Gwyneth Frankson

Renovations. Brand new, clean, freshly painted spaces designed and custom made to suit our current needs and our creaking knees. What excitement!

The excitement did not last long. Shortly after employing a General Contractor, I realized that I had unwittingly joined the Association of SEEKERS OF QUALITY WORKMANSHIP, as I fell prey to the:
Seemingly-Experienced, Enthusiastic, Kindhearted, Energetic (verbally), Rascals. Shamefacedly Offering For a to-be-announced fee. Questionable, Unreliable Artisanship Lacking Integrity To Young and not so young Women, Owners of homes in need of Renovation. Kindling Meanness, Aggression, Nasty tastes in the mouth. Stressful, sleepless nights. Heartburn, Irritability and Parsimonious behaviour.

With each dollar that I deposited into their accounts, Cortisol was deposited on my waistline. This could not be allowed to continue. So, of course, I had to ask the Great Architect what lesson I was supposed to learn from this harrowing experience. That I had done nothing to earn this life lesson was confirmed as soon as I mentioned to anyone that I was renovating my home. The rant just poured like a river. Yet, I still wanted to learn this particular lesson… and quickly. Rainy season was fast approaching. The experience offered many opportunities for reflection.

As the trenches were dug to lay the new foundation, it became evident how far the roots of the cherry and plum trees had spread. When the trench was being dug where the kitchen used to be, the contractor commented on the quality of the old foundation and was surprised that the building had remained standing for these past 55 years.

What I saw was that 55 years ago, my parents and the builders had used to the best of their ability, the resources and the materials that were available to them. The building had withstood the test of time. I felt a depth of gratitude for my parents and the foundation that they had laid for me and my siblings. A foundation that has as well, withstood the test of time.

Today, when I reflect on the foundation of the old house, I feel gratitude for my parents. What had struck me seven months ago was how a few small, seemingly insignificant events that occur in childhood (the quality of the old foundation) could colour one’s entire life.

So what had happened in the past seven months to cause me to focus on gratitude to my parents and to shift my focus away from childhood based issues?

It is the new foundation that has been laid. One in which I feel deeply rooted. One in which there is: courage to stand my ground and speak up for what I want, boldness to dream, determination to stick to the vision and create a space designed to meet our needs, endurance, patience, faith, love, constantly falling on the knees, forgiveness … I should be a saint!

The truth is that through this harrowing experience of renovating my home, I have come to realize that even as The Great Architect has been preparing for me a dwelling place, He has been preparing me to be His dwelling place. What excitement!

Joanne Johnson

On considering the many social mores and religious rules, I have found that nothing gives marriage a bad name more than bad marriage. Marital union, the hotbed of sex and money issues, cannot withstand a ‘fake-it-to-make-it’ approach. There is something in this context then, to be said for divorce and common law relationships.

A greater truth seems evident however; few of us may feel innately wired for a lifetime of flying solo, but I’m pretty sure no one I know consciously aspires to one day disavow their forever love. It would be disingenuous therefore to suggest throwing out even our infantile hopes for lifelong monogamy with the bath water. Yet in the absence of everyday examples there is little evidence that ‘happily ever after’ is even possible.

Alfred Korzybski, the late American scientist and philosopher is quoted as saying: “The map is not the territory.” So true! And when it comes to a lifetime of failed adult relationships I feel I could, having covered a lot of ground, draw a map of universal error in that regard. Over the past seven years of choosing celibacy I have spent much time contemplating the many disappointments into perspective. Even so, I claim only to speak for myself.

In a book on relationships, Kevin Keyes Jr. (20th century Living Love self-help author, who gathered his wisdom through four marriages) shared an insight that serves my own understanding. He points to the folly of choosing a partner based solely on love. After all, we do not buy a car because it has a steering wheel, he chides; and in his benevolent and inclusive world view, Love, like a car’s steering wheel, is a given.

Keyes is putting emphasis on the value of choosing a partner. He is not simply saying love itself is not enough. As we grow self aware the beauty of Life awakens a loving spirit more and more often, and maturity will seek to moderate this urge for expansion with discipline and wisdom. So if love is steering everyone’s course, how do we choose and find contentment with just one? Keyes points to a value even more essential than compatibility: mutuality.

At a school’s sports day I saw a six year old paired with a buddy twice his weight for Body Ball. I watched them try to control an over sized ball between their bodies without using their hands. Nothing illustrated “unequally yoked” like that picture of them huddling and waddling their way up the 50 yard line to the finish. The competitor in me cringed. I fantasized that a false start would be announced and the injustice of the incompatibility corrected. But the game was well underway.

I agonized as one struggled with the other to pick up the pace. They knew that a fallen ball would disqualify them and they would lose any chance of completing, far less placing. Amidst the parental passions and politics of school sports days I witnessed one of those grace filled moments when mind gives way to heart. In a moment of enlightenment, I watched as the children made an inner decision; one deliberately slowing to keep step with his partner, the other pushing himself against his limitations. Once the wobbling sphere between them was comfortably secured, the apparently mismatched duo tottered their way to a bronze! No time for therapy, no room for blame and shame arguments, these First Graders accomplished in seconds what I could barely conceive through decades of voluptuous effort. With eyes fixed on a shared goal, they completed the course with a medal victory and a growing friendship to boot.

And I got to witness a living metaphor of mutuality in action. Admittedly, I am still dealing with the map here; haven’t traversed the territory in an intimate relationship – yet. Nearing a half-century of experience, in this life (smile), I remain unconvinced that truth and its off spring, true love, can be inherited through a belief system superimposed upon all manner of back draft and understory. I know by now too, that reality follows belief. And the reliability of our beliefs depends on an ownership honestly earned through sincere investigation… “Know thyself”.

By reconciling my essential need for love with an equally legitimate desire for the restoration of feminine dignity, I have come to know that our impulses for union and a healthy individuality are not mutually exclusive. The former rests upon the well being and security of the latter which any mature partner would willingly support. Founded on the individual’s divinely endowed sovereignty, Love and Freedom are synergistic. So, putting all grief stories aside, these personal recognitions pave for me, a renewed faith in the possibility and pleasure of life long love and fidelity with one partner.

Joanne is a published children’s author and Series Editor of Macmillan’s Island Fiction “tween”
http://livingmetaphors.blogspot.com

You are a very precious jewel, more priceless than the most expensive and exquisite work of art. You alone determine the value to your existence. There is only one person like you in this entire world, because of this fact
you are unique.

You have no conscious memory of asking to be born, but you being born into this world was and is your parents gift to you. The gift of life and existence; possessing a strong body, a sound mind and a warm heart. There is no doubt that from time to time you questioned it all, that is good.

All life is an adventure. You write your own script and perform just for the fun of it. If you are not having any fun in this adventure it is because you are taking life too seriously and being hard on yourself. You are your own best audience. Every one of your performances are flawless even if from time to time you may feel pain, discomfort and discouragement. Even though you may have friends or love ones deserting you. If they desert you it is only showing you that they were not worthy of you. And saying this is not to put any one down because they too are playing at their own adventure as well.

We are all still like children even though we may grow older physiologically. Like a child let your mind and focus be only in the moment. This moment is the moment in which your life is lived. No other moment exists. Like children
we play with the friends we get along with most (best) and when we lose one or more friends it is only giving ourselves an opportunity to make new friends. New friends mean exploring different interests, expanding your horizon, like a breath of fresh air.

Sometimes we get so attached to old things, we don’t even realize that we are being stifled and suffocated. When we lose friends lets be thankful for this new opportunity to expand our lives in unexpected ways. It’s like a gift you didn’t expect. Treat yourself with eagerness. Like a child, we all are excited to receive gifts and full of eagerness to do something new.

We grow up and forget that this world is magical. Every sunset is a miracle, every flower, every drop of rain. Science seeks to tame these wonders with dry definitions, but you must always remember that the wonder is in the simple
acceptance of whatever the way it is.

In this world there are two types of people: Selfish and Unselfish. The selfish person operates on the principle of greed. Doing everything without considering the other person or the other thing (we are all guilty of this from time to time). The selfless person honors themselves by considering the other person or the other thing also; they operate on the principle of love (sharing, support, goodwill).

Every relationship that produces pain exposes a stifling attachment that had formed. Sometimes both parties can sit down and rewrite the script together and move on together or sometimes the weaker one flees (just to make all the same old mistakes again). The stronger one who wants to work it out feels as though s/he has been abandoned, betrayed, cheated on etc. is in a better position, because now finding yourself alone you can see how you had been attached (given away so much of your power). With the attachment broken, be thankful; recoup all of your power and move on wiser and happier because of the lessons learnt.

This is not to say that you will not form other happy relationships. This is not saying that you will now form relationships and do to someone else what had just been done to you. If you form other relationships and become
dependently attached you would be making all the same old mistakes over again.

At the core of all happy relationships is UNDERSTANDING, open communication, trust and SELF RESPECT. If any of these are lacking, not only in the other person but in yourself also, be courageous and let in whatever was missing. Trust yourself and your partner. Speak your mind freely and tactfully, in truth. Express your preferences, these are your truths. Respect yourself to live by and with your truth, until you have discovered other truths to add to or to modify your own.

Let your journey through life be guided by the principles of honoring yourself first, and by the second law which modifies the first. If what ever you choose to honor yourself with you consciously perceives will bring pain, harm or discomfort to you or someone (something) else, then don’t do that thing. Change your mind.

Lyndon Andrew Allicock is the author of “Human Operations Manual”.

Lyndon is available for consultations and can be reached in Trinidad and Tobago at: 868-645-7532/8532

To purchase “Human Operations Manual” in Trinidad and Tobago call: 868-645-7532/8532.
For more insights visit: www.nucomsystems.com

Humanity does not understand what God wants. We think we do, but we don’t. Consider this: If humanity does understand What God Wants, and if the present world situation is the best that humanity can do after all these years with that information, how much hope can there be for a brighter tomorrow?

If we really know everything that it is truly important to know about God—and if all that has been revealed, all that has been taught, all that has been said and sung about God has brought humanity to this, then what good has all of it been? Yet if there is something new for us to learn, something more for us to understand about God, then it’s still possible for the human condition to change. Hope returns.

Not hope for something better in the Hereafter, when life as we’ve known it on the earth has been destroyed, but hope for something better right here right now, before everything has been destroyed. That hope cannot be realized, however, until some very important questions are asked and answered.

Is it true that humanity is utterly stubborn, completely unwilling and absolutely unable
to overcome its most primitive instincts? Or is it possible that there is still some teaching left to be done, some data still missing, some important aspect of God and Life still not understood? Could it be that the problem is not with the receivers of the information, but with the information itself?

Could it be that humanity’s understanding of God and of Life is not so much “wrong” as it is simply incomplete? Finally, is it time for humanity to throw open the door to inquiry about God in a new way?

For far too long the world’s discussion about God has been moving in only one direction, led in the main by those who say that we understand all there is that’s really important for us to understand about God, and who assert that humanity’s problems are not caused by human beings who fail to understand, but by human beings who fail to act on their understanding.

This is a popular notion, but it’s a misconception. Just the opposite has been true. It has
been people who did act on what they understood about God who have caused many of our biggest problems.

These are people who thought they knew What God Wants. It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who created the 200 years of the Christian Crusades and the horrors of the Inquisition, seeking to win the world for Christianity.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who told armies of Muslims to send marauders far and wide to conquer every land and culture and bring it under the Nation of Islam.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants, who called themselves the Chosen People and reclaimed land they declared to be originally their own, ignoring the fact that history had caused it to be inhabited for thousands of years by others, and telling those others to now leave portions of that land, and to live when and how they are told to live, as second class citizens without equal rights in their own home.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who hanged men and women in town squares, and burned others at the stake, holding up the Good Book and declaring them to be witches.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who passed laws making it illegal for humans of differing races to marry, or for consenting adults to engage in certain sexual practices.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who created cultural prohibitions forbidding people to sing or dance, draw pictures of any person, or play music of any kind except sacred songs.

It’s people who thought they knew What God Wants who said that it was not okay to even utter or write the name of G-D—but that it was okay to kill in G-D’s name.

Is all of this really What God Wants? Are you sure? It is important to be sure, because we are not talking about a small thing here. There is much that we have been taught about What God Wants. Are these teachings accurate?

That is the question answered in What God Wants

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?field-keywords=what+god+wants&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&sprefix=what+god+wants

Reproduced with permission

Fear is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most influential emotional responses we have, and it can act as both a protective and destructive force depending on the situation.

Obviously, fear can help us avoid dangerous situations, triggering the “fight or flight” response when we feel threatened. Unfortunately, this same response can also be triggered when no real threat exists. We simply find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and anxious even when we know logically that no harm will come to us.

For many of us, fear can become a serious hindrance in our lives, preventing us from getting a better job, meeting eligible life partners, seeking medical care, or even venturing outside our homes in severe cases.

Fear is one of the most common reasons that people hold back on living the life of their dreams. Even if they intensely want to create better circumstances, they may struggle with an overwhelming fear of failure, so they refuse to take risks because they may have to endure unpleasant outcomes. In these cases the risk of failure seems to outweigh the benefits of success, so they hold back and do nothing.

Fear of success can be a powerful hindrance as well, making people feel stressed and overwhelmed with the added responsibilities that would probably come with greater success. They may fear not being able to handle those responsibilities, or worry that they’d feel pressured to keep attaining the same level of success in the future. These fears are often enough to cause people to sabotage their own efforts, even when they sincerely want to become more successful. Either way, fear is strong enough to paralyze most of us – whether the things we fear are real or imagined.

Fear and Love Cannot Co-Exist
By nature, fear and love act in conflicting ways in our lives. Fear is restrictive, repressive and limiting. Love is expressive, abundant and free-flowing. Fear contracts, love expands. Fear retreats, love forges new pathways. Fear is closed off and stagnant, love is open and vibrant. Because of the reflective nature of our universe, the mindset you most often hold will be mirrored in your every experience and in every person you encounter.

When you live your life from a mindset of fear, you are bound to see that same quality of stagnation and repression everywhere. Your opportunities will seem smaller or more restrictive (or even non-existent). The people you interact with daily will probably seem more reserved, less generous, and less caring. Even your work will seem repressed, perhaps boring or unfulfilling; and your income may shrink in proportion too.

On the other hand, when you begin living your life from a mindset of love, everything around you seems effusive and joyful. The people you meet seem warmer, kinder and jovial. Opportunities come rushing forth to meet YOU, rather than you having to chase after them, and your work will probably seem more fulfilling and enjoyable – not to mention more profitable.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be highly spiritual or “enlightened” to live from love rather than fear. All it takes is a simple shift in mindset to create big changes in your outer world. The following article shares a very simple and effective way to shift from fear to love instantaneously: Worry and Love Cannot Occupy the Same Space

The Three Universal Fears
In his book, The Divine Matrix author Gregg Braden writes, “The root of our “negative” experiences may be reduced to one of three universal fears (or a combination of them): abandonment, low self-worth, or lack of trust.”

When you think about it, all of the fearful responses you have in life probably correspond to one or more of these three universal fears. You may fear being alone, being rejected, or not being good enough; you may have a difficult time trusting other people, the universe, or your own strengths and abilities.

The good news is that fearful thought patterns like these are simply habits that we are taught as children or develop on our own in adulthood. And like all habits, they can be changed with just a little bit of determined effort.

www.RealMindPowerSecrets.com
www.EvolutionEzine.com

That’s it! You’ve finally decided to get your life back on track by bringing in some much needed stress management and relaxation, and you have decided that yoga is the answer. However, for any newcomer to the yoga scene, it can be quite a daunting and intimidating task finding the right yoga class. So how do you figure out which yoga class is right for you? Well, first of all, you should have a clear understanding of what yoga is, what the different types of yoga are, and what it is that you are looking for from your practice.

Yoga is an ancient science that originated in India thousands of years ago, and which is now being practiced by millions of people around the world. Yoga is the science of right living and its goal is to peel away the layers that cloud our ability to see clearly. Its aim is also to bring balance, health and well being back into an individual, so that the individual is then able to feel their deep connection to the infinite energy that we call God or Spirit. This sense of oneness can then be extended towards all beings and enables us to live in a spirit of deep peace, love and harmony.

There are many different types of yoga and it is important that you find the type that is best suited both to your personality and to your needs. The type of yoga that most people are familiar with and which is most commonly practiced today is Hatha Yoga. This is a system of yoga that uses asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation, to bring physical, mental and emotional balance to an individual. There are many different ways to practice Hatha Yoga, and some can be more challenging than others, so make sure to try out a variety of classes so that you find a teacher and a style that you like and connect to. It is also important to find a class that is structured specially for beginners, so that you will not feel intimidated or discouraged and also so that you do not become injured. Check too to make sure that the teacher holds a valid certification from a qualified yoga school.

There are also other types of yoga that can be practiced along with Hatha Yoga, and in fact, this is what is recommended in order to gain the most out of your practice.
Bhakti yoga is the yoga of devotion and is a means of channeling the pure energy of feeling and emotion for the discovery of the inner self, the pure being. It is a suitable path for those who are emotional and for those who feel an affinity to some form of God or higher being. It is also a counterbalance for those who are overly intellectual or rational, releasing blocked emotions and restrictive thought patterns. Bhakti yoga practices include chanting the names of divinity and surrender to a Higher Being.

Raja Yoga is the path of meditation. It is based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, commonly associated with “the 8 limbs” of Ashtanga Yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dyhana, samadhi. Its aim is to enter into the realm of psychic consciousness in order to discover the dormant areas of the mind and the consciousness.
Karma Yoga is the meditative awareness of activities in everyday life. It is also the yoga of selfless service where one performs work without the expectation of reward.

Gyana yoga is the process of meditative awareness that brings us closer to our inner nature. It is a process of inquiry that results in illumined or intuitive knowledge of this inner nature. The knowledge that is sought in gyana yoga isn’t intellectual knowledge. It is wisdom, or intuitive knowledge of our true nature.

Mantra Yoga is the chanting or repetition of sounds, which have an effect on the mental and psychic consciousness of man.

Ideally, one combines all of these types of yoga, known as Integral Yoga, so as to bring about a perfectly balanced state of being. However, they can all be practiced separately and are all perfectly valid paths in and of themselves.

If however, you are looking to yoga for relief from back pain and injury, or if you have high blood pressure or any other medical issue, then Yoga Therapy may be what you need. This is where a qualified Yoga Therapist gives you a personalized program that specifically addresses your issues. Generalized yoga classes are not recommended if these (among other) issues are present, as many yoga postures can and will aggravate these existing problems.

It is also important to know what it is that you would like to gain from your practice. Whether it is physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health and well being, having some goals in mind will give you the motivation and discipline that you will need to stay committed to your practice. Most of all be patient. The effects of your practice accumulate over time so regularity and consistency are key. Many people report feeling better after only their first yoga class, and that feeling of wellness simply increases the more yoga that you do. Eventually, it becomes something that you cannot live without. Yoga is life and life is yoga.

The divine light in me honors the divine light in you.
Namaste.

Karen Stollmeyer, MA, Yogacharya, Yoga Therapist, Founder/Director , Bliss Yoga, Trinidad, Member of International Yoga Federation’s World Yoga Council, www.omblissyoga.org www.facebook.com/blissyogatrinidad