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- Morning Ritual: Taking Hukams - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsDuring my time spent living in an ashram many years ago, I learned about taking "hukams" (which means "divine order") from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib which are the compilation of writings that the Sikhs consider their living guru. I have expanded my taking of hukams to included any ...
Views: 590(2 votes) - How to Harness Your Bounce: 9 Steps to Avoid the Tigger-Method of Finding Your Happiness - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThe following article was first published on The Positivity Blog on December 29, 2008. I used to be very Tigger-like. I’d get a new idea in my head and it would be the answer to all my ills and BOING! off I’d bounce – until I realized that I really didn’t like the idea at all. So, I’d get a ...
Views: 589(1 vote) - Morning Motivation: Reignite Your Natural Curiosity - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWide-eyed children love to ask enthusiastic, persistent questions. “Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why don’t people have tails? Where does a TV show go when it’s over?” No sooner is one question answered than a follow-up question is immediately posed with the same level of ...
Views: 1192(2 votes) - If Nature Was Gone, Would We Miss It? - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsIt is wonderful to be outside. I'm beginning to believe that living in houses really wasn't such a good idea. It is so spacious, so open, so unguarded to just be out in the world where trees are, where birds are, where the sky is. Working in my yard today was such a pleasure. I was pulling ...
Views: 668(1 vote) - Stop Apologizing - Start Living - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsStop Apologizing and Start Living. That's right. I have recently become aware of an interesting phenomenon - many of us apologize all the time. It might be an apology where you actually say "I'm Sorry", but it might be much more subtle. It is a way that we silently apologize for who we are, as ...
Views: 5114(5 votes) - Spiritual Hierarchy - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsQuestion: I have been studying various spiritual paths for over twenty years and have incorporated ideas, meditations and practices as my higher self has lead me, including some from your teachings. I've been trying to reconcile the concepts of a "spiritual hierarchy" and a path of initiation ...
Views: 636(2 votes) - A Letter of Apology to My Parents, Whom I Love and Adore - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsOn the subject of my lamentable journey through puberty, and how it must have driven you to distraction. Dear Mom and Dad, I am writing to formally apologize, for all the moments (weeks? years?) of pain and misery that I might have inadvertently caused you, throughout my formative ...
Views: 18166(2 votes) - Business Rituals? - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsRituals. DO YOU HAVE A W.B.R. (Weekly Business Ritual)?? I love this topic. We all have rituals. Some that help us and have us take care of ourselves and others that hinder us and get in the way of us thriving. I spoke with a group of Big Fish today (www.bigfishnation.com) and here were ...
Views: 1907(1 vote) - Intuitive Decision Making - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI've been teaching intuition development classes for over twenty-five years and I'm often asked about my favorite techniques. Here's one that I call the "Good Choice/Bad Choice" exercise. Write several sentences on a notepad about a decision you’re facing. For the purpose of this exercise, ...
Views: 960(3 votes) - Is Something Missing? Are You Searching For More Meaning? - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsIs something missing? Are you searching for more meaning? Does this sound like you? At the end of the day, you sink into the couch mindlessly exhausted by the day's activities, you think, "Certainly there has to be more than this but my goodness, I am too tired to think!" You work so ...
Views: 658(1 vote) - Standing Up For Change! - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsTomorrow morning, Thursday May 28th, I travel to Oregon’s Capitol in Salem, to testify in support of House Bill 2827. This bill will lengthen the Statute of Limitations for those who have suffered sexual abuse. It is being met with much opposition from the Catholic church, the Mormon church and ...
Views: 1012(1 vote) - How to Get a Job: Burn Your Resume! - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsMy Cat Fight On TV I got in a fight. Live. On TV. It wasn't Jerry Springer. As an executive coach, I was asked for advice on Morning News at 9 on KTLA TV here in Los Angeles. Why the fight? I asked viewers to stop being victims. "Play the solution game. Come up with three solutions ...
Views: 755(1 vote) - The 6 Fuels of Inspiration - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI used to think the whole notion of inspiration was soft. I've now come to deeply understand it's not. Every great act and innovation in science/arts/society was done under the spirit of inspiration. And as a Leader Without a Title, may I suggest that you owe it to yourself to get your levels of ...
Views: 668(2 votes) - Facebook Friends: Reader Reactions - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWhat makes Facebook such a lightning rod for reaction? My article last week on Facebook Friends unearthed quite an array of responses, from those agreeing, to those who think I am the Luddite's Luddite. People responded from the UK, various parts of the EU, Australia and all across North ...
Views: 767(1 vote) - Make Your Mornings Super-Green and Earth-Friendly: 10 Action Steps - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsIn celebration of this week's call for content for making the best of our mornings, here is a list of ten action steps to make your mornings a little more eco-friendly. And what better way to love Mother Earth than to acknowledge her gifts at the very start of the day? 1. When you wake up, ...
Views: 693(2 votes) - Where is Home? - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWhere is home? That’s a good beginning for all of us. In fact that is the beginning, when we first realize that there’s something missing, something lacking. We don’t know what it is. It’s a mystery. Yet we have this sense, there’s a kind of awakening to what we could call spirituality, or ...
Views: 687(2 votes) - Confidence is Everything - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsYears ago when I was a vice president of corporate development, I created a system of evaluation for our employees that was used to determine everyone’s yearly bonus. I told my boss that I found it curious that when the employees were measured against the standards of the system I’d developed, ...
Views: 638(3 votes) - Thoughtful Conclusions About Commitment: Deciding Whether To Marry - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThough we may make many commitments throughout our time on earth, few have a lifelong impact on the path our lives will take. The decision to marry someone you love—to bond yourself to them completely—is unlike any other and can reshape your existence. When two people have similar goals, values, ...
Views: 1149(1 vote) - What to Do When Something is New and Challenging - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsHave you ever tried to do something new and realized that it was A LOT harder than you thought it was going to be? Because while I was doing yoga with a friend of mine this weekend, I helped adjust her yoga pose and she blurted out: "This is much more difficult than the way I was doing ...
Views: 523(2 votes) - Getting Up on the RIGHT Side of the Bed - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsIf you want to avoid getting up on the wrong side of the bed, here are some suggestions for a morning spiritual practice. Start the Night Before A good morning begins with a good nights sleep the night before. When going to sleep, say a prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings in your ...
Views: 599(1 vote) - Giving Up The Fight - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsIt’s official. I’m giving up the fight today. On lots of things: I’m giving up my prejudice against processed food. (Why did I carry that so long? I know better!) I’m giving up trying to contain this feral foster mom. (Sweetie, you wanna go - you can go.) I’m giving ...
Views: 718(2 votes) - Morning Motivation: Living in the Now - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsMost of us allow our mind a great deal of free rein. One minute we’re thinking about the car in front of us, and the next minute we’re thinking about work, TV, family, health and a million other things. The human mind tends to leap from topic to topic throughout the day, making countless plans ...
Views: 569(2 votes) - 12 Simple Steps To Meditate For Relaxation - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsRecently, I gave a meditation class for people who were either new or lapsed meditators. One person meditated 20 years ago, but recently with the mounting stresses of his job, felt he needed to begin again. I teach a form of meditation I know as "spiritual exercises." At a stressful time 30 ...
Views: 874(2 votes) - Why Organic Matters - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWhy does, or should I unbiasedly ask, does organic matter? This past week, this was the topic of debate at a powerful industry gathering hosted by leading organic companies: Nature's Path, Amy's Kitchen, Organic Valley, Late July, Lundberg Farms, Pangea, Numi teas as well as the Organic Trade ...
Views: 550(1 vote) - Why Gay Marriage is Important for All Americans - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThe California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8 in banning gay marriage is a setback not only for gay rights, but for the psychological and spiritual growth of our country. Gay marriage concerns far more than the 5-10% of our population that identifies as gay. America’s deepest ...
Views: 1014(2 votes) - Six Tips for Keeping School-Day Mornings Calm and Cheery - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI had a major insight about the challenge of keeping our school-day mornings moving along smoothly and peacefully. Here’s the insight: I was focused on chivvying my children along. Wrong! I needed to worry about ME. When I work on my own habits, mornings are much easier. Here are some tips ...
Views: 565(1 vote) - What Spirituality Means to Me: 5 Steps to Happiness - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsFor the new seeker, the variety can be bewildering; to the skeptic, proof of frivolity. They can’t all possibly matter, and they can’t all be right at the same time now, can they? Faced with all these choices, spirituality can be a daunting concept. What does it really mean to be ...
Views: 2318(3 votes) - 9 Happy Weight Loss Tips from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsOur Lady of Weight Loss, the patron saint of permanent fat removal (she who guides me) takes a light approach to weight loss. It is her mission to make weight loss fun. She asked me to share the following with you. Tips that will up your energy, keep you focused and help you to happily melt the ...
Views: 839(1 vote) - Painful Awakening - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsQuestion: I have been thru a very life changing and a very painful experience. But what this event has done is made me consciously think about my soul and why these events are happening with me. After reading your work and work of Dr. Wayne Dyer and Sonia Chiqoute it has come to my ...
Views: 612(1 vote) - Expect Love! - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThe newest addition to our family is a rescue kitty that we brought home three years ago. Back then, he was a tiny little thing with giant ears, a roaring purr and an other-worldly look about him that inspired his name – Yoda. Our first night together was torture. He meowed all night long, which ...
Views: 617(4 votes) - How to Develop Key “Life-Line Relationships” That Will Change Your Life - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsNone of us can achieve the success or the validation we deserve alone. In this troubled economy, more than ever, we need the input, the feedback, the support and the feet-to-the-fire accountability of a few deep, trusted relationships in our professional and personal lives that we can count on, ...
Views: 1014(3 votes) - Lift Yourself Into a Brand New World - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWithin each of us there is an expansive world of thoughts and feelings whose movements determine how we perceive and experience the world outside of us. While this inner-world of thoughts and feelings may not directly bring us what we see, it does profoundly influence how we see our world of ...
Views: 827(1 vote) - No. 1 Priority: Harmony - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsTibetan school children are taught that the primary value of their society is harmony writes Maureen Healy in the May-June 2009 Spirituality & Health, and what a breath of fresh air that is! The author was invited to teach Tibetan refugee children at Yongling Creche and kindergarten in ...
Views: 713(1 vote) - Is it Possible to Make Money and Make the World a Better Place? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsCan you be financially healthy in a time when the world’s markets show a critically unstable temperature? Is it possible to make money and make the world a better place? If you consider socially responsible investing—or SRI—the answer might just be yes. “Every dollar you spend or invest is ...
Views: 877(1 vote) - Belly Fat Causes Diabetes, Heart Attacks - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsAbdominal obesity comes from high blood insulin levels. To prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high after you eat, your pancreas releases insulin, which converts blood sugar to a type of fat called triglyceride. Insulin drives triglycerides into the fat cells in your belly. So having high ...
Views: 927(1 vote) - Effort and Understanding: Having It Easy - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsOur lives are an exercise in facing challenges. We dream the grandest of dreams as youngsters only to discover that we must cultivate copious inner strength and determination in order to meet our goals. Our hard work does not always yield the results we expect. And it is when we find ourselves ...
Views: 557(2 votes) - Murder by Faith? A Tale of Two Worldviews - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsWhat should be done when parents rely on religion instead of medicine to heal sick children? I doubt that any sensible person would sanction withholding medical treatment for a sick child because of his parents' religious beliefs, especially when it's a case of life and death. So far as I ...
Views: 536(1 vote) - Birds of a Feather...? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI was painting the deck the other day when I noticed a certain amount of activity in the wisteria that rampages around one end of it. Robins were dashing to and fro. I continued to paint, aware that this was not a good place for a nest as this door is heavily used. The Robins were building a ...
Views: 660(2 votes) - Summer Grillin': Rosemary Shrimp Scampi Skewers - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThis is one of my favorite, summer grillin’, fast-fix entrees that never fails to get ooh’s, aha’s, and raves from everyone, because it’s visually beautiful and elegant. Everyone will think you’re a gourmet chef. (You can also substitute Paul Newman’s low-fat Cesar salad dressing instead of ...
Views: 980(1 vote) - Morning Motivation: The Pain and Hope of Our Circular Reality - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsHave you ever had a close call? Maybe it was a medical scare. Or maybe someone cut you off in traffic and almost ran you off the road. Or maybe you narrowly avoided a layoff or other work-related crisis. This cycle from being safe, to being in danger, to being safe again is one of many cycles ...
Views: 575(3 votes) - 9 Spiritual Ways to be Green - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com Authors1. If you use candles in your spiritual practice, start using soy candles. Unlike paraffin candles, soy candles do not use petroleum and do not increase the CO2 in the atmosphere. They also last longer than regular candles. 2. Include the Earth in your daily prayers. When you are praying for ...
Views: 594(1 vote) - Trying to Follow - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsQuestion: I am trying to find my footing and go with the flow. I am very much in love with a man who came to me 2 1/2 years ago. He's been spending most of the work week by me, then flies home for the end of the week and weekend. Initially, he told me he was separated, but in a very short ...
Views: 517(1 vote) - Can We Have Security without Fear? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThe war of words between President Obama and Dick Cheney has exposed a rancorous divide over national security. Mr. Cheney states flatly that there is no middle ground on the issue. There is no such thing as being half-safe, he declares. On the face of it, his statement is nonsensical. Unless he ...
Views: 909(1 vote) - Falling Asleep, Staying Asleep - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsSleep is one of the most important activities we can do each day. Yet, for many of us, there are times when sleep is elusive, just out of reach, either because we have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, tossing and turning or restless. Fortunately, there are simple techniques that we ...
Views: 536(1 vote) - Have You Used These 5 Powerful Phrases with Your Child Today? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsMy son was recently complaining, “Mom, you think you know everything.” As it happens, I do. Still, he got me thinking. In our zeal to establish authority, provide guidance and just plain survive parenthood, do we sometimes go a bit overboard? While we might (think we) know the right ...
Views: 843(2 votes) - Morning Motivation: Your Destiny Is in Your Own Hands - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI teach an Organizational Communication course at a local university, and one of the topics we discuss is the power of words. It is easy to get into a habit of telling ourselves and other people what we “have” to do, as if our true desires have somehow been denied or defeated by life. Here are ...
Views: 595(2 votes) - 11 Ways to Cure Someday Syndrome - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsA version of this post was first published on Zen Habits on December 8th, 2008. Someday Syndrome: not doing what you want to because you don’t know what it is, because you’re procrastinating about it, or because you have too much stuff getting in your way. Everyone suffers from ...
Views: 706(2 votes) - Cancer, Humor, and Gratitude - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsThose of you who’ve read Help Me Live… likely recall Monica, the now-9 year survivor of non-Hodgkins lymphoma whose cousin told her to visualize green leafy vegetables and even offered to make her a chard milkshake. Monica’s real name is Jane Powell (I used pseudonyms for all my interview ...
Views: 1431(4 votes) - Why Are We Here? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsI was talking with a client the other day about that scary question: what is it we are on earth to do? “If only I could discover my reason to be here,” she said, ‘then I’d know how to live.” It’s a useful question to ask, of course, and we probably all should ask it on a regular basis, if ...
Views: 675(1 vote) - Morning Motivation: Beyond Human Judgment - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2009 from Intent.com AuthorsOne of the common lessons found in all spiritual Teachings is the idea that reality is far richer and deeper than human conceptions of good and bad, right and wrong. We as a society spend a lot of time passing judgments on people: Carrie Prejean, Father Alberto Cutie, Britney Spears, John ...
Views: 657(2 votes)