Commit to Transformation - The power of YES!

As we bring March to a close we revisit our monthly theme of creating a Vision for our life, be it for this day, the next week, month or longer. Our timelines are personal to us individually. Visioning is about personal transformation. Sometimes it is about our personal commitment to ourselves to learn or discover something new. A common equation in our Spiritual teaching is Thought + Feeling = Manifestation. We have thoughts all day long about this or that. When our thoughts are accompanied by a feeling they are activated. They take form through the power of the Universal YES.

Here's where it gets interesting. When our thoughts are positive, affirmative and in the direction of our highest good, the “Law” of the universe says yes and our experience of life flows with ease and grace. When our thoughts are negative, and our feelings are focused on all the things that are wrong or aren’t going our way, the “Law” says yes to that too and we receive more of the things and experiences we do not want. The practice then becomes making a commitment to ourselves to notice where our thoughts and feelings are, so we are better able to turn them around from negative to positive.

“We could coin no better expression than to say that God speaks to the heart through a language of feeling, a feeling which is affirmative.” Ernest Holmes

We are very sensitive and intuitive (feeling) beings. As babies, we learned how to read emotions in others through our god given intuition. It often starts with our caregivers. We pick up on their moods by the way they hold their bodies and the tone of voice they use when they speak with us or others. We all have the ability to pick up on the emotions of others around us. If someone were to walk into a room in a bad mood there is a good chance you would be able to feel it. The same would be true if someone was in a great mood. Our emotions carry an energy that can be felt. Our intuitive nature actually speaks through the Heart!

It’s not just us humans that have this intuitive sense, animals and even plants have it too. Dogs intuitively know when their human is in a happy mood or a sad mood and they reflect their moods back in their behavior. If danger is present they get very protective. If the human isn’t feeling well, they will often remain close to them as a way of offering comfort. Cats do this too. A snake will not strike out, unless it feels it is in danger. The key word is “feels". It all comes back to, Thoughts + Feelings = Manifestation.

“The biggest commitment you must keep is your commitment to yourself.” Neale Donald Walsch

A good question to ask ourselves is, what am I saying Yes too? Did you declare that today was going to be an awesome day when you woke up? Our feelings are so very powerful. We have the power to modify our feelings by the way we direct our thoughts. The power of the Universe is always working for us. It is up to us to feel and listen to what it is telling us, then commit to keep saying Yes to all the good we are and all the good we are ready to receive. 

This next week explore the commitments you are making to yourself and others. Below are some questions to guide you on your personal exploration. 

● What does commitment mean to you? 
● What future goal or vision are you committed to. Is it easy to commit to this? 
● What does it look like when you commit to something? 
● Is commitment the same for each person? 
● How does it feel to honor a commitment you have made? 
● How does it feel when you don’t honor a commitment you have made to someone else? to yourself? 
● What is needed for you to re-commit?
● Name 3 ways you are going to commit to the highest vision for your life.

 "Freedom is not the absence of commitment, but the ability to choose and commit to myself to what is best for me." Paul Coelho.

Affirmations:

"I welcome change in my life because it helps me grow" Peggy Lou Jenkins

“I relax and behold God’s grace unfolding as my life.” Colleen Tanaka

"I am blossoming into my Greater Good!" Unknown

"Today I say Yes! to living my life with courage and commitment." Unknown

Music: Two great songs (and videos) from Daniel Nahmod

My Soul is Welcome Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcD92Cw6D0 

Get Ready my Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUrRtf3rVmg

Meditations: Featuring Happy Minds

Happy Meditations for Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_wdeog5Ek

Morning meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pZeLOHBScw

Books: 

In My Heart A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek goodreads.com/in-my-heart Toddlers will be empowered by this new vocabulary and able to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIfLgHBwYx4

Firenze’s Light By Jessica Collaco, Art: Angela Li goodreads.com/firenze-s-light Firenze, a feisty firefly, discovers the power of her light in this fun and encouraging story of friendship and self-appreciation. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSgZvoWggkQ

Creativity/Games

Feelings Charades (A fun game to create and then play at home with your family/siblings or friends) Do a google search and print out a feeling or expressions page (emoticons) that match up a facial expression to a feeling. Then create game cards from them so that only one person at a time can see them.  Choose someone to go first. That person will act out the emotion/feeling with no verbal words only facial expressions. Players then guess what the feeling is. The person who guesses right goes next. Play until everyone has had at least 1 turn. (If you've already had a turn and others have not...choose someone to take a turn).

Create a Commitment Journal On each page of the journal, write or (have an adult write) a Goal that you want to commit to. Draw pictures or make collages about this goal, add positive words and affirmations. You can explore all the areas of your life that you say YES to or make a new commitment to saying YES to an activity or behavior that will support your highest good in the upcoming week.

Enjoy your week of YES everyone! 

(photo credit in top down order: Jonathan Borba, Juan Encalada, Drahomir Posteby-Hach - all from Unsplash.com)

 

         Release and Let Go - Shake it off

The Spiritual Teacher, ​Michael Beckwith says that 100% of spiritual growth is in the letting go. Releasing and letting go of ideas, beliefs, attachments that no longer serve create openness and spaciousness. Releasing and embracing is where our work lies when it comes to “manifesting” the Vision of our lives.

This week our youth lesson is about releasing limiting beliefs, practicing self forgiveness and finding and embracing the good in all of our experiences. 

"Accept what is, let go of what was and have Faith in what will be." Sonia Ricotti 

Releasing and embracing is where our work lies when it comes to “manifesting” the Vision of our lives. Have you ever tried something new that was a challenge? Maybe in the process of learning it you had the thought "I'll never get the hang of this!" It could be learning to color inside the lines or riding a bicycle, or playing a new video game. 

Or.. have you ever taken a test for school and thought you aced it, only to get your grades back and they were lower than you thought. Sometimes things happen that expand the feeling of disappointment or frustration. The more we think about it the worse we feel. It can be difficult to shake those thoughts off, yet that is EXACTLY what is needed.

"No matter what comes your way, shake it off and move forward. When you have a positive mindset, you can't be defeated." ~Joel Osteen 

There is a Spiritual Law at work all the time, in all things. Its job is to say YES. Whatever we think into mind, whatever we feel ~ it responds to us by saying Yes and gives us more of whatever it is. If we are stuck in a rut... the sooner we recognize it we have the ability to shake it off and turn things around. This is often called Releasing. Letting go of the thing that isn't working for our highest good, so we can make room for the thing(s) that will!

Making mistakes in life is how we grow. The better we are at releasing our fears, doubts and disappointments the faster we are able to return our thoughts to a positive outlook. The Law says Yes to all the good thoughts too - and they GROW!!! So let go of the small stuff and turn your thoughts and feelings to all the goodness you can imagine and watch how fast things turn around.

“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.”
~ Eckhart Tolle 

When you Release things that you no longer need, be it a feeling, clothing or toys you no longer play with, you create space, an openness that allows other wonderful things to flow into your life. And, if you are releasing (donating) a material object, such as clothes or toys, you are giving someone else the opportunity to receive that object, giving it purpose.

What is an idea or belief that you have that doesn’t feel good to you? Would it feel better if you let it go? What about thoughts of worry? Does it help you to be worried about something you have no control over? Would it feel better to let your worry go? Are you still angry about something that happened in the past? Would it feel better to let the anger go? What other feelings would feel good to let go of? What is something that you don’t use but someone else could benefit from? What have you outgrown or haven’t used in a long time? 

AFFIRMATIONS: 

"I release all thoughts of doubt or fear and open to the good that is my Divine birthright" Susan Robinson, RScP 

"I easily let go of the past and the future so I can enjoy the present." -Adrienne Cherry

"I allow myself to feel my feelings and shake off the ones that limit my good." Susan Robinson, RScP

"I train my mind to stay in the present moment." -Adrienne Cherry 

MEDITATIONS:

Bubble Breathing Exercise. You will need bubble solution and a bubble wand, protection from droplets, a comfortable place to sit and a few worries to blow away.

1. Sit quietly and breathe

2. Ask yourself, “What do I need to let go of?”

3. Sit in silence and let thoughts and feelings rise into your awareness.

4. Inhale deeply, pulling worries from your mind, heart and body, filling your lungs and your belly.

5. Exhale your worries gently into a bubble wand

6. Letting your worries fill the bubbles and release from your wand, blowing away into the air.

7. Watch your worries pop or fade away into nothingness

8. Take a deep breath and fill all the spaces left by your worries with love, joy and compassion.

9. Repeat the process, letting worries rise and blow away

10. Once you are completely filled with Love, Joy and Compassion, begin Inhaling these beautiful feelings, filling your bubbles and sending out Love, Joy and Compassion into the world and the Universe 

Cookie Monster Practices Self-Regulation ​Life Kit Parenting | NPR Releasing our impulses and learning to self regulate. Great video from NPR and our  our friends at Sesame Street 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0YDE8_jsHk 

Simple 13-Min Qi Gong Routine for Kids with Qi Gong Teacher Lee Holden. This video is a shaking Qigong movement that will be good for shaking it off. https://youtu.be/eAQzFqdc7Hs?t=430 

MUSIC AND BOOKS:

Let it Go - from Disney's Frozen (with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnN6glKaWdE

Shake it off - Taylor Swift (with lyrics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIOVMHMNfJ4

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds The Dot entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark and follow where it takes us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clpw7PG7m1Q

Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg. A spill. A smear. A smudge. A tear. When you think you have made a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjpeb6Xr1nc

What Do You Do With A Problem? by Kobi Yamada (Ages 5-8 but really applicable to all!)  What are problems for? They challenge us, shape us, push us, and help us to discover just how strong and brave and capable we really are. Even though we don't always want them, problems have a way of bringing unexpected gifts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3-iWtnFq3A

CREATIVITY:

Blow it Away!! Blow away your worries by imagining a bowl full of worries, breathe deeply and blow your worries away! Get Creative:

1. Use feathers to represent your worries.

2. Take a moment and let a worry rise in your

   consciousness.

3. Give your worry to a feather

4. Make a bowl shape with your hands

5. Add the feathers

6. Blow them onto large paper one at a time or all at once.

7. Use glue and paste the feathers where they landed.

8. Since your worries are now gone, treat each feather as

   a seed and plant within it good thoughts and good

   feelings.

Options:

• ●  Write worries on lightweight paper instead

• ●  Write new positive words before pasting

• ●  Paint and draw around collage 

Free Coloring Pages - Doodle Art Alley (hyper link not available) Many free links to coloring pages and activities.  Check out the Quotes section and click on Learning Quotes ~ they fit this lesson perfectly!

Have an awesome week of Release, letting Go and Shaking it off.

(Photo credit- Gianandrea-Villa from Unsplash.com - and the CSL YFM Content providers) 

Living in the Question ~ Listening and Inner Wisdom

Living in the Question - Values: Listening and Inner Wisdom

Happy March! As we journey into a new month we do so with a practice called Visioning. Each week we will explore a different stage of the visioning process. This first week we ask the question ~ What is Spirits Highest idea of itself as my life? It's a BIG question and depending on our age there will be many different answers. 

A question like this requires us to listen deeply and to take our time. The power and presence of Spirit resides within each of us. It is the voice of Inner Wisdom and we find it by listening with our heart as well as our ears. If you are a parent with young children you might start by asking the question, "what is the biggest thing you can think of?" or "what is the biggest idea you can imagine?" Allow ideas to flow freely then play with ideas that benefit ALL life (Creating a world that works for all).

"God’s Creative Power of Mind is right here. We have as much of this power to use as we believe in and embody. The storehouse of nature is filled with infinite good, awaiting the touch of our awakened thought to spring forth into manifestation in our lives.” ~Ernest Holmes

When we are babies we rely upon an inner intuition or inner wisdom to perceive the world around us. We feel, we notice, we listen carefully, then we act or react based on the energy around us. Our inner intuition is on high alert and it helps us to understand our life, our environment. As we grow older we tend to forget that we have this inner wisdom, this inner compass, however it is always there, ready to respond to our inquiry if we make the time to listen deeply. 

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and loved more than you’ll ever know.” ~A.A. Milne

Living in the question, invites us to always be curious. To stretch our imagination and explore new possibilities. We may not know today, exactly what we will do or be in our lifetime, however we might find an area of interest that we want to know more about. Here are several questions for you to begin your personal exploration. As you stretch your question and listening muscles remember to come back to that "high idea" for your life. 

What is one thing you know now that you didn't know a year ago? What is something you never thought you'd like but you do? What fruit or vegetable have you never tasted? What in life are you curious about? What quality of Spirit do you demonstrate often (love, light, peace, joy, power, beauty...)? What is something you wanted to try but haven't - yet? What is something you would like to learn more about? What is.... (you fill in the question). 

"You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!" Dr. Seuss

Affirmations:

by Susan Robinson, RScP

"I tune into my highest self and remember, I am strong, I am brave, I am wise."

"I am a magnificent magnet of infinite goodness."

"I am open to new ideas." 

Mediatations:

Three good things 

A practice of gratitude in combination with a short breathing activity has the power to shift stale unhelpful energy into that of a higher vibration of possibility. Start by stretching your body. You can do this sitting or standing. 

1. Look upward and lift your arms over your head with an in-breath.

2. Slowly lower them arching outward to the side of your body on an out-breath. 

3. Do this 3 times. At the end of the third breath name out loud - 3 good things - aka 3 things for which you are grateful. 

Your Inner Wisdom 

Take a few minutes to focus on your inner thoughts. Ask the question; what wisdom do you have for me today? What do I need to know? Words, colors, shapes or pictures may come up in your mind's eye. Continue breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. You may wish to repeat the questions. When you are ready share or write down what you experienced, saw, heard. 

Cool resource to check out ~ www.Mindful.org (not a hyperlink)

Lots of great things to explore for all ages. ~ tip for kids ~ search "mindfulness activities for kids"

Music & Books & Creativity

Using our Imagination can a stepping stone to tuning into our Intuition. Skip the adds and have fun with this song. Imagination by The Singing Lizard - Munchkin Music 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08epsWG7LkU

Imagination Song LBB Songs | Learn with Little Baby Bum Nursery Rhymes - Moonbug Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCbIMljmT6U

*****

Incredible You! by Dr. Wayne Dyer Pre-school - 3rd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGOWGBI5t0U

What do you do with an Idea? By Kobe Yamada This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxtvhISKsR8

What If? By Samantha Berger Art: Mike Curato

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHg0ukoQ4FQ

*****

Inner Creations Close your eyes and paint, color, draw or mold creations. See what can be created only using your inner wisdom instead of your outer vision. You may use any art medium of your choosing. MATERIALS: ● Use large paper ● crayons/ markers ● Paints for finger painting ● Playdoh - make your own Salt Dough!

What-cha-ma-call-it's! This is a free form art activity where we can use our inner listening skills to inspire creativity rather than “deciding” what to do. 

Suggested Materials: Found Objects: TP rolls, paper towel rolls, string, yarn, fabric, beads, buttons. Scissors, white glue, glue stick, markers, crayons 

Instructions: ● Spread materials in front of you ● Scan the materials with your eyes ● When you FEEL the urge, choose a piece of material and choose how you will use it. ● Continue with this process letting each piece inspire your next choice.

When complete, see how your artwork inspires a name, purpose or story. It may be something useful or silly. It's all up to you. How many different things can you create out of the items you find.

Have a great week everyone! 

(Photo credit to: Top photo Gary Butterfield - Middle photo - Darius Bashar - Unsplash.com)