Be judicious with your words.
They can fill someone's heart with joy,
or slash it to bits like a thousand swords.

Think twice before you speak your "truth"
Will it add to a dialogue?
Or does it ride on the back of someone
else's self worth?

Words have energy 
each and every syllable a color.
Do yours blend to form a rainbow?
or do they collect in a stream of blackness?

Be proud of what you could be overheard to say,
beware of the whisper of gossip,
think of the persons face
if they heard what your words convey.

Words are living
but they can kill,
someone's spirit,
a person's confidence,
another's will.

Today in the US you celebrate your independence.
Every country wants to have the freedom to 
act autonomously, without restraint.

This desire starts in the hearts of its people.
Freedom is God given
It does not have to be earned.

Every soul knows this at some level.
It may run deep and have to be brought to the surface
by a series of events, 
or it may color every thought, word and deed of 
a "free spirit".

Humanity is shaking off the shackles of repression.
Either self inflicted, or at the hand of another.
No longer will your souls tolerate someone else calling
the shots for YOU.

It ranges all the way from a government's iron fist,
to your own self talk of doubt and fear.
Both of these represent a loss of freedom.
The freedom to be who you really are.

So on this day of celebrating US independence,
and watching it unfold in other countries around this wonderful
planet, keep in mind that freedom has many faces,
it may look different to each one of you.

AND THAT IS THE POINT

You are pioneers,
and like all great adventurers who set out
for parts unknown,
you have no map.

And just like all great explorers,
you have the fire of adventure in your hearts,
and a vague sense of the direction in which
to take your steps.

But as you can imagine,
there were surprises,
and changes in plans, when these explorers
encountered mountains, rivers, even oceans
along the way.

The path is open, the horizon flat,
and then just as they are making progress....
water!
for which they are unprepared.

Traveling light, as you must on any great
expedition,
the weather could start out temperate,
and by the end of the week
they would encounter great heat,
or even more difficult,
growing elevation, and snow!

Now here is what all great adventurers do 
in course of their journeys when faced with obstacles.
First they chart a map, for those that are to follow,
so others will not encounter the same surprises.

Then, they face the challenge, the changes,
with curiosity, fearlessness, and grace.
By grace we mean they take some time to 
check in with their gut, their inner compass,
and then use the skills they have acquired along
the way, to navigate around or even over or thru
these seemingly impossible obstacles.

You get what we are saying.
You are these explorers,
and like them, this new energy,
this new way of being, is uncharted,
and without precedent,
so there are no maps.

You will be the ones who will chart the way
for the others to follow,
although it will be just be an outline,
with the rapid rate of the changes ahead.

And like the others, you have, 
and will continue to demonstrate,
your grace
in the face of these mountains,
these rivers, these oceans that 
seem to block your path.

The biggest Leap of Faith we are asking you to take,
and the one that is the hardest for most of you,
is the belief that things are getting better.

In other words, we are asking you trust what we say,
and not what you see all around you.
What appears to be happening.

You have moments of really being brilliant at this,
seeing all the beauty and goodness around you...
and then the bottom drops out!
You see something on the news,
uneven political decisions,
violence in other countries
or you witness some unkind act,
violence in your own neighborhood,
and you get sucked back into believing that
things have gone to hell, or more accurately,
you begin to think hell has come and taken up residence
here on earth!

Nothing could be further from the truth.

We know that often does not resonate with you.

Here is where this enormous Leap is required.
Here is where your trust in light over dark,
the belief that all things are seeking balance,
and the Earth, and humanity and even your bodies,
are all self correcting on the highest level, comes into play.

When it looks as if things have all gone horribly wrong...
just take a breath...or three...and wait.
The pendulum will swing back to center,
It always does.

By the laws of the Universe, everything seeks balance.
It will self correct.

If the process bothers you too much,
quit watching it!
Send light and love and look away,
Walk away if you must, 
but don't add YOUR worry and anxiety,
and momentary lack of Faith to a process in motion.

Hold the Faith that there has NEVER been a better time.
Take the Leap that there is more light and more love
present on the Planet, 
and in the hearts of men, 
than at any other time, 
and it is growing and excellerating at an epic pace!

You have reached and surpassed critical mass,
and the pendulum is on the upswing.
Don't hold your breath,
Inhale deeply...and take the Leap!

We are asking you to take a ginormous leap of faith 
We know!

We are asking you to embrace change,
to walk thru your days open, and aware.

We are asking you to see your life as a great adventure,
to wring the best out of each moment.

We are asking you to dance in the face of chaos and fear.
We are asking you to view each other as connected ,
thru a universal lattice of love.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we are asking you to do.
Life is bumpy, and things feel strange.
We know.

We are asking you to take this leap of faith because you asked us to.

EVERYTHING has changed, it could not be more different than the 
energy you were born into.
You have accompanied the planet into a portal that changes by the minute.
This is unprecedented, and we are here to help.

Navigating uncharted territory takes faith.
It takes courage and resolve,
and it takes a sense of humor!

Because you have undertaken such an amazing feat,
know that there is a golden safety net around each one of you,
and the planet.
And every knot was tied by an angel.

So go ahead and leap!

We'll catch you!

Now your next mantra can be 
"I Am Open To Change".

Greeting change with open arms is easy,
said no one,
EVER!

It is just human nature to resist all change,
and that resistance to something that is so inevitable,
is the cause of much of your heartache.

Just as surely the sun rises and sets,
as the tides come in ,and go out,
as the Earth spins on it's axis,
there will be change.

Change is actually the foundation on which you build your lives.
That seems counter intuitive,
because a foundation needs to be solid.
By its inevitability, change is the base, the groundwork,
on which each moment chosen.
These moments become days, and then years,
and before you know it, you have lived your life
reacting to these changes.

If we told you that every change was the doorway to something better,
how would that feel?
Would you shake your fist in the air and say 
" I just lost my job"!
" Someone stole my money"!
" I have to relocate to a place where I know no one"!
" My dog died"!
"This does not feel better to me"!

Now what if we told you that in the midst of this change,
this chaos,
these howling winds of emotion,
lies a jewel, a present.

It is the gift of being open to what comes next.

"I Am Open To Change"

As you stand in the storm of uncertainty,
armed with your knowledge that all things change,
and we told you knowledge is power,
will you use that as your foundation?
will you now look for the jewel?

You may have no idea what comes next,
and that can be terrifying,
but please know that something better is what comes next,
use THAT as your foundation for the next moment,
and the next, 
and the next.
Armed with that perception,
change can become exciting, even exhilarating,
and begin to hold no fear.

So when the opening begins, density pours out,
fear
pain
Anger is in the mix as well,
that is another choice in reaction to the pain and fear.

If that feels appropriate for you, 
feel it and let it go, 
don't become stuck there,
for it is a secondary emotion,
and can feel so much better than pain and fear,

that's right! It feels better in the body to feel anger,than to feel fear or hurt.

Dr Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist,
wrote in her book,
"My Stroke of Insight"
"It takes “less than 90 seconds” for an emotion to get triggered, surge chemically through the blood stream, then get flushed out."

Hear that, FEEL that, take that in:
An emotion lasts for 90 seconds from start to finish.
You see or hear something that makes you angry,
and it will run its course thru your nervous system,
thru your body, in 90 seconds!

That is if...you don't rerun the initial event that caused
the emotion in your mind.
If you do that, if you rerun the emotion,
then it can last in your psyche and in your body
for 90 minutes, 90 days, even 90 years!!

So...you can tolerate any intense emotion for 90 seconds,
Anger,
Grief,
Fear,
You have the control!
It's you call!

As this energy prompts and facilitates your opening,
what comes flying out first?
Pain and fear!

Bang! Your first impulse...close back up!
It's too much!
It's too messy and chaotic!
And you are the microcosm,
this is happening on the world stage as well.
You are seeing it everywhere!

As humanity goes, so goes the planet.
As you all start to open up,
all the skeletons fly out of the closet,
all the secrets are reveled,
no more dark corners to hide in,
and the world at large mirrors this back to you.

Now...how you perceive this will be the difference
between being caught up and overwhelmed by pain and fear,
or riding the wave, because you are conscious of what and why this is happening.
Knowledge is power.

To get to all the good stuff inside, 
all the dark, dense stuff has to leave first.
Do you get that?
Of course you do.
So don't be worried, or frightened by it,
and certainly don't stop opening!

The best is yet to come, 
for each of you individually and the planet as well.
So just watch in educated awe
as these secrets come to light,
as the pain is felt, and then subsides.
Let the light of truth and openness 
fill all the nooks and crannies,
to reveal only clarity and transparency.

There are areas of complication in life.
They are like knots in an otherwise smooth chain.
How do you approach these knots?
Are you someone who, in their struggle to untangle
the knot, just pulls it tighter?

Do you lack the patience and perseverance it takes 
to slowly and methodically release each knot?

Or... can you find the Zen in the art of untangling the knots?
The approach that works is one of unfocused, focus.
WHAT??!
Yep, unfocused, focus.

Being easily focused, with a softness.
Not a harsh laser beam type focus,
that pulls the knot tighter.

When you look at a knot in a chain,
with a soft focus, it will show you how to untangle it.
You will softly roll it around, and gently start pulling
from the outside edges.
As you untangle the edges, the center,
the part that is knotted the tightest, will start to unravel.

Done right, with unfocused focus, 
you will see where to pull to loosen, and
it will literally open up and unknot itself.

Try that with the knots in your life,
be Zen about them.
Approach them with a softer focus and let them 
reveal where to pull, and soon you will watch them
untangle themselves with the least amount of effort from you.

You should NEVER use these words.
Just kidding!!
But the truth is, these are very inflammatory words because they are so definitive...and more than likely, not true.
Yet, we accuse people all the time, using these two words

.
You never take out the trash,
you never tell me you love me,
you never let me get a word in edgewise,
you never cease to amaze me,
you never shut up!

You're all guilty of using one, or all of these , and truth be told, they are not accurate, and can incite rage!

How about these:
He always takes the last cookie,
You always say that,
You always try to get in the last word,
You always make me feel bad,
You're always late.
More than likely...not true.

Never means no time EVER!
never in the past or future, 
not.at.all...

Always means EVERY time,
without fail
constantly,
forever

Really?!
So these words are not accurate,
and we want you to pay attention to your words that you use,
especially in your intimate relationships.

So...in your next argument, leave out the 
always and the 
never's
It will force you to be more conscious and more accurate in 
what you want to convey, and will be met with much more receptive 
ears and hearts.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
The lyrics to this song are comical,
but they kind of sum up three of the states 
you've been finding yourself in as of late.

They can all apply to the same relationship, situation,
or project at any given time.
When things are going smoothly, there is a kind of magical
spell you find yourself under.
You become bewitched , enchanted and delighted,
finding synchronicity around every corner, with a skip in your step,
a smile on your face, and joy in your heart.

That very same, person, job, or situation, 
can then shift, turning into a big mess, 
where nothing goes right, anything that can go wrong
does! and besides that, your computer is down and there
is lousy cell phone reception everywhere you go!
You find yourself bothered by even the smallest details.

Then just as suddenly, the events change again!
The seas calm, the storm is over, miracles seem to occur,
and there you stand...
scratching your head, feeling confused and bewildered.
What an emotional roller coaster!

RELAX! 
Now that you've experienced this a couple of times,
you must realize that when things look bad, and you haven't a clue,
there is that bewitching, magical, enchanting state just around the corner!

Things are changing SO fast now.
Smile at being bothered, and laugh at bewilderment,
they're funny! They turn you upside down, spin you around,
face you in a different direction....
Right onto the path of delight, and enchantment,
feeling bewitched all over again!

By setting boundaries and showing by example,
you teach the people in your life how to treat you.
Will you accept not being treated with love and respect?
or will you stand tall and say "hey, that's not okay"!
It can even be telling a friend you will not tolerate their chronic
lateness.

Do you show others that same love and respect that you seek?

Boundaries are difficult for some people to enforce, 
for they fear they will lose something if they do.
If a love or a job or a friend evaporates because you 
ask to be treated a certain way, then it was not grounded in
any way that could have been sustained over time.
In other words, it was not REALLY a friend, or a lover 
and the cost was too high.

When you treat others with respect and fairness,
kindness, empathy, and love, it is returned to you ten fold.

It boils down to your self worth, and wether you will let 
any person or situation chip away at that.
It also shows you if you are recognizing the worth of 
those around you, and if you value it equally, 
or more than your own.

If you are nurturing, you will be nurtured.
Generosity brings you generous acts,
Thoughtfulness will be rewarded,

Always show your gratitude when someone treats you
wonderfully, for they may be teaching YOU ways you 
should be treated that you hadn't imagined.
And then return the favor!

Everything in Moderation...Even Moderation
Moderation in life is an admirable aspiration.

Staying mindful when eating,
Having temperance in volatile situations,
being appropriate, 
having a measured response,
These things will all serve you well in life.
Just be careful you don't over moderate , 
moderation!

Where's the spark?
Where's the ZaZaZu?
Where's the fiery debate?
Where's the sparkle?
Where the joy?

There is a certain safety in moderation,
a feeling of security.
That is a fine thing to have.
But don't forget to occasionally shake things up!

Color outside the lines!
Waaaaaay outside the lines!
Laugh too loud,eat all the bacon!
drive fast,
eat desert, maybe two!! ( we can hear the gasps)!
wear green,
have a glass of wine...or two ( oh my)!
eat in bed,
be messy,
be naughty,
Come on! Live life!

We're not saying to do these things all the time,
but remember to cut loose every once in awhile.
It will make you a much more interesting person,
and much more fun to be around,
and it will put a skip in your step,
and some pizazz back in your life ;-)

We are goings to extrapolate on this topic,
because it resonated so much with many of you.
That is so Good!
and really new.
A couple of years ago, you were not ready,
but things have changed, 
Oh my! how they've changed!
and you are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

All right!
Here is the definition of Receive:

re·ceive  /riˈsēv/

Verb
Be given, presented with, or paid (something): "most businesses will receive a tax cut".
Take delivery of (something sent or communicated): "he received fifty inquiries".
Synonyms
get - take - accept - obtain - admit - welcome

We love doing this, showing the definition,
it adds such clarification.

In this definition, the ones we want to focus on today
are three of the synonyms.
ACCEPT
ADMIT
WELCOME
These are all great in concept, 
but get sticky in their execution.

Accepting help.
Ouch! We know, not so easy.
That is such a huge step in receiving.
Letting others help you.
You benefit greatly,but so do the others!
Why deny them that pleasure?
It does not make you weak, on the contrary, it shows tremendous strength to ask for help. Ponder that awhile, it feels so foreign, and you want to discard it immediately,

DO NOT

Admitting love into your life.
Really!? That one's even worse, even harder.
To receive love, you have to take the first step of 
becoming vulnerable, and giving it admittance into your heart.
That. Is . Huge.
We know.
But the benefits so far outweigh any downside to this.
It does get messy, we agree,
it can hurt, we know.
But when you soften your heart, let down the walls,
and allow admittance of another, two lives are changed...
forever!
Let THAT sink in too.

Now welcoming.
To welcome something is to stand open armed,
smile on your face, and embrace it.
Can you welcome change? Anything that comes your way?
Come on!! now you're asking too much!
Just stand openly and receive whatever life has to offer?
You mean say YES instead of no?
Zig when I want to zag?
Not only embrace change, but run with it?
What could possibly be the benefit in that?

Well, let's see...
Less stress,
more happiness,
a more open mind,
an unburdened heart,
surprises,
miracles.
And so much more!
We are not kidding about this.

Along with your mantra
I AM OPEN TO RECEIVING
try on 
ACCEPTING
ADMITTING 
WELCOMING
just stick your toes in at first.
These are three keys to help unlock the doors
to better days ahead, and the life you've always dreamt of.

I Am Open To Receiving

Let this mantra go into your head
and spend some time there, cleaning out all doubt.
Say it often, for at certain times,
it will mean something entirely different.

There can be a problem,
a disconnect,
when you are wanting something,
really asking with all your intent,
but there is a part of you that is not open,
not comfortable with,
doesn't feel deserving of,
or worthy of receiving.

Whatever the reason,
usually something in childhood,
it may have felt valid then...
but honestly, haven't you had enough 
of the wounds of childhood,
that were seen with the eyes of a child,
and processed with the understanding of a child,
being the filter thru which you run your happiness as adults?

Yes! You are!

Running this mantra through your mind as often as you think
of it, 
will start to shift you into an energy of reception.
It may feel uncomfortable at first.
Like wearing shoes that are too tight and
you will have a million internal arguments of 
why that statement feels untrue.

Then the exhilaration will set in,
and you will start to breathe easier.
Every time you repeat this phrase

I AM OPEN TO RECEIVING

It will wrestle with the self doubt 
and unworthiness, truly leaving you open 
and willing to receive all the wonderful things,
the big life, 
that the Universe has been stockpiling for you!

Your path chooses you
Thru all life's up and downs
zigs and zags,
riches to rags,
and back around

Down endless halls,
with doors galore,
you stand before,
destiny calls

A fork in the road,
which path to choose,
it chooses you,
lighten your load

The way is clear,
your feet take flight,
it all feels right,
no need to steer

What we mean to say,
with minimum fuss,
listen to us
without delay

Your path in life,
it chooses you
it beckons you,
with minimum strife

So when your path begins to zag
follow along
it won't be wrong,
look for the flags

They lead to joy and freedom too,
so drop your fear,
it will be clear,
your path has chosen you!

Believing Is Seeing and Seeing Is Believing
Your life reflects what you believe.
We know! We say this a lot!
but make no mistake, 
your beliefs are the templates,
the prisms,
the filters,
whatever you can understand, and take into your heart.

Your beliefs dictate what you expect out of life.
You have the belief life is hard,
then you expect things to go down the hard way,
and by golly! They do not disappoint!

Even if something goes smoothly and is easy,
you wait for the "other shoe to drop".
Because that's just the way life is, 
and sure enough, "Look out below"! 
here comes the other shoe, disguised as hardship.

You believe it
You see it
then...
you see it
so you believe it.
get it?
It is self perpetuating,
but it can be corrected.

You have to be conscious of what you believe,therefore what you expect.

" I'm no good with money"
guess what, you're always broke.

" I always pick the wrong men"
Oh look, another break up.

"I can't get that job, because_______ (fill in the blank)
and you stay in your current job that you hate.

" I expect the worst, that way I'm not disappointed"
Wow, you just served yourself up a lifetime of disappointment,
it will come out of nowhere just to make you right!

Do you understand?
be careful.
Take a mental inventory of your beliefs.
That should be easy, just look around.
Now pay attention, and change the things you don't like.