Thoughtful Tuesdays : Claim Your Inheritance

I have been making a conscious effort to practice what today`s excerpt explores since 2009. I had tried this many times before throughout my life, while holding more doubt than openness in my heart. So when a series of events led to some major life changes for me in 2009, I decided to let go of any hesitations I may have been holding on to, and trust the process. Obviously what I had been doing before was not working for me. The second affirmation posted below is one I must remind myself of at all times, for it is this very one that holds me back from continuing to interact with the universe, giving myself permission to ask for what I need. We must remember that we are all equal and of deserving of positivity and we must remember that what we receive can be passed on to others through our actions and words to keep this harmony in balance.
I have seen how the universe listens and responds. I have experienced the `claiming of my inheritance`.  It is truly a wonderful gift.

The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

Claim Your Inheritance

Throughout spiritual traditions, human beings are depicted as the children of a loving Creator who offered us His kingdom. Repeatedly we hear that abundance, joy, and prosperity are at hand right now. Yet though the harvest is here, "the laborers are few." Why is this so?

In spiritual life there exists a law called the law of demand and supply. Before substance can manifest itself, a need must be expressed. For example, if I desire to buy a home, this 'demand' creates a force of attraction that will draw my home to me. The request comes first , the demonstration comes second. If you do not ask, you will not receive.

Many factors limit what we are willing to ask for. We tell ourselves, "I don't deserve it; I'm not good enough." "How can I succeed when others have failed before me?" "Why should I have when others do not?"

In order to harvest the fields of plenty, we must plow up and discard these weeds of unworthiness, doubt, and guilt. Such self-imposed beliefs block the good that is our rightful gift. Affirm your own worthiness to partake of life's bountiful harvest. Then go forth to claim your Divine inheritance.

Affirmations

1.   I am a child of God, and therefore deserve all of God's good.*

2.  I release any feelings of unworthiness that keeps out the good.

3.  I go forth to claim my Divine inheritance of love, health, success, and prosperity.

4. As my cup runs over, I share my blessings with all whom I meet.

5. I am open to receive.

6. Your Own ___________.

*Feel free to replace the word God with a name, or word that reflects your own personal beliefs.*

Changing With The Seasons

I think it is happening folks. I think I am finally starting to settle in. Eight months after my big move from one of the most heavenly places on earth (I'm not biased, have you seen the tourism commercials for Newfoundland?), I can feel myself feeling more comfortable and settling in a little. I've been trying really hard to do this for months now. It all began with my first burst of painting, after experiencing a creative block. Then Tuesday, as I sat by the pond enjoying a picnic with the fabulous company of my new friends, I took a moment to appreciate everything that has happened since moving here. All the growth, the challenges, the experiences, and the wonderful group of friends I have found!

I picked up my new amigo Jackie just after 10am. We headed to the grocery market and picked up some fresh fruit, croissants, and some water for our picnic in the woods. When we arrived at the bird sanctuary we met up with another friend of mine, Sarah, and her beautiful daughter. They were feeding the birds. Sarah's daughter led the way, beating the drum that Jackie had given me earlier that morning. As we made our way through the woods we stopped for a picnic in the most ideal picnic spot! The roots of the trees created a natural circle where we spread out a blanket and set up. After a delicious lunch we continued on our way. I pointed out a tree stump which had a perfect circle hollowed out by a bird, or some creature. With a closer look, I found an eagle feather!! How incredible is that?

Our group adventure came to an end as the little tater tot was getting tired and was ready to go home. We parted ways with Sarah, and Jackie and I decided to return to the woods once more. This time, we  ventured off the trail into the unknown! I'm so glad we did! Only moments after changing our path, we found owl feathers!! I'm a mega fan of feathers, and Jackie is a mega fan of  owls, so needless to say we were both thankful for our findings and over the moon excited. With almost 4 hours of exploring under our belt, our feet were begging us to take a break. Jackie had a brilliant idea to pop over to Maltby Stables and see the horses. Brilliant idea if you ask me. We arrived and I felt like a kid in a candy store, I didn't know which horse to visit first! We spotted a foal in the front field and made our way over there. His dad kept us company by the fence while he bonded with his mother. We later learned this magnificent creature was born early that morning. So we met the little one only hours after he came into this world! Now how neat is that?

On my way home, I popped into a thrift store really fast to visit another local friend I had made back in the fall. Perhaps you recall my blog about meeting Dorthy and how she inspired me? You can check it out here. With such a wonderful day created, I knew it would be complete with a visit to see her.  As I walked through the door I saw her immediately. We hugged, found a couch in the store and sat down to catch up. Time was not on our side and soon we had to part ways again. Before I left though, even though there were customers in the back of the store, she paused to crank up the radio. Brown Eyed Girl was on. Right in front of the store we had our own little dance party! Normally I would be too self conscious to enjoy a random outburst of soul dancing. This time though, my guard was down and I was just enjoying the present moment and the wonderful gift of friendship and dancing!

As I sit here blogging about the adventures of Tuesday, I can't help but smile. I have made so many fabulous friends here. I have opened myself to the universe and the opportunities are endless! This, makes my heart sing.

Little Ray of Sunshine leading the way

A picnic in the woods!

Jackie bonds with a horse

Oh I love horses

The love in this picture just fills my heart with joy

Thoughtful Tuesdays : Courage

It was reassuring to read this excerpt today and learn that I can possess both courage and fear at the same time. I don't have a whole lot to add to today's blog post. It speaks for itself. My mind is also in about a thousand other places right now. I'm getting ready for a photography adventure in this beautiful weather! It's only 9:22am and already 15°C (feels much hotter though, and humid!) getting up to 22°C! Wowzers! Too excited to stay focused! haha. So with that, I hope you enjoy today's post and create yourself a spectacular day!!


The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

Courage

Without courage it is virtually impossible  to progress along the spiritual path. Courage enables us to face the fears that arise when we go for what we want. 

Courage often involves going against conventional wisdom and walking the path alone. It takes courage to give up the high-paying job and work part time while you start your own business on the side. It takes courage to leave an unworkable relationship. It takes courage to face the pain of one's childhood and seek to heal it. In short, it takes courage to be oneself. 

People ask, "How can I have courage when I'm afraid?" The answer is clear. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to move forward in spite of it. When fear comes up in your life, fully feel and experience it. If you try to push it away, it will only expand. 

Say to your fear, "I acknowledge you. But as I connect with my higher knowing, I see that you are not in alignment with my true calling. Because I have the courage and plans in spite of you." Then proceed. Like the actor whose stage fright leaves the first moments of a play, yours will fade  as you actively embrace your own unique destiny - with courage.

Affirmations

1. I listen to and follow my inner voice.

2. I feel my fear and proceed anyway.

3. I act to please myself rather than others.

4. I courageously move forward in the direction of my dreams.

5. I am true to myself.

6. Your Own______________________.

A Weekend of Sunshine

It's been a fabulous weekend. I caught up with some great friends of mine who I haven't seen in a bit and enjoyed their company beside a lovely fire. I got my first fix of yard sales for the year helping a friend out with her sale, and found some neat treasures on my way home. Two vintage suitcases, which I have been keeping a look out for. I have some need decor ideas I've been storing for awhile for these. I also made great progress with the garden. Cleared back so much overgrown dead grass, it really opens up the back yard, and now it will be easier to get to the trees to hang bird feeders. Last night I was gazing at the stars last night, it was so clear and while admiring the North Star, I was fortunate enough to see a shooting star! I've seen so many since moving here, and it's amazing! This morning I woke up and had such a peaceful adventure through the bird sanctuary. The breeze was much warmer today so I made a point to be closer to the water for a while and really soak in the soothing sounds of the pond. (No pun intended there haha).
Even though the sun is still shining, all these wonderful events have sparked my creativity, so I am soon changing into my painting clothes, smudging the Cave (it's been awhile and I feel it could help a bit), and getting lost in a whirl of paint and canvas again!

The wonderful yard of treasures

It's important to direct traffic you know.

Stef being adorable

Even cats go to scope out yard sales you know

This tree looks like he needs a hug. I think he resembles a sad Simpson's character.

This little duck caught my eye, he was so far away!

Another neat..mushroom? growing on a tree.

I could have stayed in this spot for awhile

What a handsome little bird, though very hard to get a steady picture of,
must be camera shy.

I recently received an email from someone who reads my blogs saying they enjoy how I put affirmations on the end of my blogs. I normally only do this on Thoughtful Tuesday posts, as they are part of the excerpt from the book I've been sharing with you all. This inspired me though, I use affirmations on a daily basis, so thank you mysterious commenter, I think I will leave an affirmation or two at the end of every blog.

Given the time I've spent in nature recently I will end with these:

My spirit is nourished by spending time in nature

No matter the difficulty  nature always has an inspiring message to transform it

A Different Kind of Painting

While I was cooking dinner last night, Beth let me know about this Home Hardware's Ladies Night at the Tantramar Theater.  Recently, we have both been playing around with the Benjamin Moore site. You can create an account, and then with a little bit of time and patience, upload a photo and virtually paint your room! How neat is that? I've spent more hours than I should admit perhaps 'painting' my nest on the website. So when she said the focus was on Benjamin Moore paints, I figured there was no harm in going. I could learn a few tricks and save them for when I finally get to paint my nest!

What a night! There were two girls speaking, though sadly I only know how to spell one of their names. Sophie was a funny and colourful speaker. She is actually the Design Manager, and works with the Colour Marketing North America group. She and her colleges get to travel the world for inspiration for new lines of paint. She had just returned from Paris before doing this seminar. Inspired by current events, politics, travel, special events (like the Olympics), and just about everything else you can imagine or draw inspiration from, they create a colour harmony (schemes) for the year.  Blues are a popular colour this year, with 'wythe blue' winning colour of the year. Many of the colours have been inspired by the elegance of the 1800's including 'storm cloud', and 'montpelier'. If you check out the colour trends of 2012, you will find these colours along with some painting inspiration. Another colour trend for this year, which Sophie claimed was surprising, is the return of yellow in a neutral colour.

Sophie introduced us to the flexibility of 'wall tattoos' which is a neat way of saying stencils, without it sounding dated haha. She recommended checking out Cutting Edge Stencils . I think for myself, I would rather draw out the 'tattoos' if I choose to use any. I'm thinking a Moroccan theme, so there are lots of neat designs to add around the nest for flare.  She also explored the world of upcycling - for those not familiar with that term it means giving new life to an item you already have (for example an old desk) by changing it's appearance.

I also learned something called "The Golden Rule", which reads as 60%-30%-10%. This has something to do with your primary (main) colour, secondary, and accent colours. I'm not one for following rules when it comes to creativity, so when Sophie expressed that rule is flexible I did let out a sigh of relief (not that I would have listened anyways if it was a rigid rule ..shh haha). She also said "complexity in the colour is in", I chuckled to myself thinking, if I were a Benjamin Moore colour I'd be the most complex haha.

Sophie explained that when picking out colours, particularly for a wall and ceiling, hold your chips so that they reflect how they look in the room. For example. Hold the wall chip straight out and then lay the ceiling paint chip over top (like when you make a house of cards). Apparently the ceiling has 30% less light than the walls, so holding the chips this way, will help give you a better idea of what to expect.

Another neat trick Sophie really stood out for me. Ever see those homes with the cluster of random art (photographs, paintings, etc)  on a wall? There seems like there is no order, and yet they each seem to have their own perfect position and placement? Well, put aside the pieces you want on your wall. Using newspaper, cut out the same size as the pieces you want to hang, and then using tape, arrange the cut up newspapers on the wall. Sit with it for a few days and make any changes as you see fit. This way, you don't have a kazillion holes in your walls as you nail and then re-nail, and you can find what arrangement works best for you before committing! I thought that was a neat beans idea. I even won a door prize! Some lucky my birthday falls in the month of March ahha. There was a book on gardening in there too! Meant to be! haha.

Well, definitely not the sort of blog I thought I would be posting about, but here it is! I enjoy how the walls are bigger canvas for me to spread paint over. I think it's so important to have your nest reflect the colours that make you feel good. So although there are suggested 'trendy' colours of the year, no need to hop on the fad train, follow your heart and add a whirl of colour to your nest that makes you feel like the king/queen of your castle!

Thoughtful Tuesdays: It Is Better To Light A Candle

I'm not a religious person, but the song 'This Little Light of Mine' has always been a favorite of mine. Written in 1920 by Harry Dixon Loes, it has always brought a smile to my face, and goosebumps to my skin. As a child who faced many horrible things, this song inspired me to be ok with myself and to  keep going, despite all odds. Today, as an adult, and with another reading from Douglas Bloch, the meaning of this song has yet again brought me to another level of hope and inspiration.

As a 26 year old, it is understandable and normal that I am struggling to find my place in this world. Discover my identity, and create the life I will be happy with, proud of, and want to share. As a 26 year old female struggling with mental health issues,  a past of disturbing violence and growing up with a lack of healthy role models, this journey to self discovery has been a very dark, and confusing one. However, no matter how strong the wind blew, no matter how many big bad wolfs huffed and puffed, my candle stayed lit. Even though the flame flickered, it never fully went out.

I am on my way to loving the person I am becoming. It is not easy to do this, so when I can, I am proud of myself. As I struggle to discover what my values are, what is important to me, what I hold dear to my heart, it is easy to be confused by those who surround me. Their ways of living do not always match what is 'ideal' to me. I am conflicted by this. I am confused by this. I want to scream at them "WHY IS MONEY SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?!" I want to shake them and beg them to see there is more to life than materialistic things. I want to seriously ask them why they think they are better than others and feel the need to talk so poorly about others. How does that make them a better person, to put others down? But I don't instead I hide. Instead I keep quiet and find that I am losing myself in the process.  There is a way to balance this! YAHOO! A way to keep the peace, while allowing your light to shine through the darkness created. And this doesn't just apply to someone who annoys you with their negativity, this can apply to any situation where you find yourself in darkness!


The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

It Is Better To Light A Candle

With all the negativity that surrounds us, it is easy to become overwhelmed.  It is also easy to fight against the negativity or declare war on it. Yet a master teacher offered a better way: "Resist not evil, but overcome evil with good." 

Imagine you are in a dark room. Wanting the darkness to leave, you curse and fight against it. But no matter how much effort you make, the darkness remains. Turn on the light switch, however, and the night vanishes in an instant.

In a similar manner, when the light of truth is shed on a situation, fear and disharmony dissolve. When you send out a positive thought to another person or take constructive action, an enormous amount of good is accomplished.  Each good act begets another until a network of love and light is created.

The purpose of life is to reflect this light into places that are dark. Let your light shine and stay focused on the power of love. When enough of us have turned on our spiritual light switches, the earth will become as bright  as a shining star. Where, then, could darkness dwell?

Affirmations

1. I focus on the positive.
2. Rather than being against hatred, I am for love.
3. I look for the good in each situation.
4. I am a person who seeks solutions.
5. Every problem I encounter contains a gift.
6. Your Own __________________.
 

 The speech at the beginning of this song is just as wonderful as the song! So I thought I would share this with you. Shine on my amigos!

Thoughtful Tuesdays: Discipline

It's taking every ounce of 'discipline' within me today to write this blog. I just got back from out patients at the hospital and found out I have bronchitis. Yuckie!! I just want this to be over with, the being sick bit, not the writing the blog bit just to clarify that a little. So as I first read today's excerpt I could feel a tremendous amount of resistance to the message. However as I continued reading, and put my bias and past experiences aside so I could truly read the real message here. I found it to be very helpful. I hope you too can filter out any negative feelings towards the word 'discipline' and see it as a healthy concept.

The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

Discipline

It is no accident that the words discipline and disciple come from the same root. To be a disciple of any path, one must be disciplined. Life works best when we learn to discipline  ourselves.

Discipline liberates rather than confines you. Discipline allows you to function with ease and grace. After years of practicing strokes, a tennis player can hit the ball without having to think about it. What once took conscious effort is now second nature.

Unfortunately, many of us had discipline forced upon us as children. Naturally we rebelled against an externally imposed structure. We were not shown that true discipline always comes from within, and the motivation for that urge is love. When we are doing what we love, when we are pursuing something that has meaning, discipline becomes natural. As one Olympic athlete explained, "I don't mind working out every day. Because I love what I am doing, my training is not a burden but a joy."

Discipline is your ticket to freedom and path to excellence. Choose to be  disciplined in all your endeavors and become the master of yourself and your life.

Affirmations

         1. I lovingly do what  it takes to support the achievement of my goals.
         2. Discipline is my ticket to freedom.
         3. I do what it takes to do what I love.
         4. I make excellent use of my time.
         5. I reward myself for my efforts on a daily basis.
         6. Your Own ____________________.




Now time for me to boil some water and give my lungs a good steaming!