bigger than that.

Lettme ask you this: Exactly how far do you stretch yourself to be nice?

Is your criterion for when you are nice, how convenient it is?

Boy howdy, when I noticed this in myself I cringed. If I didn’t have time for nice…oooh my list of rational excuses were the best: I was on a deadline, I had a mission, I was right and the ace in the hole, I don’t really like you, so who needs nice?

If you suspect someone is an addict of some sorts-from food or exercise to money or drugs-and it clearly is interfering with their life: are you willing to be nice enough to share you notice they have a problem?

How about that caustic co-worker? Everyone talks about them behind their back. They feel excluded and defensive. Are you nice enough to level with them?

Here is what your ego says, “who died and left you in charge?” “Who are you to say these kinds of things to others?”

Ah, good point. This view means you have confused narcissistic nice and authentic nice–and there is a world of difference between them.

Sometimes the nicest thing to say is, “no.” No you can’t suck my energy, no you can’t pollute my environment with your toxic anger and hell no, and I’m not pretending everything is fine when it isn’t.

Being nice isn’t a criterion for doing business with someone either-not if you want a quality job. When was the last time you hired someone for a job just because they were the best for the job? Oy.

I’m not telling you to keep folks in your life who are not nice. I am telling you egos know all about nice and how to manipulate with nice-and that is really not nice.

PSSSST! See those buttons down there? It would be real nice of you to use one!

Posted in Monkey Mind AKA Ego, Personal/Spiritual Growth | 1 Comment »

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