~~~HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ~~~

My troubles are still annoying me. I know they will pass. I have to believe this is so. In one of my life's experiences from the past in the Greek Orthodox church I did find tranquility and peace from the  Iconography  on the walls of the church. I have often preached that you can allow certain freedoms of expressions that will open the doors to your heart and mind.

Since the day of my mother's passing I hold her memory close to my heart. Mother's Day is an opportunity to sit and absorb your mother's energy and love. she has weather passed on or not.This is a lesson we should all absorb.

The above icon of the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child can allow those things which attack the Spirit and soul to  be gone and  allow you to live the life  you deserve. Please believe me when I say you must love yourself before you can love others. One of my favorite singers, Josh  Groban sings a song that addresses my issue with a  song called 

"You are loved"-- do not give up"  up! It really touches me in my state of mind right now.


 

This Mother's day and all mother's days set aside some time to be with your mother If you you need help in sharing with your Mother, allow yourself to be embraced. Be the person you are inside and share with those who are struggling in life. Our mother's energy is powerful and full of love. It is up to us to reach that energy and live with it everyday.

I sincerely thank  that a member who follows this blog for waking me up wake me up!Thank you so much. As the days pass I will be stronger. 

I thank the membership of this blog for your patience, love and devotion. 

Light and Love to all!

THE ENERGY OF LIFE

I have for over two months now an eternal battle going on distracting my  energy From where it comes  Helping others can help you find your positive energy of life.

Easter is knocking at our door. Passover has just pasted over. A great time to be alive. There is no time to waste positive energy.

Please accept this greeting of love and thankfulness. Take advantage of celebrating this love!

~~~ HOLIDAY DEPRESSION ~~~

Depression during the Holidays unfortunately is common. ~~  However, the good news is, ~~ that it can be completely curable with our  own energy. All too often we are focused on social structures and symbolism that do not address the spirit. We remember our childhood  which may contribute to how we share our holidays as a parent.

Depression is a sign that the spirit and mind have disconnected and we need to reconnect with spiritual remedies. 

I offer the following remedy for Holiday Depression:

Before I offer the list, ~~  first and foremost ~~ take no anti-depression pills or any chemical medication. It would be like putting a pill in the bark of a tree which is dying. It simply does no good. The tree needs nature made attention as do humans. You do not want to live in a world of chemicals that might give you temporary comfort. In the end you are doing more harm than good

1). Do not think about money.  Whatever a gift may  cost If you  do not have the money  for it ~~~  forget about purchasing it. There is no gift better than a hug and the words, "I love you" to anyone.

2). During the Holidays you may have more time to take walks which can be done every day of the year, not just during the holidays.  Walking is nutrition   for the body and spirit. It makes us feel alive with a purpose in life and that we are not alone.  Every Holiday when my family gets together  we do a "Power walk" in the hills of Redlands California. It is about a two hour walk and some considerable miles before we sit down for our gathering.

3). you can do volunteer work, spending the day helping others as suggested in my previous two blogs on this topic. Helping others helps you!

4). It is a time to also recall our family and friends who have passed on to the afterlife. Do this, recalling all the positive things  and times together. Do not focus on the negative memories. Remember our loved ones are still with us in spirit.

5). Celebrate Christmas all year  around. Regina and I have celebrated Christmas already over this past weekend. There was no gift exchanged, just a lot of Hugs and words of love. We continuously validated that were were having a wonderful Holiday season. Was I concerned about financial issues lurking in  the depths of my spirit? Yes, however I did not let them distract  my focus of appreciation. I remained positive and realized that no matter how challenging my problems seem to be there are many people who have far more challenges in their life then me.

6). while you may be in a crowd or alone, do controlled breathing. Doing this can reconnect our spirit and mind. It helps our awareness of life and there are great reasons to be happy. This a form of prayer and or meditation. I consider both a valid source of energy. 

May your mind and soul be unified  by feeding it with spiritual nutrition and your tree of life yields fruits of love, and happiness.

There can be no more depression

~~~ THE LOSS OF A FRIEND ~~~

I recently experienced the loss of a long term relationship which in my heart and spirit I thought would take me to the afterlife. The cause of the termination was due to a complete misunderstanding and no real opportunity given  to clarify the message that provoked the breakdown.

My immediate reaction to this confrontation was anger, not so much what the misunderstanding was all about, but the treatment received. It was as if I were a stranger. You would think that after 30 plus years there would be some trust and credibility in my words. Sometimes friends become enemies, but what is worse is when is when they become strangers.

As most people would react in shock, so did I. I had to meditate on the matter and then realized that the best solutions rarely come to surface immediately. Are time and distance the remedy? I have always believed that events happen in our life for a reason. We may not know what that reason is as the greater good is revealed through adversities in our life. Be patient, allow the tide of life to bring you to shore. Allow the universe to unfold with divine  enlightenment.

The loss of a "Filos" in Greek  ~~ friend ~~  can be as painful as the loss of any kind of love.

Friendships are very important in our life.They may be a cornerstone of our life which supports the foundation of our being. As said many times before, they may be our angels on earth.

Do not imprison your spirit with trying to relive the past.  Do not have conversations with yourself like ~~ what if this or that was said ~~ could that have changed things? We only have the NOW, the past is  gone. Do not try to live in the past. Allow divine providence in it's own time to place things in the order that is best for you.

Sometimes life gives you two options: losing yourself or losing the one you love. Whatever it is, do not lose yourself. Remember you have not lost value in life because of a broken friendship. There is no depreciation as time goes by like an object, such as an automobile.   You are still the beautiful person you were born to be. Allow me to give you a visual: Have you noticed that while the body ages the eyes do not? They are as you were born with. No wonder they say that the eyes are the windows to your soul. 

Take the beauty you have and share it with those who will appreciate it. Take your ship of life and endure the sometimes overwhelming waves that toss and turn your ship and embrace the  horizons that you have yet to experience.

Be well in Love and Light!

 

~~~ OUR TWIN OF LOVE ~~~

We all have an innate desire to find our soul mate in this realm. I do not infer to a relationship based on anything other than a spiritual attraction to another. By today’s standards this is indeed a rare accomplishment. In a very subtle way we are actually searching for ourselves in someone who is like us.

I argue that a couple who seems to be the opposite of his love interest is not better off as one does not necessarily balance the other in behavior. For an example: One is introverted and the other is extroverted. One likes to be outdoors and the other is happy staying in the house.

Regardless It is my feeling that to connect with your “twin” your relationship needs a frame not based the following:

1) Material things on Earth

2)The External shell, or body which contains the soul and spirit.

One needs to be attracted to what is inside of the body. This may be a challenge when we are gifted by the Creator such strong senses which cause us to respond to the visual and be blinded by superficial beauty. A double edged sword. It is my feeling that visual beauty can  bring you to the well for a drink, however, effort is needed to extract the prize in the well which is the water it contains.

3)Selfishness. Too many times we do not reach out to those in need of the basics in life whether ,  food, spiritual support. Love etc. The desire to share what we have inside us by both in a relationship is truly powerful.

The connection with your “twin” in love may not be in this lifetime. It may be a work in progress in the   moment we are in  now.

Below is a video I came across long after this concept came to my consciousness. I said to myself Wow! So this revelation is shared by many people. It is real. We all have a “Twin” of love.  

 We all can find our "Twin" of love, he or she maybe just around the corner. Place yourself in a spiritual environment and it will happen. Find the inner beauty in people and share your own beauty and you will find your "Twin" of love!

Love and peace be with you!

~~~ HUMOR IN SPIRITUALITY? ~~~

When one mentions spirituality often people think of a discipline or a strict regiment that is confining what they consider to be a prim and proper behavior. To laugh out loud laughter in some Churches is consider Sacrilegious. Well, there we go again. Being religious is not necessarily being spiritual.  Why cannot humans see there is a huge difference between spirituality and religion.  It should not be so. The role of Spirituality should be the driving force behind the religious experience in a place of worship, regardless of dogma preached.

This post was not meant to discuss dogma and or philosophy when it comes to personal experiences in life.

Years ago When I Spoke from the pulpit or  at seminars there was always humor. One of my favorite speakers and writers  is Doctor Wayne Dryer among many others. He always has  humor  in his presentations on life improvement and spirituality.

There were sometimes roaring laughter from the parishioners from my sermons. The dean of the church would caution me about preserving the sacred venue we were in out of respect. Probably because he had to, not becuase he wanted to. He was laughing  as hard as our flock did. Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious then any cough, sneeze or sniffle. When laughter is shared, it creates a bond with people.

Since I was young I was the clown in the house and at school. In Elementary school I created little games like "stinker stick" on the playground during recess. A chasing game, running away from the dreadful stick which was thrown by a "stinky kid". 

Even at funerals at times there was respectful laughter in my eulogies. Humor resulting in laughter can diminish pain and even can protect you from the damaging effects of stress. A healing remedy for the Spirit.

Believe it or not, Laughter also  is medicinal for the body. It boosts the immune system. It releases endorphins in the body. Laughter improves the function of the blood vessels. Laughter protects the heart. 

What a simple medicine for the body and spirit. No prescription needed, does not cost you any money. The medicine is within. 

Growing up with my nieces and nephews they called me "Uncle Crazy Man". They still do on Facebook because I would walk around in the house mimicking Steve Martin on the Saturday Night live show where Steve would wave his hands in the air and pronounce that he was "A wild and crazy guy". 

I have always acknowledged that comedians are very intelligent people who are tuned into people's psyche and know what tickles their funny bone. 

The following is a video on Patch Adams regarding conventional medicine and medicine from the spirit.

Today I incorporate everyday communication with some humor. I rarely say a sentence with out using words from different languages I know. Such as Donde is my Valitsa? ~~ which means "Where is my briefcase" The first word is Spanish, then English and lastly Greek. I have even created words with subtle  hints of different languages.  such  as saying Walito instead of wallet.

The general concept is to speak from the spirit.

I do not mean as in the Pentecostal church speaking in "Tongues".

I feel the more Spiritual you are the more humor you will inspire among all those you come into contact with.Let you hair down and put a smile on anyone you are in contact with, the waitress at a restaurant, the teller at the bank, friend and family and strangers from all walks of life. The happier you appear to be the happier people around you are.

The ancient Greeks and Romans knew the significance of humor and how to deal with tragedy. This is not a new concept. Allow your Spirit to envelope your Body and you will be much more happy and  healthy.

This what I mean. On an occasion, just allow yourself to be happy  and allowing the spirit simply take over

Be well in humor, love and light!

  

~~~ EARTH DAY ~~~ BOSTON ~~~

With the continuing gratuitous killings  such as the recent events at the world famous Boston Marathon in the US we experienced another reminder and lesson that we need to sweep our own Porch before we can attend  matters beyond it. Man needs to change from within first so he is able to see clearly his surroundings. Only then can we appreciate what Mother Earth has to offer and how we can nurture her and protect her from further destruction.

Do you believe for one minute that these two men  who did so much physical and emotional trauma to his fellow humans ever took a stroll through the forest  just to be close to Mother Nature?

This starts at home with the parents. What is really sad is "Officials believe this terrorism was motivation by religion".  ~~ That the two brothers appear to   have been motivated by a radical band of Islam, but, do not seem to be connected to any Muslim terrorists groups, This should not be confused with your average dedicated Muslim .

If this is true, ~~ one could suspect that world unity, peace, and appreciation were not promoted in this the suspect's family. 

Spirituality is a must. It is spirituality that is the flow of blood of Religions. Without it, religion can be just a another set of rules and laws which generates another source of income

As I said before, Mother Earth will not end life as we know it with catastrophic events . It will be humanity which will self destruct.

Let us meditate on this day for a peaceful world, that Mother Nature will flourish  in spite of mankind. Allow your spirituality to guide you in what ever religion you participate in.

~~ TRUE BEAUTY IS UNDER THE SKIN ~~

It has been said  by  many  ~~ that "you were told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What they failed to tell you is that beauty is best seen with the eyes closed. What you look like is not important. What is important is who you are inside and the choices you make".

Quote from unknown

I had posted a similar subject relative to "you cannot judge the book by it's cover" ~~ or something to that effect. I am now approaching this subject from  the viewpoint of the person being judged. ~~ not the judge

It is up to you to share your beauty with the world. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and share your beauty. All of us have been given gifts from the creator. All of us have the beauty we were born with. 

As humans growing up from a young age we are susceptible to prejudges created by society and we tend to develop insecurities and  we loose confidence in our selves. I cannot think of one person I have been associated with, either at work, friends or family who has beauty to share with humanity but rarely shares it .

The way most people deal with their insecurities is like one putting make-up on one's face to change the way they look naturally, instead of looking as the way the creator made them. instead they cover the beauty within.

Exploit the beauty you have to share. What your shell looks like which carries your beautiful soul in this realm is unimportant. Whether  your gift is entertainment, artistry, teaching, communicating or just helping your fellow man ~~ you can share and help humanity with your beauty.

How do you know you have shared your beauty you ask? You know you have touched one's soul when tears are shed. Your soul gives you a spiritual bath. 


The beautiful image above portrays a human who in times of our life's storms she opens her beauty from within.

This post was triggered by a video I saw  below and  perhaps it will cause you to tear. Please see it.

 
Well ~~ Jonathon who is 17 years old fortunately had a companion who acknowledged  his beauty and encouraged him to share his gift and stood  up for him when his piers at school would make fun of him because the way he looked. 

You too can acknowledge the beauty in your fellow humans. Not only to  build their confidence but also to encourage them to share their gift in life.

Be well in light and love,

Stephen

DEALING WITH OUR ADVERSITIES IN LIFE

Adversities can be an opportunity to learn more about yourself.  I have always said "it does not matter how you fall, but how you get up from falling"  When you are engulfed in anxiety and it seems over bearing, change the way you look at the challenge. Meditate or pray on what good message can come from this situation. Do not allow the experience to take you  like a wave and pull you into the ocean of anxiety.

The above image is of Oscar Pistorius, An Olympian from South Africa who was born with no legs. As he grew older guess what he wanted to be in life? ~~ a runner ~~~ with no legs. Here is a man who has been blessed in life, not cursed. 

"Never to suffer would never to have been blessed. "

Quote from Edgar Allen Poe

So ~~ regardless of the  adversity and its intensity in life, whether from accidents, financial, health, family matters, anything that disrupts you heart beat, you can find in yourself the strength which can be ignited by your spirituality and see the calm after the storm.

I have said before, Mother Earth and her nature is a powerful source of spirituality. And guess what, ~~ humanity has distant himself not only by destruction of  nature but by the fact that we rarely touch Mother because  of the cement we have covered her with and walk upon. If we remain in the cement Jungle  we live in and do not  escape from the cage we have put ourselves in, we have ignored a powerful source  of energy which can be a remedy for how we can get beyond the Adversities we face in life. To live a life without adversities is to live a life without color. ~~  Seeing life in black and white. Never becoming a complete person. Adversities is like  carving tools for the soul. They mold us who we are today.

May I suggest a walk with Mother Nature, away from the cement Jungle we live in. Even taking your shoes off,   and allow a physical contact with Mother Earth. Meditate or pray there and I assure you the adversities you face will be seen in a different manner.  

The following is a poignant quote on adversities:

"The most beautiful people I've know are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths."

Quote from Elisa Kuber-Ross

 

What has triggered this post was a series of Insurance claims I have investigated lately where there was a loss of life, and a assortment of various accidents which seemingly were unbearable to the victim.   I have found myself attempting to be more comforting than explaining laws on liability. Going far beyond the scope of my job description for a good purpose and not compromising my investigations. It is the passion in me that motivates me. You can do the same with your fellow humans. Present yourself as a spiritual door to walk through and derail the  vision of negativity and reveal your light on all challenges.

Another Quote:

"If the road is easy you're likely going the wrong way."

Quote From Terry Goodkind

 If Oscar Pistorius can fulfill his dream as an Olympian runner with no legs, you can overcome your adversities also. Appreciate what you have, look at adversities as an opportunity to shine  among all life and humanity, I know I have. Thank God I have had so many adversities which makes me the beautiful human I am.

Light and Love to all!

ADDENDUM 
February 14th 2013 9:30 AM

I have just learned of the shocking news that Oscar Pistoriuos   has just been charged with the murder of his girlfriend. ~~  Well, all can I say is the I wish that he is cleared of all charges. This does not diminish his efforts to overcome his serious adversity from birth. It just adds to another one he needs to take face which is hard to believe, but probably this will the biggest challenge of his life either created by him or or not.

~~ WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY ~~

The concept of happiness can be individualized or part of a chain uniting people together. The core of our happiness may be influenced by our upbringing, our environment,  our exposure to societal values, etc. Happiness for one person may not be happiness for others. The source of our happiness can be so varied. Individual Memories which spur happiness are unique.

While I was in Munich, Germany I was staying at the  Olympic Village where I shared a room with a Native American during the Olympics. I may have mentioned this before. We shared many ideas of philosophy including Native Wisdom  The one thing that stood out in my mind was the Native definition of  HAPPINESS. Essentially, ~~ He said Our happiness is not produced by our external life conditions,  ~~ but by our perceptions and thoughts about our life and what happens to us. We are not angry or made happy by events, but by our reactions to events. ~~

Paraphrased Quote 

 Running Bear

In other words, our happiness comes from within.

I am going to ask you to do an introspection of yourself. This exercise  is very powerful. In fact it rivals meditation. I am going to ask you to make a list of at least 5 things that make you happy in life.

When you are done, study the list. You might discover things about yourself you never realized. There is selfish happiness and sharing happiness as I like to call it. Is it about money?  This maybe is temporary and not permanent happiness. Having said that, if money is used to help the world heal or help a disadvantaged family, this is sharing happiness. The recipient and giver both share the happiness.

When you are done, ask yourself, "does my happiness do anything for our fellow man and the world"? Is it linked to Mother Earth? Or ~~ is it a state of mind which is not shared with others.

Here are my 5 things that make ME happy.   

1)  I am happy because I love myself. Loving myself allows me to love others. This is a shared   happiness. When I am happy others are happy.

2) I am happy because of the ability  to share with others what little I may have in materials or information  like doing this blog. You cannot believe what euphoria I experience when I share spiritual information and feelings from my soul. Without an audience like yourselves I would be deprived of this happiness.

3) I am happy because of the love for and from my  family. Show me a person who does not share the love of a family and I will show you a person who does not love himself. 

4) I am happy when I am among  nature which in it's own right is a  symbol of happiness. It is Mother Earth's expression of harmony, peace, love and sharing with all. How much more happy can one be when Mother Earth provides nourishment and such beauty. This is universal happiness. Walking through the woods, across streams, inhaling the fresh air makes me so happy.

5) I am happy for the health I have as long as I have it. I will be happy this day as if it were my last day. I may not live to see tomorrow, yet, ~~ I will be happy on my last day of my mortal life. If my future plans are gone forever I will be  OK and will pass into the spirit world, happy and with a smile on my Face. 

May you think positive thoughts and positive happiness will occur. Share your happiness with all around you, the known and unknown, strangers and friends and you will live in a happy world. Recognize the beauty you have and share!

Be happy in love and light! ~~ and thank you for sharing!

~~~~ ENERGY FROM DARKNESS ~~~~

As we approach the All Saints Eve ~~~  aka Halloween, a deluge of Horror movies come out on possession, scary mass murders and mazes at theme parks with gory scenes and monsters jumping out of corners solely to give you a thrill!  ~~ as if this "turns you on". ~~ as though we dare to get scared by negative energies?

One fact you need to remember: Darkness, Evil, and the bad are real among humanity. Without darkness there would be no light. Darkness quantifies light. It is simply part of life. As nighttime is to daytime. 

The question is: Are humans born with the propensity for evil and bad? This is as issue which is the source of the doctrine of "original sin". Philosophers and Theologians have been debating this for centuries. 

The essence of this doctrine is that  Adam ate the apple given to him by the serpent when he was warned by God not to be tempted to eat it. He was punished by God, making him mortal and women experiencing pain in childbirth. ~~ It has been said because of Original Sin,  Humans are born with the propensity for evil and bad.  ~~ That humans must be taught to be good. Learn right from wrong in his culture. That humans innately are evil and do not have to be taught to be evil ~~ they just are. I do not subscribed totally to this doctrine. I must say that a child in the age of innocence (which is commonly acepted as age 12 and younger) may not be in the position to make choices. Note my previous post on raising children in spirituality.

What I do strongly believe in  ~~ is that evil is a choice beyond the age of innocence  and not forced upon you. Humans  have to be a willing host to be "possessed". as an adult. You have to open the door to evil. Possession is real! Trust me, I have been a participant in an exorcism of a man in the Greek Orthodox church. The experience is a lifetime trauma that one can never forget. 

As I have said in earlier posts about vortexes, your energy is magnified by Mother Earth, whether it is positive or negative. 

How do I celebrate Halloween? I try to watch the Halloween movie  each year which is a classic "The nightmare before Christmas" which is not a negative, scary story. 

I celebrate the entire month of October as a month of Harvest and thanking Mother Earth for the abundance of nourishment provided.

I suggest that our focus of attention during this time of the year be more on positive energies and parties geared to have fun, with games like bobbing for apples, etc. and dressing up as a non violent and dark character.    Inviting negativity in our life is not good for the children in the age of innocence or adults. I suggest you read my previous post in the category of "Holidays" on the tradition of costumes, etc. 

Be well in light and love! Enjoy the harvest season!

ENJOY LIFE!

~ RAISING YOUR CHILD IN SPIRITUALITY

I have four children, none of whom does attend a building of worship on a regular basis. They have been exposed to multiple religions. One might consider at extreme ends. My first born was baptized  in the Greek Orthodox church. My other three were born in the Jewish faith. My second born son was circumcised by a Mohel (a Jewish person trained in the rite of "Brit Milah" (the practice of Circumcision) After all,  his mother is Jewish. Based on Jewish law, the children of a Jewish mother are automatically considered Jews and should be raised in the Jewish faith. 

Let's face the fact that when we bring a child into this world the only "label" he has is HUMAN. How he evolves as a human does depend on his upbringing. As a child I rarely went to a place of worship. I remember going to a "Science of Mind church" in San Bernardino a couple of times. I remember more a group of people coming to the house and speaking about spirituality with a doctor Hollenbeck, an archeologist  who traveled the world and shared his spirituality. I was at a young age then  and did not understand the message being taught. 

I can honestly say my parents had absolutely no influence on my decision to be baptized as a young adult in the Greek orthodox church.  In fact when my father heard of this, he mocked the church, parading around the house with a robe as though he were a priest ~~ essentially making fun of organized religions.

In this era when technology has taken a huge leap forward there are so many distractions to choose from that turns our focus on the material rather than the spiritual.

Can one be spiritual outside the walls of worship? ~~ Yes! Can one be spiritual by going to church?  ~~ Not necessarily . One can be spiritual in church , but not because of church or a temple. It is not the building that makes one spiritual. It is what you have inside you that makes you a spiritual being. Spirituality is a 24 hours a day experience. It is not the one or two hours on Sundays, Mondays or Saturdays experience which makes a person spiritual.

To make an analogy: We can all identify with diets. You will find numerous methods to loose weight. However, many of us may loose weight, but we do not keep it off. Why? you ask. Because our goal should be to keep it off. It is a permanent life change. Like humans wanting to be a good person and strive for "salvation". Going to church or Temple and recite prayers and receive sacraments maybe a quick fix but when you leave the building and flip off a driver for cutting you off on the freeway or kick the dog because it is in your way, etc. is not a life change. You must practice your faith ~~ spirituality with each breath you take.

Now, raising children in spirituality; even from a child we can teach them by example the golden rule which binds all religions. This is simply in essence: Treat others as you would want to be treated ~~in so may words.

A child can be taught to meditate, practice yoga relax with rhythmic breathing as in Kundalini Yoga. After all ~~~ breathing comes natural to us, however intentional breathing with a rhythmic action can relax the body and mind. Do this twice a day, morning an night will make a difference for you and your child.

I recently was blessed by meeting a family with two children, one girl and one boy,  ~~twins. Both under 10 years old. George  Kaponay and his beautiful spiritual wife, Bobi, are the founders of the "Chrystal Heart Energy Grid".

Here is the link to their site:

http://crystalheartgrid.com/

They are from Australia. They are currently in the US on a pilgrimage to promote humanity healing, unity and spiritual awareness and how the energies of the planet can bring us together as one. 

The two children are home schooled. Their education and intelligence level is  far ahead of their years. Their knowledge of nutrition is amazing. Of coarse nutrition is a huge part of spirituality. If you love your body you will take care of it. You must love yourself before you can truly love others.

I took the family to Lake Arrowhead, a local mountain resort and spent the day with them.

Below are a couple of photos with the Kaponay family.

Perhaps not everyone has the opportunity to home school and to travel around the world to places of great energy of Mother Earth. Having said that one can find the same peace and energy in a local mountain or even a park. You do not need a yoga mat to meditate and practice Yoga.

Teach your children to love and respect Mother Earth. Teach them to love all four legged, winged, finned life who share the air we breathe. 

I am proud and blessed to say that all four of my children are brilliant, good humans who would never violate the golden rule of life. Be the love you want to see in your children. 

Be well in Love and life

~~~~~~ IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE ~~~~~

The title of this post gives you a hint of what this message is about. ~~ As in the movie with the same title I emphasize  the importance of self-esteem. Know that you do have an impact on people's life's. Maybe it was something you have said or did.

Challenges in life tend to consume our spirit and soul. We feel that surely we must have done something wrong to deserve such "fate". The good in you can seem to be overshadowed by everyday challenges. Sometimes one has to be reminded by our angel who is assigned to us, ~~~~ that little voice we hear in our head.

A couple of days ago, while I was working out in the gym at my club I came across the parents of a child I had coached in soccer for a number of years. We were reminiscing the days of playing together on different teams, traveling, together to beautiful venues such as Lake Tahoe, California and the comradery  we experienced. I was told how I had a major affect on their children's childhood and that they haven taken these memories with them in life.

Another child I had coached, who now is a young adult came up to me and thanked me for getting her life "straighten out" and that she will use the same social skills I inadvertently taught my team. I did not just teach soccer skills, but also life's lessons.

I have had a number of people I have encountered in life who I never knew I had such an impact on. The parents, who had heard about my accident stated ''you were meant to survive so that you could have an impact on our children and us".

Frank Copra, who directed the movie, "It's a wonderful Life" based it on a book called "The greatest Gift"  This gift is the ability we all have in touching our fellow humans and helping them to deal with life's curves, twists and turns. 

Sometimes something traumatic has to happen to wake us up. Only then do we really appreciate what we have and then share with others.

Some of you know my history as to my near death experiences.  The first was when I was 16. I and two buddies hitchhiking in the San Bernadino  mountains near Big Bear, California when the driver lost control of the car and flipped the car upside-down and some how like an angel picked up the car and sent it to the hillside instead of us falling down the mountain. I walked away unscathed. I was a teenager ~~ so I believed I was invincible. Taking life for granite. I never did share this with my parents, considering I was hitchhiking, ~~ a stupid thing to do as teenager. I was more scared about what they would do to me if I told them what happen.

My second experience was failing to get on a plane from Chicago O' Hare airport to LA. The flight was booked and I was pissed off. This same flight crashed and everyone died on the plane. This was An American Airlines in 1979. My Angel was telling me there is a reason I needed to be here still. 

Third, ~~  was my rollover accident in Mexico about 5 years ago, a crash that could have easily taken my life , if not, left me paralyzed or even comatose, yet I walked away with all my limbs and mental capacity. In fact I felt stronger after the accident than before.  This time my Angel shouted at me, ~~ there was no whispering going on.

Each and everyone of us has the ability to affect the life of others. Do not allow the challenges life throws at you keep you from sharing the good  in you with others who might need to see that good.

Extend  a spiritual hand to all you are in contact with. Trust me when I say that when you do this your energy strengthens. Your positive energy has a bottomless well. 

I wish for you to grasp the golden key on the merry go round  of life and hand it to anyone who needs it more. Perhaps those who cannot ride the merry-go-round.

 Absorb the divine light and feel the warmth of love and peace!