Friday, August 30, 2013

THE ART OF BEING HAPPY


As I sit and ponder this idea of being happy, a quote comes to mind " The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things" by Henry Ward Beecher.  Not always the easiest thing to do, but worth a try if we are to find it right?

It's so easy to think you'll find happiness once your problems in life are all solved, of course the issue with that is there's always another problem right around the corner, just waiting to steal your happiness.  If you are going to live happily you have to learn how to do so regardless of what problems there may be. If happiness is a destination you are waiting to arrive at then you could be in for a long ride. The assumption here for people is that happiness comes from outside of you. It does not. While there are obviously things that happen in your life that make you feel either happy or unhappy, the fact is that these experiences come and they go.  The key to life is that it is never an outside job.

Living happily depends mainly on your inner life, meaning your thoughts, emotions, desires  your entire mental and emotional scene. Happiness is about what you think and believe, how you feel, how problems affect you. This may sound obvious, but often we focus instead on our external lives, on getting and spending and “having fun” and then wonder why we are not happy. But it’s when our inner lives are serene that we are happiest – and this is inner peace.

The difficulty is that our inner lives are based on patterns and habits. Those beliefs that have been seeded in our subconscious mind and control our every step.  In this state you don’t choose, occasion by occasion, how you respond inside. This happens and you feel angry; that happens and you feel sad. Because of these habits, events don’t necessarily leave you with inner peace. So the key is to change the patterns and acquire new inner habits, new programming.

So then we are tasked with the idea of reprogramming ourselves to be happy, how? First, decide to be happy and consciously choose it every single day. This idea of course is about becoming mindful, getting off of auto-pilot. Mindfulness is a key inner skill because, as it gets stronger, it lets you focus on your own inner life and catch your habits in the act. Once you can see what they do the change you are seeking often happens of its own accord. Next, value happiness, Your choices are based on your values. If you regulate happiness to a low priority in life, other choices will take precedence. Where’s happiness located on your list relative to work, taking care of others, spending money, etc.? We move to Benevolence: It comes as a surprise when you first hear it but benevolence or love starts off as a practical skill which counteracts negative emotions like anger and hatred, terrible wreckers of happiness. Try it the next time someone annoys you: put yourself in their place and ask yourself what they might be thinking or feeling to behave like that. It doesn’t mean they should get away with it, but if you get into the habit of thinking more tolerantly – understanding that their actions are also ruled by inner habits – you’ll find you can react with less anger. And less anger equals more happiness for you, because you are more equipped to choose your response.  Another important concept or skill to practice is that of Letting-go: This is particularly helpful when we are unhappy not getting what we want. We have been programmed to believe more is better, whether it’s clothes or money or even love. But letting go helps us to release the notion that we have to be in control, or have material things to be happy. In letting go we also learn how to practice forgiveness. Bad things happen to good people. Good people make bad mistakes. There’s nothing you can do about it other than forgive and move on to making yourself happy again. When you hold onto bad feelings from the past, you prolong your suffering. Don’t give unhappy thoughts a home. Let negative thoughts and feelings drift away, and as they drift away.

Create positive ones to balance-out the negatives. You need to generate a minimum of five positive moments to offset the negative emotions that are automatically aroused by a bad situation. Keep a list of what makes you happy, and generate at least five of those experiences to eliminate the negative. Practice being happy, because it is like a muscle - it gets stronger the more you exercise it. Keeping yourself happy is like staying in shape. You’ll become better at it the more you do it. It will become easier to do. And eventually it will become a habit, a new program seeded in your subconscious mind that you’ll really miss when you don’t do it.

You can face any challenge in life if you have faith in yourself and in a higher power. To renew your energy, you need to make time to replenish your spirit through whatever acts or rituals that make your heart sing! Happiness is your natural state of being, claim it!
 
Dr. Edwige  

Monday, June 10, 2013

WHAT ARE ENERGY, VIBRATION AND FREQUENCY


 Everything in the Universe is energy and all energy exists at different levels of vibration and frequency. We are moving from third dimensional consciousness to fourth and higher, as is the earth.  Consciousness and vibrational frequency are perfectly correlated. When you're lower in frequency, you're lower in consciousness-your perception is dulled-and you view things through a foggy lens. When you're higher in frequency, you're higher in consciousness, your perception is heightened and you see things more clearly the higher you go. Just as when you ascend in an airplane, you see a larger picture the higher you climb, and the brighter it becomes as you break through the clouds

Raising your vibration allows you to connect more directly with your Higher self , it vibrates at a higher level creating and using this relationship to your Higher self allows for information to be more easily accepted by the conscious and actualized. In other words, once you begin to raise your vibration, you can better understand life and everything in general, you will feel more at peace, in touch, connected, and happier.

            So what exactly is energy? You see everything in the universe is made up of energy and matter; everything that is energy and matter has an energetic vibration. Energetic vibrations attract similar vibrations. You've heard of the Law of Attraction- like attracts like, it's more like energy attracts energy. The human body and outer experience is comprised of >99% energy and <1% matter. What is interesting is that we tend to focus 99% of our attention on what we can see, matter which is <1% of what we are working with. The fact is it is the invisible energy and matter, and this energetic vibration, that has the greatest weight and pull on your life’s outcomes. Your reality is a direct reflection of what your energetic vibration is attracting.

            There are two forms of energy: kinetic and potential. Kinetic energy is in motion and potential energy is stored in matter- motionless. Kinetic energy is at work for you right now, and potential energy is stored away waiting for direction. You have as much energy as you need to perform the goals you think about. You have unlimited power and energy, but this energy will not be revealed to you until you raise your vibration to the level of consciousness in which this energy exists. What you see in your human experience is matter, solid, liquid, or gas.   Solid matter consists of tightly packed molecules with a low vibration in a specific shape and size. Solid matter is dense, heavy, and restricted; remember in an earlier chapter how the choice of words can impact you? The molecules in liquid matter are more spread and fluid thus a higher vibration. The molecules in gas are the most spread out and free to flow in all directions giving it the highest vibration. The higher your energetic vibration is, the lighter, happier, and freer you will feel and become. It is important to note that your thoughts, intentions, and emotions indicate your vibration. This vibration is also influenced by your experiences and environments. When you become conscious of your vibration and its role in your life, you can choose to raise your vibration by choosing positive thoughts and emotions that feel good to you and align with the greater good of all. Destiny does play a part here regardless of conscious thought, for I was shown how I wrote in the pages of my Akashic record all that I was to do in this life. Your level of consciousness and vibration become significant in how your destiny plays out, and whether or not it is miserable or miraculous. For example, the car accident: It was my destiny to awaken at that time, but since my vibration was not as high as it is now, I became a match to the car accident. My chaos into harmony moment. It could have played out any number of ways, because only the fact that I was to awaken was in my akashic record, the how to was totally up to me, or should I say my vibration.  Lower vibrations result in more suffering and often include: negative thoughts (complaining, excuses, blaming), negative emotions (anger, fear, shame, jealously, guilt, sadness), and negative outcomes (conflict, pain, illness, loss, accident, trauma, drama). Higher vibrations result in more love and include positive thoughts (gratitude, appreciation, abundance), positive emotions (peace, joy, compassion, acceptance), and positive outcomes (health, happiness, success, and prosperity).

Most important is How you feel vibrationally speaking that is. The emotional vibration that you emit attracts situations and scenarios to match the feeling you put out. “What you put out is what you get back.” We’ve all heard it. The universe is neutral; it does not favor anyone. The universe simply gives you what you ask for. The universe - GOD only vibrates one way, in one direction, that is Love and flow, you are either in the flow or not. GOD doesn't pick and choose for you, you pick and choose by what you vibrate to. The higher your vibrational frequency, the more you are able to comprehend because you are allowing a greater Flow of Life Force through your mind and body. Vibrational frequency depends on the amount of Life Force you are channeling through you. Life Force can also be characterized as God Energy and Intelligence, or love, and is continually emanating from Source. The lower your vibrational frequency, the less you are able to comprehend because your ego is restricting the flow of life force/God energy and Intelligence/love through your mind and body. Your fearful ego uses judgment and resistance to choke off the Flow. To overcome this you must override your ego, non-resistance and a commitment to allowing Love to flow through you no matter what is happening around you is key. The more you allow the essence of God to flow through your mind and body, the higher you in vibrational frequency becomes, and the more creative you'll become thus giving way to a more authentic empowered you. The lower you are in vibrational frequency, the less creative ideas and empowerment you experience and can utilize because your ego is choking off the flow and allowing less of the essence of God to flow through your mind and body.

 Higher vibrational frequency not only makes you wiser and more powerful, it moves you out of struggle, turmoil and pain, and places you in the realm of joy, ease, peace, and harmony. So the key to claiming wisdom, creativity, and empowerment and every possible blessing-is in raising your vibrational frequency, which is done by allowing more Love to flow.

There are many ways to raise your vibration to a place of love, compassion, appreciation, and abundance. Below is a list of the more obvious, it's your call. What brings you joy? What makes your heart sing? Do it!
Meditate - be still and know that I AM
Focus on raising your vibration - practice, practice practice
Think happy thoughts - it's your choice
Become present in the now - it's important to become mindful - get off of auto-pilot
 

Monday, May 6, 2013

WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED


I was asked recently can one be Metaphysical and a Christian, so I thought that I would share my thoughts on the subject. You see, I’ve considered myself to be a Christian for the majority of my life, considering I attended all Catholic schools throughout childhood and even attended an all girl High School at a convent. Which of course created issues within itself!  

As an adult I was able to lay to rest the guilt and conflicts that are often a result of the Catholic dogma. You know what I mean, you’re a sinner and you must live a life full of our rules so that you may be worthy of eternal happiness when you die. Well, to the average person that statement may seem normal, but to me it just raised a red flag. What about happiness here and now doesn’t that matter? At that point I started moving away from the Catholic church, and started seeking answers in the “Christian” world. Which of course presented a whole other list of rules. I remember one church I attended. The single ladies had to sit in a area by themselves, as did the single men, and the married couples could sit with each other (what a concept)! They still had Wednesday night Bible study, and their interpretations weren’t too far off from the “Catholics”. The only difference I could see was that the “Christians” didn’t have saints, and didn’t kneel throughout their service.

I still had many unanswered questions. Then one day I started searching for answers that made sense to me, and that is what lead me to Metaphysics. You see within these teachings you are taught that not only is God within you, but you have a direct connection to the “Creator”. That got my attention, but what else is there?

This is what I found: The highest quest of human growth and awareness is to discover your ultimate Self-Reality; i.e. the relationship of man-woman and the Universe. To know that there is a Supreme Universal Intelligence, or God that resides somewhere in the deeper levels of the human mind. To make direct contact with this Supreme Universal Intelligence Mind, or God. To experience this presence. “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” This is the realization of oneness with the Creator. Then to bring it forth into the conscious mind and surface daily life. Finally be guided intuitively in every action you take. How do you begin? Meditation, and that my friend is another article, for there are many methods, but the main thing to remember is to quiet yourself and listen.      

You see you are not a sinner, but simply here to experience life. To expand anyway you so choose for this is a free will zone. Yes, free will. There is no good or bad, right or wrong, black or white, it just is. Get out of judgments and separation.  You either get on the path of life and take the short road (meaning doing things that better serve you) or you get on that path and take the long route, (lots of detours, and hardships) but in the end lessons have been learned. How else are we to grow?

You see it isn’t about religion and which one is right or righter! It’s about connecting to the truth; you are Divine created in the image of God. That means something! Wakeup know how important you are, and that you are here on Mother Earth for a reason. Get on the path of life and live each day as the blessing it truly is, and the blessing you truly are!

By Rev. Dr. Edwige

Namaste’

Monday, April 1, 2013

Moderation In All Things


 


Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5)

The person who chooses to live within Moderation will seldom be faced with extreme situations of his own making.

On the surface, moderation simply means avoiding extremes. It involves finding strategies and habits that can be maintained over the long-term, without cycling between one extreme and the other.  At a deeper level, moderation is a commitment to balance and wholeness. It is rooted in the recognition that each person has many different (and often competing) needs, desires, abilities, and goals. Living up to your full potential means finding ways to incorporate all of them into your decision-making processes and choices.

How badly do you want peace of mind? Badly enough to really change the way you’re living life? If so, and of course this must truly be your desire if you are to make a change, because nothing beyond God will help you as much on a practical level as an understanding that moderation is the philosophy of those who have greater peace of mind.

Moderation doesn’t seem to get a lot of play these days. Everything is presented in extremes. We have extreme sports, extreme deodorant, extreme energy drinks, to name a few. We seek extremes because we erroneously believe that the more intense an experience is, the more pleasurable it will be.

As we increase our stimulation, our appetite consequently rises to meet it. We then need even more stimulation to achieve the same pleasure the old level of stimulation gave us.

When we feel unhappy and bored there are two ways to revive our feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. One is to seek new things and more stimulation. You can start going out more, having sex more, and buying more new things and experiences. But the pleasure you get from ratcheting up the intensity of these experiences will eventually end in a plateau. The alternative, is to have a oneness of identity with God, and then continue life, neither craving and running after any whim or fancy of enjoyment that may come along, nor withdrawing either. As you would live in your oneness with God, choose to live your life in moderation, being always aware to avoid extremes. So, don’t spend too much or too little. Don’t work too hard or too little. Don’t overeat. Don’t under eat. Don’t sleep too much. Don’t get too little sleep—this is living in moderation.  To cultivate the virtue of moderation is to seek greater enjoyment and pleasure in things you currently do, while expanding in to the new gracefully, and with ease. This will help you to avoid the tearing emotional extremes that make life filled with constant turmoil or contrast. Leaving little time for peace of mind, where both love and God can be enjoyed to the fullest.

Reconnect with Your Senses. We live in a society saturated by stimulation. We have become numbed to nuance. You don’t need new stimulation; you need to rediscover the hidden layers of ordinary experiences . Stop inhaling your food, as I often remind my husband. Start allowing yourself to enjoy it by tasting all of the unique flavors and textures in each mouthful. Instead of doing a keg stand and chugging cheap beer, learn to savor and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into a quality brew. Enjoy looking at the at the night sky, be in awe of the magnificent work God has done! Start actually thinking about how touching your partners skin feels. Many find themselves  walking through life like zombies, on auto-pilot. Wake up and start delving into the wonder of the world!

Get Reacquainted with Your Attention Span. Whenever I watch older movies from a few decades ago, I am reminded of just how much slower the pacing of the action is. Things seem to happen in real time. I even feel annoyed by it. But the problem is my attention span, not the movie. Even when my computer decides to go at a snail’s pace, I can sometimes get frustrated. But then I think, it was only a few years ago that I had dial-up.” Our expectations for speed and stimuli have gotten unreasonable. Start stretching your attention span by watching old movies, reading a good, long book, or going for a long walk to nowhere. And when you get restless, try to put things in perspective.

Stop multitasking and be present in the moment. If you’re like me, you’re always doing two things at once: talking on the phone and surfing the net, surfing the net and watching TV, watching TV and reading a magazine, you get it. But this craving only begets the need for more stimulation. Try to do one task at a time. Quit mindlessly distracting yourself every moment. Concentrate your senses and focus on whatever it is you are doing. Begin living in the NOW!

So the next time you hear the words, “everything in moderation,” don’t just think about your diet, but look at everything in your life! 

 


Monday, January 7, 2013

NEGATIVE SELF-TALK


As we move into a new year it usually means New Year's resolution, but just for a moment let's do something different.

Let's throw away the good intentional but never carried out multitude of resolutions like changing our eating habits, losing weight, or making more money (you get the picture)! Instead I  purpose that you focus on a single change that will affect your life more than any resolution that bores you in a few weeks could ever!

In my practice as a Metaphysical Practitioner I'm often asked how to turn negative chatter in your head around. Since we know how important it is to maintain a positive attitude. I thought it time to address the issue of chatter and negative self-talk. You know what I'm talking about that voice inside your head that is always judging you. The voice that is the first thing you hear when you drop something or stub your toe. It's the voice that says "I'm stupid" "I can't do anything right".

These negative statements have more of an impact on your subconscious mind and your life than you can imagine.   Because your subconscious mind runs the show. Ninety percent of every new experience is based on what is seeded or programmed in your subconscious. These ideals are developed from patterns and habits formed from childhood, genetic cellular memory, past lives, and even from the beginnings of our existence. We learn from our parents, other people, and events we experience as we grow up. Some of the things learned may have served us as children, but no longer serve us as adults. Others are the product of difficult or traumatic experiences held in our subconscious or memory banks, and have left a legacy of negative beliefs and thought patterns. Our thoughts and our words are energy and therefore have the power to change our lives.  

This negative voice is something we all have, and at times struggle with, but you can take control of it and let your positive attitude shine through and thus create the life you deserve!

I'm going to give you two ideas you can use to turn off the negative voice and turn on the positive one, so that it can become the dominate voice you hear.

First, you have a negative message come through say "Cancel thought, Cancel thought, Cancel thought" or "Delete, Delete, Delete" and then replace that negative thought with a positive one. You don't need to say it aloud. For example,  if your negative voice says "I can't do this, it's to hard for me", think "Cancel thought, Cancel thought, Cancel thought, and then follow that with "Nothing is to hard for me when I put my mind to it, in fact I can do anything"!

Right now, of course you're thinking "this is to hard for me". Think about this, you did not get here over night and so it's going to take practice and effort to reprogram yourself! Everything takes practice , and as you may be thinking this is silly, your persistence will pay off, and before you know it , not only will this become automatic for you, but your negative thought will diminish greatly.

Next, sign-up for affirmations found at www.Affirmationsforliving.net .  There are 13 categories for you to choose from, as you say these everyday you will begin to reprogram your subconscious with more positive beliefs!

Once you change the way you respond by counteracting the negative messages and repeating the Affirmations you will be able to accomplish whatever you set your mind to much easier!

Namaste'
Rev. Dr. Edwige