from 528 with love

|| cultivating consciousness, kindness & universal oneness ||

[from528withlove]

5 Tips for a Spa like Meditation Practice

Over this past month, I have had inquiries from my friends about my personal meditation practice. Let me start by saying, I am far from the typical meditator. I don’t sit indian style on the floor on a fancy pillow chanting “om.” I use meditation in my own way, a way that allows me to do it daily without feeling bogged down by a chore. Once something on my daily to do list turns into a chore - you can kiss that completed check box goodbye.

  How do I do this, you ask? I turn my 12 minute meditations into my own personal abyss that resembles what I like to call - “a spa meditation.”

  Here are my Spa Meditation Guidelines:

1. Use headphones. Preferably ones that allow you to lay on your back comfortably without noticing they are in your ears. I use and enjoy the Bose Quiet Comfort Noise Cancelling Headphones. 

  2. Use a guided meditation that is conducted by a voice that puts you at ease & simultaneously includes soothing background music such as theta brain waves, subtle nature sounds, or tibetan bell chimes.

I realized the value of a good guided meditation when I was reading the 40 Day May Cause Miracles book by Gabby Bernstein. I tried to perform each day’s tasks as they were listed in hopes of getting the most I could out of Gabby's 40 day process. Doing so involved things such as journaling & listening to meditations guided by Gabby Bernstein. The journaling was an effective tool for me but to my dismay, the meditations were the opposite of effective. I felt discouraged every time the 40 day process called for one of her guided meditations. Personally, something about her voice and the eerie lack of background music did not relax me. As a result, I got into the habit of thinking I was never going to master the coveted skill of meditation until I found (drumroll please) my beloved Chopra Center Guided Meditations. These meditations are what inspired my spa theme because they are as relaxing as a full day at the spa. In addition, they are short & sweet and embedded with powerful messages. 

3. Remember that you can either sit indian style with your spine erect and neck straight or you can lay on your back. If you choose to lay on your back, it is important to keep your neck straight so that the energy of your chakras and meridians may flow freely. Try to avoid using a pillow under your head.

I choose to lay on my back because this position allows me to breathe deeply and get into my spa meditation groove faster than sitting indian style.

 4. Purchase a few of my favorite Spa Meditation accessories 

- A Sleep Mask

- Young Living Essential Oil: Peace & Calm (place it on your third eye or into a diffuser)

- A Salt Lamp for soothing light

5. Last but not least, pick an easy, doable time to meditate and stick to it.

I meditate before I get out of bed in the morning, before I fall asleep at night, and sometimes on my lunch break if I need an extra dose of positivity. If you are doing it in the best way that works for you, I promise you will become addicted to the change in lifestyle & the better sleep you will experience.

[from528withlove]

I recently finished Eckhart Tolle’s book, ‘A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose,’ and one of the most valuable things I took from this text was what Eckhart refers to as, 'The Three Modalities of Awakened Doing...' 

Those three modalities are enthusiasm, enjoyment and acceptance...

When I initially heard the three modalities, I was intrigued but not necessarily overwhelmingly inspired... only because I thought to myself, "Out of all of the feelings/mentalities, what makes those three so substantial?"  Eckhart provides some incredible insight into how and why you should incorporate at least one of those three modalities into your thinking at all times...

When we are able to remain in a mental and emotional state of enthusiasm, enjoyment or acceptance, we strengthen our connection to our 'primary' and 'secondary' purposes, and ultimately the present moment... Eckhart's explanation of our 'primary' versus our 'secondary' purposes in life is another really profound concept, but I'll save that for another post.

_______________________________________________________

No matter how blissful, enlightening or even painful an experience is, they are all equal opportunities to learn or grow... and ultimately, provide guidance to where we are supposed to go next in life.  I really believe that everything we experience in life has its own unique purpose;  whether we understand it, is not important… what is important however, is how we choose to react. ..

Here's a great example Eckhart gives in his book... you don’t have to be enthusiastic or enjoy changing a flat tire in the pouring rain... but you can accept it.  You're probably thinking, "well okay, that seems obvious and not particularly comforting or profound."  But think about it a little more... it's not just the principle of being able to mentally/emotionally accept something difficult or challenging; rather, the practice and understanding of how staying connected to the present moment, and doing so with a confident, trusting and positive mentality will guide you and keep you closer to your life's purpose. 

Okay, now interchange and apply these modalities to specific situations in your life right now.... you don’t have to enjoy being in a long distance relationship, but you can be enthusiastic about making the best of it and trusting things will work out the way they’re supposed to…. you don’t have to be enthusiastic about paying $500 to get your car fixed, but you can enjoy the freedom that comes along with having a car that gets you to whatever destination you need to go, safely and reliably…

_______________________________________________________

If you follow this blog, then you already know how important it is to be conscious of your thoughts, perceptions and the energy you share with our world...  so again, this overall notion may seem obvious... but for me, having those three specific modalities to refer to and apply to whatever situation in life is throwing my energy off, has been so incredibly effective in helping me to stay conscious and aware in the present moment.

Be conscious and responsible for the energy you bring into our world, your mind and energy are so, so, so infinite and powerful!  Go you ;)!

merci beaucoup,

                          kel

[from528withlove]

I love the “Excuses Begone Affirmations” on Dr. Wayne Dyer’s website. If you are ever in a pinch or a rut of some sort, get this PDF rolling for some inspiration. 

Out of the 18 affirmations Wayne lists on his site, above is a picture of one of my favorites. This excuse/affirmation combo is so easy to forget but so unbelievably powerful when we remember that we are all a piece of God. 

xx, C

[from528withlove]

[from528withlove]

There Are No 'Chance Encounters' 

"When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter.  As you see him, you will see yourself.  As you treat him, you will treat yourself.  As you think of him, you will think of yourself.  Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself."  ―Marianne Williamson

We've become so conditioned to making our minds up about people the first second we meet them, that we don't even think twice about interacting any differently than we normally would.  We keep our minds on auto-pilot... that, in combination with the false perceptions and societal illusions we've become conditioned to, lead us to make assumptions that subsequently determine how we'll interact with people.  For example, I was walking to my car after church last Sunday, and I saw a man taking a picture of his wife and his daughter... my auto-pilot mind would have normally just made the observation and dismiss it without any further thought.  My conscious mind however, told me to stop and ask the man if he wanted me to take a picture of all three of them together.  It literally took me 30 seconds to stop and take the picture; not a big deal at all.  But the man and his wife were so incredibly appreciative, even though it was something to small and simple.  

Marianne Williamson and Gabrielle Bernstein (among many others) all refer to A Course in Miracles' emphasis on the importance of letting go of 'special relationships' and seeing everyone as equal.  Treat everyone with the same amount of love, compassion, kindness and understanding... when we give up holding certain people are higher levels of importance, we give up limiting beliefs that ultimately limit our minds.   As a result, we gain a higher level of consciousness, and are able to take on a greater capacity to learn, grow, change and influence the world as a whole. 

In addition to that, it is important to recognize that all encounters are holy encounters... whether we are meant to learn from someone, or teach someone, we are always being guided to the opportunities.  This is applicable to all relationships in life, both temporary and long-term.  It's an amazing feeling when you can have a positive impact on someone, or when you can take a negative situation, and choose to learn something from it.  It becomes easier and easier to recognize an opportunity to learn or teach when we are connected to our inner-guides and thinking consciously and 'in the moment.'

Just because every encounter doesn't have an obvious agenda, doesn't mean it's not significant.  The important thing is to remain in a state of awareness, love and gratitude... when we do this, it's like the universe is giving us a compass.  I can't even begin to name the things in my life that have come together effortlessly as a result of me following my intuitive-conscious thinking. 

“There are no chance encounters.  All encounters offer us the opportunity to transform fear to love and create a miracle.  Accept that relationships are assignments to learn and grow.” ―Gabrielle Bernstein

Thanks for reading.  Energy is contagious ― you have the power to change anything and everything.... make your mark. 

merci beaucoup xxo,

                           kelley 

[from528withlove]

Thanks for connecting! Love your content already ladies! Thanks!!!! Lisa

Thank you!! xo

[from528withlove]

The moment you become aware of a negative state within yourself, it does not mean you have failed. It means that you have succeeded. Until that awareness happens, there is identification with inner states, and such identification is ego. with awareness comes disidentification from thoughts, emotions, and reactions. This is not to be confused with denial. The thoughts, emotions, or reactions are recognized, and in the moment of recognizing, disidentification happens automatically. Your sense of self, of who you are, then undergoes a shift. Before you were the thoughts, emotions, and reactions; now you are the awareness, the conscious Presence that witnesses those states.

Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

[from528withlove]

Give up defining yourself ― to yourself or to others. You won't die; you will come to life... and don't be concerned with how others define you. When they define you, they are limiting themselves, so it's their problem. Whenever you interact with people, don't be there primarily as a function or a role, but as the field of conscious presence. You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something that you are.

Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

[from528withlove]

{ Power Down to Power Up } a 24 hour challenge to disconnect from everything with a screen in order to reconnect with your inner-guide and regain balance. 

Don't get me wrong, I love technology and all its glory — but I keep reading more and more about the benefits of taking 'technology breaks.' I've been procrastinating on committing to an official 24 hour technology vaca, so I thought I'd make a mini campaign out of it and encourage others to try it with me.

The amount of time most of us spend immersed in technology is kind of crazy... between work and staying in touch with friends and family, it's kind of hard to avoid it.  Overuse of technology can cause cause insomnia, depression, fatigue, headaches and increased stress.  We become so reliant on technology for entertainment, information, communication and even affirmation or validation that we're 'cool' or 'important.'

Don't interpret this as 'technology is bad' ...as a designer, writer and artist, I'd be lost without my MacBook and other technology-related tools.  I also live far from my family, so being able to FaceTime with them from anywhere, anytime is amazing. 

Technology breaks give our mind and soul an opportunity to recharge, and reconnect with what's truly important.  If anything, maybe you'll realize which aspects of technology are worth allocating your attention to, and which ones are just wasting your time.  

I'm 150% guilty of Instagramming my breakfast and coconut green teas on a fairly regular basis... and I'm pretty sure that's something I could substitute with a 15 minute meditation, or reading a chapter or two of a book I've been trying to finish. 

If you are going to commit to taking a technology vaca, pick a day and schedule it on your calendar.  This may be a challenge if you have a demanding or unpredictable work schedule, but when you think about it 24 hours really isn't that long — and the benefits your mind and body will get in return will be way worth it.  Give your boss and family/friends a heads up that you'll be unreachable for that time period, turn off all your devices, put them away so they're out of sight, and go do something awesome! If you do take a technology vaca, team 528 would love to hear about your experience! Email your story (after your 24 hours is up) to [email protected] –  

merci beaucoup, 

                  kelley 

[from528withlove]

When I sit down to write a book, I don’t ask myself, ‘How many am I going to sell?’ When I get on the dance floor, my purpose in being on the dance floor is not to end up at another spot when the music stops. The purpose of the dance is to enjoy every step along the way. When I go to a music concert, I don’t say, ‘My purpose is to get to the end and enjoy the finale.’ If that were the purpose, everybody would write finales and nothing more. The purpose of the concert is to enjoy each note as you go along.

Wayne Dyer

[from528withlove]

"What you'll learn in this book is how to use a new lens to dissolve all other lenses. And once you succeed, you'll be at the place I call zero limits." - Joe Vitale

If you're like me, you have your group of friends who understand your tendencies to give weird, off the wall rants about the universe and all that stuff. Like all friendships, these relationships are especially divine because you never know where the conversation will lead you, how many glasses of wine you will drink, or what gift of an idea you will walk away with that is brand new to you.

The other day, I was having just that with one of my dear friends and the word "ho'oponopono" mosied its way into our conversation. When this mouthful of a word was said my mind recognized it but was completely blank as to from who, what, or why. 

In these moments of what I like to call blank-mind-syndrome, I feel like I have early onset Alzheimer's and remind myself that I need to meditate ALOT more. Thankfully before the conversation was over, it dawned on me where I had heard that Hawaiian word before: the money guy from The Secret, Joe Vitale. This conversation prompted me to dig up Joe's book Zero Limits and I am so glad that I did. 

I won't spoil the ho'oponopono experience for you, but I will say, I highly recommend picking up this book. It's a game changer.

xx

Cath

[from528withlove]

everything you can imagine is real...

—pablo picasso

[from528withlove]

The Power of Now

In yoga tonight, the instructor explained the power of now... he asked "When do you think is the best time to do the things that you want or need to do?" 

Of course, the answer was "right now...." which seems obvious or intuitive at first, but then he went on to explain that the present moment is always the very best time to take action because that is the only time we have full control over.  We can't change the past, and the future relies on the present, so it's unproductive to worry about the future when you can be fully conscious and aware in the present moment.  Don't get caught up in the "what ifs" because that's all they are, just "what ifs" ...you can't control the future when it hasn't even happened yet! ...but you can control right now, the very moment we are in. 

I find myself reminding myself not to get caught up on thinking or worrying too much about the past or the future; which again seems obvious... but when you really realize how incredibly fresh and rare the present moment is, it becomes much easier to let go of the past and the future, and really focus in on what you can do right now..... now go be awesome! 

xx merci beaucoup,

                             kelley 

[from528withlove]

Maximizing Your Spiritual Growth...

For the first time the other night, I actually recognized the significance in the process behind "outgrowing" things... whether it's a person, a place, or something else -- we've all been there.  It's easy to look back and think, "hmm, when did I outgrow that ______ (insert person, place or thing.) It's also easy to look too far ahead and think, "there's no way I can be happy without _____ (insert person, place or thing.)

But the truth is, we are always growing... and what I've learned through my practice of being more aware of my thoughts and strengthening my connection to my inner guide, is that when we're conscious of the process of growing, we can more easily recognize which things we're coming to outgrow.  

When we're more connected to our thoughts and feelings, it makes the universe's guidance a whole lot clearer; which in the end, makes our lives a whole lot easier!  By recognizing and accepting that something/someone may be approaching the "outgrown" stage, we're able to let go of any anxiety or fear we have of the "what ifs."

It's not always easy to just "let go" of worrying, but it is important to understand that in order for something better to materialize in our lives, we have to leave the outgrown things in the past. 

You can have whatever you want in life; literally what-ever! But only after you overcome the false perceptions, illusions and fears your ego creates.  At first glance, it's much easier to put our minds, thoughts and feelings on "auto-pilot," and then complain later that things aren't going our way... in reality, that's so much more difficult!  Choose to be more aware... be more aware of your thoughts, your perceptions, your feelings, your surroundings. Just because you feel negatively about something doesn't mean it's a negative situation or you're a negative person... choose to change how something effects your life by seeing things in a positive light... 

And the very best way to welcome new things into our life, is to keep a calm and happy mindset.  Always remain in a state of gratitude and love. Find comfort in the undeniable fact that you're being guided, and the universe always has your best interest in mind!

     merci beaucoup,

                              kel 

[from528withlove]

“Moonlight floods the whole sky from horizon to horizon; How much it can fill your room depends on its windows.”  - Rumi

There is nothing more revitalizing than a new beginning or better yet, a new year. A new year is the perfect reminder to evaluate your progress over the past 12 months & to realign yourself with what you want.  

One of my favorite lessons I learned after my evaluation of 2013 was to stop trying to figure out why things go wrong in my life. Before I came to this realization, if something unwanted happen, my thoughts went -

"What am I manifesting? Why did (situation a) happen? What was I thinking about that made (situation a) happen? How can I prevent (situation a) from happening in the future? I have to figure out why or (situation a) is just going to happen again." 

I will be the first to tell you that this thought sequence does not solve anything. Even when I "figured out" why something unwanted happen, it did not take my attention off of it. I always had to go deeper. 

Luckily, Wayne Dyer saved me from my habit of limiting thoughts in his interview with New Dimensions for his book Manifest Your Destiny. I was jolted back to remembering what I've always known when Wayne reminded me that whatever I really want and whatever I really don't want are both going to show up in my life. By default, in order to strongly not want something, I must be thinking about it & placing my attention on it...aka manifesting the unwanted. 

Our attention is all that we have. We live in a feeling universe that mirrors back what we think about, regardless of whether the thoughts are in terms of NOT wanting or like I mentioned above, examining why the unwanted showed up. My advice to my future self of 2014 is simple: if you don't want something, don't think or feel or try to figure out anything about it.

Like Einstein said, your imagination is a view of lifes coming attractions. My New Years Resolution for 2014 is to keep my eye on the prize & brush off whatever doesn't line up with my prize. After all, the key to manifesting what you want is love & the opposite of love is indifference....not annoyance. Heres to keeping our thoughts on what we love & being indifferent about what we don't.

xx,

Cath 

[from528withlove]

"You are important enough to ask and you are blessed enough to receive back."

Wayne Dyer

[from528withlove]

"Young souls play hard to get.  Mature souls, play hard.  But old souls, just play..." 

I read this quote the other day, and it really made me think about how often we doubt ourselves, or how often we let our ego's influence our thinking.  How many times have we hesitated to do or say something, because we're playing hard to get or trying to play too hard?  

I just moved to a new state a few weeks ago and I had been letting the chaos of moving into a new place and starting a new job consume all of my energy and inspiration... mostly because I was letting my ego convince me that "this transition is too stressful for me to make time to do anything I enjoy." Even after I had settled into my new home and began adjusting to my new career, I was still finding it difficult to sit down and write something substantial for the blog... I just kept thinking, "it's too hard to balance all of these things."

But, just in time, I got a wake up call from the universe... my good friend who lives about 20 hours away asked me how the blog was coming... initially I didn't think much about it, except that it was very thoughtful of him to ask about it; especially since I had mentioned it to him a few months ago.

After thinking about the text a little more, I felt an undeniable sense of gratitude and inspiration... I realized how lucky I was to have people in my life who support what I enjoy doing.  I also realized that when we let ourselves fall into a pattern of "playing hard to get" or "playing too hard" with being happy and enjoying life, it's easy to get overwhelmed, and to stay overwhelmed... but when we just play, we see things differently.  Our connection to our soul is stronger, our perceptions are more clear, and our ability to love is amplified.  

Life isn't always easy, but difficult times don't have to be miserable either... life is as simple and as easy as we make it.  We can either be overwhelmed with difficulty and change, or we can embrace it, find a new perspective, and just play...

merci beaucoup, 

xxo kelley