Let us begin. The seventh principle is all about creating community in the people around you. When you are connected or linked to each other, you automatically create community. You care about one another. You provide opportunities to one another to grow, to learn, to find a new job, to read a book, to share an experience. These are all ways we share in what is called community. It is different than how we used to live in community.

The power of community lies in your hands...

For example, a community would be a tribe for Native Americans and then tribes within their clan would be extended community and these tribes people lived outside of their immediate village but were still considered family or community. Native Americans are more likely to use the word family rather than community. We in Western culture understand the term community better so I will use this term here.

We can and each most probably have created communities around ourselves. This is happening more and more and it’s a good thing. People in communities are seeking a more traditional form of living where neighbors cared about neighbors and shared resources and traded with each other to get what they needed and wanted. This is returning. The spirit of community is returning and this is good for all of the world to recognize. True change does not come from the top down but can begin from the bottom up. It can begin in our own communities.

Try teamwork for a change...

Think about the recycling programs begun by members of your own community. This changes your day-to-day living tremendously. You can now recycle your paper, plastics, and glass because one person or a small group of people thought it was important enough to inquire how they could get a recycling program in their neighborhood. Think about the power in that. There is much power in community to change the status quo if we would only realize it. There is untold power in the many over the power of the few. I’m not calling for a revolution here. I am calling for change starting with your own community.

Look around and see what is needed in your community. How can you help? Are you connected to other people, either physically in your community by walking down your street and waving or being a part of a neighborhood watch program or helping with a community event?

Or are you part of a virtual community online? These are most extraordinary things. And they count just as much as physical communities. Whenever people are involved in helping one another whether it’s online or not, it does not matter. It still counts as a community and the beauty of a virtual one is that your community can stretch over thousands of miles and there are no borders around your community. Your community becomes the world at large. This is one of the most powerful unsung virtues of the World Wide Web or Internet. We are all connected virtually just as we are energetically. We can find real people living in Ethiopia or Iran or Lithuania or China or Bali or wherever you can dream. You can connect with people there. You can bypass the use of airplanes or automobiles and touch people–really affect their lives from the space of your own desk. How magical is that? How powerful is that? Amazing, the web we weave.

We are each a part of the web...

I want you to contemplate the power of community over the next few weeks. What are some examples of how communities have changed the course of human history? How have communities made this world a better place? How can you make your community a better place? What you have done for your friends on Facebook or on Linked In? These are social networking sites that create a community. How can you spread love and light in these virtual meeting places?

How can you be someone who brings people together? Reflect on this power and see what you can contribute today. Namaste.

The Sixth Spiritual principle I wish to discuss is now ready to be revealed. It is all about trust. You must trust others.  You must learn to trust yourself. It is only with trust that we can move forward and not only forward but into love and away from fear. We must begin with trust. It all begins with trust.

Trust is a seed...

You see a seed trusts that it will find its proper home in a fertile piece of soil and that it will receive enough sunlight and rain. And when it does, a tree begins to put down it’s roots as a seedling and grows into a magnificent tree. The tiny seed holds not only the proper DNA but it holds trust in the universe to provide what it needs to grow. We each need to hold this type of trust for ourselves and know that what we need to grow will also be provided to us.

It is when we trust that we can relax and let go enough for spirit to work in our lives. If we never let go and trust, spirit never has an opening in which to work magic in our lives.

Yes, there are many who recognize this pattern in their lives but there are still a few of you who have not yet had this experience. I wish for you to trust. This is part of having faith. Trust that the universe is unfolding exactly as it should. Trust that you are in your perfect place to achieve your goals. Trust that you are experiencing exactly what you need to right now to get you where you want to be. Trust. It is as simple as that.

Who do you trust? Who trusts you?

Another facet of trust is other people. Trust is something today’s society has trouble holding onto. It is easily lost and hard to regain. This will change but this is how it is now. It is only by extending trust to others that trust may be regained but this is done in a very slow process. You extend little by little your trust over time to see if the other person can be trusted. You gain a little trust and you extend your trust a little further. The other person reciprocates and the dance of trust begins. It is a dance of spiritual energy between the two of you. It is a beautiful thing to witness the birth of trust between two people.

If you have lost trust with someone, this is the most difficult to rebuild. We feel wounded. We feel misguided in our instinct to trust this person. This is OK. We feel what we feel. But in order to heal, we must begin again at the beginning. Extend a tiny bit of trust when you feel the other person is ready to put in the work on your relationship. It is difficult but this olive branch to the other person creates a space for trust to begin being built again. It does not take much from you for the other person to reach out and try again.

But you need to decide if this other person is ready. If the other person is not ready to try again, your initial olive branch of trust will be rejected. If you feel forced to extend your trust, your actions will also be rejected. You can only extend trust when you feel love in your heart for this person. If you do not feel this love, YOU are not ready to begin again. Wait and have patience until you feel ready and you feel the other person is ready to try again. Then you will have success. Do not sabotage your own efforts by beginning this process too soon.

If others have lost trust in you, it is your turn to wait until the other person offers their trust to you again and you must cherish this trust as if is a delicate egg. You carry it with profound gratitude, humility, and responsibility. Trust is the most important gift you give another. Do not be careless with it. It may only be given once to you. Treat it with the proper respect and be trusting in return. Do the dance of trust with this person with honor, respect, and love in your heart. You shall be rewarded but never take it for granted again.

The gift of trust...

We as humans rely on this trust in our relationships with family, friends, and even in the workplace. It often goes unrecognized and underappreciated. Look for it when you have it and give thanks. It is a special gift that we give to each other. Let us view it from that perspective from now on.
God bless, Yeoshua.

The energy field around us...

This energy field extends into space and encompasses everything on our planet. Everything is a part of this energy field. Scientists have studied this and have confirmed it. What most of us have not done is realize our responsibility in terms of this energy field. We each have a part to play. It is as if we are all a lightbulb in a huge sign that advertises some product. If one light does not turn on, it can look OK but if many lights are not on, it can look bad. If all the lightbulbs are off, the sign will never show up. What humans don’t know is that we are even a lightbulb and we have the energy to turn it on. We don’t realize we are part of something larger and when we are not doing our part, we can effect those around us. When we do turn on our light, it encourages those around us to turn on theirs. We effect greatly everything that happens around us because we are all a part of this large energy field.

We are all a part of the Earth's energy.

I encourage you to become aware of energy in all its forms and vibrations and the earth’s energy as well. Once you feel this energy, you can see it show up everywhere. Every interaction with another human being is an energy transfer. We just don’t see it. But energy is exchanged. Energy is moved and altered and transformed. It can get angry and violent. It can be peaceful and loving. Energy is the playdough of the Universe. What we don’t realize is how much we can alter our own energy and thereby effect the energy of those around us in our family, our community, our city, our country, and the entire planet.

We are quite powerful when we choose to see ourselves in that light. We each have control over our own energy and by claiming that energy and owning it, we can move mountains, create miracles, and carry love and peace far and wide.

One way to do this is to engage in energetic payback. This is a spiritual practice dating back thousands of years. When you understand the play of energy in the Universe, you will see that sometimes it ebbs and flows between people and groups of people or locations. When someone gives you their energy, you feel it and experience it and you feel better. You feel good. You feel juiced up. But if you did not reciprocate the energy and give them some of your own, they now feel depleted. You did not complete the exchange. You feel good but something is nagging at you if you are tuned into your intuition. Something feels out of balance. I’m here to tell you what that is and why it happened.

The elder and the young man...

I will tell you a story. A young man comes to his elder to ask about God. The elder shares his wisdom, joy, and laughter with the young man. The young man thanks him and leaves. The young man feels ebullient and enthusiastic and good about himself for following through to find the answers. The elder felt good about answering the man’s questions but feels a bit depleted. The young man did not offer anything in return except a verbal thank you. If you had a scale and were to weigh the knowledge of an elder about God with a verbal thank you, do they feel energetically equivalent? I would hope your answer would be no. They are not equivalent. The elder will hold space for the young man to pay his energetic debt so he lets him go happily, willingly. Three days later, the young man appears with a lamb to offer the elder. The elder happily accepts and his energetic balance has been restored. The young man feels good now that he has honored the wisdom and knowledge the elder bestowed upon him. They have had a successful energetic exchange. We all know this when it happens. We all feel good. The lamb represents the energy received from the elder. The energy can take any form. The energy given for payback can be a material item, a prayer, money, or a promise to do something in the future for this person. But it will not feel right to both parties until the exchange has been completed.

Think about this in your own life. Has someone done something for you and you do not feel “right” about the exchange? Do you feel as if you should do something to equal what they gave you? Do not think of conventional things such as money. Energy does not care what form it takes only that it is freely and equally exchanged for the highest good of both parties. Think hard about what people, what businesses, what groups of people, or what books or lectures have made a difference in your life.

What energy do you hold in your hands?

Then listen to your still, small voice (your divine inner guidance) and see what you can offer in return to pay off your energetic debt. Can you offer your time? Your service? A token of appreciation? Something you know the other person needs that you can acquire? Give of your energy today–somehow, some way–see what happens.

It is my wish for you to practice playing with the energy and the idea of the energetic payback. See what it does for you. When you take and do not payback your energetic debt, your energy gets stuck. There is no free flow of energy. When you pay it back, the universe responds and quickly to get your energy flowing freely again. Experiment. Try it out. It is one of the simplest ways to begin to “play” with the energy field around us.
Namasté, Yeoshua.

Mary Magdalene: It often seems to us that it is raining and grey and gloomy outside. But did you ever stop to think that the sun is still shining above those clouds? It’s true, you know. The sun is still shining high above this storm which will pass. You need only wait and be patient as this too will pass. Each drama in our lives is like a storm that will pass given time. Any discord we are feeling will pass and the sun will shine again. In fact, the sun is shining the entire time if you can just tap into that energy and feel the warmth of the rays despite the gray clouds. The energy of the sun is always there to tap into. But we get trapped in the illusion of the storm that seems so on top of us that we can see nothing else.

I implore you, the next time you feel like you are in a storm of drama, look beyond the illusion of the clouds and rain and see the sun beyond.

Reach up to the sun...

This is my metaphor for reaching to make your connection with spirit. Your connection with spirit is of primary importance in your time on earth. Every human gets very distracted by the physical world because it is visible. The rays of the sun, beyond the clouds, represent the unseen energy that is always there. It is the Christ consciousness or the God consciousness that we can all tap into. When we tap into this, we are reminded that we are one with the sun as well as the rain. But we can choose to focus on the sun or we can choose to focus on the rain. The more of us that focus on the sun, the brighter everyone feels on earth.

This metaphor works on many levels. The sun could be love or peace or light and the rain could be fear or doubt or anger. They must both exist. But you have the power to choose what you focus your thoughts on in every moment of every day. You have the choice. This is the God-given power of every human on earth. You choose. The power of your choice may not be that clear to you but realize this, whatever you focus your attention and your thoughts on, becomes your reality. What do you choose for your reality? Will you choose fear, doubt, and anger? Will you choose to see the rain? Or will you choose light, love, and peace? The choice is yours in every moment.

Sometimes we must choose the rain to learn something about the sun. What are you choosing right now? Be aware. Be mindful. Be present. Enjoy the sun. Peace be with you. Namasté, Mary Magdalene.

The simple beauty of a tree...

Have we forgotten the beauty that is to be found in a tree, a flower, or a blade of grass? What about looking into the eye of a horse or observing the behavior of a squirrel? How can we live without these experiences?

Connect with an animal...

Taking time to observe and be in nature is vital to every physical, mental, and spiritual system of a human being. It vibrates on so many levels and is so healing to every part of us that it is vital to our continuation on this earth plane. I don’t know how else to express it to you but you know it when you are in it. All at once, after a few deep breaths, you realize you should get out and do this more. Am I right? Yes.

Take a walk in a park and slow down. Don’t just do it for exercise (although that’s good too and we’ll get to that in a later spiritual principle) but do it with the intention of connecting with nature.

The inherent beauty of Planet Earth is everywhere.

Mother Earth is the living, breathing planet that we happen to be inhabiting at the present moment. She takes breaths and feels every part of her planetary body. Her waves move in conjunction with the moon, she is constantly spinning, and the sun is changing the temperatures and weather all over her surface. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. She has action going on inside of her with plates shifting and hot lava bubbling up. Then there are her oceans vast and wide teeming with life, some of it we have never seen before even now. Mother Earth is a living breathing entity of her own and it’s good to realize this and appreciate her as you make your connection to nature.

Mother Earth provides a place for us to live and it’s good not to forget that. Without her soil, we would have no food. Without her rain and snow, we would have not water. Without her natural processes, we would have no atmosphere in which to breathe. She does not need us. We need her. Give thanks and hold a special spot in your heart for her. Connect with her. One way to do this is to give thanks. Another way is to just appreciate a tree, a bird, your pet, or your houseplant. All of it is a part of our natural world.

Go to the beach or a lake or a forest. Plan a vacation around seeing a National Park so you can experience all that this planet has to offer. It’s an amazing and diverse world that we live in. Explore a desert, a volcano, the ocean, a rainforest, a waterfall, or a rainbow.

Experience the miracles in nature.

Connect with that part of yourself that recognizes that you are a part of this beautiful world as well. Remember that we are all one. We are the pelican, the bear, the rock, and the spider. We each have a role to play on this planet. Appreciate our plant and animal friends. Appreciate their beauty and their contributions to our world. We cannot live without beauty so learn to appreciate the natural beauty around you even if it’s only a dandelion poking up through the sidewalk on a cold, winter’s day. Namasté.

Mary Magdalene: We are so connected to nature. We are nature. We are just another living thing on this planet. When you learn to appreciate the beauty in the world around us, you can also learn to appreciate the beauty in yourself and your fellow humans. We gain an attitude of gratitude. We become humbled and awed by the magnificence of Mother Earth. She is amazing. Just watch a nature program on TV. Get inspired. Get out there and go for a hike or a walk or a bike ride at one of your local parks. Change up your routine and walk or bike to work or to the store. Get outside.

Enjoy every aspect of nature.

Even if it’s winter, you can still go out in the quiet of a new snowfall and appreciate the beauty of Mother Earth’s blanket of white. Enjoy the sound of rain on your roof. Take a walk in it and splash in the puddles. Find a way to get that feeling that nourishes you down to the tips of your toes and make sure you find that feeling as often as you can. This is important on so many levels. It heals you.

Acknowledging your connection with Mother Earth calls in her energy and literally heals you. It’s one of the best things you can do for your mind, body, and soul. Enjoy Mother Earth in all of her glory and give thanks for her many gifts. Namasté.

Yeoshua: I wish to speak on the third spiritual principle of divine inner guidance. This is the practice of going within to find the answers you seek. Because as you start this journey, you will have many, many questions and if you start asking people or churches or leaders in the world, they will each tell you a different answer. So you must begin looking within for the answers. This is a practice that takes time and effort but is well worth it.

So many directions...you must look within to your own inner compass to guide you.

I encourage you to ask questions constantly. This should be a part of everyone’s spiritual practice. If you are not encouraged to ask questions, you are not challenging yourself and continuing to grow. It is as if you are stuck in the middle of a pond feeling all wet from the thighs down but being told there is nothing you can do about it. Don’t ask any questions. Although if you would ask in your own heart for guidance, you would hear, “Get out of the pond—just start walking and you can dry off and feel the sun and enjoy the grass and see what else is out there in the world.”

There is so much to be explored yet so many are stuck in the pond of life. They do not seek more than their current condition because they were told from an early time that there is no more. They were told to respect their elders and not ask questions. If you want to live the life you’ve only imagined, you need to get out of the pond and start asking questions and explore this amazing, beautiful world that we all live in. There is so much to see and so much that we can’t see that also needs to be explored.

So the first step is to check with your heart center and begin to listen to your divine inner guidance. Quiet yourself in a moment of relaxation or meditation, if you prefer, and ask a question. Wait for a response. Wait respectfully as if  you have just asked God or Gandhi or Buddha for your answer. Wait and listen. What is the answer? How does that answer feel in your heart? In your stomach? Is it a peaceful, loving answer? Is it not what you expected? Begin to journal these question and answer sessions to see what you discover. Maybe you will hear a voice telling you to get out of the pond. Ha ha.

The second step is to continue to move forward even if it’s baby steps. Move forward away from the pond of the collective thinking of those around you.

Think for yourself...is it time to get out of the pond?

Continue to question and explore as if you are five or ten years old. Ask why and ask how and ask what is for your highest good. Ask what church you should go to or what books to read or what movies to watch that will provide the answers you seek or at the minimum, show you your next step on your journey. It may take a lifetime or more to answer all the questions you have but the journey is so worth it. I encourage you to begin today. The pond will always be there for you to return to for comfort, safety, and the known but today, I want you to step out of the pond and feel the sunshine and explore the surroundings that is your own inner divine guidance.

Your inner divine guidance is always with you. You need not text or call someone to find out if you should do something or not. You need only check within. You need not find it in a book or a web site or a psychic hotline, the answers are within. You need only ask and listen and your divine inner guidance will speak to you. It is a beautiful and wondrous experience to behold. You will be overcome with tears when this first happens because it is as if you have met an old friend who loves you and knows everything about you and you embrace. Only this old friend is your higher self who has your best and highest good in mind when giving you guidance. It is an amazing skill we all have. We were all born with this skill but we have forgotten it. I encourage you today to connect with your divine inner guidance. Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did.
Namaste, Yeoshua.

Tend to this relationship with your divine inner guidance as if it is a candle.

Mary Magdalene: This is the most important relationship of you life and yet, the most ignored. People have been scared of this skill for thousands of years. But the ancient ones coveted this skill and you were a pariah if you didn’t practice this connection with your divine inner guidance. It is time to return to this practice. Listen for your guidance from within. Listen to your stomach. Yes, I said your stomach. Read on. Think of a question and then each answer. If one of the two answers creates a gut wrench in your stomach then that is your sign. Don’t choose that answer. Your body provides you with divine inner guidance, especially in women. If you never receive a word from your higher self or a vision or a feeling or an intuition, then at least begin to trust the inner guidance of your body. It will never lie. It will never misguide you.

Divine inner guidance can work through your body without even having to have a strong connection. It can be the beginning point for many of you in discovering your relationship with your higher self which is really spirit or God. We are all one, you know? Even if you find that difficult to digest, it is OK. We will work with the body. Here is how it works.

Sit down on a comfortable chair. Have a question about something small to begin with. Maybe you could start with whether to attend an event or not. You have not decided whether or not to go. You sit down and take 3 deep breaths and maybe you think of a beautiful scene in nature. This will relax your body and get you into a state of deeper relaxation. Good. Now, think of the question in your head. “Should I go this birthday party for my cousin?” Think of one course of action like attending the party and feel with your body what that feels like for you. Do you have a gut wrench or tightness in your abdomen? Or does your body remain relaxed and light? Don’t think about it just note your body’s response. Then reset your body by breathing 3 deep breaths again and think of the scene in nature. Then think of the question again. Now choose the other course of action which might be stay at home and enjoy a home cooked dinner with family and watch a movie. How does that feel in your body? Do you feel tight anywhere? Do you have a gut wrench about that? Do you feel limp and lifeless? How does it feel to choose that course of action in your body? Do you feel light and happy?

Well, if you haven’t guessed, your inner divine guidance wants you to take the course of action that feels light and happy and relaxed. Do not choose the course of action that created the tightness or gut wrench. Your body wants you to listen to it.

Keep track of your inner divine guidance...

I encourage you to begin a journal where you briefly write down what your question was, what your course of action decision was, and how it turned out. Upon seeing even just  5 or 6 of these events turn out well because you checked in with your body about your decision, you will begin to trust this process. As you trust, your inner divine guidance grows and becomes louder and easier to recognize. It may even change shape and morph into hearing a response or seeing a response to your question as well as the shifts in your body. Allow this practice to grow and flourish. You will be amazed at your results and the positive changes that take place in your life. Trust it, follow it, and be amazed!
Namasté, Mary Magdalene.

Hold out your hand to another in need...

Yeoshua: This is a good question. Many of you have become jaded by seeing all of these people with their hands out. These, for the most part, are not the people who really need your help. There are many brave souls who try to make it on their own with no one’s help. It is these people who truly need a helping hand. They are trying on their own merits to make it in this world and the helping hand up is better than a hand out.

So, a homeless shelter is a good place to start. Buy some blankets, hats, tube socks, gloves, scarves, hooded sweatshirts, and head down to the nearest shelter and hand them over or hand them out yourself. Prepare grooming kits with toothbrushes and toothpaste and a hairbrush. Create some sack lunches if the homeless shelter allows this. Or just work in the soup kitchen. Help out however you can. Involve your children. Show them that the way of God is to help others in need. We have heard too many stories of those people willing to take handouts who don’t really need it. There are many, especially right now, who do need it. For those of you who can spare a few dollars this Christmas, buy a few supplies and drop them off. You will feel lighter of heart just knowing that you helped someone. Make sure your Christmas list includes the unknown man, woman, or child who is hurting and needs your helping hand.

Bring supplies to a homeless shelter...

Mary Magdalene: There are many children living below the poverty level in this country and I know that is difficult for many of you to believe but it’s true. Check out your local shelter and you will see children there. Averting your eyes from this does not solve the problem. These are people who were living on their own but due to the loss of a job or a car breaking down or a medical bill, they could no longer make it work financially. Many are hard-working people and many have kids. Go to a toy store and buy an extra toy for a child this season. You’ll be glad you did. And don’t forget the older kids—there are many pre-teens and teenagers who will have a bleak Christmas without your help. Take a few minutes to help a stranger. What goes around comes around as they say. It’s called karma. Namasté.

Christmas Gift Giving Ideas

Top Ten Gift Ideas

1. Give a membership to the Spiritual Cinema Circle.

Give the gift of spiritual story telling at its best...

They send you a new DVD every month with spiritual movies. I just joined last month and was treated to Wayner Dyer’s The Shift and I got to watch it in the comfort of my own home. Every month there’s new selections with discussions between the movie directors and the Spiritual Cinema host, Stephen Simon, as well as questions for contemplating the meaning of the movie. I just love it! For $49.95, you can give a 3 month membership to a friend. It makes a great gift!

2. Give out a reusable bag full of reusable goodies-This makes Mother Earth happy!

Shopping bag sets, reusable bottles, cloth holiday gift bags, and more...

It can be fun to buy reusable bag gift sets for a friend who needs to stop using the plastic or paper bags from the supermarket. Fill it with a earth-friendly plastic reusable bottle or stainless steel bottle that are decorated with fun images. Slip inside a lunch bag or snack baggies that are also reusable. Shop around on this web site for fun and interesting ideas for helping Mother Earth by using less plastic. I got great snack bags for my son’s lunch that I reuse again and again and have great designs. Bento boxes are a new trend for Americans to take their lunches to work so check that out too.  Also, they are selling reusable holiday gift giving bags which you might want to check out for yourself. Instead of using wrapping paper, wrap your gifts in reusable cloth bags. What a neat concept, right?

3. Give a gift certificate for a spiritual experience like a Reiki session, massage, yoga class, or psychic reading!

Give an experience they'll never forget...

There’s nothing better than being handed a gift certificate for a wonderful spiritual experience. Make sure that the recipient lives close to the service being provided and actually will appreciate the gift. Psychic readings can be done over the phone so location is not so important. Look in your local spiritual magazine or go to your local spiritual bookstore for recommendations. I have a few of my favorites listed here if you are in San Diego.

• Psychic Readings/Star Blessing/Psychic Training all over the phone - Janet Lightstone - The Lightstone Academy of the Psychic Arts
  
• Reiki Sessions - Kaliani - Ignite Your Shakti
• Reiki Sessions - Tina Cuzens - Healing Palms Reiki
• Massage - Elizabeth Yager - Warm Wind Healing Arts
• Yoga - P.B. Yoga and Healing Arts
• Channeled Email Reading - Melinda Pajak - TheMelindaChannel.com

4. Give a gift that helps Fair Trade Artisans Out of Poverty

Beautiful gifts that help others...

At the Unity Center in San Diego, they had a booth set up with gift items from ExoticWorldGifts.com and I was very impressed. The quality, construction, and simple beauty was remarkable and then to realize that I would be helping artisans in various countries under the Fair Trade act–well, how could I not include this in my list of gift ideas? I will be doing some shopping on this site for sure or you can check out the gifts in person at the Unity Center off Miramar Road on Sundays. One of the most amazing things are these art pieces created by elephants. Yes, I said elephants. See the picture of elephants above–that was created by an elephant with a paintbrush in his trunk. Check out the video on YouTube. Unbelievable! Proceeds of the elephant artwork goes to help save the Asian elephant in protected environments. Good stuff!

5. Movie Night Basket of Goodies

Movie night ideas...

I was thinking about what spiritual movies would make great gifts and I thought what would make it better is to give the whole movie night experience in a basket. This makes it a bit more personal for your friend. So, buy some microwave popcorn, bake some cookies, add a warm blanket or slippers, and one of your favorite spiritual movies in a nice basket with a big bow on top. Any friend or couple would be happy to receive such a gift. If you can’t think of what spiritual movies you might like to include, here’s a list of some of my favorites:

• The Peaceful Warrior (Nick Nolte)
• Wayne Dyer’s The Shift
• Celestine Prophecy
• What the Bleep Do We Know?
• What Dreams May Come (Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr.)
• The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn)
• The Secret (documentary with Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, and many others)
• The Matrix (Keanu Reeves)
• Heaven Can Wait (Warren Beatty)
• Defending Your Life (Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks)
• Conversations with God
• Being There (Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine)

6. Give the newly released channeled book available on this web site: Book of Yeoshua: Messages of Love and Peace

A gift of messages from spirit...

Yes–I know this is my own book but I do think it would make a great gift for anyone on their spiritual path. Here’s the description:

7. Give a gift certificate for your own gifts and/or services

Give the gift of you...

Sometimes the best gift is what is unique to you. If you do great things with landscaping or babysitting or cooking/baking or helping people with computers or iPhones, maybe you can create a gift certificate with an hour of your time for this activity. Cook someone a dish, bake some cookies, help someone with a landscaping idea for their front yard, or offer to babysit for an afternoon. Or maybe you just want to take your friend out to lunch or to the movies. This is also a great idea as you are giving an experience. These are all simple things that are very appreciated.

We forget that sometimes the simple gift of our time and a readiness to help is much more appreciated than a $10 item from Target. This can also help out if you are a little strapped for cash this year as so many are. I’ve made a Gift Certificate Template in Microsoft Word to get you started. Download it by clicking on it (or right-clicking on it if you have a PC) and open it in Word. Fill it in, print it out, and find a unique way to give it to your loved one. Creativity is key! Get a Chinese take-out box or slip it inside a magazine related to your skill (e.g. computer magazine if you are offering computer help) or put it rolled up in the hand of a stuffed animal.

8. Give rocks, crystals, and other beautiful gifts from Mother Earth.

Give a gift from Earth...

There’s a great rock store in Old Town (San Diego, CA) called the South American Imports Store. I love the beautiful products this store keeps in stock and I love how they include little cards with every rock giving you a description of how it can energetically help you. I go there as a special treat for myself but have already purchased some Christmas gifts there as well. They have a lovely selection available from their web site as well so check it out.

9. Give the fruits of Mother Earth (quite literally) from Harry and David

Fresh, ripe fruits, tasty nuts, and fabulous chocolates...

I visited the Harry and David store in Medford, Oregon and I was quite impressed. They really do grow their own pears and they are delicious. In fact, all the goodies we tasted were phenomenal. Plus, they are very concerned about being a “green” business and have been reducing, reusing, and recycling for decades. You can choose to send pears or apples or a basket of fruit and nuts or even add some chocolates to the mix. It’s all delectable. They even have a Fruit of the Month Club so your special someone can eat delicious ripe fruit every month. Yummy!

10. Something for the Goddess you know and love (gifts for your best girlfriend)

Beautiful clothes, accessories, jewelry...

I found this store from someone on the Yahoo Group related to Mary Magdalene who mentioned that you can buy a T-shirt with the Labyrinth from the Chartres Cathedral in France on it. It also has the quote, “not all who wander are lost” so I had to buy it. I don’t see that they carry that particular shirt anymore but they have some really nice stuff. I’ve bought other items from the Pyramid Collection and love the quality and service they provide. They have a nice selection of clothing (plus-sizes too) and gifts for those with a spiritual bent but it’s mostly for women. Sorry guys unless you have to buy for someone of the opposite gender and then you’d be in luck.

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I hope you have enjoyed this gift list and please let me know if you have other ideas. I’m always looking for new gift suggestions as well. Post them in the comments. And when you are shopping for loved ones this holiday season, use your intuition! It works great!

The gratitude shift...

Yeoshua: We are so glad there is a holiday around the substantial spiritual principle of gratitude. This is my spiritual principle number two. This is an amazingly important and amazingly simple principle to master. It is simply about giving thanks for every person, place, thing, or circumstance in your life. The process of giving thanks is transformative. It can take you from anger to bliss when you properly give thanks and see the situation from a different perspective.

Let me give you an example. Many people right now are preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday. They are cursing the many people and long lines in the grocery stores of America. They are ticking off all the items on their to-do list in regards to cooking a turkey with all of the trimmings. They are worrying about who is coming to be seated at their table. They are worrying about how much money it will cost to buy all the food needed to prepare this fabulous feast. That is one perspective. Let us think of another perspective.

What about the families that cannot be with one another this Thanksgiving because they have no money to make the trip? What about the families who do not have the means to buy and cook a turkey this year? What about the single individuals who have no one to share a meal with on Thanksgiving or on any other day? These are a few other perspectives. Does it change how you feel about the rushing around, the crowded parking lots, and the cursing the time you spend preparing and cooking? Do you look on the situation with gratitude as a result of this change in perspective? I would think yes. Can this change of perspective take you from cursing the holiday to being thankful for your own circumstances? I would think the answer is yes.

So, as you move through this holiday, I ask you to give thanks, for real. Look around you at the people you love and the people who love you and give thanks. Look around at the place you call home and give thanks. Look around at the food on the table and give thanks. Move through this holiday with joy on your lips and peace in your heart.

And whenever you find yourself cranky or angry or out of sorts, look for something to be thankful for even if it’s just a flower growing out of the sidewalk. This simple gesture will transform you if you allow it to. God bless you. Namasté.

I was perusing one of my favorite web sites, The Daily Grail, and came across this blog post about a new app for the iPhone where you can practice your psychic abilities. I had to post about it here because it’s just funny. I was joking with a friend of mine the other day about making an app for psychic or spiritual work and using the punchline, “There’s an app for that.” I don’t know. Maybe you had to be there.

Anyway, here’s the link to the article so you can read more about the app. Check out The Daily Grail if you want to read some interesting news articles about science and the paranormal and different stuff.

About the ESP Trainer

ESP Trainer iPhone App

So, I downloaded the new app to my iPhone and gave it a few tries. Basically, you have to tune into your intuition and predict which color has the picture behind it. A color is randomly chosen each time by the app and you get 24 tries to predict correctly. They say to send them an email if you consistently hit 12 out of 24 correctly. Well, I wish I had better news for you all about my success. The best I did was 8 out of 24. I only tried it 3 times and I did the best on it when I wrote down my answers and then entered them into the phone which I thought was interesting. I’d love to know how you guys do. Anyone want to try it? Post your results here.

I’m not convinced that this is a true test of psychic ability–no–not by a long shot (and that’s not just because I didn’t do that well–ha ha!). Would you rather a psychic be able to tune into you and your situation or tune into an iPhone app? But it is still fun and if you see me and I’m crazily tapping at my iPhone practicing on getting better at it, don’t tell anyone, OK?